Articles Archives - Stevens & Tate Marketing

Content Marketing Misconceptions

November 28, 2024/in Articles, Content Marketing, Directors /by Nicole Wagner

Content Marketing is one of the most talked about and trusted online marketing tactics.

It can help your business generate online traffic, expand your presence on social media, establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, and most importantly, bring in new sales and leads.

But despite its current popularity and buzzworthiness, there are still a number of misconceptions about what content marketing is, how it works and what it can do for you. We’re going to clear up some of these misconceptions and help you get a better understanding of how content marketing can help your brand.
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How Businesses Can Use a Blog To Strengthen Their Online Marketing Efforts

November 26, 2024/in Articles, Blog, Directors /by Nicole Wagner

The history of blogging is an interesting one. For a while, the purpose of a blog was entirely personal. People would use blogs as a sort of online diary that was public to friends and family. However, as online marketing evolved over the years, it became apparent that the blog held immense value as a content marketing tool. Blogging presented the perfect way for businesses to regularly publish new content to attract and build a large audience.

With that in mind, if you’re planning a content marketing strategy, then you should strongly consider setting up a website blog and do blogging.

How Blogging is Beneficial for Business

The following are a few benefits of blogging for business to improve your online marketing efforts:

1. Generate Organic Traffic From Google

One of the main advantages of blogging is that it can help you generate organic traffic from Google. When you publish new content on your blog, Google will index it and include it in its search results. As a result, people searching for information related to your business will be more likely to find your website.

Of course, how your blog content ranks will depend on how effectively you optimize it for SEO (search engine optimization). You’ll need to:

Use competitive, relevant keywords throughout each blog post
Use internal and external links to improve user engagement
Promote your blog via social media and email marketing.

Also Read: 5 Ways To Optimize Your Social Media

If you have a social media presence for your business, consider promoting new blog content on every channel you’re using. Doing so will encourage more of your followers to click through and read your latest blog post. It can also help your blog posts rank better due to the increased traffic they’ll receive from social media exposure.

It’s also worth mentioning that posting your blog posts on social media improves the post’s chances of being shared by others. Whoever shares your posts on social media will expose them to an entirely new audience, which can help drive new visitors to your site.

3. Establish Brand Authority

One of the primary goals of any content marketing strategy is to establish your brand as an authority in its industry. One of the best ways to do that is by regularly publishing high-quality blog content.

When you publish new, high-quality blog posts regularly, it showcases your expertise on the topic at hand. It also helps to build trust and credibility with your audience. As a result, your blog can help to not only bolster your brand reputation, but to drive conversions.

Additionally, the better your reputation is, the more likely other websites will begin linking to your blog. The resulting backlinks can expose your brand to bigger audiences and cement your position as a thought leader within your industry.

4. Educate Your Audience

By publishing how-to guides and other informative pieces on your blog, you can help educate potential leads in the beginning stages of their buyer’s journey. Not only will doing so help build your brand authority, but it will also help nurture your visitors through the buyer’s journey. As a result, you’ll be in a better position to capture leads and convert them into customers.

One of the benefits of having a blog is that it can have a long-term impact on attracting and educating new leads. For instance, someone searching for information about a problem they’re having may stumble on a blog post you published a few years ago that remains relevant. If your post was educational, they might stick around, exploring your blog or your website further.

5. Generate Leads

Besides attracting new visitors to your website, your blog can go a long way towards helping you generate leads. Your blog can nurture potential leads and build trust, two critical steps towards capturing a lead. However, the blog posts themselves can act as a vessel for conversion. By ending each post with a call-to-action and an offer, you can entice visitors to sign up to your email list.

Set Up A Blog to Improve Your Online Marketing Today

If you’re not already taking advantage of all that a blog can do for your online marketing efforts, it’s time to start. Creating high-quality blog content is one of the best ways to improve your website’s SEO, drive social media traffic, establish brand authority, educate your audience, and generate leads. All of which can help improve your online marketing success over the long term.

Stevens & Tate Marketing Receives W3 and Davey Awards for JULIE, Inc.’s 50th Anniversary Video

November 22, 2024/in Articles, Directors, Press Releases, Video Marketing /by Mark Beebe

(LOMBARD, IL) – Stevens & Tate Marketing has been honored with a W3 Award in the category of Branded Entertainment–Not-for-Profit and a Silver Davey Award in the category of Film/Video-Corporate Image for “Protecting The People In The Land Of Lincoln,” the 50th anniversary video created for its client JULIE, Inc. These prestigious awards recognize excellence in creative work from firms worldwide.

