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Is your 2024 marketing strategy really prepared for cookie and election disruption?

June 10, 2024 No Comments

Sourced from The Drum

The demise of third-party cookies and an election year team up to present marketers with both challenges and opportunities.

A once-in-a-lifetime perfect storm of technological disruption and cultural flashpoint is about to descend on the digital marketing landscape, resulting in both short-term challenges and long-term change. Few marketers seem prepared for either.

Here’s what’s on the horizon.

Storm 1: Third-party tracking cookies are going away… even if that day is now further than expected. That means the days of simply buying data on customers and retargeting them based on the information purchased are limited.

Storm 2: The 2024 election cycle, and all the down-ballot issues that come with a presidential election year, are going to eat up nearly all available ad inventory, driving up costs and driving down ROI.

Taken together, it’s going to be extremely difficult for brands to cut through the noise and target the right audience while trying to maintain efficiency.

But there is a way to weather these headwinds and come out the other side a winner. Spoiler alert, it all points to a strategic investment in first-party data, owned channels, and partnering with companies that have the data to help you execute a winning plan.

First, let’s examine more closely the magnitude of the storms upon us.

Cookie depreciation

Yes, Google keeps delaying its promise to end the use of third-party cookie on Chrome browsers. But what’s interesting is that one of the reasons behind this delay is a lack of industry readiness for a world without cookies.

We’ve seen the headaches that over-reliance on tech solutions can have on brands. Remember when Apple killed Identifier for Advertisers (which matched ads to unique individuals on iOS devices)? Brands advertising heavily on Facebook were hit particularly hard – it took nearly two years to normalize reach and metrics closer to what brands were used to seeing before that iOS update.

Perhaps that’s what has marketers so pessimistic about the future of cookies.

Up to 80% of advertisers still rely on third-party cookies today.
70% of marketers raise concerns that digital advertising will take a step backward following the death of the third-party cookie.
69% of advertisers think the death of third-party cookies will have a bigger impact than both GDPR and CCPA.

In a worst-case scenario, according to ad sales company Raptive, a 30% deprecation could easily translate to a 30% drop in revenue for brands relying heavily on cookies.

What’s more, the “Privacy Sandbox” APIs Google is creating for advertisers who remain heavily reliant on cookies is hardly a solution. Google itself says it’s “not intended to be direct, one-to-one replacements for all third-party cookie-based use cases,” according to the company’s blog. Regardless, the required innovation and building of new ad tools on top of Privacy Sandbox will require significant new costs and an entire shift in the development of these tools.

All in all, this is uncharted territory. But it seems clear the financial costs to rebuild an ecosystem will be large. There are lots of unknowns, but the biggest is how will these changes affect revenue, and what’s the new normal for an ROI model with paid ads.

Social is no haven either. Visitors from paid social are almost 40% more likely to bounce from your site than paid search traffic. Instead, social will likely remain a brand awareness play.

Regardless of the source of traffic, if an unknown device hits your site, you need to be prepared to capitalize on that activity.

Can you offer up the right value exchange that convinces the customer to opt-in for more information?
Are you using identity partners that may have a profile on that device and recognize its potential as a high-value customer?

This is critical information that allows you to engage potential new customers the moment they visit your site. Rather than offering new visitors a generic discount code, you’ll be able to make a more specific, personalized offer that has a far higher chance of converting into an opt in. Or offer a pop up touting a loyalty perk rather than a discount code.

Getting that unknown visitor to convert to an owned channel will then allow you to learn even more about these visitors and refine your offers to them even more, resulting in offers more likely to convert to sales, and ultimately a more long-term loyal customer.

If you can convert 30% of your unknown paid traffic to known contacts, your advertising spend will become far more meaningful.

The election

While the presidential race will get the headlines and no shortage of advertising funds to spend, a large majority of ad dollars will come from congressional and local races. This is where political ad machines will be targeting people based on behaviour and other data.

All those dollars will be spent chasing the same people. They call them voters. You call them customers. Either way, political ads will be chasing the same people on the same platforms, vying for the same inventory. So what does that mean?

Consider this: political ad spend is expected to shatter the previous record of $10 billion that was set during the previous election cycle. Predictions for 2024 election ad spend range from $10bn to $15.9bn. And while the majority of political advertising spend in the US goes to local broadcast TV, an increasing amount is moving toward digital channels.

Digital advertising company Jump saw Meta’s CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) rise from a total of $8 to as high as $15.50 during election week 2020, an overall increase of 94%. This is what’s ahead of us and what marketers need to prepare for.

This isn’t a financial discussion either. Brand safety is always a concern during elections. Political ads from so-called “dark money” groups can be highly inflammatory, and you neer know what kind of ad will show up next to yours.

All the more reason why owned channels are much safer. Be in control of where your message lands by seeking one-to-one communication in the personal and private space of the inbox or as a text message.

3 things you can do

1. Focus on identity

Work with partners who can match unknown site visitors against a database of millions of known devices to identify which are your target customers worth engaging with. Get them opted in as early as possible so you can use owned channels to engage.

2. Leverage owned channels

Once you can identify existing opted-in contacts and convert new site visitors, use triggered email and SMS channels to personalize offers based on their web activity and interest in your products or services. This is far more effective (and far lower cost) than remarketing with paid ads.

3. Provide value

Increase your knowledge of each new customer by offering value in return for zero-party data that allows you to make more personalized offers and recommendations in your one-to-many outbound messaging campaigns.

To learn more about how the depreciation of cookies and the upcoming election cycle will affect marketing budgets and strategies in the year ahead, watch the Wunderkind webinar “Navigate the Turbulence: ROAS Strategies for Brand Marketers in an Election Year” here.

Sourced from The Drum

In News

How to develop a good newsletter marketing strategy

June 7, 2024 No Comments

By Brennan Doherty

An effective newsletter marketing strategy uses the intimacy of email to reach out to readers and keep them in the loop. Discover useful tips and best practices from publishers for a successful newsletter strategy.

Introduction to newsletter marketing strategy

With the shareability of social media and the adaptability of a blog, newsletters are an ideal tool for independent publishers to reach their audience. For Nicci Kadilak, founder and editor-in-chief of the Burlington Buzz, her newsletter was more than just a marketing tool: it was her entire platform for the first two years.

“It needs to be an essential part of your platform, because it connects readers with you as an individual, not just the news organization as a sort of nameless, faceless entity,” Kadilak says. “It just creates another touch point for you and your readers.”

The Buzz began in February 2022 in Burlington, Massachusetts to cover current events and local government. While it started out of a single Facebook post, it launched as a newsletter-only platform. Now, it boasts an accompanying news website. Kadilak’s daily newsletter lets 1,600 subscribers know about the town of Burlington and how it works in the span of a five minute read.

But it also acts as a critical tool to help grow the Burlington Buzz’s “hive” of paid subscribers, gather news and maintain a warm relationship with readers. Newsletter strategy is not only about growing a publication’s reach, but leveraging the intimacy of email to hit your marketing goals.

Is a newsletter a good marketing strategy?

