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Social Media Advertising Channels Every Small Business Should Consider

August 26, 2018B2B Social Media, ROI in Social Media, Social Media, Social Media Marketing 0

Almost 90% of all small businesses use Facebook to advertise their goods and services, yet only about 60% of those companies say that the Facebook ads are accomplishing the intended business objectives. Since the cost of advertising on the popular social medium rose nearly 40% last year, it might be time for your company’s advertising and marketing personnel to consider using other social media in addition to Facebook, in order to achieve the best return on your marketing spend.

LinkedIn advertising

LinkedIn advertising and posting is a terrific bargain at present, because the medium has not severely refined its publishing process, as has Facebook, and this means you can still have a powerful organic reach on LinkedIn. Organic reach is the total number of potential customers who actually have a chance to see your post, without there being any kind of paid distribution factor involved. While Facebook has been consistently diminishing this reach in recent years, and making it harder to achieve a reasonable ROI, this is not yet true of LinkedIn. As long as someone in your business, or someone whom you’ve hired as an influencer, engages regularly with your audience, your posts will be near the top of targeted feeds.

But there is another factor which is just as compelling – LinkedIn is generally frequented by business professional types, and these individuals represent high-quality leads who are probably your ideal customer types. Compare that audience to the more generalized clientele on Facebook, which can be filled with all manner of users, many of whom have zero interest in products or services of any kind. It will also be worth your while to produce videos which are intended for the LinkedIn audience, where the prevalence of videos is not nearly at the Facebook level, and that means yours is more likely to be seen.

Twitter advertising

For some of the same reasons that LinkedIn has advantages over Facebook, so does Twitter. It costs less and can be said to have a more professional audience – but there’s one more reason which may not be as generally well known. Twitter now has a free tool called the Twitter Advanced Search, which allows you to discover the most used keywords by users from a specific location or region. This could tell you a lot about your competition for one thing, and it can also tell you what matters most to users in your area, because that’s what they’re tweeting about. You can gain a lot of very useful information with this tool, that will help you be more competitive, and will help you to provide what your customers really want.

Instagram advertising

Since Instagram is wholly owned by Facebook, it has the same kind of access to user information that its parent does, and that is a very large database of individuals indeed. Since Instagram is largely frequented by millenials and those who consider it a much more modern and cool social medium than its Facebook cousin, you’ll have access to an entirely new audience that Facebook might lack. During a six-month period of 2017, the number of advertisers on Instagram doubled, which is a clear indication that many business owners have discovered the value of accessing the different audience engendered by the Instagram social medium.

The last word

While advertising on Facebook is by no means a thing of the past, and it can still provide value, you would be prudent as a small business owner to consider the advantages offered by other social media as well. You can reach new audiences, achieve a more visible presence in the social media, and spend a lot less, by considering the possibilities offered by each of the major platforms.

Don’t try to do it yourself

As an entrepreneur or small business owner, your focus is on launching and scaling your business. If you don’t have the in-house personnel to execute your social media marketing strategies, hire a San Diego marketing firm to ensure that your objectives are achieved. Social media marketing is often more effective when left up to the experts who work in that arena on a daily basis. Contact us to learn more about how we can help grow your small business!

Posted by Shannon Goodell

Why Small Businesses Should Have A Mobile App

August 26, 2018Business, Business Tips, Mobile, Web Design 0

If you think that only the giant retailers bother to create their own business apps, there are a few facts which you should consider that might affect your thinking. For instance, approximately 85% of the time that users spend on their mobile phones is dedicated to operating a mobile app. That fact alone should make you reconsider, but there are other compelling reasons listed below. Don’t dismiss the idea simply because you lack the expertise in-house – a great San Diego web design agency like MySMN can provide you with the perfect app for your business.

You can be constantly visible to your customers

When your app is downloaded to users’ phones, it’s always there on the screen, even if the individual doesn’t intend to use it right at that moment. The fact of its presence on-screen causes it to be etched into the memory of the person for later recall and usage.