To commemorate 50 years of promoting digging safety, the video features stunning drone footage showcasing the diverse landscapes JULIE helps protect—farms, rural communities, suburbs, and cities—capturing the essence of where Illinois residents live, work and play. The core message highlights JULIE’s legacy and the importance of safe digging practices in preventing service disruptions to critical infrastructure like electricity, natural gas, water, communications, Internet, and fiber optics.

“We’re incredibly honored to be recognized by both the W3 and Davey Awards,” said Dan Gartlan, partner at Stevens & Tate. “As a creative agency rooted here in Illinois, it means a lot to us to celebrate JULIE’s history and their powerful role in public safety across the state.”

Through breathtaking visuals and heartfelt storytelling, the video reflects JULIE’s journey toward becoming a trusted leader in utility line damage prevention and celebrates the association’s five decades of commitment to safe digging. The result is a powerful and engaging piece that resonates with viewers on every level.

The long-form video has become a central part of JULIE’s internal marketing and communication efforts. Additionally, Stevens & Tate adapted the nearly three-minute video into two 30-second versions for outreach advertising. These shorter edits are broadcast on various platforms including cable TV, over-the-top streaming services, digital display ads, and social media, allowing JULIE’s safety message to connect with a broad audience. It’s also prominently displayed on JULIEBeforeYouDig.com and has become an essential feature in anniversary events, presentations and meetings with contractors and key partners.

About the W3 Awards

Founded in 2005, the W3 Awards recognize outstanding achievement in web design, video, marketing, mobile sites and applications, social, podcasts, and emerging tech, welcoming entries from agencies, companies and individuals worldwide. The awards celebrate the often-overlooked innovators of digital creativity who push boundaries and bring imaginative ideas to life. From emerging independent creators to well-established global agencies, the W3 Awards highlight projects that are shaping the future of the digital world.

About the Davey Awards

The Davey Awards recognize creative excellence across various media, with a particular focus on small agencies and firms. Although geared toward smaller companies, the awards are judged by industry leaders with impressive credentials. Sanctioned by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), an exclusive body of distinguished professionals from top media, advertising and marketing organizations, the Davey Awards benefit from the expertise of executives from companies like Condé Nast, Disney, GE, Microsoft, Monster.com, MTV, Publicis, Sesame Workshop, The Marketing Store, Yahoo!, and more.

About Stevens & Tate Marketing

Stevens & Tate Marketing is a full-service advertising agency offering on-strategy creative, integrated message development, and cost-effective media planning and execution. The team creates targeted solutions for clients within the not-for-profit, food/grocery, retail, homebuilding/real estate, travel/tourism, business-to-business, healthcare, and senior living industries.

To learn more about Stevens & Tate’s award-winning capabilities, view the agency’s online portfolio at www.Stevens-Tate.com/work. For information on how Stevens & Tate can help Make Things Happen™ for your business, contact the business development team at (630) 627-5200.

Marketing on TikTok: Strategies to Engage the TikTok Generation

November 21, 2024/in Articles, Brand Development, Directors, Marketing Strategy, Trending /by Dan Gartlan

In the world of marketing today, a new generation has emerged—the Gen Z, or “TikTok Generation.” With the youngest entering their teens and the oldest approaching 30, this digitally native, socially conscious group has become a powerful consumer force. Marketing on TikTok offers an exciting way to reach them, but this generation is notoriously hard to engage. However, with the right strategy, you can cut through the noise and create genuine connections that make your brand stand out to these young consumers.

1. Understanding the TikTok Generation

The TikTok generation grew up fully immersed in technology and is considered the first true digital-native audience. For them, social media is more than a content-sharing tool—it’s a lifestyle and a central hub for news, entertainment, learning, and connection. Thus, to reach them effectively, brands need to be present, engaged, and focused on building real connections on these social platforms. Remember, authenticity is key: the TikTok generation wants content that feels genuine and speaks directly to their lives.

With this in mind, let’s explore some strategies that can help brands engage meaningfully with this audience on TikTok and beyond.

