Overall, AI is transforming marketing automation by providing businesses with the tools they need to automate repetitive tasks, optimize campaigns, and provide a more personalized experience for their target audience. AI can help businesses improve their ROI, increase engagement, and build stronger relationships with their customers.

So Just How Convincing Can AI Be?

With the release of ChatGPT 4, new tests for the upgraded AI chat app to prove its prowess delivered impressive results, with the AI system beating some 90% of lawyers taking the US bar exam. Many other tests of its ability are ongoing, including a small one conducted by us.
While the use of AI and its influence in marketing is undoubtedly growing, we got to thinking, how easy it might be to use AI and ChatGPT as a marketing tool. So we got the ChatGPT 4 app to generate the first part of this post. Also all the images in this post have been created by AI using a mix of Canva, Bing and Freepik’s AI offerings.
No doubt there are some among you who considered that might have been the case, with the slight repetition and slight lack of personality in the text. However, as a first draft by ChatGPT with no editing or additional prompting by us, this is an excellent example of how the AI app can be easily incorporated into your marketing planning. Although we note that with tone of voice being so important to most brands, some tweaking will likely be necessary in the case of blog post creation.

A Business Viewpoint

Don’t just take our word for it, here are some views of AI in marketing from businesses who have made their own analysis of the growing options available.

“After testing out many AI applications over the last three months, I believe the clear answer is yes: artificial intelligence will reduce and simplify the amount of work we have to do in marketing, and some people might lose their job positions … but not those who are high-level at what they do.”

Matteo Pittaluga – Founder of Marketing Genius

LinkedIn Profile

“When it comes to the question of whether AI will steal the job of digital marketers, I think the answer is no. AI can automate certain tasks and processes, but it cannot replicate the creativity, intuition and unique perspective that individual marketers bring to their work.”

Erica McMillan – CEO & Founder McMillan Method

LinkedIn Profile

“The bottom line is: with AI marketing, you can set up optimized email campaigns, from creating smarter emails and newsletters to enhancing deliverability and optimizing your email outreach efforts. From content creation to lead generation, sales, marketing, and customer service – every part of your business stands to benefit from the use of AI in your future marketing strategies.”

Atif M – CEO of Inqline

LinkedIn Profile

“This wide-ranging branch of computer science is set to transform jobs in marketing and the industry as a whole in a lot of ways. The number of businesses adopting artificial intelligence has grown by over 270% in the past four years, and the global AI market is set to reach $267 billion by the year 2027.”

Ron Stefanski – Professor, Marketer & Internet Entrepreneur

LinkedIn Profile

“Large language and image AI models, sometimes called generative AI or foundation models, have created a new set of opportunities for businesses and professionals that perform content creation”

Thoms H. Davenport and Nitim Mittal – An advisor at Deloitte and leader of its analytics and cognitive offering, and a coleader of Deloitte’s AI strategic growth offering, respectively.

LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn Profile

While there are some slightly disconcerting considerations in relation to the use of AI apps like ChatGPT, the overall outlook for AI in marketing is a positive one that can allow for more targeted action to help grow your business. Of course, all aspects of what’s possible with AI won’t be perfect for all businesses, but they will provide options that can be cherry-picked for specific requirements at certain times.
As the world moves forward and begins to embrace AI technology, the use of it in marketing is something that more of us should be and likely already are beginning to consider.

Where do you think AI will take digital marketing in the years to come? Comment below with your thoughts.

The post How AI Is Likely To Change Marketing? appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

TikTok is a relatively new social media platform. However, with an active user base of around 1.5bn – and rising – and a super high level of engagement, it might be time to get your business on the still growing app. As far as social media goes, TikTok is THE app for the younger generations and if you want to begin building brand awareness among the population that has a growing influence in the discretionary portion of household spending, you should consider getting up and running.
If you need a little more convincing, then here are 10 reasons to take the plunge.

