Author: admin

In today’s world, we all have a mobile smart phone giving us the ability to search for anything we want at any time we want. Did the car break down? You can search for a towing service. Looking for somewhere to eat? You can search for nearby restaurants. My point is, if you are running a business, you need to be there when potential customers are searching their phones. Wondering how to get “there”? There are two proven ways: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaigns.

Above The Fold

A PPC campaign is a great start to getting your website in front of potential customers when they search Google. On the search results page, the PPC ads are always the first four listings on the page. On mobile, due to the screen size, those first four listings are the only listings a user can see without scrolling down. Your website is being shown “above the fold,” which is an old newspaper term that literally means, above the fold! This is why a PPC campaign is important on mobile—you are presenting your website to potential customers before they have to scroll. You are at the top!

Double Your Visibility

Even though PPC dominates the top of the search results page, not all users click on those listings. This is why you need to run an SEO campaign simultaneously. Once users scroll past those first four listings, they start seeing organic listings. If you’re only running a PPC campaign, you’re going to miss out on the users that scroll. As with any advertising, it’s always best to have as much visibility as possible. By running a PPC and SEO campaign at the same time, you’re doubling or maybe even tripling your visibility on just one page.

Mobile Friendly

Okay, so now you’re running both an SEO and PPC campaign and the user clicks on your website. The user gets to your website and immediately leaves. You did all this work to bring a potential customer to your site but they leave right when they get there. Why did this happen? More than likely they left because your site isn’t mobile-friendly. This is why you must ensure that your site is responsive and can adapt to different screen sizes. Phones come in different shapes and sizes. So if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re probably missing out on potential customers.

I’m going to leave you with this one stat before I go; Google says there are trillions of searches that happen every year, and more than half of those searches are on mobile. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly in this mobile first world!

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Let’s start with the stats. Entrepreneur Magazine recently published the following statistics: 93% of purchasing judgments are made on visual perceptions; 84.7% of consumers cite color as their main reason for buying a particular product; and 80% think color increases brand recognition.

The Importance of Color

Color is the most important element of your brand. It speaks to your customers emotional side subconsciously. Plus, it helps evoke your message. The best brands put thought into their logo. Color relates a feeling. A good example is Home Depot’s use of the color orange. Their target audience is primarily those in the construction industry who tend to be around hazard signs that are usually orange. Simple and smart. They related their brand color to the color their target audience identifies with.

Food For Thought

So what’s the takeaway? Consider your target audience and clients. What do they think of your brand’s color? Do they remember it? And ultimately, do their opinions translate into more business for you?

Leverage our expertise. Work with us.

 

First, I think it’s important to touch on why TV and radio stations are even selling digital solutions. Think about your TV watching habits for a second….are you DVR’ing everything except news and live sports? Most people are, which means these big media conglomerates have had to adapt their business model to survive and stay relevant. People are spending more time online than they ever have.

I spent about seven years of my career as a television/radio/digital rep for various affiliates in the Midwest; I think that qualifies me to write this piece! I’m here to tell you why you should refrain from buying any digital marketing from your TV or radio rep. I get it, you’ve likely been working with that rep for some time and have built a solid, trusting relationship. Here’s the side you may not know about:

1. THEIR “STRATEGIES” ARE QUOTA BASED

Here’s what you don’t see….every “solution” they call you with is coming from a place of needing to hit a digital quota. They’re calling you because they know you trust them and will likely buy anything they put in front of you. Are your best interests really at the center of their quota driven world? I’m in no way bashing the work that these wonderful people do—after all, I was one of them for the better part of my career! What I’m saying is that they get put on probation, or even worse, lose their jobs if they don’t meet their quotas.

2. OUTSOURCING DOESN’T ALWAYS SERVE YOU

Much of the work they are doing from a digital perspective is outsourced to a third-party provider. That means, if you need an ad modified or pulled down quickly it really can’t happen immediately. They have to put in a request and it could take 24-36 hours to make a change. This isn’t the end of the world, but it is an inconvenience!

3. THEY SPECIALIZE IN ANOTHER MEDIUM

They don’t specialize in digital marketing, they specialize in television and/or radio. (See point 2, they have to outsource it because they don’t fully understand the digital world.) They understand just enough to be able to sell you on it. Wouldn’t you rather work with a partner that specializes in digital marketing?

Leverage our expertise. Work with us.

 

 

Searching for the right digital marketing agency to partner with can be a daunting task. There are so many options, and generally, no rule of thumb to guide businesses in making the right selection. Traditional advertising agencies are becoming digital agencies or else face extinction, while digital agencies dabble in traditional advertising to keep clients happy. If the agencies are confused, you can be sure the businesses that work with them are too.

So, here are four primary considerations to help guide you when selecting the right digital marketing partner.

Do you like their work?

What type of services do you need? If your company wants a website redesign, you should review agencies’ portfolios to determine that they, first, offer website design, and second, are good at it. If you don’t like the websites in an agency’s portfolio, chances are you won’t like the one they design for you either. If you’re in need of search or social marketing, request that the agency provides you with evidence of past performance successes in the form of case studies, testimonials, and metrics.

Do they specialize?

Does the agency have any specializations? This can be good and bad. An agency that specializes in one or two things may be excellent at those specific things, but not good at anything else. This is great if you’re looking for an agency to only do that one thing, but many companies look for a digital marketing partner who can provide them with a portfolio of services to address their various needs and objectives. This avoids the hassle of having to manage multiple providers.

How much experience do they have?

There are a few questions one should ask when gauging an agency’s experience.

• How long has the agency been in business?
• How many clients have they worked with?
• How many projects and campaigns have they successfully completed?
• What industries have they served?

If an agency has been around a while, worked in your industry, successfully completed objectives similar to yours, and has a good reputation, they should be a good fit.

