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Why Influencer Marketing Is More Important Now Than Ever Before

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By Kayla Matthews (Guest Author)

The concept of influencer marketing is far from new. In fact, modern influencer marketing dates back to 1920 when Coco Chanel became one of the most transformative influencers on fashion. However, this branding strategy didn’t experience a rise in popularity until the late 1990s and early 2000s as bloggers and content creators grew in number. 

Now, brands are connecting with popular social media influencers on any and every platform in a rather successful attempt to promote their services and products. As more people flock to social media, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, brands will likely invest even more in this marketing strategy. For influencers, the future is bright, to say the least.  

People Hate Ads

Advertisements have been bombarding consumers for years. From commercials on TV to billboards to ads on Facebook and Instagram, brands are vying for your attention. Meanwhile, most consumers are actively blocking these ads or completely ignoring them, even when the algorithm uses a person’s browsing history to target them and pique their interest. These traditional ads simply don’t work like they used to. Why you might ask? Consumers don’t trust brands that self-promote and they’re tired of all the noise. 

Enter the Influencer

Then, influencers entered the scene. Popular people — like Kim Kardashian and Donald Millner— with huge social media followings began to partner with both small and large brands to promote their products. This marketing strategy proved quite effective since followers viewed their recommendation as authentic and trustworthy. On Twitter, nearly 40% of users report purchasing a product because of an influencer and 60% of YouTube subscribers would follow the advice of their favorite creator. Evidently, influencer marketing is working. 

Even those without huge followings, like TikToker Lauren Godwin and beauty Instagrammer Daniel Jewels, boast an impressive engagement rate and frequently partner with brands. While some most enter these partnerships as a way to make money, many are choosy about which products they endorse. After all, they want the brands they tout to be trustworthy and legitimate so as not to tarnish their reputation and lose followers. 

COVID-19 and Online Engagement

The coronavirus has changed influencer marketing in huge ways. When the pandemic first hit America, ad budgets decreased and, with them, the financial compensation to many influencers. However, since then, budgets have increased and some are making even more off promotional posts than ever before. This increase is largely due to the rise in social media consumption during shelter-in-place orders and quarantine. 

Since the pandemic, web browsing has risen by 70% and social media engagement has increased by 61%. Of course, this level of online interaction has lent itself well to influencer marketing. Content creators have more time to increase their output, connect with followers and experiment with new platforms while followers now have the opportunity to engage more than ever. Consequently, many ad agencies and brands are investing more in this effective marketing strategy. 

The Future of Influencer Marketing and How to Get Involved

As the pandemic drags on and social media continues to surge in popularity, it’s likely brands will invest even more in influencer marketing. Thus, since celebrities and macro-influencers can only rep a few brands without losing engagement, companies will likely begin partnering with more micro-influencers and those with only a few hundred followers. 

If you’re one of these creators who has a smaller, dedicated following, it may be time to seek out a partnership with one or two of your favorite brands. Odds are your audience will love them, too and you might be able to make a commission from affiliate links and posts. Begin by creating genuine relationships with your followers. Then, reach out to brands and explore new platforms, sharing your for different products and services wherever you go.

About the Author: Kayla Matthews writes about communication and workplace productivity on her blog, Productivity Theory. Her work has also appeared on Talent Culture, MakeUseOf, The Muse and Fast Company.

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

7 Mistakes to Avoid in Digital Marketing

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By Michael Deane

Digital marketing can be tough and not getting the desired results can happen even to the most experienced marketers. The digital landscape is constantly changing and evolving, and you need to keep up to date with the best digital marketing practices at all times.

Digital marketing blunders can have a detrimental effect on your business and your finances. Lack of results in driving traffic, lead conversions, and sales happen when your digital marketing strategy is inadequate.

Let’s review the seven most common and biggest digital marketing mistakes you need to avoid if you want to promote your business and help it thrive.

1. Failing to Set Realistic Goals

Setting unrealistic goals is one of the common mistakes when it comes to this strategy. It is not rare for digital marketers to overestimate the potential of their digital efforts and to expect all their prospects to convert into sales, which is highly unrealistic.