“Oh gosh, absolutely,” says Corinne Colbert, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Athens County Independent, an indie publisher based in southeast Ohio. “Until we became an Indiegraf publisher and we became part of the News Startup Fund, it was really hard for us to get our name out there.”

The Independent runs a weekly flagship newsletter called The Indy, as well as two other service-oriented newsletters called The Bulletin Board and The Scoop. In the absence of print circulation or door-to-door delivery, Colbert says newsletters act as a distribution strategy to get the Independent’s work in front of audiences, rather than waiting for people to come to them. “It’s a push instead of a pull,” she says. “It’s hard to get readers to make a habit of checking a website.”

For the Independent, the results speak for themselves. All three newsletters average open rates of around 50 percent, according to Colbert. They have also grown from a readership of around 1,000 last year to just under 5,000. “I see it as integral to our work,” she says. “On the internet, there’s a lot of competition for people’s eyeballs.”

How do you plan an effective newsletter strategy?

Getting a newsletter off the ground, and making it work for your publication, requires careful thought. Its purpose, design and timing all matter. Here’s how both the Burlington Buzz and the Athens County Independent created newsletter strategies that work:

Leverage your existing following: Instead of starting from scratch, your newsletter marketing strategy should first draw on your publication’s existing readership. The Burlington Buzz started with a sizeable Facebook and Instagram following among local groups, and posted links to its newsletter to boost awareness in the early days. These groups also became a proof-of-concept for the Buzz.
“We already had an audience of people who were interested in the work that we were doing on Facebook,” Kadilak explains. “We started these posts on Facebook and then decided to transition to a dedicated newsletter because there was enough information to keep people interested, and we wanted to develop an audience that we could keep with us, and not have to rely on Facebook algorithms.”
Give readers news they can use: An effective newsletter strategy isn’t just about putting your publication’s logo in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Good newsletters are useful, and give readers a reason to check back often. At the Athens County Independent, the Scoop and the Bulletin provide weekly updates on public meetings, local events and even major road closures. Colbert says the Independent is looking into enhancing the Scoop’s service journalism through a mass texting tool.
“It’s part of the strategy of public service journalism,” she says, “getting information out to the community.”
A walkie-talkie, not a megaphone: While the Buzz and the Independent’s newsletters serve as marketing tools for both publications, they also allow the founders to keep in touch with their thousands of committed readers. For the Independent, that means handling a mix of compliments, news tips and complaints or correction requests from readers.
“We want to have a relationship with our readers,” Colbert says. “These are our neighbours, our friends, our family. We don’t want to be something that’s cold and impersonal.”

How to integrate a newsletter into your marketing strategy

Newsletters combine the best of several different marketing avenues, but their real strength lies in their ability to create community. When combined with other marketing approaches like live events or social media, the results can pay off spectacularly for indie publishers.

At the Independent, email marketing integration means bringing email sign-up sheets to Athens County events. It’s a way to carry on a conversation well after a gathering ends. “It’s an opportunity, not only to get email addresses but also just to get your name and your brand out there,” Colbert says. “It’s a way to communicate and engage with your readers.” While they can be tiring, Colbert says she’s never regretted any event the Independent has ever done.

Social media, a mainstay of digital marketing, doesn’t just draw attention to a newsletter. When used right, it can drive community engagement on its own. The Burlington Buzz started by identifying active Facebook groups in town with residents that would benefit from local news, and then posting relevant stories there. “We still do that,” Kadilak says.

The most powerful way to integrate a newsletter into your marketing strategy is to use it to have actual conversations with readers. Colbert points out that very few readers ever talk to a journalist in their lives, let alone carry on a conversation with one.

By Brennan Doherty

Brennan Doherty is a Toronto-based writer. His work can be found at the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, TVO.org, Maisonneuve, Future of Good, The Local, and elsewhere.

Sourced from Indiegraf

In News

3 Marketing Blind Spots That Are Holding You Back (and How to Fix Them)

April 11, 2024 No Comments

By JOY GENDUSA

Here are a few common pitfalls business owners encounter when creating a marketing strategy — and how to address them.

Have you ever taken blurry, out-of-focus pictures before only to figure out it wasn’t your photography skills that were the problem — it was the camera lens? After cleaning the glass, your pictures were perfect. Oftentimes, in business, it’s the same way. We can operate within a fuzzy lens and not even realize it.

My business has worked with over 115,838 business owners (and counting), so I know that sometimes business owners have blind spots in their marketing. We’re all guilty of it! We don’t know what we don’t know.

But the first step is taking a hard look at your perspective — the lens through which you see your audience and business objectives. The challenge is to break free from any limitations and expand your view so that you can reach more prospects with the right message.

Here are some common pitfalls business owners run into when creating a marketing strategy, and how you can expand your mindset to increase annual revenues and build strong customer loyalty.

You’re too laser-focused on digital marketing and neglect offline touchpoints that provide a 70% higher recall

Oftentimes the familiar feels comfortable, and for younger generations, like Millennials and Gen Z, there’s a stigma that they’re glued to their phones 24/7. Yet, the unfamiliar can sometimes strike a stronger cord. Print advertising, like postcards and letters, actually excites younger generations because they are outside of the normal scope for them.

One study found that 57% of 18 to 34-year-olds said they found direct mail extremely or very useful, and another survey showed 63% of Gen Z consumers were more excited about direct mail in 2023 than they were in 2022.

In fact, scientific studies have also proven that direct mail holds a more lasting impact than digital media. Researchers found direct mail holds people’s attention for 118% longer and stimulated 70% higher brand recall than digital advertising.

Whether you are a young business owner who has relied on digital marketing because it’s always been your go-to, or you assume all prospects naturally gravitate toward online content, it’s time to think outside of the box and get more creative with how you present your products or services in the tangible realm.

Give direct mail a try, track the results, and you may find that recipients respond even better to printed content. Remember, a postcard can stay in a home for months while an email often gets ignored or trashed within seconds of opening.

You don’t research the competition to discover new ways to grow your business

It’s possible to be so focused on your own business that you have no idea what your competitors are up to. But this is a huge blind spot. It’s crucial to take the time to get to know your competition. Get started by blind shopping, such as signing up for their newsletter, visiting their website, analysing the shopping experience and following their social media.

You may not want to copy what they are doing, but you can analyse what they do well, what they aren’t doing well and how you can offer something unique that fills in those holes. For example, your competitor may have an amazing social media presence, but they don’t have any in-person events or tangible touch points for their followers.

You could create more opportunities for prospects to interact with you in a personable way, such as shopping events, meet-ups, in-person consultations or trainings if it applies to your industry. Or if a competitor does a lot of email marketing, you could make an effort to do the same but include a tempting offer that is far better than the one they are giving out.

As you continue to analyse other businesses — not just your competitors, really any business you may interact with — save any marketing materials or ideas you like in a folder and use them for inspiration.

You never ask your customers why they like you over competitors to find the secrets to brand loyalty

After doing some secret shopping and gathering inspiration from other businesses, I suggest you ask your customers directly what they love about your products and/or services, and why they ended up choosing you over the competitor.

