PPC Advertising Benefits:

Quick Results – The Need for Speed

When it comes to marketing, we all want to see results as fast as possible. PPC advertising delivers just that. Unlike search engine optimization (SEO), which can take months to produce significant results, PPC ads can deliver nearly instant results. You can set up a campaign within minutes and start driving traffic to your website right away. This allows you to quickly test new products, promotions, or messaging strategies and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.

Precise Targeting – Hitting the Bullseye

One of the most significant advantages of PPC advertising is the ability to target your ads with laser-like precision. You can target specific keywords, demographics, locations, and even the time of day when your ads are shown. This helps you reach the right audience at the right time, ensuring your marketing budget is spent efficiently. With PPC ads, you can also exclude certain keywords, demographics, or locations to avoid wasting resources on irrelevant or uninterested audiences.

Brand Exposure – Make Your Presence Known

In a world where online visibility is critical for success, PPC ads can help increase your brand exposure exponentially. Your ads can appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), making your brand visible to users actively searching for products or services similar to yours. This increased visibility helps you build brand awareness, which ultimately leads to higher brand recognition and trust among your target audience.

Retargeting Capabilities – Stay on Your Audience’s Mind

Have you ever visited a website, only to have their ads follow you around the internet afterward? That’s the magic of retargeting. With PPC advertising, you can leverage retargeting capabilities to re-engage users who have visited your website but did not convert. This helps you stay top of mind for potential customers and increases the likelihood of them returning to your website and converting.

To explore even further, we’ve got a story for you!  Amazon, one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers, has been using PPC advertising as part of their marketing strategy for many years. The company started using PPC in the early 2000s to drive traffic to their website and increase sales. Since then, they have continued to refine their PPC strategy to reach their target audience and increase their revenue.

Amazon’s PPC Actions and Benefits

1. Quick Results

Amazon’s PPC ads are displayed at the top of search engine results pages, which allows them to reach their target audience quickly and generate traffic to their website. This results in quick sales and revenue growth..

2. Precise Targeting

Amazon uses precise targeting options such as keywords, product categories, and audience demographics to ensure that their ads are seen by the right people. This allows them to reach their target audience more effectively and increase their chances of making a sale.

3. Brand Exposure

Amazon uses PPC advertising to increase their brand exposure and showcase their products to a wider audience. By creating visually appealing ads that highlight their products’ features and benefits, they attract new customers and increase their brand awareness.

4. Retargeting Capabilities

Amazon also uses retargeting capabilities in their PPC campaigns to show ads to users who have previously visited their website but did not make a purchase. This allows them to remind customers of the products they were interested in and encourage them to complete their purchase.

As a result, Amazon’s PPC platform, known as Amazon Advertising, has evolved over time to become a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes to promote their products on the Amazon marketplace. Today, Amazon Advertising offers a range of advertising options, including sponsored products, sponsored brands, and sponsored display ads. And some estimates show the retail giant controls roughly 38% of the U.S. e-commerce market, that’s almost half! Way to go, Amazon.

Final Thoughts

The future of social media marketing is exciting and full of potential. By staying informed about the latest trends and technologies, businesses can create innovative, targeted campaigns that effectively engage their target audience. Keep these 10 things in mind as you plan your social media marketing strategy, and your brand will be poised for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

The post Experience Exponential Growth: Unleash the Power of PPC Advertising [VIDEO] appeared first on Brandastic.

The Growing Importance of Voice Search

Voice search has experienced exponential growth in recent years, mainly due to the widespread adoption of smart speakers like Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod. Additionally, the integration of voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa into smartphones and other devices has made voice search more accessible and convenient.  Optimizing your website for voice search is essential to ensure your business reaches its target audience effectively. An experienced SEO agency can help you achieve this by implementing strategies such as long-tail keywords and conversational language that match the way people speak. By doing so, your website is more likely to appear at the top of search engine results pages when users conduct a voice search using their preferred voice assistant.

Current research shows there are 4.2 billion voice assistants in use as of 2023, worldwide.  This number will reach 8.4 billion by 2024, making it crucial for businesses to adapt and ensure their content is optimized for voice search. Voice search offers users a more natural, hands-free way to find information, making it an attractive option for multitaskers and those seeking instant results.

Differences Between Voice and Traditional Search

• Query Length: Voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational than traditional text searches. People tend to use more natural language and full sentences when speaking, while text searches often consist of short phrases or keywords.
• Search Intent: Voice searches often have a higher intent, as users typically seek immediate answers or solutions to their problems. In contrast, text searches may involve more general browsing or research.
• Local Searches: Voice search users frequently look for local businesses, services, or information, and voice search results tend to load faster by 52% than the average search results. As a result, optimizing content for local search is essential for businesses looking to capitalize on voice search traffic.

Optimizing Content for Voice Search

• Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Since voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational, targeting long-tail keywords that resemble natural language can help your content rank higher in voice search results.
• Use Structured Data: Structured data, or schema markup, helps search engines understand your content better, increasing the likelihood of appearing in voice search results. Implementing structured data on your website can improve your chances of being featured in voice search snippets.
• Optimize for Local SEO: Since voice search users often search for local information, ensure your business is listed on Google My Business and other local directories. An experienced SEO agency can help you optimize your website for local SEO and improve your chances of appearing in local search results.
• Create Conversational Content: Write content that answers common questions or provides solutions to problems in a conversational tone. This approach resonates with voice search users and may improve your chances of being chosen as a relevant search result.
• Optimize for Mobile Devices: Voice searches often occur on mobile devices, so make sure your website is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and provides a seamless user experience.

Introducing “Dom”

Want to hear about a business that has successfully optimized their operations using voice search? It’s Dominos Pizza.

Back in 2014, the company introduced “Dom”, their AI-powered voice assistant, to improve the customer ordering experience, and has reached half a million orders this way since the launch. By incorporating voice search technology, their aim was to make the process more convenient and efficient for their customers. 

So what exactly did they do to leverage voice search?

1. First up is Dom, the AI-powered voice assistant

Domino’s introduced Dom in 2014 as a virtual assistant to help customers place orders using voice commands. Dom can answer questions, provide menu recommendations, and process orders quickly and efficiently.

2. Integration with Amazon’s Alexa

In 2020, Domino’s integrated Dom with Amazon Alexa, allowing customers to place orders using Alexa-enabled devices like the Amazon Echo. Users simply have to enable the Domino’s skill onto their device, and link their account to enjoy a seamless voice ordering experience.

3. Compatibility with Google Assistant

Domino’s also made it possible for customers to order using Google Assistant on their smartphones or Google Home devices. This integration expanded their reach to users who prefer Google’s ecosystem.

4. In-car voice ordering

Domino’s partnered with Xevo, a connected-car platform, to offer in-car voice ordering. This allowed drivers to place orders through their vehicle’s infotainment system using voice commands, making it convenient for customers on the go.

Domino’s recognizes the significant impact of technology in boosting their sales. Mobile devices contribute to 50 percent of their digital sales, demonstrating a growing trend among customers who prefer to place orders using their smartphones and tablets.  By leveraging voice search, Domino’s enhanced customer experience, increased their digital sales, and strengthened their position as a tech-savvy and innovative brand in the pizza industry.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it! The voice search revolution is transforming the way we engage with technology and access information. For businesses ready to embrace these changes and optimize their content for voice search, the sky’s the limit.  By zeroing in on conversational keywords, harnessing the power of structured data, and giving local SEO the attention it deserves, businesses can supercharge their online presence and connect with even more customers through voice search.  So get moving and ride the voice search wave to new heights of success!

