https://youtu.be/IT__Nrr3PNI
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Facebook Advertising
Reach highly targeted audiences at relatively low costs through Facebook Ads
Facebook is the biggest name in paid social – and for good reason. Due to the nature of the platform and the data it collects from users, Facebook targeting options are almost infinitely detailed. This makes it an obvious choice for targeting new audiences based on interest, demographics, location, behaviour and more.
Once those new audiences have converted, Facebook ads can improve customer loyalty and repeat sales. We work with your data to create remarketing audiences to reach users that have previously engaged with your ads, been on your website or bought a certain product.
Facebook leads the way on innovation, constantly launching new tools to improve campaign performance. As a Facebook Marketing Partner Impression can test and adopt new features before they are rolled out, attend training events and communicate directly with Facebook for resources and troubleshooting.
Facebook Advertising Services
Facebook offers a wide range of services to advertisers via its Facebook Ads platform including, but not necessarily limited to:
Outbound Marketing
Facebook’s ad network is by far the most developed of the social media advertising platforms. The average cost per click is often cheaper than paid search, yet the targeting options can be much more advanced. This makes Facebook advertising ideal for discovering new markets - test a range of variables to find the ones which work.
The quantity and quality of data Facebook holds about its users is enough to get any marketer excited. Combine this with the ability to geographically target for some incredibly cost-effective campaigns.
Remarketing
Using Facebook's targeting pixel provides even greater opportunities by enabling your adverts to target people based on what pages of your website they have viewed or how recently they have purchased from you. If someone has put a product into their basket, for example, we can send adverts to them within Facebook to show them that product and encourage them to return to complete their purchase.
Audience Mirroring
The people most likely to buy from you in the future are often those who are most similar to people who bought from you in the past.Through audience mirroring, we are able to identify similar audiences to your existing customers and market to them with targeted Facebook adverts.
Integrated Campaigns
Facebook advertising works really well as an accompaniment to other techniques. When your target audience is exposed to your brand across platforms, they are more likely to engage with you.
You might choose to send out targeted ads to people you’ve initially attracted through SEO, or to run Lead Generation ads to expand your email marketing lists. Get in touch to find out more.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
HOW DIGITAL MARKETING WILL DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS POST-PANDEMIC
HOW DIGITAL MARKETING WILL DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS POST-PANDEMIC
The fast-paced nature of digital marketing renders it an industry uniquely attuned to the need for constant adaptation in an ever-changing environment.
But in the last few months the world as we know it feels altered almost beyond recognition. While we adjust to these changes as individuals, so too do the needs and wants of consumers – meaning all types of businesses must evolve faster than ever
And as lockdown has forced many businesses to close their physical premises, there has been an inevitable spike in eCommerce that doesn’t look likely to slow down in the near future. Those businesses which were already prepared for online trading when the lockdown began are well placed to pivot as it begins to lift, but those who are not yet switched on to the digital world will have to get onboard and online as soon as possible.
The digital marketing industry has a valuable opportunity to lead the way into new forms of communication and connection, whether that is business to business, business to consumer, or even nurturing connections between individuals. But anyone looking to harness that power needs to understand how and where to start.
SO WHAT’S CHANGING?
It might be more pertinent to ask what hasn’t changed?
But as we move forward and begin to leave lockdown, business owners need to understand what exactly will be different about the way we trade online as well as in the real world.
For instance, take a look at the ways in which a variety of industries and everyday practices have attempted to digitise themselves. From pubs hosting pub quizzes via Zoom, to events like food and music festivals taking place online, businesses are turning digital not just to make profit, but to build long-term relationships with their customers that secure the interest for the future.
Businesses that focus solely on profit will lose out on these relationships, and in turn will miss opportunities to build customer loyalty. And as online presence becomes ever more vital for communication, digital marketing is an opportunity not simply to sell your product or service, but to also connect with customers in more meaningful ways for the long-term.
For those looking to strike the right balance between the two, digital marketing will be the tool that drives your business post-pandemic for the short-term and long-term, allowing for adaptation, growth and ultimately, success.
So where do you start?
DEVELOPING BRAND RECOGNITION AND ACCESSIBILITY
Achieving brand recognition through digital marketing may seem like a tactic better suited to large scale businesses.
But in fact, many small businesses can develop their image and raise brand awareness via digital marketing too and as it can be more affordable and accessible than traditional marketing and advertising, it contributes to levelling the playing field in many markets.
With hashtags like #SupportSmallBusiness trending on social media, it’s clear that not only are consumers relying on online sellers, but they’re actively seeking out small and often local businesses to support.
