Results for: content marketing

The Beginner’s Guide to Branding Your Law Firm

Steven on February 1, 2019

Nowadays, there are many law firm managing partners as well as owners who think of themselves as attorneys first. Such people also recognize themselves as a business. This is because they think that they have to bring in new clients and revenue in order to keep the firm successful. A business is an act of putting efforts to increase the profits of your firm. These efforts include how you hire the right person in your firm, how you set the prices of your services, how you maintain expenses as well as revenues and how you handle the administrative tasks. By considering all this, you think of your firm as a business but you do not consider your firm a BRAND!

Branding Your Law Firm

Now the question arises here what is a brand. A brand is an impression that you generally make on the people who come into contact with your firm in any way. It is, in fact, a consistent as well as a distinct point-of-view that helps the potential clients to understand what your firm is really about. In fact, most of the lawyers do not think they need branding, they do not know how to do it, or they do not even know what it is or what it means but they still struggle with branding. Always keep in mind that the size of your firm, practice areas as well as the locations do not describe your brand. They are actually the things that truly reflect your firm. So, you have to put some efforts and make a strong branding strategy that can compel a potential client to pick up the phone and call you. In this article, we have got you covered with the beginner’s guide to branding your law firm. You can also take the services of a criminal defense attorney in this regard.

Build a Brand Concept

The first and foremost step to branding your law firm is to write a brand statement. A brand statement is just like a mission statement where you have to add a short explanation of who you are and whom you serve. Moreover, you have to keep one or two of the most important adjectives in your brand statement that describe your approach. The law firms who focus on a brand statement have a deep and realistic understanding of who they are and who their clients are. For writing a brand statement and building a brand concept, try to use your questionnaire as it can help you do this.

Make your Brand Human

It means that your brand should have a voice and a sense of humor. It should create a community and marketing in such a way that resonates with people so that they feel comfortable and actually want to talk to you. This is a fact that people always want to connect with people. They want to interact with small to medium and solo law firms where interactions and legal services are more personal in nature. So, always try to make your brand human.

List Your Firm’s Branding Element

The next step is to list every branding element which is a touchpoint, visual as well as auditory that can influence how a person feels about your firm. This includes a logo, billboard ad, social media properties, client reviews and much more. Evaluate how closely each branding element adheres to your brand standards.

Conclusion

These days, most of the attorneys think that there is no place for branding in the law. They think that everything has to be serious, stuffy and sterile but do remember that branding your law firm helps you stand out and helps people remember you!

Digital Branding

AdWords Tips That Will Boost Your Business

Steven on January 30, 2019

Internet marketing is one of the most difficult places to be if you want to succeed as a businessman. Nevertheless, a lot of people still choose to pursue this goal. Virtually anything that you can imagine starts with a search. The internet is full of various websites and it is only natural that people tend to promote themselves. One of the most effective ways to get organic traffic is by putting AdWords to good use. It is a technique that some entrepreneurs tend to overlook, missing on quite a lot. And as you can probably expect, there is more than one layer to it. In fact, AdWords is as complicated as it can get. But it does not mean you should not give it a go. Read on and you will find plenty of great tips that can help you get to new heights thanks to Google AdWords.

Remove Duplicates

It is without a doubt one of the most common mistakes that beginners make. Putting up a fight against just yourself is the wrong strategy. Google AdWords might switch to a keyword that you are not focusing on, but rather on its duplicate. Also, it is not a stretch to say that the more orderly your list is, the easier it is to plan ahead.

Image source: Carlos Muza

Make Use of Promotion Codes

The initial investment might be a bit too much for some people. However, it does not mean that you cannot make it easier on yourself. A simple Google AdWords (Google Ads) promo code is available on websites similar to CleverAds.com. It would be a waste to not consider taking advantage of what is available to you.

Keep Up with the Quality of Your Keywords

One of the many reasons why AdWords is such a great Google tool is that it shows the quality of the keywords. As you can expect, these tend to change quite a bit, so it would be wise to keep track of whether it is going up and down. It will save a lot of money, especially if you are in this for the long run. Once a keyword starts to decline and is no longer profitable, you should focus your resources on another one. All of that is possible if you keep track of your campaign.

Monitor Customers

If you have a business that relies on sales, you will need to monitor what is happening when a sale occurs. It means that understanding what leads to a customer landing on a page and buying will further improve your profit. Also, it allows making adjustments for stuff that does not work as intended.

Get Rid of Dead Weight

Ads that do not perform should not be there at all. It should be a no-brainer. Something that you can consider to be a dead weight has a lot of downsides, such as money, time, and an overall bad mood. Negative things discourage a lot, and it means that getting rid of that should be one of your priorities.