Another downside of this way of thinking is having doubts about the benefits of digital marketing.

It is best to set clear goals you can achieve in the short, medium, and long-run with this strategy. To do so, it’s a good idea to observe past trends and the experiences of similar businesses operating in your industry.

Also, it is crucial to set specific and measurable goals since that will allow you to better track your digital marketing efforts.

2. Not Knowing Your Target Audience

The first step when developing a digital marketing strategy is taking the time to get to know and understand your target audience.

Without this information, you risk losing money since you can only make assumptions about who you’re promoting your company to. When you know who your ideal customer is as well as who your buyer personas are, you can create content that will resonate with their problems and interests.

Learn as much as possible about your target market and establish a connection with those who are most likely to be interested in your offer, instead of trying to sell your products or services to random individuals.

To research your target audience, start with identifying who your current customers are. Social media analytics can provide in-depth information about this.

Creating buyer personas is one of the best ways to better understand your audience. When you know their needs, preferences, and pain points, you can generate amazing content that will attract them to your brand.

3. Failing to Respond Promptly to Your Customers’ Inquiries

When you manage multiple channels and have to manually respond to customer interactions, it can become overwhelming or even impossible. On the other hand, failing to respond to your audience’s inquiries promptly can have dire consequences for your business.

Responsiveness and excellent customer service are critical in today’s market, regardless of the industry.

The solution to this is chatbot technology. It can help you engage with your customers in real-time and lead to better business results.

When you choose the right chatbots for your business, you can enhance customers’ experience, satisfy their needs, and answer their questions 24/7 without having to put them on hold. This will reflect in your profit since more leads will turn into sales with access to the right information at hand.

Conversational chatbots can save your business money since you won’t have to hire additional customer reps, while the conversations can be designed to use your brand’s particular tone. A call deflection bot is another example of how this technology can keep you from wasting precious resources, leaving your human agents free to engage with more complicated scenarios.

4. Engaging in Black Hat Methods

Those eager to get a quick increase in traffic or to rank higher on Google may resort to unsafe marketing practices. If you make that mistake and engage in any type of cheating techniques, it may cost you a lot.

Avoid using any type of black hat methods, that is, dishonest and cheating practices, since they will most probably lead to penalties by Google. Instead of boosting the performance of your website by trying to trick search engines, opt for ethical methods.

Safe marketing strategies will require more work and patience. Still, they will also build your brand a good reputation and deliver better results in the long run, without any unpleasant consequences.

5. Settling for Paid Advertising Only

Pay-per-click marketing can indeed earn quick traffic and sales, but it is not the only digital marketing tactic that can generate revenue.

Also, it can get expensive, since it can take some time to see the long-term results.

If you use only paid advertisements, you may miss other more effective digital marketing strategies. Spending on paid advertising is recommended if your goal is to generate more visibility for your brand.

If the organic visits to your website are increasing with time, then it is best if you invest in other aspects like generating outstanding content and improving the design of the landing pages.

6. Not Promoting Your Website Efficiently

With more than 1.5 billion websites online, your target audience is not likely to stumble upon your site unless you do your best to promote it well. Without people coming to your website, no sales will be made.

Promoting your website will increase its visibility and result in reaching new customers.

To get more traffic, invest in SEO, SEM, and creating engaging and informative content. Another significant ranking factor besides exceptional content is backlinking. This tactic relies on earning links on reputable and trustworthy websites, as they practically vouch for relevance and credibility.

Implementing effective link building strategies can help rank your pages higher and ultimately bring you more traffic and conversions.

Turning to paid ads on search engines and social media is also a great way to promote your business.

7. Not Using Social Media Properly

Posting content on social media channels isn’t sufficient in helping your business convert more leads and gain profit. Again, it’s the engagement with the right people that makes all the difference.

Your social media marketing efforts need to be focused on your target audience. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and money.

This means you need to communicate with your customers via platforms they use the most and develop high-quality content that will appeal to them.

Facebook recently stated that it would encourage meaningful interaction between people. In other words, there will be less “salesy” content and advertising on their users’ news feed. This means that your safest bet is to create valuable content that engages your audience and connects your brand with your followers.