Some questions you could ask include: How much research did you do before making a decision? What was the determining factor after you looked into your options? Was there anything that stood out to you that you liked about us that was different from everyone else?

You may have a couple of loyal customers you are in regular contact with that you feel comfortable reaching out to. But if you don’t, you can always use a survey site, like SurveyMonkey, Jotform or Mailchimp.

You’ll never know what your customers are really thinking until you ask them, and you have nothing to lose by trying!

One way to bring in more surveys is to offer a discount or free item to them for completing it. You can also motivate your employees to provide feedback by giving them merch or a small bonus if their marketing ideas get used and are successful.

By remaining open-minded and inquisitive, you’ll enter new realms of growth for your company and even learn more about your mission and brand along the way.

By JOY GENDUSA

Founder/CEO of PostcardMania. Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998 with just a phone & a computer (no funding or investments), and today we generate over $100 million annually with 365 staff. I’m passionate about helping small businesses succeed at marketing and grow — because when small business does well, we all win.

Sourced from Entrepreneur

In News

How to develop a successful marketing strategy for startup

November 14, 2023 No Comments

By Guru Sakthi

In this article, we explore essential steps to develop a successful marketing strategy that will help your startup thrive.

Starting a new business venture can be an exhilarating experience. However, without a well-defined marketing strategy, even the most promising startups can struggle to gain traction in today’s competitive landscape.

Launching a startup requires careful planning and execution. A robust marketing strategy serves as the backbone of your business growth and ensures that your target audience becomes aware of your products or services. By following a systematic approach, you can build a solid foundation for your marketing efforts and maximise your chances of success.

In this article, we explore essential steps to develop a successful marketing strategy that will help your startup thrive.

Understanding your target audience

Before diving into marketing tactics, it’s crucial to understand your target audience. Conduct thorough research to identify their demographics, preferences, and pain points. This knowledge will allow you to tailor your marketing messages effectively and engage with your audience on a deeper level.

Define specific and measurable marketing objectives for your startup. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or generating leads, setting clear goals will help you stay focused and track your progress. Remember to align your marketing objectives with your overall business goals to ensure consistency and cohesion.

Conducting market research

To develop an effective marketing strategy, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of your industry and competitors. Conduct market research to identify market trends, analyse your competition’s strengths and weaknesses, and uncover untapped opportunities. This valuable information will guide your marketing decisions and give you a competitive edge.

Differentiating your startup from the competition is essential to attract customers. Define your unique selling proposition (USP) the distinct value that sets your products or services apart. Your USP should highlight the benefits your startup offers and why customers should choose you over competitors.

Selecting the right marketing channels is crucial for reaching your target audience effectively. Consider your audience’s preferences and behaviour to determine which channels will yield the best results. Whether it’s social media, content marketing, email marketing, or paid advertising, choose channels that align with your target audience and business goals.

Compelling content is the cornerstone of a successful marketing strategy. Develop high- quality content that educates entertains, or solves your audience’s problems. By providing valuable information, you can position your startup as an authority in your industry and build trust with your target audience.

Implementing SEO strategies

Search engine optimisation (SEO) plays a vital role in driving organic traffic to your website. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms and incorporate them strategically into your website content. Optimise your meta tags, headings, and URLs to improve your search engine rankings and increase your visibility online.

Social media has become an integral part of marketing strategies. Create a strong presence on platforms that align with your target audience. Develop engaging content tailored to each platform, and encourage social sharing and interaction. Leverage social media advertising to amplify your reach and target specific demographics. Regularly analyse your social media metrics to identify what resonates with your audience and refine your approach.

Building strategic partnerships

Collaborating with complementary businesses can expand your reach and create mutually beneficial opportunities. Identify potential partners whose target audience overlaps with yours. Explore co-marketing initiatives, joint events, or cross-promotions that can help you tap into new markets and gain exposure.

To ensure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, establish key performance indicators (KPIs), and regularly track and analyse your results. Monitor metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and customer feedback. Use this data to make data-driven decisions, optimise your campaigns, and identify areas for improvement.

The marketing landscape is ever-evolving, and it’s crucial to adapt and iterate your strategies accordingly. Stay updated with industry trends, monitor your competitors, and be open to new approaches. Regularly evaluate your marketing efforts, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge.

Creating a budget and allocating resources

Developing a marketing budget and effectively allocating resources is essential for startup success. Determine how much you can allocate towards marketing activities while considering factors such as advertising costs, hiring professionals, and technology investments. Prioritise your marketing initiatives based on their potential impact and allocate resources accordingly.

As your startup grows, consider hiring marketing professionals who possess the expertise and experience to drive your marketing efforts forward. Look for individuals who understand your industry, have a track record of success, and align with your company’s vision and culture. An experienced marketing team can help execute your strategies effectively and scale your marketing efforts.

Developing a successful marketing strategy for your startup requires careful planning, understanding your target audience, and leveraging the right marketing channels. By defining your goals, conducting thorough market research, analysing competitors, and implementing effective strategies like SEO, content marketing, social media, and email marketing, you can build brand awareness, attract customers, and drive growth for your startup.

By Guru Sakthi

Sourced from YOURSTORY

In News

How To Build A YouTube Marketing Strategy in 13 Steps

November 10, 2023 No Comments

By Loree Hollander

Ready to get started with YouTube marketing but don’t know where to begin?

Tons of social media competition and short attention spans make standing out on the world’s second-largest search engine seem unattainable.

But for social media mavens, content marketing gurus, and online business owners like you, mastering YouTube can be your golden ticket.

Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or a business newbie, this short, sweet, and complete guide will help you create a successful YouTube marketing campaign that gets your YouTube channel (and business) noticed.

Ready?

Let’s do this!

What is YouTube Marketing?

YouTube Marketing is the practice of using a dynamic set of tactics on your YouTube channel to boost your products, services, or brand via the power of the YouTube platform.

An increasingly integral part of a broader social media marketing strategy, targeted YouTube content is key to building brand awareness.

Far more than just making random video uploads, a YouTube marketing strategy employs research, social media insights, and data to help make decisions about every detail of a YouTube campaign.

Think on-brand channel art, SEO-savvy video descriptions, intentional partnerships with YouTube influencers, and smart YouTube ad placements.

The goal?

Grab attention, spark engagement, and lead viewers to take action — like clicking to your site or making a purchase.

It’s blending creativity with data insights to help you become a YouTube rockstar!

Do You Really Need a YouTube Channel?

Spoiler alert…

YES.

If you have a business in 2023, a social media presence is no longer an option. It’s a necessity.

YouTube is no exception. Boasting over 2.7 billion logged-in monthly users, it’s a dynamic social media platform that spans demographics and geographies. Multitudes of YouTube viewers are out there looking for exactly whatever it is you’re selling.

And if growth and greater brand awareness are on your agenda, YouTube is where you need to be to help them find it.

