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    What type of e-commerce businesses have prospered amid the pandemic?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on economies worldwide, small businesses were the ones that were hit particularly hard. Many businesses weren’t able to reopen their doors after forced closures and some of the companies that have managed to survive are now scraping by amid the second wave. While this is the tragic reality that many industries are now facing, there are some businesses with e-commerce shops that have thrived throughout 2020 and will likely continue to do well with the help of professional digital marketing.  

    Supermarkets

    While the grocery store industry has always been backed by popular demand due to necessity, the pandemic lifted their business, as restaurant closures meant that those who normally spend money eating out would instead have to make more of their own dinners. Even with stay-at-home restrictions in place, supermarkets remained open and were considered essential businesses. While you would think that cooking isn’t something new, many people decided to test out some different recipes and began flooding their social media accounts with delicious home-cooked meals. If that wasn’t enough, amateur bakers also sprang up everywhere and many typical ingredients and kitchen items became very high in demand. Oftentimes when supermarkets experience a quick depletion of items from their inventories, this can cause the prices to rise, and since people began to fear product shortages, the demand for the above items (alongside cleaning supplies and toilet paper) also went up. 

    Historically speaking, grocery store chains have always needed to compete with one another and heavily rely on coupons to get customers through their doors, but the fear of running out of food and other basic comforts have kept many flocking to the supermarket since the start of the pandemic. Plus, it’s a good excuse to get out of the house! 

    Hand-sanitizing products 

    The concept of on-the-go hand sanitization is nothing new, however, as health authorities began to suggest using this measure to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, brands popped up everywhere to fulfill the global demand, with businesses such as distilleries and breweries going as far as to halt their operations and pivot to producing hand sanitizer. Even 10-months-later in today’s current environment, people are still using it everywhere they go! 

    Liquor stores

    We all remember that home alcohol consumption rose during the first few months of the pandemic due to the stress of people’s employment status and the added responsibility of home-schooling children while attempting to work-from-home. While sales likely returned to their usual levels throughout the months that had an ease on restrictions, the second wave is here, and since people are starving for socialization during the holiday season, one can expect that those sales will increase yet again. After all, aren’t you planning on having a virtual, Christmas cocktail party via zoom? 

    At-home entertainment

    Streaming sources such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ saw a huge growth in subscribers during the first quarter of 2020, as people looked for more at-home entertainment options in place of their usual activities. This is once again the case, as non-essential businesses like theatres and nightclubs remain closed to slow the spread, giving people more money in their pockets that can easily be extended onto these services. 

    Online shopping

    Everyone loves the care-free convenience of shopping online and having your items delivered right to your doorstep, and while this phenomenon is something most people have utilized for years, many have recently adopted this tradition. With everything from groceries, prescriptions, and skin care products available at the click of a button, there’s no reason to ever leave the house if you don’t have too. The best part is that while younger generations have already found comfort in the simplicity of online shopping, the gap is narrowing as older people are starting to utilize their computers and smartphones to take advantage of the digital experience.

    What does all this mean?

    What professional digital marketing and web development experts have learned in 2020 is that the entire realm of online shopping is now considered to be an essential service. Since people require a safer way to access items that can be purchased in-store (online grocery ordering) and services that have always been in-person (doctor’s appointments), an e-commerce website has the ability to satisfy this new-found demand, alongside professional digital marketing services that will allow shoppers to find the resources that they need. 

    While it’s a strange world that we have been living in these past 10 months, if you’re a part of the evolving technology sector, give yourself a pat on the back. We’re one of the groups of workers who have been shadowed by those working on the frontlines. However, your remote, work-from-home adaptability has allowed many of the essential operations to expand digitally to meet the needs of the general population and keep more people safe at home. Good work, everyone!

    Are you an e-commerce business owner who needs help with your professional digital marketing strategy moving into 2021? Drop a comment below to speak with one of our industry experts.

    Digital marketing techniques that hold the most value for business owners

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Your online presence is essential, regardless of whether you’re starting a new e-commerce business or simply taking over from a previous owner. While the 2020 year has brought about a lot of changes, the only change to online shopping is that it has become more important than ever before, as more customers are flocking to the web to make their essential purchases. We’re in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s your job to keep on top of your digital marketing efforts to ensure that you prosper in the years to come. Here are some techniques that we recommend. 