Posts that educate, inspire, or entertain are more likely to get your customers to take a specific action. Responding to comments encourages engagement too.

Social media, content marketing, and SEO are great digital marketing strategies that can be as effective as paid advertisements if done properly. The mistakes that we discussed can hinder your growth significantly, so be careful.

 

Author Bio:

Michael Deane has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael’s work at Qeedle.

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

Do Your Employees Have All the Tools to Sell?

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No matter what your brand has to offer the public, it is key your employees have all the needed tools to sell.

Sure, if you run a one-person operation, then worrying what employees have is rather moot.

That said many business owners do have employees under them. As a result, it is important that they know what their workers need to be successful with consumers.

So, do your employees have all the tools to sell?

What Might You Be Lacking?

In looking at what your workers may need to make selling to the public easier, consider the following:

  1. Technology – They may have need for sales commission software. That is to best track results when working to sell. So, be sure your employees have the necessary tools. Speaking of such software, does your company have it now? If not, it would be well worth your time to look to add it to your office. The right software makes it much easier to track who is doing what when it comes to sales. Keep in mind that happy and organized employees tend to be better ones. As such, knowing the software you offer them is tracking all it should will make things run smoother. Also be sure if you have employees traveling for you that they have access to the right tech items. This makes it easier for them to not only stay in touch with you and clients they meet, but also record what they do for you.
  2. Experience – There is only one way for employees to get experience selling to the public and that is doing it. That said be sure to train your employees the right way from day one. Bad selling techniques can doom an employee early on within your company. He or she has a much better chance of succeeding (as does your business) when they have been trained right. Do not assume when they come to you with sales experience that the experience they have meshes with you.
  3. Marketing and Advertising – It makes it easier for your employees to sell when folks know you. As a result, are you doing all you can to promote your brand through smart marketing and advertising? That will go a long way in making it easier for your workers to form a bond with consumers. When a consumer knows about your brand, he or she can be easier to approach. That is of course unless they take issue with your brand in the first place.
  4. Confidence – Finally, do you instill confidence in your team? Sure, work can get tough at times. You might even raise your voice a time or two. That said providing support to your employees means more than resources. Show them you support them as both workers and people. Such support can go a long way in increasing the chances of a sale.

As you review what your employees have to make sales, anything you need to do different?

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics online.

 

Six Examples of Solid Facebook Marketing

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Facebook is a very powerful, extremely viral social networking and micro-blogging platform that has catapulted many businesses to new levels. It has enjoyed a famously popular online exposure and an ever-increasing appeal to corporations, social networkers, and online entrepreneurs.

Some companies who recognize the Facebook effect experience enormous brand recognition and success that accompanies their marketing efforts. These six companies are currently enjoying successful social networking, high traffic to their sites, and a branding experience that they credit to Facebook.

1. Pringles

The famous potato chip snack company is quite popular on Facebook – something to the tune of over 3 million fans! The site’s attraction is more than the snack lover’s interest in their wares, but for their comedic and crafty use of their product videos.

The videos are a mixture of professional, commercial-style shoots and others that were taped possibly using personal video recorders. All of the videos are entertaining and funny, but without fail in each video, Pringles brands themselves very effectively through visual marketing.

2. Dell

If Facebook fans ever needed a reason to love a computer manufacturer, Dell has given them one – if not several. With over 100,000 fans and several niche Facebook pages, Dell is the company who proudly embraces a green campaign and makes a conservation commitment to their Facebook followers.

Each time one of Dell’s fan’s picks a friend, Dell plants a tree on their behalf. This effort is a part of their commitment to creating a healthier planet, additionally making a donation to The Conservation Fund to plant up to 150,000 trees. How’s that for social interaction?

3. LawListings

LawListings Facebook

LawListings has a very engaging Facebook page that is a good example of visual quoting: They put together well-branded visual quotes and engage their Facebook audience with that content.

This Facebook Page is a great example of effective Facebook marketing even in tough niches.

4. Pizza Hut

The pizza chain giant has over one million fans on their page. What makes their site so viral? Their generous interaction with the pizza community. They tag other users on Facebook, make it fun and very sociable by allowing fans to upload various pictures, images, photos and artistry depicting their brand in various ways.

