email marketing metrics

Interactive Email Marketing Trends

/in , , /by

With increasing competition in the online marketing world, it is becoming essential for businesses to innovate creative ways to appeal to customers via email. Learn some of the newest interactive email marketing trends to take advantage of.

As opposed to traditional emails that would only contain plain text and occasional attachments, interactive emails are packed with exciting add-ons to appeal to their customers. Below are characteristics as well as advantages of using interactive email marketing trends for your business.

Interactive Email Marketing Trends

Let’s have a look at how we should create interactive email which is in trend:

Increased Compatibility with Google

Google announced compatibility with the media query for their email clients across all devices. This compatibility now allows email developers to include complex email designs without having to sacrifice certain components in order to ensure compatibility.

With the all-new support for media query, developers are now unlimited in their ability to incorporate complex media into emails. Google has also optimized email layouts for viewing between mobile devices and desktop computers.

Animated GIFs

An animated GIF is a combination of static images, containing multiple frames in succession, to create an animated image. It achieves video effect while occupying only slightly more space than a regular image.

These interesting animations can be designed to convey information such as sales discounts, the launch of a new product, important information about your business, among others.

animated gif.gif

Providing a framework for menu options within emails can allow your customers to quickly navigate through various products or service categories right within the email. This allows you to present your customers with several options to choose from before they can begin to load new web pages to get to your site.

If you are providing news, customers can quickly scroll through various news categories and see what interests them before they can read further. Travel companies can also offer various packages right within the email for their customers to sieve through.

Princess Cruises Slider-1.png

Integrated Forms

Integrated forms are perfect for companies that seek to collect information from their customers (in the form of surveys, questionnaires, etc). Rather than having the reader link to a new page, the form can simply be embedded within the email.

Customers can, therefore, answer questions or make their selections right within the body of the email. There are templates that integrate check-boxes, text boxes for open-ended questions and radio buttons for closed-ended questions.

6 Email Marketing Tips

Rotational Banners

Emails that contain a lot of information can present it in a clean and catchy manner by using rotational banners. These interactive elements allow consumers to flip through multiple images, each with a separate message embedded within.

Rotating banners are perfect for tour and travel companies that are showcasing various packages. Financial institutions like banks that are advertising credit card options or different types of bank accounts can also use this feature. News snippets of various trending stories can also be laid out in rotating banners by news and media outlets.

rotational banner toyota.png

 

Sliders

Sliders can be used to display multiple products within the email at the same time. This allows for customers to make comparisons and to access information on multiple products without having to click on their inbox.

Sliders are perfect for companies that launch different variations of the same product and would like information on the various versions to be readily available to the customer. They are also helpful for those sellers who would wish to include a combination of pictures, product specifications and product reviews right within the email.

There are also brand new interactive email designs that are slowly growing in popularity but still pretty new to most email users. These include key frame animation (smoother animations and frame changes than GIFS, with effects such as linear and parallel movement, and hover effects), cinemagraph (using GIFS to create cinematic video-like effects), and compatibility with 2k and 4k resolutions (which includes lack of width limitation and a resolution of higher than 600 pixels).

In conclusion, interactive emails are the future of email marketing, and it is important for businesses to stay up to speed with new email marketing trends that they can incorporate into their future marketing strategies. The numerous advantages of interactive emails, as discussed here, continue to make them an online marketing necessity.

email marketing program

Digital Communication Tools to Help Build a Human Brand

/in , , , , /by

The success of your brand depends on much more than just convincing a potential customer to try your product. While in the past the customer experience has been based around the product being offered, these days, you need to look at the big picture. It’s not just about the customer experience in regards to your product. It’s about the emotional connection that they are able to form with your brand.

Customers don’t just want a product, they want a relationship with the brand that is selling them that product.  You need to focus on fostering an emotional connection instead of just trying to build awareness for a certain product. Fortunately, building an emotional connection with your audience is easier than ever before with the number of digital communication tools that are at your disposal.

The Importance Of An Emotional Connection

Customers are human beings. They have hopes, dreams, and feelings. In a world where their product choices are practically limitless, they will want much more out of a brand. They do not want to engage with a corporation. Customers want to engage with a brand that’s relatable on a personal level. Their desire for connection in such a world is not surprising. A brand that is able to touch them emotionally is going to make them more engaged.

There are many ways that you can do this; reinforcing the beliefs or perspective of your audience, supporting the goals or perspective of your audience, or challenging your audience to do greater things.

5 Marketing Tactics You Should Be Using in 2019

How Digital Communication Tools Can Help Foster An Emotional Connection

Engaging on an emotional level with your audience is easier than it’s ever been, as long as you make the effort to do so. The following are just a few ways that digital communication tools can help you to connect with your audience emotionally and to build meaningful relationships with them:

  • Video content – When it comes to content, few other forms are able to engage audiences on an emotional level like video content. There are numerous reasons for this. First of all, people consume visual content much more easily than written content. Secondly, you can use actors or even real figures that audiences can relate to on a personal level. Thirdly, you can emphasize certain emotions much more effectively through the production of video, from the look of how it was filmed to the type of music that’s used to how the video is edited.
  • Segmentation – Segmenting your leads and customers based on the data you’ve collected (via opt-in forms, surveys, and more) will provide you with valuable insight into who your audience is and how you can connect with them. It also allows you to personalize your content much more effectively, which will make it easier to drive engagement.
  • Social interaction – The use of social channels makes it easy to engage with your audience directly. Direct interaction makes it easier to build meaningful relationships. You’ll have a bigger emotional impact on those who witness the interactions on social media as well.

