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- 29 Jul
Facebook Messenger for Small Business: 7 Easy Steps to Connect with Customers
By Carie Ferg
Facebook’s popular messaging service is a powerful way to connect with customers on social media. But the question for a small business without a dedicated social media staff is how can you get value from your efforts on the platform.Plan to Succeed. Don’t Fail to Plan
First and foremost, you need to develop a plan. Not just any plan but one that aligns with your overall marketing plan. It should directly support your business goals. And it needs to be accountable to your sales efforts and not simply be a waste of time, effort and money.
Learn how to make it work for your business at Manta.com
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- 29 Jul
Earning Your Spot in their Email In-Box
by
With all of the new technologies, email seems almost old school today. After all, it’s been around for decades. And much like other mature mediums, we value and loathe it at the same time.We all suffer from email fatigue.
Part of the loathing comes from the daily email experience. It seems that we are constantly being barraged by emails we didn’t ask for. That we don’t want. And that offer no value. What the senders forget is that they’re in the receiver’s in-box because they were invited in. And they have been granted permission to stay.
So what can be done to Earn Your Spot in their Email In-Box? To find out, read the full article on Drew’s Marketing Minute.
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- 28 Jul
How Email Is Accessed in 2017: Top Devices, Platforms, and Clients
by Ayaz Nanji
More emails are now opened on mobile devices than via webmail clients or desktop software. This was according to recent research from Return Path.And Just When You Thought Mobile Wasn’t Important to Your Marketing . . .
The report was based on 27 billion emails opened worldwide between May 2016 and April 2017. And what they found was that some 55% of the email opens examined occurred on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, or e-readers). While 28% occurred via webmail clients (a Web browser visit to a site such as Gmail.com or Yahoo.com). And 16% occurred via desktop software (a client such as Outlook or Apple Mail).
To see all of the data, and to download the original report, read the full article at MarketingProfs
NOTE: A Free Registration pop up opens on this site. Registration is not required to read the article.
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- 27 Jul
13 of Our Best Local Marketing Tips…Ever!
by Dan Shewan
Much to the relief of pretty much everyone, SoLoMo as a catch-phrase for Social Local Mobile, failed to catch on and become part of digital marketing’s lexicon. However, that doesn’t mean that local search also fell by the wayside. If anything, it’s become even more crucial than it was a couple of years ago. This is especially true for brick-and-mortar businesses hoping to drive more foot traffic to their store.Used to Be That “all politics are local.” Well Now All Search is Local. Or it Should be.
To help you maximize your local visibility, we’ll be looking back at the 13 best local marketing tips we’ve ever published. Some are highly specific. While others serve as more of a generalized guide. But if you’re trying to reach new customers in your area, grab a coffee and read on at WordStream.com
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- 26 Jul
How to Use Facebook as Your PR Engine
Publicity – the golden chalice of any small business. The challenge is to get your story in front of the eyeballs that can make a difference for your business. A PR agency may be the answer for you. It’s their job is to get your story in front of the press and potential customers. However, that might set you back $5,000 per month or more.But what if you could get the same, if not better, results yourself, by using Facebook ads?
Facebook ads are one of your biggest business opportunities. The targeting capabilities, the tracking functionality and the low cost of getting started means they beat any other form of advertising hands down. And, it has a neat little feature called workplace targeting that many people don’t even know about. And from a PR perspective, it could save you thousands of dollars every month.
So, if you’re not using Facebook ads as part of your overall marketing and PR strategy, you may be missing a trick. Let’s see how to Target the Media on Facebook at KISSmetrics.com
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- 25 Jul
Inconvenience to Opportunity: How to Tackle the Customer Engagement Gap
by Shayla Price
For decades, companies dictated their interaction with consumers. Brands chose how they would communicate. And they determined when to deliver messages. Consumers were considered passive targets to be accessed.We’re living in a new reality now
However, the consumer climate has dramatically changed. Technology has enabled and empowered customers. Now they control the types of conversations they have with companies. However, most companies haven’t adjusted to these new changes. They’re stuck doing things the old way. As a result, their outdated systems lead to unengaged consumers and declining sales.
