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Changes could boost competition for top positionsGoogle removed text ads from the right side of its search results page. Observers expect stiffer competition for the top four ad positions.
Google has tweaked the layout of its desktop search results to match its mobile format, a change that could result in dealers paying more for paid search ads.
The tech giant removed text ads from the right side of the search results page, while boosting the number of paid ads appearing above the unpaid results to four from three. Overall, the maximum number of ads on the search results page was cut to seven from 11.
The impact of the changes, which were made in late February, could go beyond aesthetics. Observers expect the loss of right-side text ads to boost competition for the top four ad positions, which could lead to steeper prices for those search ads -- despite the additional slot.
It's possible, some say, that retailers could benefit from the changes in the long run. Those observers expect the quality of desktop traffic and click-through rates for ads to improve because of Google's modifications.
Reese: "It's still early."
So far, Dominion Dealer Solutions -- which in mid-March had more than a dozen paid search engine campaigns going for one of its dealer clients -- hasn't experienced any setbacks or seen pricing increase for search ads. "I think it's not a reason yet to panic. It's still early," said Brooke Reese, a search specialist for Dominion Dealer Solutions, of Norfolk, Va.
If costs for search ads rise but lead quality improves, retailers could be better off, says John Steerman, senior vice president of mobile, lead operations and product development for Autobytel, a third-party shopping site that was a pioneer in online retailing.
Steerman said Google's search results model is about showing consumers the most relevant ads possible. He says Autobytel, which spends seven figures each month on its search engine marketing, hasn't been hurt by Google's desktop layout changes.
"At this point, about half of our leads are being generated from mobile searches. As the traffic for everyone moves toward mobile, the impact of changes on desktop aren't going to be meaningful," Steerman said.
Still, showing fewer desktop ads likely will increase competition for the top four spots in Google's AdWords auction, which determines the ads in those coveted listings. When a user searches for a vehicle model, the first four results shown will likely be paid ads. To see the unpaid listings, the user must scroll down.
Unpaid vs. paidSome dealerships could experience a drop-off in unpaid search traffic as a result of this layout change, said Amy Peck, director of managed marketing services for Dominion Dealer Solutions.
That would put an even greater emphasis on paid search, which can account for a significant portion of the traffic to dealer sites, said Gary Galloway, whose official title with Netsertive is automotive digital marketing evangelist.
Netsertive works with hundreds of dealers on various parts of the digital business. Galloway has seen dealer websites draw as much as 55 percent of their traffic from paid search.
Some marketers expect advertisers' jockeying for position to drive up prices in the months ahead.
"I'm anticipating that [retailers] will overcompensate a little bit, and we'll see more competitive bidding and therefore an increase in the cost of what we're paying," Peck said. "I think that will even out over time."
OptionsIf prices surge as Peck foresees, smaller dealerships with less money may fall behind in the search ad race. That could force some stores to re-evaluate their digital game plans, says Max Steckler, vice president of product management at CDK Global, a digital marketing company. CDK has an automated system that helps with the AdWords bidding process.
Steckler says Google's changes show the importance of dealerships having broad strategies that aren't too dependent on one platform.
"If everybody storms in, and everybody bumps their bid price 40 percent, I can tell you that Google is going to win, but the market isn't going to win nearly as much," Steckler said. "This is where dealers need to step back and think about their strategy. What are my other options? What other media can I buy to balance out this rising cost of Google?"
You can reach Vince Bond Jr. at vbond@crain.com. -- Follow Vince on
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This report from the Local Search Association and Vendasta explores some of the triggers and potential variables behind SMB advertiser churn using new data from Vendasta.
The data come from more than 275,000 small business accounts, and Vendasta made its aggregate customer data available as a source for this report in an effort to help isolate and identify churn variables and potential triggers and causes.
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About The Author Digital Marketing Depot is a resource center for digital marketing strategies and tactics. We feature hosted white papers and E-Books, original research, and webcasts on digital marketing topics -- from advertising to analytics, SEO and PPC campaign management tools to social media management software, e-commerce to e-mail marketing, and much more about internet marketing. Digital Marketing Depot is a division of Third Door Media, publisher of Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, and producer of the conference series Search Marketing Expo and MarTech. Visit us at http://digitalmarketingdepot.com. (Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.)Buy AutoTrafficRSS script now for $27 only!
