Tag: marketing strategy

Don’t Make These 3 Errors With Video

Nancy Boisvert Newsletter , , , , , , , ,
video marketing

The key to successful marketing lies in it’s creativity.   But let’s be frank – most marketing falls far short of this.

But now, thanks to video, the face of marketing is changing. In fact, in many ways it has become reinvigorated.

It’s unfortunate then, that many marketers who have been innovative enough to venture into the opportunities that video presents have remained stuck in their old habits. They failed to stretch their storylines, utilize calls to action, under user overuse graphics, and maybe even using inappropriate humor.

So let’s explore the three errors that most marketers are making with video and look at some ideas about how to avoid them.

1. The videos are too “salesy”

People are becoming smarter and smarter. They are becoming more marketing savvy and are more likely to see through marketing schemes. Therefore when you are using video marketing, find the most appropriate way to get your point across while still keeping it relatable for your audience. Ensure that the delivery is done in a way that is entertaining, yet relevant to the pitch. Otherwise, you risk losing the purpose behind the video.

2. The title is wrong

I’ve written many articles about content, and we all know that content is king. But you need to get people involved in your content, and that’s where titles come in. Titles are what attracts your viewers to your video, so you want to make sure that you use a title that captivates and draws prospects in. Remember, however, that it is the first impression, so must be concise and applicable, well capturing attention.

3. The video is too long

Pay attention to the length of your videos. Thanks to technology, our attention spans are much shorter these days. But video seems to captivate audiences, making it a great tool for marketing. People love the visual, and like to be entertained, but be careful not to overestimate how long they will stay engaged with your content. What is the right length for a video? That’s hard to say, and depends on the audience, the product, and the intent. If it is a product or service explainer video, logic dictates that it might be fairly lengthy. But if it is to promote a service or product, the general rule of thumb is to keep it short. Check your analytics and see how much of your videos are actually watched. I bet you’ll be surprised. Most people start to fall away after about 30 seconds, depending of course on the type of video. Based on the statistics, you can decide where and how to place your call to action. Test your call to action and make adjustments when and if necessary. Also, remember that many social media platforms are now offering to present video live, allowing you to share directly with those people in your social network. While there are definite advantages to this, again, be cognizant of the length of your video; attention spans seem to be even shorter on social platforms.

Get the tools you’ll need.

Although the fundamentals of marketing have never changed, the delivery methods continue to evolve thanks to many newer and easier to use technologies, such as video marketing. It does not have to be difficult to implement video marketing into your business, but you will need some tools to help you harness the power of video. A Webcam, a green screen, proper lighting, and some basic editing software can help you get started with video creation and marketing.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore The Homepage

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homepage

Reports of the death of the homepage have been greatly exaggerated.

Once upon a time, the homepage was a valued part of the website. It served as the gateway to the company’s brand and was the driver of client engagement. In fact, it was so important that some companies had designated employees to manage their homepage.

Then everything changed. Along came our new best friends, “search” and “social”.

For several years now the way information is found over the Internet has evolved dramatically. Google, the dominant search engine, has continued to create more and more intuitive ways for information to be searched online.

Let’s add in the rise in social. Hundreds of social sharing platforms now exist, with the major players maintaining a stronghold on users and engagement. Indeed, in some instances, these social platforms have created entirely new ways for brands to engage with clients and prospects without them ever having to visit company’s homepage.

Thanks to leaked data from the New York Times in 2014 that showed a plunge in its homepage visitors, it soon became a commonly accepted belief that the homepage had lost its value.
Based on recent data, it has been found that as little as 5% of website visitors actually enter through the homepage, with the other 95% landing on specific pages that are mentioned via search or social media postings. This has led to marketers focusing their efforts in these areas, and rightfully so. However, ignoring the importance of the homepage can be a detriment, as it still serves an extremely valuable segment of your client and prospect pool.

Check out the following three reasons why you should not ignore the homepage:

1. Visitors to your homepage spend more time on your site.

Visitors who enter your website through the homepage signify loyalty to your brand. Based on some recent research, although only 5% of visitors come through the homepage, they actually account for 50% of all page views. This same data shows that visitors entering from search and social only view an average of three and 1.8 pages respectively per session, while visitors who enter from the homepage are more likely to view 10 to 30 pages per session. Research has shown that the longer people engage with the brand’s content, the higher the conversion rates, the larger the purchases, and the better the loyalty.