What is their price point?

Price is relative. Prices range from agency to agency and fluctuate depending on the service. Hourly rates are a terrible gauge because the total cost is the same when an agency that charges $100/hr takes twice as much time to accomplish the same objective as an agency that charges $200/hr.

What really matters is your budget. You wouldn’t shop for a car or house without a budget, and you shouldn’t shop for a digital marketing agency without one either. Know in advance what your budget is and ask the agencies you’re considering if they can achieve your objectives within it. Go with the one that says “yes.” If they all say “no” then your budget is most likely too small!

Leverage our expertise. Work with us.

 

 

Whether you’re a new or established business, listen up! Your longevity in the marketplace has little to do with this topic.

I’ll say this now (and probably again later!), if you aren’t making a conscious effort to connect your online and offline marketing, you are missing the boat on potential customers. Here’s the scenario….potential customer Johnny is driving home from work and hears your radio ad. It piques his interest. He can’t remember the name of your company when he gets home so he turns to Google and starts searching. Are you there? If not, you’ve just paid a pretty penny (for that radio ad) to help your competitors, who are already visible on Google, get business. That’s right, your ad just drove your customer straight into the hands of your competitor. So what can you do?

BE THERE WHEN IT MATTERS

Do everything in your power to appear at the top of page one in the search results. There are multiple ways to achieve this. First, if you haven’t optimized your website for search engine visibility, do it now. Second, start buying Google AdWords. Third, when you are in flight (on TV and radio), you need to up your AdWords bids to ensure that you are appearing. Remember, traditional media fuels search, and if you aren’t there, you’re missing the boat on potential customers and possibly fueling your competitors who are out marketing you on digital.

WRITE AD COPY THAT CONVERTS

Showing up is half the game. So you’re there, now you need to convert. (I could write an entire blog on this but that’s not the purpose of today!) Write ad copy that matches the search conducted and drive those searchers to a landing page that provides them with the information they are looking for. There’s nothing more irritating to a potential customer than clicking on an ad only to be taken to the homepage of your website. The homepage isn’t what they were looking for—give them what they want!

For the third time, if you aren’t making a conscious effort to connect your online and offline marketing, you are missing the boat on potential customers!

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call us today at (866) 611-6267 or submit our contact request form.

 

The design of your website can mean the difference in converting a new customer versus losing a potential customer. Building a strong design foundation should be the first priority. You should be designing with user experience in mind. How do potential customers flow through your website? Is it easy for them to locate the information they are seeking? If you aren’t using basic design principles, you run the risk of losing potential customers because of your website design.

Design Principles Convert

Using basic design principles increases conversion rates and customer engagement. Visual hierarchy is one of the key components of design, the flow should convert clients with ease. Visual hierarchy includes calling attention to important elements with color, size, shape, etc. With this flow, customer engagement increases because the design leads users to the end product.

Make Users Happy

Design is an integral part of any highly functional website. If your website is a trap that sends potential customers in circles, they will become frustrated and leave. You only get one chance to make a first impression, don’t frustrate your site visitors with bad design!

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call us today at (866) 611-6267 or submit our contact request form.

The definition of a “brand” doesn’t begin to scrape the surface of what branding means when building and/or growing a business.

brand/
verb
1. A mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership.

Technically, just a company logo would meet the defined term of “brand.” While the logo is necessary, it’s important to understand that your logo is just one piece of a larger brand strategy.

Of course, there’s a correlational relationship between your logo and your “brand,” but I’m asking you to think bigger. Think about your BRAND STRATEGY. Think about your identity in the marketplace. Think about your positioning.

Your brand is the promise you make to customers. Your brand is a value statement. Your brand is a way of life. Afterall, 64% of people cite shared values as the main reason they have a relationship with a brand.

GUT CHECK:

• Does your website convey who you actually are or who you want to be?
• Does your brand invoke feelings of happiness and loyalty?
• Are your customers having experiences that they can’t wait to tell their friends about?
• Does your brand make people smile?
• How do your potential customers perceive you?

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call us today at (866) 611-6267 or submit our contact request form.

It’s just a normal Friday morning shopping for shoes on Zappos. You like the shoes, you really do, but you’re being budget-conscious. So, you close that window. You’re proud of yourself because you showed some restraint. Well done! Fast forward to 4:47 p.m., and your work day is almost over. You find yourself wondering what the weather is going to be like over the weekend. You hop over to the Weather Channel’s website, and there it is. Like BAM! It just hits you in the face—an ad for the shoes you salivated over a mere six hours earlier. You click on the ad (because who can’t at this point) and find out that you can get a 20% discount if you buy the shoes now. You buy them because you may never get a deal THIS good again. So, how does this happen?

It’s a fancy little trick that we digital marketers call retargeting. In reality, it isn’t actually fancy at all and is something that you can and should be doing for your business.

THE STANDARD DEFINITION

“Every time a new visitor comes to your site, the code drops an anonymous browser cookie. Later, when your cookied visitors browse the Web, the cookie will let your retargeting provider know when to serve ads, ensuring that your ads are served to only to people who have previously visited your site” (Retargeter.com).

WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS

Now, let’s back away from the technical talk! Basically, this functionality allows you to continue marketing to potential customers long after they’ve visited your website. The functionality is so sophisticated, it allows you to place specific products in front of the right people when they are visiting other websites.

WHY WE LOVE RETARGETING

In marketing, we talk about impressions a lot! They’re important. Without going total marketing nerd on you—an impression is the number of times your message has the opportunity to be seen by a potential buyer. Impressions are inherently more valuable when they are served to an audience who has already expressed an interest in your product.

Have we piqued your interest? For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call us today at (866) 611-6267 or submit our contact request form.