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Improving search ranking within app stores has become critical to an app's success. Marketers are increasingly focused on various elements of app submission and marketing techniques to help achieve higher ranking in an app store's search results.
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About The Author Digital Marketing Depot is a resource center for digital marketing strategies and tactics. We feature hosted white papers and E-Books, original research, and webcasts on digital marketing topics -- from advertising to analytics, SEO and PPC campaign management tools to social media management software, e-commerce to e-mail marketing, and much more about internet marketing. Digital Marketing Depot is a division of Third Door Media, publisher of Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, and producer of the conference series Search Marketing Expo and MarTech. Visit us at http://digitalmarketingdepot.com. (Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.)Buy AutoTrafficRSS script now for $27 only!
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Join professional social media marketers just like you learning the latest ROI-driven tactics at Marketing Land's SocialPro, June 20–21 in Seattle, WA. We've changed the date and location of this event based on your feedback to help you get a head start with your campaigns and end-of-year planning.
Whether you practice earned, owned or paid social media marketing, SocialPro has tactic-packed sessions and an incredible speaker lineup from companies, agencies and brands like MMI Agency, Avalaunch Media, BMC, Pinterest, Allrecipes, E! Online, Microsoft and many more!
Leaving SocialPro felt like leaving summer camp! What a warm, friendly environment to forge connections with a great group of smart marketers. Many social media conferences provide abstract ideas about community and engagement, but it's rare to find one that offers as much actionable data and strategy as SocialPro.
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Rand Internet Marketing is recognized as an award-winning firm in the internet marketing industry for providing high-quality services and solutions for their clients. Rand offers an array of services including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC), responsive website design and development on several e-commerce platforms, logo and graphic design, social media setup and management, online banner advertising, online content marketing, and much more.
"As a leader in the eCommerce space, we have identified PrestaShop as the next platform to build a working partnership with, especially after the success we have seen in working with other eCommerce platforms including Magento, Shopify, 3dcart, and so on," says Seth Rand, Founder and CEO at Rand Marketing. "In addition, we are excited to be listed as PrestaShop's first Search Engine Marketing (SEM) partner within the U.S."
PrestaShop provides more than 250,000 online store owners with powerful, dynamic and international e-commerce software enriched with hundreds of innovative tools to develop and boost a successful online store at no cost. Simple, efficient and intuitive with unmatched power PrestaShop enables users to thrive in a competitive market regardless of size, industry or revenue.
"With the expansion of our Agency Program, we're excited to add Rand Marketing as our first SEM partner in the US. Their over 6 years of experience in the digital space makes them a valuable resource for our merchants. We're confident that by coupling the power of our software with Rand Marketing's internet marketing expertise, we are taking another step towards helping online merchants succeed," said Kenneth Cruz, General Manager of PrestaShop.
About Rand Internet Marketing
A division of Rand Business Services based out of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Rand Internet Marketing's team offers a full range of web design and marketing services, including responsive website creation, web development, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, brand / logo design and development, graphic designing and more. Rand's specialty is primarily in responsive web design and development, including in the WordPress and Magento e-commerce platforms, and pay per click (PPC) marketing. In addition, Rand offers video production / marketing, full-color printing press services, business review and reputation management, product photography, merchant services and a host of other professional business services.
Looking for a new website? Could your business use more leads and increased sales through Internet marketing? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then the Rand Internet Marketing team can help you develop and execute an integrated strategy that will help your business thrive and outdo the competition.
For more information, call 888.707.RAND (888.707.7263) or request a consultation online at randmarketing.com/request-consultation.
About PrestaShop
PrestaShop was founded in 2007 with a mission to provide world-class ecommerce software through open source innovation. Today more than 250,000 ecommerce stores in 195 countries run on PrestaShop technology. The company provides software that enables users to have an online store at the lowest cost possible. PrestaShop is on the 2016 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in Europe. The company also received the CMS Critic Award for Best eCommerce Solution for the Enterprise. PrestaShop has offices in Europe and the US, and is funded by Serena Capital, XAnge Private Equity and Seventure Partners. For more information, please visit www.prestashop.com
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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rand-internet-marketing-announces-partnership-with-prestashop-300242441.html
SOURCE Rand Internet Marketing
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Here are 10 of the top insights shared at LSA16.
