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Best Marketing Strategies 2024 and Beyond: Driving Targeted Traffic for Business Success

Introduction

Introduction: In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, professionalism is a crucial characteristic that can make or break a person’s career. It sets the foundation for how individuals are perceived and valued in the workplace. A professional approach encompasses a range of qualities, including strong work ethics, effective communication skills, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Professionals demonstrate a high level of competence in their field, adhering to industry standards and best practices while maintaining integrity and ethical conduct. Moreover, professionalism extends beyond individual behavior and encompasses the overall work environment and interactions among colleagues. It is reflected in the way employees interact with clients, colleagues, and superiors, fostering a culture of respect, trust, and collaboration. A professional work environment promotes teamwork, innovation, and productivity, driving overall organizational success. In addition, professionalism is not limited to specific industries or job roles. Regardless of the profession, whether it be healthcare, finance, education, or technology, all individuals can benefit from embracing professionalism as part of their personal and professional development. It not only enhances one’s reputation and credibility but also opens doors to new opportunities for growth and advancement. In conclusion, professionalism is a fundamental aspect of a successful career and workplace. By embodying professionalism in all aspects of work, individuals can create a positive and productive environment, fostering strong relationships, and achieving personal and organizational success. Whether at the individual or organizational level, professionalism is an investment that yields long-term benefits and sets individuals apart in today’s competitive business landscape.

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Utilizing Content Marketing to Drive Targeted Traffic

Content marketing is a strategic approach that has proven to be highly effective in driving targeted traffic to websites and online platforms. By creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content, businesses can attract and engage their target audience, ultimately driving them to take desired actions. One of the key advantages of utilizing content marketing is its ability to attract highly targeted traffic. By creating content that is specifically tailored to the needs, interests, and pain points of their target audience, businesses can attract individuals who are already interested in their products or services. This targeted traffic is more likely to convert into leads, customers, and ultimately, revenue. Moreover, content marketing helps businesses build credibility and trust with their audience. By consistently delivering valuable and relevant content, businesses can position themselves as industry experts and establish themselves as a trusted source of information. This, in turn, helps to cultivate a loyal following and encourages repeat visits and engagement. To effectively drive targeted traffic through content marketing, businesses must first identify their target audience and assess their needs and preferences. They must then create and distribute high-quality content that is tailored to these specific demographics, using various channels such as blog posts, social media platforms, and email newsletters. In conclusion, content marketing is a powerful tool for driving targeted traffic to websites and online platforms. By focusing on creating valuable and relevant content that resonates with their target audience, businesses can attract highly engaged individuals who are more likely to convert into leads and customers. However, it is important for businesses to continuously analyze and optimize their content marketing strategies to ensure maximum effectiveness.

 Creating Compelling Blog Posts

Creating compelling blog posts is essential for any successful blog. A compelling blog post captures the attention of readers, keeps them engaged, and encourages them to come back for more. There are several key elements to consider when creating compelling blog posts. Firstly, it is important to have a captivating headline. The headline is the first thing readers see, and it needs to grab their attention and make them want to click on the post. It should be creative, informative, and spark curiosity. Secondly, the content of the blog post should be valuable and relevant to the target audience. It should provide information, insights, or solutions to a problem. Including personal experiences, case studies, or expert opinions can add credibility and make the post more compelling. Furthermore, incorporating visuals such as images, infographics, or videos can make the blog post more engaging and memorable. Visuals can help to break up the text, make it easier to read, and enhance the overall presentation of the content. In addition, it is important to have a well-structured blog post. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make the content easy to scan and digest. A clear and logical structure will help to keep readers engaged and follow the flow of the post. Lastly, encouraging reader interaction and feedback can make the blog post more compelling. Including calls to action, such as asking readers to leave comments, share their thoughts, or participate in a discussion, can foster engagement and make the post more interactive. In conclusion, creating compelling blog posts requires careful consideration of the headline, content, visuals, structure, and reader interaction. By incorporating these elements, bloggers can create posts that captivate their audience, keep them engaged, and ultimately grow their blog’s readership.

 Successful Remote Team Collaboration

“Strategies for Successful Remote Team Collaboration in a Globalized Business Environment” In today’s globalized business environment, remote team collaboration has become increasingly prevalent. As companies expand their operations across borders, they must find effective strategies to ensure seamless collaboration among team members who may be located in different time zones and countries. Successful remote team collaboration requires careful planning and the use of various tools and technologies to bridge the physical distances between team members. One key strategy for successful remote team collaboration is the establishment of clear communication channels. Companies must invest in reliable and secure communication platforms that enable team members to easily reach out to one another. This includes video conferencing software, instant messaging tools, and project management systems that facilitate real-time communication and collaboration. Clear communication channels help to minimize misunderstandings and ensure that team members are aligned with project goals and expectations. Another important strategy for remote team collaboration is fostering a sense of trust and camaraderie among team members. In a virtual environment, it can be challenging for team members to develop personal relationships and rapport. Companies should encourage regular virtual team-building activities and establish channels for informal communication to enable team members to get to know one another on a personal level. Additionally, effective remote team collaboration requires the use of project management tools to track progress and manage tasks. These tools enable team members to access project updates, share documents, and assign responsibilities in a centralized and organized manner. By implementing project management tools, companies can ensure that remote team members stay on track and can easily collaborate on shared tasks. In conclusion, successful remote team collaboration in a globalized business environment requires the establishment of clear communication channels, fostering trust and camaraderie among team members, and the use of project management tools. By implementing these strategies, companies can overcome the challenges of remote collaboration and achieve effective teamwork across borders.

 

Crafting Engaging Social Media Content

Crafting Engaging Social Media Content is a crucial aspect of any successful digital marketing strategy. In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive digital landscape, businesses need to create content that captures the attention of their target audience and encourages them to take action. The key to crafting engaging social media content lies in understanding the preferences and behaviors of the target audience, as well as staying up-to-date with the latest trends and algorithms on different social media platforms. To create engaging social media content, it is essential to have a clear objective in mind. Whether it’s to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or generate leads, the content should be tailored to meet these goals. Additionally, the content should be well-researched and provide valuable information or entertainment to the audience. Utilizing high-quality visuals, such as images or videos, is also crucial in capturing attention and conveying messages effectively. Furthermore, engaging social media content should be regular and consistent. Posting regularly helps to keep the audience engaged and ensures that the brand remains relevant in their minds. It is also important to interact with the audience through comments, direct messages, and surveys. This builds a sense of community and encourages them to engage with the content and share it with others. In conclusion, crafting engaging social media content requires a strategic approach that takes into account the preferences of the target audience, the latest trends, and algorithms. By setting clear goals, conducting thorough research, using high-quality visuals, and maintaining regularity and consistency, businesses can create content that captivates their audience and drives desired results.

 Leveraging Video Marketing Powerfully

In today’s digital age, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage and connect with their target audience. One increasingly popular and effective strategy is video marketing. Leveraging the power of video marketing can have a profound impact on a company’s success and growth. Video marketing allows businesses to showcase their products or services in a visually appealing and engaging manner. By creating compelling and informative videos, companies can capture the attention of their target audience and effectively convey their brand message. Videos have the ability to evoke emotions, tell stories, and create a deeper connection with viewers, ultimately leading to increased brand awareness and customer loyalty. Furthermore, videos have proven to be highly shareable on social media platforms, allowing businesses to reach a wider audience and increase their online visibility. Videos have the potential to go viral, generating millions of views and attracting new customers organically. This not only helps to expand a company’s reach, but also establishes them as a thought leader in their industry. Additionally, video marketing provides businesses with valuable analytics and insights into their target audience’s preferences and behaviors. By analyzing data such as view rates, engagement metrics, and conversion rates, companies can gain a deeper understanding of their audience and tailor future marketing strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach ensures that businesses are delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time. In conclusion, leveraging the power of video marketing is a vital strategy for any business aiming to stay competitive in today’s digital landscape. The ability to captivate and engage audiences through visually appealing and shareable content can lead to increased brand visibility, customer loyalty, and ultimately, business growth. By utilizing video marketing, businesses can effectively communicate their brand message and establish themselves as industry leaders.