Building a human brand will help you build long-term relationships with your audience based on real emotional connections. Use the digital communication tools available to you to emphasize emotion in your marketing efforts. Doing so will help your audience relate to you on a more personal level, thereby driving engagement with your brand.

Free Marketing Consultation

How to Conduct a Thorough Website Audit for Improved Performance

/in , , , , , /by

Conducting a website audit is an essential task if you’re looking to enhance your online presence. A comprehensive audit helps you understand key areas of improvement and optimization across various aspects of your website. From user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO) to conversion rate optimization (CRO), each element plays a significant role in how effective your website is in achieving your business goals. In this article, we’ll explore how to audit a website effectively by focusing on these major components.

UX: Enhancing User Friendliness

User experience (UX) is critical because it determines how easily visitors can interact with your site. A positive UX increases engagement, reduces bounce rates, and improves overall satisfaction. Here are key metrics to evaluate:

  • Navigation Ease: How quickly can users find what they need? Assessing navigation involves examining site structure and menu layouts to ensure information is logical and easily accessible, which helps in reducing user frustration and increasing retention.
  • Page Load Time: Faster pages provide a better experience. Quick loading times are essential for keeping user interest. Optimize images, streamline code, and leverage browser caching to enhance speed and prevent potential visitors from leaving in annoyance.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Is your site easy to use on all devices? A mobile-responsive website automatically adjusts to the screen size and orientation of the device it is being viewed on, providing a seamless experience for smartphone and tablet users.
  • Visual Appeal: Does your design attract and keep attention? Effective visual design not only draws visitors in but also plays a crucial role in creating a positive first impression. Ensure your site uses compelling layouts, appropriate colors, and readable fonts to enhance user engagement.

Assessing these areas will help you understand how user-friendly your site is, which is the first step in learning how to audit a website.

SEO: Boosting Visibility

Search engine optimization (SEO) is about increasing your site’s visibility and driving the right kind of traffic to your website. Key aspects to focus on include:

  • Keyword Optimization: Are you using the right keywords that your target audience is searching for? Proper keyword optimization ensures your content appears in relevant searches, boosting visibility and driving targeted traffic to your website.
  • Content Quality: Is your content relevant, useful, and well-written? High-quality content is crucial for engaging readers and encouraging them to interact with your site. It should be informative, easy to read, and directly address the needs of your visitors.
  • Meta Tags and Descriptions: Do they effectively describe and promote your content? Meta tags and descriptions play a key role in search engine ranking and user click-through rates. They should be concise, include targeted keywords, and accurately summarize the page content.
  • Link Health: Are your links functional and do they contribute to your authority? Maintaining healthy links is essential for SEO. Ensure all internal and external links are functional, relevant, and use proper anchor text to boost your site’s credibility and authority.

Improving these areas will help ensure that the right users find your site, a crucial component of how to audit a website.

CRO: Converting Visitors into Customers

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) focuses on what users do once they visit your site. The goal here is to maximize the percentage of visitors who complete desired actions, whether it’s subscribing to a newsletter or making a purchase. Evaluate these elements:

  • Call to Action (CTA): Are your CTAs clear and compelling? Effective CTAs guide users towards desired actions with clear, urgent language. Ensure they stand out visually and are placed strategically across your site to maximize engagement and conversion rates.
  • User Pathways: Is it easy for users to convert? Simplify the user journey to enhance conversions. Analyze the flow from initial contact to final action to identify and remove obstacles, ensuring a smooth, straightforward path that facilitates user progression and increases conversion likelihood.
  • A/B Testing: Are you continually testing and optimizing user pathways? Implement regular A/B testing to compare different versions of your site elements, from headlines to CTAs, to determine which variations perform the best, thereby continuously refining user experience and increasing conversion efficiency.
  • Checkout Process: Is it streamlined and secure for users? A streamlined checkout process reduces cart abandonment and enhances user trust. Ensure the process is quick, requires minimal steps, and employs robust security measures like SSL encryption to protect user data.

By focusing on these points, you can ensure that your site not only attracts visitors but also encourages them to take action.

Integrating Advanced Tools and Strategies

To effectively audit and enhance your website, employing advanced tools and strategies is pivotal. Utilizing a website redesign analytics tool can provide insights into how changes to your site can influence user behavior and SEO performance. Additionally, understanding why a content audit is important will guide you in refining your content strategy to meet the expectations of your audience. Moreover, implementing essential website updates for senior living communities can significantly enhance user engagement and satisfaction in targeted demographics such as seniors.

Steps to a Successful Audit

Here are some practical steps to follow when auditing your website:

  • Initial Review: Start with an overall review to understand the site’s current state.
  • Detailed Analysis: Dive deep into UX, SEO, and CRO elements.
  • Tool Integration: Utilize specialized tools to gather data and insights.
  • Action Plan Development: Based on your findings, develop a strategy to address weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.
  • Implementation and Monitoring: Apply changes and closely monitor impacts to ensure desired improvements are achieved.

Enhancing Your Website’s Effectiveness

Understanding how to audit a website involves a detailed examination of its UX, SEO, and CRO elements. By assessing these areas thoroughly and integrating strategic tools, you can significantly enhance your site’s effectiveness, ultimately leading to better user engagement, improved search engine rankings, and increased conversions. Remember, a successful website audit is not a one-time activity but a continuous improvement process to keep your site performing at its best.