1. Search disruption is comingOnline search has essentially followed the directory listing model, whether it be search results from Google, restaurant reviews on Yelp or hotels on TripAdvisor. Yet a number of speakers at LSA16 shared innovations that deviate from this traditional model that owes its genesis to print directories.
Virtual assistants and artificial intelligence have been talked about for a number of years since their launch in 2011. Google voice search was launched in mid-2011, and Siri was launched towards the end of 2011. However, they've largely been limited to setting calendar events, making witty responses to dumb questions and inspiring dreams about what the future could hold. Search performed on virtual assistants was negligible. Until 2015.
In 2015, voice search soared to 10 percent of all search volume globally. According to Timothy Tuttle of MindMeld, that's a jump from a statistical zero to 50 billion searches a month that are now being performed by voice search. The numbers are corroborated by an eMarketer report that cites even higher usage.
Voice search is resulting in longer natural language queries on Cortana, according to Microsoft. And these queries reveal greater intent by the user that give better search results leading to declining importance of keywords. TalkLocal explained that queries for "help fixing a leak in my pool plumbing" or "my water heater burst and it's coming through the ceiling" are superior to a keyword search for plumber.
Jonathan Swanson, co-founder and president of Thumbtack, also spoke at LSA16, where he shared that the company's business model likewise was built on innovating search away from the traditional listings model. Thumbtack takes customer input on what is needed — such as details on what days, time, distance, number of dogs, breeds and neighborhood for a dog walker — and returns task- or project-specific bids by professionals packaged with profiles, reviews and other information.
Speakers from Retale and Aisle411 talked about Virtual Reality and ways that VR can be practically utilized in retail, automotive and real estate, such as in-store navigation and experiencing a product before purchase. This is another technology that is no longer conceptual in adoption, with estimates that VR will be a $30 billion market by 2020. Consumer and business interest is booming, as revealed by Twitter impressions at SXSW: VR had more than 100 million impressions at the conference, with the next highest technologies being mobile apps and robotics, at about 30 million impressions each.
2. SMBs need help and aren't getting itThe day before LSA16, we held an SMB Bootcamp, one of four we have planned for the year. At this interactive one-day education-focused event, the question was asked, "How many currently have a paid search campaign?" Only two or three people out of about 100 raised their hands, yet it seemed half the room indicated they had tried a paid search campaign in the past.
It's clear that many local businesses have had a poor experience or were disappointed with the performance of paid marketing campaigns. It's likely they are managing these campaigns on their own; according to a study shared at LSA16, 71 percent of small businesses manage their own marketing.
Of those that do work with a marketing provider, churn remains high, over 50 percent. Previous studies showed that the biggest complaint by SMBs about providers was that they didn't provide any value. Yet even when they handle it on their own, SMBs remain skeptical about the return they are getting from digital media buys and struggle with measuring performance and ROI.
3. SMBs want providers to "show me the money"Providers are responding to demands for proof that digital marketing is working. ReachLocal changed its business model based on experience that smaller budget clients want to see metrics and analytics that show the value of the work they are getting compared to higher budget clients that want more hand-holding and service. This is a win for both sides, as metrics and analytics can be provided on an automated basis without the need to incur costs for servicing those with less to spend.
Google data support that practice in finding that more frequent reporting is directly related to lower churn rates. Frequent reporting also correlated to higher ratings and higher satisfaction of those reports. Those who received weekly reports rated reporting as excellent or very good 54 percent of the time. Forty-eight percent did so for monthly reporting, and only 14 percent did so when reporting was less often.
Google also reports that providers can win back clients by committing to some changes. Fifty-eight percent of former customers state they would return if they saw results or a better explanation of results, were offered different pricing options and/or received better support.
4. Online-to-offline attribution will get a big boost from mobileMost sales are still made offline. xAd cited data that 90 percent of commerce is offline and 75 percent of mobile users convert offline. To satisfy SMB demand for demonstrable ROI from marketing, the attribution of offline sales to online media must be made.