2. Leverage Influencer Marketing

Influencers hold a significant place in the hearts of the TikTok generation. From celebrities like Hailey Bieber sparking trends with a single post to micro-influencers with dedicated, niche followings, influencers offer a direct path to Gen Z’s attention. And if a big-name influencer doesn’t fit your budget, micro-influencers are a fantastic alternative; their audiences are often loyal and highly engaged, ready to act on trusted recommendations. The key is finding influencers who align with your brand’s image and giving them creative freedom. While providing basic guidelines can ensure brand alignment, avoid trying to overly control their process. Letting influencers create content in their authentic style builds trust and gives your brand a more relatable, human touch.

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3. Prioritize User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content is the heartbeat of TikTok. For the TikTok generation, peer recommendations and real-life stories carry more weight than traditional ads. Encouraging your audience to create UGC through hashtag challenges, Duets, and other interactive features invites them into your brand’s story. For example, campaigns like Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” and Starbucks’ “White Cup Contest” show how UGC can generate massive engagement, especially on platforms where algorithms often prioritize this type of content. By creating challenges that are fun and easy to participate in, you’re not only inviting your customers to be part of the brand, but also empowering them to share their experiences, expanding your brand’s reach organically!

Coca-Cola – “Share a Coke”

Starbucks – “White Cup Contest”

TikTok is built on the power of bite-sized stories. Think about the last time you picked up your phone—maybe even to read this. How many times did a notification, ad, or the urge of checking another app divert your focus? Given today’s shortened attention spans, particularly among digital natives, it’s vital to catch your audience’s attention immediately—those first three seconds are crucial. Craft videos that quickly convey emotion, humor, or a unique perspective, and stay in tune with trending sounds, memes, and styles. Here’s a bonus tip: repurposing successful TikTok content on Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts can extend your reach without the need for additional production time, letting you engage multiple audiences efficiently.

Behind TikTok’s playful exterior lies a powerful repository of analytics that can be leveraged for precision marketing. Tracking engagement rates, shares, and watch time can reveal which content is resonating and help refine your approach. Testing different ad formats—like In-Feed ads, Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects—lets you pinpoint what Gen Z finds most engaging. Marketing on Tiktok is all about creativity, making the platform an ideal testing ground for new ideas while also providing clear, measurable insights to guide future campaigns.

Also Read How Creativity and Data Driven Marketing Help Develop Marketing Campaigns

6. Building Community through Engagement

For the TikTok generation, social media is a space for self-expression and community, not just for following brands. Direct interactions—whether responding to comments, engaging in live videos, or creating Duets—show that there’s a human side to your brand. By fostering community and collaboration, you’re not just marketing a product; you’re building genuine connections. You can also collaborate with other brands that share similar audiences, joining forces for campaigns that amplify your message and broaden your reach. In today’s digital landscape, a loyal, invested community will be your brand’s strongest advocates.

Also Read Brand Marketing Strategy: Community and Advocacy

7. Connected TV and Streaming Ads for the TikTok Generation

Let’s step away from social platforms for a moment and explore another often-overlooked channel: Connected TV (CTV). CTV refers to any TV that connects to the internet, allowing users to stream content from platforms like Hulu, Peacock, and Roku. As users continue to migrate from traditional TV to streaming, CTV ads and ads on streaming platforms offer new ways to reach Gen Z. With CTV, brands can blend storytelling with precision targeting, capturing attention on a larger screen and at a time when users are more receptive to content. By pairing TikTok’s creativity with CTV’s focused reach, you can build cross-platform strategies that resonate with the TikTok generation wherever they are.

Marketing on TikTok is about more than just catchy videos. It’s a strategy rooted in authenticity, creativity, and a community-focused approach where your brand’s personality can truly shine. Gone are the days when brands could rely on being at the center of the customer journey; today, the people are. Embracing these shifts and connecting with Gen Z on their terms is essential to staying relevant and influential in today’s market. So, what’s stopping you from taking the leap?

Tips to Consider When Developing Strong Email Subject Lines

November 20, 2024/in Articles, Direct Marketing, Directors /by Debbie Szwast

Email is one of the most effective marketing platforms in the world today. Marketing is based on judging books by their covers, thus attractive email subject lines are crucial. The choice of words used in the subject line has a huge influence on the readers and determines whether the hard work devoted to writing the email is fruitful.