Availability of useful information

Any information posted on your mobile website is instantly available to users who have your app on their phones. Whatever information that you’d like your customers to know is right at their fingertips, ready for immediate retrieval. You’ll have a constant line of communication open to your customers and potential customers.

Convenience breeds loyalty

The more convenient you make it for your customers to interact with your business, the more loyal they will become. One example is in collecting and redeeming rewards or discounts that you offer. By providing customers with more reasons to do business with you, their loyalty should increase toward your company.

Building your brand is easier

Your own mobile app provides the perfect vehicle for conveying the kind of image and message that you want your company to project. You basically have a blank palette which you can populate with the core values and philosophy important to your business.

Increase brand recognition

Building on the ease of branding, you can increase the recognition factor of your brand by getting more users engaged with your brand, and on a more frequent basis. And of course, along with that frequency of engagement, you can expect increased sales and customer loyalty.

Better overall customer engagement

Since most customers would rather text a company than talk to a representative, having some kind of messaging platform will give them a method of contacting you which most of them prefer. It can improve your customer service, and defuse any issues before they develop into a negative.

Get a leg up on the competition

Since most small businesses don’t yet have their own apps, this would be one very beneficial way for you to get ahead of the game, by providing users with your own app. It will lend credibility to your company, and make you look more professional and modern.

Increasing customer loyalty

Probably the most critical reason to build your own app is to establish and improve on customer loyalty. There is such a flood of new marketing and advertising being used these days, that maintaining contact with your customer base has become a real challenge. That makes it more important than ever to make a real connection with customers, and mobile apps will help you do that by keeping your business right at your customers’ fingertips.

Want to learn more? Contact mobile app specialists, like MySMN, that will create a mobile app which fully embodies visual appeal, relevant content, rock-solid functionality, and your company’s critical branding message. Contact us today, and start increasing your mobile presence through a customized business app!

Posted by Shannon Goodell

10 Social Media Marketing Tips For Your Small Business

August 26, 2018B2B Social Media, Business, Social Media, Social Media Marketing 0

There is no question that the power of social media marketing is one of the most important single areas which every entrepreneur should be focusing on, in terms of reaching an intended audience. The sheer numbers of users involved should point that out clearly, but when you consider the potential for sharing among all those users, reachability can grow exponentially. Here are 10 recommendations for making good use of social media marketing to reach your target audience and grow your business.

Focus on your business objectives first

Your strategy with regard to the social media should be careful to avoid putting the cart (social media) before the horse (your business). Instead, consider what your top three business objectives are, and use the social media to drive those objectives, rather than the other way around. Don’t just try to achieve a presence on social media – use the specific platform frequented by your target audience to help you acquire 25% more leads this year, for instance.

Be authentic

People relate to other people more so than to a faceless business entity. That means you need to give your business a ‘face’, a personality. Emphasize the human aspect of your business by telling your story, and the story of your employees. By showing that your company personnel are involved in the community, or perhaps that you support a local worthy cause, you will connect much better with consumers you’re trying to reach.

Think Visual

It’s worth remembering that people’s attention spans tend to be very limited on the Internet, so if you don’t capture their interest immediately, they’ll probably move on to the next website. More than 50% of all people who visit Facebook watch at least one video every day, and that’s just one social media platform. Live Facebook videos are exploding in popularity because they’re such a great way to launch new products, provide background on your company, demonstrate ‘how-to’ use products, and make important announcements.

Content Is King

While blogs are valuable, your content shouldn’t stop there. You want to create content that’s tailored to the three stages of the funnel – awareness, evaluation, and conversion. Blogs and social media posts are great for awareness. However, you’ll want to craft effective content that work best for evaluation and conversion. This includes content such as case studies, customer/client testimonials, a coupon, webinar, software download, and more.

Visual content is super powerful, as well. If you can create an Infographic that has genuine value and appeal to your target audience, there’s no telling how much it might be shared around the globe. It’s imperative to determine your target audience and what type of content will be valuable to them.

Build Your LinkedIn

Almost all business owners would benefit by increasing their LinkedIn marketing. By promoting greater engagement of LinkedIn users with your company, you will undoubtedly see a boost in conversion rates and sales. Become an authority in your field, and reach out to potential customers with messages tailored to their specific needs. You can use Sales Navigator to build your target audience list, and then reach out to decision-makers with personalized messages.

