SEO
March 24, 2020
Coronavirus and the marketing industry: what happens next?
Coronavirus is at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the moment. We’re officially living in the midst of a pandemic, and almost everyone has been affected. Whether you’re self-isolating, working from home, or are anxious about what the future might hold, the chances are that coronavirus has already affected you in some way, shape or form.
We don’t really want to contribute to the negative literature on the topic - of which there is a lot. The facts are pretty bleak, however, in the wake of the crisis it seems that people have been turning to social media for a sense of community.
The million dollar question is how long will all of this go on for and how will it affect the marketing sector? Here, we are taking a deep dive into how coronavirus might affect marketing in the next few weeks and months.
Traditional marketing forms take a hit
While the UK government is yet to call for a nationwide lockdown, as we’ve seen in other countries, the advice to stay inside and limit all unnecessary outings is likely to lead to a notable decrease in out of home ad spend, with brands opting to focus on online, digital ads instead.
TV has also been affected, with many businesses cutting TV ad spend as a precautionary measure. This is so much so that ITV, which acts as a kind of benchmark for the British TV ad market as a whole, estimates that they will see a 10% decrease in revenue due to coronavirus .
This is also on top of the fact that large sporting events and tournaments have already been cancelled, and sponsorship deals have been cut, resulting in a TV ad market that is naturally in a decline.
However, some are predicting otherwise. TV tends to see a spike during times of bad weather or other periods where people are more likely to stay indoors, and thus, some TV executives are predicting huge increases in ad spend as consumers are forced to stay at home.
Online marketing may increase
We’re predicting that there will be a huge increase in digital ad spend over the next few months as consumers will naturally be spending more time online, especially choosing to shop online versus leaving the house. These predictions are supported by research from Dentsu Aegis Network, who found that of 155 clients and client leaders surveyed, 14% said they were moving budget online, from offline media.
Additionally, as people travel less and work from home more, we also expect to see mobile and social opportunities increase. Research by Global Web Index found that we are seeing a huge increase in people checking social media across all age demographics; 27% among Gen Z, 30% among Millennials, 29% among Gen X and 15% among Boomers. This may be not least because people are free from the watchful eye of their manager and are able to check their phones more regularly, but also because 4 in 10 of us are checking the news more frequently!
Social media ad spend is set to increase
Due to increased use of social media, spend across the social platforms is likely to increase.
With more people on their phones, looking for engaging content to keep them busy as they try to tackle the emotional burden of self isolation, social media will become a daily routine that people need to keep them grounded, give them a sense of community and regular updates on the global crises.
It’s therefore thought that social media spending will rise by 22.2% as a result of coronavirus, as consumer-led brands harness the power of social media to engage their audience. We have already seen a huge jump in influencer marketing engagement, with a recent study finding a 76% increase in daily accumulated likes on Instagram #ad posts over the past two weeks.
What content do people need in the midst of coronavirus?
As content creators, providers or facilitators, we have a unique responsibility to be conscious of the content that we publish at this time. Consumers need support from the brands they love, and social media provides a great vehicle to deliver that.
People are turning to their most trusted brands to lead the way and deliver content that shows true consideration for the consumer. At a time when studios may not be accessible for producing branded content, brands should consider working with a vetted network of content creators, in order to ensure that your brand message is creatively translated to your target audience by a trusted partner.
Content centred around mental health and keeping healthy will naturally be of interest to consumers at this time. Equally as important is content that keeps us busy, optimistic and excited about the world as we collectively navigate through this topsy-turvy time.
If you have concerns about where your marketing budget is going, or want to discuss how coronavirus might affect your marketing strategy then get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
By Ben Jeffries - Open Mic
To view full article click here
April 10, 2018
5 Online Marketing Trends Disney Says You Should Jump On
If you're going to learn how to do almost anything under the business umbrella, Disney is a great brand to learn from. That's why I was honored to be invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. It's an annual get together of influencers around the country who partake in a variety of Disney experiences and learn a little, too.
