Results for: content marketing

A Business Database Is the Key to Better Business Performance

Steven on October 15, 2019

There was a time when data was as an ancillary to business and was in no way related to the core business goals. People used to gather data with the purpose of performing other business tasks with ease. Sales data was mainly for accounting purposes, and manufacturing data helped to ascertain quality and output. Data used to have only one dimension and meaning, and it did not add any value to the business.

With time, all that has changed drastically and data has now acquired multiple dimensions. Data has transformed into one of the most valuable resources for business. By its ability to add value to the firm, data is now as relevant to business as any other asset. Every aspect of the company from supply chain operation to manufacturing, marketing, and customer relations are now heavily dependent on databases that capture all business activities and point towards business performance.

Need for managing data

Databases are storehouses of data and preserve and process data generated from various business processes. Data is made from all activities of business at all levels and by using suitable technology the data is driven to the database first and then extracted, manipulated and analyzed according to the firm needs. Proper analysis of data provides valuable insights for business. Hence, the demand for DBA consultants is growing. They are responsible for managing databases of all types and help businesses to organize data for meaningful consumption.

The value-adding aspect

The real value of data lies in the manner of using it. The capability of the DBA consultant helps to unearth the hidden value of data and pass it on to the business process. The consultant must have good knowledge about the business process so that he or she can understand the relevance of data in the proper context of business and present it to the user in the most appropriate manner. Since all business aims to satisfy customers, data analysis reveals consumer behavior that provides direction to the business. Any changes in consumer behavior are captured through data collected from the field and business owners can decide on what actions must be taken to adapt to change for business gains.

Database management services

Database management is a highly technical job, and as it does not relate to the core business functions, business owners rely on outsourcing the service. There are many professional service providers offering database administration services across all platforms. Different technologies provide the framework for databases that suit business, but they all have a common goal of creating a robust data system. By outsourcing the service, you have the peace of mind that the database is in safe hands and you can make proper use of data for making the right business decisions.

Depending on the scale of operations and the demands of business, you can opt for remote DBA services that provide comprehensive database management services 24×7. Such provider might also offer data entry services when required, and with your data entry outsourced you would be able to focus more at your core competencies to increase your business efficiency.

Finally, the services empower entrepreneurs with the expertise of managing data efficiently so that the powers of data enhance the business prospects.

Centralized systems

On the off chance that your business is developing and you have the staff to enable you to run it, monitoring the expanding measure of information can be precarious. Great database frameworks can enable you to deal with all your business-basic information midway, securely and safely – at whatever point you need it – to help your odds of accomplishment.

Managing customer data and relationships

In the event that clients are the soul of your business, at that point, a decent customer relationship management (CRM) database ought to be at the core of your development plans. Full-highlighted CRM databases are normally amazing enough to store and process everything, from client contact subtleties, collaboration history, and records, to new prospects, leads and business openings. Some CRM frameworks can even enable you to run and track promoting efforts, for example, email bulletins. See more on client relationships with the board.

Efficient inventory tracking

Dealing with your stock well can at times feel like an exercise in careful control. It’s anything but difficult to have excessively – sitting on a rack gambling wastage, or excessively little – frustrating your clients and harming your notoriety. In case you’re following your stock physically, it’s additionally simple to miscalculate, make information section blunders or lose spreadsheets and notes. By utilizing a stock following database, particularly close by electronic information trade and standardized identification checking, you can maintain a strategic distance from those dangers and limit lost deals while expanding your chances for development.

Planning for growth

Most business databases have some type of announcing capacities – from examining input information and profitability following to envisioning future patterns and clients’ needs. In case you’re arranging a technique for development, a hearty database framework can be your business’ most significant asset.

Improved customer visibility

So as to give your customers the degree of individual consideration that they ache for, you should have the option to rapidly access accounts, contacts, errands, occasions, and any important individual information. Salesforce gives an advantageous stage in dealing with the majority of your client-related data, making it feasible for you to regard each client just as the person in question was your solitary client. Furthermore, by better understanding your clients, you’ll be in a situation to more readily conjecture their future activities ‘ Salesforce CRM improves figure precision by as much as 42%.

Better Support

A device is just on a par with it useful. Salesforce gives unrivaled help, so on the occasion that issues emerge, steps are promptly taken to guarantee that everything gets too rapidly back to full usefulness. Maybe the best part is that with the whole stage situated in the cloud, support should be possible without carrying specialists into the workplace, and without paying costly upkeep costs.

Expanded effectiveness and efficiency

Between computerizing tedious errands, rousing better cooperation, and dispensing with the requirement for administrative micromanagement, Salesforce trims away at inefficient procedures and repetitive exertion, leaving a hyper-proficient framework that will give your association and your client’s genuine incentive for each move made. Subsequently, organization efficiency increments. Truth be told, the selection of Salesforce has been appeared to build deals efficiency by as much as 34%.

Digital Branding

Virtual Reality in Shopping Experience – eCommerce Future

Steven on October 8, 2019

Cutting-edge technology revolution would be impossible without businesses’ natural pursuit of competitive advantage via new ways to maximize customers experience. Virtual reality (VR) comes as one of the fascinating technologies to deliver an exceptional customer experience by providing users the concept where real and simulated worlds collide. This technology is now considered as a game-changer in the hyper-competitive marketplace. Understanding this matter from the perspective of an entrepreneur, we want to share with you the useful information with the hope that it can be applied effectively to your business strategy. Now, Let’ dive in!

What is Virtual reality?