 

Innovative Video Strategies to Transform Your Senior Living Marketing

/in , , , , , , , /by

When determining how to market senior living communities, you should be aware that the advent of digital technology has offered unprecedented opportunities to connect with potential residents and their families in meaningful ways. Among the various digital marketing strategies, video content emerges as a particularly potent tool, offering a dynamic and engaging way to showcase your community’s amenities, lifestyle, and values. With seniors increasingly embracing digital platforms, understanding how to market senior living communities effectively through video is more crucial than ever.

The Power of Video in Senior Living Marketing

Video content has the unique ability to convey messages in a more engaging and memorable manner than text alone. For senior living communities, this means the opportunity to truly showcase what makes your community stand out. However, creating video content is just the beginning. To truly optimize these efforts and ensure they reach your target audience, strategic planning and execution are essential.

  1. Engagement Through Authentic Stories: Leveraging the power of storytelling, videos that capture real-life experiences and testimonials from current residents can significantly impact potential residents and their families. By showcasing these authentic stories, your community can forge a deeper emotional connection, making it feel more inviting and relatable. These stories can highlight the day-to-day joys, the sense of belonging, and the supportive environment your community offers, providing a genuine glimpse into the quality of life that awaits future residents. Such content not only engages viewers but also builds trust and confidence in your community as a place where their loved ones can thrive.
  2. Educational Content: In the decision-making process for senior living options, seniors and their families often have numerous questions and concerns, ranging from financial planning and health care services to lifestyle and activity offerings. By creating and providing educational video content that addresses these topics, your community can position itself as a knowledgeable and trusted resource. This approach not only informs viewers but also alleviates concerns, making the transition to senior living seem less daunting. Informative videos can cover a wide range of subjects, including the benefits of senior living, how to prepare for the move, and what new residents can expect, thereby empowering families with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
  3. Virtual Tours: In today’s digital age, the initial exploration of senior living options often takes place online, making virtual tours a critical component of your marketing strategy. Offering potential residents and their families the ability to explore your facilities, amenities, and living spaces from the comfort of their homes, virtual tours provide a convenient and comprehensive view of what your community has to offer. These tours can highlight the unique features of your community, such as dining options, fitness centers, outdoor spaces, and social areas, allowing viewers to visualize themselves or their loved ones living there. By providing a virtual walkthrough, you can engage interested individuals early in their search process, making your community a frontrunner in their selection process.

Leveraging Key Digital Strategies

To ensure your video content reaches and resonates with your intended audience, consider incorporating the following digital strategies:

  • Optimize for SEO: Including relevant keywords, such as “how to market senior living communities,” in your video titles and descriptions can enhance your content’s visibility on search engines and platforms like YouTube.
  • Utilize Platforms like YouTube: With its vast audience, YouTube for senior marketing is an invaluable channel for reaching potential residents and their families, offering a platform for your videos to be easily found and shared.
  • Update Your Website: Integrating video content into your website not only makes it more engaging but also helps with SEO. Ensuring your site incorporates essential website updates for senior living can improve user experience and support your marketing efforts.

Five Video Ideas to Enhance Your Senior Living Marketing

To help you get started, here are five video ideas that can effectively communicate your community’s unique offerings and values:

  • Virtual Tours: Virtual tours offer an immersive experience, allowing potential residents and their families to explore your community from anywhere. These tours showcase your facilities, highlight amenities, and give a taste of the daily social activities, making your community an attractive option.
  • Resident Testimonials: Videos featuring resident testimonials provide a personal look at the quality of life within your community. Hearing directly from residents about their experiences fosters trust and showcases the strong sense of community you offer.
  • Staff Introductions: Introducing your staff through video humanizes your community. Highlighting their expertise, dedication, and compassionate approach to care reassures families that their loved ones will be in good hands.
  • FAQs Answered: A video series that answers frequently asked questions helps demystify the process of moving to and living in a senior community. It addresses common concerns about senior living options, financial planning, and lifestyle changes.
  • Lifestyle Highlights: Sharing videos of social events, hobbies, and activities available within your community demonstrates the vibrant, engaging lifestyle that residents enjoy. It invites potential residents to imagine being part of your active community.

For more inspiration and guidance on creating engaging video content, exploring video marketing ideas can offer valuable insights and strategies tailored to the senior living market.

Embracing the Digital Age in Senior Living Marketing

As digital platforms become increasingly integral to our daily lives, senior living communities must adapt and innovate to meet their audiences where they are. By effectively utilizing video content, optimized for both search engines and user engagement, you can significantly enhance your marketing efforts, reaching potential residents and their families in a way that is both informative and touching.

Ready to take your senior living marketing to the next level with optimized video content? Contact Us for a free consultation, and let’s explore how we can help you connect with your audience and showcase the best of what your community has to offer.

17 SEO Myths
New call-to-action

 

facebook Ads

How Brands Market To the Different Generations

/in , , /by

Generational marketing is a type of marketing that targets the needs and desires of different demographic groups according to their age. Deliberately segmenting consumers into generations allows brands to target their campaigns more effectively, ensuring they are communicating with the correct group of people at the right time. With that in mind, the following is a guide on marketing to different generations.

Understanding The Different Generations different generations

Four generations make up the majority of the American population. These include the baby boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996), and Generation Z (1997 or later).