    Understanding your audience

    As a growing, e-commerce business owner, one of the most important aspects of operation resides in knowing who your customers are. An engaged audience is key, regardless of whether you’re a startup business or you’ve been in the industry for years. For those who are hoping to better relate to your audience, this would require narrowing your content to meet the needs of that demographic, which as a result, will allow you to cater your digital marketing efforts towards campaigns that understand their pains, problems, and priorities. It could be as simple as communicating a compelling message that encourages a prospecting customer to purchase your product. However, it often involves digging a little deeper into the shopping habits of your target audience. 

    If you’re looking for professional digital marketing services that satisfy the above objectives, have a word with a member of the Trek Marketing team to get started. 

    Email marketing is booming

    One of the most cost-efficient, professional digital marketing services available is email marketing. Why is this? It’s because this type of digital service bridges the gap between generations. Pretty much everyone nowadays has an email, aside from using them to communicate with loved ones, most enjoy receiving special discounts from the online businesses they subscribe to. After all, who doesn’t love a good deal? However, the best part about email marketing is a quicker return-on-investment (ROI). While many professional digital marketing services take time to generate revenue, business owners can see the money that’s being made from a good email right away! Emails also help to create brand awareness, which translates to more valuable traffic leads down the road.

    Search engine optimization helps to increase your ranking

    Even if you have the most aesthetically-pleasing website, if you aren’t able to increase your search ranking, shoppers will have a hard time finding your online business. So, while there are many e-commerce entrepreneurs that don’t understand SEO, most invest in this content creating, link-building service! Since SEO involves a variety of crucial tactics, such as an initial audit, ongoing research, on-page optimization, and link building, it’s far easier to hire a professional to help you achieve your search result goals! 

    Don’t forget to be socially involved

    Social media marketing has become an integral part of professional digital marketing strategies for businesses. Its importance is huge in helping e-commerce companies expand their following, as many small businesses start gaining traction through positive reviews and customer word-of-mouth. Needless to say, building your brand involves consistency and relevance in the quality of content you publish. That’s why many e-commerce business owners seek professional digital marketing to help utilize tools that are available on social platforms, create a vibrant posting schedule, and cross-share their content. 

    Blogging adds value too 

    While many e-commerce business owners often overlook blogging, we believe that it holds great value in the expansion of your reach to potential customers. Blogging allows you to establish credibility for your business, inputting regular entries that offer insightful information, as well as take a sales-based approach. Keeping in mind that it’s essential that you create a regular posting schedule (once a week is ideal), unless you’re full of industry ideas, many look to professional resources to create ongoing website content.  

    Can you think of other digital marketing techniques that have added major value to your online business? Drop a comment below to share. 

    How often should business owners update their blogs?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    If you’re looking for an answer to the question, “how often should business owners update their blogs?” we’re here to tell you that there’s no right answer. This is a contentious issue for e-commerce businesses everywhere and unfortunately, even as an experienced digital marketing company that handles professional copywriting, we can only provide you with feedback that has worked so far with our current clients. It’s to your companies’ advantage that you post at least once per week, however, the following things need to be considered for your submission to get noticed on the wide web.   

    Consistency is an important part of any blogging strategy

    Consistency is defined as the conformance in the application of something for the sake of logic, accuracy, and fairness. So, in terms of developing professional blogging content for your e-commerce website, it’s important for you to consider the publication of consistent blogs — same day/time each week — to show your readers and followers that you’re committed to your brand. Not only can your schedule content so that it automatically appears on your website, but you can take it one step further by sharing your blogs on social media. This is also something that should be consistent, for example, blogs are published Tuesdays and shared through social on Wednesdays. 

    Also, consistent blog updates allow visitors to see that your business is operating as usual, and in these uncertain times where many companies are struggling, you can continue to show potential customers that they’re good hands when they shop your collection of products and services. That being said, since leaving a long time frame between posting shows that your website is neglected, consider hiring a professional to handle the copywriting tasks for you. This will enable you to better organize your time for other tasks, while also ensuring that you always have fresh content that’s available to the consumer. 