General knowledge

Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created and displayed to the user in such a way that they suspend belief and assume it as a real environment. Virtual reality has come a long way in a short period, and it continues to develop at a rapid rate. VR widens a nearly infinite potential, with applications in education, medicine, Ecommerce retail, and numerous other domains.

This shinning electronic technology has made a quantum leap over the past few years, with an ambition to revolutionize mainstream markets. In 2017, virtual reality became affordable and available to the masses, rather than just the gaming elite. According to CCS Insight, by 2018, it’s estimated that 24 million VR devices were sold globally. 2019 is shaping the big year for VR, providing a solid base for the growth VR market. Its volume is expected to reach 98.4 million sales by 2023.

What is a virtual reality in Ecommerce?

Today there are more and more online merchants using VR due to its unique tangibility hallmarks and mind-blowing emotional footprint in advancing customer experience. Suppose that you run an e-commerce business in which your client can discover, choose, pay for inventory, and you can also interface to your buyer in that virtual store. Let’s say, and it is the general picture of virtual reality technology in the business world. Take a closer look in the following examples to see in details.

Yamaha clients can use a special headset to scrutinize the mechanics of their motorbike and see virtual renders of the bike’ engine status, the fuel mixture, parameters coming from sensors. Thanks to VR, the Customer’s interaction with the high-tech product are emotionalized, and machine components are presented vividly to customers or otherwise, they would never see.

Consumers can preview the menu in sit-down restaurants or when ordering food online when they use Kabaq app. The true-to-life 3D models are presented under multiple angles and zoom levels as if the offerings were on a plate in front of you. This app gives the customer a better idea of the portion size and ingredients.

What are the advantages of VR in the online shopping experience

Consumers are excited about shopping’s tech-enabled future. According to research by GfK, 38 percent of U.S. consumers hope to see improved improved experience in stores, while 35 percent want improved customer service based on individual needs, and another 35 percent seek enhanced ways to find and compare different products. With their ability to replace the parts shoppers dislike about shopping, VR in retail holds promise to create the differentiated brand experiences that drive conversions, repeat visits, and higher revenue.

Improve customer’ s online shopping experience

Because VR provides a three-dimension angle of the object, users can virtually visualize the products they want to purchase online. A mocked-up version for testing is a new way of approaching product before making to last decision of buying. That is because sometimes simple product’s description can not speak for all product’s functions and customers want to know the product from inside out. You know, 58% more likely to purchase a product after they have an opportunity to test it first.

Furthermore, thanks to the broad flexibility of VR, clients can also explore many virtual showrooms in a short time, which makes the experience more appealing to consumers. Consequently, thanks to new levels of in-store engagement, you can give customers the intrigue to visit your store, not the other one. In summary, VR technology will be the future of Ecommerce as it helps establish positive emotional connections before the deal and evokes an immediate sense of ownership.

Engage and generate buzz

It is undenied that new technologies bring about a new trend in our modern life and it is true for the online business world, where everything changes up to a minute. VR can also generate a buzz and direct the way the marketplace leans towards.

For example, In 2016, NARS Cosmetics cooperated with Facebook 360 Video to create a VR makeup tutorial that helps viewers to control which specific portions of the video to focus on. So instead of skipping to the part of the video, they want to see (or watching through the whole thing), users can look around or “drag” the video to find the part they want to watch. After that, a massive wave of making VR video like this massively pops up for product of different kinds such as real estate, motorbike, etc.

Create a live event for marketing

For Ecommerce Retailers, online marketing is never enough if they want to widen potential customers outside the virtual world. The live event may be an excellent solution regarding this issue. However, the biggest problem with this is getting people to attend because of the distance.

With VR technology, distance is no longer a matter as it can bring the event to your audience instead of vice versa. Excitingly, VR lets everyone sit in the front row, so no one is left sitting at the back, trying to make out the way to find details of whatever is being showcased. This way can go a long way to enhance your guests’ experience, make them leave with a more favorable impression of your brand.

Let’s take an example at New York Fashion Week. While the show was held in New York City, guests were allowed to virtually attend a show in Milan a week earlier by using a VR headset. This featured 360-degree videos of exclusive fashion collections and gave users a red carpet experience.

How can you use VR to enhance the shopping experience

So far, we’ve gone through the benefits of virtual reality in ecommerce. Now, we’ll discuss the specific steps to implement VR technology.

Decide your goals and the experience you want to give

Because it takes you a considerable amount of work and investment to have VR technology implemented successfully, having a clear vision of who is our target audience and what type of experience do you want people to have should be prioritized. VR is such a massive experience change for both businesses and customers; if there is not enough preparation, it will be too easy to rat hole on the possibilities.

For example, think about the scenario that your customers can easily add filter product attributes with real-life experience as the most Advanced Layered Navigation Extension can do now by mouse clicks with multiple- filter navigation, price slider, AJAX loading technology. It seems to be promising as you can decide your target customer’s experience to get the technology fit for it.

Decide how you will make it happen

VR technology

VR technology is vital for your entire program, so determine how it will arrive the next step. The experience that you want to provide your clients is the core value deciding what kind of VR technology you will use. For example, if you want your customers to walk around and manipulate different product features, you need to consider to use a VR platform which can support three degrees of freedom (3DoF). And more advanced, six degrees of freedom (6DoF) can help you to support positional tracking.

Developers

Regarding VR technology, things can get technical very quickly, and you need to be assisted by VR expert. Businesses need to look for VR developers who have experience with large, enterprise projects and the skills to make a virtual environment. Not so many out there right now, and most of them know each other. Depended on the goals and scope of the project, you should decide to find the right fit.

Hardware

Remember the hardware, the must-have element for your VR initiative typically hinges on how you’ll want to deliver your experience.