The post Voice Search Revolution: Understanding the Shift and Optimizing for Success [VIDEO] appeared first on Brandastic.

Why Hire an SEO Agency?

With the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, keeping up with SEO best practices can be a full-time job. That’s where an SEO agency comes in – these experts are equipped with the know-how and resources to optimize your website for search engines, improve organic rankings, and drive more targeted traffic to your site.

Check out how the infamous company, Airbnb, invested in an SEO agency, along with other marketing efforts, and saw significant long-term ROI:

In the early years of the company, Airbnb sought to improve its online visibility and organic search traffic by investing in SEO strategies. They partnered with various SEO agencies to optimize their website, create quality content, and build a strong backlink profile.

As a result, Airbnb’s organic search traffic grew substantially, contributing to an increase in bookings and revenue. The investment in SEO not only helped Airbnb expand its user base and strengthen its brand recognition but also improved the company’s long-term profitability. CEO, Brian Chesky, stated that “more than 90% of our traffic is organic.” Since Airbnb’s inception in 2008, its active hosts have now reached over 4 million, worldwide, and the company’s current valuation is about $113 billion.

Looking for the same ROI?  Let’s walk through how this can be possible.

The Magical World of SEO: A Quick Refresher

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it’s the art (and science) of optimizing your website so that it ranks higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher your website ranks, the more organic traffic it will receive, which ultimately leads to more customers and sales.

The Quest for Long-Term ROI: Why It Matters

As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to get the most bang for your buck, and that’s where long-term ROI comes into play. ROI, or return on investment, is a measure of how much return you receive on your initial investment. When it comes to digital marketing, long-term ROI is essential because it ensures that your marketing efforts will continue to pay off over time, even as trends and technologies evolve.

SEO Agency to the Rescue: How They Make the Magic Happen

Now that we’ve covered the basics of SEO and long-term ROI let’s take a closer look at how an SEO agency can help you achieve your goals. SEO agencies are experts in the field, and they have the skills, knowledge, and tools to optimize your website for search engines effectively. Here are some of the ways an SEO agency can work their magic:

• Keyword Research: Identifying the right keywords to target is crucial for SEO success. An SEO agency will conduct in-depth keyword research to find the most relevant and profitable keywords for your business.
• On-Page Optimization: This involves optimizing various elements of your website, including meta tags, headings, content, and more. An SEO agency will ensure that your website is optimized for both search engines and users.
• Technical SEO: Ensuring that your website is technically sound is essential for SEO success. An SEO agency will audit your site, identify any issues, and implement necessary fixes.
• Content Creation: High-quality, relevant content is a must for SEO. An SEO agency can help you create and optimize content that engages your audience and ranks well on SERPs.
• Link Building: Earning high-quality backlinks is a crucial aspect of SEO. An SEO agency will develop a strategic link-building plan to help improve your website’s authority and rankings.

The ROI Chronicles: Uncovering the Long-Term Benefits of SEO

So, how does investing in an SEO agency lead to long-term ROI? Let’s explore some of the key benefits:

• Increased Organic Traffic: As your website’s rankings improve, you’ll see an increase in organic traffic. This means more potential customers visiting your site without you having to pay for ads.
• Enhanced Brand Visibility: Ranking higher on SERPs will make your brand more visible to potential customers. This increased visibility can lead to more brand awareness, trust, and authority.
• Better User Experience: A well-optimized website not only ranks higher but also provides a better user experience. This can lead to higher engagement, longer dwell times, and ultimately, more conversions.
• Cost-Effectiveness: SEO is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies, as it targets users who are already searching for your products or services. By partnering with an SEO agency, you can save money on paid advertising in the long run while enjoying the benefits of organic growth.
• Sustainable Results: Unlike paid advertising, which stops providing results as soon as you stop paying, SEO provides long-lasting results. Once you’ve achieved a high ranking, you can maintain it with ongoing optimization efforts, ensuring a steady stream of organic traffic and conversions.

So there you have it, folks! The long-term ROI of investing in an SEO agency truly pays off, making it a no-brainer for businesses looking to grow and succeed in the digital realm. By working with an SEO agency, you can expect increased organic traffic, enhanced brand visibility, a better user experience, cost-effectiveness, and sustainable results.

Remember, the SEO landscape is constantly evolving, and partnering with an SEO agency ensures that your business stays ahead of the curve, adapting to changes and capitalizing on opportunities. So, what are you waiting for? Embark on your SEO adventure today and watch your business thrive in the long run!

The post Long-Term ROI of Investing in an SEO Agency: The Secrets to Billion Dollar Success [VIDEO] appeared first on Brandastic.

Let’s start with sharing an AI success story, from the well-known brand, Starbucks. The global coffeehouse chain recognized the potential of AI in enhancing customer experiences and driving revenue growth, and implemented a series of AI-driven initiatives, which together formed the “Deep Brew” program.  What did the program include, you ask?

Personalized Marketing

Starbucks used AI to analyze customer preferences, purchase history, and demographic data, enabling them to deliver targeted offers and product recommendations. This personalized approach resulted in increased customer loyalty and higher sales as customers were more likely to purchase items tailored to their tastes.

Dynamic Pricing

Starbucks employed AI to analyze local market conditions, customer behavior, and store performance data, which helped them adjust prices accordingly. This dynamic pricing strategy helped maximize profitability and contributed to increased sales.

Store optimization

Using AI, Starbucks was able to identify optimal store locations and layouts, ultimately increasing foot traffic and sales. AI also assisted in optimizing staff schedules, ensuring that stores were adequately staffed during peak hours.

Voice ordering

Starbucks integrated AI-powered voice assistants into their mobile app, allowing customers to place orders via voice commands. This feature streamlined the ordering process and increased sales by making it more convenient for customers to place orders on the go.

These AI-driven initiatives helped Starbucks enhance customer experiences, optimize operations, and increase sales. With the company’s current consolidated net revenues being up 8% to a record $8.7 Billion, Starbucks’ CEO, Kevin Johnson, says that the success of the chain’s digital channel is being driven by artificial intelligence’s increasing role in operations.

Now, what do you and your business need to know about AI?  Let’s dive in.

AI-Powered Chatbots: Your Friendly Virtual Assistants

First up on our list are AI-powered chatbots – the perfect solution to providing exceptional customer service 24/7. Chatbots can answer customer queries, book appointments, and even guide users through the purchasing process. By handling a multitude of tasks, they free up your team’s time to focus on more important business matters. Plus, chatbots can learn from each interaction, becoming smarter and more efficient over time. Your customers will love the personalized experience, and you’ll love the improved customer satisfaction!

Hyper-Personalized Content: Tailor-Made for Every Customer

Have you ever been amazed at how an ad campaign seemed to know exactly what you needed? That’s AI-driven hyper-personalization at work! By analyzing consumer behavior, interests, and preferences, AI algorithms can create tailor-made content that resonates with your target audience. This means higher conversion rates, increased customer loyalty, and a more significant return on investment (ROI) for your marketing efforts.