  • Baby boomers: Because they are now entering retirement age, they have less disposable income than before. Their spending habits tend to focus more on maintaining a particular lifestyle. They are particularly interested in the quality of the products they purchase, rather than getting good deals.
  • Generation X: This generation is marked by wariness and pragmatism. They continue to search for better opportunities, even in their adult years. Generation X is particularly passionate about convenience, quality, and frugality. They are the least likely to spend their money impulsively.
  • Millennials: The Millennials are tech-savvy and independent thinkers who reject tradition and gravitate towards purposeful innovation. As a result of this mindset, they are disillusioned with the status quo. They are highly individualistic and value authenticity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Generation Z: Generation Z is currently the youngest generation. Identifying traits of Generation Z include a desire to be unique among their peers and use technology for social good. They are also strong entrepreneurial.

25 Website Must Haves

How to Market To Different Generations different generations

Different generations grow up with access to different types of media. They also have different needs, wants, and fears. Keeping this in mind, the following are a few tips on how to market to each generation:

Marketing to Baby Boomers

Boomers by far prefer to engage via email marketing. You can still reach them via TV commercials as well. However, it’s more challenging to engage them through mobile content. Many Boomers have Facebook profiles and can be driven to take action through social marketing and content marketing. Well-written content can go a long way towards converting a Boomer.

Boomers are also more likely to prefer direct engagement via phone and would rather not rely on complicated technology. Promotional offers are more likely to appeal to boomers than other generations.

Marketing to Generation X

Most of Generation X is technologically adept. They are as present on social media as the younger generations. However, they are more likely than other generations to do thorough research before making an online purchase.

You can reach Generation X most effectively through Facebook and email marketing. But they do tend to prefer mobile engagement throughout their buyer’s journey. Brand loyalty is meaningful to them, so loyalty programs work well when targeting Generation X customers. You can also effectively engage them using video content.

Generation X Matters: How to Tell Your Brand Story to Them

Marketing to Millennials

Millennials are the first generation raised with the internet, which means they are a very digital-savvy generation. Social marketing is effective when reaching Millennials because social media has played a significant role in their lives since childhood. You’re less likely to reach Millennials using email or other direct marketing methods. They tend to be more interested in finding relevant content than other generations.

They’re also distrustful of commercial advertising and value integrity and authenticity. Millennials want a personal connection with the company they’re buying from, which means personalization is essential. Word-of-mouth is crucial to building their brand trust. Finally, they want to be entertained, so they engage with influencers a lot.

Marketing to Generation Z

Generation Z is the first generation to grow up in a post-9/11 world. They tend to be more skeptical than other generations regarding advertising messages. Because they were born into a world dependent on technology, they have short attention spans and constantly bounce between any number of screens (phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and computers).

Like Millennials, the brands they purchase from must be ethical and authentic. The best way to reach Generation Z is by using an omnichannel marketing strategy and focusing on social media engagement. Not only are Generation Z members are likely to share their opinions about brands online, but they are highly engaged with social media influencers.

Understanding Your Audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial to figuring out how to reach them. After all, your brand’s target audience may not consist of every generation. Certain marketing techniques that work well for Baby Boomers (such as email marketing) won’t be as effective for Generation Z.

Develop your buyer personas to identify what generations your brand’s target audience consists of before creating a generational marketing strategy to reach and engage with them.

30 Greatest Lead Generation Tips

Mastering Marketing Effectiveness: Strategies for Highlighting Your USPs

/in , /by

Understanding and leveraging your unique selling points (USPs) is one of the most important ways you can make your business stand out from the crowd. Marketing effectiveness plays a pivotal role in this endeavor, enabling companies to not only highlight what makes them distinct but also to connect with their target audience more deeply and efficiently. But how does one go about uncovering these golden nuggets of marketing prowess? And once identified, how can they be used to drive business success? This article will guide you through the intricate landscape of marketing effectiveness, highlighting the steps to discover your USPs and the manifold benefits they bring to your business strategy.

What is Marketing Effectiveness?

At its core, marketing effectiveness measures how well a company’s marketing strategies achieve their intended outcomes, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or boosting sales. It’s an assessment of the return on investment (ROI) from marketing efforts, and it relies on several key components:

  • Strategic Alignment: Strategic alignment involves aligning marketing goals seamlessly with the overarching business objectives, ensuring that every marketing initiative contributes directly to the company’s success. This requires a deep understanding of the business’s long-term vision and the strategic steps necessary to achieve it, ensuring that marketing efforts propel the business closer to its goals, rather than operating in a silo.
  • Target Audience Understanding: Achieving a deep understanding of your target audience entails more than just knowing their demographic information; it involves grasping their behaviors, preferences, pain points, and aspirations. This comprehensive insight allows businesses to tailor their marketing strategies in a way that speaks directly to the heart of the customer’s needs and desires, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
  • Creative Execution: Creative execution is the art of designing marketing messages and campaigns that not only capture the attention of the target audience but also resonate on an emotional level. This involves leveraging insights into the audience’s values and preferences to craft compelling narratives, visuals, and experiences that align with the brand’s identity and values, ultimately fostering a deeper connection with the audience.
  • Measurement and Optimization: Measurement and optimization are critical for assessing the effectiveness of marketing strategies and making necessary adjustments. This continuous cycle involves setting clear, measurable objectives; collecting and analyzing data on marketing performance; and using these insights to refine tactics, strategies, and campaigns. This iterative process ensures that marketing efforts are always aligned with business goals and are adjusted in real time to respond to changing market dynamics and consumer behaviors.