Develop, test, implement and iterate

Depending on your project, these steps will be taken differently.

For developing, this will involve developing a prototype, and then ironing out the kinks before testing the program with a small market. After that, you can further refine the program to improve it for a broader rollout.

The testing process will vary from one program to the others; however, in general, the technical functionality and user experience is what you want to test. Let’ see how your VR program operates on various devices and how your virtual world applied on different platforms. You should keep an eye on these matters: Are all the elements working correctly? Do they coincide with the user’s movements?

Besides usability, you should pay attention to the effects that the program brings to an individual. When installed incorrectly, VR can be uncomfortable or even nauseating. Make sure to monitor VR accurately so that you can minimize motion sickness, fatigue, or discomfort on any form.

Market your VR initiatives

When you already develop and test your VR technology, it is time to get the world know about it. You can consider these ideas.

Encourage people to share their VR experience with your product

Encourage people to talk about your program through the social channel. Make a hashtag for your initiative, and then encourage users to spread the word.

In the eBay virtual store, the e-tailer used the hashtag #ebayVR, which is so direct and straightforward to make people share their experiences on social media.

Do not just market the technology – make it about the experience with your product.

You should remember that the central focus of using VR technology is to provide your clients with real experience with your product, so do not get stuck marketing its cool feature. Some questions you should keep in mind that: What feelings will the initiative evoke in the user? How will your VR solution make shopping more enjoyable or convenient? Do customers get a real sense of your product when they use VR?

Gather data

Gathering data on how users are engaging with your program will give you valuable feedback and the insight recipe to boost your marketing strategy and online sales.

Final words

It is well worth making VR investment if ecommerce is your playfield. When implemented correctly, VR technology can not only provide memorable experiences setting your brand apart from competitors but also bridge the touch-feel gap of online customers.

Start with a strong vision. Make clear what you’d like to achieve, recognize the technologies that can turn your idea in reality, then recruit VR experts who can develop this virtual world for you.

Because virtual reality should be more about experiences than technology, make sure it offers value and gives users an experience they won’t find anywhere else.

Author Bio

Daisy is a passionate expert writer from Mageplaza. Throughout many years collaborating with Mageplaza-a Magento Extension Builder, she hopes to give readers the most practical solutions and useful advice on online business issues.

Digital Branding Personal Branding

Top Tips for Boosting Retail Brand Awareness

Steven on October 7, 2019

In the world of retail, if you don’t have a brand, you don’t have much at all. Without one, you risk entering the market (and possibly exiting one rather quickly) as yet another nameless name on the shelf, one often purchased by accident when mom sends her kid to the store to get the product that actually sits next to your product on that same shelf. Your brand is the key reason for your buyers to come back, the key reason they wear or use your product, to begin with.

But just having a brand is also not enough in the ever-growing realm of retail. To make sure you get in front of the right audience, and preferably in front of enough people so that your chances of boosting sales are high, you should use all of your creativity and marketing know-how to grow your brand awareness every day. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind that will help you enhance your presence in the retail universe and grow your chances to become a household name.

Diversify your content creation

From the SEO point of view, as well as that of pure credibility, content is your best, if not your only bet in the oversaturated world of retail. Mere fluff-laden blogs with an occasional keyword here and there will no longer cut it to help your brand stand out in search engines, especially for common phrases such as “quality sneakers” or “best prom dress”. People want personalized, highly selective experiences, and they expect you to provide them through every bit of content you produce. That includes all of your product descriptions, every blog post, and every video you add.

From your website content, the kind you share on social media, all the way to the content you allow and inspire your users and customers to create (such as product reviews, blog posts, and videos), you need to make sure that your content pool is diverse, trendy, and up to date. Of course, brand consistency also needs to permeate all of your content efforts, to allow your brand to emerge no matter where, when, and who creates and posts is.

Build a stellar web presence

Your website is your retail brand’s greatest asset, and it can make or break your efforts to increase sales, engage more customers, reduce the number of abandoned carts, and inspire reviews. In fact, stellar website design needs to reflect your brand’s values perfectly and to serve as its most trusted vessel to convey your brand’s messages. It’s the key to keeping your retail brand memorable and to make sure it stands out among so many others that have similar offers.

Not to mention that a great part of your website’s design includes its ease of navigation, its loading speed, and of course, its visual appeal that will determine how long your customers will stay interested, linger on your site, or how often they’ll decide to go through with the purchase. No modern retail brand can survive without a spotless website, hence the need to regularly update your digital presence to ensure consistency as well as a wonderful user experience.

Work with influencers

Influencers play a great part in increasing brand awareness in the retail industry. They are the digital versions of our traditional word-of-mouth recommendations, they are relatable, and they have a vast pool of followers eager to look up to them, mimic them, and make the same choices based on their preferences. Therein lies the rub: handpicking influencers to work with is far better than investing in random collaborations that are short-lived. Consider it a commitment that will skyrocket your retail brand’s awareness in the eyes of your audience and soon-to-be audience.

From locally-based micro-influencers all the way to major players on social media as well as celebrities, you have numerous opportunities to build and grow your brand’s digital presence through such collaborations. Make sure that the influencers you choose are, of course, in line with your brand’s values, and that they actually have access to people that fit your target market. Because the only thing worse than no brand awareness is having any awareness in the wrong crowd.

Partner up with the right people

Are you a small retail brand that specializes in a certain wearable? Or do you own a chain of stores that sell different brands in different locations? In both scenarios, working with the right local people means gaining more exposure in the right locations for your brand. For example, if you’re a larger retail business, you can benefit from supporting a smaller local brand by working on a project to add their accessories to your stores, while they support your effort to enter the local market by giving you a share of their shelves.