Importance of a Landing Page and Ads

When users click on the ad, they expect to get redirected to a page that they expect. Therefore, you must ensure that the landing page is not something completely random, but rather something that these people are looking for. Not doing this will cause problems with bounce rates, and this is something that Google does not like.

Image source: RawPixel.com

Make Adjustments Over Time

The data becomes more useful as time passes. You cannot expect to have everything immediately. AdWords campaigns are the perfect example of trial and error. The more you dab in it, the more experience you are going to gain. And as the numbers come in, you can make adjustments according to them.

To make a conclusion, it should be obvious that Google AdWords is a tough place to get into. However, it still provides a lot of opportunities for those who want to make that next step in ecommerce or any other internet venture. Of course, you should prepare to spend time and money on it, as things do not come easily. But once they do, it is quite satisfying.

Legal Branding

The Enhancement in The Credit Score Gained by Strategic Acquisition of Credit

Steven on January 24, 2019

This is a guest post by Marina Thomas The credit score is the number that determines the credit position of a person. People who have taken credit and have maintained and are maintaining multiple credit accounts efficiently with timely repayments are known to have good scores which help them in getting new credit without too many hassles. However, if the credit score of a person is at the lower end then credit will be available but the options will increase severely, and the rate of interest will rise significantly. While calculating the credit score 10% of that score is dependent upon the credit balance that one possesses. Therefore it is understandable that if a credit score is to be improved, then the avenues and amount of available credit has to be increased.

The actions that can be taken to improve credit by exploring credit avenues

Building up the credit amount is vital, and it will also help in resolving the existing problems that have affected the credit score of a person. The below-mentioned steps will provide a person with the necessary information needed for deciding upon a pathway for building credit:

Acquire new credit:

If a person is interested in enhancing the credit score, then the first important thing that is needed is to have credit because without taking any credit one cannot hope to get a credit score. Many lending agencies might not agree to provide credit to a person who has no previous credit record. Therefore it is better to build one’s credit report bit by bit by taking new loans in a sensible a calculated manner.

Select an appropriate credit card in the initial stage:

Acquiring a credit card, in the beginning, might seem a bit difficult for individuals who are not well acquainted with credit cards, but some companies specially formulate credit cards for first-time holders. These credit cards are also termed as starter credit cards. The starter cards usually offer a considerably low credit. For initiating the line of credit, it is a good way, to begin with, a relatively small amount of loan. However one should not choose just any kind of initial credit card because whenever it comes to credit building, it is important to remain alert and do a bit of research. The credit card should satisfy the condition of providing a small credit amount but also needs to have a relatively moderate rate of interest. High rate credit cards are to avoid as one needs to get used to the rhythm of credit taking and solving before moving on to the other areas of credit acquisition. In this regard, a person can also opt for a secured type of credit. These credit cards allow a person to invest a certain amount and this amount is converted into the credit that is provided to the cardholder. There is no need for any credit to forward an application for such credit cards and interest is also nil,this is a huge advantage for a person who is beginning to build credit. Hence there are ways to increase your credit score by 200 points, but no hasty steps should be taken with credit gaining as it will do more harm than good.

Reining the credit taking attitude

In the initial phase, it is very important to keep oneself grounded and control the urge of taking a huge credit from one or more sources. The sudden taking of massive credit can cause many problems like a high balance which will lower the score of a person. Therefore potential issues should be eliminated by keeping the risk appetite measured in the starting phase so that one gets to know about the credit field meticulously and builds a good credit before venturing into risky prospects of taking enormous credit.

Build the credit score by being punctual about loan payments:

Whenever credit is taken, it is understood that a loan has been acquired which has to be repaid according to the terms and conditions of the credit providing company.Accounts that are new should not be converted into debt accounts by being slack with the payment procedure. The presence of a loan will impact the 10% of the score, but if the same loan is not repaid, then it will negatively impact the score. Then the task will become two-fold one is to elevate the score and another is to solve the debt. Therefore being extremely diligent about all kinds of payments is very necessary. If payments are done timely from the very beginning, then the credit score will also move upwards quickly.

Using multiple sources for constructing the credit line:

When a single source of credit is used when the score is not very heartening but when multiple credit avenues are being used, then it will positively impact the score. Small loans from banks or other sources might be a good idea for diversifying the credit taken. However, care should betaken so that too many loans are not taken in quick succession because that also means that the payments have to be made together which might get tricky and make a person land in a puddle of debt.