    Short updates don’t serve a purpose on your blog

    Many business owners use blogs to provide customers with brief company updates and will write fewer than 100-word submissions to explain. What they don’t know is that short blog submissions lack the use of keywords, which is devaluing your website, leaving behind a layer of thin content that hinders search engine optimization (SEO) efforts and lowers the organic ranking. That being said, the best place for these types of updates is through your social media platforms, where short, punchy copy is always shared. Another way to ensure that your audience sees updates is by simply adding them to the bottom of long-form content as a way to increase your word count with something that provides value to your business. Keep in mind that while there’s no definitive word count for blogs, readers benefit most from submissions that avoid filler language and are 500 quality words or more.

    Relevance and quality are key 

    Whether you’re attempting to write your own submissions from scratch or have opted to hire a professional to handle all of your copywriting tasks, two of the most crucial factors to consider in your blogging posts are relevance and quality. Publishing content every day that’s irrelevant to your industry and riddled with typos and poorly constructed sentences are not beneficial to your website. In fact, low-quality blog content makes your site appear spammy to search engine algorithms. That’s why it’s worth investing time and money into the efforts that are needed to produce good quality content! 

    Is your business ready to develop a professional copywriting strategy? Get in touch with a member of the Trek Marketing team to get started. 

    What other elements need to be considered as part of a business blogging strategy? Drop a comment below to start a conversation.

    Are you looking for some SEO tips to boost rankings?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While most e-commerce business owners possess a rough understanding of how search engine optimization (SEO) affects their presence, many aren’t knowledgeable enough to increase their online rankings, which is why industry experts are needed to improve the quality of traffic and clicks. Nevertheless, with so much lucrative information available at your fingertips there are still some tasks that you can undertake to help your business crawl to the top, and if all efforts fail, an SEO agency for e-commerce who’s ready to swoop in and do all the work for you. 

    Tip #1: Focus on structured data 

    Since there are an abundance of websites that Google is crawling, the best way for this search engine to understand what each is about is through structured data giving purpose and meaning to each page. 

    Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying that page’s content. For example, a page displaying a recipe would include a section containing the ingredient list, another that explains the cooking time, and possibly even further subsections to describe prep, the number of calories, and so on. 

    An SEO agency for e-commerce would track to ensure that each markup is handled correctly, and follow recommendations by Google to review the companies’ online documents and monitor changes that may be needed. Tracking search engine results page (SERP) feature placements over time will also allow them to improve when there is a drop and help them to better understand if the structured data is working to the brand’s advantage. 

    Tip #2: Monitor backlinks

    While having more backlinks doesn’t always mean that your website will rank higher, an SEO agency for e-commerce will ensure that high-quality backlinks are produced, which is proven to be beneficial in boosting SEO rankings. 

    As you are likely aware, Google focuses on the authority and authenticity of every website linking to your domain, and if there are any spammy sites in that list, your ranking could be impacted negatively. These red flags are bad news for your SEO strategy efforts, so it’s always advisable to keep track of who is linking back to your website and monitor the quality of those links. 

    Tip #3: Create skyscraper content 

    Skyscraper content involves a little investigative work where you seek out already high-performing content in your niche and use it to create something better. Then, shamelessly promote it to your audience! However, since this tip involves a lot of legwork to have it done correctly, most business owners hire an SEO agency for e-commerce to handle everything involved in seeking and writing this type of specialized content. 

    Needless to say, for the go-getters, here are some tips to getting started:

    • Find out who your competitors are on Google
    • Discover which keywords best relate to your niche business
    • Add details to your website’s pages and create comprehensive posts about the topics above
    • Get insights from industry experts so that you’re able to add more value to your posts
    • Be sure to review analytics to see which content topics did well
    • Re-work your content to make it more digestible by using things like videos and infographics 

    The key to developing good skyscraper content is to get creative and make something better than anything readers and/or shoppers have ever seen before.

    Which of the above tips will you be trying out first? Drop a comment below to start a conversation with other readers. 

    Common digital marketing mistakes to avoid as an entrepreneur

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Since it’s difficult to guarantee which investments will generate a consistent return, e-commerce business owners will often face marketing hurdles where they will struggle to see profitable results. So, whether you’re looking for help with various digital marketing activities or simply want assurance that you’re on the road to success, an assortment of digital marketing services are available at your fingertips. But first, here are some common mistakes you should avoid!

