4 Essential Tips For Successful Email Marketing

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Email Marketing|4 Essential Tips For Successful Email MarketingEmail marketing is still one of the most effective ways of reaching new clients as well as convincing current clients to buy from you again. However, for your email marketing efforts to be successful you need to consider the following factors.

Personalize

No one likes to think they are being sent an automated email, so make sure you personalize your communication with prospects as much as possible. One way to do this is to use a name@your.business email address, and adding in each recipient’s name can help a great deal too.

Additionally, coming up with creative subject lines (emojis seem to work well), and ensuring the content held within the email you send is personalized to your audience can make sure that you use the human touch to your advantage.

Increase your email list

Email lists are not static things. They are always changing as sometimes people will ask to be removed, while others will ask to be added. Although, as a business, your target should be to maintain a list that has enough addresses for your purpose. Just be sure to remember that the number of emails you send out will be much higher than the ones that provide you with the response you are looking for.

Indeed, with that in mind, there is nothing wrong with using some techniques to get email addresses on your list either. One way of doing this is to include a signup button on your website, social media profile, and just about anywhere else that will encourage people to opt in to your emails.

You can also use conferences, and events to collect email addresses as well, something that you can do by offering entry into a competition, or free gifts. It’s even possible to buy email list to help swell your business’s database. Indeed, by purchasing email contacts in this way you can ensure that you get the contact info of people more firmly in your target demographic, something that can help you turn such contacts into customers much more easily later on.

Before you send – TEST!

Every marketing email you send reflects on your business, and if you want to ensure they do so positively it’s vital that you edit and test every single one before you send it! Check every link, image, and shortcode on your copy and as they are displayed on different providers too. Then you can be sure that each recipient will get an optimized experience, and that each email will have maxim efficacy.

Say no to SPAM

Your emails won’t do much good if they only ever see the inside of a SPAM folder! With that in mind, you need to do all you can to ensure they hit the recipient’s main inbox.

One strategy for achieving this is to make sure that all the HTML that your emails contain is formatted properly, as this can set off SPAM filters. Also, one of the best ways to stay out of a SPAM folder is to not send SPAM. This means adhering to the regulation on this subject and avoiding cheesy subject lines and crazy punctuation.

2 Ways Your Business Can Benefit from Integrating SEO & PPC Processes

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |SEO and PPC Processes|2 Ways Your Business Can Benefit from Integrating SEO & PPC ProcessesSEO and PPC are two of the most popular and widely used digital marketing channels. While there is a lot of instruction and discussion out there when it comes to individual optimisation strategies for these respective channels, there is perhaps a lot less said about how these two channels can actually work well together.

In this article, we want to explore two specific ways in which your business can benefit by having your SEO and PPC processes aligned.

This is equally applicable whether you have an in-house team or if you’re working with a specialist SEO agency or a specialist PPC agency.

Keyword Research

One of the first and most obvious ways in which PPC and SEO can be aligned is when it comes to keyword research. Both channels require keyword research which is the process of finding out what exact words prospective customers for a business are using to find what they’re looking for online.

You then look for how much search volume there is against each individual keyword, as well as other metrics when it comes to PPC such as the average cost per click and how much competition there is to appear for a particular keyword.

As you can imagine, there are a lot of areas in which SEO insights can help PPC and vice versa.

PPC is usually much more directed at the lower end of the funnel, which means the PPC team will usually only be spending ad budget on keywords that convert or have a very high likelihood of converting or assisting a conversion.

Therefore PPC is actually a really good way to test whether or not a keyword is relevant and will ultimately help business objectives before investing a lot of resources into it to help it rank at the top of organic search results.

On the other hand, the SEO team may be able to provide some useful insights to the PPC team when it comes to keyword research as well. Usually, the SEO team will also look at what other websites are ranking for a particular keyword and that will give them a hint as to the intent behind the search query because that is what Google takes into consideration when choosing which websites to rank for a particular term.

In that research, the SEO team will usually also look at the landing pages and on-page copy of competing websites that are appearing for a particular search term.