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Harnessing the Potential of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Harnessing the Potential of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) In today’s digital age, the potential of search engine optimization (SEO) cannot be overstated. With millions of websites vying for attention and visibility, SEO has become an essential tool for businesses to ensure their online presence and attract a steady stream of organic traffic. By harnessing the power of SEO, companies can effectively position themselves on search engine result pages, increase their visibility, and drive targeted traffic to their websites. SEO involves various techniques and strategies aimed at improving a website’s ranking on search engine result pages. Through keyword research, content optimization, link building, and technical optimization, businesses can enhance their online visibility and make it easier for potential customers to find them. By understanding the algorithms used by search engines, SEO professionals can make informed decisions to optimize websites and provide a seamless user experience. The benefits of utilizing SEO techniques are numerous. First and foremost, it can significantly increase organic traffic to a website, leading to improved brand visibility and potential conversions. A higher ranking on search engine result pages instills trust and credibility among users, making businesses appear more reliable and authoritative. Additionally, by targeting relevant keywords and optimizing content, companies can attract a more specific audience, ensuring higher chances of conversion. Effective SEO practices require continuous monitoring, analysis, and adaptation to stay ahead of the competition. Regularly updating and optimizing a website’s content ensures that it remains relevant and competitive. Collaborating with experienced SEO professionals who understand the ever-evolving landscape of search engine algorithms is crucial to maximizing the benefits of SEO. In conclusion, harnessing the potential of search engine optimization (SEO) is vital for businesses seeking to thrive in the online marketplace. By optimizing their websites, companies can increase visibility, attract targeted traffic, and establish themselves as industry leaders. Investing in SEO is an investment towards long-term success and growth in the digital world.

 Conducting Keyword Research

Conducting keyword research is an essential step in any successful digital marketing strategy. By identifying relevant and high-performing keywords, businesses can optimize their online presence and improve their visibility in search engine results. This process involves analyzing search volume, competition, and user intent to understand what keywords are most likely to drive targeted traffic to a website. To begin, conducting keyword research requires the use of various tools and techniques. These tools, such as Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush, help identify popular search terms and provide valuable insights into their performance. By analyzing search volume, businesses can identify keywords that are frequently searched by their target audience. Additionally, assessing competition levels allows businesses to understand how difficult it may be to rank for certain keywords. Understanding user intent is also critical in conducting keyword research. By evaluating the context and purpose behind specific search terms, businesses can tailor their content to match user intent and increase the likelihood of conversion. For example, if a user is searching for “best coffee shops in Seattle,” a business in the coffee industry may want to create content that highlights their coffee shop in Seattle and the unique features that set them apart from competitors. Overall, conducting keyword research is a crucial step in developing an effective digital marketing strategy. By identifying and targeting relevant keywords, businesses can improve their website’s search engine rankings, increase organic traffic, and ultimately drive more conversions. Proper keyword research allows businesses to understand their target audience’s search behavior and tailor their content to meet their needs, resulting in a more successful online presence.

 Optimizing On-Page Elements

Optimizing On-Page Elements is a crucial step in enhancing the visibility and search engine ranking of a website. It involves strategically optimizing various aspects of a webpage, including content, meta tags, headings, URLs, and images. By focusing on these on-page elements, website owners and digital marketers can improve their website’s chances of attracting organic traffic and achieving higher search engine rankings. One of the key aspects of on-page optimization is content optimization. This involves creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content that is optimized with targeted keywords. By incorporating keywords naturally into the content, search engines can better understand the topic and relevance of the webpage, ultimately helping it rank higher in search results. Meta tags, including the meta title and meta description, play a significant role in on-page optimization. These concise snippets of information appear in search engine results and can greatly impact click-through rates. Writing compelling meta tags that accurately describe the webpage’s content and incorporate targeted keywords can entice users to click on the link, thus increasing organic traffic. Heading tags, such as H1, H2, and H3, help structure the content and indicate its importance to search engines. Properly using these heading tags can improve the readability and organization of the webpage, making it more user-friendly and easier for search engines to crawl and understand. Optimizing URLs by including relevant keywords and making them user-friendly can also contribute to improved search engine rankings. Clear and concise URLs make it easier for both search engines and users to navigate and understand the webpage’s content. Lastly, optimizing images by using descriptive file names, alt tags, and compressing their size can enhance website performance and user experience. Furthermore, including targeted keywords in image alt tags can help search engines understand the context of the image and improve the webpage’s relevance. Overall, optimizing on-page elements is an essential component of any successful SEO strategy, as it helps improve website visibility, user experience, and search engine rankings.

 Building High-Quality Backlinks

Building high-quality backlinks is a crucial aspect of any successful digital marketing strategy. Backlinks, also known as inbound links, are incoming links to a webpage from another website. These links are not only a signal to search engines about the relevance and authority of a website, but they also play a vital role in driving organic traffic and increasing brand visibility. However, it is important to focus on building high-quality backlinks rather than merely accumulating a large number of them. To build high-quality backlinks, it is essential to engage in white hat link building techniques. This involves creating valuable and shareable content that other websites would want to link back to. One effective method is to publish guest posts on authoritative websites in your industry. By providing informative and well-written content, you can establish yourself as an expert and earn backlinks from reputable sources. Another strategy is to participate in online forums and communities relevant to your niche. By actively engaging in discussions and providing helpful insights, you can position yourself as a credible source of information. This can lead to opportunities for others to link back to your website. Furthermore, conducting outreach campaigns to relevant websites and influencers can help secure valuable backlinks. By reaching out to bloggers, journalists, and industry experts, you can pitch unique content ideas or collaborations that add value to both parties. This approach requires personalized and tailored outreach, ensuring that the pitch is compelling and aligns with the target website’s content and audience. Building high-quality backlinks is a long-term process that requires consistent effort and dedication. However, the benefits are undeniable. By investing in building a strong backlink profile, businesses can enhance their online visibility, improve search engine rankings, and ultimately drive more targeted traffic to their websites.

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The Power of Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing campaigns are an effective and powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. With the ability to reach large audiences in a cost-effective manner, email marketing campaigns have become a staple in modern marketing strategies. One of the key advantages of email marketing campaigns is their ability to target specific audiences. By segmenting email lists based on demographics, interests, and past behavior, businesses can tailor their messages to resonate with their target market. This personalized approach increases the likelihood of engagement and conversion, as recipients are more likely to respond positively to content that is relevant to their needs and interests. Furthermore, email marketing campaigns provide businesses with valuable data and analytics. By tracking open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, businesses can gain insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize their strategies. This data is vital in measuring the success of marketing efforts and identifying areas for improvement. Another important aspect of email marketing campaigns is their ability to build and nurture customer relationships. Through regular and strategic communication, businesses can establish trust and credibility with their audience. By providing valuable content, special offers, and personalized recommendations, businesses can foster long-term loyalty and repeat business. In conclusion, the power of email marketing campaigns lies in their ability to reach specific audiences, provide valuable insights, and build strong customer relationships. By utilizing this tool effectively, businesses can increase their brand visibility, drive conversions, and ultimately achieve their marketing goals. With the right strategy and approach, email marketing campaigns can be a game-changer for businesses looking to grow and succeed in today’s digital landscape.