The Benefits of Effective Marketing

Effective marketing offers a plethora of advantages for businesses, big or small. Here are a few to consider:

  • Increased brand visibility: Elevate your brand’s presence and ensure it remains at the forefront of your target customers’ minds, enhancing recognition and recall.
  • Enhanced customer engagement: Strengthen the bond with your audience through meaningful interactions, fostering a sense of loyalty and community around your brand.
  • Higher conversion rates: Boost the effectiveness of your marketing efforts to convert a higher percentage of prospects into actual customers by clearly articulating your value.
  • Improved ROI: Maximize the return on investment from your marketing initiatives, ensuring each dollar spent directly contributes to the financial health of your business.

However, achieving marketing effectiveness isn’t without its challenges. It requires a clear understanding of your market, creative and strategic prowess, and an ongoing commitment to measuring and refining your efforts.

Discovering Your Unique Selling Points

Your unique selling points are what set you apart from the competition. They are the reasons a customer should choose you over others. Discovering them involves several key steps:

  1. Market Research: Dive deep into the ecosystem of your industry to grasp fully the dynamics at play, including what drives your competitors, the evolving needs of your target audience, and the latest trends that could impact consumer behavior and preferences.
  2. Internal Audit: Conduct a thorough examination of what your company does best by evaluating the quality, pricing, technological edge, customer support, and all other aspects that make your products or services stand out in the marketplace.
  3. Customer Feedback: Initiate open dialogues with your clientele to understand their perspectives on your offerings, uncovering valuable insights and preferences that might not be immediately apparent from an internal viewpoint.
  4. Competitive Analysis: Take a close look at your competitors’ strategies and offerings to pinpoint weaknesses or unmet needs in their approach, identifying opportunities for your business to capitalize on and differentiate itself.
  5. Synthesis and Definition: Carefully distill the essence of your competitive advantage by merging all collected insights, defining your unique selling propositions in a way that is not only clear and concise but also resonates strongly with your target market.

Leveraging Your USPs for Business Success

Once your USPs are defined, integrating them into your marketing strategy is crucial for driving effectiveness. Here’s how:

  • Incorporate into Messaging: Make sure your USPs are front and center in all your marketing materials, from your website to your advertising and social media.
  • Train Your Team: Ensure everyone in your organization understands your USPs and can communicate them effectively, from sales to customer service.
  • Monitor and Adapt: Keep an eye on how well your USPs are resonating with your audience and be ready to adjust your strategy as needed.

While marketing effectiveness can propel your business to new heights, it’s important to be aware of potential downsides. Overemphasis on certain metrics can lead to short-term gains at the expense of long-term brand health, and an overly aggressive approach can sometimes alienate potential customers. Hence, a balanced, customer-centric approach is key.

Crafting a Future of Distinction

Remember, in a sea of competitors, your USPs are your beacon of distinction. Use them wisely to illuminate your path forward, engage your audience, and drive your business objectives.

For those looking to further explore the intricacies of marketing effectiveness and uncover the unique selling points that will set their business apart, we’re here to help. Contact Us for a free consultation.

lead generation tips
long form video1

6 Reasons You Should Leverage Long Form Video Marketing

/in , , , , /by

Video marketing has long been accepted as one of the most effective forms of content marketing. Video content is easy for people to consume on any device. It’s also arguably the best way to deliver a message in an engaging way and to establish an emotional connection. However, there’s been a misconception that short-form video content is the best way to go. After all, people generally have shorter attention spans these days. Not to mention that many social platforms, such as Snapchat and Tik Tok, encourage shorter video content. Yet there should also be a place for long-form video content in your video marketing strategy.

Let’s understand first what is long for video content?

Long-form video content offers a deeper and more extensive exploration of the topic, providing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

6 Reasons To Leverage Long Form Video Marketing

The following are six reasons why you should be using long-form video marketing:

1. Deliver More Value

There’s very little time to provide useful information to viewers in a 30-second to two-minute clip. You basically have just enough time to deliver a simple message. As such, there’s not a whole lot of value in short-form videos. The only thing you can really achieve is to generate brand awareness. Long-form videos are much more effective when it comes to trying to provide value to your audience. For example, it’s difficult to create a how-to video that’s less than a couple minutes long. However, you can create a detailed, step-by-step how-to video in the long-form format.

2. Create A More Engaging Experience

Although more short-form videos are consumed than long-form videos, long-form videos drive more engagement. A video marketing study published in 2017 revealed that although 80 percent of videos are under five minutes, those videos drove less than 33 percent of overall video engagement. On top of that, 8 percent of the videos that were over 15 minutes long drove half of all audience engagement.  As long as the quality of your video content is high, a long-form video is going to be more engaging. After all, it’s going to keep viewers on your site (or social channel) much longer than a 30-second video would. Not to mention that the actual content you’re delivering will be more engaging since you’re able to provide more information that’s useful to your audience.

MAXIMIZING YOUR MARKETING BUDGET

3. Improve Your SEO

Short-form videos may get shares on social media, especially if they go viral due to their humor. However, short-form videos don’t tend to earn many backlinks. Websites are more likely to link back to your videos if they provide exceptional value, which they are more likely to do if they are on the longer side. By earning more backlinks, your long-form videos will help boost your SEO.

Similar Article: Six Types of Real Estate Video Marketing Ideas For Homebuilders

4. YouTube Favors Longer Videos

YouTube is the major video platform. Not only is it the top video hosting platform, but it’s also the second biggest search engine behind Google as well as a social media platform in itself. Long-form videos do much better on YouTube than short-form videos. There’s a reason for this: YouTube’s algorithm is built around favoring long-form content. The reason why they built their algorithm this way is that longer videos allow more room for ads. Videos have to be at least 10 minutes long before ads can be run in the middle of the video, which is why many YouTube creators do everything they can to reach that 10-minute mark.