1. TikTok Takes Time Away From Other Platforms

We mentioned the high level of user engagement and what that translates into is taking time away from competitors. TikTok gained over 1 billion subscribers in just six years and many of the teen or gen Z users spend a LOT of time scrolling and engaging with content from all kinds of contributors. So, while your ads on Facebook and Instagram are slick and perfectly on message, the people you want to engage probably aren’t spending enough time on those platforms to see it.

2. Affordability

The cost of advertising on TikTok is affordable when compared with other apps. One of the reasons for that is that you don’t need to publish professionally made content. The whole premise of TikTok is that content is real, raw and can be posted by anyone with a mobile phone. While that might sound scary from a brand perspective, it does mean you can try it out for a small initial outlay to see how it works, how you feel about it and if you want to increase your activity on it.

3. TikTok Is Changing the Digital Advertising Landscape

We briefly touched on this in our previous point; the type of content on TikTok that users typically engage with is different to other platforms. That’s because while many users on the platform switch off direct online ads, it directs users to similar content to the clips they already engage with, through a curated For You page. That means that even if the user has never heard of you, if your TikTok content follows recent trends or challenges then it could be shown to millions of users who like the content you’re producing, regardless of what you make or sell.

4. It’s A Great Tool To Build Brand Awareness

Of course, there is direct advertising on TikTok, allowing you to share your existing campaigns, but you can also just get onboard with fun trends, show some personality and build some basic brand awareness among the still expanding user base. You can worry a little less about tone of voice and image with TikTok and have a bit of fun that is both entertaining and engaging.

5. A Different Range Of Ad Options

Not only can you show off a different side of your brand’s personality on TikTok, you can also access a range of advertising options; Topview ads, Brand Takeover ads, In-Feed ads and Branded Hashtag Challenge ads. Some of them don’t give the users the option to like them but they can’t be skipped, while others have more engagement options and can be more of an opportunity to share a bit of your brand story and personality.

6. Join A Trend

When you want to post something but are unsure what’s suitable from a brand creativity perspective, you can take a look at what hashtags are trending or what challenges are popular and create something to fit in with that. Thanks to the real and candid user created content, anything you post doesn’t have to be perfect to fit in with the often raw and real look that TikTok’s users love.

7. Fancy Going Viral?

Thanks to the way TikTok works and the high level of engagement among users, there’s a real possibility of your content going viral, even if you’re a relative newcomer and don’t have a huge number of followers. The For You page brings new brands and influencers to users’ attention on a regular basis as suggestions are based more on the type of content than who’s posted it. That means if you hit the right note with a trend or challenge, your ad could be shared and viewed millions of times pretty quickly.

8. Collaboration

If you have a product to sell you can collaborate with existing TikTok content creators to help drive interest in your brand. One way to do this is to contact users who have previously posted popular content in line with your brand or products, send them some items or sell to them at a large discount, in return for them creating unboxing content with your goods. This is yet another way of indirect advertising that is popular with the platform’s user base.

9. Be More Authentic

Returning to the theme of the authentically created content that’s so popular with TikTok users, showcasing your brand’s authenticity through a real and quick video has a way of really connecting with the audience. This is one of the key reasons for the super high level of engagement on TikTok; users know their content is authentic and they are attuned to that same feel or look from other content creators.

10. TikTok Has Real Global Reach

If you’re working on broadening the reach of your brand TikTok’s presence in around 150 markets means that your ads and content can be seen around the world pretty easily. By identifying those existing content creators who are popular on a global scale or in the markets you want to break into and collaborating with them, you can test new markets with your brand and products relatively easily.

As you can see by these few reasons to advertise on TikTok, it is changing the social media advertising landscape and giving brands new, interesting and often less challenging ways to reach a huge base of highly engaged users. What advice or reasons have you got to advertise on TikTok? Comment below.

Click here or get in touch to find out how I can help setup and run your TikTok Advertising.

