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    How do you create marketable holiday themed content?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    content creation

    Happy holidays everyone! Before you become completely occupied with the anticipation of unwrapping your gifts and indulging in roast turkey and all the fixings, we want to help you get into the festive spirit… marketing style. Now, although the holiday season is almost over, a new year is upon us, and there will be plenty of other holidays for you to embellish your creative side in the months to come. So, let’s have some fun with your holiday-themed content creation. In fact, here are a few ways that you can stay relevant in your industry, engage with your audience and create timely, developed content for your business.

     Content creation that is easy to understand

    Whether you decide to post engaging memes or custom themed images, the text is equally as important as the image and should be clear and concise. It’s important to start off with developing a creative connection. For example, if you were posting something about the holiday season, then you would maybe discuss which of your products would make great stocking stuffers. However, it’s important to really drive home that connection. Since people are constantly scrolling through their news feeds and glancing at a little of everything, you want to make your content hard to ignore.

    Content creation that is relatable

    Once you make the connection between your brand and the holidays, then you want to make your content relatable to your target audience. It’s only human nature to automatically tune into messages that you feel a connection too. Creating content for customers who already value your product or service is a good start, but try and draw them in with something that is thought provoking and relatable.

    Content creation that mimics the spirit of that season

    Every holiday has a certain festive spirit to it. Whether it’s something that many families do or certain colours they decorate with, it’s important to mesh your content with the vibe of that holiday season. Christmas is cozy and a time for giving, Valentine’s Day is a time for love and Romance, while Halloween is all about making everything spooky. Consumers love any excuse to get excited about any upcoming holidays or festive events.

    Content creation that includes a call-to-action

    Never forget the notion that holiday-themed content is timely and needs to be effectively spread a few weeks before the celebration. To create a larger impact when you share holiday-themed content, we recommend including a call-to-action in your posts. Whether you start a poll asking about people’s favorite beers to drink on St. Patrick’s Day or you ask a question about which of your products would make the best Christmas gift in your blog, showing off your brand’s personality sports true creativity and allows your consumers to feel connected to your company.

    How have you built your content creation to embellish the holidays? Tell us in the comments section below.

    3 Reasons to Never Overlook the Power of Email Marketing During the Holiday Season

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    email marketing

    Email marketing is incredibly advantageous around the holidays. In a technological age where almost everyone is connected to a device on a daily basis, emails have the power to spread the word to your target audience much quicker than any non-digital marketing strategy. While email marketing can sometimes overwhelm potential customers, it also has the ability to allure them with impressive sales and convincing bylines. So, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and email your customers about your boxing day sale or the start of a 2019 promotion.

    If our little introductory paragraph wasn’t convincing enough to get you on-board, here are a few reasons that should have you head-over-heels for email marketing.

    Portable email inboxes

    With the development of smartphones and the forceful inclusion of data on most phone plans, people have their email inboxes where ever they go. This is a beautiful thing for e-commerce business owners who are trying to market new products and services or an upcoming sale. No one is ever truly offline.

    Combine marketing strategies

    While email marketing is effective on its own, combining your efforts with other digital marketing strategies, such as social media marketing or content marketing, can make your digital marketing strategy much more effective. If you don’t have the time to manage all of your campaigns, hiring a professional to do it for you can really help take the load of and allow you to dedicate your time to different areas of your business.

    Emails build relationships

    Email marketing is a very reliable way to reach potential shoppers during a time of year where everyone is scrambling to fulfill a shopping list. This is because people have opted to receive your newsletters to let them know about anything important that’s going on within your company. While posting to Facebook is a great tool as well, not every follower will actually see your all of your posted content. In comparison, emails are sent directly to the inbox of every person that is subscribed which is a much easier way to build trust within your customers and get the word out there about the fantastic products or services you have that gift receivers would love to get as a gift during the holidays.

    Do you know any other benefits of doing email marketing? Tell us in the comments section below.