5. Build Your Brand Authoritylong form video2

While shorter videos may get more views, they don’t generally help much in the way of building your brand authority. This is simply because shorter videos are limited in the amount of useful information they can convey. BY creating long-form videos, you can go into way more depth about a subject. The more in-depth your video subject matter is, the more you’ll be able to showcase your authority. This will help to boost your brand’s authority within your industry, which can help to build more brand trust as a direct result.

5 Types Of Marketing Videos You Should Think About Using

6. Convert More Leads

Building your brand authority is certainly going to play a part in converting leads. When viewers develop trust in your brand by watching your long-form videos, they’ll be more willing to convert. However, this isn’t the only reason why long-form videos convert more than short-form videos. The people who are watching long-form videos tend to be near the bottom of the sales funnel, while people who are watching short-form videos are probably still near the top of the funnel. As such, many long-form video viewers are already ready to convert.

Shorter videos are a good way to generate more brand awareness. However, long-form video content tends to be much more effective overall when it comes to nurturing leads and building brand authority and trust. As such, you should make sure to implement a long-form video content strategy if you haven’t done so already.

Maximizing Profitability: How to Calculate and Improve Customer Lifetime Value

/in /by

Understanding your customers is not just a necessity but a pivotal aspect of sustaining and enhancing your business. One crucial metric that can significantly impact your business strategy is the customer lifetime value (CLV). Knowing how to calculate customer lifetime value can transform your approach to marketing, sales, and customer service, ensuring you allocate resources more effectively and increase the return on your investment.

What Is Customer Lifetime Value?

Customer lifetime value represents the total revenue you can expect from a customer throughout their association with your business. It’s a forecast of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer. Understanding CLV helps you make informed decisions about how much money to invest in acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones.

The Importance of Calculating CLV

Calculating CLV provides several benefits, including:

  • Improved Customer Segmentation: Delving into the metrics that underline customer lifetime value (CLV) equips businesses with the knowledge of which customers are most profitable over time. This insight is invaluable for fine-tuning marketing strategies to cater specifically to segments that mirror your most valuable customers. For example, if data shows that a particular demographic or customer behavior correlates with higher CLV, efforts can be concentrated on engaging similar profiles. This targeted approach not only enhances the effectiveness of marketing campaigns but also maximizes the chances of attracting customers with a higher potential value to the business. Tailoring messages, offers, and experiences to these segments ensures resources are utilized where they have the most impact, leading to improved customer acquisition and satisfaction rates.
  • Enhanced Return on Investment (ROI): Understanding the customer lifetime value is pivotal in making informed decisions about how much money should be invested in acquiring and retaining customers. When businesses have a clear grasp of their CLV, they can allocate their marketing budgets with a precision that avoids overspending on low-value customers and underinvesting in high-value ones. This strategic allocation of resources ensures that marketing efforts are not just casting a wide net, but rather, are smartly invested in channels and strategies that are proven to yield the highest return on investment. By prioritizing expenditures on high-CLV customer segments, businesses can dramatically improve the efficiency of their marketing spend, leading to a healthier bottom line and a more sustainable business model.
  • Strategic Customer Retention: It’s a well-established business axiom that retaining an existing customer is significantly less expensive than acquiring a new one. With a deep understanding of customer lifetime value, businesses can pinpoint which customers are crucial to retain due to their high potential value. This knowledge enables the implementation of tailored retention strategies aimed at keeping these key customers engaged and satisfied over the long term. Whether through personalized communication, loyalty programs, or exceptional customer service, the goal is to ensure these valuable customers feel recognized and valued. Investing in customer retention is not just about maintaining a steady revenue stream; it’s about cultivating a loyal customer base that will continue to drive profitability far into the future.

How to Calculate Customer Lifetime Value

The calculation of CLV can be approached through various equations, depending on the complexity of your business and the data available. However, a simple and widely used formula is:

CLV = (Average Purchase Value x Purchase Frequency) x Customer Lifespan

  • Average Purchase Value: Determine this metric by dividing your company’s total revenue within a certain timeframe by the total number of purchases made in that period. This reveals the average spend per transaction.
  • Purchase Frequency: Measure this by dividing the total number of purchases in a period by the distinct number of customers who made those purchases. This metric highlights how often customers buy.
  • Customer Lifespan: This is an estimated duration a customer keeps purchasing from your business. It’s calculated based on historical data and patterns of customer engagement and transaction history.

Incorporating Omnichannel Personalization

One strategy that significantly impacts CLV is Omnichannel Personalization. By providing a seamless customer experience across all channels, you not only enhance customer satisfaction but also increase the likelihood of repeat purchases, thereby boosting CLV. Personalization strategies can include targeted marketing campaigns, personalized product recommendations, and tailored customer support, all of which contribute to a positive and unified customer experience.