    Didn’t formulate a digital strategy

    While it would be silly to not utilize the power of social media for marketing purposes, most business owners use their channels to publish a stream of over-promotional content that generates little engagement, which is not beneficial for the time that it takes to perform the task. Any form of return in digital marketing requires the development of a coherent strategy that will underpin business objectives and push forward likable, inviting content. Focusing on posts that highlight keywords via pay-per-click advertising or only crafting brand-related content won’t get you the results that you’re looking for. This is why the best thing you can do is to take the time to understand your target audience and research how they engage with the channels you’re using because this will help you to narrow your focus and avoid wasn’t money by moving forward with no strategy in place.

    There are digital marketing services that can offer you help with all of the above and what’s even better is that hiring a social media manager is a cost-effective way to combine research and content creation with the added bonus of customer service. 

    Don’t cut your spend, move it around

    There are a lot of opportunities for growth in digital marketing, and as a result, common issues are faced by business owners. There’s a belief that return-on-investment (ROI) should come immediately after the trial of a small Google ad or a one-time SEO campaign, but often these investments take time to make money. So, instead of swiftly cutting your spend, consider moving it around to another digital platform that may produce more return. The best thing to do is evaluate your marketing budget, see what is and isn’t working, and increase in the areas where you’re seeing conversions. 

    Consult with a member of the Trek Marketing team to determine which digital marketing services would offer the best ROI for your e-commerce business. 

    Keep pace with the digital marketing trends

    E-commerce businesses have ramped up the use of trending features such as more video content and Chatbots, and have also increased their presence on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. So, if you want to remain competitive in your industry, you will need to keep on track of what’s engaging your target audience. The best way to implement and manage an effective digital marketing strategy is to constantly evaluate what’s working, allowing you to make positive changes and push forward in the areas that will generate a higher return. It’s also important to learn from your competition, remain focused on your growth, and keep in mind that building your business will be a long-term game of trial and error. 

    Not Knowing Your Target Market

    One of the most effective strategies in marketing your products or services is profoundly understanding your customer’s pain points and what type of person is more likely to be interested in what you’re trying to offer. Formulating a buyer persona is an excellent strategy used by professional marketers to streamline their target and know what type of people they are trying to aim. 

    Knowing your target market is as important as anything else, especially in advancing technology today. Social algorithms already have much more data than ever before about their users’ interests, hobbies, and even buying behavior. Therefore, having a deeper understanding of your target market allows you to maximize your campaign’s efficiency and even take advantage of sophisticated digital tools in today’s online business world.

    Failure to Track Measurable Goals and Milestones to Hit

    Many entrepreneurs have been successful in their business in the digital space but staying successful is a whole different conversation. In most cases, even a thriving business at its early stages could quickly lose track of its progress because of failing to track its progress and setting goals to target. 

    The e-commerce business is continuously ramping up, meaning you also have to step up your game and never lose sight of your improving your business as a whole to stay relevant to the market. Tracking your progress through statistical analytics by digital services allows you to have a leg up on your competition and gradually improve your online business over time.

    Not Flexible Enough to Try and Test Different Strategies

    There is no shortage of digital marketing strategies that effectively ramp up your engagement, traffic, or even sales almost instantly. While there’s a value in staying consistent about your current method that has already been working for you, being open to other opportunities would open up so many doors for your business, especially in a constantly evolving world.

    An Entrepreneur’s ability to do trial and error, whether through specific marketing campaigns, trying out new digital strategies, or other things, is a massive advantage for taking advantage of opportunities ahead of you. It is likely that an effective digital marketing strategy from just six months ago now could no longer be relevant today. That is why it’s best to keep being updated and allow yourself to try out new things that might or might not work for the sake of the business. This is a common trait for thriving businesses in today’s world.

    Focused on blending in instead of standing out amongst your competition

    Another common mistake for up-and-coming entrepreneurs trying to find their success in the digital space is focusing too much on blending in instead of finding ways to stand out. The reason behind this is to remind you that you’re in the business of offering products/services that are distinctly unique from what the market already has to offer.

    Unrealistic Overnight Success Expectations

    Setting goals and targets are excellent, but expecting unrealistic results over a short amount of time is detrimental and could hold your online business success even further down the line. There is nothing wrong with high-ambitions and having the confidence that your product or service online would do well. However, patience is a huge thing, especially when entering a highly competitive market. 