     

    What type of social media marketing works best during the holidays?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    social media marketing

    If you want to prepare your business for social media marketing during the holidays you need to be prepared to mix things up and get creative with your advertisements. It’s one of the biggest times of year for shoppers which means that all of your competitors are doing the same thing and bombarding potential customers with products perks and gift ideas. In order to stand out from the crowd, continue to grow in sales and not get mixed up in the intense flurry of posting on your social channels you need to tastefully separate your brand from the rest. That being said, here are a few suggestive ways that you can capture your festive spirit through the use of social media marketing over the holiday season.

    Run a poll

    Don’t worry, we’re not talking about personally running to the North Pole. We’re simply highlighting that you should be taking advantage of an easy-to-use tool that many social channels have. Polls are a great way to be fun and festive with your audience, whilst they also yield practical value with the results they manage to gather. You can post an image on your social channels and compare two popular products, asking your followers to leave a comment stating which one they prefer. You can also create a poll on your Instagram story as a quick method to gain social attention.

    Get creative with your visuals

    Through the use of vibrant greens and lavish reds you’re able to make your content visually festive. Optimize the images across all your social media feeds and make sure that they all follow the same winter wonderland, twinkly light theme and cross-post it for the rest of the month.

    Become a storyteller

    ‘Tis the season for being merry, so, why not embellish this through the use of social media marketing. The story feature on Instagram and Snapchat allows you to create artful stories that invite your followers to engage in your heartwarming holiday spirit. Perhaps a series of images with festive captions would do the trick or simply an interview feature talking about how cozy and cute your products would look inside someone’s stocking?

    Be engaging

    It’s one thing to make sure that you’re following a regular social media marketing posting schedule and it’s another thing to ensure that you’re engaging with your fans and followers. Bring an added holiday cheer into the mix and personalize as many comments and messages as you can. Although this method can prove to be rather time consuming, customers will relish in your well thought out responses and call outs.

    Use a festive hashtag

    Whether your creative personality has allowed you to come up with a top-notch hashtag idea or you will simply be adding an already trending hashtag onto all your social posts, never neglect the power of social media tools. Using a hashtag will allow new, potential followers to find and engage with you over the holiday season. Plus, you can keep on top of your competition and see what they are posting.

    What other ways do you use social media marketing to your advantage over the holidays? Tell us in the comments section below.

    The ultimate guide to holiday marketing

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    holiday marketing

    In the world of business, the holiday season is probably the craziest time of year for sales. Naturally, that means that marketing to potential online shoppers becomes essential from October through to the New Year. With the rise in online shopping most e-commerce business owners take advantage of holiday marketing which can make it very difficult to stand out from your competitors. That being said, as a online retailer you need to strengthen your marketing strategies this time of year in order to make yourself noticed during the holiday rush, boost your sales and meet the expectations of your consumers. Here are a few helpful ways that you can make that happen.

    Offer free or discounted shipping

    Advertising free or discounted shipping is very good method to use when you’re trying to attract shoppers. The holidays can be daunting for many consumers, especially when it comes to fitting their shopping needs into a particular budget. Offering them free shipping is a very good way to encourage them to carry through with a purchase, while discounted shipping, if they live far away, can also seem like a reasonable exchange for a buy-worthy product.

    Start marketing for the holidays as soon as you can

    Most experienced e-commerce business owners have already started holiday marketing, but for those of you who are just starting to get the ball rolling ensure that you are dedicated to advertising your products or services in the coming weeks. Pre-plan and schedule your social media on all your channels, start pumping out newsletters outlining your sales and holiday gift suggestions and keep your blog up-to-date and informative for shoppers that want a little read while passing through.