Predictive Analytics: Peering into the Future

Predictive analytics is like having a crystal ball to foresee your customers’ needs and desires. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the competition. By understanding what your customers want before they even know it, you can create targeted campaigns that hit the mark every time.

AI-Driven SEO: Outsmarting the Search Engines

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential for any business looking to stay ahead in the digital landscape. AI-powered SEO tools can analyze your website’s performance, identify gaps and opportunities, and provide actionable insights for improvement. These tools can also predict changes in search engine algorithms, keeping your website optimized and ensuring that you stay at the top of search results.

Automating Social Media: Streamlining Your Online Presence

Managing multiple social media accounts can be a daunting task, but AI is here to save the day! AI-driven tools can automate your social media presence, analyzing the best times to post, optimal content types, and even suggesting hashtags to maximize your reach. By taking care of the nitty-gritty, AI allows you to focus on crafting high-quality content that truly engages your audience.

In Conclusion

It’s clear to see that artificial Intelligence is transforming the digital marketing landscape, offering a world of possibilities for businesses to connect with their customers in new and exciting ways. By partnering with a digital marketing agency, and embracing AI, your business can benefit from improved efficiency, hyper-personalized content, and cutting-edge insights that will leave your competition in the dust. The future of digital marketing is here, and it’s time to ride the AI wave to success!

The post Riding the AI Wave: How Digital Marketing is Thriving with Artificial Intelligence [VIDEO] appeared first on Brandastic.

From Zero to Millions: The Daniel Wellington Story with Influencer Marketing and Paid Ads 

A business that used influencer marketing and paid social media ads to increase their business is Daniel Wellington, a Swedish watch brand. Founded in 2011 by Filip Tysander, the company quickly gained popularity through strategic influencer marketing and paid social media campaigns.  Using influencer marketing, Daniel Wellington identified influencers on platforms like Instagram, with a focus on fashion and lifestyle micro-influencers. They gifted these influencers their watches and offered personalized discount codes to share with their followers. This strategy helped the brand gain exposure and credibility among the target audience, as potential customers saw real people with genuine enthusiasm for the products. 

In its first five years of operation, from 2011 to 2016, Daniel Wellington’s revenue reportedly grew from about $15 million to approximately $220 million (14X in 5 years!), which is a significant increase. However, it’s important to note that growth rates can vary from year to year and can be influenced by a variety of factors such as market trends, competition, and marketing strategies.

Daniel Wellington also invested in paid social media ads, specifically on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They created visually appealing content, showcasing their watches on different wrists and in various contexts, to appeal to a wide audience. By leveraging Facebook’s and Instagram’s powerful targeting tools, they were able to reach their desired demographics and optimize their ad spend.  By effectively combining influencer marketing and paid social media ads, Daniel Wellington managed to create a strong brand presence and awareness. Their efforts paid off, and the company experienced rapid growth, with sales reaching hundreds of millions of dollars within a few years. They successfully built a loyal customer base and became one of the fastest-growing watch brands in the world.

Ready to boost your business?  Let’s get to it.

Step 1: Identify Your Brand’s Marketing Goals and Target Audience

Before diving into the enchanting waters of influencer marketing and paid advertising, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your brand’s marketing goals and target audience. With these magical maps in hand, you’ll be better equipped to choose the right influencers and create compelling ads that resonate with your audience.

Next, define your marketing goals.  Start by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) marketing goals that align with your overall business objectives. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales, having clear goals will help you measure the effectiveness of your marketing strategies and make data-driven decisions.

Then, identify your target audience.  Knowing your target audience is like holding the secret key to their hearts and minds. Dive deep into the demographics, psychographics, and online behavior of your ideal customers. Creating detailed buyer personas will help you tailor your influencer marketing and paid advertising campaigns to resonate with the right people, ensuring maximum impact.

Step 2: Find the Perfect Influencers for Your Brand

Influencers are like modern-day wizards, wielding the power of persuasion through their appealing content and captivating personalities. But not all wizards are created equal – finding the perfect influencer for your brand requires some research and finesse.

First, look for relevance and authenticity.  Choose influencers whose content and style align with your brand’s values and messaging. Authentic partnerships will create a more powerful impact on your target audience.

Then, assess their engagement and reach.  Analyze an influencer’s engagement rates, follower count, and audience demographics to determine if they can help you achieve your marketing goals.

Finally, vet their content quality and professionalism.  Review the influencer’s past collaborations and ensure they consistently produce high-quality content that reflects well on your brand.

Step 3: Craft Captivating Paid Advertising Campaigns

Paid advertising is like the secret potion that can help your brand reach and enchant new audiences across various platforms. With the help of a Paid Digital Marketing Agency, you can create spellbinding ads that capture the hearts of your target audience.

Step one is to choose the right platforms.  Be sure to select advertising platforms that align with your target audience’s online behavior and preferences. Popular options include Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and LinkedIn Ads.

Next up is to design engaging ad creatives.  Craft ads that resonate with your audience by using eye-catching visuals, compelling copy, and a clear call-to-action (CTA).

Now it’s time to allocate your budget wisely.  Determine an appropriate budget for each platform, considering factors such as cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-impression (CPM), and overall return on investment (ROI).

Step 4: Integrate Influencer Marketing and Paid Advertising

When influencer marketing and paid advertising join forces, they create a powerful synergy that can propel your brand’s success to new heights. It’s important to cross-promote your campaigns.  Leverage your influencers’ content in your paid ads to boost credibility, and vice versa. This can create a seamless brand experience for your audience.

Ready to amplify influencer content with paid advertising?  Increase the reach of your influencers’ content by promoting it through paid advertising channels. This can help you tap into new audiences who might not be following the influencer but still fit your target demographic.

Next, collaborate on sponsored content.  Work with influencers to create sponsored content that can be used in your paid advertising campaigns. This approach enables you to harness the influencer’s unique voice and creativity while maintaining control over the messaging and branding.

Step 5: Measure, Analyze, and Optimize Your Campaigns 

To ensure your marketing adventure is a smashing success, it’s essential to track, analyze, and optimize the performance of your influencer marketing and paid advertising campaigns. By doing so, you can identify areas of improvement, adjust your strategies, and maximize your ROI.

Be sure to set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).  Establish KPIs that align with your marketing goals to measure the success of your campaigns. Examples include engagement rate, click-through rate (CTR), conversions, and cost per acquisition (CPA).

Also ensure to use analytics tools.  Utilize analytics tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager, and Instagram Insights to gather data on your campaign performance. A paid digital marketing agency can also provide valuable insights and recommendations based on the data.

Now you’re ready to analyze and optimize.  Be sure to regularly review your campaign performance and identify areas where you can optimize your strategies. This may involve refining your target audience, adjusting your ad creatives, or modifying your influencer partnerships.

Finally, test and learn.  Embrace a test-and-learn mindset by experimenting with different tactics, platforms, and influencers. Continuous testing will help you discover what works best for your brand and enable you to stay ahead of the marketing curve.

You’re All Set!

With this 5-step guide to influencer marketing and paid advertising, your marketing adventure awaits. Remember, partnering with the right paid social media marketing agency and combining the powers of influencer marketing and paid advertising, can make all the difference. So strap on your marketing boots, and chart your course towards a successful adventure in the world of digital marketing. Bon voyage!