It’s true that “everything old is new again”. Companies are now starting to recognize that their homepage offers the opportunity to improve engagement with occasional visitors and convert them to loyal users. A corporate homepage is easy to personalize to provide visitors with content that will encourage them to engage, based on their interests.

2. Homepage visitors are interested in a wider range of information and offerings.

It makes sense that those visitors to your website who entered through social media or search results are there for one thing: to check out that article or product that was shared via social media postings. The visitor drops in to check out the article and then immediately leave your site.

When a visitor enters through the homepage, it is generally because they are looking for a number of articles pertaining to a specific issue. They usually have a broader scope of interests, making it easier for companies to showcase their content. Viral content, such as that shared on social media platforms, is most likely clicked on because of a compelling headline, whereas articles found on a homepage are more likely to be clicked on because of the topic.

Many publishers are beginning to recognize and knowledge that the homepage has been ignored and is largely an untapped resource. By curating content on a homepage, your business can provide visitors with the most recent and relevant articles, making it easy for them to find those topics that interest them. While search and social can deliver a visitor to your website, a compelling homepage can encourage an ongoing relationship.

3. Check your website statistics. Homepage traffic indicates your marketing successes.

There are three things to focus on when it comes to your website: developing an audience, acquiring new users, and existing client engagement.

Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges today is getting the one-time visitor to return to the website for more information after they checked out that article that they found on social media. Measuring the number of visitors who end up on the homepage after finding the site via search or social is a good indicator of how well those campaigns are performing.

Investing in a well-designed, thoughtful homepage is simply good business. Although it may not pull the traffic numbers, there are other ways to measure its value. And experience has shown that a great homepage experience can deliver an extraordinary result that search and social simply can’t produce.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Content Marketing Made Easy

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Content marketing

Providing informative, useful content should be the driving force of your marketing.

We all know that the face of marketing has changed significantly over the past several years. Sure, at its core the fundamentals and the principles of marketing remain the same. But how clients and prospects engage has shifted, thanks to the advancement of technology, and content marketing is the best way to reach them online.

Clients and prospects now, more than ever, have control over what they see. TV remotes and DVR’s have allowed us to skip advertisements and channel surf to find those shows that we find most engaging. Traditional cable is also suffering, as more and more people see the advantage of streaming the shows and content that they want to see, without being locked into packages and programming that is dictated to them by the cable companies.

Savvy marketers who have kept up with the times understand that they need to adapt to this ever-changing landscape to keep their clients relevant within their niches. And one of the best ways to do this is with content marketing.

Simply defined, content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.  The purpose of content marketing is to attract and retain customers through the consistent creation of relevant and valuable content intended to sway or enhance prospects behavior towards your business.

Content marketing is not something that you do once and walk away. Just like the more traditional forms of advertising, repetition is important. By providing consistent, interesting and valuable information to your clients and prospects, you develop an engaged audience that learns to trust your authority.

But remember, content marketing is not about selling; it is the art of communicating with your clients and prospects. Rather than pitching your products or services, the focus is on providing information that helps make your prospective client more intelligent. This strategy is based on the belief that through the delivery of consistent, ongoing content that provides value to your prospect, you will be rewarded with their business and loyalty.

repeat-customer-marketing

And history has shown that this strategy works! Content marketing is being used successfully by some of the largest global organizations. But the beauty of content marketing is that you don’t have to be a big player to implement this strategy successfully. Properly developed and executed by small businesses, content marketing has proven itself to work over and over again.

Content marketing represents the current and the future state of marketing.

Remember our earlier definition of content marketing?

The key difference between content marketing and other types of marketing is that content marketing is not focused on selling your “stuff”.

Keep in mind that companies are sending us information all the time. But is it relevant? Most of the time it’s not, so clients and prospects become conditioned to delete so much of this. What makes content marketing so in trading in today’s marketing space is that one key point of differentiation – relevancy. Good content marketing engages the audience, changing the way they think and behave in reaction to the materials they are being sent.

You just can’t market without great content.

I’m sure you are using many different types of marketing tactics. But regardless of what you are doing, be sure that content marketing is a part of these processes not something distinct and separate.