Some of the fan photos are with family, creating a visual imagery of unity, while other photos that are incorporated onto their page are snapshots of different Pizza Hut restaurants or paraphernalia.

5. Harley-Davidson

The motorcycle giant has over 700,000 fans on their Facebook page and use several marketing methods to attract and retain those fans. Much of the information on their site consists of photos and videos, but there is a heavier focus on information and updates about their product and the motor bike industry at large.

Fans flock to their pages to sneak a hopeful peek at what the upcoming bikes will look like and to read about any changes in their current bike line. Harely-Davidson is definitely an industry leader with a proven track record. Facebook has helped their online marketing efforts by reaching a technical aspect of their customer pool.

6. Starbuck’s

With one of the highest number of fans on Facebook, Starbuck’s remains at the top because of their frequent and engaging interaction with coffee lovers everywhere!

They are very involved in the local communities and abroad, and use videos, blog posts, surveys, and coffee giveaways to appeal to their customer base. Starbuck’s takes the time to carefully groom their social networking page to be sure that they effectively reach their customers, making them an outstanding industry leader.

Further reading and resources:

Any other great Facebook marketing case studies? Please let us know!

7 Ways to Quickly and Efficiently Re-Brand Your Small Business

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By Nathan Sykes

You may be thinking about a re-brand for your business for many reasons, but the most common one is because you’ve hit a rut. No matter why your company isn’t growing, updating your image, changing your audience or selling new products could all be excellent solutions.

However, changing your business around won’t happen overnight. Some ways to go about rebranding are quicker than others, but keep in mind that this isn’t an instant process. Nonetheless, be sure your new brand is right for your business before investing time and money.

Here are seven of the quickest, most efficient ways to make sure the public knows you’re going in a new direction with your business.

1. Get a New Look

The first step in making your business different is to redo your look. Even if you don’t plan on renaming the company, make sure you invest in a professional artist to create a new logo. Try to get your logo to look as modern as possible — unless you’re marketing to a more traditional audience.

With a new logo comes new promotional material. You’ll need to remake all your pamphlets, billboards, uniform shirts and storefront signs, to name a few. The most important change is going to be your business cards. Update cards with your new logo as soon as possible. Often, a business card is your first contact with new customers and clients. You’ll also need to update your website to match your new brand.

If your brand is changing because of shifting audiences, be sure to look into new avenues for advertising. Try taking out ads on popular websites like Facebook or Reddit that can reach your audience.

2. Remodel Everything

If you want or need an entirely new look, remodeling your brick and mortar stores is an excellent place to start. While not exactly instant, remodeling your stores will be the quickest way to tell the public you’re taking a new approach. One of the easier ways to remodel is to redo the wall panels and siding of your business. Changing the siding isn’t as drastic as tearing down walls, and the new look will speak volumes.

During the age of technology, you may have a lot of customers who never walk into your store. That’s why remodeling your website is just as important as the building. Make sure to streamline and update your site as much as possible. Don’t add programs that will make your site complicated or slower. Hire a professional to do the job for you, or remember to use minimalism to your advantage.

3. Launch New Products or Services

Even if you’re not rebranding because of a new service or product line, introducing at least one new product or service as you’re rebranding will help. Having a new offering shows the public you’re changing along with your look. Bringing in a new product or service may also prevent you from having to rebrand completely.

The new product or service you launch will depend on your business, but keep in mind that this is partially an advertising campaign — new offerings will bring in new customers.

4. Join Social Media

Changing your tone and image on social media is one of the first changes you should make, as customers worldwide will have access to the new you. More importantly, social media allows you to interact with your audience and promote advertising. You can get involved with current topics and trends, address customer concerns immediately and show off your new brand message.

If you already use social media for your business, customizing your profiles to fit your new image is easy on most sites. Vowing to get more involved on Facebook and Twitter is one of the best choices you could make when rebranding.

5. Network All Over Again

If you thought your business graduated from the world of networking, think again. When you rebrand, you’re redoing everything about your business. You’ll have to reinvent your image from the ground up, which includes the basics of networking.