As a smaller retail brand, partnering up with a complementary business in the neighborhood can help you gain the right exposure, too. For example, we all know that coffee goes delightfully well with scones and muffins. If you have a brilliant recipe for cinnamon rolls or pumpkin pie, why not work with local coffee shops to offer your lovely goods in their stores? Multiply that by a range of different collaborations of local nature, and you’ll quickly gain more traction for your brand.

The retail world is fast to change, and those who cannot adapt tend to fade into oblivion. Use these tips to stay one (or several) steps ahead of the competition and stay relevant to your audience, no matter where they are.

Digital Branding

Driving Website Traffic Through Social Media Needs A Strategic Approach

Steven on October 4, 2019

For most of the business websites, it seems the common goal is to drive more traffic towards their site. Yes, a nicely designed and meaningful website will be of great help but that is actually noted enough when you consider the high competition in this business world, which is highly digitized in all its aspects.

In order to get the best results and more traffic the best platform to use in social media is Instagram. This is because:

This is a primary photo and video sharing app that will help you to showcase your skill, creativity and your product in the best possible way and raise the interest of the audience and
It has the largest number of active users making it easier for you to reach out to a larger section of the crowd in an instant.

Both these features of this platform make it the most suitable platform for business and product promotion as well as raise the number of traffic.

Your profile is crucial

In order to make Instagram work for your marketing strategy, there are a few essential things that you should do. The most essential thing to do is to consider your profile and fill it up properly. This is the most important thing to do because this is the first thing that people will see when they click on your social media page.

Therefore, whether it is Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, your profile will play a significant role in your marketing success and driving more traffic to your site. Therefore, focus on:

Twitter Bio if you want to use Twitter as your business marketing platform
Facebook About section if that is what you decide to use
LinkedIn company page if that is your choice and
Instagram profile if you want to use this most popular photo-sharing platform.

It is ideally the profile that will tell the users about your business and provide info about your product or service, making it a perfect spot to drop a link that will take the users directly to your website. Therefore, your profile equates to more Instagram followers which will result in more traffic and an increased chance of conversion of traffic to your loyal customers.

Social media and traffic

According to research, using social media for business promotion purposes is considered to be the most effective in these present times because it is found to drive 31% of all referral traffic.

You can make it even more effective to drive traffic to your site and get a slice of this huge fan following by adding a few meaningful and relevant backlinks to your site that aligns with your brand. If you can raise the interest of the people with your content and images shared on Instagram, you will not only gain more Instagram followers and more likes and comments, but it will also increase:

Sharing
Discussing and
Promoting.

If people are interested in your product, they will surely click on the link in your Instagram profile and visit your site to get more information about:

Your business
About you and most importantly
About your product.

This will raise the number of traffic count to your site. Gaining further and proper knowledge, it is likely that they will end up making a buying decision, meaning you will have larger sales prospects and revenue for your business.

Promote blog content

Just like the backlinks on your social media profiles will give the users a chance to click-through to see what your business and product is all about, your blog content is another useful component that will enable them to read about it and gain further knowledge. Therefore, focus on your blog content for your business promotion as well as to drive more traffic to your site.

The content of your blog should be:

Clear
Meaningful
Informative and
Easy to read.

It should not be cluttered with too many elements such as images, graphics, and animations in it. It should not be boring so that the readers do not even get to the middle of it and leave your site. Ideally, readers should not search for the things that they are looking for. Everything should be very clear, distinct, and evitable.

Creating a meaningful content

Social media is all about conveying and sharing information. It is, for this reason, your content will play an important role in your social marketing strategy. Creating content for social media will need you to put quite a significant amount of effort, time and planning. If it is not done properly you will find that two months have passed and nothing significant has happened in terms of an increase in traffic to your site.

In order to make sure that only a few people do not feast their eyes on your content and readers do read the entire thing, you need to create 15 blog posts a week and post it on social media. You simply need to create the best one and make it a point that you keep it fresh with some tweaks done on a constant basis. This will help your content to be seen by your ideal customers.

Time it well

Lastly, if you want to see tangible results, you should not post your content any time you feel like. Time it well so that you make sure that the recent followers do not miss it or not get to see a content that you published weeks ago.

You can use a social media schedule so that you can promote your old content. There are lots of tools out there such as Buffer, Social Jukebox, and Hootsuite, that will help you to do it automatically using tools like Buffer, Social Jukebox, and Hootsuite. This will make sure that the audience reads your content whenever you post them.

Remember, using social media for your business is not easy but it is not impossible either. All you need is a little bit of effort and a meticulous plan that will help you to surge ahead.

Author Bio

Ariya Stark has been working on the importance of social media in marketing with thousands of real Instagram followers for her postings.

Digital Branding Legal Branding

Eight Reasons Your Business Should Become an E-commerce Store

Steven on October 1, 2019

Do you avoid putting your business online because you aren’t sure where to start or how you’ll handle the demand? It does take some effort to get your online store set up and manage the additional business. However, it also gives you another source of revenue, particularly during times when cash flow is a trickle.

The amount of U.S. online sales for the second quarter of 2019 was around $146.2 billion. Global studies that show around 40% of consumers bought something online. If you don’t have an e-commerce store, you’re missing out on potential profits that may put you ahead of the game. As a small business owner, anything you do to improve sales could mean the difference between success and failure.

In addition to increased potential revenue, discover eight reasons to transition to an e-commerce store.

1. Collect Customer Data

An online presence gives you a way of connecting with people in your target audience. Offer a discount, a newsletter or other content. Use this information to draw in the buyers you want most, then get them to sign up for your mailing list.