Networking

“The Importance of Networking in the Business World” Networking plays a vital role in the success of businesses in today’s fast-paced and competitive world. It involves building and maintaining relationships with professionals from various industries, allowing individuals and organizations to gain access to valuable resources, opportunities, and information. One of the key benefits of networking is the ability to expand one’s sphere of influence. By connecting with like-minded individuals and industry experts, professionals can tap into a vast pool of knowledge and experience, enabling them to stay updated with the latest industry trends, innovations, and best practices. Another advantage of networking is the ability to establish mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations. By interacting with professionals from different backgrounds, businesses can identify potential synergies and opportunities for collaboration, leading to the creation of innovative products and services. Additionally, networking provides a platform for individuals to showcase their expertise, skills, and achievements. Through meaningful conversations and interactions, professionals can build their personal brand, gain credibility, and enhance their professional reputation. Moreover, networking also presents opportunities for career advancement. By engaging with professionals at various stages of their careers, individuals can gain guidance, mentorship, and support, helping them navigate their professional journey. Networking events, conferences, and industry meetups offer a platform to develop and nurture relationships that can eventually lead to new job opportunities or promotions within one’s current organization. In conclusion, networking is an essential aspect of the business world, contributing to the growth and success of individuals and organizations. It provides access to valuable resources, opportunities for collaboration, and a platform for career advancement. Therefore, professionals should actively participate in networking activities to expand their knowledge, establish meaningful connections, and leverage the benefits that networking offers.

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Building an Engaged Email Subscriber List

Building an Engaged Email Subscriber List Creating a strong and engaged email subscriber list is crucial for any business looking to maximize their online marketing efforts. An engaged email list means having a group of individuals who are genuinely interested in your brand, products, or services, and are more likely to convert into loyal customers. To start building an engaged email subscriber list, it is important to focus on quality over quantity. Simply collecting a large number of email addresses will not guarantee engagement and conversions. Instead, businesses should make an effort to attract subscribers who are genuinely interested in what they have to offer. This can be achieved through targeted marketing campaigns, offering valuable content and incentives, or even partnering with relevant influencers or industry experts to reach a wider audience. Once the initial subscribers are acquired, it is essential to nurture and engage with them regularly. This can be done by sending personalized and relevant emails that provide value to the subscribers. It is important to keep the content fresh, informative, and engaging to maintain the interest and attention of the subscribers. Additionally, regularly analyzing the email metrics can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the campaigns and help in identifying areas of improvement. Building an engaged email subscriber list requires continuous effort and dedication. It is crucial to constantly evaluate and refine the strategies to suit the changing demands and preferences of the subscribers. By consistently delivering high-quality content, providing value, and fostering a sense of community, businesses can build an engaged email subscriber list that drives conversions, boosts brand loyalty, and ultimately contributes to business growth.

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Crafting Personalized and Relevant Email Content

Crafting personalized and relevant email content is crucial in today’s competitive business landscape. With countless emails flooding inboxes every day, it is essential to stand out and engage recipients with content that speaks to their specific needs and interests. Personalization is key when it comes to connecting with readers on a deeper level. By addressing recipients by their names and tailoring the content to their preferences, businesses can establish a sense of familiarity and build trust. Furthermore, personalized emails have been proven to generate higher open and click-through rates, ensuring that the message reaches its intended audience. Relevance is equally important in email marketing. Sending generic, one-size-fits-all emails can quickly result in recipients ignoring or unsubscribing from future communications. By segmenting email lists based on demographics, interests, or past interactions, businesses can create targeted content that resonates with specific groups of recipients. This approach allows for a more meaningful connection, as the content is specifically designed to address the recipient’s pain points, preferences, and aspirations. Crafting personalized and relevant email content requires a deep understanding of the target audience. Conducting thorough research and gathering data on customer preferences and behaviors can help businesses create highly targeted and effective campaigns. Utilizing automation tools and personalization software can also streamline the process, allowing for efficient customization at scale. In conclusion, crafting personalized and relevant email content is a vital component of successful email marketing strategies. By tailoring content to individuals and delivering messages that directly address their needs and interests, businesses can establish meaningful connections, boost engagement rates, and ultimately drive conversions. With the right approach and tools, businesses can elevate their email marketing efforts and achieve measurable success in today’s competitive market.

Utilizing Automation to Enhance Campaign Effectiveness

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance their campaign effectiveness. One such method that has gained significant traction is the utilization of automation. By harnessing the power of automation, businesses are able to streamline their marketing efforts, optimize workflows, and ultimately drive greater results. Automation enables marketers to save valuable time and resources by automating repetitive tasks, such as email marketing, social media posting, and lead nurturing. This not only frees up their time for more strategic initiatives, but also ensures that these tasks are executed consistently and flawlessly, minimizing the risk of human error. Additionally, automation allows for personalized and targeted communication, as it can segment audiences based on specific criteria and deliver tailored messages accordingly. This level of customization helps businesses to effectively engage with their target audience, increasing the likelihood of conversion and customer loyalty. Furthermore, automation provides businesses with valuable insights and analytics. By tracking and analyzing customer behavior, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their preferences and interests. This data can then be used to refine and optimize marketing campaigns, ensuring that they resonate with the intended audience. Additionally, automation can integrate with other key systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, to provide a holistic view of customer interactions and enable seamless lead management. Overall, utilizing automation is a strategic move for businesses looking to enhance their campaign effectiveness. By streamlining processes, delivering personalized messaging, and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can expect to see improved results and ROI. In today’s competitive landscape, automation is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses wanting to stay ahead of the curve.

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Maximizing the Impact of Influencer Marketing

In today’s digital world, influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audience and drive sales. Maximizing the impact of influencer marketing is essential for brands looking to stay competitive and stand out in a crowded marketplace. To achieve this, businesses need to carefully strategize and execute their influencer marketing campaigns. Firstly, it is crucial to identify the right influencers who align with the brand’s values, target audience, and goals. Choosing influencers who have a genuine following and engagement will ensure that the brand’s message reaches the right people and resonates with them. Collaborating with influencers who have a strong influence in a specific niche or industry can further enhance the impact and credibility of the campaign. Secondly, brands need to build strong relationships with influencers to create authentic and long-lasting partnerships. This involves effectively communicating the brand’s message and objectives, providing clear guidelines, and giving influencers creative freedom to showcase the brand in their own unique way. By cultivating genuine relationships, brands can tap into the influencer’s creativity and passion, resulting in more authentic and compelling content that resonates with the audience. Additionally, brands should invest in tracking and measuring the impact of their influencer marketing campaigns. By utilizing analytics and tracking tools, businesses can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns, measure the ROI, and fine-tune their strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach allows businesses to optimize their influencer partnerships and allocate resources more effectively, maximizing the impact of their marketing efforts. In conclusion, maximizing the impact of influencer marketing requires a well-planned strategy, careful selection of influencers, building authentic relationships, and tracking the campaign’s performance. By effectively utilizing influencer marketing, businesses can amplify their brand message, reach a wider audience, and ultimately drive sales in a highly competitive digital landscape.

 Identifying and Collaborating with Relevant Influencers

Identifying and collaborating with relevant influencers can greatly benefit businesses in today’s digital age. Influencers, who have established a loyal following and a strong online presence, hold the power to sway consumer opinions and shape brand perceptions. By partnering with influencers that align with their target audience and brand values, businesses can tap into a larger and more engaged customer base. The first step in this process is to identify the right influencers for collaboration. Businesses must conduct thorough research to understand the influencer landscape in their industry and determine who resonates most with their target market. By analyzing factors such as the influencer’s reach, engagement rates, and the demographics of their followers, businesses can ensure they choose influencers who have the potential to deliver the desired impact. Once identified, collaboration with influencers involves establishing a mutually beneficial and authentic relationship. Businesses should approach influencers with personalized pitches that highlight the value they can offer in terms of exposure, brand awareness, and potential compensation. It is crucial to align the goals and values of both parties to ensure a successful and genuine partnership. By providing influencers with creative freedom and utilizing their expertise, businesses can create content that resonates with their target audience and maximizes the influencer’s influence. When executed correctly, collaborating with influencers can yield significant results, such as increased brand visibility, improved brand reputation, and enhanced customer trust. The authentic and engaging content generated through influencer collaborations has the potential to reach a wider audience, drive traffic, and ultimately lead to higher conversion rates. Therefore, businesses should prioritize identifying and collaborating with relevant influencers as an integral part of their marketing strategy to stay competitive in today’s digital landscape.

