Twenty years ago, when display banners were in their infancy, marketers placed ads by going directly through website owners to buy inventory space on their web pages. The ads came in all shapes and sizes, and most generated click-through rates (CTR) ranging between 50 percent and 90 percent. Everyone was eager to click on a banner. Fast-forward to 2018, and you’re lucky if 10 out of every 10,000 people who see a display ad clicks on it. People have become “banner blind” and generally distrust them, so fewer and fewer people click on them. (more…)
Have you ever heard the saying, “build it and they will come?” For social media pages, unfortunately, that’s rarely true. Just two years ago, the average reach for an organic Facebook post was a mere 2.6 percent. With the recent algorithm changes, that’s likely to plummet even more. Does that mean your business should stop all social media efforts and look for some other means of customer engagement? No, but you’ll need to jump into the social media advertising ring if you want to find any success. (more…)
Whether you own a small local business or a company with multiple locations, maintaining an active online presence is a must. It not only helps you attract new business, but also provides multiple opportunities for you to engage with current customers. Don't make the common mistake, however, of relying solely on social media and organic traffic to drive visitors to your business. (more…)
Despite what you may have heard, email is not dead. In fact, email marketing drove 18.4% of all online sales in 2016, outperforming social media (1.5%) and display advertising (1.1%). And, it’s expected to grow even more this year. If that isn’t enough evidence that email should be a part of your marketing mix, consider this interesting stat – email delivers a $44 return on investment (ROI) for every $1 spent. Now, do we have your attention? (more…)
In the U.S., 81 percent of the population has a social media profile. It’s an integral part of our lives. We use it to keep in touch with family and friends, stay on top of breaking news stories, find jobs and to network. We also also use social media for recommendations on services and products. This makes it the perfect arena for businesses. If your business isn’t using social media to target existing and new customers, it’s losing out. Here are five reasons why your company needs a social media strategy right now. (more…)
Is email marketing still a viable tool for reaching new customers and clients? With targeted display, PPC and video advertising consuming such a large portion of most digital marketing budgets for businesses, it’s a natural assumption that email may be dead. That assumption, however, would be wrong. Although there may be some cons associated with email marketing, when it’s done correctly, it can be an effective way to not only reach new people, but also increase your company’s ROI. (more…)
Cart abandonment is a huge problem for most online retailers. In fact, Inc.com estimates that as many as 67 percent of online shoppers will leave items behind in their carts at an estimated cost of $1.79 trillion in lost sales opportunities. That’s a sobering and frustrating statistic for most business owners. But, there is some good news. Research shows that business owners can increase online sales with email remarketing. (more…)
Have you ever wondered if size really matters? For some things, the answer is no. For other things, maybe. When it pertains to video ads, however, the answer is a resounding yes! But, it’s not a simple “one-size-fits-all” answer. There are many things to consider when determining which video ad length is best for your campaign. (more…)
Web design vs web development – what is the difference? The lines have been blurred for some time and the number of opinions on the matter probably equals the number of fish in the sea. The good news is, that it doesn't matter. This is not the answer you're looking for when trying to find a web professional to do work for you.
You need to be able to find that web professional who has the skills to do the job. It doesn't matter whether they call themselves a designer or a developer.
Steve Jobs once said, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” A good graphic designer understands that fonts, colors and images are merely resources for telling a story. When used correctly, those resources not only catch your eye, but also convey valuable information, such as your company’s mission, vision and purpose. Unfortunately, most businesses notoriously undervalue graphic design, or worse, they think it holds no value at all. If you’re a small business owner, here are five reasons why good graphic design matters, and why it should hold a prominent place in your marketing plan. (more…)