That’s why it’s so important to create a bridge that closes the customer engagement gap. And to understand How to Tackle the Customer Engagement Gap, read the full article at KISSmetrics.com
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- 24 Jul
Facebook Explores a News Subscription Product
from eMarketer.com
It’s no secrete that many people look to social media for their news consumption. And that has lead to some interesting conversations and rumors. It seems that Facebook is in early talks with several news publishers to begin testing a paywall for subscription news stories in October.It It’s on the Web, It Must Be True . . . and Free
Campbell Brown, Facebook’s head of news partnerships, spoke about the social media giant’s plans earlier this week. “One of the things we heard in our initial meetings from many newspapers and digital publishers is that ‘we want a subscription product. We want to be able to see a paywall in Facebook.’ And that is something we’re doing now.”
The initiative comes in response to publisher concerns about consumer consumption of news on social networks. For them, it is a matter of how that can be tapped as a revenue source. They are all looking for new channels for them to build upon to replace the loss of subscriber base in this digital age.
Read the full article at eMarketer.com
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- 22 Jul
Instagram for Business: 27 Expert Tips to Market Your Business with Social Photos & Videos
If a picture is worth a thousand words, Instagram might be worth 1,000 new customers for your small business. The social media platform lets you easily share photos and videos with your followers and interact with their photos of your business. With an Instagram for Business account, you can also advertise and promote posts on the platform. Then you even get detailed metrics on how you’re engaging with customers.With 500 million monthly active users—and growing—there are a lot of potential customers on Instagram. Yet most small business owners are missing out. According to a Manta poll, only 24% of small business owners include Instagram in their social media marketing, and of those who do use the platform, only 20% pay to promote posts or place ads. Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle is that 39% of business owners say they simply don’t know how to use Instagram.
How can Instagram help your business get more customers?
As with any social media effort, a smart marketing plan is essential. So to help you out, here is some great advice from social media and marketing experts. To read what 27 Expert Tips to Market Your Business with Social Photos & Videos have to say, see the full article at Manta.com. It may help you use Instagram for Business to connect with customers and grow sales for your small business.
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- 22 Jul
Boost Your Email ROI by Improving Your Copy’s Readability
As an email marketer, you test subject lines and calls to action for optimal performance. But are you submitting your copy to the ultimate test? If you’re not testing your copy for readability, you may be missing out on clicks, conversions, and revenue.Why Does Readability Matter?
When, on average, office workers receive 121 emails per day, fighting for your reader’s attention is a brutal free-for-all. And that fight isn’t getting any easier either. The average attention span is now just eight seconds.
So that means that more than ever, it’s important to make your emails stand out in a sea of content and grab your reader’s attention quickly. Optimizing emails for readability is your ticket to beating the ticking attention clock. And to find out how to do that, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
NOTE: A Free Registration pop up opens on this site. Registration not is required to read the article.
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- 21 Jul
16 Types of Visual Content to Revitalize Your Social Media Marketing
by Disha Dinesh
Face it, today’s audience has trouble focusing. Why is that? Well, it is primarily because of their hyperactive, commotion-ridden environment. Everyday, people are exposed to more webpages, TV shows, social media posts, instant gratification technologies and data.It’s great that the world went digital. Because now you can now connect with anyone, anywhere. But as a business, you need to realize that so can everyone else. Especially your competitors.
Now you need to be able to quickly explain what makes you different? What makes you stand out?
According to new research, social media marketers are now turning to visual content to get the job done. The power of visual content marketing isn’t a new concept. And as a result, today more and more businesses have begun to migrate to digital to reach target groups. Visual content for social media and the internet has now become a primary concern for brands.