The post 14X in 5 years: Your Guide to Influencer Marketing & Paid Advertising appeared first on Brandastic.

In today’s digital landscape, businesses can’t afford to ignore the importance of a seamless, engaging, and user-friendly digital presence. Strong User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design play a crucial role in determining the success of a business, as they significantly impact customer satisfaction, user engagement, and ultimately, sales. Let’s explore how investing in a robust UI/UX strategy can lead to increased sales and revenue for your business.

How Blenders Eyewear Increased Sales by 4X With Strong UI/UX

A lucrative example of a company that used UI/UX design to increase their sales by 4x is Blenders Eyewear, a California-based eCommerce business that sells high-end sunglasses.

Blenders Eyewear initially struggled to stand out in the crowded sunglasses market, and its website had a high bounce rate and low conversion rate. In 2018, the company decided to revamp its website with a focus on improving the user experience.

Blenders Eyewear worked with a team of UX designers to create a more intuitive and user-friendly website. They improved the navigation menu, optimized product pages with high-quality images and detailed descriptions, and incorporated customer reviews and ratings. They also created a mobile app to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience on their smartphones.

The redesign was a huge success, and within six months, Blenders Eyewear had increased its sales by 4x. The company’s conversion rate improved by 40%, and its bounce rate decreased by 20%. The new website and mobile app were also well-received by customers, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Blenders Eyewear’s success is a testament to the power of UI/UX design in eCommerce. By creating a more intuitive and user-friendly website, the company was able to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction, even in a competitive market with high-ticket items.

Here are 10 ways you can maximize UI/UX design for your website

1) Simplify Navigation

Your eCommerce website’s navigation should be simple and easy to use. Customers should be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. Use clear and concise labels for your navigation menu and ensure that it is easy to access from any page on your website.

2) Optimize Product Pages

Product pages are the heart of your eCommerce website. They are where customers will make their purchasing decisions, so it is essential to optimize them for maximum conversions. Use high-quality images and videos of your products, provide detailed descriptions and specifications, and include customer reviews and ratings.

3) Use High-Quality Images

Images are a critical aspect of eCommerce website design. They provide customers with a visual representation of your products and help them make purchasing decisions. Use high-quality images that showcase your products from different angles and provide zoom functionality.

4) Incorporate Customer Reviews

Customer reviews and ratings can significantly impact purchasing decisions. Incorporate customer reviews on your product pages and consider displaying overall ratings on your homepage. Encourage customers to leave reviews by providing incentives such as discounts or free shipping.

5) Provide a Seamless Checkout Experience

The checkout process is where customers make their final purchasing decisions. Ensure that your checkout process is seamless and easy to use. Minimize the number of steps required to complete a purchase, offer multiple payment options, and provide clear and concise instructions.

6) Use Responsive Design

A responsive design ensures that your website is optimized for different devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. Customers should be able to access your website from any device and have a seamless experience.

7) Incorporate Personalization

Personalization is becoming increasingly important in eCommerce website design. Use customer data to provide personalized recommendations, product suggestions, and promotions. This will help build customer loyalty and increase sales.

8) Optimize Loading Speed

The loading speed of your website can significantly impact user experience. Ensure that your website is optimized for speed by minimizing image sizes, using a content delivery network (CDN), and compressing files.

9) Provide Clear and Concise Information

Product pages are the heart of your eCommerce website. They are where customers will make their purchasing decisions, so it is essential to optimize them for maximum conversions. Use high-quality images and videos of your products, provide detailed descriptions and specifications, and include customer reviews and ratings.

10) Test and Refine

Finally, testing and refining your website’s design is essential. Use A/B testing to experiment with different design elements and determine what works best for your audience. Continually refine your website to provide the best possible experience.

Final Thoughts

A robust UI/UX strategy goes beyond aesthetics, delving into the realm of customer understanding and crafting an experience that resonates with their needs. By prioritizing UI/UX, your business can reap the benefits of improved customer satisfaction, and increased conversions, among other benefits.  Successful digital marketing campaigns center on igniting and showcasing your brand’s potential. Brandastic’s thirst for learning gives us the edge in nurturing lifetime clients with a results-focused approach. The Brandastic team approaches problems differently to maximize the value we bring every day. Let us help you tell your brand story, as you begin a new chapter.

The post Boost Your Business by 4X With Strong UI/UX [VIDEO] appeared first on Brandastic.

One way to reduce the percentage of site visitors who immediately click away is to improve the content on your site. Some small changes in your content can make a big difference in keeping users on your site longer.

Use this guide to reduce your website’s bounce rate with engaging, informative content.

What is a Website Bounce Rate?

The bounce rate on your website is the percentage of visitors who land on a page and then leave the site without engaging further. These visitors don’t click on a link to another page, fill out any forms on your site, or make a purchase. They simply “bounce” back to the search results or website that referred them to a page on your website.

To calculate the bounce rate for your website, divide the number of one-page sessions on your site by the total number of sessions. This should yield a percentage between 0% and 100%. Ideally, companies prefer to keep their bounce rates as low as possible. Lower bounce rates mean visitors are spending more time on your site engaging with your content, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

If you’re not happy with your current website bounce rate, don’t worry. By writing captivating, quality content, you can reduce your website bounce rate and improve your overall digital marketing strategy.

8 Tips for Reducing Your Website Bounce Rate with Better Content

To improve the content on your website and bring down your bounce rate, try these tips:

Write for Humans, Not Algorithms

As tempting as it may be to write for algorithms so your website ranks higher in search results, instead, focus primarily on writing for people. Your content should meet the needs of your readers if you want them to stick around on your site. Provide them with content that’s compelling, engaging, and offers solutions to their problems.
When you’re writing content for your website, start with a clear objective for each piece. Ask yourself:

• Who are you trying to reach with the content?
• What does that target audience want and need?
• What information will be useful to them?

Then, spend time researching and finding information that will deliver value to your readers. Make sure all the information you include serves your objective for the piece.

Choose Your Topics Carefully

The topics you cover on your site play a key role in getting visitors to your site and keeping them there. Make sure you’re writing on topics that people are searching for to reduce your website bounce rate.

A great way to gain insights into what people are searching for is to check Google’s “People also ask” section on the results page. If you search keywords relevant to your business in Google, this section will show you related questions that users ask. You can also do more in-depth research with content optimization software to determine what your audience is searching for online.

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. You should write about topics they’re interested in and want to learn more about. If you have social media accounts for your business, you can even ask your followers what topics they would most like you to cover.

Inject Excitement into Your Content

Sometimes, the topics that are most valuable to your audience aren’t inherently the most exciting. That’s okay. You just have to find ways to inject some excitement into your writing to keep your visitors engaged.

That doesn’t mean you should exaggerate or stray off-topic to make your articles more interesting. Instead, try using attention-grabbing words and dynamic sentences to cover the information. Avoid passive voice and bland, repetitive sentence structure. If it fits with your brand voice, consider using some humor in your pieces when appropriate. Even small bits of excitement or humor can help keep your audience engaged and prevent them from bouncing off the page.