Aboard the Disney Dream, Alex Ruiz, the digital marketing director at Disney Parks, shared some online trends Disney is paying a lot of attention to. (And if Disney is, so should you.)
Be in the moment.
The new (or newer) art of storytelling is showcased on platforms like Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, and Amp by Google.
The most popular of the three examples is Instagram Stories. Ruiz estimates more than 300 million users are taking advantage of this feature to reach their audience. Recently, the social-media giant unveiled something called highlights, which allows a story in a certain category to be saved for future viewing, meaning it won't be removed after 24 hours like all other stories.
Why does this work? It's fun, bite-size content. That's what people want to consume online. With so much to choose from and the attention span of people getting shorter and shorter online, these in-the-moment shares hit the mark.
If you really want to be in the moment, do it live.
Ruiz says Facebook Live is watched three times longer than regular videos, is commented on 10 times more than regular videos, and the search popularity for "Facebook live stream" is up 330 percent. That's the power of going live.
The most-watched live video to date proves this-off-the-cuff, in-the-moment point: It's the Chewbacca Mom, who has brought in more than 171 million views and counting... and it all started in a parking lot.
Multiple yourself with a chatbot.
Ruiz says while chatbots aren't really new, and they are picking up steam.
Chatbots are great because they can be trained to be a digital form of yourself that's available 24/7. The secret to using chatbots effectively is to not use them to sell, but instead to use them to offer value.
Voice-activated technology.
By the end of 2017, more than 30 million home devices have been sold.
The best-selling product on Amazon this past holiday was the Amazon Echo Dot named Alexa. Alexa has more than 25,000 skills (a "skill" is Amazon's version of an app.) Ruiz suggests being proactive and creating a new skill now, while voice-activated technology is growing.
By 2020, Ruiz expects half of all searches will be voice activated. This should make you second-guess your current SEO strategy and start thinking about making your blog optimized for voice.
Don't be scared.
Like Walt Disney, be curious, stay informed, and experiment with new things. Surround yourself with experts to help you take a thought or idea to the next level. Online, things are always changing and evolving. That means you need to be willing to do the same with your strategy.
January 10, 2018
How to SEO Audit Your Website in 15 Minutes
So, you’re embarking on an SEO campaign - but first you want to carry out an SEO audit to see how you're currently placed?
Ahrefs share their 10-step process in this infographic.
Here are the tools mentioned:
- Ahrefs
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Google Structured Data Testing
- Panguin
This post was first published on the Red Website Design blog.
Author: Mark Walker-Ford
Infographic: David McSweeney
Photo by: Pineapple Supply Co- Unsplash
December 18, 2017
11 Digital Management Mistakes You May Be Making
The internet and mobile technology has forever changed the way customers make purchases and how we need to market to them. Digital marketing over the last decade has been proven to be one of the most effective, if not the most effective, way to reach potential and existing customers at a reasonable price. If you aren't maximizing your digital marketing efforts then you'll need to implement some changes immediately to get back on track. Check to see if your digital marketing strategy is failing and falling into any of these mistake categories:
1. Failing To Update Your Blog
If your last blog post is a month ago, Google isn’t going to include it in a lot of searches, because there are a lot of other sites that are constantly updating their content and such sites have higher priority in Google’s eyes. No matter how well-made your blog is, if it isn’t up to date it isn’t going to appear on Google, which means that you aren’t going to draw a lot of new customers in. You might think that it’s counter-productive to dish out filler blog posts just so your blog will be updated, and that may be true, but it’s also kind of an excuse. Constantly keep your mind on creating new, interesting and relevant content that isn’t filler (or at least, not completely filler) and you’ll find that it will benefit your business greatly.
Remember, content is king for a reason! It gets results.
2. Neglecting Your Data
Analytics are hands-down the best way to tell you what sells on the Internet these days. Look at the numbers a few times a week and try to deduce how you can improve your website based on those numbers. And honestly, looking at digital analytics is a lot easier than before. Some time ago you didn’t have applications such as Google Analytics that could provide you with this important information, and you’d have to do the research yourself. It’s still a bit of a tedious process, but significantly watered down compared to how it was a decade ago.