This usually provides a lot of insights into what types of customer fears, motivations, and values appear to be important, which competitors are trying to target with their own page copy.

All of this can be particularly useful insights for the PPC team, especially if they choose to target a keyword and then produce a landing page specifically for that keyword.

User Behaviour Insights

One of the other ways in which both the SEO and PPC teams can work well together is by looking at the behaviour of users once they arrive on the website, whether that is through paid search or through SEO.

With SEO, you will tend to have a broader spectrum of keywords driving traffic to the website, because with PPC, you will tend to only spend money with a very specific objective of driving a very specific action through your ads.

With SEO, you have a little bit less control over what keywords drive traffic to your website, but of course, you can shape this somewhat.

One of the best ways of understanding how effective and relevant a particular keyword is by analysing the behaviour of users that use that keyword to arrive on your website and seeing what they do next.

You will be looking at which pages they tend to engage the most with and which sections of those pages they tend to engage the most with. Of course, you’re able to do this through tools such as Google Analytics.

You want to see: are there any particular pages that have very high bounce rates? i.e. are people leaving the website right after visiting that particular page? Now, of course, this doesn’t automatically mean that there’s something wrong.

They may have simply received the information that they were looking for and then chosen to leave. However, sometimes high bounce rates can be indicative of a problem with the user experience that you can then go and fix and hopefully improve your conversion rates.

Similarly, the paid search team can provide insights into what types of copy and message are working better because they’re able to produce specific landing pages for particular keywords and campaigns.

They’re able to test a lot more than perhaps the SEO team can, therefore they’ll have a much richer data set of what types of keywords and messages tend to convert better, which can then be utilised on the SEO ranking landing page.

Closing Thoughts

These were just a couple of ways in which having SEO and PPC processes a lot more integrated can benefit your business. There are many other benefits of having SEO and PPC working in tandem, such as capturing more SERP real estate and optimising ad spend, which perhaps we can get into in a future article.

Web Development: 3 Fast Ways For Business Of Any Size

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Web development|Web Development: 3 Fast Ways For Business Of Any SizeCan a business exist without a website? It all depends on the industry and services provided or products sold. Nevertheless, the website for the vast majority of companies is a showcase of what they offer, and the quality of its performance and content affects whether the user will make a contact or purchase attempt. Your brand needs to be seen for your business to gain interest, build trust and generate profit. Website development is the key to making these things happen.

Moreover, as of 2021, there are around 5.2 billion global internet users. It means that 65.6% of the population around the world is using the internet for a vast variety of reasons. If you want to capture people from different sources including social media, paid ads, and search engines you need to lead them to the website of your company.

The question is what is the best way to develop a website if there is nobody in your company who is capable of building it? By reading this article you will find out about 3 fast and effective solutions.

Web development: what does it include?

What does web development include? It can range from developing a simple single page of plain text to complex web applications, e-commerce sites, portals, and social network services. No matter its type website development includes:

  • web design – the process of designing graphics, user interfaces, and writing web markup (instructions to the software used for viewing a webpage on how the page should look and work);
  • web engineering – writing code for servers and applications using programming languages as well as building page integrations with content management system (CMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) platform.

Web development: what skills do you need?

First of all, you need to be aware that there is a difference between web and software development – different programs/programming languages are used and the final outcome of the developer’s work differs as well.

  • Web developers are mainly responsible for building web applications and websites that run on internet browsers.
  • Software developers, on the other hand, focus on computer programs for desktop and mobile devices.

Both specializations require a strong attention to detail, a knack for problem-solving and programming experience, however, they have different maintenance requirements, workflows, and levels of complexity.

Web development consists of two areas of work: front-end (the user-facing side) development and back-end (the server-side) development, so in most cases, you need at least two developers to build your website.

  • Front-end web developers take care of how a website looks and functions from the users’ perspective, make it easy to access and browse, and ensure the website is compatible with operating systems and devices that display content.
  • Back-end web developers are responsible for the technical aspects. They work on administrative components such as the server, the database, the operating system, and the software and make sure these components run smoothly together.