    Understand that you’re not the only one who’s trying to get a fair share of the market and that you’ll have to earn it gradually with patience and wit if you want your business to thrive. A good rule of thumb when it comes to setting expectations is to set goals that are hard enough to keep you going but aren’t too challenging and leave you in a slump. Small wins, whether in sales, engagements, followers, or any progress in your digital marketing pursuit, get you going and are much more effective for sustainable growth instead of unrealistic expectations.

    Failure to Adapt to New and Updated Strategies

    Keeping an eye on and constantly updating your digital marketing strategies is a huge plus for your e-commerce store to stay relevant to your chosen niche market. Many factors may impact how well a particular digital system might or might not work, so it’s always best to keep open and flexible for future adjustments.

    Undervaluing the Power of Customer Reviews and Feedback

    Online Reviews and Customer Feedback is an excellent social proof and way to get more traction on your e-commerce business. However, not many entrepreneurs understand the value of having honest feedback from customers, whether good or bad and how it could impact your business as a whole.

    Genuinely listening to what your customers like about your products and what they dislike gives you ideas on improving your business. Businesses that listen to their customers will likely have their way to building their community and engagement over time.

    What did you learn from the above blog submission? Drop a comment in the section below to converse with other readers. 

    How to market your website’s Cyber Monday sale

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Every business wants to capitalize on holidays that have a crazy shopping demand, which is why the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday and the holiday season are where many e-commerce companies see an influx in purchases. While it’s never too late to re-work your holiday digital marketing strategy, the sooner you start making changes, the sooner you will be able to see the results. 

    Send out emails to create a buzz of interest 

    If your business is planning to host a Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday sale, we recommend sending a couple of emails for each of your outreach sequences. Often subscribers will see new promotions show up in their inboxes, but it may take some different type of copy to entice them to click over another potential shopper. So, if email one doesn’t do the trick, there’s further opportunity throughout your promotion to reach your target audience. 

    What are some ways that you can get a higher response to your sales email?

    • Write a strong subject line
    • Avoid using spammy words such as “final” or “reminder”
    • Include relevant copy in the body
    • Add a call-to-action (CTA) in the closing copy
    • Include a professional signature and/or logo 

    Update your social profiles to notify followers 

    While posting a custom image on your social feeds the week before your promotion is a good incentive for followers to engage, if you really want to notify your target audience that a big sale is approaching, consider developing a holiday digital marketing strategy which would include a lengthy countdown to the big event. So, in terms of BF, SBS, and CM, you should start advertising for this weekend-long sale by November 20th, but preparing your materials now. 

    Here are some effective ways to drive up your sales using social media: 

    • Use a variety of social channels
    • Create content that isn’t too salesy or pushy
    • Make it easy to purchase right from your social posts
    • Create a sense of brand awareness by pre-posting about your promotions
    • Utilize channel specialties (I.e. Instagram stories and shoppable posts)

    Strengthen your SEO to increase organic traffic 

    Search engine optimization (SEO) should be an essential element in your holiday digital marketing strategy. Since the majority of consumers are using search engines like Google to find new brands, products, and services, it’s very important for small business owners to invest in the tools that can improve their ranking. Since there are many different factors to consider when climbing the organic ladder, improving your ranking (especially in a short period of time) can be a challenging task. 

    Use the following tips to improve your reach online: 

    • Use clever keywords 
    • Write thought-provoking content
    • Grow your reach with social media
    • Utilize your local environment to gain traction
    • Optimize for mobile traffic
    • Professionally manage your reputation 
    • Develop and integrate a strategy that will keep you on track 

    Since there are only a few weeks left before the craze of holiday shopping commences, have a word with our team to see how we can help launch a holiday digital marketing strategy for your business. 

    Which of the above suggestions does your business need more help with? Compare it with other readers in the comments section below.  

    Is Facebook advertising right for your business?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While many elements of your digital marketing strategy will consist of trial and error when it comes to effective online advertising, no platform is more powerful and underutilized as Facebook! While many e-commerce business owners tend to shy away from Facebook ads as their primary investment, it’s one of the best ways to get the word out about your company, especially if you’re also looking to reach prospective customers. As a social platform with more than a billion users, it would be silly to not include it in your ongoing advertising campaign strategy. 