Stay Current

Outdated content that’s no longer relevant to your audience is only going to hurt your website bounce rate. If you want visitors to stay on your website and engage with your content, you need to make sure everything is up-to-date.

That doesn’t mean you have to go through your content every day to check for information that’s since changed, but make a regular habit of updating your content as necessary. If statistics or facts that you included in your content have changed, remove or update them. Fix or delete broken links in your content, too. You can find broken links on your site with a tool like Google Search Console.

Along the same lines, make sure you’re regularly adding new content to your website to keep up with news or trends in your industry. Publishing content that covers trending topics can be a great way to bring new visitors to your site.

Keep Your Content Scannable

Website visitors often won’t read every word on the page — no matter how interesting and valuable each word is. They tend to scan through content to find the sections most relevant to them, instead. On average, internet users read about 20% of the text on any given page.

To keep readers on your page, you have to format your content so it’s easily scannable. How do you do that? Avoid large paragraphs with nothing to break them up. These blocks of text are intimidating and can cause your visitors to bounce off your site.

Make your content more approachable by breaking it up with frequent subheadings and bulleted lists. You should also utilize short sentences and short paragraphs whenever possible. The easier it is for visitors to find the information they want, the more likely it is that they will stick around on your site.

Cut Out the Fluff

When digital marketers and business owners are trying to build out the content on a website, it’s not unusual to add extra, unnecessary information known as filler or “fluff.” This information isn’t relevant to the audience and just gets in the way of valuable content. If visitors to your site see too much fluff, they’re likely to click off the page and continue their search elsewhere.

As you’re developing your content, consider starting with an outline of the key ideas you want to cover. This can help keep you on topic and steer you away from adding fluff. It’s also important to reread your content once you’re finished writing and delete any fluff that slipped through the cracks. Remove overly wordy phrases, redundant points, and cliches.

When you’re not sure whether something is fluff, always ask yourself — does this information add value to the piece? If not, you can safely delete it from your content.

Speak Your Audience’s Language

Professionals within an industry generally have jargon and technical language that they use when speaking to each other. It’s easy to let this language accidentally slip into your writing if you’re not careful. Remember, though: your website content isn’t meant for your colleagues or your supervisor, it’s for your customers. Write in words that they easily understand.

If you use terms your audience probably isn’t familiar with already, make sure to clearly define them. They should walk away feeling engaged and informed, not frustrated. Your audience won’t stick around on your site very long if your content is confusing and overly technical.

Use a Clear Call to Action

One of the best ways to ensure your visitors stay on your site and visit other pages is to direct them straight to those pages. Think about the specific action you want visitors to take once they read your content. Some examples of actions you might want visitors to take include:

• Visiting the Contact Us page on your site
• Sharing the content on social media
• Checking out one of your product pages
• Downloading a guide
• Signing up for an email list
• Commenting on the content

Prompt them to take that desired action with a single clear call to action. Even if you want your audience to take more than one action, it’s best to stick with one call to action. Multiple calls to action can confuse and overwhelm readers, reducing the chances they will take any of your desired actions. Make sure your call to action is compelling and clearly visible so your readers take action.

Other Tips for Reducing Your Website Bounce Rate

Beyond improving your website content, what else can you do to bring down your website bounce rate? Try these tips:

Make sure your website is optimized for mobile

The majority of global website traffic now comes from mobile devices, and that percentage only gets larger each year. With the growth of mobile traffic, it’s increasingly important to make sure your website is mobile-optimized. If users try to access your website using their smartphones or tablets and discover that it’s not mobile-friendly, they’ll probably get frustrated and click away to a different website.

A mobile-optimized website automatically reformats content on mobile devices to ensure it displays properly. Pictures change size according to the size of the user’s screen. You should also ensure buttons and links are larger on your mobile site so they’re easier to click on through a touchscreen. Optimizing for mobile improves the user experience and keeps visitors from fleeing to other sites.

Ensure easy site navigation

You want to remove any barriers to visitors staying on your site, and complicated site navigation is a big one. If your audience can’t easily locate and navigate to other pages on your site, expect them to leave quickly. Avoid poor site navigation like illogical drop-down menus, broken links, generic labels, and too many options.

Instead, make sure your navigation bar is easily accessible with descriptive labels. It should be as easy as possible for site visitors to find the content they’re looking for. Use intuitive, simplistic navigation to keep visitors from bouncing off your site.

Reduce your website load time

Your website’s load time — the time it takes for one of your web pages to fully load on screen — plays a key role in determining your bounce rate. The longer your load time, the higher your bounce rate will likely be.

Research from Google shows that the likelihood a user will bounce increases by 32% as page load time increases from one second to three seconds. If a site takes 10 seconds or more to load, the odds of a bounce more than double. Take measures to improve your website load time such as:

• Optimizing your images to the ideal size and file format
• Compressing your content
• Investing in a performance-optimized hosting provider
• Reducing your redirects
• Enabling browser caching

Improve your site’s search functionality

Sometimes, visitors to your site have a clear idea of what they want to see next, they just don’t know how to navigate there. In these instances, you need a strong internal search functionality to help them find the content they want to see. If visitors search key terms on your site and can’t find relevant results, they probably won’t stick around.

Limit Ads and Popups

Ads and popups that cover the content on your website can lead to a higher bounce rate. Site visitors generally find them intrusive and frustrating. Rather than eliminating the popups and continuing to read your content, many visitors simply click away at the first obstruction. Try to avoid or at least limit your use of distracting ads and popups.

Turn to Brandastic for a Top Digital Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is a powerful digital marketing channel that can help you develop relationships with your target audience and drive conversions. Improving the content on your site can also help you improve key metrics like your website bounce rate. Don’t overlook the importance of great content.

If you need more help improving your website content, look no further than Brandastic. As a full-service digital marketing agency, Brandastic can help brands ignite their potential with efforts across all marketing channels. Check out Brandastic’s content marketing services to start developing captivating, impactful content.

The post Quality over Quantity — Reduce Your Website Bounce Rate with Captivating Content appeared first on Brandastic.

However, finding a valuable SEO agency that you can successfully partner with is an investment all on its own. Finding an agency to outsource your SEO strategy to and checking that off the list won’t cut it. Instead, it’s about developing a partnership of mutual understanding and common goals. If you want to maximize the benefits an SEO agency can provide, establishing the right mindset and approach is critical for success.

We’ve gathered the advice you need to ensure that the time, energy, and funds you spend in hiring an SEO agency are worth every minute, meeting, and penny. These guidelines can help you and your business weed out inferior agencies that promise unrealistic and unfounded results. You’ll also be able to identify what you need from a digital marketing agency and put it down on paper to get the most out of your partnership.

Want to learn more about getting value out of your SEO agency? Keep reading to capitalize on your investment from the get-go.

The Value of an SEO Agency

SEO agencies, like many other vendors, exist as a resource that companies of all backgrounds can consult with to achieve a goal. Those goals simply relate to digital marketing efforts, rather than services like shipping or accounting. Even so, identifying how an SEO agency can bring value to your company can set the stage for a profitable and meaningful partnership.

An SEO agency specializes in search engine optimization through various services. For example, Brandastic’s SEO services include increasing visibility in SERPs, guiding traffic through a tailored conversion process, optimizing the user experience on your website, and improving your company’s authority and credibility. These goals are met through managing and adapting user engagement, on- and off-page SEO strategies, content creation, conversion rate optimization, and other technical SEO factors.