Keeping track of the cards and upgrading to better cards:

Multiple credit cards are used by many, and initial cards with low credit balances do not offer any discounts. Therefore when a person has learned to manage credit effective mannerly then choosing a better card that has multiple benefits is sensible however it is also important to check the balances or credit taken in each card regularly. Having a credit card is like having a financial responsibility to the credit taken should be measured and tracked so that repayments are done. The benefits offered by different credit cards should be applied sensibly so that the person is in a painful position. Therefore there are ways to make the credit accounts impact the credit score, but all steps that are taken for increasing credit should be taken with extreme caution and care.

Author Bio

Marina Thomas is a marketing and communication expert. She also serves as a content developer with many years of experience. She helps clients in long-term wealth plans. She has previously covered an extensive range of topics in her posts, including business debt consolidation and start-ups.

Digital Branding

Importance of Rank Tracking – How to Choose the Right Rank Tracking Tool?

Steven on January 23, 2019

https://pixabay.com/en/traffic-statistic-data-information-1597342/

While focusing full-fledged on SEO and marketing for the website, you would be concerned about how the site is ranking on the various keywords you are optimizing on. Earlier it was really easy to know keywords ranking through various rank tracker tools. But these days things are not that simple and easy. Many factors intervene rank tracking such that not all tools work great.

You have to be selective with your rank tracking tools for these reasons. Even before that, you must know why many rank tracking tools do not work after some time and why your website also may get penalized for using them. Then only, you would understand how to pick a good rank tracking tool to track the site rank on various keywords.

It was simple to track ranks in earlier days of SEO

Rank tracking was simple in the early days of online marketing and SEO. That’s because Google was still in the developing phase, and no other search engine in use also were that advanced in programming, to bar the tracking software and systems. Also in the earlier days of SEO, ranks were visible through plugins and tools and are the number one in search results mattered a lot, and highly. But things are different now. Now SEO experts and even the layman knows that it’s not the number one position of the SERP that matter the highest, although it matters considerably.

Rather it’s the amount of organic traffic you are getting, and then the conversion rate of that traffic, which mainly matters. And that is why, along with the search results page and rank, the other metrics like conversion rate, organic search traffic, etc. are considered to realize the status of the site against the target keyword.

Rank tracking is still important but gone tricky

Rank tracking still is important. A good rank ensures great visibility. And great visibility ensures organic traffic. When you get organic traffic, you get good conversion rates and leads both. Hence you get leads, and you can use them in whatever way you like to increase business and revenue. Hence, a good ranking is a great stepping stone to success in online marketing and e-commerce. But there again, knowing where you rank exactly based on the particular keyword has become much trickier. A normal rank tracker who used to work well in earlier days do not work now, and there are plenty of reasons for them, the main reason being the advancement in Google’s platform and search algorithms. Google do not like rank tracking software and tools. Hence it has made its system such that rank tracking gets limited.

Why Google hates rank trackers?

Google hates rank tracking software for some solid reasons. Google is a search engine that gives results free of cost for common users. But Google has to generate income. And it draws all its revenues from sponsored ads and featured listings etc. That is why it does not like entertaining software, which would not click on its ads on a results page. The result is displayed for queries made by rank tracking software is wastage in the eyes of the search engine operators. That is why Google does not like rank tracking tools which utilize the page data and does not give anything in return to Google.

Google APIs

Google has designed APIs for rank tracker management. APIs are Application Programming Interfaces. Using these Google has effectively brought a bar or limitation in rank tracking. Only the developers can use the APIs to scrape rank data against keywords without getting through the general google interface, and that too for free. And there is a limitation to how many ranks data can be obtained. After this limit is over, or after a number of queries, Google does not offer any more data in the day. This limit makes rank tracking a headache using Google APIs. The way developers and rank tracking use to bypass this limitation are scraping of the rank data directly from the Google’s search results pages.

The downsides of scraping rank data from Google SERP

There is a big downside of scraping rank data from Google. When you are scraping you get either tracked or barred. When multiple requests come from a rank tracker in Google search, then Google starts displaying a CAPTCHA to find out if the request is being made by a human or a computer program. Normally tracker tools would not pass the CAPTCHA test, and hence gets barred. Some tools can pass the CAPTCHA. In that case, their IP address gets tracked by Google. And when the multiple queries come from that IP address, then Google blocks that IP and the tool can no longer use that IP to scrape rank data through plain SERPs.