An alternative is to hire a full-stack developer who possesses knowledge in both front-end and back-end development. It requires years in the field to build the necessary experience and become such an expert but they can create a website from start to finish. The full-stack developer knows how to design a website, user experience and is able to use the necessary programming languages and technology stack.

Keep in mind that if you plan to build a great website you first and foremost need talented and effective developers who also understand the business perspective and represent a proactive approach.

What are the best options if you need to build a website?

Before you decide which of the available options are best for you, consider the needs of your project and company. If you need a web developer permanently to take care of your site and implement changes often or if you have more than one project in mind, you might be better off hiring full-time web developers.

In most cases, it might be a good idea for companies that have complex online stores, SaaS companies, or news sites. Otherwise, you risk investing a lot of money in the recruitment process, and later in the permanent salary of a specialist that you will not need.

What can you do instead? Below we mention 3 fast ways to web development:

Cooperate with Freelance Web Developers

Nowadays, there are many online job platforms, such as Upwork, Fiverr, YouTeam, Gigster, and others where you can find all types of developers with whom you can cooperate on a one-time project basis.

Pros: you can find freelancers from all over the world; developers are ready to work for a reasonable price; usually a short project implementation period; you can review the profiles of candidates and see examples of work; you don’t waste time on the recruitment process.

Cons: you are not guaranteed high-quality work – there are often no vetting processes; lower cost might mean that the project will be made in the simplest possible way, both technically and visually; you cannot count on the developer to advise you on the best solution; the chosen developer doesn’t need to be fully dedicated to your project; you risk losing money to build a website that will not meet your expectations.

Use a Dedicated Team service

When your project is complex you can quickly find a dedicated development team through an IT staffing company. You cooperate with a dedicated team that is not just a group of developers working on their tasks, but they act as a part of your company and support you.

Pros: such a team is fully allocated to you and dedicated to your project; you take an active part in a decision-making process; delivering results and high quality is ensured; the capacity of the team is set on the workload needed to finish the project until and must be delivered until the agreed time period; the fee is charged monthly and you only pay for worked-hours; you get access to work-proven and skilled developers.

Cons: not the right solution if you need to build a simple business website; even if you don’t need to manage tasks of the team, it requires some engagement from your side; cost might be higher compared to hiring freelancer due to high-quality and experience of developers.

Outsource the entire Web Development

Outsourcing has become a very popular process. Outsourcing web development means that
your project will be developed by a third-party company that acts as a contracted partner to perform and manage website development work.

Pros: you free up your time so you can focus on your business instead; the maintenance commitment of the website is usually a part of an outsourcing contract and lies on the side of the provider; software houses face higher liability than in cases of other services, which makes it less of a risk for your business.

Cons: besides contracted cost, the extra ones may occur so there is a risk of going over budget; developers who work for software houses usually have several projects to handle which may impact the quality; due to lack of proper communication you may receive a website that doesn’t fit your expectations; you don’t have an influence on your website development.
Summing up

Currently, thanks to the popularization of remote work, your business has the opportunity to use a much wider range of solutions. However, remember to analyze the needs of the project before deciding to cooperate with a freelancer, IT staffing company, or software house. Consider which of the solutions will bring you the most benefits and guarantee that your website will not only look good but also be technically adapted to your company’s needs.

The “Golden ISA” of Post-Pandemic Business Presence

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Post-pandemic Business|The "Golden ISA" of Post-Pandemic Business PresenceThe pandemic has completely transformed the business environment. As a result, companies of all sizes have adapted to meet the new challenges. Maintaining your interactions with remote customers is no easy task, especially for small shops and businesses that are more experienced with face-to-face practices.

The post-pandemic business world focuses on digital strategies. Your audience has learned new behaviors during the health crisis. Therefore, if you are going to digitize your company presence, you need to ensure you can meet the new expectations of your customers. Not sure where to start? Here’s a clue for you: Golden ISA. Indeed, business experts recommend the GISA or Golden ISA approach to bring your small company to the post-pandemic requirements.