Investing additional time into writing good email subject lines increase your open email rates. Investing additional time into writing a good subject line increases your open email rates. This grants you additional exposure increased contact with the target market. Here are some suggestions when it comes to writing strong email subject lines.

How To Create Strong Email Subject Lines?

Use aspects of personalization

For this, use tags in the catchy email subject lines indicating the addressee’s name and locality. For most marketing professionals, this has been observed to increase open rates. Combining this tactic with some targeted automation announcement will improve the effectiveness of the strategy.

Be target specific in creating recipient lists

Though sending blast messages to every contact in your list may seem comprehensive, it may be offputting to some recipients. Due to receiving irrelevant messages, some of your recipients may feel confused and, at times, frustrated. To solve this problem, segment the list based on past experiences and observations of consumer behavior. Forms are good sources for such information because they are filled with descriptions of personal preferences.

Also Read: Email Opening Lines That Actually Work

Keep it short and sweet

Around 40% of emails sent are opened in a mobile device. Assuming your readers might open emails in their mobile device, your best email subject lines should be under 50 characters so it doesn’t get cut off. To minimize the character count, only use the most crucial words in your subject line and take away the unnecessary ones.

Also Read: How to Improve Your Email Open Rate and Click-Through Rate

Avoid overuse of caps and exclamation marks

Excessive use of exclamation marks and caps lock will make your recipient feel like they’re being yelled at. Not only is the tactic disruptive, but 70% of recipients are likely to mark such emails as spam. Avoid this mistake and use action-based language to catch your readers’ attention instead.

Do not divulge the contents

A strong email subject line hides the contents of the email from the reader and instead makes them curious. Additionally, you should avoid making the subject line overpromising, which means whatever is indicated in the subject line should be consistent with the contents of the email.

Ask reflective questions

Ask relevant questions in email subject lines to attract the reader’s attention. Formulate a question that appeals directly to the recipient, and then provide internal links that provide an answer to the question. This is an efficient strategy that will translate to more email reads.

A/B testing

Though subject lines can be formed based on many ideas, the focus should be the target market. A/B testing involves carefully researching your target audience and experimenting with different subject lines. A successful campaign tests different subject lines on customers and adopts the ones with more reads. It is necessary to research continuously so as to remain relevant and effective.

How To Use Social Media To Drive B2B Sales

November 15, 2024/in Articles, Attraction Marketing, B2B Marketing, Directors, Social Media /by Nicole Wagner

In spite of the enormous success of social media marketing, many B2B companies still haven’t successfully jumped on the social train. This because many B2B companies are unsure how to utilize their social media platforms to the best of their advantage. Sharing will help alot, when it comes to attraction marketing.

Social media channels enable you to reach a wide net of potential customers and connect with individuals on a more personal level. More people are using these platforms to research potential purchasing decisions. Therefore, your posts should be educating potential buyers about what you have to offer and showcasing why you’re an authoritative source. Despite what you may have heard, you don’t have to post memes or funny videos to stand out.

If you’ve put your social media strategies on the back burner, you’re missing out on a great opportunity. Here are some ways to improve B2B sales via social media:

How to reach your target audience:

The first step in developing your social media strategy should be to develop a roadmap of whom you want to send your social media messages to. This outline will help you reach the right people at the right time and ensure your messages won’t be lost in all of the noise. Your outline should include the messages you wish to send to your target audience. You’ll want to ask yourself the following:

Who is your audience?
What social media platforms do they use?
What is the end goal of your social media posts?

Once you’ve developed your plan, it’s time to set your posts into action.

Read More: B2B Branding Tips For The New Buyer

How to target businesses on social media:

When most people think B2B sales and social media, they think of Linkedin. While LinkedIn is known as the top social platform for businesses, this doesn’t mean other platforms should be ignored. Social media isn’t solely about generating B2B sales leads; it’s also about strengthening your brand awareness.

With social media, you’re able to humanize your brand by personally engaging with your audience. Since most people are turning to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter, to look for solutions to their problems, your company should be visible on these platforms and ready to assist them.

How to cater your message to businesses:

Social media is a great place to showcase your brand’s level of expertise and gain trusted adviser status. Since most buyers are 60% into the buying decision before they even reach out to a sales representative, your posts should reach them early on in their journey. You can do this by posting helpful and educational content that will nudge potential customers along the sales cycle without seeming “pushy”. Case studies, blogs, product demos, and videos are great ways to initially convey your messages to your audience.

