Articles in The 'online marketing' Tag

One Size Does Not Fit All: 3 Tips to Keep in Mind When Crafting Your Interactive Marketing Strategy

by Tiffany Weimar

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression before and it’s true.  One size certainly does not fit all.  This statement is fitting and should be kept in mind when crafting an online marketing strategy for your business. 

When individuals seek advice from our team at MoreVisibility, we would be remiss to suggest a “cookie-cutter” formula to achieve online marketing success.  Each industry, business, and client not only has different marketing goals but each may have to take a different path or approach to reach individual targets.  For this reason, an interactive marketing plan should be customized according to the specific needs and objectives of any company.

Although your marketing budget often determines what you are able to accomplish in a given time period, keep in mind that all visibility doesn’t require considerable amount of resources (monetarily that is).  Much of what we do as marketers online, especially in the social media realms, require human capital.

1. For one, be sure to take advantage of the “free” marketing opportunities that can help to give your company increased exposure.  Social media channels, if managed correctly, can be awesome brand builders.  Basic profile creation will not have a giant impact on your wallet, however, do be realistic and understand that social media outreach is only effective if you are willing to put in considerable time to manage each channel.  Often times, human resources are limited and prevent companies from being able to focus consistently on their efforts.   
2.  Credibility is extremely important for online presence.  I say this speaking mainly about website design.  Don’t spend so much time trying to have a presence in every aspect of online marketing (paid placement advertising, custom social media pages, etc..) that you forget about improving the usability, design, and functionality of your website.  Keep in mind that your website, in essence, is your “final destination”.  It is the place where individuals are directed to through all other online and offline efforts.  Ensuring that your brand and message is consistent from channel to channel (and to your website) is important to building brand credibility. 
3. The third and perhaps most important tip to remember is that marketing plans aren’t static.  The interactive marketing industry is an evolving market and one that consistently fosters new and innovative tools and opportunities.  For this purpose, it is always best to adjust and add to your online marketing mix.  Look for new industry trends, a topic that MoreVisibility’s President, Andrew Wetzler, speaks about in “Change Your Internet M.O. & Discover Your Mobile Mojo“, recently featured in our March Newsletter.

Whether you are new to online marketing or have been following the industry for years, it is always a good idea to review your online marketing plan.  Start by clearly identifying your audience/market, define (or redefine) your goals (often helpful to track through adding Google Analytics onto your marketing campaigns), and pinpoint which online marketing channels would be best to reach your targets.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to accomplish and have a presence everywhere, if your budget doesn’t allow it.  Start with improving your website (your “final destination) and work diligently to create brand awareness in other areas of online marketing when the time and budget permits.

What Makes a Pay per Click Ad Better than Another?

by Marni Weinberg

With the online marketing arena becoming increasingly competitive, coupled with the relatively low cost of Pay Per Click ads (compared to radio, print & TV) more and more retailers are offering incentives to encourage searchers to click on their ad, rather than on one of their competitors. Clicks are not only what matters, though. What’s most important is for that click to convert into a lead or sale. As an online marketer, how can you guarantee that searchers will click on your ad, then go a step further and complete the desired action item? Unfortunately there is no guarantee, although you can work to make your ads stand out as much as possible. Here are a few tips you can try when creating your ad copy.

• Create a sense of urgency by using an expiration date. This tells people they have a short window to take advantage of whatever it is you are promoting. It also allows for your ads to appear fresh and current. Be sure to update your expiration date! You do not want to be advertising an expired offer. Another way to create a sense of urgency is to use buzz words/phrases such as: Limited Time Offer, Shop Now, Buy Now, Download Now, etc.
• Use adjectives that describe your product or service in as attractive/desirable a way as possible. Examples: Authentic, Genuine, Reliable, Exclusive, Extensive Selection, etc.
• Create a minimum of 3 ads, which will allow for appropriate testing. Not all people will click on the same offer. Let searchers decide which ad copy they like best.
• Freshen up your ads with new offers and ad copy every few months in an effort to keep them from becoming stale.
• Do some snooping. See what your competitors are doing, offering and promoting and see if you can match (or even beat) their offers. Think about it this way…online searchers and shoppers are doing the same thing in an effort to find the best deal possible.
• Use Inter Capitalization whenever possible. Here is an example:

Marketing Success; Going Back To The Basics

by Tiffany Weimar

Attention marketers! Are you remembering the fundamentals of marketing? Whether you are in the business of selling physical products or services, going back to the basics helps us to build successful campaigns.  If you studied business in college, you may remember the term “Marketing Mix” or “The Four P’s” (Product, Price, Place & Promotion).  Applying the marketing mix to each campaign in our online efforts (though may seem comical to some) will help in crossing off “to-do’s” on our marketing checklists.

1) Product Decisions

There are many considerations that should be taken into account when it comes to your offerings.  Quality, styling, functionality, brand name, warranty, customer service, and packaging are just a few.  These decisions may seem obvious; however, you may not realize the considerable time required to formulate a successful campaign.  Product decisions need to be strategic from inception (in the creation of the product/service) to the fulfillment and services provided afterwards.  For instance, the quality and packaging of your product should strengthen your brand.  The warranty that you offer post sale should stand behind your brand as well.  Every product decision that is made should relate back to building a credible brand name that helps to grow and foster a loyal customer base.  How do you accomplish this online?

• Disclose/promote warranties online
• Be consistent with your brand in your product packaging and all online marketing efforts of it. Email designs, banner ads, paid search opportunities, and website design should all speak to how you would like your brand to appear.
• Build credibility. Sell your services through building relationships (customer service, no pun intended, is still critical).

2)  Price Decisions
 
Everyone wants a deal.  Having a pricing strategy that identifies volume, wholesale and seasonal pricing is critical.  Will bundling help cut distribution costs?  What deals can your company afford and during what quarters or seasons should they be offered?  If you are an online retailer, seasonal sales are especially important.  Do you offer monthly/seasonal promotions that you are able to fulfill?  Speaking of fulfillment, are you looking into online deal sites like GottaHalfIt.com or Groupon.com? These companies can do wonders for your business, if you have the right pricing strategy that is!  If not well thought out, these online coupon deals can cost you tons of money (if you are unable to fulfill the orders due to high demand).  If you’d like additional insight on “Groupon-like” opportunities, check out our featured Newsletter Article.

3) Place Decisions

Place, better known as distribution, is the channel through which you will distribute your products/services.  How are you covering your market? How are you managing your inventory?  For e-Commerce, you must find the intricate balance between product inventory and sales.  Do you have enough supply to fulfill certain promotions (seasonal or Groupon-like campaigns)?  Do you drive your business decisions according to marketing initiatives or do you market according to business trends?  For example, do you increase inventory levels because you’d like to try a special offer like Groupon (marketing decision) or do you market/advertise or “push” certain products because your inventory levels are high?  This “push” or “pull” strategy leads us to the final “P” in the Marketing Mix.

4) Promotion Decisions
 
Promotion represents the communication strategy you create to formulate a positive customer response (lead generation, sales, etc..).  Your marketing budget, public relations, promotional strategy (push vs. pull), and sales promotions all fall under this category.  A mix of marketing communications in the online world is important. Remember that we are in a period of information overload.  Differentiating yourself through online marketing initiatives is important. Creating email promotions and advertising banners that are visually appealing and compelling will help increase your response (click-through rates, website traffic, and/or lead generation).  Here are some other online promotion suggestions:

• Offer channel specific promotions for social media, mobile websites, and/or for a specific audience.  For instance, if you are speaking at an event, provide a special offer to that audience on your website.  This is a great way to generate more promising leads.
• Be strategic about how often you send emails to your database.  A monthly newsletter and an additional database promotion can help individuals stay engaged without being inundated by “inbox overload”. Tracking responses to each initiative will help give insight into whether you should replicate a promotional effort in the future.

Measuring your marketing campaigns is helpful in driving future business/marketing decisions.  By incorporating analytics on each of your online marketing efforts, you will be able to see if a campaign fulfilled its purpose.  Calculating your cost per lead will give you a good idea of the success of each marketing initiative.  Lastly, remember that there is never a “one-size-fits-all” solution to marketing.  Because the online space is constantly evolving, marketers should be cognizant of new, old, and upcoming trends and adjust strategies accordingly.