 Developing Authentic and Value-Driven Partnerships

Developing authentic and value-driven partnerships is essential in today’s competitive business landscape. In order to thrive and succeed, organizations must seek out partnerships that align with their core values and are built on a foundation of trust and mutual benefit. Authentic partnerships are those that are based on open and honest communication, where both parties feel comfortable sharing their goals, challenges, and expectations. These partnerships are not just about making a profit; they are about building long-term relationships that bring value and create positive experiences for all involved. Furthermore, value-driven partnerships focus on shared values and a commitment to making a positive impact on society. This means that both parties prioritize ethical practices, sustainability, and social responsibility. By partnering with organizations that share similar values, businesses can amplify their impact and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world. Developing these types of partnerships requires careful consideration and evaluation. Organizations must thoroughly research potential partners to ensure their values align and to identify any potential conflicts that may arise. It is important to establish clear expectations and establish a mutual understanding of each party’s role and responsibilities. Regular communication and feedback are also crucial to foster transparency and make any necessary adjustments along the way. In conclusion, developing authentic and value-driven partnerships is crucial for business success in the modern world. Organizations that prioritize these partnerships can build long-lasting relationships that bring value, create positive experiences, and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable society.

 Professional Development in the Workplace

The Importance of Professional Development in the Workplace Professional development is a crucial aspect of any successful workplace. It refers to the continuous learning, skill enhancement, and knowledge acquisition that individuals engage in to improve their professional competencies. In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, professional development is necessary to stay ahead of industry trends, enhance productivity, and ensure the overall success of both employees and organizations. One of the key reasons why professional development is vital in the workplace is that it keeps employees up to date with the latest advances in their field. Industries and technologies are constantly evolving, and employees need to adapt and stay current to remain competitive. By investing in professional development opportunities, organizations can equip their employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the demands of their roles effectively. Furthermore, professional development also plays a significant role in employee engagement and job satisfaction. When employees feel supported and encouraged to grow professionally, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and remain loyal to their organizations. Offering development opportunities such as workshops, courses, or conferences can also be seen as a form of recognition and investment in employee potential, which boosts motivation and engagement. Moreover, professional development can lead to improved productivity and efficiency in the workplace. As employees acquire new skills and knowledge, they can apply them to their daily tasks, resulting in better performance and greater efficiency. This continuous learning also fosters a culture of innovation and creativity within the organization, as employees are encouraged to think critically and find new solutions. In conclusion, professional development is an integral part of a successful workplace. It enables employees to stay updated, enhances job satisfaction and engagement, and improves overall productivity. By investing in professional development opportunities, organizations can create a skilled and motivated workforce that is better equipped to meet the challenges of the ever-changing business landscape.

Measuring and Analyzing Campaign Performance

Measuring and analyzing campaign performance is an essential aspect of any marketing strategy. In today’s competitive business landscape, companies rely heavily on campaigns to promote their products or services, attract customers, and increase brand awareness. However, without a thorough understanding of how these campaigns perform, it can be challenging to determine their effectiveness and make data-driven decisions. The process of measuring and analyzing campaign performance involves gathering relevant data and metrics to assess various key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs can include metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, and customer engagement. By examining these metrics, marketers can gain valuable insights into how well their campaigns are resonating with their target audience and identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, analyzing campaign performance also allows for the identification of trends and patterns that may have contributed to success or failure. For instance, by comparing different campaign strategies, marketers can determine which approach yielded the highest return on investment, enabling them to allocate resources more effectively in the future. Additionally, analyzing campaign performance can help marketers understand customer preferences, allowing them to tailor future campaigns to better meet their customers’ needs and preferences. Ultimately, measuring and analyzing campaign performance helps marketers make informed decisions and optimize their marketing strategies. By leveraging data and insights gained through this process, companies can refine their campaigns and target their efforts more efficiently, resulting in better outcomes and increased ROI. In today’s data-driven world, understanding campaign performance has become an integral part of marketing success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that effective communication is crucial in the professional world. Whether it is in interpersonal relationships, team collaborations, or presenting ideas to clients, the ability to articulate thoughts clearly and concisely is vital for success. Additionally, active listening skills and the ability to empathize with others play a significant role in maintaining strong professional relationships. Furthermore, the importance of effective communication extends beyond just the spoken word. Written communication, such as emails, reports, and presentations, also require careful attention to detail and clarity. A well-written and organized document can leave a lasting impression and positively impact professional growth. Moreover, effective communication fosters a positive work environment and promotes teamwork and collaboration. When individuals feel heard and understood, they are more likely to contribute their ideas and expertise. This leads to better problem-solving, innovation, and overall productivity within the workplace. Lastly, effective communication is essential in building and maintaining relationships with clients and stakeholders. Being able to clearly articulate ideas, address concerns, and provide updates can instill confidence and trust in the organization. This can lead to long-term partnerships and increased business opportunities. In conclusion, mastering the art of effective communication is not only a professional necessity but also a skill that can greatly enhance personal growth and success. It is an ongoing process that requires continuous refinement and practice. By prioritizing effective communication in all aspects of professional interactions, individuals can achieve their goals, build strong relationships, and thrive in their chosen field.

Through comprehensive analysis and examination, we have gained invaluable insights into the various aspects and implications surrounding this issue. The findings highlight the importance of adopting a holistic approach in addressing the matter, as it requires a multi-faceted and interdisciplinary response. Furthermore, the research has underscored the need for further investigation and exploration to fully comprehend the intricacies of this subject, as well as to develop effective strategies and solutions. To summarize, this study has shed light on the complexities and nuances involved in tackling this problem, emphasizing the need for a collaborative and concerted effort from all stakeholders involved. It is imperative that policymakers, researchers, and practitioners alike engage in ongoing dialogue and knowledge-sharing to address the challenges and capitalize on potential opportunities. By doing so, we can work towards implementing evidence-based interventions and strategies that will have a lasting impact on the issue at hand. In conclusion, this research has not only contributed to the existing body of knowledge but has also paved the way for further research and exploration in this field. As we move forward, it is crucial that we remain proactive and committed to finding lasting solutions, as the implications of this issue extend far beyond the realms of our immediate surroundings. By working together, we can create a better and more sustainable future for all.

How to Increase Higher Education Student Engagement with Marketing

Planning your higher education marketing strategies is about working around two things: the rising cost of tuition and the growing number of students applying to post-secondary institutions. Not to mention, students have a lot of options to choose from.

To compete, you need to create digital marketing campaigns that:

  • appeal to peoples’ emotions
  • create a sense of urgency.

But why exactly is this the case?

Consumers attach the same personality characteristics to brands that they do to people.

Yet, this is about a lot more than creating a sense of belonging. Because your students need responsive and relevant support.

Here are some steps that you can take to improve the student experience.

Bonus resource:

Want to learn how to enroll international higher ed students? Then get our newest guide and learn about the 10 most-effective ways that’ll help you improve your enrollment campaigns in 2019.

1. Personalize your emails through making them timely

Is your newsletter not getting the results you hoped for? The issue might be a lack of personalization. It plays an important role in your students’ experience with your brand. Not to mention the fact, that it’s one of the key email marketing best practices in general, that delivers the highest results.

But what’s so important about personalization that makes it so effective?

It’s about reaching the right person with the right message at the right time.

