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- 15 Sep
How to Use Video for Every Stage of the Sales Funnel
Videos are powerful tools that have become more important to marketing success in today’s social distancing world. In fact, it can be said that they are an essential component of any sales and marketing campaigns. And business have come to understand the value of video and its effectiveness in building brand awareness and trust to increase sales and revenue.
One Tool. And So Many Uses.
It is the one, single marketing tool that can be used throughout each stage of the sales funnel. Videos can convey information and evoke emotional responses like no other medium can. However, it can be expensive. Too expensive for many small businesses. But, you can take advantage of video marketing and reduce video production cost, through the use the sales funnel concept to tailor video content and messaging to buyers’ stage in their purchase-decision journey. Doing so improves the chances of conversion—and increases sales and revenue.
To help you learn how you can do this, Torrey Tayenaka brings us some great advice on how to guide potential buyers from the top of the funnel, where initial video ads and videos are first viewed that expose the potential buyer to your products or services, to the bottom of the funnel, where sales and purchases of those products or services are made. Read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 01 Sep
Why Content Is at the Center of Modern Customer Journeys
by Lydia Nicoll
We know that content is king. But why is it especially important for a modern customer journey? Well, for one thing, in-person events and meetings are not happening right now.
The Times, They Are A-Changing . . .
And in the business environment many businesses have been developing ways to pivot their offerings, services, and even their entire business models to adapt. They are becoming more innovative in their content. They are adjusting how they present their content.
The importance of content isn’t new. But the types of content we deploy and how we are utilizing it throughout the customer journey is changing. But is this a lasting change? And, what is working now? To lean more, read the full article on the Marketo Marketing Blog.
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- 18 Aug
Strategies for B2B Executives: How to Boost Content Marketing ROI and Impact
For many executives, content marketing, or its impact, is like a unicorn. Someone might have told them it’s real, but they don’t have the time or inclination to prove it. And that, together with other constraints, leads executives to leave the management and measurement of content marketing to marketing managers.
Big Mistake . . .
However, what may grab the attention of execs is that it can be one or the highest-impact tools. Content marketing can provide conversion rates up to six times higher than other digital marketing methods. However, though the ROI can be high, top-quality content marketing requires a significant time investment. It takes more effort and energy from planning to writing to editing to distribution.
Considering the focus and energy your marketing team is putting into content marketing, wouldn’t it be great to find ways for leadership to amplify those efforts? To learn how to boost the ROI and impact of your content marketing, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com.
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- 04 Aug
What Types of Content Generate Leads That Convert?
from Marketing Charts
Content marketing has enjoyed a strong reputation and has served as the core tool in a number of marketing strategies. And that has been for good reason, it works to generate leads.What Works? And How?
But, that begs the question, what types of content generate leads that convert? So, to address that very question Ascend2 asked marketers.
According to this new report [download page], 9 in 10 marketers surveyed say their lead generation strategy is, in some measure, successful. And, on this front, more than half noted that social media has become one of the most effective digital tactics in generating leads that actually convert.
To read more of the insights in this report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com Read More »
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- 14 Jul
What is the Top Thought Leadership Content Format?
from Marketing Charts
Research tells us that thought leadership plays a positive role in reaching and educating target audiences. It also serves well at fostering trust and loyalty in the market. That is why it has gained so much ground in the past few years.But, What Type of Content Works Best?
To answer that question, Ascend2 investigated the various types of content that marketers feel are best for thought leadership [report download page]. And they came up with some interesting results.
Video Tops the List of Thought Leadership Content
Not surprisingly, it seems that currently, video comes out on top, with more than half of marketers saying it’s one of the best formats for thought leadership content. And that is well ahead of the other formats identified. B2B marketers are increasingly seeing the value in video. And this validates previous research that found that more B2B marketers are finding video to be indispensable.
To read the full article, see more of the data and to download a copy of the original report by Ascend2, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 06 Jul
5 Inbound Lead Generation Strategies & How to Make Them Work!
by Brad Smith
Outbound marketing is a good way to get leads quickly. But it is not a simple process. And that’s for the reason that to do that, you need to be seen by a lot of eyes first. That gets very expensive. Add to that the fact that those eyeballs my not be aware that they want or need your product. And they may have never heard of you before and as is the nature of the market now, suspicious of your claims.But what if, instead of pushing your offer onto people when they haven’t asked for it, you could use valuable content to draw them in, when they want to come to you? You can. It’s called inbound marketing. And it works very well.
Inbound marketing: What you need to know
Successful inbound marketing relies heavily upon quality content. That can be in the form of articles, emails, videos, podcasts, infographics, or e-books. However, the content landscape is getting more and more competitive, mainly due to its own success. Now, to see what can be done to overcome this and to learn how this will impact the future or your content marketing program, read the full article at WordStream.com
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- 23 Jun
Thought Leadership Significantly Impacts B2B Buying
The thought leadership content B2B buyers engage with in social media can have a tremendous impact on what they purchase. This was according to new research from LinkedIn and Edelman Digital.