This approach to SEO requires not only a broad view of your company’s overall digital marketing strategy but also a detailed understanding of many smaller elements. The best SEO agencies integrate this macro- and micro-view into their daily efforts. As such, you can easily quantify the value of an SEO agency by how its actions align with your company’s goals, despite the associated costs.

Best Methods for Getting Value Out of Your SEO Agency

Digital marketing efforts are cost-effective with the right partner by your side. Here are some of the best methods you can use to get more value out of an SEO agency.

Strategize Internally

Though the need for an SEO agency may be clear, it takes development from within to establish what expectations you have. You and your team will need to address questions such as:

• What do we want to get out of working with an SEO agency?
• What goals can an SEO agency help our company achieve?
• How will we measure success?
• What kinds of reporting do we need to track the agency’s progress?
• How will we communicate?
• Who will we appoint as a liaison?
• What pricing does our budget allow for?
• How long will we contract with this agency?

You may have had similar conversations if you worked with an SEO agency in the past. While past agency work can certainly help inform a new agency’s strategy, the new SEO agency should still bring additional value.

Finalize a Statement of Work

If your relationship with an SEO agency was contained within a single document, it would be the statement of work (SOW). On a basic level, an SOW details what you’re expecting of the agency, as well as what you’re willing to commit to in return. The more depth you can add to the SOW you present to an SEO agency, the better.

Most statements of work include (as needed):

• The nature of the working relationship
• Specific date ranges for reports, meetings, etc.
• Explanation of deliverables
• Detailed reporting of rates
• Clearly defined goals
• Necessary credentials (Google Suite as well as CMS)

Specific deliverables and goals will vary among companies. For example, your company may need to increase conversions through email inquiries, phone calls, downloads, social media likes/shares, or even newsletter signups. Those conversions could lend themselves to a larger goal of improving link-building strategies, search rankings, and content marketing efforts to boost revenue.

Establish Pricing Terms

SOWs provide an overview of what is to be accomplished, but often it takes breaking the deliverables and pricing down even further to tackle the nitty-gritty details. Companies take various approaches to compensation, from paying SEO agencies per project, hour, or achievement to committing to a month-to-month, six-month, or even yearly contract.

How you break down payment for your SEO agency partner depends largely on your budget. If your company can only afford to spend a certain percentage of the greater marketing budget each month, those restraints are clearly defined. However, you can also tailor your pricing to the agency’s performance as well.

For example, most performance-based statements of work set clear boundaries. Failure to complete a goal results in a set refund, whereas success in achieving that goal wins the agency a bonus. In most performance-based contracts, there is a single KPI at the core, along with an associated goal. Reporting regularly will demonstrate whether or not the SEO agency is helping or hindering obtaining that goal.

Fitting specific goals that relate to contracting an SEO agency into one or more larger company goals can also help that agency understand the bigger picture. Though you may not be asking the agency to contribute to those goals entirely, knowing them could help the SEO agency tailor its strategy for better results.

Interview and Evaluate Potential Partners

There’s a ton of ways to grow your business using Programmatic Marketing no matter what your business goals are. Programmatic is great to use in tandem with traditional media because you can retarget people who have seen the traditional media ad to add another touchpoint in their consumer journey. If you have existing assets for CTV or social, you can repurpose them to create brand recognition between media types.

The biggest asset of programmatic is performance tracking – with the use of first party data and pixels, you can use programmatic campaigns to directly track ROAS to see how effective your ad dollars are at driving a specific action.

• How long has the agency been in business?
• What expertise do the agency owner and their team bring to the table?
• How many employees will be working on the account at any given moment?
• What makes that SEO agency different?
• How can the agency specifically assist your company in achieving its goals?
• If the agency requires you to sign an extended contract, why?
• What measures are in place to avoid a conflict of interest should the agency work for your competitor(s)?

Some businesses focus solely on how long it will take for an SEO agency to generate results. While you can certainly ask that question to see what kind of response you get, it should be more to determine if the agency is legitimate or not than anything else. As we’ll discuss in the next section, guaranteed results are almost an immediate red flag.

Transparency and honesty are invaluable when it comes to working with an SEO agency. Ask for case studies, testimonials, and a clear pricing structure to understand the terms of your potential relationship. Agency owners that demonstrate leadership and expertise in their field can also help demonstrate a vested interest in contributing to the industry as a whole, not just your company.

Carefully Review Company Audits

As you interview SEO agencies and narrow down your choices, you’ll find many of them will offer to perform an audit. Audits are a snapshot of your company that an SEO agency can use to develop and pitch a marketing plan that fits your goals. These advisory reports include both what your company is doing well in addition to where it might be lacking.

More specifically, an audit holds your current SEO strategy under the microscope to determine what site structure or user experience issues may occur, or what content gaps contribute to your company missing out on search traffic. The audit will also report what keywords you’re currently ranking for and those you should target to boost conversions, visibility, and, ultimately, revenue.

The depth of each audit will depend on the agency as well as its expertise. Surface-level audits can certainly uncover potential areas of improvement, but the best agencies dig deeper to consider your domain authority, Google My Business (GMB) listings, on-site SEO, content, and social media presence.

In performing an audit, some SEO agencies may recommend particular software purchases. This is not an immediate red flag, as some programs can be well worth the investment. The SEO agency may earn a commission from selling you the software, but they should be able to demonstrate (perhaps with a case study or testimonial) how that software purchase can propel your business forward toward a particular goal.

Automate Reporting to Support Accountability

The deliverables section of your established SOW can include automated reports that detail specific measurable data points. This data allows you to determine if the SEO agency you hired is moving the needle or simply cashing your check. You can also use automated reporting to spend more time executing strategy elsewhere.

Automated reports often come from the Google Suite programs you use, in addition to any other reporting software you subscribe to. These reports are best generated weekly or monthly, as it can take time for certain implementations to effect change. They should also be easy to read and open the discussion up to adjusting strategies as necessary. The best SEO agencies use these automated reports as a springboard for discussing their efforts in context.

Elements that Devalue an SEO Agency

If you’ve never worked with an SEO agency before, knowing what red flags to look out for can be difficult. Here are a few behaviors or responses signaling an agency may not be the best choice:

• Guaranteed rankings: It’s practically impossible to guarantee search rankings. The best SEO agencies certainly deliver a boost, but not straight to page 1.
• Black-hat or gray-hat tactics: You’ve probably heard of people buying positive reviews on Amazon and Yelp to falsely advertise a great product. Shady SEO practices such as buying backlinks and attempting to dupe Google’s search function will only set you back.
• Quantity vs. quality: Handfuls of blogs and social media posts can certainly get the word out. However, you shouldn’t trade 25 quality posts that demonstrate your business’s authority for 100 mediocre fluff posts.
• Lack of experience/portfolio/testimonials: Every SEO agency has to start somewhere. The best agencies use their own business to develop strategies, rather than experiment with yours. If their website doesn’t rank well, how can they be of value to your company?
• Low rates: Most SEO agencies set pricing anywhere from $500 per month to $5,000 or more. Meeting your budget requirements should be a factor in choosing an SEO agency, but not to the extent that you sacrifice value.