The post 10 Reasons To Advertise on TikTok appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

What’s New?

Google recently announced that it was updating its GDN (Google Display Network) Ads service, with changes in effective from 1, August, 2022. In short those changes are:

• Smart Display Ad Campaign features will be made available within ALL Display campaign options.
• Optimised targeting will now be set as the default targeting option when creating new Display campaigns.

What the changes also mean is that users of Google Display Ads will be able to use Pay for Conversions, at your target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition), which was previously only in the Smart Display Campaigns options.

Google explains that these changes will simplify campaigns for all GDN users and also, that no action is required. For those users who have existing or saved GDN Ads, they will remain as they are with their existing settings intact. While, for users with existing or saved Smart Display campaigns, they will be migrated into a Display campaign, also with your current settings intact.

Google also states that “The migration will not cause any fluctuations with your campaign’s performance.”

Not a Significant Update

This is not a major change and is unlikely to have a huge effect on your existing Display Campaigns or the way you use the platform. The features will all remain available and if you prefer not to use optimised targeting, you can change it in your settings. Meanwhile, for those used to using Smart Display Ads, the default settings for creating Display Ads will include Smart Bidding and other features you’re used.

Now you know what’s coming, how it affects you and what you need to do, (nothing) we wanted to share a few tips to help your brand gain the most benefits from Google Display Campaign:

Target the Right Audience for your Brand

To ensure your display ad banners reach the right audience, drill down beyond basic demographics. Include details such as where your preferred audience is based and also, other brands you know your audience likes. By adding these optimization details you will be more likely to get your display ads in front of those users who have in interest in tour industry or have already interacted with your brand you will reach warm leads who are closer to conversion.

Use Conversion Tracking

By adding conversion tracking to your display ad campaign, you can discover which users are more likely to take action based on your ads, helping you identify the most valuable users. Display ads can be used to reach users at the beginning of their journey interacting with your brands, or further on. However, by adding conversion tracking you can gain valuable insights on the type of potential customer to target.

Exclude Some Ad Placements

While the breadth of websites that Google Display Ads are featured on is a definite benefit, it can mean that your ads are placed in front of users who have no interest in your brand, whatsoever. You can avoid this excluding certain options, in a similar way to having negative key words in SEO. That way, you’re not wasting yours or anyone else’s time. Instead, you’re putting your ads in front of people who at the very least are likely to have an interest in your product or service.

Try Out A Range Of Ads

Creating three or four ads as a group, that uses different wording, colours and placement, but essentially carry the same message can be a great way to use Display Ad Campaigns. That way you can try them out at the same time and discover which Display Ad is the most effective. This can then give you useful insights for your next Display Campaign or other digital advertising options.

Use Remarketing

Create display ads that will appeal to previous visitors or customers of your website as they can serve as a reminder to people of your brand and why they loved it. The right display ads with the right offer can catch the eye and remind people of why your brand is great. The creation of a new remarketing landing page for your warm leads is also a great way to build on their positive views and bring them closer to making a first or repeat purchase.

Google Display campaigns are a useful tool that can serve your brand in a variety of ways. The changes aren’t major and once you familiarize yourself with them, get creative to get the best results possible for your brand. Get in touch if you would like to run some for your brand.

The post Google Display Ads: Latest Update And How To Make Them Work appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

An initial reaction to managing spending in your business can be to cut costs everywhere. However, digital ad spend is one area that requires a lot of thought before you begin trimming your budget and reducing your campaigns. If you absolutely have to lower your budget or, its essential you stick to your existing planned spend, then here are some tips to help you make every penny count as you drive forward with your business in these uncertain times.

1. Identify Your Key Objectives

Rather than using a scattergun approach where you try out a few different strategies for a variety of areas of your business, identifying the key objectives of any digital advertising campaigns or content development is great way to focus your budget.
One good question to ask yourself is whether your business is in need of brand awareness or brand loyalty. Once you know the answer, you can then opt for prioritising sales or branding in your online ads. Then, if you commit to one and achieve success, it might be possible to add the second into your strategy while staying on top of costs.