You can even target people in a specific location with your online advertising. Draw customers from your area to your online store while encouraging them to visit your physical site.

2. Put Inventory in the Cloud

No matter what type of business you run, an easily accessible inventory is a must to see what you need and what you have too much of. Small businesses can compete on an international scale with cloud computing. If you have sales agents out in the field, they can also access the inventory via the online portal and mark items sold.

Bon Bon Bon creates artisan chocolates in Detroit, Michigan. When they took their stores online, they knew they needed a highly-responsive e-commerce design to highlight their unique confectioneries. They highlight the ability to build your own box, a customized experience similar to what you’d see in a brick-and-mortar store.

3. Automate Customer Service

Customer service can make or break your store. An online presence, on the other hand, gives you a chance to automate most interactions. For example, you can add a live chat feature to your website’s product page. Most bots are automated, able to answer common queries — like a product’s best uses or ingredients — without human interference.

Train agents to deal with customers who buy online and in-store. A multi-channel customer service approach makes your brand highly attractive to young professionals.

4. Offer a Wide Variety

With drop shipping, you don’t have to worry about display space. Therefore, you can offer a wide range of products in your online store. E-commerce is an excellent place to experiment with items you wouldn’t usually carry but would like to test out. Order a limited quantity and see how they move before committing to a large volume.

Costco is well-known for its wholesale stores. However, they also have an online presence where they offer things you can’t purchase in-store. They separate offerings by the department, including a section called “Business Delivery,” where businesses can order in bulk and have items delivered.

5. Solidify Your Branding

Reaching people and making your brand a household name is difficult on a local level. Sure, you can attend local trade shows, send out coupons in mailers and advertise in your newspaper, but many people will simply overlook these efforts.

On the other hand, you can send out highly targeted digital ads, drive people to your online store and convert them into buyers. A website offers the opportunity to post articles on topics related to what you sell. After, share your expertise on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

6. Market Special Promotions

You likely offer specials from time to time, but it’s difficult to let everyone know about your promotions. With an online store, you can begin to collect emails. When you have a new announcement — BOGO sale going on! — send the ad to everyone at once.

You can also advertise specials on Facebook or Google, targeting users based on their location. This method, called geolocation, ensures only consumers within a certain radius gets the message.

Taylor Stitch offers to clothe online and in brick-and-mortar stores. You’ll find similar items in both. However, one advantage to the online store is expanded sizes and more color choices compared to what you’ll find in the physical location. Once shoppers know their sizes and how things fit, they can go online and place additional orders without the need to visit the store and try pieces on.

7. Tap into Different Needs

Some people are very tactile. They want to come into a store and touch items before buying. Other people hate getting out in the crowds and would rather shop at home. If something doesn’t fit or they don’t like it, they’ll return it to the store.

An online version of your store taps into the needs of different users and allows you to reach people where they’re most comfortable.

8. Sell More for Less

The overhead costs of online stores are far less than renting a building, hiring employees to staff a retail location and paying for utilities. Instead, you only have the cost to host and maintain your site, plus employees needed to fulfill the orders.

When you open an e-commerce store, you create a new outlet for selling goods without spending additional money. The result is more profit for your business.

E-commerce Is a Process

In the beginning, your online store may not pay for itself. However, as it starts to turn a profit, and you become smarter with your marketing efforts, you can invest more time and money into dynamic advertising geared at specific, individual users.

Your strategic campaigns will become highly-personalized and more successful. With a little effort, you’ll find your e-commerce store is a vital part of your business model.

About the author

Lexie is a branding enthusiast and web designer. She loves checking out local flea markets and taking her Goldendoodle on hikes. Follow her on Twitter @lexieludesigner and check out her design blog, Design Roast.

Digital Branding

How Proper SEO Can Help Boost Your Brand Better

Steven on September 16, 2019

Improving your company’s brand awareness among its potential clients is a necessary step in hitting your numbers goal. When more people are able to recognize and trust your brand, it’s generally a lot easier for you to establish your credibility within your chosen niche. This can be challenging at first, but with the help of experienced search engine optimization (SEO) companies like rankfire.agency/, you can certainly penetrate the target market that you’re after.

Employing effective marketing strategies becomes all the more important if competition exists. In order to stay relevant, you have to make sure that people will choose you among all the other companies that offer similar products or services. That’s where proper SEO comes in.

SEO as a Marketing Booster

Before, SEO was plagued with marketing shortcuts like keyword stuffing. People kept on sprinkling keywords on their pages and sacrificed content quality so that search engines could pick up what their website talked about the most. This may have helped brands get better search result rankings, but the Internet eventually evolved with the people who constantly use it.

Now, SEO techniques have dramatically improved: it now focuses on high-quality content and user engagement. When you do it right, it will attract all the right customers, which eventually converts their loyalty into desirable numbers for your brand. Listed below are some reasons why proper SEO can shoot your brand’s image right to the top:It Helps Create Niche Posts

Nowadays, it has become a lot easier for businesses to connect with their audiences through their social media platforms. To ensure that you get to keep the interest and loyalty of whomever comes across your brand, you can create niche posts with the help of SEO so you can target them specifically.

This is especially useful for small businesses, as the content’s specificity can help them get ahead of their competitors. Although being very focused with your content doesn’t exactly cast a wide net, it actually gives you a higher chance of attracting new customers––and engaging with the ones that you already have on your team.