Indeed, quality content is a part of all types of marketing. Consider the following:

• Social media marketing: integrate content marketing into the posts on your social media profiles
• SEO: Search engines love businesses that publish quality, consistent content.
• PR: Successful PR strategies address issues that people care about. PR is not about selling.
• PPC: PPC is an expensive experiment that is unlikely to give you a proper ROI without great content behind it.
• Inbound marketing: to drive inbound traffic and leads, you need good content.

To be effective at content marketing, it is essential to develop, create and follow a documented content marketing strategy. We can help you with the development of this strategy.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Paralysis By Analysis

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analysis

Paralysis by analysis – guilty as charged?

Today, we continue our new Entrepreneur Series by discussing the issue of paralysis by analysis.

I’m sure we have all been guilty of this at one time or another. We have an idea, create a plan and get all the back end prepared, and then? We do nothing with it, or shift views, or something…

What makes us do this, and how can we avoid it? Join Frank Thomas and me as we explore this aspect of human nature and talk about ways to avoid falling into this trap.

Watch our video here or on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

7 Reasons You Should Be Using Video To Market Your Business

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video marketing

There are many reasons why you should be using video to help market your business.

But for the purposes of this article, let’s focus on the top seven:

1. It works!

Those of you who have been following my articles and post page for the past year have seen me struggle with video. Like most of us, I’m not the biggest fan of the camera and was concerned about getting my face out there in front of everyone. But the reality is, video works! So it’s important to “get over yourself” and start integrating video into your marketing plan.

2.  It’s powerful.

Video is clearly one of the most powerful ways we have to deliver our messages to our clients and prospects, and to ignore it is to miss out on a huge opportunity to market your business and get in front of more prospects.

3. It’s social.

Video has also become much easier to integrate into the major social media marketing platforms. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram… All these platforms allow you to incorporate video to share with your friends and followers. And you’ll find that many people are willing to share video content with their network.

4. SEO value.

Video is extremely effective for SEO. Indeed, video ranks higher than any other online communication method. And although SEO, and its attendant algorithms, continues to morph, it is still an important factor in being found online. We all know that YouTube is owned by Google, and we all know that Google is still the world’s number one search engine. But did you know that YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. With over 1 billion users and many billions of views every day, YouTube actually reaches more people between the ages of 18 and 49 than any cable network in the United States.

5.  It’s a preferred medium.

Video has quickly become a preferred marketing tool because it delivers information in a way that is easy for our brains to process. It has the benefit of demonstrating, not simply outlining, how to do, use, or implement a product or service.

6.  It’s personal.

Another benefit of video is that it humanizes online experiences for people. Through the production and delivery of video to your clients and prospects, you are no longer the faceless entity behind a website. This experience helps people engage more personally, increasing loyalty and cementing your brand in the minds of your viewers.

7.  It’s entertaining.

And let’s not forget about the entertainment value of video. Even if you are providing a demonstration video, your message will be accepted much better by your audience than the written word. Through the active stimulating the visual and auditory senses of your viewers, you are able to engage them in a much more significant fashion. Additionally, providing an entertaining, educational, or informational video can reach huge audiences on a global basis, increasing your reach and your authority in ways that were previously prohibitive.

Until recently, most people obtained their visual and auditory stimulus through the television. Big brands bought commercial timeslots, which are expensive to produce and expensive to deliver to the viewer. But now, and in ever increasing numbers, people are choosing to stream their visual content, and are able to pick and choose what they want to watch, when they want to watch it. So why not start to create your own visual content and get in front of your preferred audience.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

What Is Influencer Marketing?

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influencer marketing

Are you taking advantage of influencer marketing?

Heck… do you even know what’s meant by that phrase?

We are bombarded every day with ads, and they hit us from everywhere; billboards, print media, buses, elevators, email, and the internet.

Yep, that’s a lot of money being spent every day to capture the attention of prospects. And more and more people aren’t trusting these ads.

So, how does a small or mid-sized business reach that sweet spot; the perfect balance of delivering your message while obtaining the most important, yet often elusive element of trust? Influencer marketing has the advantage of offering potentially huge benefits to the small business owner, at little to no cost.

What is influencer marketing?

The President of Word of Mouth Marketing Association, Suzanne Fanning, defines influencer marketing as the practice of contacting a small group of individuals to reach out to the rest of your prospects. The concept is that if you effectively reach ten percent of your prospective clients who know, like and trust you, they will spread the word to the other 90 percent on your behalf.