2. Use The 70-20-10 Rule

The 70-20-10 rule can help you think more clearly about prioritising your digital advertising needs. This formula relates to the type of strategy and also products or services you should focus on promoting.
The biggest chunk of your advertising budget – 70% – should be spent on “now” advertising. That includes using existing strategies you already know work well for your business and also, to advertise products and services that are already available. This means you are committing most of your budget to an area of proven success that should deliver that ROI you’re looking for.
Your 20% should be for the “next” and upcoming strategies and products or services. These are options you have already tested a little but are still in the process of introducing. That way, if things don’t go to plan, then it’s a smaller proportion of your budget that is at risk.
Meanwhile, the remaining 10% is for the future, testing new strategies you haven’t previously used and possibly finding out what your customer reaction could be to prospective services and products.

3. Demand-Based Advertising

If you don’t have enough historic data to help you decide which strategies are worth your investment, one area that typically works well and can be easily managed, is demand-based advertising, which includes search or PPC.
This option ensures your digital adverts are shown to potential customers who are already searching for the goods or services you offer. Another benefit is that you only pay if the user clicks on your digital ad, while the ability to set a budget or limit is also helpful.
If you’ve previously used PPC but found it wasn’t as successful as you had expected, a PPC audit across either one or all of your social media platforms can prove useful. While this may be another initial cost if you choose to instruct an outside professional to conduct this for you, in many cases it can prove worthwhile due to the improvement in results from any PPC campaign that follow on from the audit.

4. Content Development

We all know that content remains an essential part of any company’s online presence and digital advertising activities. However, knowing what type of content best resonates with your customer base isn’t always easy to decipher. With that in mind, a little market research or diving into any previous user data can help here.
Once you have a better understanding of the type of content that drives users further through your sales funnel, then focus your budget and time on that. It’s helpful to remember that if video is a popular option with your users, thanks to the rise of DIY content online you no longer need to spend as much as you might think to secure the results you want.

5. Narrow Your Social Media Focus

Although having a wide reach across digital and social media can help boost brand awareness and sales, including all channels comes at a cost. It can therefore be useful to narrow your social media platform use to two or three from a broader strategy.
Once again, it will be useful to review your existing user and advertising data to get a clear picture of which platforms work best for your business. Then, armed with those details you can drop one or two options – even if it’s just a temporary change – and focus your budget on that smaller pool, which should help you manage your costs and also secure value for money and the right ROI.

These aren’t the only ways to manage your digital advertising budget during times of uncertainty. However, by using even just one or two of these options you will become more aware of where your investment is going and how effective it is, ensuring closer management of your advertising out-goings.

What are you thoughts or tips on how to control and manage your spend? Comment below.

The post 5 Ways to Manage a Digital Ad Budget and Avoid Overspending appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

The reason for the increased interest in GA4 is that once UA is retired, all access to your history from that product will also become unavailable, albeit at some, unidentified point in the future. In addition, if you only make the switch to GA4 when UA disappears, you won’t have any specifically comparable historical data to learn from or measure your performance against.
While it might seem that the switch to GA4 should be at least started sooner rather than later, an idea of the pros and cons of the updated google analytical system seems like a good idea. Let’s start with the pros.

Manage The Complete User Journey

The GA4 platform works for websites and mobile, an improvement from UA which could only be used on websites. This means that marketers can gain a better and more complete picture of the entire customer journey.

Supports More Customisable Metrics

GA4 has more than double the customisable events than were available on UA. This ensures you can dig down into more detail that’s relevant to your needs as a digital marketer.

GA4’s AI learning Provides Predictive Insights

The updated analytics system is driven by a powerful AI system that is designed to try and spot new trends before they emerge. This could prove very useful for digital marketers, helping them get ahead of the curve in some key areas which could ultimately deliver an improved ROI.