Dominate the most appropriate platforms

It’s alright to have a presence on many of the social media platforms, but you really need to focus your attention on the one or two platforms where most of your target audience spends time, and where your business can fit right in. Twitter for instance, caters to an audience interested in breaking news and technology announcements, so if that fits your company, that’s where you should try to dominate.

Match your content type to the social media channel

When you’re crafting social media content, make sure it’s of the type which is well-suited to the platform you’re using, even if you have to create separate kinds of content for each platform. Tools like Stencil and Canva can help you produce content ideally suited to the platform.

Be Social

Starting a conversation in social media can be a terrific way to get people engaged and interacting with you. You should also be sharing content, re-tweeting posts that are interesting, and ask questions of your own which elicit responses from other users. You should also jump into conversations around your expertise, as well as nurture conversations you have started. By showing that you’re actively engaged yourself, your business can be seen as an involved, caring entity.

Have a Clear Goal When Advertising on Facebook

If Facebook is your platform of choice, or at least one of them, you’ll need to create some ads which fit well with it. The tremendous ability of Facebook to target a specific audience can lead you to the success you crave, but only if you’ve pre-determined what you’re trying to achieve, and have crafted your ads accordingly.

Don’t try to do it yourself

Posted by Shannon Goodell

It May Be Time For Your Business Website To Be Updated

August 26, 2018Business, Business Tips, Web Design 0

Your website does something that no single employee or any group of employees could possibly do – it promotes your business 24 hours a day to all Internet users. Business website design in San Diego needs to reflect the changing attitudes and needs of users, rather than remaining static for long periods of time. Below are some reasons why you might want to avail yourself of the skills and knowledge provided by a San Diego website design company, to keep your site fresh and relevant. After reading why it’s highly beneficial to keep your site current, you’ll have no trouble finding a good firm for outstanding web design in San Diego.

Your site has become outdated

The tools, themes, and technology used to build website change every few months, and users’ tastes change right along with them. A site that’s even two years old probably can’t match up well with more current ones, in terms of loading speed, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. You may also be missing out on some of the newest factors being evaluated by search engines for site ranking.

Your site no longer reflects your brand adequately

If your company has undergone any kind of shift in philosophy recently, and your branding message has been changed, this should be reflected on your website. For your customers and potential customers, your branding message is whatever is conveyed through your website, so your site should be synchronized with the new company outlook.

The right clients are not attracted to your site

Over time, it can easily happen that your site no longer attracts the kind of target audience you’re looking for, i.e. those who are most likely to purchase from you. There are a number of reasons why this might happen, but the first places to look for specific customer appeal are the content on your site, and any galleries or images shown.

Not mobile-friendly

Since there are now more mobile users than desktop users browsing the Internet, it’s an absolute must that your site is displayed clearly and intelligently on mobile devices. If a user has to scroll left, right, up, and down just to read a page of content, you’ll probably be losing out on a huge segment of your market.

Slow load speed

If the pages of your site load too slowly, it might well prompt a user to abandon and visit another site. Pages might load slowly because of numerous images or images that are too large, an outdated theme, or possibly inadequate powering from your host provider.

Inadequate calls-to-action

Without a doubt, your site needs one or more calls to action, but they have to be placed optimally, in locations right after you’ve gotten the user’s attention, and you’ve piqued their curiosity to find out more.

Your site needs more effective, updated content

While a good-looking site might initially attract visitors, it’s great content that keeps them there. Most users are looking for relevant and useful information from a site, not visual appeal. There are tools you can use to determine which kind of content holds user attention, and you should use this information to include more effective, updated content on your site.

New apps and integrations

New and useful apps emerge daily on the Internet, and users have come to expect having all that capability at their fingertips. Then too, your business could be helped significantly by including more back-end integrations with processes such as order fulfillment and tracking, and CRM. It’s worth the time and effort to include these capabilities both for users and for yourself.