With your students, you can do this by making them feel special…

One way you can do this is by showing your appreciation for the time and money they invested in your courses. This approach works no matter how long it has been since your students enrolled in your courses.

A great example of this is the George Brown College Continuing Education Newsletter. Since I’m one of their former students, I receive their emails on a regular basis.

A week before the holidays, they sent me a message, which showed their appreciation:

Email newsletter sent to students of the George Brown University before the holiday break.

The one thing that made it effective was its timing. The email also reminded me that now is the best time to sign up for new courses if I want to enroll in the winter semester:

Email alert about upcoming university courses from George Brown University.

George Brown’s message showed up in my inbox a week before the holiday season. So, I had a head full of ideas for the new year. As a result, I asked myself “why not take another course?”

What should you do if your former students are still on your email list?

When a new semester is around the corner, remind them of your registration deadlines. But you’re likely wondering what makes former students such an asset. Cost is a major contribution; a great example of this is the emphasis colleges and universities put on international student recruitment.

To work around factors such as decreasing birth rates and shifting demographics…

The amount colleges spend on international students is increasing. Because this is happening in so many different countries, attracting international students is becoming a competitive process.

Prioritizing healthy relationships with current students and alumni will help bring down recruitment costs.

Although that seems like a lot of work, you can simplify the process. This involves setting up automation triggers, which add former students to your GetResponse Marketing Automation workflow.

Every time a student completes a course, send them an invitation to join an email list. This email list is a great way to notify students about the following:

• Registration deadlines
• And course/special event news and updates.

2. Provide incentives tempting enough to turn prospective students into current students

One of the best business models I’ve come across in the higher education sector is Brainstation.

Brainstation is a company that offers courses in the following disciplines:

  • tech
  • design
  • digital marketing

Their students are working adults who want to upgrade their skills.

On a regular basis, they host panel discussions and events that cost as much as a cafe lunch.

So, what makes their approach so effective?

A lot of their event attendees have such a great time at their events that they register for courses. An important side note about their programs: they’re not exactly cheap. I looked up the costs, and full-time rates are $14,000 for full-time programs. Yet, they offer a scholarship program to accommodate students who can’t afford their tuition costs.

Not to mention:

  • Their application process is as much work as applying for a job.
  • And their courses are a huge time commitment. Students spend an average of ten to twelve months in their courses and certification programs.

So, everything I mentioned are hesitations that the organization has to work around.

The folks at Brainstation work around that by rewarding events with a high number of guests. Sometimes, they add event attendees to an email list and thank them for their time. This often involves offering a time-sensitive discount:

Brainstation congratulations email.

According to a RetailMeNot survey:

Four out of five (80 percent) consumers said they feel encouraged to make a first-time purchase with a brand that is new to them if they found an offer or discount.

Discounts will help you work around the biggest flaw of using events to attract students. They’re likely not ready to buy your courses right away. This is exactly where discounts can make a big difference.

Limited-time discounts encourage your students to stop procrastinating during the enrolment process.

But creating urgency isn’t always about charging less. Sometimes all people need to hear is a subtle reminder that they only have a limited amount of time to apply.

A great example of this is LinkedIn and how they sell their courses to LinkedIn users. This involves encouraging users to sign up for a 30-day trial of LinkedIn Learning:

LinkedIn learning message.

This allows people to test drive the platform for free. It also allows them to decide if the monthly subscription fees are worth paying for.

There are also other ways to increase student enrollment. Here are some tips on how you can use PPC campaigns and email marketing for higher student enrollment.

3. Send emails that create accountability and fight against shiny object syndrome

One company that does this in an effective way is the Boss Project. Because their courses are online-based and aren’t time sensitive, they have to work around shiny object syndrome.

No idea what shiny object syndrome actually is? Here’s a quick definition from Entrepreneur contributor, Jayson DeMeyers:

It’s the entrepreneurial equivalent of a small child chasing after shiny objects. Once they get there and see what the object is, they lose interest and start chasing the next thing. This may be business objectives, marketing strategies, clients or even other business ventures.

Founders Abigail and Emily tackle this by sending emails that encourage student accountability. When students enroll, they receive an automated email that congratulates them on their enrolment. This email also provides a few bonus resources and instructions:

The Boss project email notification.

Two weeks later, students receive an email that shows them how to leave a review of the course:

Automated email updated two weeks from signup.

So, how do you make your students feel accountable enough to:

  • finish your course?
  • and not switch to another course, with enticing benefits?

You need to remind them of the benefits:

Using benefits in email communication.

An email, like the above example, will remind current students of the value of your online courses. Because it focuses on missed opportunities of not completing your courses.

The good news is that a lot of this can be automated. Once you’ve chosen the conditions and set up a workflow, your messages can be sent automatically.

Here are some examples of how you can do this with email automation.

4. Create student ambassadors who will provide honest responses to student questions

Enrolling in courses at the adult education level can be frustrating. Because answers to questions about everything from:

  • course prerequisites and registration
  • to learning what being a student is like, before paying tuition fees

can feel like a cold and uncertain process. A great example of that is this tweet in response to a student question:

York University generic tweet.

Rather than providing a personalized answer…

They responded with a link to an FAQ page and hoped for the best.

Yet, managing social media as a higher education professional can be challenging.

According to Hootsuite:

The biggest challenge facing institutions is streamlining their social efforts campus-wide.

One of the many options available are student ambassador programs. Student ambassador programs include future students in a current student’s journey.

The job of the ambassadors is to use social media to capture the student experience. Because they’re students themselves, they point of view their point of view matters. But why is that the case?

Here’s an example of how an interaction with a student ambassador often “feels”:

De Montfort Uni DMU tweet.

Campaigns like these set you apart from your competition. Because they create two simple options:

  1. Attend the university, because it aligns with your values
  2. Don’t attend the university, because it doesn’t align with your values.

The feeling of campus life is especially important for international students. Because they are likely moving far away from home to enroll in your courses.

Encourage your ambassadors to produce content on everything from:

  • Information on key factors such as housing, food, and the people you’ll meet
  • To the experience of going to classes, writing tests, etc.

And when students have questions, encourage them to interact with ambassadors:

  • in person
  • over email
  • and during social live stream Q&A events

Strategies like these are essential. Because social media is the first point of contact between students and universities. So, it’s important to create a first impression that counts.

But above all else…

Students are often investing a great deal of time and money. So, it’s important to focus on making transparent information accessible to:

  • current students
  • future students
  • and alumni

Otherwise, they’ll change their mind and dedicate their time and money to something else.

Author:

Rosemary RichingsRosemary Richings is a specialist in blog content promotion and audience outreach strategy, who offers straight up content creation for websites and blogs. Since 2014, she has worked with diverse clients in the lifestyle and ecommerce industry. The clients that she has worked with include large organizations, such as E-bay and Yellowpages Canada, and startups/ small businesses such as Lokafy and BeFunky. She has also been published on sites such as Buffer, Search Engine Journal, the Weebly Inspiration Center, and more. Check out Rosemary’s latest in her ebook, Blog on, a blogging starter kit for entrepreneurs. Feel free to connect with Rosemary on Twitter @rosiemay_r for recommended reading material, along with news about her latest projects and content.

How to Increase Higher Education Student Engagement with Marketing

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The Ultimate Step-by-step Facebook Retargeting Guide

This ultimate Facebook Retargeting guide will show you the importance of remarketing, how remarketing works on Facebook, and how you can set up Facebook Retargeting for your own business.

You go shopping on Amazon.com for phones and you fall in love with that sleek and stylish phone.

But you’re concerned that it would cost you a kidney.

So, you go back to Google to search for similar phones that fit your budget.

Et voila! There’s the same phone of your dreams with a better offer in an ad.

Looking at Google with sparkly eyes, you think, “Hey, Google knows me so well!”