When raising your brand profile, you need to be certain about your brand image, and focus your digital marketing strategy on conveying that image to your customers. But bear in mind that your brand should not only be recognisable but accessible too – if your name is new to them, they need to be able to find out about you pretty quickly. Vital information such as operating hours, contact details and location are top priority, but the more information is available the better.
There are plenty of ways to make this information available that don’t have to be complicated or expensive. Start by claiming your Google My Business profile. It’s totally free, and will appear when customers search for you online, bringing all the information we mentioned to the top of the search engine. You can also include a link to your website, if you have one.
If you don’t have a website but you’re in a position to start one, it’s a worthy investment for a number of reasons. For a start, it collects all information about your business in one place and is a great chance to develop that brand image we discussed before. You can also share content that is relevant to your business, such as case studies and success stories, customer reviews, blogs relevant to your industry. You can even create an online inventory to allow customers to buy directly from your website – an invaluable opportunity in the eCommerce era.
Of course, not every business has the resources to start a website from scratch, in which case there are plenty of practical alternatives that are useful for getting your name out there, developing a brand profile, and ensuring that you are available and accessible to customers.
USER ENGAGEMENT & SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
It goes without saying that a social media presence is a necessity for any business operating in the 21st century.
And in the wake of social distancing, social media has become a crucial tool for unity, connection and communication. Therefore, your social media channels are the perfect platform to distinguish your brand by proving to your customers that you are invested in more than profit.
When considering social media content, remember to be constantly aware of your brand image and the way you wish to be perceived. If you’re proud to be a local brand and what customers to see that, advertise it! Getting involved with local issues such as charity campaigns proves to customers who are looking local that you are invested in your community.
Invest in positivity too, wherever you find it. It’s great to have content that’s directly related to your products and services but sharing non-business-related content such as positive news stories keeps your name appearing on people’s timelines and builds positive associations. Just be mindful not to share too much peripheral content, as people don’t like to feel spammed.
When selecting content for social media, it’s also important to consider that the tone is appropriate and timely. The unpredictable nature of the current circumstances means that your well thought out post created on a Monday might not respond well to Tuesday’s customer demands or social conversations.
Following people and brands on social media yourself will allow you to observe these changing needs, but don’t be afraid to ask directly! Use social media as a listening tool to ask your customers what content they want to see from you, what they think of your products, and what services they’d like to see.
Customer engagement of this nature is also valuable for another form of content, and that is user-generated content. If you have a strong customer base, some forms of user-generated content will appear organically without you having to ask – users posting pictures of products they’ve received from you, for instance. Sharing this type of content from satisfied customers is great, as it reassures them that you’re invested in their satisfaction once they’ve received the product, but it acts as a testimony to your reliability and quality too.
Again, don’t feel like you should sit and wait for this content to appear – ask customers to share their thoughts and opinions with you for maximum engagement. Not only does it help you appear tuned in and invested, but it will likely yield some valuable feedback too.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Digital Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses
Digital Marketing Strategy for Small Business.
Digital Marketing Strategy for Small Business.
A well-planned digital marketing strategy helps your business stay competitive. It means your website, online store, social media channels, email communications and any other online activities are all optimised towards your business goals. Your digital strategy will include key elements such as:
Website design
SEO (how well do you show up in searches?)
Online advertising (such as pay-per-click)
Social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram)
Apps
Email marketing
Content marketing
What is a digital strategy?
Your digital strategy will be a key part of your overall business strategy. Business is increasingly conducted online, so your digital strategy simply covers this aspect of your business. If your business operates exclusively online, then your digital and business strategy may be virtually the same thing.
Here are some guidelines to consider when creating your digital strategy.
- Plan first. Think about your customer’s perspective and what they’ll be looking for on your website. Make their journey and experience as easy and positive as you can.
- Stay up to date. The internet and its associated technologies are constantly evolving. Make sure you educate yourself regularly on trends and developments, such as by subscribing to publications or attending seminars, so you can keep pace with competitors or get ahead. Also ensure that your content stays fresh and that the site is well-maintained. Online stores especially should be updated as often as necessary.
- Choose your platforms. Select the social media platforms that suit your brand and are used by your target audience. Don’t feel you have to be everywhere, especially if your customers aren’t.
- Budget appropriately. Some online activity may be free, but other areas can be very cost-heavy. Talk to your accountant to ensure you are spending efficiently and in line with your business plan.
Designing your website
Your website is more than a shop window. It should engage customers and reflect your values. It also needs to be simple to use and easy to navigate.