This may all sound a little overwhelming, but you don’t have to go it alone. Take advantage of the expertise of the best website design company in the area, and contact MySMN for great San Diego web design. In addition to helping you with improved content, SEO, and functionality, MySMN also has the reputation for being a responsive website design company, so you’ll be sure to capture the mobile market. Contact us to learn how we can help your business!

Posted by Patrick

Quality User Intent Is SEO’s Everything And More

July 25, 2017SEO

Everyone in the marketing industry knows and predicts the fickle fluctuations of search engine optimization, but there might just be more of a meaningful strategy in terms of quality toward this living and breathing entity than what meets the eye. In the past, we have focused on keyword scores and relatable search engine results, which are both vital to the success of a brand or business’s Google ranking. However, there are a few avenues within these general SEO walls that can be outlined to improve the optimization strategy you are, most likely, already utilizing.

Ask and Listen

The first to be mentioned is the importance of capitalizing on the customer persona, which we (in marketing) get a good sense for with Google analytics, polls, A/B testing, newsletters and more. Even though these launched campaigns and strategies feel as though you are doing everything in your power to build and improve awareness and exposure, you can do more with this valuable database. The saying “You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been” really encompasses it all here.

Find out directly from your current clients, that have already been established as “buyer personas” what makes them happy, or unhappy, or did at the beginning of the process; what works well for them as well as what doesn’t. Taking this beyond what your “target audience” would be considered, find out their interests in relation to your business or product by directly asking them rather than sending over a MailChimp poll or generalized email. Why did they want to buy a certain item? What turned them off from another? Not only will you gain a better understanding of who to target in the future and how to do it more effectively, but you will even build stronger relationships with the people you work with in the moment.

Quality Intent Is Everything

Words are just words until they possess meaning and optimization is no stranger to this belief. If you are interested in reaching beyond this advice to ensure good quality search results (as we hope you would be), focus on the quality of intent behind your content. Just as we tend to concentrate on someone’s intent when they are speaking to us, gauging whether or not they are truly and genuinely interested, the user does the same online. Outside of spending time hitting all of the keywords and reaching decent Yoast SEO quality, focus on what you are saying and what it will mean to your audience.

According to New York Times Best Seller Neil Patel, “What really counts isn’t just the keyword- it’s the intention behind a given keyword as it relates to the algorithm.” Basically, Neil is saying that regardless of executing a perfect 10 keyword match on a blog or article through SEO standards and although it may bring up the ranking of your business, it will never keep the potential customer engaged. One of the most important aspects of a site’s performance is its ability to keep customers on the page. Sure, you may bring them to page and initiate interest based on your optimization skills, but what is really going to sell them on working with you or purchasing your product is how relatable you are to them.

A Question and an Answer

When anyone types in something in the Google search bar they are asking a question and are expecting an answer. This is where most companies lose their stamina in addressing their customer persona, by not utilizing the specific searches beyond what keywords they see in front of their face.
Running specific campaigns through Google with different programs allows us to actually track what the users are typing in but are we truly looking at what they are saying? Great marketers will learn to read between the lines of these generalized searches in order to capitalize on what their customers are looking for. Search Engine Journal breaks it down as simply as this: “’Restaurant near me’ means ‘I am hungry, don’t want to cook and want to eat somewhere now.’” An adaptive and informed marketer that has restaurant clients would see this and apply the seemingly general inquiry to their site with “not in the mood to cook? Looking for something close and delicious? Try x ,y, and z.”

Care About Your Audience

To summarize these important points of marketing wisdom that really should never go out of style in the world of optimization, we will leave you with this: care about your audience. Have quality of integrity and intent behind the words that fill your site, understand who you are appealing to and learn who they are and what they want. Regardless of the ups and downs of the always-changing SEO market and the challenges it will continue to present your business, intent will never go out of style.

Posted by Patrick

Spread the LOVE this Valentine’s Day–5 expert tips for content marketing

May 19, 2017Content Marketing 0

While it may feel like we just finished decking the halls, Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and we should all be adjusting our marketing efforts accordingly. Especially if we want to make the most out of this annual celebration. And with that, we’re gifting you 5 of our most useful pieces of content marketing advice this Valentine’s Day, so that your business will become as successful as possible.