Nearly every statistic underscores a truth: a thriving YouTube channel is a goldmine. If you don’t have a YouTube channel, you’re sending your customers to competitors who do.

top youtube marketing statistics for 2023

This is How to Create a Kick-ass YouTube Marketing Strategy in 13 Steps

If you want to harness YouTube’s gargantuan potential, you won’t do it with random, inconsistent uploads to your YouTube channel.

You need a strategy — a roadmap to social media engagement and conversion.

Here’s how to craft yours:

1. Start With Your Target Audience

Want to know the insider secret to YouTube channel success?

Hint: Just like any other digital marketing strategy or social media campaign, it all begins with understanding who you’re trying to reach.

These are the folks who’ll eagerly devour your video content, nod in agreement, hit ‘like,’ and wait with bated breath for your next upload.

So, dive deep and analysis who your target audience is.

Are they corporate mavens? Female biohackers? Social media marketers? Quirky DIY enthusiasts? Passionate plant parents?

By defining their interests, age range, habits, and pain points, you tailor your video content to resonate, making your videos feel like they were made just for them.

Because, well, they were.

By understanding who you serve, you can tailor YouTube video content that resonates, engages, and converts.

So, before you dream of social media fame and viral videos, lock in on your target audience. It’s the cornerstone of your YouTube castle!

2. Create Engaging YouTube Video Content. Consistently.

youtube marketing engaging video content

The heart of any YouTube strategy? Targeted video content.

Once you understand your target audience, identifying topics for your YouTube video is the easy part.

You’ll also need a compelling story, an intro that hooks, an on-brand background, great sound, and video quality. A catchy voiceover or soundtrack can also elevate your video’s engagement factor.

And consistency? It’s king.

Regular uploads create a rhythm, building anticipation and trust among your YouTube subscribers. Think of it as your favourite TV show — if it aired sporadically, you’d lose interest.

The same goes for your YouTube channel.

Time spent learning about how to make successful YouTube videos is an investment in your future success.

Engage, captivate, repeat — that’s your mantra!

3. Align Your Brand Elements

Just like any social media strategy, building your brand identity is a key component of an air-tight YouTube marketing plan. So it’s important to align your brand elements across your channel.

This goes far beyond your video content.

Think colours, fonts, intros, tone, vibe, background music, and anything else that conveys the personality of your channel.

Every banner, playlist, and video thumbnail on your YouTube channel should scream your brand.

Imagine throwing a themed bash at your place. Would you slap on Star Wars décor and expect folks to feel the 1920s Gatsby vibe? Heck, no!

The channel icon? That’s your front door.

And oh, that channel description? Think of it as the catchy invite getting folks hyped up for the festivities.

When brand elements align, the right visitors can’t help but resonate more deeply with your content.

And that’s when YouTube visitors become YouTube subscribers.

4. Utilize YouTube Tools

YouTube wants you to be awesome at YouTube marketing.

In fact, YouTube’s magic treasure chest of tools can vastly enhance your video content marketing.

From in-depth analytics to subtitle generators, the platform offers a myriad of easy-to-use options to amplify your content’s reach and appeal, all without the expense of a digital marketing agency.

In addition to YouTube Studio, various third-party apps can bring the power of a small Hollywood studio and mini-marketing agency to your video creation.

A cornucopia of tools exists to help you make amazing videos easily.

Learn to use them!

5. Keep YouTube SEO in Mind

YouTube SEO amplifies reach, ensuring that your meticulously crafted content doesn’t get lost in the digital abyss.

Although your content should always be audience-first, integrating SEO strategies can help you get discovered!

Suppose your channel covers Canadian hiking. You can make stunning videos of Canada’s top hikes, but without using the right keywords, your target audience won’t find you.

Pave a path to your channel with relevant keywords in video titles, descriptions, taglines, and scripts.

Learning YouTube SEO basics can help you stand out, and your future fans will thank you for helping them find you!

6. Optimize For Voice Search

When it comes to any kind of content marketing, we can’t talk about SEO without also discussing voice search.

With the rise of Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, and more on the way, voice search isn’t the future, it’s the “now.” In fact, nearly 50% of adults report they use voice search daily.

Why is this important?

Well, there are differences between how people search using text vs. voice.

When searching with voice, most people use natural language, which means long-tail keywords and questions.

Makes sense, right?

On the other hand, text search is short, and search engines provide more options for users to choose from.

This difference has ginormous implications for you and how you implement SEO on your YouTube channel.

So, pack in those long-tail keywords, construct your content like it’s a Q&A session, and keep your scripts sounding natural and chatty.

7. Refine Your Video Thumbnails & Descriptions

First impressions matter.

Your video thumbnails and descriptions are the storefronts of your channel, and their appeal determines whether a viewer strolls by or steps in.

When you create a YouTube thumbnail, make sure it’s vibrant, clear, and compelling.

Pair it with a video description that is catchy, informative, and packed with SEO-friendly keywords that guide search engines and viewers alike to your channel.

This isn’t mere beautification; it’s a strategic move that can dramatically boost your click-through rates, video views, subscribers, sales, income, and more.

8. Share Stories, YouTube Style

Stories are relatable, emotional, and memorable. They connect us as humans.

To tap into this, craft your content as narratives. Instead of just listing features of a product, tell the story of how it solved a real problem.

Use behind-the-scenes videos to share your company’s journey, personal anecdotes to foster connection, or customer testimonials as authentic, captivating tales.

By weaving your content into stories, you’re inviting viewers to gather around your digital campfire, sparking not just video views, but engagement and trust.

Stories build connections, and sharing yours can forge deeper viewer relationships.

Use YouTube’s story feature to showcase short, engaging snippets, offering a personal touch to your brand narrative.

Even a relatable YouTube short could result in new subscribers!

9. Harness Cross-Promotion

Think of cross-promotion as the ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ of YouTube marketing.

In a space as vast as YouTube, your solo voyage to stardom could be a slow sail.

Why go it alone? Partner up!

Find creators or brands that align with your values and audience but aren’t direct competitors.

Share their content on your channels and let them do the same. Collaborate on a video project or share a video ad that appeals to both your viewers.

It’s a win-win; you gain exposure to their audience and vice versa.

Imagine this as trading golden tickets with fellow adventurers; together, you’re unlocking broader vistas of potential viewership.

10. Consider Influencer Marketing

Partnering with an influencer is like adding a dash of champagne to your digital bash.

The secret of influencer marketing is out. These social superstars come with their own eager audience, and inviting one to collaborate on your content instantly boosts brand credibility.

Partner with someone who resonates with your brand’s values and message, whose values align with yours, and who speaks to an audience that you want to connect with.

Whether it’s through a candid conversation, a shared project, or a product review, this partnership is your introduction to a new sphere of potential customers, many of whom could be the next members of your tribe.

11. Make the Most of YouTube Ads

Ready to supercharge your YouTube presence?

Say hello to YouTube Ads.

First up, define your goals.

Want eyeballs on your brand or clicks to your site? Your goal shapes your strategy.

Next, target like a pro.

YouTube lets you aim your ads at specific ages, locations, interests, and more.