1. It Makes Your Posts Very Specific Using Long-Tail Keywords

This one is connected to the first point. Long-tail keywords allow you to get in touch with more specific audiences. For example, if your business involves creating custom-made hiking packs, you should focus your SEO efforts on ranking for “custom-made hiking packs prices” (long-tail keyword) as opposed to “hiking packs” or “custom-made hiking packs” (short-tail).

In this manner, it’s easier to filter out those who are really interested in what you have to offer as opposed to those who are just looking for general information.

2. It Enhances Your Brand-Related Content

A reliable SEO company can improve your website’s content such that it is able to reach the right audience at the right time. It helps establish your place in the field as a reliable source of information, products, or services. If you focus on producing quality content even for just a few loyal customers, then more people like them will gravitate towards your brand.

Once you figure out how to satisfy the information and product needs of your audience––and ranking high on search engines at the same time––your brand will definitely be known for the better. Many people will begin to see you as a brand that knows what they are doing, and knows how to follow through.

4. It Helps You with Link Building

SEO also takes care of creating content that will appropriately link back to your website. With the existence of various social media platforms and online forums, employing proper SEO strategies can help you gain traction among various online communities. When done right, this can grow your audience organically.

5. It Promotes Your Brand Image

The ultimate goal of any brand awareness campaign is to promote a desirable brand image. Consequently, this will boost not only your website traffic and audience engagement, but also your sales.

But what role does SEO play in this? If you focus on all the keywords that you want to be connected to your company, SEO can be a powerful tool in influencing your audience’s perception of your brand. The more that they associate important keywords to you, the more that they will choose you over your competitors.

Conclusion

SEO is just one of the many marketing strategies that can boost your brand among your target market. However, when you get it properly done, the right people will always find you through a quick and simple Google search.

Digital Branding Legal Branding Personal Branding

Why Is Automation Important in Business

Steven on September 13, 2019

Changes in global trade policies brought increased demand for business to perform high-level complex functions which were labor-intensive modules. The advent of cloud computing and technological advances have made automation a reality, bringing not only quality and consistency but also governance and reliability, improving return on investment by a removal/reducing manual effort which improved operational efficiency.

1. IMPROVED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY: Particularly in the service industry, automation has given leverage to overcome the traditional barriers between information and communication, by enhancing customer onboarding and engagements that help generate revenues. As per Industry reports, it has been observed that customers prefer a company if they can interact with them. We know the operational cost associated with opening and maintaining a call center. Small business cannot afford to have one, but automated phone lines they can afford to look after their huge client base by providing basic information about their products or services, process payment, and other non-essential queries.

2. QUALITY & CONSISTENCY: Quality is a crucial parameter that cannot be undermined, whereas automation makes sure that all actions are carried out the same way to ensure the consistently good quality outcome, with reliable on-time results. With Automation, generating reports to scheduling social media posts or be it to deliver email marketing campaigns can be performed with ease. Data has become the driving force for contemporary business operations, which has helped firms gain key insight into consumer behavior, audience engagement and their buying patterns. Without automation, it is impossible to think about handling huge amount of data and to safeguard clients and staff information. Automation software’s like BiG EVAL provide data quality solutions for the whole life cycle of data to turn the principle into value in / value out. Hence, automation software has become an indispensable tool for business operations, which can help us maintain, recover and save data This, in turn, can provide a high level of service to your customers at low costs.

3. TIME SAVINGS: Time management is of prime importance when it comes to service deliverables. Most of the employees have been observed performing repetitive tasks which are viewed as counterproductive and boring. Automation can help automate many of these repetitive tasks, which can either reduce headcounts or deploy your employees to do something more important or scale your business. Hence this has two aspects, one that allows to use staff members more effectively and secondly to hire only staff which are necessary, cutting down on expensive outsource workers and extra staffing. Just imagine what a 30% increase in staff productivity would contribute towards business operations?

4. GOVERNANCE & RELIABILITY: Automation can handle complex work, eliminating hours of manual work without any error. One of the prime concerns with companies is to avoid human errors. Automation has not only brought expertise but also reduced processing errors. Making an error would mean operational loss with high penalty or compensation, also putting reputation at stake.

5. REDUCED TURNAROUND TIMES & COSTS: Leveraging automation would mean, teams, spend less time creating tickets, working on them and eliminating unnecessary tasks. Manual work is synonyms to perform one task at a time which is labor-intensive and need long hours, which would increase the overhead cost. Automation helps streamline the process, increase accountability, transparency and centralize processes which in turn helps to optimize the flow of information throughout, example – production, billing, servicing and more. Hence, we can claim it as the key ingredients for any company to grow and serve more clients…

6. BETTER COLLABORATION: Creating and maintaining several spreadsheets, account data is no easy job either, let alone retrieving any specific information out of them on time. Automation platforms increase transparency into business operations by consolidating data in such a way that at any point of time one can figure out the performance of the organization as well as the of the team members. Even though the implementation of automation is not cheap, need dedicated developing team who can respond to challenges posed by the change in market trends and requirements, and there are no immediate returns, still, automation is a necessity to sustain in the market.

Automation and predictions

Experts believe that there will be a complete re-embodiment of chatbot features with enterprise expectations. From being just providing simple service desk functions, chatbots may have voice and chat enabled cognitive knowledge engines that can address a range of customer requirements. Automation coming in aid to governance and compliance will be a reality, for example, EU’s GDPR will enforce organizations to automate their processes to enhance their accuracy, speed, and governance. Such encouragement will initiate setting up of automation centers by the enterprises which will be a move towards governance and compliance. Risk management, auditing, controlling and change management activities will gain prominence. For any automation please check Wyzebulb for connecting all your apps.