    Bombard the social world

    Pre-planning and scheduling on your social channels are a good start, but bombarding the social world is much more effective when it comes to increasing your online sales. Many shoppers wait until the absolute last minute to make their holiday purchases which can be beneficial for last minute marketing strategies. Highlight on social media why your product or service would make a great gift, make a meme about last minute shopping deals or simply share some photos of your products gift wrapped and ready to ship. Image-worthy content has the ability to draw in shoppers who can see themselves handing off your product to their loved ones on Christmas morning.

    Drive shoppers to click-through to checkout

    Send a personalized email to shoppers that added products to an online shopping cart but abandoned it prior to purchase. This holiday marketing tactic will remind shoppers about the items that they were interested in buying and also gives you a chance to issue further price reductions if they carry through with their purchase within a certain time-frame. This gentle reminder may help your customers make a purchase.

    Are there any other last-minute methods you use to market your business around the holidays? Tell us in the comments section below.

    How do you market a pet business?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    marketing a niche business

    As an e-commerce business owner you’ve probably learnt a lot about the everyday struggles, advantages and disadvantages of certain marketing techniques, but have you gained any insight into marketing a niche business? Like many niche businesses, pet e-commerce websites have their own set of marketing strategies, content techniques and a range of business decisions that have the ability to benefit and grow their business. That being said, since there are never enough hours in the day, we’ve crafted a few helpful suggestions to help you with marketing your pet business.

    Review and update your webpage

    When was the last time that you scrolled through your website and refreshed the information available on it? Sometimes a simply rewrite of your biography, a couple new photos and an update to your personal information will go a long way in attracting new, prospective customers.

    Review your marketing strategy

    Creating an effective marketing strategy for a pet business doesn’t need to be a tedious task… all it takes is a little imagination, a few set-in-stone goals and the attitude to see it through. Start by figuring out a few achievable goals to focus your energy on. Next, figure out how to reach your ideal audience — maybe you’re not on the right social media network? Lastly, figure out your business strengths and focus on how you can use them to capitalize the revenue of your pet business.

    Pre-schedule your social media posts

    Social media has the power to reach a vast group of people in a very short period of time. So, it would be silly not to utilizate as many platforms as you can manage when you’re marketing a niche business. Promote your business using a combination of memes, videos, pictures, quotes and customized texts that promote sales or special offers. Then pre-schedule it to ensure that you keep an active presence online without allowing social media to take over your probably already busy business schedule.

    Encourage customer reviews

    Testimonials have the ability to skyrocket the success of any e-commerce business. When pet parents are deciding where they want to make their purchases, they will often read customer reviews to find out more about a product or service. Since trust is one of the most important factors, especially for a pet service provider, a glowing review on your webpage or social media channels will really help potential customers find their way to your online shopping cart checkout.

    Try sending newsletters

    Email marketing is one of the best ways to use your marketing budget. Sending out newsletters allows you to promote new products and sales, stay in touch with your customers and offer your supporters special, exclusive promotions. Regular, bi-monthly newsletters that are well-written, catchy and concise will show your customers that you’re dedicated to providing them great service.

    If you need help with any of the marketing techniques above, it’s best to contact a professional that can get you started on your marketing journey.

    Do you have any other questions about marketing a niche business? Let us know all about it in the comments section below.

    Social media marketing for hotels and resorts

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    social media marketing

    It isn’t unheard of for a customer to book a hotel or resort by means of an external booking site such as booking.com or trivago.com. In fact, it’s probably the most common method of booking people use. How you choose to position your hotel on your website and through social media channels helps potential guests to recognize your brand and steer them in the direction of your online presence. It’s all about presenting the right content, in the right place, at the right time that makes what you have to offer so desirable. But, just how do you choose which social media networks to use and how do you decide what content to post?

    Choosing the right social media channels

    Firstly, it’s important to know that there is no one-way street when it comes to social media marketing. What works for one hotel’s branding may not be the same case for another. You may operate a hostel that caters specifically to lower budget traveling. On the other hand, your business may be targeting business people that travel for work. Which social media channel you choose should be reflective of your target audience and geared towards engaging with them. Here are a few questions you could ask yourself before getting started:

    • How many social media channels do I have the time and money to run?
    • Which social media channels do my customers use the most?
    • How can I integrate my social media marketing strategy across the channels that I have chosen?