Trying to track a user who sees an ad or clicks forward to a landing page with someone who later walks into a store has traditionally been a challenge for marketers, and that's one of the main reasons SMBs express dissatisfaction with digital marketing. Fortunately for marketers, the surge in mobile is helping make that connection. With consumers checking smartphones on average 150 times a day, and about half of all use occurring while they are out and about, location technology is making true attribution possible.
Jason Uechi, Director of Engineering for YP Mobile Labs, shared how YP uses its 150 million profiles of users to tie ad impressions and engagement to those who show up in stores. Store visits are captured through a variety of methods based on mobile device location, including GPS data from apps, background tracking, check-ins and beacon technology. The visits are then matched with data on profiles targeted with ads including impressions and clicks.
Case studies shared by YP, xAd and Foursquare all demonstrated a lift in store visits that were attributable to digital advertising by using these "tracking" metrics, and it is measurable results like this that SMBs are looking for.
And who has more reach than Facebook? At LSA 16, Facebook shared its offline conversion lift testing through "closed loop measurements," where it creates a control group with no ad exposure and a test group to whom ads are delivered. Facebook will take uploaded conversion data, compare it for both groups and calculate the lift provided by the ad campaign.
5. Differentiation is needed in a commoditized marketing environmentMarketing technology — such as programmatic buying, automated CRM tools like online booking, DIY portals and free platforms like social media pages — have led to a commoditized marketing environment. This presents two problems: shopping for a marketing partner becomes a "lowest bidder" decision, and it is much harder for marketing providers to distinguish themselves from the competition.
Several speakers at LSA16 from Yahoo, DialogTech, Milesone Internet and Tiger Pistol described how to overcome these problems by creating an identity through branding and by emphasizing personalized service as a value add.
MapQuest incorporated both of these means in redefining its product. MapQuest faced real threats to its relevance from other more widely used maps that were usually integrated with users' mobile device operating systems — Google Maps and Apple Maps. Yet Brian McMahon, MapQuest's General Manager, distinguished the company's product from the mass audience maps of his competitors by changing its culture.
MapQuest is leveraging its small size to relate more to users and to build a brand around human experience, life moments and everyday decisions. Instead of being just about maps, information, directions and search, MapQuest wants to be about discovery, exploration, suggestion and insight. They even put a customer service phone number on their map. Check out this video to get a feel for how they are connecting with their customers.
6. The Evolving Sales ModelSMBs have clamored for some time that they need people to help them, not sell them. This seems to finally be getting traction with marketers, as recognized by BuzzBoard, G/O Digital and Vendasta at LSA16. Especially given the rise in content marketing, it is increasingly important for marketers to know their customer, the product or service and their audience in developing suitable content.
ReachLocal is an example of how drastic a difference such changes can make to a business's success. By shifting from a media delivery model to a client-centric model that emphasized client service, customized goals, staff training and tying sales compensation to retention, ReachLocal boosted client retention by 50 percent in one year.
We saw these principles in practice at our SMB Bootcamp, where we have a "no sales pitches" policy for speakers. SMBs became much more relaxed and open as they understood they were getting helpful information, and the event maintained a highly positive vibe. Everyone expressed a genuine desire to see local businesses succeed, and as a result, the speakers were not just applauded, but cheered. In the end, those same business owners, in turn, sought out our sponsors and speakers in the exhibit hall, where sales pitches were welcomed.
7. The no-selling sales modelThumbtack uses no sales force. That's zero sales reps. Yet it drives more than $1 billion in annual revenue for local service providers that use its site and recently received $125 million in its fourth round of funding over the last two years. At LSA16, Jonathan Swanson, Thumbtack's co-founder and president, shared the business model that made this possible. Consumers fill out forms that detail what kind of project or work is being requested. Those requests are forwarded to service providers that closely match the location and work request. Thumbtack only charges a fee when the provider responds to a lead with a price quote and message.
Thumbtack is able to attract service providers with low-cost access to consumers and a fee model that guarantees high-intent leads that the provider can evaluate before paying for it. If you have something people want, it seems they will knock down your door to get it.