Well that’s partially correct. That is the retailer setting up a good remarketing automation strategy.

Similar thing also happens on Facebook. When you visit a website and right before pressing “order now”, you get kind of distracted and decide to see what’s new on Facebook. Funnily enough you will see an ad of the thing you were about to buy.

From the financial perspective, CPA has risen noticeably right along with Facebook ads costs. What this means is that you’ll have to get the most out your ad spends. You can accomplish that “ambitious” goal by making use of Facebook Retargeting to cover the largest possible target audience you can.

That’s holy grail for marketers. You get your desired audience to visit your website and then later show your ads on Facebook to make sure they come back to use your service. In this article we will show you how to do exactly that.

Remarketing with Facebook

Remarketing (or Retargeting as termed by Facebook) is plain and simple. All you need to do is give some data about your customers/prospects to Facebook and let Facebook retarget your ads to your customers who have previously interacted with your business.

Of course, Facebook offers multiple levels of customizations with custom rules and data, letting you tailor your ads and campaigns to granular precision.

The data could be from your website, app, or emails. Facebook lets you track your prospect’s/customer’s activities both online and offline, such as post engagement and in-store purchases.

We’ve covered all the different ways you can remarket using Facebook further below.

Here’s a quick checklist of pre-requisites for setting up Facebook Retargeting automation by yourself.

Retargeting Requirements

To run retargeting ads you need to make sure you have the following:

  • A working website or mobile app
  • Facebook Pixel cookie for websites, Facebook Custom Events, and online Conversions
  • Facebook SDK for mobile app and App Events
  • Custom Audience(s) based on previous customers, and
  • Custom Ads

Sounds a bit too complicated? Well, maybe. But, it’s all worth it because of the changes Facebook introduced to its News Feed algorithm back in January 2018. Let’s see how that has made Retargeting more relevant.

Facebook algorithm changes and Ad price hike

Technical details aside, the changes to News Feed were that the users would see posts from their friends and family much higher up in the feed than promoted posts and ads. This was done in an effort to reduce the time users spend on Facebook by letting them get their daily dose of posts quicker.

So, spending less time means more businesses will be competing for the same ad space. In simple words, lower ad rate equates to higher competition which in turn increases the ad costs.

Facebook CPM Year over Year Change

According to Marketing Land Cost-per-Marketing is at all-time high.

And as you are or will be spending more than you once did on Facebook Ads, you might as well just optimize the flip out of it and make your ROI great again. In the process of optimizing your ads you’ll be remarketing to existing customers or prospects with a few touchpoints.

In this post we will explain the list above in great detail. But before we proceed, it’s crucial to consider the GDPR regulations and how it affects your marketing automation strategy.

GDPR and what it means to you

From May 25, 2018 all companies that process personal data of European residents have to comply with EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

Here, you are the Data Controller, the person/company that collects personal data, and Facebook is the Data Processor, the person/company that processes personal data on behalf of the Data Controller.

As the Data Controller, your responsibilities are:

  • Inform the customers/prospects (Data Subjects) why and how you collect their personal data
  • Provide information about yourself as the Data Controller
  • Allow customers/prospects to request whether you are collecting/using their personal data
  • Get their consent before collecting personal data
  • Provide them the option to opt out anytime and have their personal data deleted
  • Let your customers/prospects download their data from you

The primary way you record online conversions is using the Facebook Pixel. It’s a cookie-like code which you install on your website to track the actions of website visitors and report back to Facebook.

Another way is by using Facebook SDK on your app. Just like Facebook Pixel but for apps.

Since you will be using Facebook Pixel cookie on your website to collect data, you are obliged to get their consent as the Data Controller.

It’s critical to abide by these regulations or you could be facing hefty charges and penalties.

Yes. It’s possible that people might not give their consent, for you to process their data. But, the benefits of Facebook retargeting are just too good to not use it.

Note: GDPR also applies to when you use Offline Conversion data with Facebook.

In conclusion, you’re responsible and liable for GDPR just as much as Facebook.

Let’s start by learning how to install Facebook Pixel on your website.

Note: If you’re not familiar with setting up cookie-usage invitation (to get consent), you could use an online service to make things easier.

Creating Facebook Pixel code

First step to creating retargeting ads on Facebook is installing the Facebook pixel on your website:

1) Open Events Manager

2) Open the Pixels menu

pixels menu

3) Create a Pixel and name it

creating a facebook pixel

naming a facebook pixel

4) Install your Pixel code

installing your pixel code

Now select the option that’s most appropriate for you.

a) Use an Integration or Tag Manager:

If you’re using a website platform with admin (or at least higher than regular user) access, the first option’s for you. Based on your platform you’d install Pixel in one of the following ways:

  1. Add Pixel as a module
  2. Add Pixel as a plugin
  3. Copy and paste Pixel ID into your website
  4. Add Pixel code and event code

Currently Facebook supports these platforms:

3dcart, BigCommerce, Eventbrite, Google Tag Manager, Magento, OpenCart, Presta Shop, Segment, Shopify (Online), Squarespace, Storeden, Ticketmaster, Wix, WooCommerce, and WordPress.

facebook pixel integration

requesting a new facebook partner

Additionally, there’s an option to “Request a New Partner”. This allows you to request Facebook to partner up with a new platform. This is indeed a long shot. So you would usually use the other two options.

After installing Pixel to your website platform, you must verify if it was installed correctly. You can either use the verification tool provided on Facebook or Facebook Pixel Helper extension on Google Chrome. More information on these two options is provided further down below.

b) Manually install the code yourself:

Of the three options, this is could be the most straightforward and generic option. You will require some basic knowledge in editing HTML documents and access to your website’s files on the server. It’s best to leave this to your developer unless that person is you.

First, you’ll install the code into your website.

1.Find the header section and navigate to the script section

2.Paste the code as specified above

pixel id in html

You can turn on Advanced Matching to accurately match the website visitor with the Facebook audience.

advanced matching

You can add different identifiers and the variables you use to represent them. Facebook recommends adding first name, last name, and date of birth. Other identifiers available are phone number, gender, date of birth, city, state, and zip code.

To collect these data the website visitor must be logged into Facebook and should have allowed cookies (Facebook Pixel).

3. Verify if the code works.

You can either use the verification tool given on Facebook or use the Google Chrome extension, Facebook Pixel Helper.

The Facebook verification tool looks like this. After you enter your webpage URL, Facebook will report on that traffic.

facebook verification tool

If status is still negative after 20 minutes, then go back and check if you’ve followed the steps correctly and try again.

If that doesn’t work either, then try using the Facebook Pixel Helper plugin to troubleshoot page by page. A page with correctly installed Pixel code would look like this.

facebook pixel helper

Before you go on to install Pixel code on multiple pages, test it on one page first. However, to ensure complete functionality, check all the pages on which you install Pixel.

c) Get a developer involved:

I get it, you just want your trendy skateboard website and some metrics; don’t really want to bother yourself with all this coding. For folks like us, there’s the third option. It lets you send the Pixel code, ID, and installation instructions to your developer via email.

Select the third option and enter the email(s) of your developer(s).

email pixel code

Then scroll down to the end and click send.

Once you’ve successfully set up Facebook Pixel and verified that it’s working, then you can proceed to create conversions.

Creating events and conversions

Both Events (Standard Events) and Conversions (Custom Conversions) allow you to track actions on your website(s) across different platforms. Facebook offers you a standard set of Events that you can select after installing Pixel.

install pixel code standard events vs automatic events

(1) These are your Standard Events offered by Facebook. You have to set up Event code on corresponding pages.

(2) Facebook automatically detects events on your website without you having to install Event codes.

I would advise not to use Automatic Events. The first problem is that it might not detect all necessary events. You’d have to have a standardized set of events on your website and/or standardized code, if you want to detect all the Standard events.