Practical Steps to Improve CLV

  • Enhance Customer Experience: Elevating the customer experience involves ensuring that every interaction a customer has with your business, from browsing your website to contacting customer service, is not only positive but also consistent across all channels and personalized to their needs. Tailoring the customer experience in this way can significantly increase satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Implement Loyalty Programs: Loyalty programs are a strategic way to reward repeat customers, encouraging them to continue choosing your business. By offering discounts, special offers, or early access to new products, you acknowledge and reward their loyalty. These programs not only incentivize repeat business but also foster a sense of belonging among your customer base.
  • Focus on Customer Feedback: Actively seeking and listening to customer feedback is essential for continuous improvement. By understanding your customers’ needs and concerns, you can make informed adjustments to your products and services. This ongoing dialogue with your customers demonstrates that you value their input, which can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Beyond the Basics

Calculating and improving your customer lifetime value is an ongoing effort that requires continuous refinement and adaptation. It’s about building long-term relationships with your customers, understanding their needs and preferences, and delivering value at every opportunity. By focusing on CLV, you not only boost your profitability but also forge stronger connections with your customers, ensuring they remain loyal advocates of your brand for years to come.

For those eager to delve deeper into enhancing their customer lifetime value and implementing effective strategies such as Omnichannel Personalization, Contact Us for a free consultation. Let’s explore how we can elevate your business together.

Want a complete guide of story branding?
landing page lead conversion rate

5 Types of Landing Pages To Increase Your Lead Conversion Rate

/in , , , /by

Are your company website’s landing pages converting as many visitors to leads as you’d like? One problem may be that you are not using the right kinds of landing pages. Landing pages have several purposes: to collect important information from visitors, to begin building a relationship with visitors, and, ultimately, to convert visitors to leads. Some companies only have one or two types of landing pages, and as a result, their lead conversion rates suffer.

Before going to explore landing page types, let’s understand a landing page.

What Is a Landing Page?

A landing page is a standalone web page designed with a specific purpose in mind, typically to convert visitors into leads or customers. Unlike a general website page, landing pages have one clear goal, such as prompting signup for a newsletter, downloading an ebook, or making a purchase and many more.

5 Types of Landing Pages To Increase Conversion Rate

Here are 5 different types of landing pages that are sure to increase your lead conversion rate.

1. Email List Opt-In Landing Page:

It’s been proven that the most effective place to put your email opt-in form is on it’s own dedicated landing page. An email list opt-in landing page gives you more room to tell visitors exactly how they stand to benefit from filling out your form with their personal information. By removing pesky distractions, like navigation, a landing page urges your visitors make a decision: opt-in or miss out on quality content and offers.

2. Product Detail Landing Page:

A product detail landing page is common in the retail industry. Product detail landing pages are located on the company’s main website, and contain the information regarding the product for sale such as features, specifications, and customer reviews. A benefit of product detail landing pages is that there is no extra work or cost required when it comes to creating a separate page. Another benefit of this landing page is it applies to visitors who are in the awareness or the consideration stage.

Read more on Driving Website Conversions During Each Stage Of The Buyer’s Journey

3. Coming From [social network] Landing Page:

These type of landing pages can be applied to every type of traffic that your website generates. Most likely, any landing pages attached to your social media accounts bring visitors to your home page. This is a start, but it’s not the best option. You should make your landing page more customized and personal. A good social network landing page addresses where the visitor is coming from and provides information the visitor is probably looking for. Information such as background about the company as well as how to get in touch.

4. Content Guide Landing Page:

Inbound marketing revolves around content. If your company blogs, you can extend the reach of your content by organizing it with its own landing page. The blog page on your website is useful, but it probably shows only the latest content. By creating topic-specific content landing pages, your best quality work is being showcased to your visitors.

5. Lead Capture Landing Pages

These pages are often referred to as “squeeze” pages. They don’t contain any exit paths or distractions such as links or navigation tools. A lead capture landing page should include one thing: a button that takes visitors to a form where they are encouraged to submit their personal data. In order to coax visitors into filling out the form, offer an incentive, such as eBooks, whitepapers, or webinars.

25 Website Must Haves For Driving Traffic, Leads & Sales

What’s Trending in Marketing of March 2024

/in , , , /by

Step right into our March 2024 of “What’s Trending,” your gateway to the latest in marketing trends and insights. Stay informed and ahead of the game with our collection of marketing trends and reports for the 2024 year.

Noteworthy Marketing Trends and News

Google’s Update and Latest Changes

In its ongoing quest to enhance user experience and maintain the integrity of its search platform, Google unveiled an important core update in March 2024. This update marks a significant shift in the way Google evaluates content quality and addresses spam across the vast expanse of the internet. In this update lies an effort to minimize the presence of “unhelpful” content in search results. By refining its criteria for assessing content relevance and usefulness, Google aims to ensure that users are presented with the most valuable information in responses. This not only enhances the overall quality of search results but also raises the bar for content creators, compelling them to produce more substantive and engaging material.

These changes mean marketers and SEO experts need to rethink how they do things online. As Google updates its algorithms, they have to update their methods to make sure their content gets seen. By keeping up with these changes and adjusting their strategies, marketers can stay successful in the fast-paced online world. Read more here.

AI in Online Shopping

To meet consumer expectations, AI has a huge impact in online shopping now. IBM’s research found that more shoppers want AI help when they’re shopping. They want it to help them find products, solve problems, and get deals. But, even though companies want to give them this kind of help, what they offer often isn’t good enough, which makes shoppers unhappy. Still, shoppers like the idea of using AI, especially things like virtual assistants and features that use augmented reality.

Making AI shopping help work well means using customer data responsibly to give people personalized help that matches what they like. Also, since shoppers want better online and in-store experiences, AI is becoming really important for stores. Brands need to focus on using AI to make shopping more fun for customers while also making sure their privacy is protected and that everything is easy to use, no matter where they’re shopping. Read more here.