Consulting with others within your company can also help you identify claims that might be too good to be true. While you can certainly discuss these points with the agency itself, pay close attention to the response you get. It may tell you everything you need to know.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a trustworthy and reliable SEO agency poised to help you achieve your digital marketing goals, look no further than Brandastic. Passionate about supporting your marketing efforts, this award-winning website and digital marketing agency knows it takes innovative strategy and dedication to achieve a solid online presence.

Through the collaborative process, the experts at Brandastic work with your company through nurturing relationships that help you feel like an integral part of the process. Contact us for a free consultation and to learn more about how we help brands tell their story.

The post Strategies To Choose the Right SEO Agency appeared first on Brandastic.

Programmatic Marketing allows advertisers to introduce media more quickly to the market at less expensive CPM rates. This lowers media costs and allows advertisers to evaluate performance in real-time.

At Brandastic, we recently added Programmatic Marketing to our list of services, meaning it’s the perfect time for a deep-dive on all things programmatic and how it can help shape your advertising strategy.

What is it?

We’re going back to basics for a sec. Top level, Programmatic Marketing refers to the use of an automated bidding system that facilitates the buying and selling of digital advertising. This bidding system allows programmatic advertisers to control how much they’re paying for media and track results based on their optimizations.

While programmatic started out with the most basic media types such as display, this method of purchasing ads has greatly expanded to different types of media that you can buy via automated bidding. Banner ads on the internet, YouTube, Connected TV’s (CTV), Out-of-Home advertising (OOH) – you name it and it can be bought via Programmatic Marketing platforms. This bidding system only scratches the surface of what can be done with Programmatic Marketing overall.

A Deeper Dive

It’s easiest to think about programmatic campaigns as a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Programmatic Marketing campaigns begin with initial setup in the DSPs (Demand Side Platforms). DSPs communicate with SSPs (Supply Side Platforms) via an ad exchange. SSPs notify the DSPs about available inventory that they’re selling based on the parameters outlined in DSP campaign setup. All these acronyms just to say that DSPs are for buying and SSPs are for selling.

It’s kind of like buying Taylor Swift tickets on Ticketmaster, except Taylor is the seller, you’re the buyer, and Ticketmaster is facilitating the transaction – if you’re able to get tickets, even better. A few examples of some of the largest DSPs out there today are Hulu, Spotify, The New York Times, and CNN.

Campaign setup is straightforward in the DSP. Once budgets and flight dates are inputted along with any additional audience and performance rails, these campaigns are ready for launch. After a programmatic campaign starts spending, traders are able to access the DSP platform and make optimizations based on the campaign’s KPI goal.

This is where programmatic advertising gets interesting, as traders are able to customize bids and budgets against specific audiences, increase or decrease frequency, and modify other parameters that affect campaign performance. Programmatic reporting allows for advertisers to do a deep dive and track performance down to the last dollar.

Performance Optimization

Let’s back up for a minute and talk about optimizations. A key differentiator between programmatic and other types of media is that advertisers are able to adjust campaigns in real-time. Traders pull levers in the DSP that then signal the algorithms to align campaign performance closer to the KPI goal. This is especially helpful when refreshing audiences or when working with publisher partners and evaluating performance.

Cost Effective Potential via Real-Time Bidding

We’ve discussed that programmatic’s biggest claim to fame is the use of real-time-bidding, making it an effective alternative or complement to traditional media tactics. Real-time bidding is the process where advertisers manipulate the CPM bid to win on an impression that reaches the right person at the right time.

Buying traditional media allows for great reach and effective messaging, but while those campaigns are in flight there isn’t a lot of room for optimizations. What makes programmatic so cost-effective is the ability to optimize in real-time via the DSP bidding system.

Advertisers are able to adjust CPM bids and target specific audience segments so that no media dollar is wasted. Traders can react to the performance data and make budget shifts between campaigns and DSPs accordingly. This leads to better results at a cost-effective CPM price – the control is in your hands and not at the mercy of the market.

Growing Your Business

There’s a ton of ways to grow your business using Programmatic Marketing no matter what your business goals are. Programmatic is great to use in tandem with traditional media because you can retarget people who have seen the traditional media ad to add another touchpoint in their consumer journey. If you have existing assets for CTV or social, you can repurpose them to create brand recognition between media types.

The biggest asset of programmatic is performance tracking – with the use of first party data and pixels, you can use programmatic campaigns to directly track ROAS to see how effective your ad dollars are at driving a specific action.

Other Cool Programmatic Considerations

• Data Privacy and Security
  • Data providers use secure methods for storing and collecting data on the consumer end
  • Data partners like DoubleVerify and IAS provide additional security against issues like fraud and brand safety
• Access to Audiences and Data
  • Advertisers can choose specific audience segments from any data provider they want, meaning you can vet data segments in advance to ensure they align with your target audience
  • Advertisers have access to audience data from walled gardens like Google 
• Reporting
  • Programmatic Marketing DSPs give advertisers full access to reporting in real-time, making it easy to perform A/B tests, make optimizations, and shift media dollars
  • Accessing website reports is a unique way to learn where your consumers are visiting online

In Conclusion

Programmatic Marketing is an essential tool for any advertiser in today’s landscape. It is the most effective way to reach specific audiences while spending efficiently across all different media types, and it’s a great way to take advantage of data-driven measurement and results to ensure your media plan is reaching the right people.

If you are interested in learning more about this new service, please reach out and contact Brandastic.

The post What is Programmatic Marketing and Why Do I Need It? appeared first on Brandastic.

As we head into the new year, now is the time to rethink what you can do to revamp your email marketing strategy and look for new opportunities to improve.

Here are 23 tips for better email marketing: 

Always Add Personalization

Studies suggest that emails with personalization in the subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened than emails that don’t. Personalization is key to creating meaningful relationships with your customers and a great tool that helps you build a connection with your audience and makes them feel like the email was personally sent to them, not your entire subscriber list.

Segment Your Sends 

The easiest way to send an email is to share it with your entire list and hope that the content resonates with at least a few customers. It’s also the quickest way to lose subscribers.

You risk unsubscribes and non-opens if you only send emails to the full file. Instead, you’ll want to segment your sends and rethink the content for each email you send.

For example, if you’re a B2B business that sells services to HVAC companies, you probably don’t want individuals in plumbing to get the same email as someone that installs air conditioners. Taking the time to segment your sends will help you add more value to each email and ensure your content resonates with each niche of your target audience.

Quality Subscribers, Not Quantity

Instead of just trying to get people on file, consider what you can do to target more valuable leads. You don’t want to have a list of people that signed on only to receive a discount. You want to nurture leads into recurring purchases that appreciate your brand.

Here are a few ways you can grow your list:

• Turn top-performing content into a lead magnet 
• Add an opt-in at the bottom of your blog, articles, or landing pages
• Create a lead gen landing page

Test Email Timing

You’ve probably Googled the best times to send an email at least once or twice. Tuesday mornings are popular for a variety of reasons. However, consider how many brands are also sending on Tuesday morning. Inboxes start to get flooded on that day at the same time. Which means your email might get lost in the inbox.

You’ll never connect with every individual on your list if you always send your emails at the same time and on the same day of the week. Consider playing with different timing and days of the week. Once you’ve tested a few sends, you can compare the performance analytics to find the perfect send time and day for your business.