Read More: Customer Engagement Strategy

How to turn interest into a lead:

Like all marketing, social media marketing’s end goal is to generate qualified leads. All of your posts should have a content offer or call-to-action in order to urge your visitors to take steps toward purchasing. Make sure all of your social media platforms redirect to your website, and vice versa. Easy navigation is key to successful online marketing.

Your company’s social media marketing will be successful if you create personal relationships with your customers and provide them with valuable and educational content. Social media gives you the opportunity to reach a larger audience than ever before. Take this opportunity and run with it!

8 Important Questions To Ask When Hiring Inbound Marketing Agencies

November 13, 2024/in Articles, Directors, Inbound Marketing /by Nicole Wagner

Inbound marketing is a force to be reckoned with. For businesses, that lack the time or adequate resources to take care of their own inbound marketing, these agencies offer a solution. Inbound marketing agencies work on search engine optimization, social media campaigns, and all-around content marketing. They do all the heavy lifting so that your business can focus on important details.

There are many agencies on the market that can offer you with professional inbound marketing solutions. Selecting the best agency to provide these services can be quite confusing. Below are some of the questions you can use. These questions can help you identify if an inbound agency is right for your business. You can use these questions to determine if an inbound agency aligns with your business direction.

Questions To Ask When Hiring Inbound Marketing Agency

1. Areas of expertise and experience?

Your prospective inbound marketing agency should be able to work with different types of businesses. Take time to understand the scope of their services. Most agencies should be able to handle B2B or B2C solutions with ease.

2. What service packages are available?

When looking for an agency to fill your marketing solution shoes, you need to take wholesome packages into account. These packages usually cover the basics. If you want more specialized solutions, you need to be sure the agency can satisfy your order. The prospective inbound marketing agency should take care of lead generation systems and SEO optimization among other things in the package.

Read More – Benefits of Inbound Marketing

3. What are your performance benchmarks?

For you to understand and analyze the process that the agency will take, you have to understand how their scoring system works. How do they actually measure the performance of their marketing strategies? What scale do they use? Feel free to ask more case study questions or make recommendations so the agency can provide tailor-made solutions.

4. What strategies seem fit for my business and do you have the required resources?

An agency’s influence is tied to its power in resources. Your inbound marketing agency must have the ability to come up with marketing strategies and follow through with them. It is retardant to deal with an agency that always needs your financial backing. Cost should be mentioned upfront.

Read Read: Why Inbound Marketing Solutions Are Integral To Your Success

5. How much time will it take?

Depending on the agency you want to work with, the completion time for projects will vary. Look for those who will work within the time frame you have provided.

6. What is your client retention status?

You can tell a lot from a business and the amount of clients they retain. High retention rates indicate high turnover. You want to work with a business that is trusted and supported with a number of people.

7. How do you integrate your team?

As a business looking for a marketing agency, you want to be sure that everyone involved understands your goal. Work with agencies that are open to taking direction and involving you in major/minor decisions.

8. How is ROI measured?

There are agencies that do not provide these services or only provide these services in limited function. It is better to work with agencies that do detailed ROI measurements. This way you can easily track how your investment is progressing.

With these questions, we are confident you will be able to select the right agency for your company. Look for an agency that gives you a creative edge and allows you to focus on your sales. We wish you all the best!

Five Inbound Marketing Resources Every Marketer Should Know About

November 7, 2024/in Articles, Directors, Inbound Marketing /by Nicole Wagner

If you’re tuned in to inbound, you’ve surely found some valuable resources on the internet. There are some failsafe, go-to websites out there that can help you hone your marketing skills. They can also help you develop better content, and drive traffic more effectively. Here are some of our favorite top 5 inbound marketing resources:

5 Inbound Marketing Resources

1. HubSpot

Arguably the world’s leader in inbound marketing software, HubSpot has more than changed the game of online marketing. As a matter of fact, they practically wrote, broke, and authored the rules of inbound as we know it.

From HubSpot’s comprehensive blog covering everything from marketing to sales and everything in between to the highly lauded HubSpot Academy, there’s something for every marketer. For instance, HubSpot has an interactive course dedicated to content marketing that can provide you with a big picture view of everything you need for a successful content marketing strategy. Subscribe to their updates, and you’ll have access to free webinars, marketing kits, and endless tools as they evolve.