To learn all about the 16 Types of Visual Content to Revitalize Your Social Media Marketing, read the full article at DrumUp
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- 20 Jul
How B2Bs Are Harnessing the Event Stack for #MarketingSuccess
from eMarketer.com
Face-to-face events have always been a great way for B2Bs to reach clients and prospects. Even today, they remain an extremely valuable marketing touch-point used by B2B marketers. This is mainly because, they still constitute a great means to move prospects down the purchase funnel.Events Need to Now Join the Era of Digital
Today, digital marketing tactics have become more measureable and data-driven by means of marketing technology. And that means that in-person events must follow suit to justify the spend for competing dollars. “Even with the rise of more measureable digital marketing tactics, in-person events continue to be a major avenue for building relationships, influencing attendees and sharing industry thought leadership,” said eMarketer analyst Jillian Ryan.
To see more of the insights, read the full post at eMarketer.com
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- 18 Jul
eMarketer Updates Worldwide Social Network User Figures
from eMarketer.com
According to eMarketer, this year, 2.46 billion individuals will access social networks at least once a month. That constitutes one-third of the global population and 71.0% of internet users. This number is up 8.2% from 2016.So what is driving this growth?
According to the researchers at eMarketer, it is global mobile phone adoption and expanding mobile coverage that will be drive that growth. This constitutes a boon for the social media platforms as they have become the go-to means of staying in touch. “For much of the world, social networks are a way to stay connected with friends and family,” said Corey McNair, forecasting analyst at eMarketer.
See all of the data and insights at eMarketer.com
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- 17 Jul
The Business Case for Behavior-Changing Content: Five Rules of Engagement
Most marketing conversations these days revolve around terms such as “Omni-channel” and “programmatic.” Or they touch on topics such as the ever-evolving social media channels and the need for brands to produce click-worthy content. After all, content is still one of the best ways to engage your customers.But you must rethink it. It’s not about beautiful stories about your brand. It’s about high-value, behavior-changing content. And it’s about your customers and their aspirations.
It’s All About the Engagement Factor
Engaging content is content that people care about. It is content that gets their attention, captures their interest. And, in best-case scenarios, brings them back, time and time again. Or, it moves them along their journey to purchase your product or service.
To learn how to make this all happen, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 15 Jul
6 Free Resources for Industry-Specific Marketing Benchmarks
Being a marketer has many challenges. But one of the hardest among them all is reporting and proving your success to higher-ups. You’re often met with questions like, “Well, how is Competitor X doing?” or “How do these numbers compare with industry standards?”Questions. Questions. So Many Questions.
Now, sadly, it is still illegal to hack into your competitors’ marketing reports. However, there are several tools and resources available that provide data for your specific vertical.
Whether you’re a marketer in retail, hospitality, technology, or non-profit, these resources will help you understand how you compare to your competitors without breaking any laws. You can Check out 6 free industry resources for marketing benchmarking statistics you use to prove (or disprove) your success at WordStream.com
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- 15 Jul
The 4 P’s of High-Tech Marketing for #MarketingSuccess
It’s difficult to find a company mission statement that doesn’t at least allude to digital transformation. Or refer to the application of technology in all aspects of business. The right technology can be a differentiator for any size company. Even small businesses are demanding solutions typically associated with enterprise customers and high-tech firms.Business intelligence and advanced metrics for a donut shop?
Why not? Cloud integration for a pet store? Sure. Big data for an online delivery service. Definitely. Advanced security for a law office? Of course! But what does this mean for business-to-business (B2B) technology? First, it’s a huge opportunity. Second, marketers need to figure out how to get customers who aren’t necessarily high level CIOs or IT professionals to connect with highly technical products.
So, how do you engage customers before their eyes have a chance to glaze over? Try the “four P strategy.” And to learn what they are and how to use them, read the full article The 4 P’s of High-Tech Marketing at Target Marketing.