3. Not Hiring Real Industry Experts
Digital marketing is a creative process and requires you to know quite a bit about a number of things, and trying to do all of it yourself can often backfire, because you simply aren’t equipped with all the necessary knowledge, especially if you’re just starting off. Because of this, you should seriously consider putting together a team of experts, each of them in their own respective field, to help you out. This will yield you the best results, because not only will it split the workload, but you’ll have a number of people who you can trust and who know how to do their job. It's not always the best strategy to hire the cheapest candidate who is right out of college just because it makes financial sense and you assume that because of their age they know everything about online marketing.
I'm all about saving money obviously, but remember this tidbit of wisdom from Red Addair:
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."
4. Text Overload
The more the better, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, with the constant distractions that plague Internet users nowadays, our attention spans are significantly shorter than they were several years ago, and most people will give up on your blog post if it’s too long or too broad. And besides, more content definitely doesn’t equate to better content. In fact, the fewer words you can use to make your point and elaborate your product/service, the less time and energy it will take the reader to understand what you’re on about – and therefore, the more likely they are to remain interested.
5. Skimping On Digital Security
What does security have to do with Digital marketing, you ask? Plenty, actually. Since most of your work is going to be conducted via the web, you’re going to be exposed to a variety of online security risks. There’s nothing worse than having a huge DDoS or a data leak happen to you, the moment that you thought everything else was going perfectly. The problem is that people these days don’t really comprehend how important Internet security is, until it’s too late. So don’t let that happen to you; set yourself up with some security plugins (if you’re using WordPress, there’s a myriad to choose from), perhaps a two-step authentication system and a good VPN to encrypt your connection.
Simply put, you can't effectively market to your customers if your websites aren't secure, customer data isn't secure, and your work computers are infected with viruses or ransomware.
6. Resorting To Clickbait Tactics
If your titles sound something like “This Product Will Change Your Life Forever”, you’re doing it wrong. These titles are misleading, annoying to readers, and not even that effective these days. The fact of the matter is that people have been avoiding these ploys, so by using it you’re actually bound to lose their trust instead of gaining it. Be as honest as possible with your product, and don’t resort to misleading titles. If what you’re offering is a quality brand, you aren’t going to need it anyway, and you certainly don’t want to chase your clientele away. It’s an annoying marketing habit that needs to disappear, and the sooner it does, the better for all of us.
You might get some extra website traffic in the short term, but long term your credibility could be shot.
7. Neglecting Social Media Marketing
Unfortunately I see many inferior social media marketing campaigns daily. On Facebook I see pages with minimal likes, no interaction, infrequent posts, and negative comments posted without any response. Sometimes a post is unprofessional, negative, irrelevant, or mentions a polarizing issue (politics or religion for example). On Twitter I often see lack of interaction, unpolished profiles (no header, fuzzy profile picture, no background, poor profile wording), inconsistent posts, or irrelevant posts. Pinterest and Instagram accounts may be incomplete, ineffective, or non-existent. On LinkedIn I see company pages that aren't optimized at all and haven't been updated in years. Don't get me started on the profiles with selfies as their professional pictures, or their empty summary and experience sections. "Growth Hacking Ninja" is not a real term that should be listed on what is essentially an online resume and portfolio that can be viewed by anyone in the world.
The main issue I see on YouTube (besides low views and subscribers), is a lack of response to comments posted, including offensive language and spam. That isn't an issue due to a lack of talent or intelligence, it's really just a matter of insufficient effort and vigilance. YouTube success can often hinge on your dedication to your loyal viewers and prospective subscribers. On many of these platforms, the following : follower ratios may appear horrendous. Overall, I see a lack of consistency, interaction, professionalism, relevance, focus, and scale when it comes to many businesses and their social media marketing. Nowadays especially it's also crucial to have a very comprehensive and polished Instagram account and at least the beginnings of a Snapchat marketing strategy.