Digital Branding Legal Branding

7 PPC Strategies to Use In Your Campaign For 2019

Steven on September 9, 2019

Are you searching for the effective Paid-Per-Click (PPC) tips and tricks for a successful paid campaign? I know how tough it is trying to achieve goals from your paid campaigns, but sometimes, it ends up in you paying more than actually accomplishing goals.

But as long as you learn the right techniques and tips to tweak your PPC and paid campaigns, you can begin getting the results you need in time. The question is: HOW?

I’ll be sharing you all of the secrets on how to improve your paid campaigns for ads on different platforms and social media networks. Not to worry, these tips are easy to do known to show effectively WITHOUT much of the competition using it.

So read on for the best PPC strategies you can use for your campaigns this 2019 to maximize its impact!

Seven Best PPC Strategies for Better Campaigns

To help get your website up and running for the world (or your target audience) to see, follow these tips for better PPC metrics:

1. Remarket Long-Tail Keywords

One of the secrets to online outreach is remarketing. We all know repeat customers are more valuable. That’s why you should consider remarketing using long-tail keyword queries. Use all remarketing platforms, doing this through creating lists of retargeting users for every ad group subject with a UTM parameter.

You can also try using lookalikes, which has you target the same target audiences, which doesn’t only advertise your ads to repeat customers. It extends remarketing to an entirely new group for even more potential clients!

2. Reverse Engineer the Conversion Funnel

Many online marketers say that they save clicks for users to convert quicker. The faster you can get visitors through your funnel, then the more of a chance you convert and get a sale!

However, increasing the time to engage people with your ads can also do the same. Do these by reverse engineering your conversion funnel to see if it works. You can try adding a little extra, such as an interactive preview of your products or a demo to entice people to purchase your product or service.

3. Use An Inverted Unicorn Tactic

Regular ad targeting casts a narrow net, maximizing your engagement rates. This is a type of targeting to bring in specific demographics or niches.

You can try the Inverted Unicorn, which includes two unrelated interests when targeting your target audiences. As a result, you get more actual targets interested in what you have to offer.

You can also use these “unrelated” interests to customize ads, adding even more dimensions to campaigns and having them stand out, looking more compelling to others. Plus, these ads cost less because of higher engagement rates.

4. Go For Messenger Marketing

While people might focus more on landing pages and the Facebook News Feed, Messenger marketing is actually as effective. It might even be more effective, seen to be up to 80 times better compared to the News Feed or email.

When blasting out announcements on Messenger, you can see up to 80% open rates within the first hour. It’s worth trying out a Messenger blast to see if it works well for your target audience.

5. Use Advertising Slush Funds

Typically, advertisers and marketers have a monthly budget allocated for PPC and advertisements. This is because they have scheduled ads and monitor the way these ads perform. It’s a common approach, however, it may be limiting and won’t allow reacting to trends.

But when using advertising slush funds, you can create ads if a viral trend comes by. So if you’re extremely sure that your ad is effective, then consider using funds to run such ads. This method can allow you to maximize your ad campaign results.

6. Switch Off the Audience Network With Facebook Ads

I recommend that you switch off your Audience Network on Facebook Ads, which eliminated around 90% of click fraud from sketchier websites. You can see these on the Display Network on Google AdWords or Facebook.

When using the Google Display Network, say NO when they ask for managed placements. It excludes websites from reports and also gets rid of unwanted clicks from Facebook Ads, saving you money in the long run.

7. Create and Advertise Your Off-Topic Content For Building Brand Bias

New visits have a low brand affinity, with repeat visitors having a better brand connection. That’s why it’s best to remarket, targeting the people familiar with your business. Dedicate about 20% of your resources into making off-topic content. This gives people more brand affinity and value for them.

Wrapping It Up

PPC is one of the effective ways to help get your webpages seen by the right people. As long as you do it right, you can achieve even more goals and continue forward with achieving your goals. If you don’t have the time to put in all your effort for such campaigns, you can get companies like Joel House Search Media to guide you.

I hope this article on the best PPC strategies helped you out! So start looking into any of these PPC strategies for your next campaign now.

If you have any questions or want to share your own PPC tips, then comment below. All your thoughts are much appreciated!

Digital Branding

7 search engine optimisation best practices in 2019

Steven on August 29, 2019

Whether you’re new to online marketing or a well-seasoned veteran, you know that finding the best SEO strategies can be somewhat overwhelming. Experts are always sharing new tips and tricks that business owners should focus on. Also, Google has 200 factors that they consider when ranking a website and its algorithm is always changing. This is enough to make your head spin.

But what if there was a way that you could ensure that your website achieves high rankings without having to be an SEO guru or a Google developer? Well, there is. Instead of chasing down all of the latest tactics, simply put most of your focus on best practices. Below are 7 search engine optimization best practices that you should follow in 2019.

1. Focus On Speed

There are a lot of things that you can take shortcuts when it comes to SEO. However, speed isn’t one of them. It’s estimated that the average user has an attention span of a goldfish. What this means is that people aren’t willing to wait around for sites to load. The quicker your website loads, the more traffic you can expect.

Ideally, your site should load within less than 3 seconds. So get rid of the elements that slow it down. Deactivate any plugins that you’re not using. Clear away the clutter in your sidebar. Only use widgets when absolutely necessary.

2. Focus On Giving Links

A lot of business owners are afraid to link to relevant sites. They assume that these more authoritative websites will only take away their audience when in actuality, it does just the opposite. You see, whenever you link to a valuable site it makes your site seem more valuable. In fact, people will consider your site to be a resource and will begin to rely on you for quality information.