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- 14 Jul
How Have Media Habits Changed Among Millennials and Teens?
from eMarketer.com
Millennials say they are spending more time with video and social. But they are not necessarily cutting back their time with other media. This is according to survey data, younger US internet users ages 13 to 17 are shifting away from text-based online content. And moving a bit from TV while spending more time with video and social.Are We Confused Yet? And Where Have all the Millennials Gone?
The data comes from a March 2017 survey by streaming solutions and content provider Fullscreen and market research agency Leflein Associates. For their survey, they polled 1,173 US internet users ages 13 to 34. What they found was that both the younger and older groups were considerably more likely to say they were spending more time streaming full-length TV shows and movies. And similar percentages said they were spending more time with short online video.
So what does this mean for your marketing strategy? And, how can you adjust your ad spend to hit your key demographic? To see all of the data, read the full article at eMarketer.com
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- 13 Jul
How The Psychology of Social Media Addiction Works
We have all read stories about someone so addicted to social media that they have no real-life. However, social media addiction is not an accident. It seems that the social networks are consciously orchestrating a user experience designed to increase dependency. In fact, they’re using some of the same psychological triggers and tricks learned from casinos, among other tactics.“Luke! Come to the Dark Side . . . or not
The ethics of enabling or leveraging social media addiction may be questionable. But, the fact remains that it exists and technology is evolving to embrace it. And the psychology can be used for good – our marketing purposes. After all, it does hold lessons that can be used to increase conversions and customer lifespan.
Given the importance of social media in marketing today, a basic understanding of how it all works is crucial. So, here are seven principles behind social media addiction. And, to learn how you can use them in your social media marketing strategy to build an easy-adoption product and brand experience, read the full article at DrumUp
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- 12 Jul
Seven Content Types That Will Increase Leads and Conversions
So, you are deep into your content marketing. But, it doesn’t seem to be working as you had planned. Could it be that your customers and potential customers think of your content more as annoying advertisement? Are they seeing it less as valuable, useful, or enjoyable marketing, a change may be needed? You may need to rethink your content strategy.Different Strokes for Different Folks
It is important to know that various content methods generate leads. Visual and interactive content, in particular, can increase not only click-through rates (CTR) but also conversion rates for many marketing campaigns. That is true whether you’re trying to get email signups, clicks on links, or sales of your product.
To help you better understand how this can work, here are seven proven methods to help you increase your leads and optimize conversion rates at MarketingProfs.com
NOTE: A Free Registration pop up opens on this site. Free MarketingProfs Registration is required to read the article.
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- 11 Jul
Four Steps to a Compelling Brand Story That Wins Over Customers
You may think your brand story is about your business. After all it is YOUR brand story right? Well, think again.Let Me Tell ‘Ya a Story About a Man Named Jed . . .
The brand story, at its core, is about your consumers. Your story is what your business stands for, that is cast in your consumers frame of reference. It portrays a set of beliefs, purpose and their meaning that constitute your company values. Those values, in turn, become the signals that your consumers learn from and associate with.
When that story is crafted correctly, consumers will be proud to represent a brand. And they will market the brand of their own volition via word-of-mouth. They will become brand champions for your in the market.
But how do you craft such a compelling brand story? To see how, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
NOTE: A Free Registration pop up opens on this site. Registration is not required to read the article.
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- 10 Jul
Behavioral Marketing: A Closer Look at What Gets Consumers Clicking
In the past, marketing to consumers was fairly simple. It was based on things like how many pages they visited on a site. But were rudimentary at best. They could tell you, in broad strokes, what a customer might be interested in. But they weren’t very specific. It was a lot like trying to guess what kind of picture a puzzle might make when you only have a couple of the pieces.What is Behavioral Marketing?
Behavioral marketing has changed all of that. Rather than throwing a bunch of ads at consumers and hope some of the marketing message sticks, behavioral marketing takes all the available information. It takes browsing and search history, IPs and cookies and uses it to build a more definitive profile of the user. And then it permits you to tailor marketing messages accordingly.
But what should you know about it, and how do you get started? To find out, read the full article at KISSmetrics.com
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