Valentine Themed Email Blast

This is the perfect holiday for a custom designed Valentine’s Day e-card/email blast. Your clients/customers will love it, and you only need to send them out a few days ahead of time for maximum effectiveness. You could even set these to blast on Valentine’s Day, depending upon your industry.

Valentine Themed Custom Content

For content that you can update and reuse from one year to the next, it’s incredibly resourceful to indulge in creating some custom holiday themed content surrounding all major U.S. and audience relevant holidays. Valentine’s Day is no exception. You will want your content to focus on celebrating a certain aspect of a client/customer you admire, and to make them feel special during this holiday of celebrating love. Make your clients feel loved, and you’ll be sure to see some positive results in your ROI.

Create a Holiday Themed Microsite

By creating a separate microsite (or landing page) with a holiday theme, you’re not only adding space to share company relevant content surrounding Valentine’s Day that your following will likely enjoy; you’re also maximizing upon your SEO potential. If you’re not sure where to start, you may want to call your local San Diego website design firm to help.

Valentine’s Day Social Media Campaign

You will certainly want to create a social media campaign surrounding Valentine’s Day. You could highlight a client or customer you like, and say a bit about why. You could share your Valentine’s Day themed custom content, such as custom graphics and holiday themed blog posts. You could also tweet sweet messages that thank your customers/clients–making them feel special. Notify your following of any special holiday sales or promotions, and give them something of value that they find useful this time of year.

Spread the Love

To really make your clients/customers feel special, you could write a love story highlighting some of your favorite clients/customers, what they do, and why you appreciate them. You could also send out love from your employees to your clients/customers with a custom video or photo of your staff. Or you could simply share industry advice, and entitle it something to do with Valentine’s Day love from experts in your industry.

Any good search engine optimization firm can tell you that the following actions will not only give you a boost in your SEO efforts, but also an increase in ROI. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

5 Social Media Trends We’re Excited to See in 2017

May 19, 2017Advertising, Business Tips, Content Marketing, Social Good, Social Media, Social Media for Consumer Products, Uncategorized 0

2017 is here, and that means there are sure to be a whole slew of brand new technologies, trends and innovative ways in which marketers will be promoting their business this year. We’ve scoured the web to find out more in terms of what we’re to expect this year, and we’ve found some exciting new trends that we’d love to share with you so that you too are in the loop with the latest and greatest in digital marketing to date.

AI Lenses for Instagram and Facebook

Much like the Snapchat filters, Instagram and Facebook are now working on AI Lenses for profile pictures that are sure to rival the ever-popular filters on Snapchat, according to Sprout Social. Thanks to the popular Snapchat stories, this trend isn’t going away anytime soon, and we should be seeing much more of it overall social media platforms this year.

More Growth for Snapchat

Last year Snapchat experienced an enormous amount of growth to reach a total of 150 million daily users in 2016, with 41% of US adults aged 18-34 being users.

Automation Turns into Social Media Management

Businesses are starting to see the value in real-time posting and engagement for their social media platforms across the board. This is showing business owners and marketers alike that there is much more value in hiring a social media management firm to actively manage all social media accounts in more real-time than setting up everything with automation, so that it is basically on auto-pilot. Opportunities for reaching more people, getting in on what’s most current, trending and up to date, and being more responsive to followers in real-time is going to be essential in 2017.

Paid Content is King

Navigating the ever-changing algorithms over Facebook and Instagram have forced marketers into boosting and promoting content in order to reach more people. This trend isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. If businesses want to reach more people, advertising their content over platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are going to be essential. It will also help to pair this effort with the expertise of a local search engine optimization firm to reach even more people over the Internet, and gain maximum exposure for not only your content, but your company website as well.

Social Media Expertise Demand at an All-Time High

Nine out of ten companies currently report that their employees lack the skill sets needed to effectively execute social media management and marketing in an overall effective way. This is going to push companies to start considering outsourcing their social media management to an experienced marketing firm. This will save companies time, and even money when it comes to managing their social media efforts in a manner that will not only drive sales, leads and ROI, but build a loyal following that is sure to stick with them for years to come.