Touch up your LinkedIn profile and attend more networking conferences. Keep in mind this is for your business, not a personal rebrand — you’re trying to build connections all over again. This directive is a lot less important for companies in retail than for a client-centric or contract-based business, but networking may be something to look into if you want your business to move up no matter your industry.

6. Invest in Photography

Finding a good photographer might sound like a strange part of rebranding, but it’s crucial. If you haven’t shown off your employees and staff before now, this is the best opportunity to do so. Customers love seeing small businesses honoring their employees. Bringing everyone to a professional studio and spending a little money can go a long way with making the human connection with consumers.

If you already have photographs of everyone, updating them during rebranding is a must. Don’t bother taking the pictures yourself with a smartphone or even a decent camera — you want your business to look professional. If all goes well, your new photos won’t be outdated for several years to come.

7. Donate Locally

This might sound like another odd piece of advice, but donating to local charities is a fantastic way to get your name out there and shed a favorable light on your company. Ethics matter to customers who research businesses — if you haven’t participated in local charities or fundraisers before, consider doing so as you rebrand.

On the off-chance that there’s nothing local to participate in, consider starting an annual fundraiser. Hosting food or toy drives during the holidays can go a long way with making a good name for your business — not to mention, you’ll be helping your community.

The Finishing Touches

Rebranding a business is not cheap or easy. You can complete some steps more immediately than others, such as joining Twitter or getting a new web domain. Other measures, like remodeling your office and networking, will take patience. If you want an effective rebranding of your business, these are some of the best places to start.

No matter your rebranding goals, the most critical step is to remember why you’re changing in the first place. Keep your mission in mind, and the rest will fall into place.

About the Author: Nathan Sykes writes about the latest in business and technology from Pittsburgh, PA. To read his latest articles, check out his blog, Finding an Outlet.

 

Photo by Lonely Planet on Unsplash

3 Keys to Marketing Your Brand Without Mistakes

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No matter what your brand may be, it is crucial that you do your best in marketing it to the public.

It is important to remember that your competition is more than likely doing all it can to get the upper leg on you. As a result, you may very well have to pull out all the stops to get ahead and ultimately stay in top.

That said are you driving ahead with all the right keys in making sure your marketing game is second-to-none?

Be Driven to Promote Your Products

In doing your best to promote your products, what marketing methods are you using? More importantly, are you using any and all of them without major mistakes in the process?

Among the keys to marketing your brand without mistakes:

  1. Staying on message – To start, what message do you want to get across to consumers? As an example, if you are a vehicle manufacturer or you sell cars and trucks, how much of an emphasis do you place on vehicle safety? Without safe vehicles to fill the roads, most consumers would have to rely on public transportation and other means to get around in their daily lives. Your message to consumers in marketing your vehicles should be that safety never takes a back seat. If promoting backup camera systems in the vehicles you make or sell, show consumers how this technology can lessen the chances for accidents and even save lives. The backup camera will alert drivers when someone or something is moving behind their vehicle as they get set to go in reverse. With the message of safety in your marketing, you will get the attention of countless consumers.
  2. Listening to consumers – One of the biggest marketing mistakes a company can make is not hearing what consumers are saying. Whether it is a current or potential customer, keep your ears open. Many consumers get frustrated with companies when it comes to customer service. If the former feel as if the latter is not properly listening, there’s a good chance they will go elsewhere. That means spending their dollars with someone else. So that you lessen the odds of losing potential business, be a good listener. Whether it is a problem with a product or a consumer is not pleased with the service you provided them, be attentive.
  3. Socializing the experience – Last but not least, it is imperative that you have your eyes and ears tuned in with social media. Given there are millions of consumers on social networking sites at any given time, you certainly do not want to miss out on the possibilities of connecting with them. This means you need to have active participation on venues like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. Along with promoting your products and services on these sites, run links to relevant information about your industry. The more informative you are to the public, the better the odds more consumers will come your way. Also, be sure to interact when needed with consumers. One of the great things with social media is that you and your team can talk to consumers 24/7/365.

In doing your best to steer clear of marketing mistakes, make sure you are driven to connect with consumers on a regular basis.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.