Automatic Activity Tracking

Having certain online interactions been tracked automatically means you as a digital marketer will need to create fewer tags for the more common tracking requirements. They include scroll tracking and simple video tracking which are typically used by most users.

More Marketer Friendly User Interface

One area that highlights exactly how different GA4 is from UA is the user interface. In UA, user tabs have titles such as acquisition, behaviour, conversion and audience. However, the GA4 upgrade gives users new and more relevant options including monetization, acquisition, retention and engagement. There is also an audiences report which helps to identify activity and engagement with purchasers or mobile users, etc.

As you can see, there are a number of positives that digital marketers can gain from switching to GA4. However, even though it brings some good new options, there are also some drawbacks when compared with UA, so let’s take a look at those.

Training and Skills Gap

GA4 is really quite different from UA and that means that for marketers wishing to gain the best use out of the new system, there is going to be a period of training and upskilling. Without some time dedicated to learning how to use GA4 and all of its functionality, then the benefits of it are unlikely to be felt for some time.

Very Different Menu Structures and Loss of Some User Functionality

The GA4 menu structure is very different from and much smaller than in UA. While some might prefer this, it does make it more difficult to find the area you’re looking for from the main menu. Even where there is an alternative option in GA4, it doesn’t always exactly replicate what was available in UA which will make it difficult, particularly in the first months of use, to gain the information you want.

Historical, Comparable Data Issues

For new users of GA4, the historical data will only begin to build up from that time. It is possible to download UA reports and use some of that information as a comparison. However, to get the most out of some of the new GA4 features, it’s a case of the sooner the better for switching, as that powerful AI learning requires historical activity to make the best predictions.

Potential Loss of Historical UA Data

Sticking with the data theme, once UA is retired, there will come a point when your data from that system is also removed. While it is possible to download UA data reports – as mentioned above – the data will only be available for a limited period of time.

While there are clearly some notable negatives of the GA4 system, they typical relate to time, historical data and the completely new interface. Of course, for some marketers the loss of preferred and favourite options will have an impact on their ability to create campaigns based on particular parameters. However, once users get up to speed with GA4 and can begin to benefit from newly created historical data, in many cases, the alternative options provided by the updated analytics system will deliver suitable and usable information to drive engaging and profitable digital campaigns.

Comment below with your thoughts on GA4 or predictions on how its likely to affect digital marketing campaigns.

The post GA4 Integration: The Pros & Cons for Digital Marketers appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

For a long time, paid social and PPC platforms have relied on a unique device identifier on iPhones and iPads called the IDFA. However, with the rollout of IOS 14, users are now asked if they want to opt in to tracking. With only two in five Apple users electing to opt-in, this has had a monumental impact on the amount of data platforms can collect.
How is this move to protect users’ privacy affecting the world of digital marketing? Here are four ways Apple is making an impact.

1. Social media platforms are changing the way they serve ads

The privacy changes offered by Apple mean paid social platforms can no longer automatically determine a precise customer location or track user behaviour. This means they can’t serve targeted ads, unless users opt in.
Meta (Facebook’s parent company) was one of the most outspoken critics of opting in. The platform claimed the changes would decrease its sales by $10 billion, as well as impact smaller businesses that relied on targeted ads to find new customers.
To mitigate against this loss of data, social media platforms are looking at alternative ways to provide ad functionality to users. For example, Facebook has launched Aggregated Event Management which lets ad creators track limited conversions on iOS devices.

2. Retargeting is no longer a comprehensive choice for businesses

Retargeting has always been a popular option for companies on PPC platforms like Google Ads and Bing Advertising, as well as paid social. In the past, it provided a great way to improve brand awareness and encourage previous site visitors to return and make a purchase.
However, with Apple’s changes, retargeting audiences are decreasing as people opt-out. This means businesses are looking for alternative ways to retarget customers, such as using email addresses.
Alternatively, search ads are still viable for businesses as they are based on keywords and search intent rather than tracking.