Social media is constantly changing, which is also changing the way that businesses must market themselves. Gone will be the days of in-house marketing if companies truly want to get an edge above their competition and become power houses over social media and the Internet. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

3 New Year’s Marketing Resolutions for 2017

May 19, 2017Advertising, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing Campaigns, Mobile, Pinterest, ROI in Social Media, SEO, Social Good, Social Media 0

We’re nearly two weeks into 2017, and that means it’s still time to start making and working on some new year’s resolutions that are really going to stick and turn your life around for the better this year. The same can be said for your small business. There are so many new technologies and programs available today when it comes to marketing and promoting yourself, that it may seem overwhelming to know where to start. But nevertheless, if you aren’t marketing your small business in 2017 in new and exciting ways, how do you expect your business to grow? That’s why we’ve come up with a handy dandy list of new year’s marketing resolutions for your small business in 2017.

Revamp Your Website

January is the perfect time to take a look at your website and decide which pages and graphics, messages, etc. need to be updated, and which things can completely go. Giving your website a fresh new look in 2017 is a great way to attract more leads and potential customers. Be sure to hire the right San Diego website design firm who will take the time and attention it takes to ensure that every detail of your website is psychologically designed in a way that will attract more viewers, and bring them into your storefront or office.

Search Engine Optimization

The Internet is changing all of the time, and if you’re not keeping up with SEO, you may not even be visible in the vast digital jungle that is the web. Be sure to hire a professional search engine optimization firm that will not only help you reach the top of Google search pages, but also optimize your SEO in San Diego so you’re targeting customers nearby. Local search optimization is just as, if not more, important than overall SEO–depending upon your business and industry.

Boost Your Social Media Efforts

It’s always a good idea to make sure your social media content is current and up-to-date. If you want to grow a social following, be sure you’re posting relevant content your followers want to see on a consistent basis. Third party articles from companies you’d like to strategically align with are helpful. You may also want to refresh your profile and background images. Be sure to post content that is behind the scenes, without being too personal, and to mix in a bit of fun with your business-related information. Custom graphics, infographics, links to your website, videos and blogs are essential for social media, and not just on Facebook. LinkedIn is great for B2B marketing, while Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube are growing fast. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with navigating the ever-changing social media world, we are here to help. We offer social media management services that are sure to save you time, while increasing your following and overall profits. We can even create ads for your own personal Facebook and Instagram campaigns.

In this new digital age, it’s essential for small and large businesses alike to jump on the social media bandwagon. Whether you enjoy social media or not, there are billions of people around the globe who do, and it’s taking over the way that marketing and advertising is conducted moving forward. Therefore, we are here for you, and would love a chance to help make 2017 the best year yet for your San Diego business. For more information, or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Outdated Trends to Avoid on Social Media

May 19, 2017Social Media 0

Since social media has become a popular past time over the last two decades, we’ve seen many trends come and go. A whole new genre of trends has emerged over the varying social media sites, and there are some trends that, really, should not be trends at all. That’s right. As social media gurus, we’re here to let small business owners and avid social media users know that there are some things that just should be left off social media, as well as some trends that are simply on their way out. If you want to maximize upon your social media posting power, please read the following, and stray from the following list of things we beleive should no longer be posted on social media.

Oversharing and Mood Updates

It appears it’s been common practice for some social media posters to use the platform as their own personal diary, or therapeutic outlet for times of intense emotional stress. While it may feel good to vent over social media, and share your moods, it shouldn’t be broadcast on the Internet for all to see. Have you ever found an old diary, which you thought at the time seemed perfectly acceptable, only to feel completely ashamed and embarrassed about the things you wrote years later? Oversharing on social media is just like that old diary, except you’re not the only person able to read it—and you really want everyone you (and their moms) talking about it? A good rule of practice for social media is to be yourself without sharing each and every detail about your life.