One of HubSpot’s most valuable tools is it’s Website Grader. Enter your website and email, and the Grader will score your website in four categories: performance, mobile, SEO, and security. Use this as a starting point to improve your site’s visitor experience.

Also Read: Hubspot vs Mailchimp Differences

2. Content Marketing Institute

Great content is the cornerstone to any inbound marketing strategy, and the Content Marketing Institute is a must-visit for any inbound marketer looking to pump out quality work. The CMI has pooled together many industry experts to create a comprehensive white paper and ebook library. These are full of techniques for how to engage readers, keep them connected, and tell better stories.

Read More: 8 Important Questions To Ask When Hiring Inbound Marketing Agencies

3. Moz

Creating excellent content is a great start to establishing expertise in your field and against your competition; however, attracting folks to your page is a whole different idea all together. Moz is the go-to expert for all things SEO. Their endless SEO learning library offers invaluable insights and data. Elevate your SEO game with Moz’s comprehensive resources.

Also Read: The Secret to SEO and 5 Tips on Optimizing Your Results

4. Canva

Canva is a free website which allows you to design visually appealing cover photos, social media posts, and presentations. It is used throughout the industry by some of the biggest names in inbound. Canvas also holds a complete library of how-to’s for all things Canva and design related.

The resources available through Canva can help you generate infographics, Facebook cover photos, posters, and more without guessing what dimensions you should work with. Canva’s pre-sized canvases optimize your content for the end digital user without skewing graphics or pixelating fonts.

Once you’ve published your content, created some stylish Canva graphics, and SEO’d your blog posts, turn to Social Media Examiner for helpful tips on how to get your content in front of your social media followers.

As SEO trends and Google’s algorithms constantly change, social media has updated its algorithms. If you’re doing it alone, you’re taking shots in the dark, but thanks to Social Media Examiner, you can stay ahead of the constantly changing world of social media.

The Power of an Influencer Marketing Strategy: How and Why It Works

October 25, 2024/in Articles, Digital Media, Directors, Marketing Strategy, Social Media /by Terry Becker

We’ve all been through it—you’re scrolling through your social media feed when suddenly you come across an individual passionately endorsing a product or service. What’s more? They have a massive following. You notice this is different from the typical celebrity endorsements. That is because the individual you are seeing is a social media influencer, which makes the premise of an influencer marketing strategy so much more unique.

As a true millennial who’s seen its effects, I can attest to how important it is to be leveraging social media to enhance your marketing efforts. The following is an outline of everything you need to know about Influencer Marketing. This includes how much it costs to hire an influencer, the top social media platforms to run an influencer campaign, how to measure the success of this marketing strategy, and examples of how it’s been done successfully.

What is an Influencer?

An influencer is somebody who has the ability to “influence” potential buyers by endorsing the offerings on social media. There are several factors that indicate whether or not someone is an influencer. However, the most telling one could be that the individual’s followers fit into a particular niche, and there is active engagement between them and the actual influencer.

Rather than just being “marketing tools”, influencers are assets to a company’s social relationships with whom they can collaborate to accomplish their Marketing goals. This is what makes a social media influencer entirely different from a celebrity endorsement, and perhaps, more successful.

In celebrity product endorsements, there is less of an emphasis on engagement and more on capitalizing on the person’s fame and name recognition to benefit a brand. In short, the objective is to capture the attention of a broader audience, unlike the niche audience of the influencer.

The Cost of Influence

As you may assume, influencers can be costly and there is no set rate for incorporating them into your campaign. It’s a common practice for digital marketers to follow the “one cent per follower rule”. Some marketers know this as the $100 per 10,000 followers rule. Factors to consider include engagement rate, client budget, and campaign lengths. However, according to Instagram Influencer, Matt Crump (who has composed his own rates), creative mandates, production costs, timeline, and rights affect the cost of hiring him for your campaign. Crump explained that the price range per sponsored post varies based on the number of followers he has during that time period. The price can be as low as $100-$500 for 5-10k followers, and as high as $10,000 for over 1,000,000 followers.

It’s important for marketers to identify which platform will bring the greatest Return on Investment for their influencer marketing campaign. According to Linqia, over 68% of marketers recognize Instagram as the most effective social network for an influencer strategy in 2019. Coming in second was Facebook with 51% with YouTube, Blogs, Pinterest, Twitter, and Snapchat following behind. The takeaway is simple: If you’re considering an Influencer Marketing strategy, Instagram is the place to start!