You can bypass APIs and get your advanced rank tracker system

There are rank tracker systems and tools, which can bypass the APIs, and also the IP blocks and CAPTCHAs of google. There are advanced rank tracking systems, which can still tell you keyword based ranks. The types of rank trackers available are:

Browser-based tracking plugins
Desktop App based rank trackers
SaaS Apps which are website based services

These three types of rank trackers can help you out without getting your IP blocked or website banned.

Important features that should be present in a good rank tracking tool

There are some features that a good advanced rank tracker tool must have. Check for them before starting to use one, or get advised by expert rank trackers like Fyrebird Philly:

As because Google shows personalized search results based on how you are using the results the tracking tool must have features to bypass this personalization.
Ranks differ as per geographic location. And the tool must be able to show you rank results based on location.

Finally

You can get a vivid idea of how your marketing and SEO team is performing, based on the rank report you get. Only your tool for tracking must give you legit results that you may rely on. Hence this must be chosen carefully.

Legal Branding

Debt Settlement Based Affiliate Programs With Back End Processing Are Growing As Business

Steven on January 21, 2019

The debt settlement program under the affiliate notion is money up front based payment structure. With all the new regulatory laws, a debt settlement based affiliate advance fee model is no longer anything of the past. There are two major pluses of such program as it will allow the affiliates to get paid faster than the higher commissions. This will allow the affiliates to just cover the marketing cost easier and also continually feed some quality leads agents. You can further check out some information on debt settlement ratings, which will act right in your favor as well.

Reasons to join the debt settlement based affiliate program:

There are so many points, which will set the debt settlement based affiliate programs completely different from other options you have come across. The proper starting place over here is going to be back end processing and even the commission payouts right now. You should learn more about the program before the matter gets really out of your hand over here.

More about the program and customer service:

The affiliate programs are primarily designed for those firms which are currently related to the debt settlement industry. It is also for those firms, which are not quite receiving good processing, servicing and proper and fair commission.

The program is mainly designed around to offer you with the finest in such key areas as just mentioned. They are also quite focused on providing clients with some best relief and greater customer service right now.
The primary customer service as provided to the affiliates will bring in some client satisfaction and will keep the affiliates retention at a high rate.
Anytime the client as question during the business hours, the friendly customer services reps will proof to be quite ready to help.
Clients are not going to be passed through the automated menu and menu for getting through the live agent. They are likely addressed to speak to one of the knowledgeable and friendly representative from the moment they are connected through the program.

The commission structure related to the affiliate program:

At the current debt settlement affiliates, the teams are able to offer you with the best and finest possible settlement based affiliate program and proper business opportunity. This is going to be the opportunity where affiliates get the chance to grow and then thrive. Here, they can get the chance to become leaders in the current debt settlement industry for sure.

The high affiliate based commissions will allow the affiliates to easily catch up with the pay marketing costs and even that of the agent commissions.
It will help the affiliates to come up with some high profit margin and grow the company in an exponent manner. The focus over here is more than just adding affiliates and that is to help the current affiliates to just grow.

Dealing with debt settlement processing:

The debt settlement processing will definitely bring client satisfaction and some higher client retention. The most reliable companies are able to offer you with so many affiliate programs like debt help, debt relief, debt negotiation and even debt management programs. They have special packages under debt reduction and even debt consolidation based affiliate programs. The companies are known to provide their affiliates with the best right in back end based processing associated with private student loans, consumer debt and even business debt in question.

Heading towards pay per lead:

There are some selected companies, which are not going to offer pay per lead programs like the others in question. It is mainly because the commission on the current pay per lead program is rather low. When compared to any of the affiliate shared commission program, this current pay per lead option ways quite less, and even less than half. This current pay per lead pay structure might cause the affiliates to just fail. The procedure might not work well as the commissions are rather too low for covering the agent and marketing commissions.

Benefits of back end processing and the programs in questions:

Going through the options as mentioned beforehand might actually attract you to come towards this debt settlement based affiliate program and try your luck in winning some bucks. But before any of that, you might want to take some time out and learn more about the benefits of the company’s back end processing and program, just to be sure.

The system remains effective and unique:

The reputed companies are able to use one proprietary based bulk settlement system right on the back end for getting clients the lowest possible negotiated settlements as you could have asked for. It is no doubt to state that this is one major factor for maintaining higher client retention. The clients are here to get results and if the results get better, the harrier will be the outcome. The programs are mainly designed to bring in some fast relief by just meeting and then exceeding the expectations of clients.

Customer service is rather unsurpassed:

The clients are here to receive exceptional customer service, right from start till end. It is just as vital as consolidating debt into one lower payment. The concerns or questions of the client need to get answered or professionally addressed. Not working on that might bring in some dissatisfaction, which will finally focus you to lose clients. For such a reason, the debt settlement programs are likely to go just beyond back end processing.