Make sure the style suits the kind of business you are and the services or products you offer. That said, you shouldn’t just copy your competitors if you want to stand out. Investment in a professionally designed and built website is never wasted – professional designers can capture the right look and feel while also being unique to you, so no-one can easily copy you. You may also want to engage UX (user experience) designers to ensure your customers have the smoothest possible journey.
Read our article Selling Online to learn more about this area.
Social media
Social media can drum up interest in your business – if you get it right. Merely ‘being on Twitter’ isn’t enough – you need to choose your platform carefully, build a strategy and commit to it. Each of the major platforms has its own strengths, limitations and unique features, so choose carefully.
Ever popular with the largest user base, Facebook is great for sharing links, images and videos. It allows you to link to events, join groups and launch paid promotions. The average age of users is rising, so it’s great for older audiences but less effective for the young. Promoted content can be particularly good value for money.
Summary: A bit old-hat, but still effective.
Regarded as the best platform for social customer service, Twitter is fast paced and reactive. Users post messages of up to 280 characters and share all sorts of content. Like Facebook, you can pay to promote content, although it’s generally not as effective for the price.
Summary: Best for raising awareness and building contacts rather than directly marketing.
This is a visual social media platform, so ideal for your videos and photos. Essentially for mobile devices, Instagram has a younger user profile, although older people are embracing it more and more.
Summary: Particularly effective for targeting audiences with a short attention span.
Here’s the largest network for professionals. You can use it to add and find connections, join groups and search by company location, industry and skill.
Summary: Essential for building B2B contacts – just don’t expect to find any customers on there.
YouTube
This is a video-sharing platform with over a billion users. You can upload, view, rate, share, subscribe to and comment on content.
Summary: Useful not just for marketing but for supporting your own products with tutorials, help videos etc. If you can post something people find useful, the potential is limitless.
Getting started on social media
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, plan your social media strategy accordingly. Before you start actively marketing you may have to do a lot of groundwork, building up your followers, developing a presence and getting people interested. Engage with people, react to comments and contribute to conversations that are relevant to your business. Join groups and follow key players in your industry.
Social media respect is hard-won and easily lost, so tread carefully. If you build up a large following only to spam them with sales messages, you’ll wreck all your hard work. Bear these rules in mind:
Be respectful
Be interesting
Be useful
Use your social media channels to give people something for free, even if it’s just your sense of humour or your favourite recipes. Then they may reward you by checking out your products.
Engaging through email
Email marketing can be a very cost-effective way to reach new customers and retain existing ones. Here’s what you need to get started.
Build a good list
Your emails need to reach the right people, and the best way to find them is through a lead capture form on your website. Offer people something interesting and relevant, like an engaging piece of content relating to your market, in exchange for their email address and permission to send occasional emails. Make sure people know what they’re signing up for when they submit their contact details.
What type of email?
You might want to write a regular email newsletter, launch a promotion, send seasonal messages or create a loyalty program. Just ensure that you’re sending something of value to your customers, so they get in the habit of opening your emails rather than just deleting them. For every piece of marketing, have something that people will read for its own sake.
Design and content
Always keep your goal and your customer in mind when creating your email campaign. Segment your contacts into smaller lists with similar interests. This will make it much easier to craft a relevant message for each group. Make sure your call to action is clear and concise too. Your design needn’t try too hard. It should reflect your business and be appealing, but not busy or cluttered.
Analyse performance
How did your emails do? Keep a close eye on performance and you can tune your next message to make it even more effective.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s all about boosting your online visibility and getting your website noticed. Put simply, good SEO means a higher ranking.
To achieve really effective SEO, you probably need an expert partner with experience in this field. They will be able to analyse your website, research and develop keywords, optimise content and measure success for you.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing is about attracting customers by giving them something interesting, informative, useful or entertaining – usually for free. In the process, you can draw traffic to your site, attract the right kind of audience, give them something they will appreciate and develop your brand at the same time.
Content marketing may include:
Blogs
Articles
News
Videos
Podcasts
Surveys
Memes
Useful tools
The list goes on. ‘Content’ is simply anything that people will consume online for its own sake, and hopefully share with others. In the process, users will come across your brand and (hopefully) be tempted to explore it further. Just make sure that your content has a strong connection with what you’re offering in terms of products or services.
Remember, no part of business changes faster than the digital sphere, which is why your digital strategy needs to be flexible, agile and always ready to develop into new areas.
For help with your Digital Marketing Strategy Click Here.
For More Information Visit digitalmarketing.2create360.com.