3. Platforms are reviewing the way they collect data and encourage trust

In 2020, Safari started to block third party cookies by default. This, combined with other iOS changes, has motivated other businesses to act.
Google announced at the start of 2021 that it would ban third-party cookies on Chrome, a huge move considering over three billion people use it. This ban was initially earmarked for 2022, although it has now been pushed back to 2023.
Google is also rolling out identity verification across Google Ads to build audience trust.

4. The changes are encouraging businesses to develop better relationships with their customers

As the Apple privacy changes are opt-in and can vary from site to site, the onus is on businesses to incentivise customers to agree to tracking. In a tweet directed at Facebook, Tim Cook advised that platforms can still track users; they just need to ask for permission first.
As shoppers are more likely to shop with businesses that provide a great customer experience, companies can use this to their advantage.
By nurturing customers, businesses can not only encourage them to agree to tracking, but build high-quality relationships that will serve them well in the years to come.

What changes have you seen as a result of Apple’s recent updates? Comment below with your thoughts.

The post 4 Ways Apple Is Changing The Digital Marketing Landscape appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

Now that we’re in a new year, there are even more changes to how we carry out PPC advertising ahead of us. We’ve listened to what the experts have to say about PPC in 2022 and put together our own thoughts.
How will the PPC market evolve and change in 2022? Let’s take a look.

1. PPC costs are set to increase

PPC is a supply and demand market. The more businesses that use it, the higher the premium PPC platforms can charge.
According to AdAge, PPC costs are up 30% to 40% on what they were in 2020.
The good news is that businesses can still take advantage of PPC, even if they don’t have a high budget. Ensuring your ads are relevant, focusing on shoppers who are at the end of the sales funnel and A/B testing your copy can all help drive costs down.

2. Platforms will push automation as a way forward

Automation has long since divided PPC marketers, and the debate will continue long into 2022. While automation can help advertisers save time on their campaigns, it can also lead to a loss of control.
Unfortunately, PPC platforms are now pushing automation onto customers, such as expanded text ads on Google Ads, which we’ll go into a bit more detail about later. PPC specialists will need to work with automated services in 2022, rather than fight against them.
The good news is that the artificial intelligence that powers automation is improving all the time. This means automated processes are becoming more efficient and reliable.

3. Don’t be afraid to look to new PPC channels

There are more PPC networks than ever before. If you played it safe with Facebook and Google Ads in 2021, moving to new PPC platforms could help boost your brand and introduce you to new customers.
As with all marketing, it’s essential to take your target audience into consideration. For example, if your typical customer is a retiree, advertising on TikTok may not be a sensible choice.
Once implemented, test and review your new PPC channels as much as possible. It’s better to make lots of small, agile changes than bigger, less frequent ones.

4. Get ready to say goodbye to expanded text ads

30 June 2022 will be the end of an era in Google Ads as expanded text ads (ETAs) will no longer be able to be created or edited.
This move has been met with disappointment by advertisers, who see it as a way for Google to push responsive search ads (RSAs) instead.
ETAs will be available until the middle of the year, so we recommend creating and editing them now while there is still time. If you haven’t done so already, it is definitely worth setting up at least one RSA in each ad group now, so you don’t get caught short when the changes come in.
Don’t forget that you can pin selected elements of your RSAs, so they behave like ETAs. However, we’re not sure if Google will try and close down this particular loophole.

There you have it. What tips or trends do you predict for 2022? Feel free to drop a comment below.

The post PPC Trends for 2022: What 4 Experts Say appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

CTR’s Have Risen

According to analysis by Wordstream, since the end of February, average click-through rates on PPC ads have actually risen. That’s particularly the case for Google PPC ads.