Budget-wise, start small. Test, learn, then adapt. A YouTube ad is less expensive than a Google ad, and overall, a better bang for your buck.

Crafting the YouTube ad is an art in itself — make it engaging, authentic, and, crucially, valuable to the viewer.

End with a strong call to action; tell viewers exactly what you want them to do next.

And here’s the golden rule: keep an eye on YouTube analytics. The numbers will tell you what’s working and what needs a tune-up.

12. Monitor Your YouTube Channel Performance

You’ve honed your YouTube content and advertising and maybe even dipped your toe into YouTube Live.

Next is YouTube Analytics. They’re your essential tools and guides, directing your path.

Make delving into YouTube Analytics a regular part of your process; it’s a rich source of data that shows which videos excel and which ones falter.

Views, watch time, audience engagement, and click-through rates — these are your benchmarks.

If one video gained traction, analyse it. Was its success due to the video title, thumbnail, or content?

And if another video didn’t quite hit the mark, adjust your approach. Refine your YouTube video marketing strategy and shift your focus to better results.

Staying attentive to your data and using it to adapt and refine your strategy is key to achieving greater success.

13. Track Your Competition

youtube marketing track your competition

Standing out on YouTube means knowing what your high-ranking competitors are up to.

Competitor research is an underutilized YouTube marketing tool.

So, start by identifying your key competitors — those in your niche, with similar audience size or content style.

Now, be a YouTube detective.

Check their video titles and descriptions. What keywords are they targeting? Peek at their thumbnails; are they vibrant and eye-catching?

Dive into their posting schedule; when and how often are they uploading? Engage with their content; what kind of calls-to-action are they using? Do they utilize influencer marketing?

Don’t forget the comments section; it’s a goldmine for audience sentiment.

Now, here’s another opportunity to use the magic sauce: YouTube Analytics.

While you can’t access a competitor’s private data, tools like SocialBlade or TubeBuddy offer valuable insights. Track their subscriber growth, view counts, and engagement rates.

It’s not about copying, it’s about learning and strategizing. How can you differentiate? Use that intel to improve your own strategy.

Now Go Rock Your YouTube Marketing Strategy

Ready to turn your vision into viewers? It’s time to step into the spotlight.

Your stage is set, your audience awaits, and now, you have a 13-step script in hand.

Cheers to your future YouTube stardom!

By Loree Hollander

Loree Hollander is a content creator, editor, and SEO strategist who specializes in psychology, health, wellness, and the intersection of science and spirituality. When not writing, reading, or traveling, she spends time with her husband in the woods and on the water in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Sourced from SmartBlogger

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How To Leverage An Omnichannel Marketing Strategy To Reach Your Audience Wherever They Are

October 4, 2023 No Comments

By John Hall

The data shows that omnichannel marketing strategies have power. When implemented successfully, they increase ad-driven store visits by 80%. With consumers relying more on their mobile devices and expecting tailored, seamless experiences from brands, failing to embrace omnichannel marketing seems like a wrong turn. Omnichannel strategies can boost sales, personalize the customer experience and increase retention rates.

Another positive is that using multiple channels to deliver individualized messages lets you reach audience members wherever they are. Whether they’re using their smartphone in your store, opening their inbox or browsing social media, your messages get seen. And ultimately, they bring your audience closer to making a purchase. But omnichannel marketing involves more than simply blasting your content onto every available platform. Here’s how to do it with thought and effectively increase your reach.

Amplify Your Content

Amplifying your content doesn’t mean simply making more of it. That strategy could backfire if you’re not talking about what’s relevant to your audience. Sometimes less is more when you can use what you already have in different ways.

Repurposing your content is something Casted, an amplified marketing platform that a company I advise works with, recommends for reaching customers more effectively. Think about the channels your ideal buyer uses and modify your content to fit each channel’s mould. Amplifying your content library can also include returning to topics you’ve talked about before. If something resonates strongly with your audience, they’re probably hungry for more. You just have to dig deeper, expand and adapt.

Say you have a high-performing blog post. It brings people to your website and pads your lead-gen results. But search engines aren’t the only place your audience hangs out. You can take the same post and turn it into a video on TikTok, a social snippet on Instagram or an infographic on LinkedIn. If there’s potential, you might turn the topic into a series by involving more than one subject matter expert.

The key is to extend your efforts beyond a single format or channel. That said, you’ll need to be strategic about it. Look at where your audience is, what formats they respond to best and what topics draw them in.

Walk In Your Target Consumer’s Shoes

Before someone buys something, they’ve likely seen multiple ads and pieces of content about it. They’ve also probably interacted with your brand in person and online through different channels. Marketing touchpoints are no longer limited to one or two. Today’s consumers are bombarded with online posts, emails and mobile app notifications on top of traditional ads.

The mobile channel alone drove 41.8% of retail e-commerce sales in 2022. While this figure is impressive, you’ve got to determine how channels like mobile apply to your audience members. Pretend you’re one of them, searching for information on the problem your product or service solves. What channels does your audience interact with, what touchpoints do they see and how effective are they?

Walking through your ideal shopper’s journey is one way to identify what touchpoints are missing from your strategy. Say you’re an online bank, such as SoFi, that offers loans, savings accounts and investment products. Perhaps your website analytics show visitors are spending more time exploring content about high-yield savings and investments. It may be the time to target these consumers with personalized touchpoints like emails.

Collecting visitors’ data through short surveys and email signup forms allows you to customize your messages, better matching their interests and behaviours. For instance, you could offer a higher interest rate if they open a savings account through your app. You could also extend a bonus for opening investment accounts with a minimum balance. Either way, you’re leveraging data to appeal to your audience’s preferences through their favourite channels.

Analyse Feedback to Optimize Performance

You won’t know what parts of your omnichannel marketing strategy are working if you don’t analyse the data. More importantly, you won’t know what you should tweak so they can work. Stats you’ll want to look at include conversion and retention rates. But customer satisfaction, general brand sentiment and customer lifetime value are additional data points to consider.

For example, a video with low conversion rates may present several opportunities. Maybe the format or length isn’t appropriate for your goal. Perhaps you want to educate your audience to convince them your brand offers the best solution. You might test the same content as a webinar and a how-to series. You can optimize your strategy to increase conversion rates by seeing which format performs better.

Likewise, you can look at your overall approach’s impact on customer lifetime value. What role do different touchpoints play in incremental sales if you’re a mass-market retailer like Target? Maybe app notifications about sales and gift card incentives are more effective than direct mail. They’re immediate, using past browsing and purchase history to deliver individualized savings. However, customer sentiments from surveys reveal that too many notifications turn shoppers off.

Combining your data sources, you might find two app notifications a week is the sweet spot. With this frequency, you can positively impact customer lifetime value and brand sentiment. You’ll be reaching your audience how—and how often—they prefer.

Achieving Omnichannel Marketing Reach

Omnichannel marketing strategies often have the same effect that multiple product displays in a store do. No matter where consumers turn, you’re constantly reminding them of your brand’s existence and the value it can offer. With well-thought-out and refined approaches, omnichannel marketing can help extend your reach to those ready, willing and able to buy.