Utilize User-Generated Content

User-generated content is a great way to add an organic and authentic look and feel to your emails. When someone opens an email, they’ll see the UGC. The UGC will help them envision themselves with your brand and push them to make a purchase.

Pro Tip: Test out a few different types of images and see which one provides the best click-through rate. This will help you shift your focus towards more meaningful content types.

Keep Things Simple 

Sleek, chic, and simple isn’t going out of style anytime soon. The easier an email is to understand, the better. Consider the user experience. What elements are a must, and which ones can you live without? Is there a way you can do more with less? Don’t be afraid to draw inspiration from your competitors or the other promotional emails that pile up in your inbox.

Track Your Performance 

Email marketing analytics provide vital insight into consumer behavior. With this data, you can find the perfect time of the week to send an email, know which subject lines lead to higher open rates, and which CTA resonates the most with the consumer.

We also recommend looking at your email analytics every month to see if there is anything you can do to adjust your strategy or mimic top performing sends.

Scrub Your Lists 

If you aren’t regularly scrubbing your list, it could impact the deliverability of your sends, and can skew the data leading to inaccurate performance results. Every quarter, you’ll want to scrub the non openings from your list, and if they haven’t opened an email from your company in over 30-60 days, chances are they never will. Removing them from your list will provide a clearer picture of your email performance.

A/B Testing 

You’ll never know what works and what doesn’t if you aren’t regularly A/B testing your emails. A/B testing allows you to test new subject lines, content, and personalization tokens. You can also add different CTAs, design components, and preview texts.

For the best results, start A/B testing with one component at a time. Test something different once a month so you can slowly fine-tune your strategy.

Soft-Sell Your Services

You don’t always have to sell, sell, sell to your audience. Instead of sending deals, discounts, and new products – consider what you can do to add value to their inbox. Are there any emerging trends you have your eyes on? Can you turn a recent blog into an email? Is there company news, videos, or exciting announcements you can share? With a healthy mix of informative and promotional content, you can build long-lasting relationships with your audience and keep them coming back for more.

Optimize For Mobile

Did you know over 46% of email opens occur on a mobile device? If nearly half of the individuals who open your email can’t read it, that could negatively impact your bottom line. After you create an email and send yourself a test, don’t forget to check it on your mobile device. This way, you can fully optimize your content and catch any mistakes before you send it out.

Always Add a CTA

Every email has a purpose and needs a CTA. A call to action is a must-have for every email you send that will drive your subscribers to take action, make a purchase, or shop on your site.

Here are a few best practices you’ll want to keep in mind.

• Only have one CTA
• Make your CTA stand out from the rest of the email
• Play with different phrases and words
• Make the button a different color 

Stay True to Your Branding 

Your emails should be a reflection of your branding. Keeping things clear, concise, and true to your branding guidelines will increase credibility and help you maintain consistency across all digital marketing platforms.

Get Trendy With Your Subject Lines

Your subject line is key to getting people to open your email. Consider what you can do to get your email noticed in the inbox.

Email subject lines are supposed to be fun and poppy. They are a tool that helps you stand out from your competitors and get noticed. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and have some fun.

Here are a few tips to help you brainstorm:

• Play with emojis or capitalizations 
• Keep them short and snappy
• Ask questions 
• Think about ongoing trends
• Add personalization
• Highlight a sale or exclusive discount 
• Have fun!

Play With Email Frequency 

Email frequency is the timing and the types of emails you’re sending. Are you consistently sending promotional emails every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Maybe you send information-style emails every Tuesday or Thursday. The sweet spot is finding the perfect mix of both informational and promotional.

This is the best way to keep your customers engaged and ensure your content is getting noticed in the inbox. If you’re unsure which content resonates the most with your audience, send out a survey or add one to the bottom of your content!

Target Engaged Customers 

You don’t need to send your entire file a last-chance email when a sale ends. Instead, consider segmenting your list based on performance analytics. This allows you to only send emails to the people that want to see your content, which will maintain the integrity of your subscriber list. To do this, segment your sends by clicked or opened only and then analyze the results.

Automate Your Customer Journey

Automation is a must-have in today’s digital age. With a welcome series and follow-up emails, you can nurture leads into paying customers and keep your brand top of mind (and at the top of their inbox).

You’ll want to audit your customer’s journey annually to ensure all bases are covered. Consider what worked and what needs to be updated for the new year, as this will allow you to keep fresh, up-to-date content sent to your customers.

Have Fun With Your Brand Voice

When it comes to email marketing, your brand voice is all about how you talk to your customers. Are you playful and fun? Serious and straight to the point? Maybe you strive to take a conversational approach to everything you do. Regardless, whatever voice you use on social media platforms and your website should always be present in your emails.

To help you brainstorm new and innovative ways to use your brand voice, subscribe to your competitor’s emails or similar brands with the voice you like. Consider how they use words, graphics, and other content to connect with their audience.

Keep The Content Skimmable

Let’s be honest: Your customers aren’t reading your emails from start to finish. They are looking for what they want, so they can move on to the next. By accommodating their reading habits, you create a better user experience. To do this, avoid dense paragraphs, keep your sentences under 25 words, and always be clear and concise.

Set up an Abandoned Cart Series 

An abandoned cart series is an invaluable tool for B2Cs. They are a friendly reminder to encourage individuals to continue shopping or complete their purchases. When they are dynamic and personalized, they will catch your customer’s eyes and keep the product they want top of mind.

The best part? 44.1% of abandoned cart emails are opened, and 29.9% of those lead to a conversion. If you already have an abandoned cart series but aren’t seeing results, consider revamping the email content, adding a discount, or changing the email frequency.

Don’t Skip Out on the Pre-header

The preheader is the preview of your email. It’s a small snippet of copy that gives customers an extra nudge if the subject line doesn’t sell it enough. Always keep the preheader unique and compelling. Don’t just copy and paste the first line of your email.

You can do this by highlighting what’s inside, the discount you’re giving, or anything else you think will push them to open the email.

Use Minimal Templates

Gone are the days of complex designs and over-the-top templates for email marketing. Minimalist templates are the design of choice for web design and email marketing. You’ll want to avoid going over the top with images, fonts, and colors. 

Instead, utilize the white space, say more with fewer words, and keep the content meaningful. This will improve the user experience and help you generate more traffic back to your website.

Try out Interactive Content

Adding an interactive component to your email is a great way to keep customers entertained and add a bit of fun to your content. One of the best (and easiest) ways to do this is with a GIF.

GIFs provide minimal animation that doesn’t disrupt the user experience. Whether it’s moving photos of your newest clothing line or animating a graphic for a holiday campaign – your content will stand out from the rest.

Connect with Brandastic Today

Email marketing is a high-value digital marketing channel with the potential to help you reach your revenue goals and connect with your target audience. However, if you’re still doing the same things you did in 2022, you risk falling behind. Without a buttoned-up strategy or new innovative ideas, you may lose that spark you have with your current customers.

Partnering with a digital marketing agency like Brandastic is a great way to revamp your email marketing strategy and find new ways to get noticed in the inbox. Contact us today to learn more.

The post Start 2023 Off Right with these 23 Tips for Better Email Marketing appeared first on Brandastic.