Automated Pausing in Ad Groups

Google Ads has recently implemented a significant update that introduces automated pausing of ad groups exhibiting low activity. This move aims to streamline budget efficiency for advertisers by redirecting resources towards more productive campaigns and eliminating wasteful spending on underperforming ad groups. One of the key advantages of automated pausing is its ability to optimize budget allocation in real-time. By automatically identifying and pausing ad groups with minimal activity, advertisers can prevent unnecessary expenditure on campaigns that fail to yield desired results. This proactive approach to budget management enables advertisers to allocate resources more effectively, maximizing the return on investment (ROI) from their advertising efforts. Read more here.

Learning Marketing Trends and Ideas

Tailoring The B2B Sales Funnel To Meet Your Needs

The B2B sales funnel typically consists of three main stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. However, it’s not rigid and can be adjusted to fit specific business needs while still incorporating elements of these stages. By tailoring the sales funnel, businesses can more effectively identify where customers are in their journey and determine appropriate actions.

For instance, a modified B2B sales funnel may include five stages:

  1. Lead Generation: Introducing leads to the company and establishing authority through content and online presence.
  2. Lead Nurturing: Continuing to educate leads about the company and their pain points, while qualifying them based on their level of interest and need.
  3. Initial Meeting: Engaging directly with qualified prospects through various interactions like discovery calls or product demonstrations to build trust and establish a relationship.
  4. Closing: Finalizing the deal and securing commitment from the prospect to do business with the company.
  5. Retention: Nurturing the relationship with customers after the sale to ensure continued business and encourage referrals, thus enhancing customer retention and attracting new leads through referrals.

This modified funnel retains elements of the standard three stages while providing a more tailored approach to understanding customer needs and journey progression. Read more here.

Modern Logo Design Trends of 2024

In branding, a compelling logo is crucial for creating a lasting impression and distinguishing your brand. Modern logo designs are essential for crafting a memorable brand image in today’s digital age. Trends in logo design include minimalist designs, bold typography, handmade elements, and dynamic logos adaptable to different platforms. Handcrafted and calligraphic logos offer authenticity and uniqueness, standing out in a digital world. While AI-generated logos may lack originality and understanding of brand values, professional expertise ensures a logo reflects the brand’s ethos effectively. When designing a logo, prioritize simplicity, versatility, and alignment with brand values. Embracing modernity in branding with a well-designed logo enhances brand awareness and loyalty. Collaborating with a professional designer is a strategic investment in creating a logo that captures attention and resonates with your audience. Read more here.

Using Hashtags on LinkedIn

Using hashtags on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook helps users expand their audience beyond their followers. Hashtags categorize content with relevant keywords, making it visible to users searching for those terms. While hashtags are often seen as casual, they hold value on professional platforms like LinkedIn. Here are ten tips for using hashtags effectively on LinkedIn:

  1. Follow LinkedIn’s hashtag rules and limit the number of hashtags used.
  2. Follow relevant hashtags to monitor conversations and discover content ideas.
  3. Research industry trends and competitor content for hashtag inspiration.
  4. Create a company hashtag to strengthen brand identity.
  5. Utilize LinkedIn’s suggested hashtags feature.
  6. Use hashtags in comments as well as in posts to increase visibility.
  7. Balance niche and popular hashtags for broad and targeted reach.
  8. Incorporate location-based hashtags to target specific audiences.
  9. Utilize event hashtags to highlight involvement in industry events.
  10. Reuse effective hashtags from successful posts to maintain engagement.

Using hashtags on LinkedIn can attract more leads and engage clients and prospects effectively. Incorporating hashtags into posts can enhance visibility and encourage interaction, potentially leading to successful marketing campaigns. Read more here.

Recent Marketing Trends, Reports, and Updates

Blog Content Ideas

In March 2024, content marketers have a range of creative options beyond the typical themes of St. Patrick’s Day and college basketball. Instead, they can explore topics such as National Puppy Day, alternative “March Madness” activities, the transition to daylight saving time, spring fitness, and National Craft Month. These ideas offer opportunities to engage audiences with fun, informative, and helpful content related to various products and industries. For instance, content around National Puppy Day can appeal to pet lovers, while articles on adjusting to daylight saving time can provide practical tips relevant to different lifestyles. Similarly, focusing on spring fitness or National Craft Month allows marketers to offer valuable assistance and insights to their audience while promoting their products in a more organic and engaging way. Read more here.

Profitable E-Commerce Ideas

Several e-commerce business ideas cater to various niches and interests, offering opportunities for entrepreneurs. These include selling homemade pet treats, starting an educational platform, crafting handmade toys, and offering eco-friendly baby toiletries. Additionally, flipping thrifted goods, selling specialty foods, dessert boxes, brand-name fashion reselling, and online plant sales are popular options. Collectibles and natural cosmetic products present profitable ventures as well, along with home decor items like candles, rugs, and bedding. Each idea requires thorough research, compliance with regulations, and strategic marketing to ensure success in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Read more here. 

AI in Writing

AI-aided writing, editing, and research tools, including ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, Grammarly, and others, have significantly advanced, making them invaluable for copywriters in tasks like brainstorming, research, outlining, and proofreading. While fears of AI taking over copywriting jobs persist, it’s unlikely to replace human writers entirely, as AI still frequently provides misleading information, termed “AI hallucination.” Despite its advancements, double-checking AI-generated content remains crucial to avoid errors. Read more here.

17 SEO MYTHS YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEHIND