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- 05 Dec
8 B2B Video Marketing Myths Debunked with Cold Hard Facts
Video has exploded in the B2B landscape over the past few years. And, today, it has becoming a staple in today’s modern marketing and sales toolkit. However, there are some common misconceptions and video marketing myths. And those myths seem to be keeping some businesses from reaching their full video potential.
But, That Need Not be the Case
Video is here to stay. According to a study conducted by Heinz Marketing, 68% of organizations plan to increase their level of investment in video in the next six to eight months. Now, more marketing and sales professionals are realizing that video plays an important role throughout the entire buying journey. And this includes their sales cycle as well. And they are experiencing first-hand the true impact it can have on their business.
There’s still a lot to be said about video and its use in your marketing and sales mix. But to help you out, here are eight of the most common video marketing myths. To find out what they are, read the full article on the Heinz Marketing Blog.
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- 02 Dec
10 Ways Social Media Fuels Inbound Marketing
by Sian Jaylo
Your social media efforts can help establish your online presence. And it can drive traffic to your brand. From creating increased exposure to converting leads consistently, it works. So, social media campaigns should be the backbone of your digital marketing strategy.In spite of all of the recent bad press, social media is still important. According to Sprout Social, Facebook has over 2 billion active users. Instagram has 400 million daily active users. And Twitter boasts 326 million monthly active users who send 500 million tweets daily.
And That Represents a Lot of Potential Customers for Your Brand
But the benefits of social media and inbound marketing goes beyond the sheer volume and reach. Social media lets you deliver exactly what your audience wants. It provides them with engagement, education, and confidence.
To learn more of why social media is the perfect marketing tool for giving your audience what they want, read the full article at DrumUp
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- 26 Nov
The New 4Ps of Marketing and What They Mean to You
Back in college or at some point in your career, you learned about the 4Ps of marketing. As the old mantra goes, they are place, price, product, and promotion. Though nearly 60 years old, the 4Ps still hold weight today.However, the marketing landscape has been undergoing drastic changes. And today, marketers must shift to an even more permission-based data strategy to fuel their personalized marketing strategies. That suggests a new set of the 4Ps of marketing.
Now Privacy, Permission, Personalization, and Performance (ROI) are the way forward for marketers looking to earn consumer trust and loyalty. To learn what these are and how to apply them in your business, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com.
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- 18 Nov
Good Storytelling Starts With Your Value Proposition
As a consultant, I often see companies forgetting to tell the story about the value their products hold for the customer. In most cases, that is because companies are so close to their products. As a result, they assume the benefits are apparent to everyone.
This is Where Good Storytelling Comes In
And this is a good example of what good storytelling represents. With the markets changing at such a rapid pace, it can all be overwhelming. Understanding the shifting demands of buyers, and the market are hard.
But, one thing is constant. A good story always works and a good story always starts with the value your products brings to your customers. And that means that all of your content needs to demonstrate as well as explain your products values to the customer. But not as a focal point of your product, rather from a customer-view perspective.
To understand this all more clearly and learn how this can be applied to your business, read the full article on Heinz Marketing’s Blog.
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- 08 Nov
Where do Buyers Research Products? [New Report from HubSpot]
by Pamela Bump
The burning question of the day: Where is it that people do their research when they are considering a purchase? The time was, people perused print ads. Or they saw a promotional flyer. But the times, they are a changing. Or, at least they have changed and significantly. And if brands don’t keep pace with these changes, they loose opportunities to be in consideration of the final purchase.If Ya’ Snooze if Ya’ Loose . . .
One big shift was noted in 2018 when it was discovered that 40% of people used social media channels for aspects of product research. And younger generations today are getting more and more connected to social media platforms. So, that means that the amount of product research done on these platforms is likely to grow. In fact, 16 to 24-year-olds already conduct product research more on social than search engines.
By now, you might be on all the major social media platforms. But, as they expand and evolve, you might still wonder which you should focus your time and efforts on if you’re selling a physical product. To determine this, it can be helpful to find out which social channels your specific audience is using to look for products, and then create social strategies that meet them where they are on their preferred platforms.
To learn more about the social networks people prefer to surf for product research, see the poll data and read the full article on the HubSpot Blog
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- 07 Nov
Email Marketing Trends Report: Deliverability Remains A Challenge
from Marketing Charts
A new report [download page] from DemandMetric and Return Path, has some surprising state-of-email insights. It seems that an increased number of marketers say their email marketing effectiveness is holding steady. However, fewer are seeing any increase in its effectiveness.It might be easy to assume that this performance plateau is due to the fact that email is a long-established channel. However, there are some key differences between sectors. Additionally there are some emerging challenges that are worth noting from the report.
Deliverability Become A Greater Issue; Getting Attention Still Tough
One key take-away is that email marketers still struggle at the inbox. They still need to get their emails into the inbox before they can achieve any other goal. And getting emails seen is a basic but pressing challenge considering that consumers say that few brand emails are even interesting enough to open.
For more of the data, insights and to download a copy of the original report, read the full article at MarketingChats.com »
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- 04 Nov
2018 B2B Video Completion Rates and Success Benchmarks
from Marketing Charts
We know that in the B2C space, marketing videos have grown in popularity. But, this year B2B marketers have also named video as their top lead generation tactic.But keeping B2B buyers engaged can sometimes be a struggle. Marketers are constantly challenged with the cold, hard reality of engagement. So, the question remains if they work and how they can work harder for our marketing. And, can video really help with that?
One measure of video marketing success is video completion rate. That means, people watching the complete video from start to finish. And a new video benchmarks from Vidyard [download page] offers insights into that very benchmark. And what they found for completion rates for business-related videos, and the results are encouraging.
But beyond just completion rates, the study offers other benchmarks for business-related videos on Vidyard’s platform in 2018. To see what those are and to learn just how effective B2B marketing videos can be, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 30 Oct
7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Boost Your Website Conversion Rate
When you think about it, there are a number of good reasons for creating, updating, and maintaining your business website. On the top of that list should be one important goal. Above all else, it should be able to acquire qualified leads and customers. Otherwise, if your business website fails to generate qualified leads and customers, it certainly is not working on behalf of your success.
Just Becase You Build it, Doesn’t Mean They Will Come . . .
And, not only do you need to build a great website, but you also need to constantly optimize the design, the content and the usability of your website in order to convert more of your visitors. And when you consider that the average website conversion rate is 2.35%, every website could do with a boost to improve results.
So, how can this be improved, you may ask. In this article from Jeff Bullas’ blog, Lilach Bullock shares with us 7 things you can start doing immediately to boost your website conversion rates. To learn how your business can capture more leads and customers through your website, read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 25 Oct
Why Meta Titles and Descriptions Are So Critically Important For SEO
If you’ve ever tried optimizing your website for search engines, you may have come across things such as Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions. These two are central to any SEO strategy. And they must to be considered and edited before publishing a piece of content or allowing a website to go live.What is SEO and Why is it Important?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. And it is critically important because of how search engines work.
When someone begins a search on an engine, they type what they are looking for into the search bar. This ‘request’ then uses the search platform’s algorithm to find the information. And in order to do this, the algorithm searches things such as matching words in the content, images that could potentially correlate with the query. But importantly, it looks for it’s top clues in the Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions.
But if you’ve never even touched the SEO side of your website, this article by Konstantin Rabin on Jeff Bullas’ Blog will certainly convince you that it’s an absolute must to have if you want your business to succeed.
Read the full article on Jeff Bullas’ Blog.
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- 15 Oct
Build a Cross-Channel Lead Generation Strategy in 4 Steps
by Brett McHale
Cross-channel marketing is an important element of your lead generation strategy. But figuring out the details isn’t always easy. It’s tricky to determine how to approach the relationship between each channel.Questions. Questions. And More Questions.
And it doesn’t get any easier, especially if you’re considering all the relevant questions, such as, how much budget do I allocate to each channel? Or, how do I get the most out of each channel? and even, how can I better connect what we’re doing on Google to what we’re doing on Facebook?
Once you begin marketing on multiple platforms, it becomes apparent that certain strategies work for more than one channel. While others may only apply to one of them. So to help, Brett McHale brings us an easy to understand guide. With this guide, he walks us through four steps to create a strong cross-channel strategy so that you can get more out of each of your advertising channels.
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- 14 Oct
Email Marketing vs. Social Media: Grudge Match or Dream Match?
Some may feel that email marketing and social media marketing are at opposing ends of the marketing spectrum. But, they can work together to benefit your next marketing campaign. Both have their relative strengths and weaknesses. But, in combination, they can make a powerful combination for your marketing.On The One Hand . . .
Social media marketing, on the one hand, is the act of promoting content on social media channels. While email marketing is the process of leading prospects down the sales funnel by sending marketing materials directly to those who’ve subscribed to that content.
And there are engaging, eye-catching methods you can use to integrate both marketing strategies in ways that will delight your customers. A holistic approach to digital marketing incorporates both social media and email marketing to reach your customers in a creative and memorable way. Believe it or not, the two rival methods work very well together. To see how, read the full article at HubSpot.com
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- 10 Oct
Visual Language Can Spell Success for Your Next Marketing Campaign
by Erin McCoy
By now there should be no argument. Visual content is now an absolute necessity for marketing success. In fact, 94% of first impressions of your brand are based on visual design.And, so your marketing content must delight and your visuals need to engage your audience at very first glance. But, if not, they’re likely to move on to the next thing. And will do so in a matter of seconds.
You Still Might not be Reaching Your Full Marketing Potential
While your brand guidelines are critical for providing general direction, each campaign is different. So each campaign needs its own visual language. And to help you take your visual marketing content to the next level, in this article from the HubSpot blog, Erin McCoy explores what a visual language is, and how you can develop one for your next campaign. Read the full article now . . .
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- 08 Oct
The Top 5 Content Distribution Strategies to Extend Your Reach
Arguably, in almost every B2B segment content is essential. Google loves quality content. Your visitors love content. But it is a total waste of time and resources to simply write content for the sake of writing. So, not only do you have to produce quality content but you also need to adopt methods to distribute it.
Producing Content is One Side – Marketing it is Another
It is a lot of work to produce the type of high-quality content your visitors want and need. It takes a lot to create what gains their attention and engages them. But creating the content is only part of the equation for content marketing success.
And if you are currently creating and producing content and not getting what you need, it may be because you of one missing ingredient – a distribution strategy. In this article from Jeff Bullas’ Blog, Vartika Kashyap brings us a few tips about how to build a successful content distribution strategy.
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- 07 Oct
New Research Reveals How to Accelerate the Buyer’s Journey with Content
by Josh Baez
It’s no secret today’s buyers are overwhelmed. And today, the average consumer experiences tremendous marketing fatigue. They are literally being bombarded from every angle with marketing messages. And, that experience isn’t always a positive one.
Are We Hindering or Helping?
70% of buying decisions are made before ever talking to a salesperson. And these days, for buyers, experience and information matters more than ever. So, now there is an even greater reliance upon content for marketing outcomes.
As marketers, Are We Enabling Those Decisions or Hindering Them?
But, what can be done? New research just released give us some great tips. The report gives us some intereting insights into how we can best use our content to accelerate our buyer’s journey. And not to hinder it. So to learn what they found, read the full article at Heinz Marketing’s Blog
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- 02 Oct
How Have B2B Buyers Purchase Processes Changed?
from Marketing Charts
Once again, there are indications of a shifting trends in the processes used for B2B purchases. Earlier research from Demand Gen Report and ON24 found that the majority of B2B buyers believe that content can be improved by adding more research and data.News You Can Actually Use . . .
This years study, Demand Gen’s 2019 B2B Buyers Survey Report [download page], did uncover a number of new trends. It seems that the vast majority of senior-level B2B executives report that business needs and priorities have changed this year. They report that these have shifted their purchase timelines. Most indicated that these changes resulted in them either accelerating or postponing purchase decisions.
Additionally, B2B buyers are showing more diligence and caution in their purchases, spending more time researching their purchases. And this is significant information for those on the marketing and sales side as it means there is a need to provide the relevant, authoritative content that aids buyers in making their purchasing decision. For more of the data and insights, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 01 Oct
Traditional Marketing vs. Digital Marketing: Why Not Both?
We all know that the rise in the importance of digital in our world has changed marketing. And that has resulted in an argument between traditional and digital marketing has evolved. But is it really an “either – or” decision?First let’s take a look at what differentiates the two
Traditional marketing refers to any type of marketing that isn’t online. This means print, broadcast, direct mail, phone, and outdoor advertising like billboards. From newspapers to radio, this method of marketing helps reach targeted audiences. It is a form of “broadcast marketing” targeting a broad audience.
Inversely, digital marketing is … well … digital. Digital marketing is any marketing a company conducts online. This can be anything, such as paid social media ads, email marketing, and PPC advertising. And digital marketing has become wildly popular due to the cultural, technological, and societal shifts around us. And as the world becomes more digital, the way we market has evolved.
So, when trying to choose between traditional and digital marketing, why not look at both? The question shouldn’t be “To traditional market or to digital market?” Instead, try “How do we use both tactics to market effectively?” To learn how, read the full article at HubSpot.com
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- 25 Sep
The 12 Types of Content Marketing in a Marketer’s Arsenal
When it comes to content marketing, it can be tough to know which ones to use and which ones will make a statement. There are a variety of content marketing types that marketers can choose from. For example, Southwest likes to mix it up by posting gifs, blog posts, commercials, and retweets on their Twitter page. Delta has recently been on a video and gif kick, posting strictly commercials, videos, and gifs about flight.It’s Not About Me. It’s All About You . . .
It’s ultimately about what type of content marketing promotes your business effectively. But, it is mostly about what your prospects and customers want to see and engage with. And there is a range of different content marketing types to choose from when you want to make a splash in your campaigns.
To learn what they are and how they can impact your brand, read the full article at HubSpot.com
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- 23 Sep
Social Media Dominates Video Content Promotion Efforts
from Marketing Charts
Last year, Tubular Labs revealed that business videos experienced impressive growth on Facebook in the second quarter of 2018. No real surprise there. And now, in this most recent survey they found that the top channels for promotion were, once again, social media platforms.This is a Really Huge Deal
Currently, over 89% of marketers use video as part of their content strategy. And that is not surprising considering marketers believe video converts better than other content. But how do marketers get their video content to their audiences? A new report [download page] from Wibbitz reveals that when marketers promote their videos, either organically or through paid ads, an overwhelming number turn to social media, even more so than their own websites or blogs.
Want to learn more? Then read the full article and access the source data at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 20 Sep
How to Leverage Native Video on FB, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram
by Sian Jaylo
Native video is certainly a large part of social media marketing. However, not all businesses know the ups, downs, benefits of native video. There are even some great examples of how native video can greatly influence one’s social media following and beyond.
This is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Option
One thing that you need to bear in mind is that native video works differently on each of the four main social networks. There are some significant differences in how Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram treat native video. And that means that for each social network, there are different ways to best leverage native video.
To learn the differences and how to do it yourself, DrumUp has put together a useful guide. It is full of great examples of how businesses and brands are using native video to get more followers and engagement on these social platforms. Read the full article.
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- 18 Sep
How B2B Marketers Are Using Webinars and What’s Working Best
from MarketingCharts.com
Marketers have found that webinars, as a form of event marketing, are one of the most successful top of the funnel demand generation tactics. And consequently, more than three-quarters of B2B marketers are using webinars as part of their marketing mix. This, according to new research [download page] from Demand Gen Report and GoToWebinar.So, Webinars Are Still A Top Performer at Top-of-Funnel
The survey of B2B marketing practitioners reveals some significant trends. As example, they found that close to 4 in 10 of B2B marketers say that the quality of leads from webinars are higher than from other channels. And nearly half say that webinars provide better quality leads based on engagement.
The benefits do not stop with lead generation. Marketers also say that webinars provide them with the ability to obtain customer insights. And even more importantly, a large percentage of respondents also indicated that they’ve experienced a better conversion of leads to opportunities from webinars.
To see more of the data and insights, and to download the original study, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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