Moreover, even if you have everything set up correctly and Facebook can still detect the event which you might not need. When you only want to record a “purchase event”, but Automatic Events detects “purchase” as well as “add to cart” events, then it will give you inaccurate conversion rates.

Hence, it’s wise to use the Standard Events and set them up on your website manually. It’s even wiser to use Custom Conversions. But, we’ll get there momentarily.

Setting up standard events

From the list of Standard Events, select the one(s) you need.

Let’s take an example. You’re hosting a seminar at a nearby conference hall. The entry is free, so you don’t need to sell tickets. Now your goal would be to get people to sign up for it. This will require them to fill out a registration form. For this, you will use the Complete Registration Event.

complete registration event

In a normal scenario, they will click on the link in your ad. They will go to a landing page with the registration form and fill it out. After they fill out, there are two ways it can go.

If you’re using a thank you page, then you will install the Event code on that page. The Event will be triggered when that page loads.

track event on page loads

(1) This is your Event code

(2) This is where you would install your Event code

But if you’re not using a thank you page (not a good inbound practice though), then you will install the Event code in the same page. The Event code will be triggered when the user submits the form.

track event on inline action

(1) This is your Event code

(2) This is where you would install your Event code. Be sure you’re installing the code for the correct button on your website.

Additionally, you can install Event code with some parameters in both “On Page Load” and “Inline Action” methods.

conversion value and event code

(1) This is where you insert a variable or value. It will be sent when the Event is triggered. Let’s say the seminar attendee has signed up using “Sign up with Facebook” option.
In this case, the {{username}} variable will send the Facebook username of the user to Facebook Pixel. This will come in handy when you want to exclude people from remarketing.

(2) This is the Event code. As you can see, there’s a new parameter called “value”. You will copy-paste this code based on which method you use to track the conversion event.

Setting up Custom Conversions

Custom Conversions are basically Custom Events that you can create to suit your needs. In most cases your conversion will be in the Standard Events. But when you want to track a different type of conversion, you could use this.

For example, you want the attendee to download an e-book related to the seminar. In that case you would setup a Custom Conversion rule.

Here’s how it’s done.

Pull up the options from the top left corner.

events manager options

From the Measure & Report section, open the Custom Conversions page.

custom conversions

Click on the “Create Custom Conversion” button.

create custom conversion

creating a custom conversion

(1) The name of your Pixel

(2) This is where you set the target URL

(3) Type of keyword match

(4) Keyword(s) you can use to search the target URL

(5) URL Rule

(6) Add more URL Rule(s)

(7) A custom name for your rule

(8) The type of Custom Conversion

(9) The conversion value that will be sent on event trigger

(10) Create the Custom Conversion rule

Facebook lets you create up to 100 rules per account. That’s usually more than enough for one person.

The next step is to create Custom Audience from all the metrics you’re recording.

Creating a Custom Audience

There are 5 types of Custom Audiences (as of June 2018) Facebook provides. Online businesses will primarily create Custom Audience from Website Traffic. Brick-and-mortar type business will mostly use offline data and add them using Offline Events.

Here’s how you create your Custom Audience.

1) Go to the Audiences panel

Pull up the options from the top left corner.

audiences options

From the Assets section, open the Audiences page.

assets section audiences page

2) Select Custom Audience option

Now open the dropdown menu on the left side. You will see three options. What you need for remarketing is a Custom Audience.

custom audience

Note: Lookalike Audience lets you target new customers based on your existing page fans or a Custom Audience.

Saved Audience lets you create a new set of audience based on interests, demographics which you can select yourself.

Circling back, remarketing audience is what Facebook calls Custom Audience. There are a few ways you can create your Custom Audience.

3) Select the type of Custom Audience

creating custom audiences

a. Customer file:

If you have information about your customers such phone number, email, and age, you can upload it to Facebook using this option.

Summary of steps:

  • Compile a list of customer data
  • Create a CSV file for file upload option
  • Select Parameters (such as email, name etc.) to be imported

However, there are a few ways to upload customer data. You can upload a CSV file or copy-paste the information into the given text field. Not all the fields are mandatory, but more the merrier. Facebook even lets you select whatever fields you need. Make sure to download the template to match the format. This is essential to get (accurate) results. Also, Facebook can create a list of Custom Audiences based on your highest valued.

b. Website Traffic:

Facebook accessing your website traffic and matching them with their user database, that’s sorcery! Well, that’s Facebook Pixel. This is a piece of code installed on (every webpage of) your website. The Pixel sends the website visitor activity to Facebook and matches it with its users’ database. Pixel lets you target customers or visitors who have already engaged with your company.

Summary of the steps:

  1. Create a Facebook Pixel
  2. Install Pixel on your website
  3. Create and add App Events
  4. Create Custom Audience(s)
  5. Analyze, optimize, and improve your events, audience, and your marketing funnel automation

The ability to keep track of user activity even across multiple devices and platforms makes it all the better. Once you set it up, Facebook will take it from there.

You can get creative and narrow down to a considerable extent.

For example, when a website visitor abandons a shopping cart with a gaming laptop, you can use that data to show similar gaming laptops for a discounted price or from a different brand on their Facebook Newsfeed.

Another instance, when your customer looks at holiday package to Honk Kong in summer, you can remarket holiday packages to nearby/similar countries, or cheaper fares for different dates.

custom audience conditions

(1) Choose whether you want all the conditions to be valid or just one of them

(2) The action you want to consider

(3) Time frame of the action(s)

(4) Keywords to be searched in the URL

(5) Match type of the keyword

(6) Device type and its operating system

(7) Add additional conditions

You can also exclude certain group of people from remarketing by adding an exclude section.

Everything is the same as the previous section, except, everything you filter here will be excluded from your Custom Audience. You can see the exclude section in the picture below.

creating a custom audience – excluding criteria

You can more sections to include/exclude to precisely select your audience. Once done, enter a name and save the Custom Audience.

c. App Activity:

This is identical to creating Custom Audience with website traffic. Instead of Facebook Pixel, this method will use an SDK provided by Facebook.

Here’s the summary of the steps:

  1. Register your app on Facebook
  2. Install the Facebook SDK on your app
  3. Create App Events
  4. Log app activities/events
  5. Create Custom Audience(s)
  6. Create Custom Ads for your audience(s)

This is particularly useful for apps with cataloged products/services. You can use the data you get from the App Activity to remarket your products/services to your customers using Dynamic Ads.

There are so many possibilities just like with Web Traffic method. Setting up all this requires some coding knowledge and hence it’s better to leave it to the developers.

However, if you want, here is a complete tutorial on using App Activity with Facebook.

d. Offline Activity:

Of course, not all conversions happen on a website or an app. Facebook hasn’t forgotten you. This method lets you record offline customer interactions with your business. If a customer takes action after seeing your ad on Facebook, this is how you can track it.

Summary of the steps:

  1. Create Offline Events on Facebook events
  2. Upload the offline interactions data
  3. Create your Custom Audience and custom conversions
  4. Create ads for your audience

Create Offline Events by opening the Offline Events page by going over to the Measure & Report Section in the Options menu.

offline events

You will need a Facebook Business Manager account to create your offline events. Learn more about Facebook Offline Conversions.

e. Engagement:

The last one is a Custom Audience based on how and where they interact with your ads or promotions. There are many ways you can create touchpoints for your customers (both promotional and non-promotional). These could be videos, photos, albums, posts etc.

The options Facebook provides for audience interactions, are as below

  1. Video – both on Facebook and Instagram
  2. Lead form – signing up with information on Facebook or Instagram
  3. Fullscreen experience – viewing your collection ad or Canvas
  4. Facebook page – your company’s Facebook page
  5. Instagram Business Profile – engaging with your profile on Instagram
  6. Event – events you create on Facebook

audience engagement facebook options

Let’s say you co-host an event on Facebook with a partner of yours. When your partner is bigger than you, they’ll have a larger audience by default. You can use that to your advantage by targeting those people who showed interest in your event.