You can place some proper emphasis on client relations with the help of exceptional customer service. Even when the client is not being courteous, the customer service is definitely going to rep to be courteous. All these service reps are deemed to be knowledgeable and professional about various aspects of service.

Once you start being a part of these affiliate programs under the debt settlement section, you will come to learn about it a lot more. Things will definitely work out in the way you could have asked for.

Digital Branding

Start Lead Generation Business for General Contractor: 4 Tips in Doing It Right

Steven on January 17, 2019

A lead generation business provides other businesses with a client’s contact information based on their specific criteria. General contractors usually hire lead generation companies to provide them with qualified homeowners.

Most of these homeowners are no longer doing things offline, and they would instead make use of the internet to find resources. While few general contractors have some online presence, not all of them can effectively convert their website visitors into customers.

If you’re thinking of starting a lead generation business for general contractors, here are four tips to help you do it right.

1. Always Offer An Incentive

In digital marketing, an incentive refers to an attractive offer or bonus you get after performing a specified action. Based on a study made by Ippei Leads Marketing Service, about 40% of your site visitors will be willing to give out their email in exchange for something of value.

Incentives are also called lead magnets because they can effectively attract leads. Here are some top lead magnets that you can offer to your website visitors:

Checklist – You can provide them with a list of things to consider when remodeling a house or what to look for in a contractor.
Ebooks – Some of you may be thinking that writing one will take a lot of time. That may be true, but you also probably have several blog posts published that can be compiled to form an ebook.
Exclusive content – You can offer an exclusive video or one-on-one consultation with an expert. If you’re an expert yourself, then it’s going to make things easier for you.
Coupons – You can partner with a known builder’s supply chain so you can offer coupons that your web visitors can redeem.

2. Educate Through Blog Contents

Most homeowners start their journey by going online and reading resources, and your blog can be one of those. However, it’s not enough to just have a blog. You have to maintain it regularly. Doing so, will not only help your search optimization effort but, establish you as a reliable resource website as well.

Here are some content ideas you can begin with:

Educational articles about home improvement
Local projects you help build
Case studies
Pricing guides
House remodeling project planning
Articles about general contractors

Creating your content around these topics will help you generate leads through organic searches. They may not immediately provide their contact information after reading one of your blogs but, you’ll remain top of mind, and that’s also important.

3. Make Use Of Social Media

You can use social media as a platform to promote your landing pages and your content. Keep in mind that you don’t need to sign up for every social media platforms out there, pick out what’s relevant for your niche.

For homeowners looking for general contractors, you sign up on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. More importantly, social media may be the most economical way for you to generate leads mainly because it’s free to use.

Here is how you generate leads using social media:

Share gated content – Gated content means that they have to give out some sort of information before they can access the content. If the content is interesting enough, they’ll click on it.
Advertise – Social media websites like Facebook and Instagram now enables its users to advertise on their platform. You can leverage their data by advertising and targeting your ideal audience.
Host live webinars – You can do live sessions or webinars and while doing the video, direct your viewers to a special gated offer you have. Just be sure that the offer is enticing enough so viewers will click on it.

4. Audit Your Website

There’s no use in creating informative blogs, promoting on social media or working on your incentive if your website isn’t good enough. For example, if your site or landing pages take time to load, potential leads may abandon it before they even see you’re incentive and provide their information.

Audit your website regularly and make sure that the user experience takes into account. More importantly, be sure that you have a responsive website that renders correctly on different screen sizes as more people are becoming mobile.

Conclusion

Generating leads is a lucrative business, but it’s an opportunity that doesn’t guarantee success overnight. Attracting and collecting leads takes time, but if you follow the things listed here, you’ll have no problem generating them. Offer an incentive where it’s possible, consistently work on your content and make it better, and be sure that your website is optimized for success.

Digital Branding SaaS Branding

The Significance of A Test Case Management Software for A Startup

Steven on January 15, 2019

A startup is founded by individual entrepreneurs or founders to search for a scalable and repeatable business model. In other words, a startup is a newly emerged business venture with an objective to create a practical business framework to meet the solve a problem or meet the requirements of a marketplace.

Majority of the tech startups require a test case management tool in order to streamline their testing efforts. Now the question arises, what is a test case management software? In simple words, this software assists you to manage and track your team’s software testing efforts.

Nowadays, startups are adopting effective test case management software because of the following reasons.

1. Create Customizable Fields According to Your Test Project Requirements

An effective test case management tool assists the testers to develop customized fields according to their particular requirements. Therefore, if testers are using an integrated or third-party data source, it will assist you by providing a flexible approach.