Golden Google

G in GISA or Golden stands for Google. As the leading search engine platform, your Google presence needs to be part of your strategy. Indeed, Google is the holy grail of marketing and customer acquisition for small businesses. In a post-pandemic world, being visible online requires dedicated SEO. Experts recommend local SEO strategies that utilize the benefits of Google Maps, using Google My Business. Boosting your local rankings means that your business is more visible to local searches and mobile users in your vicinity. Additionally, your Google Maps presence can provide all the information customers need before committing to a visit or a purchase: Reviews, opening hours, photos, and targeted content.

I for Information technology

There is no going any further forward with dedicated IT services. For most small businesses, having an in-house IT team is not an option. Therefore, you need someone who can help manage cybersecurity risks, tech issues, and IT network to make the most of your resources. When IT is at the core of your business processes, you can’t afford delays or frustrations. SMBs need to compete with corporates in terms of IT effectiveness, reliability, and security.

S for Social media

People are looking online for your brands. They turn to your social media network for support, inspiration, guidance, and information. Your social media activity will help position your brand’s attractiveness and popularity. Unfortunately, social media channels are a crowded place. If you want to get noticed, you need to make sure your strategy differentiates your brand from your competitors. Don’t be afraid to start new trends rather than relying on the overused marketing content and campaigns. Ideally, partnering with a professional agency can enable you to be creative without committing a costly faux pas.

A for Almighty apps

A responsive website doesn’t match the functionality and ease of use of a mobile app. Indeed, apps can significantly increase your sales with unique features such as notification, discount, and simple payment methods. A business application doesn’t need to compete for visibility on search engine result pages. On the contrary, customers can have direct access to your products without the risk of competing brands affecting your reach. In an age where most people carry their smartphone everywhere and rely on it for most of their interactions, a business app is the safest way to always be by your customers’ side.

Your online presence must meet the needs and behaviors of a post-pandemic market. The smartphone is at the heart of many interactions, from information research to transactional exchanges. Therefore, maximizing your efforts to be visible and user-friendly to local users and smartphone buyers can go a long way. Finally, it’s crucial to maintain your tech up-to-date and safe for all in a digital environment. Without reliable tech, your business activities become less effective.

Building A Customer-Facing App That People Love

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Customer-Facing App|Building A Customer-Facing App That People LoveThere are so many business models that can benefit from creating an app for their customers, and so many ways in which those benefits might be seen. If you are keen to try and create the perfect customer-facing app, there are a lot of things that you might want to bear in mind along the way. In this post, we are going to take you through a few of the essential things that can help to create a customer-facing app that people are going to really love. As long as you follow these tips, that should be a lot easier.

Focus On An Idea

It is generally best to have as specific an idea as possible, a real niche, which you can then focus on as fully as possible. Doing that is going to mean that you are much more likely to deliver exactly what you need to deliver. If your app becomes too full of different ideas, it can start to have this flabby kind of look and feel to it – so that is something that you are going to want to be aware of from the start. Hone in as tightly as possible, and people will get more out of it.

Use Intelligent Design

An app is much more likely to work well if it is built up properly from the very start. That means that it is built with some kind of intelligent design, which is something that you can easily make sure of as long as you are using the appropriate app development software. Using something like FileMaker could be a good way to go, but to really make sure you are using it right you might want to look into getting some Claris FileMaker Consulting too. That way, you can make sure the app’s essential design is really strong.

Ask For Feedback

You should aim to ask for feedback from your app’s users on a regular basis. They will be essentially testing it a great deal, so speaking with them is something that is going to really help you to work out what you might need to change or improve. You can seek this feedback on the app itself, on the Play Store and App Store, and online through your website, or any other means you think might work well. However you do it, make sure that you really act on it.

Keep It Small & Simple

The size of the app is hugely important – too big and people are unlikely to want it to take up the space on their phone, too small and it might seem that it is not really doing anything. Find a good balance by including just the right number of elements, and by having it coded properly so there is no extraneous code. At the same time, you should focus on trying to keep the app as simple as you can, as in doing this you are going to find that people tend to get a lot more usage out of it.