Giving users what they want is also the foundation of Google's approach to innovation, according to Ben Wood, director of channel sales at Google. While Google does have sales teams, it has built its business on others, such as ad agencies, selling for them, which is only possible because it has always been user-focused. As part of that mindset, Google recently eliminated ads in the right rail/column of its search engine. For a company that makes 90 percent of its revenue from advertising, with much of that from AdWords, that action seems contrary to a successful sales model. Yet putting users first and constantly adapting to new expectations is what drives Google's success.
Yelp has likewise adapted its platform to cater to users' wants, leading to its reach of more than one-third of all US adults and almost 100 million reviews. Yelp COO Geoff Donaker stated that in response, Yelp now has 100,000 paying advertisers and two million claimed business profiles. New functions Yelp has added include booking, integrated commerce, messaging and a Thumbtack-esque request for quotes from home service providers.
8. Simple and easy also sellsI remember wondering why people would pay 99 cents for a song on iTunes when they could download it for free from Napster. Staples' Easy button campaign sums it up: easy sells. Even as digital technology is meant to simplify marketing, the plethora of digital products and services competing for attention can be suffocating. Anything that cuts through the clutter is appealing.
Constant Contact just added its version of the "easy button" to leverage client email contacts and content for use in high-demand social media marketing. When clients send out an email blast through the platform, they can also choose to run a Facebook campaign. Constant Contact develops a Facebook post from email content and targets those same contacts through Facebook's Custom Audience. While clients could upload the contact list to Facebook on their own and cut and paste part of an email into a FB post, the one-step convenience offered by Constant Contact is selling. So far, about 10,000 customers have elected to try the service.
Thumbtack also built its marketplace of service providers from scratch by offering to auto-post services on Craigslist, so that advertisers wouldn't have to repeatedly repost their classified listing to keep it fresh. Again, this is something that providers could do on their own, but the convenience factor (and that it was free) was attractive.
9. Print may not be sexy, but SMBs dig itFour SMBs from the Bootcamp agreed to join a Q&A panel about issues they face in marketing. Unsolicited, they each expressed the importance of print marketing in maintaining current business. The uses included directory listings, ads in tourist maps, flyers and print media ads.
It's not that they were unsophisticated business owners. Far from it. However, they did express concerns with digital marketing, as discussed above. They viewed digital media as necessary for engagement, particularly on social media, where they knew their customers spent time. They also viewed digital marketing primarily as a growth strategy. But every one of them emphasized that print was a vital part of their marketing. Print helped them retain existing customers.
10. A bird in the hand is worth 5 to 10 in the bushKristin Coit of Google shared some data regarding churn that supports the above SMBs' attention to existing customers. It costs five to 10 times more to attract a new customer than to retain an old one. So losing a customer to churn hurts.
Retaining customers is not just important from a cost standpoint, but from a revenue one, as well. Revenue can be expressed simply as Revenue = Acquisition + Upsell – Churn. Kristin shared that the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60 percent to 70 percent, compared to five percent to 20 percent for a new prospect. So investing in taking care of your existing customers is a prudent business decision.
Churn is a big enough issue for Google that it has made it a "20-percent time" project out of which products such as Google News, Gmail and AdSense were born. It now offers some programs to help its partners support retention and reduce churn, including predictive churn reports, churn history analysis and advertiser tenure and performance reports.
In all, we had a great conference, and I hope you can join us next year. If you've made it all the way through these 10 points, here's a bonus for you. Check out this video of 11 Predictions for Local Marketing in 2016 made by marketers attending LSA16. If you don't have six minutes, skip to the 5:19 mark. Enjoy!
Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
About The Author Wesley Young is the Local Search Association's vice president of Public Policy. He blogs about the industry on the Local Search Insider blog. (Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.)Buy AutoTrafficRSS script now for $27 only!
We will send the script to your PayPal email within few hours,Please add FullContentRSS@gmail.com to your email contact.Marketing has changed significantly in the last several decades. Technological advancements in the field have given birth to platforms like social media and search engine marketing, leaving marketers with no shortage of channels to leverage.
Just last year, the Direct Marketing Association reported that over half of all marketers they surveyed planned to increase marketing budgets allocated to email as a result of their previous success.