2. It Assists You to Save as Template or Make Copies

It will help you to produce copies of your test cases and store them as templates for the purpose of re-usability. Sometimes, writing test cases is a repetitive job. Therefore, this tool enables users to create test case templates that they can recall at the time of writing test cases. As a consequence, this saves time.

3. Attaches Important Screenshots

This enables you to attach imperative links or screenshots with your test cases. This option is available with all the imperative fields, as it makes the experience more enhanced. As a result, test cases turn out to be very understandable and comprehensive.

4. Keep Track of your Test Coverage

An effective test case management tool assists in creating comprehensive customized test reports. This will keep a track of your status, references and test coverage etc.

How Can Kualitee Help?

Kualitee is a cloud-based test management tool that offers both automated and manual testing. It will help you to create and implement in-depth test cases and test plans. In fact, you can the control to utilize and implement test cases as per your requirements. You can select test cases and use them again in regression cycles.

The export feature enables you to extract your work from CSV, Word, and PDF as per your requirements. You can create your test cases and test scenarios in the test management module. This will allow you to manage every step of your test case in a professional and formal way by using kualittee’s dedicated test management module. Many Gyms now a days use gym management software as well because nowadays every sector needs a smart efficient software to manage their daily tasks.

Author Bio:

Ray Parker is an entrepreneur and internet marketer with over 9 years of experience in Search Engine Optimization, Creative Writer and Digital Marketing.

Digital Branding

How to Create a Brand Story for Your Franchise Business

Steven on January 15, 2019

A brand story is not a marketing tactic. It’s not an advertisement material, either. Instead, storytelling helps you build a strong brand identity. Not only does it attract customers to your brand, but also evokes emotions, builds stronger relationships, and inspires loyalty.

However, to get the most out of your brand story, you need to make it consistent. You need to establish a unique voice, tone, and visual identity- the one that sets you apart from the rest.

Now, if you have a single-location business, achieving this is not that difficult. But, if you’re running a franchise business that is operating in multiple locations, well, this adds additional complexity. You need to localize your marketing efforts to cater to local audiences and, at the same time, unify them into a cohesive and authentic brand image.

Here are a few tips on how to do so.

Build Consistent Brand Image

Franchisees are interacting with your local audiences daily and understand their needs, preferences, and frustrations better. So, letting them unleash their creativity and adapt your brand story to local customers is important. On the other hand, you need to make sure that their link with your brand won’t be lost.

The solution to this problem is simple. First, you need to have a clear small business idea and know how to turn it into a brand.

Even though it consists of numerous branches, you need to observe your franchise business as a wholesome brand. Each aspect of your brand identity, from the visuals you use to your brand voice, needs to be implemented into franchisee marketing efforts strategically. And, this is why you need to create a clear brand style guide.

With the branding guidelines, you will make sure each of your franchise locations creates authentic content and, at the same times, remains loyal to your wider brand image. Otherwise, your brand will become diluted and won’t be perceived as trustworthy.

Here are a few elements detailed brand guidelines should contain:

The publishing frequency for your blog and social media channels
Using visuals on your blog and social networks (image size, filters, color palettes)
Your voice and tone consistency. Do you want to be punny like Wendy’s or helpful like Domino’s? Once you choose your brand voice, you need to use it consistently across all online channels.
Crisis management guidelines. Franchisees should know how exactly to react, what steps to take, and what language to use when handling issues that may harm your brand.
Using brand assets, such as your colors, typography, or logos consistently

Sell Stories, not Products

Coca-Cola doesn’t sell carbonated soft drinks. They’re selling Christmas, positive vibes, and friendship.

TOMS is not all about shoes. They’ve built their brand story around helping people in need.

Customers love brands that stand for something relevant. Statistics say that 86% of customers expect a brand to be socially responsible.

This is what you need to keep in mind when building your brand story. Having quality products is nice, but, to really engage your customers, you need to have a cause.

Just like Coca-Cola or TOMS, many franchise businesses have adopted this approach.

For example, the UPS Store proves their community commitment by funding the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. They also emphasize that their business is built on the principles of environmental sustainability and that socially-responsible franchises can greatly contribute to the local business ecosystem:

Image source

McDonald’s takes a similar approach. On their site, they emphasize that they’re proud to be a part of the community they serve. As a result, they finance numerous events and charity programs, such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship, and so on.

Humanize your Franchise Brand

Using your social networks to publish the behind-the-scenes photos of your staff and posting employee testimonials and stories on your site, you will show the human side of your brand and connect with your target audience on an emotional level.