    Facebook ads work for most businesses

    It’s reassuring to know that most industries and brands benefit from Facebook advertising before even contacting a professional digital marketing agency! This is partly because of Facebook’s popularity, with people from all over the world and different walks of life visiting the social platform to communicate, browse, and yes, shop. However, if you’ve already tried to use Facebook to increase your conversions, reach your target audience, and engage through product advertising, it may be the type of ad or marketing that you’re doing, rather than the platform itself. Even if your user doesn’t use Facebook often, you may be surprised at how they will still find their way to your website with the right ad coming their way. Plus, even if they miss it, their loved ones might share it! 

    Start with a goal in mind

    Why is Facebook such a great platform to carry out your professional digital marketing goals? It’s because it has the potential to put you in touch with a range of consumers quicker and more efficiently. Not to mention Facebook ads are relatively affordable, giving ample opportunity to adjust your campaign strategy as needed.

    So, when you’re looking at investing in your social strategy on Facebook, start the process with a clear goal in mind. Make sure to write down your short-term and long-term goals so that you can govern advertising decisions. Maybe you want new customers? If so, how many? And is your primary goal to increase visits, conversions, account registration, or all of the above? Be sure to keep your goals as specific as possible so that you can work alongside a professional digital marketer to tailor your ads, track your progress, and tweak your strategy as the layout of your industry shifts. 

    Understand KPIs

    Finding success with Facebook advertisements is strongly dependent on your knowledge of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). This allows you to focus on the actual net profits made through your Facebook ads, and then you can further pinpoint ways to drive down your cost per action on advertising engagements. Money is money in the business world and if able to heighten your sales without lowering profits, it makes the most sense to run cost-effective campaigns that generate higher revenue for your business. 

    Rotate types of Facebook ads

    Before you dive deeper into the world of Facebook ad campaigns, remember that you will need to create more than a single advertisement to have an effective campaign strategy. So, as a rule of thumb, be sure to develop at least three ads with the same targeted interests and goals, and rotate them within the campaign that you’re running. By doing this you’re better able to gather consumer information and compare each ad based on their CTRs (click-through rates). This will allow you to keep your focus on winner ads versus those that are underperforming.

    Are you ready to speak with a professional digital marketing team about adding Facebook ads to your current social media marketing strategy? Let Trek Marketing start things off by connecting you to your target audience using Facebook!

    Have you had any positive experiences using Facebook for advertising? Drop a comment below to share among our readers. 

    Tapping into success: Which offers the best ROI? Google or Facebook ads?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Google Ads and Facebook Ads have a longstanding rivalry and when it comes down to your return on investment (ROI), it’s essential to invest in the right platform that will generate ad revenue. A professional digital marketing agency would easily be able to determine which platform would work best for your business, but for those who have been in the game for a while, you may possess enough knowledge to kick things off yourself. Continue reading to learn the differences between these two advertising platforms.  

    Google Ads versus Facebook Ads

    While you were probably drawn to this blog submission looking for a definitive answer, we’re here to tell you that there really isn’t a “best” option, because both platforms perform differently from one another, bringing unique benefits to the table for online businesses. 

    Instead, try asking yourself the following questions before you invest money into either digital marketing effort: 

    • What is my budget for digital advertising?
    • Which platform would better reach my target audience?
    • What stage of the consumer’s buying journey am I trying to make a profit on?

    Since most internet users regularly utilize both of the following platforms, it’s more important to channel your pay-per-click advertising services towards efforts that focus on the age, income range, and lifestyle of your audience. Thus, to increase your ROI it’s important to break down what makes each platform unique before you make your final decision towards rolling with one or both. 

    A breakdown of Google advertising

    As businesses grow and transition to the online realm, customers have more choices now than ever before on where to make their purchases. Although, to be a successful business owner, one must deliver and retain customer interest at every stage of their browsing experience. Thus, many e-commerce companies rely on Google!

    What types of campaigns can you run using the Google platform?

    • Search network campaigns
    • Display network campaigns
    • Google Shopping Ads 
    • Video campaigns 
    • App campaigns 

    Facilitating purchases is one of the many perks of the Google platform, and through pay-per-click advertising services, business owners have been able to approach their audience with the use of industry keywords within their content, only paying for the service when their ad is clicked by the consumer. This technique is an efficient method that’s super popular for those looking to expand their digital marketing efforts. 