So what is it then, in this era of demand-driven social marketing, that continues to make email marketing a core component of successful small business marketing strategies?
1. Insights you can count onOne of the strongest assets email marketing brings to the table is the detailed reporting and analysis at your fingertips.
Contrary to more traditional marketing channels like print or television, email marketing reports provide valuable insights into the overall success of your marketing campaigns.
While most email marketing apps provide basic metrics, like clicks or opens, the good ones allow you to dig deeper into the details. Taking a look at metrics like how long your recipients spend reading your emails, as well as the devices or email services they use to access them, tells the marketer a lot about what is working and what isn't with their email campaigns.
2. It doesn't take up too much timeMost good things take time. For small businesses that often operate without the resources of a large marketing department, every task must be weighed against everything else that can be done with that same amount of time.
Typically, we find it takes the average user only about 30 minutes to complete their first campaign. This includes the time it takes to import contacts, design a template, test it, and feel the adrenaline pump of pressing "send."
3. Keeps your bottom line healthyWhen it comes to a small business, the reality is that everything boils down to return on investment and how long it takes to get there. Small businesses must be able to justify each and every dollar of marketing, and that's what draws them to email.
According to the DMA, each dollar spent on email marketing generates roughly $44 in revenue. While this statistic may be somewhat inflated, it is hard to argue against email marketing's proven ability to consistently deliver outstanding results.
In order to re-engage previous customers, move new leads through the sales funnel, and cross-sell to current clients, email targets the low hanging fruit - your contact database. When you create email campaigns focused on existing relationships (no matter the level), you create a non-invasive method for staying relevant that will surely pay off in the future.
More from PR Newswire's Small Business PR ToolkitRecently, Warc released the rankings of the world's best marketing campaigns in 2016. Warc is an online service offering advertising best practice, evidence, and insights from the world's leading brands.
The Warc 100 aims to track and rank the world's smartest campaigns, and the companies behind them. They tracked over 2,000 individual award winners in 79 different effectiveness and strategy awards schemes held around the world. All competitions tracked are based on case studies. The annual rankings are based on the winners of effectiveness and strategy awards from around the world.
Here are the Top 10 Best Marketing Campaigns for 2016: 10. I Will What I Want, Under Armour from USA 9. Kan Khajura Tesan, Hindustan from India 8. Share A Coke, Coca-Cola's Global Campaign 7. This is Wholesome, Honeymade from USA 6. If We Made It, Newcastle Brown Ale from USA 5. Live Test Series, Volvo from Sweden 4. Inglorious Fruits & Vegetables, Intermache from France 3. Project Architeuthis, America's Navy from USA 2. #LikeAGirl, Always' Global campaign 1. Penny the Pirate, OPSM from AustraliaAll the campaigns mentioned above are big brands with huge advertising budgets. For small time players, here are some lessons you can learn from to build your own effective advertising campaigns:
Know Your GoalsYou should be able to answer these questions:
Answering these questions give you a clear outline as to what your goals should be.
Know Your Target MarketAlways #LikeAGirl campaign shows how well they know their target market. Young girls at puberty stage, who are tech savvy, who can achieve their dreams. They have very clearly depicted this in the campaign by personifying their target market – making use of mobile phones and emojis, while at the same time empowering them to reach for their dreams.
Craft Your Message ClearlyThe Penny The Pirate Campaign of OPSM shows a clear message of what the brand offers — OPSM has eyes, come visit us. It aims to raise awareness of children's eye health and improve their vision. OPSM released the world's first free children's book and app. It also displays how a digital campaign can lead to drive offline sales in retail outlets. It's a very innovative campaign with a clear message, and a clear goal.
Choose Your Channel WellThe channel where you send your brand message is as important as the message itself. You should be where your target market is. Project Architeuthis knows their target well enough to know where to find them. The US Navy has a created a code-breaking, top-secret puzzle for their target to solve. They have micro-targeted the cryptology-loving millennials segment, who have solved the puzzle on their own, or sought help by creating community groups and forums to solve the puzzle.
In ConclusionNobody knows your brand as well as you do. Make sure you create concrete goals, with clear messages sent direclty to a well-defined target market through a highly-effective medium.