Content + Thought Leadership = B2B Results
It seems that over a third of c-suite execs and decision makers surveyed said thought leadership content had influenced them to ask a vendor to participate in the RFP process. And 47% said such content had a direct impact on awarding business.
Edelman collaborated with LinkedIn on the study of more than 1,300 business decision makers and c-suite executives. They set out to explore how thought leadership influences the B2B purchase process. And they found answers. And to see what they discovered and access the report, read the full article at ChiefMarketer.com
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- 10 Jun
How to Master Content Marketing on LinkedIn
by Alex Pirouz
There are a few different avenues for sharing information on LinkedIn. But which one is the best method? And what if you’re not ready to invest in paid advertising?There Has to be Another Option, Right?
The good news is that there is another option. In fact, there are a couple of ways that marketers can leverage LinkedIn’s platform for content distribution without having to pay for it.
And to help you get a better handle on where and how to execute a content marketing strategy on LinkedIn, read the full article at the HubSpot Blog. You’ll learn everything you need to know from tips on content you should (and shouldn’t) share to how to determine the right frequency for posting.
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- 08 May
5 Steps to Build a Webinar Landing Page That Guarantees Attendees
by Brad Smith
Marketing in a world of “social distancing” has become a lot more complicated and far more difficult. And in this new “shelter in place” era a webinar can be one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal.There’s a Simple Reason for That
Webinars allow you to connect directly with your audience. They can readily establishing your credibility in a domain. And, they can easily associating your business with that topic in the minds of your prospective customers. All of these factors build trust as you present your product in a transparent manner.
While this sounds all great, what if nobody shows up?
After all, without an audience, there’s really no point. The good news: You can skyrocket your attendees by using a customized webinar landing page that is specifically designed to encourage visitors to register. Five key steps go into creating a high-converting webinar landing page, and we’ll be covering all of them. To learn how, read the full article at the WordStream Blog.
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- 05 May
B2B Buyers Rely on Vendor Websites for Content
from Marketing Charts
Repeated studies indicate that, on average, B2B buyers consume 13 pieces of content before making a buying decision. And it’s clear that content plays a vital role in the buyer’s journey.The Top Content Source May Come as a Surprise
So, where are buyers finding the content they need? For most B2B buyers, vendor websites have proven to be an important source of content throughout each stage of their journey. This conclusion comes to us thanks to recent research from FocusVision.
Of the average 13 pieces of content buyers reported consuming, an average of 8 came directly from the vendor, with the remaining 5 being from third-party sources. More importantly, the study revealed that 7 in 10 buyers surveyed said the content they relied upon most came directly through vendor websites. To learn even more, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 19 Mar
How to Implement B2B Content Personalization to Generate More Customers
Content personalization is unarguably one of the current biggest trends happening in content marketing. After all, every business wants to acquire more leads and generate customers. And to accomplish that, today they need to provide personalized content.
It Works Great in B2C Markets. But . . . ?
You’ve likely heard about how mega-companies like Amazon and Netflix provide personalized content to their customers. But what if your business provides services to other businesses rather than individual consumers?
The short answer is that personalization is just as effective for B2B businesses. In a study by Seismic and Demand Metric, B2B enterprise stakeholders claim they use content marketing to generate leads, support sales teams, improve thought leadership, and generate web traffic. So, how effective has B2B content personalization been to these efforts? To find out read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 18 Mar
How to Effectively Use Marketing Content in the Mid-Funnel
Most people familiar with acquisition know there must always be a start to the customer journey. And there is the all-important end – that would be the sale. However, placing your reliance on these two points alone is a sure-fire way to decrease conversions.
Start – Got it. Finish – Nailed. Middle, Not So Much
Now, your sales cycle may just look like the path from A to B. But what goes on between the intrigue and conversion stages can make or break a company.
That is why it is important to harness the potential of content in this often-overlooked gap in the “purchase funnel”. And to find out how you can use your content more effectively in the mid-funnel, read the full article at ChiefMarketer.com
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- 17 Mar
The Ultimate Video Marketing Guide For 2020
by Matt Ballek
Video marketing is quickly becoming a higher priority for businesses of all sizes. It is indispensable, irreplaceable and simply too important for businesses of all kinds.
“Why?” You Might Ask . . .
Did you know that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video? And that’s compared to 10% when reading it in text. Plus, it is the one marketing medium that works at ever level of the funnel. This is only one of the reasons that 85% of consumers want to see more video content from brands.
However, video marketing can be overwhelming. And, honestly it can be a little terrifying to figure out how to start this process. But, don’t sweat it. Matt Ballek has put together a compact, step-by-step guide and posted it on Jeff Bulla’s blog. So read the full article to learn more about the exciting but seemingly overwhelming world of video creation and video marketing. Read More >>
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- 12 Mar
Content Marketing is a Dialogue, Not a Monologue
What does the phrase “content marketing” mean to you? If you’re like most B2B marketers, when you hear it, you may think of some combination of email campaigns and educational content. And today, most brands use this tandem with gated content as a way to build their email list. And then they tend to deploy an email drip campaign to stay connected with the prospect until they are ready to buy. For most, that works well.But one of the biggest challenges with content marketing is that all too often, we treat it like traditional marketing. We think of it as a monologue, as a one way conversation. We send out broadcast emails. We produce a blog and turn off the comments. We create an e-book. All effective but not for encouraging conversation. With our content, we have an opportunity to actually use our marketing to connect with a prospect or customer who is willing to actually engage with us. But that opportunity is lost because we dont engage in a real two-way conversation through out content.