8. Neglecting Online Reputation Management
A lot of companies aren't monitoring feedback from their visitors, prospects, customers, or former employees. This includes review websites, business complaint sites, social media pages, forums, and more. It's crucial to monitor these pages to accentuate positive reviews and provide exceptional customer service to prevent negative reviews. If a negative review does occur, the situation needs to be rectified immediately. Organizations also shouldn't forget to monitor, correct, remove, or report any of the dozens or hundreds of business directories, aggregation sites, or spam sites that include your company's information. However, if you have an effective online marketing system in place, the overall significance and relevance of many of these inferior sites will be substantially decreased.
9. Failing To Gain Employee Support
Not everyone will agree with me on all of my thoughts on this topic, but I think everyone can agree that many employees have a vested interest in their company's success. If a company becomes more successful, it is more likely that the employees of that company will have greater opportunities and compensation. What I observe daily is a lack of employee online support and alignment. Employees do not link to their company's Facebook page. Employees do not properly link to their employer's LinkedIn company page. Mentions and hashtags are not mentioned in employee Twitter profiles. There are minimal likes, shares, or re-tweets. Sometimes on these social media platforms your employees could complain about work in general or their specific company on social media channels. A worst-case scenario could involve a scandal resulting in extremely negative publicity. In summary, lack of employee support or improper online behavior by employees can certainly be detrimental to overall digital marketing efforts.
You can't do it all on your own. If you can leverage employee support behind your digital marketing campaigns like HubSpot, Tech Target, and countless other companies you'll achieve far greater results.
10. Not Focusing On Profit Margins
Why should businesses use online marketing? MONEY! That's the bottom line. Cut expenses, increase revenue. Improve how others view your company and it will improve your BOTTOM LINE! Everything that is published or managed online by a business should be achieving that goal directly or indirectly. But you would be surprised at the number of business websites and social media platforms that aren't generating revenue. Or they are only generating a fraction of the income they could be eliciting.
Sure, the website may cover the basics such as general product or service information. But do they allow the purchase of products or services directly from the site? Are gift cards and merchandise available for the visitor to buy to generate income and grow the brand? Are advertising networks enabled to monetize traffic? Is an email newsletter in place to convert prospects or remind current customers to continue buying and sharing their experience? Are you requesting visitor information so that their data can be passed along to the sales team for potential conversion? These are the questions that businesses need to be asking to make sure they aren't missing out on opportunities to leverage their online presence financially.
11. Lack Of Website Updates
This is one of the simplest things but you'd be surprised how many companies don't update their main websites. Many companies are not updating their main website design or basic website information including contact information, logos, blogs, or their latest promotions. Many companies also use an outdated website that was designed years ago and it shows (especially when compared with a competitor's state of the art website). The company website is often the first experience a potential customer will have with your business. Make it a positive, dynamic, mobile-first, and user-friendly experience. A business website needs to be constantly evolving and improving to reflect company changes and current market trends. And don't forget that it is almost mandatory these days to have a mobile-friendly website to avoid Google PageRank penalties and negative user experience.
And for the record, I understand that this website isn't exactly state-of-the-art. It's supposed to be frugal to go with the theme, it has been dependable over a period of nearly 10 years, and has made me thousands of dollars for every 1 dollar I've invested into it. It may not seem like a 6-figure website but it is, and it has cost me only 3 figures!
Conclusion
Hopefully going over these potential mistakes has reminded you to improve your digital marketing strategies and given you a new perspective on some strategies you already employ. Digital marketing is all about keeping up with the times, sticking with strategies that have proven to be effective and dropping the other ones. It’s also about subtlety, drawing your audience in and building trust from the moment they stumble upon your product, and the difference between the good marketing and the bad is often only in the subtlety itself. We wish you the best of luck in all your further digital marketing endeavors, and as long as you keep these tips in mind we’re certain that they’re going to be successful.
Written by: BOOTSTRAP BUSINESS - www.myfrugalbusiness.com
Bootstrap Business by Michael J Schiemer
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