Similar Article: 5 Ways To Optimize Your Social Media

How to Measure Success

Although over 60% of marketers are primarily focused on driving brand awareness, engagement, and impressions (Linqia), it’s still important to track sales generation from such campaigns as well as conversions, audience sentiment, and clicks. Since influencer marketing is an ever-evolving industry. Marketers need to consistently evaluate their measurement practices to ensure they’re held to the same standards as other media investments.

Similar Article: Effective Inbound Marketing Strategies

3 Examples of Successful Influencer Marketing

Now that you have an understanding of what an influencer is, how much they cost, the top social media platforms to use for your influencer marketing campaign, and how to measure its success, it’s time to take a look at influencer marketing strategies in action. The following are four examples of successful influencer marketing:

Naked Juice –

When seeking to raise their brand awareness, even more, Naked Juice decided to collaborate with Instagram influencers, Beth Norton and Kate La Vie, through sponsored Instagram posts. Kate La Vie features images of her outfits and beauty essentials. This made it easy for the brand to strategically collaborate with her snapshots. The campaign saw much success. According to Social Bond, within 24 hours the Instagram post generated more than 2,000 likes and comments combined. Additionally, this campaign enabled Naked Juice to position itself as more of a “premium juice” brand. Following the success of the campaign, the company made $57.4 million in revenue by the end of 2017.

Sperry Boat Shoes –At the end of 2016, the popular boat shoe brand, “Sperry” collaborated with more than 100 Instagram “micro-influencers”. The key influencers here were “Sperry Enthusiasts”. To create engaging content with its audience, Sperry identified fans on Instagram who were already sharing pictures of their shoes. Subsequently, the brand invited these users to develop content for its Instagram account. The strategy worked. According to Curalate, Sperry’s most engaged photo of 2016 got 8,278 likes. How did they do this? The photo was taken by influencer Slava Daniliuk who had 4,500 Instagram followers at the time. Additionally, Daniliuk posted with the brand’s trademark hashtag, #OdysseysAwait which increased engagement even more.

Walmart –

As proven by a successful retail company, influencer marketing can also be highly effective when promoting philanthropic incentives as well. Walmart took a “Cause Marketing” approach when embarking on its “Feeding America” mission with several influencers on Instagram. The strategy was simple: For each like, #FightHunger comment, or post share, 0.90 cents would be donated to the organization. Logan Paul’s most-liked post from the campaign generated over one million likes. Due to the success of these influencers in the #FightHunger campaign, Walmart raised close to $1.65 million in addition to boosting positive sentiment for their brand.

Similar Article: Social Media Campaigns for Attracting Prospects and Generating Leads

With the numerous advantages that influencer marketing provides, it’s no secret why so many brands are going with this strategy. As soon as you scroll through your social media feed once again, you’ll come across one of these campaigns. However, you’ll now have a better understanding of what an influencer marketer is and all of the marketing elements involved.

Why Inbound Marketing Solutions Are Integral To Your Success

October 22, 2024/in Articles, Directors, Inbound Marketing /by Dan Gartlan

Inbound marketing is a strategy that focuses on attracting customers using valuable content instead of traditional advertising methods (such as cold calling). Successful inbound marketing solutions help make your company easier to find online and nurture potential leads through the buyer’s journey. Inbound marketing is incredibly effective because it’s a long-term strategy that allows leads to be nurtured at their own pace.

The Difference Between Inbound Marketing And Outbound Marketing

Outbound marketing is a strategy that relies on interrupting potential customers with advertising messages. Outbound methods include cold calling, TV commercials, and direct mail. These tactics are often intrusive and can be easily ignored or blocked by consumers.

Inbound marketing is the exact opposite of outbound marketing. Rather than bombarding potential customers with ads, inbound marketing relies on providing valuable content that draws customers in. Inbound methods include creating blog posts, articles, ebooks, white papers, social media posts, and podcasts. These tactics are designed to help potential customers learn about your company and the solutions you provide.

When it comes down to it, outbound marketing casts a wide net, forcing your message on a large audience in the hopes of reaching potential leads. It’s a strategy that’s short-term in nature. Inbound marketing solutions focus on positioning your business to be found by your target audience on their time. Whereas outbound is considered an “interruption” strategy, inbound is a “permission” strategy that’s more long-term in nature.