True, this is not a new concept, but has been largely overlooked by many business owners.

Influencer Marketing, simply put, is word-of-mouth. And we all know that a referral is the best kind of business you can obtain. To have someone who already trusts you, recommend you to their circle of influence, will provide you with more real business, not just ‘tire-kickers’.

Be smart about your marketing. Never assume that spending large amounts of money will reap huge rewards. Imagination, creativity, and demonstrating trustworthiness beats out a large advertising budget every time.

So don’t overspend on advertising. Yes, advertising is important, and yes, you will have to spend some money. But without a strategy, a budget and a workable plan, you will spend more than is necessary. And by introducing influencer marketing into the equation, you are inviting engagement.

Every single person you reach is a potential influencer. Therefore, make sure that you are participating in meaningful exchanges with everyone, and never overlook anyone. And don’t get hung up on how many followers or likes you have on social media platforms. The more important thing is the conversations and the engagement you are having with these folks.

Find out what people like about your products or services. How do they use them? A happy, satisfied customer is the best influencer available.

Consider a giveaway, such as a coupon or a sample, to encourage organic growth of your brand. Use humor when appropriate, and make sure your information is sharable. Deliver an authentic experience to every person who comes in your door or visits your website. By offering something of use to your target audience, you help build authority and trust, making it easier for them to do business with you or refer you to someone they know.  Gain valued advocates of your services or products.

As you can see, influencer marketing can be the most effective, yet least expensive, form of marketing. And it has proven itself to be the best way to grow a small business. In fact, according to a Nielsen report, 92 percent of men and women trust the advice given by friends and family over all other types of advertising. All you need to do is deliver products and services that result in happy customers, and ask them to reach out to their friends and family.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Why You Need To Network!

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importance of networking

If you aren’t networking, you are losing ground!

The concept of networking can be intimidating to some people.  Indeed, many of us believe that networking can be difficult and time consuming.  It can be thought of as an unpleasant chore.

But think of it as a means to reach out and communicate with people you like.  Building your network in a genuine way not only provides the opportunity to interact with folks you share interests with, but also allows you to expand your reach and your circle of influence exponentially.

Frank Thomas and I discussed this issue on an episode of the Small Business Tips Show in late December last year.  You may have seen the webcast, but today we are offering the audio so you can ‘take it and go.’

Listen to our discussion about networking here, or connect to the podcast.

 

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

6th Key to Successful Social Media Marketing

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influencer

Well, we’ve completed the first half of our series,

and are moving forward today with the 6th key element to help you achieve social media success for your business.

This key component for any social media marketing strategy is that of influence.  People, businesses, and brands of influence can help you gain trust and influence yourself.  By seeking out those influencers in your niche, your business can benefit.  Providing interesting and valuable content to those folks who already have influence is one of the best strategies you can implement.

Join us now and find our more about the huge benefit of influence in growing your brand through your social media marketing strategy.

Watch our video here, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

5th Key to Successful Social Media Marketing

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compounding

Today, we are presenting the 5th key to creating a successful social media strategy for your business.

Compounding.

We’re all familiar with hearing about the value of compounding, especially as it pertains to investments. But have you thought about the other applications of compounding? The same principle applies in other areas, including social media, as we discuss today.

Join us to learn more about the value of compounding to help you achieve success with your social media marketing strategy.

Watch our video here, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

What The Heck Is Elegant Simplicity, Again?

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elegant simplicity

Elegant Simplicity – the podcast!

Today I want to share a podcast that is excerpted from a web broadcast recorded in November with Frank Thomas of the Small Business Tips Show.  I have previously shared the broadcast with you here, however, I know that many of you like the flexibility of listening to, or downloading, a podcast so you can listen in at your convenience.

Frank and I often get the inspirations for our shows through our conversations. It was during one of these discussions that Frank mentioned about how people tend to complicate things. I think you’ll agree that, way too often, we think that we have to add layers upon layers to our ideas, thoughts, products and services. But in so doing, we end up making things too complex and lose the interest of our intended audience.

In this podcast, we discuss the benefit of making it simple for your clients to interact with your business. Frank calls it ‘elegant simplicity’.

Join us and listen as we discuss how to accomplish this that for your business!

Listen here, or listen to the podcast:

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

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