Feature Image Credit: getty

By John Hall

John Hall is a top motivational speaker and the co-founder of Calendar, a scheduling and time management app. He’s also an adviser for the growth marketing agency Relevance, a company that helps brands differentiate themselves and lead their industry online.You can book him as a keynote speaker here.

Sourced from Forbes

In News

10 Best Marketing Strategy Examples to Inspire Your Own (2023)

August 1, 2023 No Comments

By Sam Driver

Ready to breathe some fresh air into your brand? These marketing strategy examples are exactly what you need!

You know that feeling when you’re just stuck in a rut? Like, “What’s next?”

Well, friend, we’ve got your back.

From guerrilla tactics that’ll make you feel like a cunning ninja, to social media campaigns that’ll turn you into an online rockstar — we’ve cherry-picked the cream of the crop.

Get ready to take notes and revamp your game.

Let’s dive right in!

1. Tesla’s Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Remember when we thought we couldn’t buy a car online? Elon Musk didn’t just push the envelope — he threw it out of the SpaceX rocket window.

Despite having an initial marketing budget that’s as scarce as a white rhino, Tesla rose from obscurity to global renown. And it wasn’t by accident or sheer luck.

Tesla’s masterstroke lies in their word-of-mouth marketing strategy, where they capitalized on the power of customer advocacy and the cult-like following of its founder.

So what’s the secret sauce here?

Treat your customers like the very oxygen you breathe. Exceed their expectations, over-deliver, and they’ll become your brand ambassadors.

The key takeaway…

Strive for excellent product or service delivery, and let your customers do the talking. Remember, a satisfied customer can often become a better advocate for your brand than any advertisement.

2. Dollar Shave Club’s Viral Video

Razor subscription service. Sounds as exciting as watching paint dry, right?

Dollar Shave Club chucked that presumption out the window and raced into the spotlight with a video campaign that was as unexpected as finding an oasis in the Sahara.

Their genius marketing strategy consisted of an offbeat viral video that made you laugh till your belly hurt. They fused humour with real-world struggles, striking a chord with the common man’s shaving woes.

The result?

Dollar Shave Club went from being virtually unknown to an overnight sensation.

Your nugget of wisdom here…

Don’t be afraid to step outside the box and bring some humour into your marketing campaigns. Authentic, unexpected content that entertains and resonates with your audience can cause your brand to skyrocket in popularity.

3. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign

In an industry often accused of peddling fantasy beauty standards, Dove chose to march to the beat of a different drum.

Their ‘Real Beauty’ campaign was less about selling soap and more about promoting self-acceptance and celebrating diversity.

Dove tapped into something more profound than surface-level beauty — they touched the heart.

The campaign resonated powerfully with a broad audience, catapulting the brand into the stratosphere of public admiration. It was more than just a marketing strategy; it was a movement.

So why not dare to challenge the status quo.

Align your brand with a purpose that reaches beyond just selling products. Emotional resonance builds stronger, deeper connections with your audience, and those connections can turn customers into loyal brand advocates.

4. Coca Cola’s Content 2020

Have you ever felt that warm, fuzzy feeling while watching a Coca Cola ad during Christmas? That’s the power of Coca Cola’s “Content 2020” initiative.

They pivoted from traditional product marketing, choosing instead to stir up emotions and sell experiences.

Through captivating storytelling, Coca Cola placed the viewer smack dab in the middle of an unfolding narrative, leading them down a path of emotional connection.

What can you learn from this?

Start thinking of your product or service as part of a larger story, a story that your customers can connect with on a deeper level.

It’s not just about selling anymore, folks.

It’s about creating a meaningful journey with your brand at its heart.

To implement this strategy, you could create content around highlighting customer stories, or aligning your brand with a significant cause. The aim is to strike an emotional chord that resonates beyond a simple transaction.

5. GoPro’s Be a Hero Campaign

They incentivized customers to become ambassadors of their own adventures, equipped with a GoPro camera. This genius move allowed GoPro to showcase the versatility and robustness of their product while simultaneously fostering a vibrant community of users.

Imagine this: not just you selling your product, but your customers doing it for you!

To apply this in your own strategy, consider ways you could inspire your customers to share their experiences with your product or service.

Perhaps you could run a photo contest on Instagram, or maybe incentivize reviews with discounts or giveaways. The key is to make your customers feel like they’re part of the story your brand is telling.

6. Deadpool’s Satirical Campaign

Billboards, cheeky social media posts, and a playful Tinder profile all embodied the irreverent spirit of the character.

From this, you can glean the power of brand authenticity.

Sure, not all of us have a wisecracking antihero to market, but that doesn’t mean you can’t infuse your campaign with genuine personality.

If your brand were a person, who would it be? How would they speak? What would they value?

Find these answers, and use them to break your own metaphorical fourth wall.

This could be as simple as adopting a more conversational tone in your marketing copy, or engaging directly with consumers on social media platforms.

Remember, authenticity resonates, and can set your brand apart from the faceless corporate crowd.

7. Amazon Prime Day

Talk about making a splash! Amazon’s Prime Day turned a simple sale into an annual festival of savings that customers eagerly anticipate.

The ecommerce giant’s 48-hour extravaganza of exclusive deals for Prime members was a masterclass in leveraging FOMO — that’s the Fear of Missing Out, folks.

The countdown to Prime Day sparks a thrill of anticipation that ignites the internet, creating a buzz of conversation and frantic deal-snatching.

But how can you harness this in your own marketing strategy?

Start by creating exclusive opportunities or events that evoke a sense of urgency.

Limited-time offers, sneak peeks, and members-only benefits can all trigger this reaction.

Make your audience feel like they’re part of an elite club, and they’ll be eager to join in.

Remember, the key to FOMO marketing is exclusivity, urgency, and a dash of creative promotion.

8. Oreo’s Dunk in the Dark

When Super Bowl XLVII was hit with a blackout, most brands were left in the dark. But not Oreo.

Their quick-witted “You Can Still Dunk in the Dark” tweet made headlines as a brilliant instance of real-time marketing.

This isn’t just about reacting swiftly, it’s about crafting a perfectly timed, on-brand message that takes advantage of an unexpected situation.

In a world where trends ebb and flow in the blink of an eye, speed and flexibility are paramount. Real-time marketing requires a keen awareness of current events and a readiness to jump on opportunities as they arise.

By keeping your finger on the pulse, your brand can be a part of the conversation, instead of just a bystander.

Embrace the unexpected, and remember, sometimes the best opportunities aren’t planned — they’re seized.

9. HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing

Who says education has to be boring? HubSpot has positioned itself as an authority in the digital marketing world by providing free, valuable resources like blogs, webinars, and guides.

This isn’t just giving away free stuff — it’s a brilliant strategy that draws in customers and nurtures them into a loyal, engaged community.

Embrace a similar approach by offering your audience value beyond your products or services.