In this post, Drew Mc takes a look at one of the three key takeaways from the content marketing trends report from Content Marketing Institute. He gives us his unique insights on this at the McLellan Marketing Group Blog.
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- 10 Mar
4 Things You Need To Do To Create More Research-Based Content
by James Riddle
A research study conducted by Demand Metric recently revealed that 90% of all companies employ content in their marketing efforts. Today, the majority of business owners believe that content should be central to marketing work.It May Not Be as Simple as You Thought
However, content marketing, and content marketing that really succeeds, is more than crafting 600-800 words. No, it is far more than that now. Now research-based content is gaining favor. Especially so with those who consume that content.
Research-based content marketing is a sustainable way of bringing in more loyal customers. Even though both large and small-sized businesses can benefit from employing the best practices of content marketing, most of us struggle to pull off a successful content marketing strategy.
For some help with those struggles, James Riddle brings us some great advice on some research-based content actions you can take to improve your content marketing game. Read the full article on Jeff Bullas’ Blog
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- 27 Feb
How to Build Interactive Content to Achieve Your Digital Marketing Goals
by Chris Lewis
Because the online content landscape is so crowded, audiences value originality that interest and engages them. One way savvy content marketers are responding is to create compelling interactive content.But, What Is Interactive Content?
For a piece of digital content to succeed, it needs to engage. That may sound trite, but engagement is a big challenge for content marketers today. And it’s nearly always the deciding factor between a hit campaign and a miss that “fell just short.”
Now, interactive content comes in many forms. But all interactive content shares one main trait. It’s built to have an audience actively engage with it in a way that isn’t solely reading written content. I is nearly always customizable. It allows user input. And, it is functional only when a user engages with it. But, where and how to start? To help you get started, the right way, here are 4 types of interactive content you can build at MarketingProfs.comNOTE: A Free Registration pop-up for MarketingProfs will open on this site and registration may be required to read the full article.
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- 24 Feb
Nine Types of Video to Help You Close Sales
In just a short time, video marketing has evolved. It has now become one of the most important selling tools in your marketing tool-belt. And this is not only because it’s an effective way to deliver a message but also because it allows you to really connect with your audience. And all in just a few seconds.How Can Video Help Your Sales?
It has been shown that videos help customers’ decision to purchase a product. In fact, 64% say they are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video. That’s why videos are the type of content with the best ROI. And that is why marketers are including videos in their digital strategies.
To get the most out of your video investment, here’s how to create the right types of video for each stage of the buyer’s journey 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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- 20 Feb
A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make a Video
In 2019, video marketing is being used more than ever. A whopping 87% of businesses say they use it as part of their overall inbound strategy. But even with its success, creating a video may seem daunting. And especially so if your company has never done it before.
Why Are We So Afraid of Doing Video?
Most of us get paralyzed by the “no time, too hard” fallacy. But creating a video doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. If done right, videos can be made quickly and easily. And all while supercharging your engagement and click-through rates.
Ready to dive into your first video? If you, then read the full article at the HubSpot blog to learn the 5 Quick Tips for Producing Video.
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- 18 Feb
Pro Tip: How to Successfuly Embed Video in Email
If you’re an email marketer, you may be looking for ways to possibly spruce up your subscription and click-through rates. And video may just be the prescription you are looking for.
A Good Idea, But Beware . . .
Now in theory, it’s a good idea. After all, two-thirds of consumers preferring video over text when learning about new products or services. However, using video in your email can be a tricky proposition. Most major email clients including Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook don’t support embedded videos. So your subscribers may not be able to watch your video within the email. Or, even worse, they won’t see your email at all, because it’ll end up in their spam folders.
Fortunately, there’s a creative workaround to help you embed part of your video within your email, and incentivize subscribers to click-through to watch the rest. To see how, read all about how to Embed YouTube (or Any Other) Video in Email on the HubSpot Blog
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- 13 Feb
Should You Gate Your Best Blog Content?
Gated blog content is a tried-and-true way to collect email addresses for your marketing campaigns. But gating all of your best content isn’t necessarily always the best move, either. You should decide on a case-by-case basis if a given piece of content should be gated.
There’s More Than One Way to Slice it
There are multiple factors that determine whether a piece of gated blog content will meet the goals you have for it. Or if it will just sit there, totally untouched.
Gating your content can lead your marketing strategy to either skyrocket or nosedive. And it almost entirely depends on choosing the right content to gate. And what information you require as the key to that gate. Here’s your guide to deciding whether or not you should gate your best blog content at Jeff Bullas’ Blog.
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