McDonald’s is a great example of how this is done. For example, on their parent site (mcdonalds.com), they have an entire “Meet Our People” section, where their employees share with the public why they love working at McDonald’s. Both in textual and video formats, these testimonials come from real people, someone both their customers and potential employees can relate to.

Most importantly, they managed to adapt their story and values to their local markets. Visit the German version of the site (mcdonalds.de) and you’ll see similar testimonials from their German employees.

Get your Customers to Tell your Story

Studies show that the majority of your customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. The Spiegel Center research claims that 95% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. Moreover, 92% of online consumers emphasize that reading a review online impacts their purchase decisions.

So, here are a few ways to use customer reviews to build your branding efforts.

Create a dedicated landing page for each business branch. It’s important to put your business in front of the right local audiences and build relationships with them. Also, don’t forget to keep your brand name consistent across these pages to prove you’re a legit brand. By encouraging local customers to post user-generated content, leave comments, and review you on your social media pages relevant to them, you will create buzz around your brand and build trust with your potential customers.
Claim your Google My Business listing for each location. Getting reviews and ratings on Google is an amazing way to boost brand authority.
Share UGC on each franchisee’s site. This is a great way to prove show how your product resolves specific customer problems. For instance, Coca-Cola is killing it with user-generated content on their multiple websites. On their main site (coca-colacompany.com), they have “Moments of Happiness from Our Readers,” where they share their comments and photos. If you visit their German domain, for example, you will see a similar section with customer photos, too.

Conclusions

Storytelling brings value to your franchise brand. When implemented properly into both you localized and overall marketing efforts, it will give your brand credibility and drive customer engagement. So, don’t use it to tell how awesome your products are. Focus on your history, missions, and values. Prove that you’re a brand for humans, the one that cares about giving back. Above all, let others tell your story. Positive word of mouth spreads fast, so don’t forget to encourage customers to review you.

How do you build your franchise brand story?

Digital Branding Local Branding

Importance of Protecting Your Brand

Steven on January 15, 2019

As a business owner, nothing is as important as protecting your identity. In a world where competition can be fierce, you can’t afford to let your guard down. Businesses spend a lot of time and money on developing their brand that they’re willing to fight tooth and nail when they see their branding being used without their consent.

Like any business asset, your brand is something that needs protecting, too. Here are the reasons why it’s important for you to protect your brand:

Increases Your Value

A brand that’s treated with importance will reflect in its value. If you fail to protect your brand, it loses its value, and any entrepreneur knows that a brand with a low value is perceived to be cheap and unreliable. For example, when another business uses your brand identity such as your logo on a subpar product, customers will eventually associate that product to you. If you didn’t secure your brand such as trademarking your logo, you could potentially lose your business because you don’t have any legal standing over that logo.

Here’s how you can protect your brand and its value:

Trademarking – One of the best ways to protect your intellectual property assets is by trademarking them. You can trademark your logo, slogan, designs, and even words associated with your brand as this will give you legal backing. It will also enable you to use the trademark symbol “®” in your assets.
File a patent for your products – If you’re in the US, you can file for a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The application will take a few months and will be examined by a lawyer for compliance. Before submitting your documents, be sure to check the USPTO database if you have similarities with other applicants. Different countries have different copyright laws; register where your company is located. If you’re operating internationally, prioritize which territory you want to register in.
Include an intellectual property clause on your website agreement – This clause is essential if your business operates mainly on the web or if you have a mobile application. A provision on your Terms and Condition Agreement (T&C) protects your brand from users who are looking to copy your brand or use your content elsewhere. Always remember to add a copyright notice and use the copyright symbol too.

Increases Brand Awareness

With millions of companies vying for consumers’ attention, your brand needs to stand out. Advertisements are everywhere from search engines and social media and even while playing games. Consumers are bombarded with promotions on a daily basis, which is why it’s crucial for your business to stand out. However, when you don’t take care of your brand, how can you expect other people to care about it?

Here is how you increase brand awareness while still protecting your brand:

When partnering with influencers or other businesses, make sure they have a stellar reputation. Someone with a bad reputation will tarnish your brand, and it may be difficult for you to recover.
Be vigilant on where your branding materials are being used by using intellectual property management software.
If you can afford it, hire intellectual property lawyers who can effectively draft contracts and policies for you.
Know when to walk away when an existing partner no longer shares the same brand principles as yours as this can lower awareness in the long run.
Be sure to put your branding in every piece of content or product you produce.