Perhaps it’s a blog with expert advice, an e-book filled with industry secrets, or webinars that provide actionable insights.

When you educate your audience, you’re not only positioning your brand as a trusted leader but also building a loyal customer base that’s more likely to return to you for more.

Remember, valuable content doesn’t just inform — it engages, persuades, and cultivates a relationship with your audience.

10. Glossier’s Customer-Centric Strategy

A dedicated audience can be your brand’s greatest asset, and Glossier understands this like no other.

By embracing intensive social media engagement and listening to their customers, they’ve not only built an impressive customer base but also fostered a community.

They’ve shown us that the secret sauce isn’t just about selling a product — it’s about understanding and responding to your customer’s needs.

Take a page from Glossier’s book by actively seeking out and responding to customer feedback.

Engage with your audience on social media, create spaces for conversation, and truly listen.

The key takeaway here is that when you build a community around your brand, you’re fostering trust and loyalty.

By making your customers feel heard and valued, you’re creating a robust customer base that’ll stick around for the long haul. Remember, a loyal community is more than just a customer base — it’s a powerful marketing force.

Unleash the Power of These Marketing Strategy Examples

So, you’ve reached the end, and your brain might be buzzing like, “Where do I even start with all these golden nuggets?”

Breathe, pal.

That’s normal!

What you’ve got here is a treasure chest, and you’re the pirate that’s hit the jackpot.

So, get your creative juices flowing, build bridges, and make waves!

By Sam Driver

Sam is an Associate Editor for Smart Blogger and family man who loves to write. When he’s not goofing around with his kids, he’s honing his craft to provide lasting value to anyone who cares to listen.

Sourced from SmartBlogger

In News

Branding: The layer-1 of a successful Web3 marketing strategy

July 14, 2023 No Comments

By German Ramirez

Building on a blockchain follows similar fundamental principles to building in real life.

Building on a blockchain follows similar fundamental principles to building in real life. First, you establish the foundations, then you can start laying the bricks, and only once it’s built can someone begin experiencing the building’s purpose. With blockchain, establishing a foundation involves selecting (or even designing) a first layer. Laying the bricks is akin to writing the platform code, and only then the user experience can begin.

So why, if we know the process involved in building a successful, sustainable structure from scratch, do we ignore it when it comes to our crypto marketing efforts?

The naïve crypto founder’s marketing checklist

Building a Web3 project from scratch? Here’s a typical marketing checklist for starry-eyed founders:

Have a logo: something from a freelancer will do to start
Create a whitepaper: this is a must-have for VCs
Have a website and social media accounts
Create a blog (remember: SEO matters)
Engage a PR agency and issue lots of press releases ahead of launch
Use influencers (more followers = more reach)
Use paid placements to establish authority
Participate in sponsorships and time on stage at big events

Even if a project manages to survive the next crash, it’ll invariably end up rinsing and repeating this list with endless newer and more exciting features, products and services, with little return on its marketing spend.

The problem is, when everyone is doing the same thing, nobody stands out. And during the bear markets, what’s left? All of the above costs time and money, but none of it buys loyalty.

All entrepreneurs building on blockchain understand the importance of building from the foundations up — starting with layer-1. Layer-1 underpins everything.

What are the characteristics you seek from layer-1?

Decentralization with distributed shared ownership
Immutability
Transparency
Longevity

Nothing in the extensive founder’s marketing checklist shares these non-negotiable properties.

Your brand is your layer-1 of your marketing

Successful marketing starts with its own layer-1 — building the brand. Your layer-1 is the keystone on which your entire platform is built, and your brand is the keystone on which your entire marketing strategy should be constructed.

Your brand isn’t a logo or a catchy slogan. It’s first and foremost a memorable, relevant, credible, unique, concise and consistent brand positioning and promise. Ideally, it’s supported by a clear set of values, ideas, narratives and visuals that pull everything else together.

Your brand is what makes people recognize you. It’s what invokes what your business is known for. And it’s the only part of your marketing toolkit that creates a truly emotional tie between you and your target audience.

Remember, your brand is the only asset that you can derive from your marketing spend. However much you pay a PR or marketing agency, no matter how much they talk about ROI — without a brand, it’s all just talk. Your brand is your layer-1.

That’s not to say that all the other stuff isn’t important. Your socials, blog and PR campaigns all matter. But they are your layer-2 — your touchpoints. If we take the blockchain analogy, your layer-2 marketing activities and touchpoints are like your dApps. They’re your presence — your voice to the world.

Layer-3 is where the magic happens. Layer-3 is the experience, where your brand, product and story come together to create traction, impact and enduring value. This is why people will come back and what will propel you through the toughest of bear markets and financial hardships.

But without layer-1 — your brand — you’ll never reach layer-3 based on a foundation of layer-2 alone. It would be like trying to launch a dApp without a blockchain.

Retrofitting works

Hang on, you may be thinking. I’ve already started my business, and I didn’t build a brand before I started. I already have my website, socials, blog and campaigns set up, but without a brand. Is it all now doomed to fail?

It’s not a problem.

Unlike dApps, which can’t run without blockchains, it is possible to retroactively build your brand. In fact, the chances are that in the process of building your layer-2, you’ve already started creating an impression that can help to form the basis of your brand.

What are you good at? Why does your community come to you above the competition? Why is your offering relevant?

Arguably, if you have already started, you’re in an even stronger position to build a brand retroactively because you already have enough data and input to be able to answer these questions. Those touchpoints you set up are a valuable trove of feedback from people who have engaged with your product and formed an impression. Listen to what they have to say.

Once you know what you’re good at, and how you’re being perceived, you have the ingredients to create your brand. The rest is pure science.

By German Ramirez

German is co-founder and chief relevance officer of THE RELEVANCE HOUSE, a branding, marketing and growth agency focused on blockchain and Web3.

Sourced from COINTELEGRAPH

In News

The 4 Marketing Strategies Your Shopify Store Needs to Drive Traffic

April 25, 2023 No Comments

By Eric Netsch

A successful Shopify store is built on a solid marketing strategy. Read on if you want to discover the secrets of Shopify marketing.

After taking the leap into the ecommerce world and launching your Shopify store, you’re probably looking for ways to attract new customers. Even with a great design and solid product offering, standing out in a crowded market can be challenging. Fortunately, you can take several practical strategies and actions to promote and drive traffic to your business. Depending on your needs and goals, these can include anything from social media marketing to paid advertising to email marketing campaigns.

Shopify is currently the leading platform for ecommerce brands, and it powers nearly two million businesses’ online stores. It goes without saying, but competition in the ecommerce world is fierce; retailers looking to remain relevant and stand out need to establish a solid marketing strategy that will actually move the mark.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, it’s essential to prioritize marketing and make it a crucial part of your overall ecommerce strategy. Doing so can lead to increased sales, greater brand recognition and the development of a loyal customer base.

1. Boost your search engine appeal

To draw more traffic and give potential customers the best chance of finding you when they search for similar products, it’s essential to prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This strategy requires patience, time and ongoing effort, but it’s worth the investment.