    Once you answer the above questions you will be able to narrow your scope to a couple social media channels that appeal to your target audience.  

    Choosing the right content

    In order to dominate your social media marketing strategy, you’ll need to post intriguing, eye-catching content that makes customers want to click and explore. The top social media channels for hotels and resorts are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. It’s also recommended that you keep up-to-date on TripAdvisor as well.

    Facebook is the perfect general-use social media network for hotels and resorts. This platform allows you to add extra tabs, gain followers, post pictures, memes and stories as well as contact your guests easily and conveniently.

    Instagram, on the other hand, is incredibly important if you hope to draw in customers by the use of visual content. You want people to get excited about your hotel and by posting beautiful images of your local sites, activities, dining and rooms, you’ll be able to help paint a picture to your guests about what they can expect upon booking.

    That being said, Twitter is a great tool for hotels to conduct their customer service or any other time-sensitive updates and events.

    Lastly, Pinterest allows user to spend time pinning images of places and hotels they would like to visit sometime. Who knows? Maybe your unique hotel will be added to boards used by people all across the world?

    What social media channels do you think would work best for your hotel and why? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.

     

    Must-write topics to cover on your e-commerce blog

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    e-commerce blog

    A variety of content is incredibly important when you’re crafting an e-commerce blog aimed at enticing new customers and keeping your current ones interested. Although quality content is key, it’s equally as important to have a regular blogging schedule that you can maintain and carry out each week. The more you write, the more you may find that your once full page of ideas is now scarce and non-existent. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are always new topics to write about or subjects that can be re-written from a different angle. So, pick up that pen or get back to your computer with the help of these inspirational ideas.

    Write a post about your products

    Even though you probably have detailed product descriptions telling your customers what your products are all about, you can create a blog that specifically details how the products can be used. In a single blog post you can highlight multiple products that may possess a similar purchasing trend. This allows you to discuss their purpose further and even include some behind the scenes photos. It’s the perfect way to entice your customers to read your content without blatantly throwing an advertisement in their direction.

    Write a how-to post

    How-to blog posts are fun to write and best of all they are interesting to read as well. Often you may sell a product that has more than one practical use and this is a foolproof opportunity to show consumers what they are. For example, if you own an electronics company you may want to write about how-to troubleshoot outdated electronics. Obviously, you want to encourage them to click on your products, especially if they are having trouble with their current ones, but simply share your expertise with them and add a tagline at the end saying, “If you’re finally fed up, check out our line of…”.

    Write a post on industry trends and news

    It’s important to keep one eye open when it comes to trends or news that develop pertaining to your products. This asserts your position as a leader in your niche and is a good way to show your audience that you’re knowledgeable and up-to-date with your industry.

    Write a list post

    With Christmas just around the corner perhaps it would be beneficial to write about the top five items on your website that everyone would want to see if their Christmas stocking this year. This is an easy way to draw attention to your products, because often times people are scrambling around at Christmas to finish shopping for everyone on their lists. You’re just giving your customers a nudge in the right direction.

    Do you struggle with writing in general? Do you have a stressful schedule and need help with your blog? We’re happy to say you do have options. Many startup companies often seek outside help to manage their e-commerce blog in order to ensure the quality is kept consistent and the writing is professional.

    How do you come up with refreshing ideas for your e-commerce blog? Tell us in the comments section below.

    What is social selling and how can it help with your sales?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    social selling

    The traditional methods of sales have transformed over the years and evolved into a more contemporary approach known as social selling. E-commerce business owners are utilizing the power of social networking to connect, communicate, engage, research and build up trust with potential buyers. The best part of this new selling technique is that people feel less targeted and annoyed, which can usually convert into an increase in sales. But what elements comprise the design of social selling?