    A breakdown of Facebook advertising

    While Google Ads focus on paid searching, Facebook Ads are all about paid social, targeting audience behaviors and patterns to make each advertisement effective and personal. 

    Below are some formats of ads that can be done through Facebook:

    • Video advertising
    • Photo advertising
    • Slideshow advertising
    • Carousel advertising
    • Dynamic product advertising
    • Lead form advertising

    What are the ROI benefits of each platform?

    While both platforms work as channels to utilize pay-per-click advertising services, they also offer different benefits to the business owner.

    Benefits of Google Ads:

    1. You can bid on a number of keywords and get your ads to rank higher, reach new people, and increase your exposure. 
    2. You’re able to earn higher SERP (search engine results page) rankings by creating relevant ads. 
    3. The search and display networks help you to create ads that will appear in search results and generate more leads.

    Benefits of Facebook Ads:

    1. Consumers are always sharing information about themselves on Facebook (interests, beliefs, hobbies, etc.) and you can use this to collect data on your target audience.
    2. Once you have collected a database of people that are likely to be interested in your products or services, you can import it into Facebook and target those people using your ad campaigns. 
    3. Earn sign-ups, sales, subscriptions, follows, and leads. 

    Which platform are you most excited about? Drop a comment below to compare with other readers. 

    Social media marketing vs. brand community marketing

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    As much as today’s consumers seek individuality, they also have a very instinctual nature to want to find a sense of belonging with the purchases they make. This is why creating brand loyalists through online presence and word-of-mouth has become one of the largest growing forms of client retention. Naturally, social media platforms have tapped into this by offering people the chance to engage with their favorite brands and build upon these relationships by engaging with other like-minded shoppers. But have you ever heard of the term, “brand community marketing” and how it works alongside social media marketing? 

    What’s the difference between social media marketing and brand community marketing? 

    Social media marketing involves the utilization of an assortment of social platforms and websites to promote the sale of a product or service. Otherwise known as a form of e-marketing or digital marketing, the development of a social media marketing strategy helps business owners to connect with their online audience, build larger brand awareness, increase their conversion rates, and drive more traffic to their website. 

    On the other hand, a recent development in the realm of digital marketing is brand community marketing, which is when a community is formed based on attachment to a product or service. In fact, connecting to consumer behaviour is one of the most important elements of digital marketing, allowing there to be a communicative relationship between brand, individual identities, and culture. 

    How are they connected? 

    The arrival of the digital age has facilitated an opportunity for two-way conversations between brand and consumer, and while this online media landscape has expanded over the years, audiences are being swamped with information daily and it has become more complex to navigate. 

    Forging a strong, meaningful and long-last bond with the consumer lies within the brand community — those who have an affinity towards the brand after engaging with their product and now share a sense of purpose, passion, and values that are inspiring them to constantly seek connections through interactions both online and offline. 

    Starting a quickfire conversation about your brand can be challenging, but with community members recommending products and swapping stories, much of your social media marketing content can be showing off your community’s support and managing this emotion-building engagement rather than creating it all from scratch. After all, brand community marketing offers a wealth of insight that can be repurposed to boost customer appreciation of your brand and ensure that they keep coming back for more. 

    How do brand communities assist your social media marketing strategy?

    If a community thrives through the empowerment of your products or services, it means that you possess a great advantage to better target and connect with your audience. Consider the fact that most members that are showing their attitude towards a certain brand are likely digital natives who have grown up with access to the internet and social media available at their fingertips (ages 16 to 25). However, while this age group is likely the best demographic to set up within your brand community, retention focus can be achieved among other groups with the help of early access to price promotions, special offers, and sales, especially as more and more users venture within the realm of social media and online shopping. 

    So, if you’re an e-commerce business whose primary focus is to build up your brand loyalty rather than simply focusing on driving sales transactions, it’s time to transform your social media marketing strategy using the roots of brand community marketing! 

    Did you find the above topic to be a refreshing addition to our weekly submissions? Drop a comment below and let us know your thoughts and if you can think of a topic we haven’t addressed, include that as well!