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Featured Image: jurgenfr/Shutterstock.com
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It's easy to get caught in a rut. Sometimes weeks or months will go by without feeling like you're making any major gains. It's frustrating, no matter how long you've working with content marketing.
But I think it's important to remember your efforts aren't necessarily failing just because your call-to-action doesn't convert double digits. In fact, if you embrace the reality that getting a positive ROI isn't just about the CTA, you may realize you're not in a rut after all.
Content drives results in many ways.
In many cases, smart analysts can quantitatively track success of your content pieces. But other times, results come from the underlying momentum you've been building for months. These unexpected ways to drive results often outperform the basic marketing metrics we cling to on a daily basis.
It's just a matter of willingness to invest in the unexpected. Once you do that, your overall content marketing results will skyrocket.
1. Become a Hub of Knowledge Through In-Depth ContentWhen done well, in-depth content educates your customers in a valuable way. It goes deep into a subject and provides the reader with numerous examples, statistics, and research.
By focusing on this type of content, not only will you be able to offer value to your current readers, you'll likely gain new ones as well.
In a world full of short blogs and Buzzfeed-style posts, many businesses see great results by creating in-depth content.
The Result: Attract your competitors' customers by providing a greater depth of knowledge.
2. Reach Customers on a Personal Level With AudioTons of people listen to podcasts. In fact, according to Maximize Social Business, an estimated 46 million Americans over the age of 12 listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. It's now one of the most popular types of audio content out there.
Personally, I've noticed that when I listen to a podcast regularly, I really feel a connection with the podcaster.
Think about it: Who do you normally go to the gym with or take a road trip with? A friend. Investing in content that creates this same feeling might be just the thing you need to build a deeper connection.
The Result: Forge a closer connection using audio files in order to establish the trust that fuels future purchases.
3. Use Video Replies to Deeply Connect 1-on-1Hat tip to Gary Vaynerchuk for this great tip:
It's a simple tactic that takes just a few seconds of extra effort. Instead of responding to @mentions in a standard text tweet, use Twitter's video feature. This is a great way to drive engagement and get your feet wet with video content at the same time.
The Result: Win customers for life by taking a few seconds to reply in a more intimate way.
4. Don't Underestimate the Power of ConsistencySometimes I think keeping a consistent schedule is one of the most powerful aspects of any content marketing effort. Publishing on a regular basis brings direct results that affect your company's bottom line.
I'm seeing many people in the space underestimate the power of consistency. Yes, something as seemingly small as sticking to a schedule can—and will—drive results.
The Result: When prospects know what to expect, they begin anticipating your next move. And when they're watching you and waiting for what you'll do next, they become far more likely to ultimately convert.
5. Implement Content in All Aspects of BusinessContent marketing happened long before it earned its official moniker the internet. Whether we realize it or not, content affects every aspect of a business. And with that in mind, it's clear that you should actively strategize its implementation across every aspect of your business.
From your brand's tagline to product descriptions to brochures to blog posts, it's all a part of your overall content strategy. Keep it consistent, on target and helpful in everything you do.
The Result: A well-rounded, educational message for each step in the sales cycle.
6. Land More Speaking Engagements With VideoVideo is picking up momentum and becoming a huge player in the digital marketing realm. And it's time to start taking advantage of it.
I think many get overwhelmed by the idea of video. But you can use it to drive conversions, awareness and engagement.
If you ever do any public speaking, start capturing your talks on video. It's a great way to fill up your YouTube channel, and you can use the video as a reel of your work to land even better speaking gigs.
The Result: Increase your industry authority by speaking in front of large audiences.
7. Expand Your Brand as a Podcast GuestI already mentioned running your own podcast, but don't forget that you can leverage others' audio sessions as well. Pitch your message to podcast owners and try to land spots as a guest. Remember, most podcasters rely on interviews to keep their show going.
When you land an interview, go above and beyond for the show's audience. I like to create a small exclusive giveaway to offer the listeners. Throw up a nice landing page for the giveaway and use it as an opportunity to build your email list.
The Result: Tap into potential new customers by leveraging someone else's audience.
Oh, and pro tip? This one works just as well with webinars.
8. Repurpose Content to Reach Your Audience on Every MediumEach and every piece of content you create can be repurposed for a different medium.