Sets You Apart

More than having increased brand recognition, protecting your brand can help set you apart from competitors. Moreover, it will help consumers attach a specific feeling or experience with your brand. In essence, your brand is the personality of your business.

Take, for example, luxury brands. These brands intentionally make their slogans and promotional materials seem exclusive because that’s how they want people to see them. They are always careful with how they present their brand and they offer a distinct experience. The mere possession of these luxury brands can let people know the product owner’s social status. This is the reason why the knockoff business is a billion-dollar industry.

If you protect your brand, people will intentionally associate a certain level of distinction with your business. Although, in some cases, the association can be unintentional, such as the case of online customer reviews on blogs and other websites. However, if you’re always on top of your branding and you treat your brand as a valuable asset, you can remedy any negative association with it.

Conclusion

Your brand is your image to your customers, and establishing a recognizable brand is a road that’s long and full of challenges. The best way to ensure your business succeeds is by protecting your brand from infringement and thieves looking to capitalize on your reputation. Legal battles should always be your last option as these things can drag on for years. Being proactive in protecting your brand and understanding its importance to your business is the best way to secure your success.

Digital Branding

Know The Ways of Measuring The Success of Optimization Strategies

Steven on January 11, 2019

In the field of SEO or search engine optimization knowing accurate measurement practices is critical for achieving success. Experts who are fluent with search engine operations are aware of certain mandatory tasks like deriving ranking potion by tracking data, links and referral sites. This form of information tracking helps the experts to manipulate the strategy employed for SEO and also for finding out ways to succeed in this ever-changing field.

The recommended list of metrics which are used for tracking purposes

It is a fact that one website differs from another in terms of not only business but also has a set of unique metrics that govern the website. However, there is a general list that applies to all websites that are operating in the online field. Optimization for search engines requires individuals to know and evaluate some specific metrics which are discussed below in detail.

The status of visits by referring

There are many sources on the online filed which provide a website with traffic. As a website owner or business owner it is important to keep track of the amount of traffic which is gained from the following sources:

Through direct routing: The visitors who arrive at the website by direct keyword search with no spaces are known as direct visitors. Website clicks that are gained through bookmarks or email links also form the cluster of direct visitors.

Traffic through referrals: Links in the web or in coded emails that includes promotional and/or brand advertising links are known as referrals. When website traffic is achieved through such sources, then it called referral traffic.

Traffic obtained through web search: When search engines direct visitors to a website, then it is termed as search traffic.

When the above-mentioned sources of traffic acquisition are evaluated, then a business owner will be able to gain knowledge regarding the exact number of visitors that the website is gaining. Usually, such evaluations are carried out on a monthly basis. The acquired data will help in the identification of problems or weaknesses. The data that is gained should be suitably used for brushing up or changing the marketing tactics for acquiring a better result.

The share of each search engine in the organic traffic of a website:

Seo Services are specifically designed for making the website searchable so that all search engines show the website whenever relevant phrases are entered by an internet user. There are more than one search engines which are in use. An internet user can use any search engine for acquiring results. As a website owner and also as an SEO expert it is important to review the traffic that is gained from each search engine individually. There are some important reasons for analyzing this data because it will help to understand the following things:

A clear comparison can be drawn between the performances of the website in each search engine concerning the estimated share in the market.

The sudden decrease in traffic with respect to a particular search engine traffic will essentially help in analyzing the underlying problems resulting in the low count of visitors through that search engine. If the scenario is such that all engines show a similar decrease in terms of organic traffic, then the problem can be related to accessibility.

SEO is not a set of actions that will be suitable for all search engines. Some search engines might respond well to target reaping or inclusion of keywords while other search engines might give more value to links for anchor text. When one single search engine shows a significant drop in traffic, then SEO might have to be reconfigured to address the sudden devaluation.

Therefore knowing about search engine traffic separately for each engine will help in deterring the best strategy for improving traffic through one or all search engines.

Phrases and terms that generate traffic

The keyword is very important, and an individual should be aware of the words and phrases that specifically generate traffic. There are rising trends in the arena of keywords, and it is important to note the keywords that are in demand, the performance of certain key terms should be analyzed, and if there are terms that are bringing in significant traffic, then those should be optimized. Drop in the volume of key term search can also be a seasonal issue and in this regard, a person should note the terms that are working for a particular time during the year.

Pages are getting visits through search engines

Websites can have multiple pages, and it is important to note that if all the pages are receiving at least some traffic from search engines. Measuring the number of visits will help in the overall analysis of SEO.

Therefore for getting maximum traffic by employing SEO stagiest, it is important to scan the metrics that deal with website traffic thoroughly.