There are several key steps to optimizing your Shopify store. These include optimizing your store’s architecture, conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords for your business, refining your on-page optimization over time and implementing an effective link-building strategy.

Remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort. Fortunately, Shopify offers built-in marketing tools, including SEO optimization features, to help you optimize for search engines. Moreover, you can enhance your SEO efforts and maintain a steady traffic flow by using various third-party SEO tools and Shopify apps.

If you prioritize SEO and take the essential measures to optimize your Shopify store for search engines, you can gradually attract a larger audience, increase your sales and expand your business.

2. Amplify your reach with digital ads

Investing in paid ads is a highly effective strategy, particularly if you’re just starting out or facing challenges in gaining visibility through organic search marketing. Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, like Google Ads, can be an excellent option for driving more traffic to your site as ads appear at the top of search results. In a PPC campaign, you set a maximum bid and only pay when someone clicks on your link. A well-targeted and well-written PPC campaign can immediately bring traffic to your Shopify store. However, it’s worth noting that your competitors and the ads platform determine the amount you pay per visitor, even though you control your overall spending.

Another option for paid advertising is launching campaigns on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, the most common networks for paid advertising. To determine which platform works best for you, conduct different tests and analyse your ad’s performance.

Having attractive visual content and persuasive copywriting that appeals to potential customers is essential to creating successful ads. Be creative! Successful advertising campaigns need that creative appeal to capture the attention of shoppers.

Before launching your ads, consider the most relevant keywords for your business and target your ads to specific audiences to ensure your campaigns are effective. Paid advertising campaigns can inform potential customers about your Shopify brand and retarget previous site visitors, making it an effective tactic for attracting new customers and guiding shoppers back.

3. Utilize influencer marketing

In recent years, influencer marketing has gained immense popularity and has proven to be an effective way to market your Shopify store, especially for brands in the fashion, beauty and CPG industries. In essence, influencer marketing is a partnership between a brand and an influencer, and it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for brands’ marketing budgets. Finding an influencer whose niche audience aligns with your product or brand is crucial to begin with influencer marketing. You must also establish a relationship with the influencer, who will create their own content to help position your brand.

Influencer marketing is highly effective for ecommerce businesses. Seventy-one percent of marketers find that it generates better quality customers and traffic than other sources. Consumers trust influencer recommendations because they create a direct communication channel and leverage the credibility and trust of public figures. In fact, 64% of marketers agree that influencer marketing is an enhanced form of word-of-mouth marketing, which is the most effective form of marketing.

This personalized approach is particularly effective in today’s world, where so many brand choices inundate consumers. Influencer marketing is a highly reliable and direct marketing strategy, as recommendations from real people carry more weight than conventional paid advertisements.

4. Master your customer referral program

Referral programs can be an effective strategy where satisfied customers become brand advocates and receive rewards such as discounts or free products. You can reach a wider audience by incentivizing past customers to recommend your products to their network. This approach is particularly effective because people tend to trust recommendations from friends and family more than advertising. Word-of-mouth marketing is such a powerful tool that it can generate up to five times more sales than traditional paid advertising.

Unlike customer reviews, a referral program involves direct word-of-mouth marketing where people share their positive experiences with your products with those close to them, generating new leads that are highly likely to convert. Several platforms and tools are available to create a customer referral program, such as Talkable, which offers an in-app referral program to help find brand advocates.

To attract new customers to your Shopify store, you can use several strategies to promote your business and drive traffic, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid advertising, influencer marketing and customer referral programs. Implementing these tactics can attract more customers, increase sales and develop a loyal customer base. Remember to be creative and invest time and effort into continuously improving your marketing strategy to stay ahead in the competitive ecommerce industry.

By Eric Netsch

Sourced from Entrepreneur

In News

5 Reasons to Start Producing Industry-Specific Content as Part of Your Marketing Strategy

August 12, 2022 No Comments

By Hillel Fuld

Start producing industry content now and watch everything else get easier.

How important is content as part of your overall marketing strategy? The answer is that if done well, content is the foundation for the entire building that is marketing.

To be clear, when I say content, I don’t mean PR as in a journalist writing about you. I also don’t mean the copy that’s on your website. When I say content, I am referring to you producing industry content on the company blog, podcast, YouTube channel, or elsewhere.

Once you jump into the content game, the rest of your marketing efforts are made increasingly simpler.

Here are five parts of your marketing that become easier once you start producing content.

Your social media accounts finally offer some value.

By now, if your company is not on social media, you should fire your marketing team. Everyone knows how potentially powerful social media is, but not many companies really think about what they are doing on social media.

Too many people and companies use platforms like Twitter as a broadcast platform. They think of these platforms as a megaphone. Instead of focusing on the media, they should try focusing on social.

That means they need to start thinking of how to provide real value instead of obsessing over how many followers they have. Well, if a company produces content regularly, now they have what to share on social media.

If you’re an AI company and you produce content about AI, all of a sudden, people interested in AI have a reason to follow you on social.

The foundation of all search engine optimization is content.

Anyone who knows how search engine optimization(SEO) works will tell you that content is the foundation. To simplify it, the goal of offsite SEO is to get as many incoming links as possible. When Google sees a site with thousands of incoming links, they understand that that site must be an authority in its space.

The question is how do you get links. Some SEO people go and buy links thinking they’re going to trick Google. Instead, focus on organically getting people to link to you and encouraging people to talk about you on the internet. How do you do that? Content. The more you write, the more people talk about you. The more people talk about you, the more they link to you. Period.

All of a sudden, your PR isn’t PR.

What is the first thing a journalist will do after receiving a pitch from you? That’s right, they’ll Google you.

When they Google you and come across all your industry content, all of a sudden, you’re not just another company pitching that journalist. Now you’re a content creator just like they are. Content changes the whole dynamic and shortens the road to getting press coverage.

Your business development benefits from a head start.

Think about your business development efforts. Whether you’re a start-up or a larger company, surely you are looking for strategic partners to help grow your business.

Now think of the other side. What is that potential partner looking for? They’re looking to partner with leaders, not followers. They’re looking to collaborate with brands, not companies.

Well, when that potential partner Googles you and they see no footprint on the internet, that is a huge red flag. Alternatively, if they Google you and see you are producing a ton of industry content, suddenly you are the leader and the brand they are looking for.

Investors are looking to invest in good people so make sure you are what they’re looking for.

Every tech investor I’ve ever met says the same thing. “We are looking to invest in people.” That’s very nice but before that first meeting, how do they determine if a company has good people when evaluating whether to take that first meeting?

The answer is that they do their due diligence. Part of that process involves them looking at your site, your web presence, and of course, they look to see your thoughts on your specific space.

So to answer the question, your content becomes your company’s business card and if an investor wants to learn more about you before that first meeting, give them that opportunity by showing them how much of a thought leader you are in your space.

To summarize, content isn’t just a part of your marketing strategy, it is the foundation of it all and if done right, every other aspect of your marketing will be exponentially more successful.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Hillel Fuld

Sourced from Inc.