Not everyone will read your blog post. But they might watch a short video or view a slideshow. Find creative ways to repurpose your content and reach out on different platforms.
The Result: Reach customers on the platform they use so your content doesn't go unnoticed.
9. Create Awareness Through Familiar BrandingContent isn't just words on a page. It's everything you publish, including:
When you use a variety of media types, it's important to keep your branding consistent. If you're posting on a variety of platforms, keeping things consistent builds familiarity. And when your brand feels familiar, people will remember it.
The Result: People begin to notice your brand outside the context of your content channels.
10. Leverage Partnerships With Peers in Other IndustriesI'm a big fan of building partnerships with others in similar fields, as finding a complementary business owner to work with can open the door for a huge number of future content opportunities.
Things like webinars and case studies are great ways to cross-promote content with another brand. You're helping out the other business by offering great content to their audience, while also earning the opportunity to share your message with that group of people.
The Result: Spread the word about your brand while adding value to your peers.
11. Display Unique Messages Based on BehaviorYou'll be amazed by the results you can generate with a bit of dynamic content. It's a simple concept: display unique messages based on data like location, behavior, and acquisition source.
There's plenty of software available to help you with this process. Get it setup, create your content variations and enjoy the increased impact that it brings.
The Result: Drive engagement by delivering the right message at just the right time.
12. Deliver Content Upgrades for Each Blog PostSometimes you need to take your CTA a bit further by giving additional value. Consider doing so by offering a unique content upgrade for each post you publish – just like the Backlinko blog did in the post pictured below:
It's an easy way to radically grow your email list. You'll need to put in a bit of extra effort, but the results will be well worth it.
The Result: Build your email list and provide added value to your audience members.
13. Find Ways to Entertain Your AudienceWe live in a world that thrives on entertainment. If you can create content that makes your audience laugh, you can skyrocket your growth in no time.
Remember how Dollar Shave Club entertained us all and gained 12,000 customers in 48 hours?
The Result: Accelerate your growth by finding your brand's entertainment value.
14. Answer Common Questions That AriseCustomers will have questions at various points in the sales cycle. It's your job to identify those questions and answer them before they even have to ask.
While FAQ pages still work, find other creative ways to answer questions. Create a series of in-depth blog posts, then compile the links together on a mega-resource page. Use snippets from your blog to post answers to social media. Repurpose the FAQs into a slideshow and share on SlideShare. Get the answers out there as much as possible.
Answering common questions offsite has the added advantage of positioning you and your brand as an expert. Take a look below at how Ryan Hanley uses Quora to answer a user's question while simultaneously demonstrating his own authority on the subject:
There are lots of ways to use this strategy effectively. The important thing is to get out there and start answering.
The Result: Cut down on your customer service needs by answering questions before they're asked.
15. Venture Into New Content Marketing TerritoryNew content platforms pop up all the time; as a business owner, you've got to jump into these up-and-coming channels as quickly as possible.
Don't wait until they're wildly popular to jump on the bandwagon. Beat everyone there and start building an audience with the early adopters.
Take Spotify, one of the first brands to dive into Periscope marketing. According to Josh Karph, Spotify's Global Director of Social Marketing:
"We had 380 or so live viewers and about 1,500 hearts on the stream. On the replay we had another 200 or so. We're still looking at how the replay streams work and how quickly they get updated, but it looks like the total is about 450 or 500 people who viewed it."
That's huge for a new platform. But it doesn't stop there. Imagine how much larger of an audience you could have had if you started rocking Twitter in 2008.
The Result: Make an impact in a crowded market by being the first to dive into an uncrowded channel.
Everything we do in content marketing can – and should – tie to a tangible business result. We may not have the software to track everything yet, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep this important principle in mind.
Remember, marketing has only recently experienced such a push towards measurable results. For years, businesses thrived on advertising tactics they couldn't measure. The same holds true in today's world of analytics and measurement. Sometimes an investment in the unexpected methods can bring you more results than traditional tactics.
Are you willing to take the leap and dive into a deeper realm of content marketing?
Image Credits
Featured Image: kaboompics/Pixabay.comAll screenshots by Aaron Agius. Taken January 2016.