Typical Food from Typical Restaurants

If you’re a foodie and you’re visiting new and exciting hidden gems you want to share with other foodies, that may seem perfectly acceptable to post over social media. That’s also why there are several Facebook groups dedicated to eating and drinking. No one wants to see photos of each and every meal you have had in a day, especially if it isn’t newsworthy or unique. Our best advice for food lovers on social media is to keep the foodie pics designated for your foodie groups, and only post a food picture once in a blue moon, when you have something that is truly mind blowing, and you know that your audience will really swoon over it.

Your Personal Photo Album

This is a tough one, because everyone has a soft spot in their hearts for their significant other, pet, friends, and the infamous selfie. And sure, we all want to share photos of our loved ones over social media, but no one wants to see 50 photos of you and your significant other smooching, or 50 baby pictures that only you cannot get enough of. That’s what photo albums are for, and while we’ve entered into a digital age, social media shouldn’t be your digital family photo album. If you want your audience to see all of your content without filtering it out, keep the cat pictures to a minimum, and only post when something really mind-blowing happens. Some great examples are your baby’s first steps, graduation photos, wedding photos (in moderation) or a video of your pet doing something absolutely hilarious and amazing. And for those who are obsessed with selfies–keep them to a minimum as well, and keep your clothing on. Skimpy selfies can be an unsavory way to market yourself.

Well, that’ all that we have for today. Sure, there are other trends that are annoying to some and on their way out, but these are the most mainstream. This advice goes for all individuals and small businesses who use social media. If you’d like more advice from San Diego digital marketing experts, or a detailed quote call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Posted by Patrick

Email Marketing Tips to Increase Leads

May 19, 2017Business Tips, Social Media 0

As technology forges ahead and marketing strategies become more sophisticated behind that wave of technology, it’s still one of the first online strategies that has remained the most effective at generating leads and reaching targeted customers. That somewhat surprising fact should tell you something about the enormous staying power of email marketing, and the comfort level that marketing strategists have developed for it.

It’s true that email marketing has evolved to become far more sophisticated than broadcasting unsolicited messages, but the fact remains that email is still at the forefront of digital marketing, and is still used to great effect by San Diego digital marketers, San Diego website design firms, and San Diego SEO optimization consultants, among others.

What are business leads?

A lead is an individual has who has indicated at least some initial interest in your company or your product lines in one of several ways. It could have been by downloading an e-book posted online by your company, or someone who filled out a form on the company website, or possibly even someone who attended a huge trade seminar and simply dropped a business card into the fishbowl.

This is way at the beginning of the purchase cycle, and doesn’t amount to much more than simple curiosity. Still, there is a possibility that this curiosity can be fanned into the flames of something much more like genuine interest. Having discovered that initial curiosity, it is the task of the sales and marketing group to gently nudge the lead further and further along the purchase cycle path, until an actual sale is made.

Tips for effective email marketing

The way that marketing strategists can achieve the goal of gently pushing the lead toward the sales funnel is by employing proven techniques related to email design, and to the kind of content which should be included in the email text. If you adopt some of these tips and techniques, you should be able to convert a lot more leads into actual sales.

Email subject– the subject of your email is much more important than you might think, and very often cues the lead in on whether or not to continue reading. For this reason, you should craft your subject heading carefully and grab attention quickly. Some suggestions for doing this are by using subjects which call for action, personalizing a subject line, or addressing a specific problem your lead has.
Be brief– long, windy emails are almost guaranteed to end up in the circular file, so keep your message concise and appealing.
Evoke imagery– whenever possible, try to generate an image in your lead’s mind, because it will give you a much greater chance of success than simple text.
Include social media– by including social media links in your emails, you can get readers to share your content with people in their network.
Call to action– the best way to keep the lead going forward in the purchase cycle is to be very informative about your products and services. This means your email needs to effectively make use of action words like attend, read, try now, register, and download. If you can get the lead to read your company content about products and services, you will have educated them about what you have to offer.

More information on digital marketing

MySMN is a digital marketing agency that also does website design, and is a search engine optimization firm in San Diego which can help you with all your design and marketing concern. For more information or a detailed quote, call (619) 291-8181 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Tag: marketing tips

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