That will be a good opportunity to introduce your company. Of course, you have to do an excellent job with hosting that event.

Now that you’ve created your custom audience, it’s time to expand your selection and create even more customers by creating Lookalike Audience and creating ads.

your custom audience was created

You can create ads and campaigns by going to Ads Manager under the Create & Manage section in the Options menu.

ads manager

It could take a while before you optimize and find your ideal audience, but you’ll get there.

Once you set all of this up, it becomes fairly easy. You will simply have to adapt and improve as needed.

Some Tips for Retargeting

That’s all folks. I hope this guide gets you started with Facebook retargeting ads.

But before you go, here are few tips:

  • Make sure you have a good relationship with your customers before starting to sell. Go through the marketing funnel procedurally. Build brand awareness and trust first. Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in your field with relevant content (video, blog, webinars, and whatnot). This way you won’t be “that annoying shower gel company”.
  • Customers in various stages look for different things based on the stage in their journey (awareness, interest, desire, and action). Hence, your advertisements should correspond to the customer’s stage.
  • Be meticulous when selecting your audience for retargeting. How frequent someone uses your product/service depends on what you offer.
  • Don’t spam your prospects/customers with retargeting ads. Not all products are frequently bought. Asking them to buy the same or similar product again and again might not work out well for you. For example, a customer buying a car from you is rather unlikely to buy another one in a month. In that case you would be better of marketing some car parts or accessories instead of advertising a new car.
  • Your strategies and methods won’t always be successful. Be prepared for it. Hence always keep experimenting and trying new strategies until you find the right one, alternatively consult an expert.

There you have it. You are all set to harness the power of Facebook Retargeting. And the student shall become the master.

Good luck out there, fellow marketer!

We’d love to hear your experiences with this. Share with us in the comments section below.

Author:

author helvijs smoteks Helvijs Smoteks has received multiple imaginary marketing awards and is the world’s 2nd somewhat OK marketer right after another guy nobody has ever heard about. After he gave up his carrier as a bow-tie salesman, he started yet another marketing project, Market Me Good that’s pretty good at being honest.

The Ultimate Step-by-step Facebook Retargeting Guide (1)

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What are Marketing Channels and How They Work Together (Updated for 2018)

We’ve been saying that all your marketing channels need to work together to achieve your goals. We say that a lot. Each marketing channel is, after all, part of a tactic in your greater strategy. The trick is to leverage each channel at what it does best. So what are each channel’s strengths?

If you’re going to use any marketing channel effectively, you need to know how to use it properly. That includes knowing what works well for each medium. Social media, with some exceptions (I’m looking at you, Instagram), isn’t a great place for direct sales, bottom-of-the-funnel conversions, or the end of a customer journey, or whatever terminology you choose to use.

Luckily, social media platforms – and online marketing channels in general – aren’t islands you cannot build a bridge between.

All of them have their own strengths and the *only thing* marketers need to learn is how to use them to their advantage.

In this post, I’ll show you how to connect two of my favorite ones – email marketing and social media.

What is social media good at?

  • Building brand recognition
  • Building brand loyalty
  • Building community
  • Driving traffic back to your website
  • Increasing conversion opportunities

The trickiest part of social media is that you don’t control who sees your messages. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – all have algorithms that restrict your posts’ organic reach. Remember, all these platforms are publicly-traded companies now and their main business is advertising. They’re happy to let you pay to get your message out. But they won’t make it easy for you to spread your words organically.

Email marketing has a big difference – you control (almost) everything. For email, the “how to use it” goes beyond understanding how to use your email provider’s platform. Just like social media posts are written in a way to generate engagement, emails (subject lines and body copy) are written to encourage opens and clicking links.

Why is that?

Because email marketing is good at:

  • Building relationships with customers
  • Delivering targeted and personalized messages
  • Converting subscribers into customers
  • Retaining customers
  • Delivering upsell opportunities

Email is a great medium for the bottom of the funnel activities and getting customers to the sales page. Remember that email is how most consumers want to receive transactional and business communications. Generally speaking, it’s where people expect to receive offers and sales messages, so make use of that wisely. But if marketers use email and social media for different purposes, how can they work together?

Treat them as complements

Social media and email complement each other. One is good where the other is weak. So use each channel to build the other. Otherwise known as cross-promotion. You can cross-promote your channels in several ways:

Use organic social posts and paid social ads to promote your lead magnets. This will increase your subscriber list as your exposure grows – if you target well and have a valuable lead magnet.

And if you haven’t heard, we’ve recently released a new social media app that can help you with that.

It’s called Beam.

With just a few clicks, you can create engaging animated social media posts and publish them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to promote your brand.

Choose from 150+ templates, add your own photos and text, apply filters, and more. You should really give it a try!

beam app

Ok, we’re done bragging ;).

But, speaking of apps, you should use a few more of them.

Use apps like a Facebook web form integration to allow people to sign up for your list straight from social media. We do this ourselves at GetResponse – we offer our list-building course as a lead magnet.

getresponse facebook webform integration

Leverage user generated content across all your channels to build community. This can be reviews, posts from visitors to your social profiles, or even Instagram images. Always ask before using!

Look at how Paravel leveraged user generated Instagram content in one of their emails:

paravel user generated content email

Image courtesy of Really Good Emails

Include your social profiles in your email template

This is a little trick you can use via social icons. Check out this email we sent to promote Beam this Black Friday, find the social icons at the bottom right corner of the email. That’s how you can use the template – subtle, necessary, and effective.

beam promo email black friday

Use both channels to get your subscribers to become your social fans – and vice versa. The goal is to get them join your list or follow you on social networks – whichever they have not done yet. Offering discounts specific to each channel, if they perform the requested subscription or follow (respectively) is one way to do that. Check out what Good American did to encourage their email subscribers to become their social fans wherever they were:

good american social media email marketing

Image courtesy of Really Good Emails

Use social ads targeting your email subscribers to direct them to specific product pages. This is a common thing you’ll see in your newsfeed. Here are some examples based on tracking cookies from website visits:

amazon kindle social ads targeting

zappos social ads targeting

Think of the Rule of Seven in marketing. It’s easy for both email and social media to be at least two of those contacts before a customer purchases from you. Which is the ultimate goal, after all.

Use your community, like a Facebook group, to build your email list

There are several ways you can do this. One is requiring those who wish to join the group to provide their email address via group onboarding questions.

member request settings

Another is that you could also use a lead magnet as the cover image, with a link to the lead magnet in the image description.

Share your content between channels

This should seem obvious within the context of a larger marketing campaign. Use the same content, adapted for each medium, across all your distribution channels. That keeps the messaging consistent and recognizable. But it’s not necessary to take this course of action just for campaigns. Use your content wisely across email and social media. If there’s a great video that will help your audience, use both social and email to bring it to your customer’s attention.

Drive traffic to wherever you think is most important for your goals. Create teasers from long-form content to drive fans/subscribers to your destination/lead page. Use more than one channel. Social algorithms mean you never know when a fan will see a post. So, what if they happen to see it on more than one social network? That’s an extra “Rule of Seven” contact.

One is not better than the other

Remember that email marketing and social media are both necessary for a well-rounded digital marketing strategy. One is not inherently better than the other. Each channel has its own strengths and weaknesses. Each has its own place in the marketing ecosystem.

How do you do it?

Have you been successful in integrating both social media and email marketing in your business? What’s worked for you? What hasn’t? Share your successes in the comments below.

How to Make Social Media And Email Marketing Work Together

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The post How to Make Social Media and Email Marketing Work Together (Updated for 2018) appeared first on GetResponse Blog – Online Marketing Tips.

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