Perhaps the best part about linking to other websites is that other websites will be willing to link to yours as well. Create content that directs your readers to valuable information. Let the website owner know that you’ve just linked to them. Once they notice that you create helpful content, there’s a good chance that they will share your content with their readers. The key is to only link to quality content.

3. Focus On Getting Links

Not only should you be giving links, but you should be getting them as well. Search engine rankings revolve around inbound links. Whenever you get the right combination of dofollow and nofollow links, your link profile will be natural and Google will reward you for it. As long your content is high in quality, you can expect people to naturally link to your website.

4. Focus On Quality Content

No matter how fast your website is or how many links you build, you’ll never succeed at SEO if you aren’t creating quality content. Unfortunately, a lot of business owners put more focus on the keywords that they use than the actual value of their post. Not only does this hurt their brand, but also their traffic because they often neglect long-tail keywords.

The key to creating content that is well-optimized is to write for humans, not search engines. After all, humans are the ones who buy your products and share your content with their networks, not the search engines. When you’re passionate about your niche, it will be evident in the content.

5. Focus On Unique Meta Descriptions

Typically, meta descriptions are the first thing that people notice when they see your listing in Google. However, they’re often overlooked when it comes to search engine optimization. Even worse, website owners will use the same description for every page. Google hates duplicate descriptions. In fact, it’s a great way to get penalized. So make sure that you take the time to write descriptions that are relevant to that specific page.

6. Focus On Readable URLs

Another factor that’s easy to overlook is the URL. It’s very important that you create URLs that your users can understand. Why is this? Well, if humans can understand them then the search engines can read them as well. Place dashes between each word. Avoid using numbers and other characters. Ideally, there should be no more than 2-4 words.

7. Focus On Image Optimisation

Optimizing your images is just as important as optimizing your textual content. Whenever you include an accurate description of your image in the alt tags, it makes it easier for people to find you in the search engines. Keep in mind that Google has an entire section dedicated entirely to images. This means that a lot of people can find your website this way.

Takeaway

If you’re searching for professional help with your search engine optimisation Brisbane offers an excellent selection of experts. When choosing an agency, make sure that they’re aware of these best practices. Also, make sure that they understand each of their importance.

Digital Branding Legal Branding

5 PPC Strategies to Boost ROI and Save Time

Steven on August 28, 2019

PPC provides businesses with an opportunity to increase their revenues and grow exponentially in their respective industries. A lot has changed in the past few years. Pay-per-click advertising now comprises an ecosystem of multiple channels, numerous locations and devices, more competition amongst players, plenty of data for planning, and so much more.

With all these, it’s only prudent to come up with the right strategy. You want to make sure that every penny counts with every action you take. A strategic approach ensures that you make the most out of every tool available. Here are 5 PPC strategies that will help you boost ROI and save on time.

1. Generic Keywords

Generic keywords are mainly used for research and can put you a couple of dollars back. Their conversion is also very low and they provide an ineffective way to achieve business goals using the last-click conversion model. To make the most out of generics, use them to retarget visitors that search using generic terms.

Once they familiarize themselves with your brand, you want to get them to convert afterward through an offer placed in the ad copy in a different message or, by raising your bids to increase prominence on generic terms where people are willing to convert. This allows you to focus on potential customers and to minimize impression wastage.

Use scripts to activate generic keywords at a time when people are likely to search them. (For example, during summer or winter). This helps to make your keywords effectively. The strategy is applicable to numerous triggers such as social media posts, TV ads, news articles, stock market activities, and sports.

2. Targeted Campaigns

It’s best to create several campaigns for different types of audiences. Any product or service will appeal to different types of consumers in a different way and for a different reason. Having one ad for all types of audiences will result in poor ROI. Create personalized ads that will appeal to each group differently. Each ad should explain the value the product or service has to offer to the targeted group. Start by identifying the kinds of people that will want to use your product or service.

3. Consumer Data

Since the very begin, paid search has been based on keyword intent. Simply put, it depends on what people are searching for on the web. With so much to consider, RLSAs (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads) are a great way to identify people that are likely to convert based on how they interact with your site. This helps to boost conversion rates, improve efficiency in how you spend on ads, and optimize your cost per lead.

Create customer groups by checking which URLs people are visiting. Retarget them using other relevant terms that they search for. You can do this by ensuring that your ad appears in front of them or by using a different message. Consider integrating CRM data to create audience lists based on the emails you have in your database. This allows you to target repeat customers as well as those you have interacted with before. Link your analytics with Google Ads to help you determine how bounce-rate, pages visited, time-on-site, and other metrics affect your audience list. These help to know who to target instead of making blind guesses.

4. Run Time-Sensitive Ads

Time is one of the most important factors to consider when running your ad campaigns. The idea is to do it when your customers are online. Targeting the right audience won’t matter if people never get to see your ads. Almost all industries have a peak hour(s) during the day. You’ll start to see positive results when your ads run at this particular time. Watch out for trends that boost the performance of your ads. You can change the time depending on holidays, seasons, and other factors. Also, pay close attention to identify when your industry is experiencing the most traffic. Capitalize on those hours as it is then that your customers are likely to be most active.

5. Focus on Long-term Results

PPC could take minutes to grasp, but ages to perfect and become a master at it. This could prove frustrating especially where you want quick results for your business. Focusing on long-term results is a key focus for SketchCorp. Brisbane. It helps to grow and improve business performance over a long period of time. You’ll start to see rising returns throughout the years. It also means that you’ll be all the more dedicated to ensuring that your audience gets the right information, which then increases your quality score. This then helps to save money in the long run. You end up spending less to maintain the same results as before. It also provides savings that you could use to run other ads, which will boost your quality score more.