The Four Stages of Inbound Marketing

A successful inbound marketing strategy should engage potential leads at every stage of the buyer’s journey. As such, you can separate inbound marketing into four distinct stages:

Stage One: Attract

The first stage is all about attracting potential leads to your brand. This stage requires various tactics to generate brand awareness and make it easy for potential leads to find your website. For this stage to be successful, you need to understand who your target audience is. It’s why many businesses will start by developing their buyer personas first.

Stage Two: Convert

Converting visitors to leads is the next step once you’ve attracted them. The idea behind this stage is to educate visitors and earn their trust using high-quality content. They will then be more willing to sign up to an email list via lead capture forms on your website or blog. Many businesses will use gated content, such as downloadable eBooks or free trials, as incentives for leads to provide their contact information.

Stage Three: Close

Once you capture your leads, you’ll need to nurture them through the sales funnel using personalized content. You can do this by sending them offers and nurturing them via an email marketing campaign.

Stage Four: Delight

The last stage focuses on delighting customers with exceptional customer service. You can do so by using follow-up emails, social media interactions, cross-selling opportunities, and more.

Also Read: What Are Marketing Qualified Leads And Why Do They Matter?

The Essential Inbound Marketing Strategies

There are a few primary inbound marketing solutions that every business should implement. However, it’s essential to understand that these strategies function best if you plan and execute them in conjunction with one another. Your best chance of success is when the following inbound marketing strategies work together.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is crucial to inbound marketing. Without content, you’ll have no way to attract potential leads or nurture them. You’ll want to create content that addresses every stage of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to advocacy.

High-quality content that addresses the needs of your target audience is likely to be shared more and to rank higher on Google’s search engine. As a result, it will make it easier to be found by prospects in the awareness stage. Additionally, by creating informative and educational content, you’ll engage your leads and build trust, which will make it easier to convert them.

You can implement many inbound marketing solutions in your content marketing strategy. For example, you can blog and create downloadable content offers to encourage email sign-ups and email marketing.

There are 4.62 billion people using social media as of this year. As such, social media marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and engage with your leads. By creating pages on the social channels (such as Facebook or Twitter) your audience uses, you set up another platform to help spread awareness of your brand. After all, you can post content that can be shared and drive users back to your website.

The ability to engage directly with prospects also functions as a PR strategy. As such, your social media presence can help increase your brand reputation, building trust with your audience as a result. The following are a few examples of social media inbound marketing solutions you can use:

Addressing negative comments: If a prospect has a negative experience with your product or service, addressing them on social media can help resolve the situation and improve customer loyalty.
Keeping followers engaged: Asking questions, providing valuable content, and running contests and giveaways are all great ways to keep followers engaged.
Posting website content: Simply posting new content published on your blog can help drive traffic from your social media pages to your website.
Building relationships with influencers: Social media influencers have huge followings on social media. By identifying influencers in your industry and building relationships with them, you could boost awareness of your brand (especially if they share your content with their audiences).
Live streaming: Many social channels allow live streaming, which can be a great way to connect with your audience in real-time. You can live stream all types of video content, including product launches, interviews with team members, and behind-the-scenes footage.

Also Read: The Top 10 Strategies for Mastering Inbound Marketing

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimizing your website and content so that it appears as the top result for relevant keywords in search engines. When people use Google, Bing, or other search engines to find information, products, or services, you want your website to be one of the first results they see.

SEO is an ongoing process that requires continual effort. You’ll need to research the right keywords, optimize your website using those keywords, and track your results. However, keyword usage isn’t the only SEO tactic in the book. Google takes great care to rank pages based on the quality of the content, which means that your content has to provide value.

Secondly, Google determines content quality using engagement metrics, which includes:

External backlinks you’ve earned from high-quality websites
Social engagement, such as shares and likes
Number of visits
Page load speeds
Mobile-friendliness

As such, ranking well on search engine results pages (SERP) requires a comprehensive and robust SEO strategy.

Also Read: The Importance of Earning High Quality Backlinks

Inbound Marketing is Critical to Your Success

Inbound marketing combines all the tactics previously discussed: SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing. It’s the process of attracting leads to your website through the use of relevant and helpful content. When properly implemented, inbound marketing solutions can be extremely effective in generating leads and converting customers over the long term.