    What is social selling?

    Social selling is a sales process that takes place by using the various social media platforms to reach out to your consumer market. Comparable to a casino slot machine (lots of misses and an occasional hit) social selling is a tactic used by businesses to push sales. Although campaigns have the ability to organically appear on buyers’ news feeds, they also have the potential to get missed in the mayhem of scrolling through.

    Needless to say, most consumers find social selling to be an all-round pleasant experience when compared to the in-your-face methods of traditional selling. Social selling is also about creating a following just as much as creating sales. Generally speaking, consumers feel like the price point of a product or service are better if the sales approach isn’t as forceful.

    Why is social selling beneficial to your company?

    Before the massive wave of internet-friendly sales, sales people dominated this interaction between face-to-face. Now many people turn to the internet to meet their shopping needs, because they feel as if sales people have become too pushy and believe that they are simply trying to sell their product and not inform the public in the process.

    To an extent this may be true. Back in the day all that salespeople needed was lots of sales skills and little to no product knowledge. Yet, social selling has revolutionized consumer access to product information. Not to mention the high-quality content is engaging to buyers.

    Savvy sales professionals, both through traditional means and online, have become familiar with what their consumers want through the use of social listening and social sales. Instead of being the customers only means of information, e-commerce business owners now know that there is a plethora of facts available after a quick Google search. This allows them to curve their sales judgement and rethink their sales approach.

    Needless to say, products are still advertised (more uniquely as a matter of fact), only buyers now have the chance to browse, seek out the best deal or product and read reviews all from the comfort of their own home. Social selling is the new approach to sales in the modern era.

    How has your company benefited by using social selling as a selling strategy? Tell us in the comments section below.

    The marketing benefits of social listening

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    social listening

    There are many elements that should be involved in your social media management process. Part of what drives buyers to make purchases is your ability to connect with them and put a face behind your product. When people feel that a company supports their values, they are inclined to give their loyalty as a customer. By using social listening as a means to understand consumers you are taking full advantage of a key social media marketing benefit.

    What is social listening?

    For those of you who are not accustomed to hearing the term, social listening is the process of being aware of online conversations that are taking place amongst your customers (and potential buyers) through the use of their social media platforms. By familiarizing yourself with this practice, you are allowing it to be used as a tool to collect valuable data on topics, industries and brands.

    Social listening vs. social media monitoring

    Although both terms suggest keeping tabs on your buyers, social media monitoring is not the same practice. Though they are similar, social media monitoring is when an e-commerce business owner, or a hired social media professional, simply watch social media channels for mentions or comments about their brand. However, social listening involves a more in-depth insight into this conversation.

    Interestingly enough, there are conversations that you may find valuable as a business owner that are taking place without appearing in your notifications tab. Actually, studies suggests that only 9% of Tweets that converse about your brand are happening opening on social channels. That means around 91% actually happen without you even knowing. Through the use of social listening you’re able to track keywords, phrases, events and organizations that correlate with your branding. This kind of social media digging provides you with a stronger social presence and other beneficial insights that will aid you in better connecting with your target audience.

    What are some other benefits of social listening?

    • Strategy measurement: Strategies are simply a trial and error process. If something isn’t working, make a new plan. Social listening allows you to measure social engagement and see what is generating the most optimal results.
    • Content marketing: Since a successful business is measured by your ability to deliver good content, social listening will help you to reach your target audience by crafting posts that they care about.
    • Build a reputation: One of the most beneficial elements of using social listening is the prompt ability to handle a social media crisis. While positive mentions are the most ideal, negative mentions do happen and it’s important to tackle these issues to ensure your brands longstanding reputation.

    If you don’t have the spare time to add social listening to your social media strategy consider speaking with a member from our team to help you with the process.

    Have you integrated social listening into your social media strategy? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.