Source: Wordstream

Of course, a click through isn’t a conversion, but it’s an important step, which means if more people are hitting those ad links then your audience is likely growing. However, you won’t benefit from that CTR growth if your PPC ads aren’t out there. To ensure your business gains some of that higher CTR, you may need to work on your ads a little. But if the audience is there, it’s worth the effort.

Digital Advertising Is Cheaper

Although there’s evidence showing a higher CTR during quarantine, a time when people have less to occupy them, many businesses are pulling their ads. That means that the cost of some online advertising, including PPC, has actually become cheaper over the past few weeks.

Source: Klient Boost

But, that’s not all. While the cost of advertising has fallen, where businesses have successfully altered their ads or begun new campaigns suitable for the current times, their transactions and revenues are higher.
No-one wants to profit from this pandemic but, if by remaining active with the ability to provide consumers what they need and want during this time, then that’s a positive outcome all-round.

Higher Social Media Consumption

Another detail to remember – as if we could forget – everyone who is following quarantine rules is inside their home a LOT more than usual. This can lead to boredom and a lack of things to d, which means many people are on their phones and scrolling through social media even more than usual.
That means that the right advertising and messaging on those platforms can deliver:
• A bigger audience for your brand.
• More interest in what you do.
• Higher CTRs on any ads you do share.
• Increased conversions and ROI.
According to a recent TechCrunch report, use of Facebook and WhatsApp has increased around 40% during the pandemic.
Of course, its not just boredom that’s fuelling that increase. Much of it is due to people connecting with friends and family. That’s another important point to consider when you’re creating your social media and search engine PPC ads; spread some cheer or just great new ways for people to keep in touch. This will help your brand to be seen as a positive source of interest by existing and new followers.

What Do The Experts Think?

With these three details at the forefront of your mind right now, I want to share some of the top tips for online advertising that I’ve seen across the web from a variety of different sources.

1. Wordstream’s Mark Irvine has a lot of good advice for beginning or upping your PPC activity in the right way, during quarantine and social distancing:

“Your customers expect that your business might change during the pandemic and they’re looking for updates to confirm whether and when you’re open. Some will turn to Google or your website, but many others will try to find your most recent posts on Facebook or Twitter. If they can’t find you on social, they’re less likely to trust you’re still open. Be sure to create a free business page on Facebook and give your customers a periodic update so that they know your business is still open.”

2. If you’re unsure exactly what type of online engagement and advertising you should use, or keep running, after listening to an eMarketer podcast, Clickz is PPC positive:

“Rather than stopping ad spend, marketers need to refocus ad spend on key areas of streaming, gaming or online food delivery. eMarketer’s data shows the best use of ad spend at the moment is PPC, followed by email marketing and regional advertising.”

3. Google, one of the ultimate online ad experts, has also created some useful support for online advertisers during the Covid-10 pandemic. Its advice includes:

“Evaluate your ads. Consider your context and tone. Consider if your message is helpful. Adapt to dynamic market conditions. Stay up to date on local conditions.”

4. A Search Engine Land on online advertising during the crisis shares the idea of re-evaluating PPC ad messaging, from Microsoft Corporate VP Rik van der Kooi:

“It [re-evaluating ad messaging] seems very obvious to update ads, but the reality is very few advertisers are doing it.”

5. Considering search behaviour and adapting your keywords and negative keywords list is another tip, this time from Search Engine Journal:

“Depending on your industry, it is likely you will see minor or majors shifts in search queries triggering your ads. This will require a two-pronged approach:
Reactive: Reviewing search terms and display campaign placements in real-time for COVID-19 keywords and content.
Proactive: Predicting searches that may trigger your ads and create negative keyword lists that can be shared among all campaigns and easily updated.”

6. Positivity cannot be underestimated right now, so if you can share a light-hearted or feel-good message in your online advertising, ZeroGravity marketing says you should do it:

“Throughout this difficult time, many people are searching for positivity to help them keep their spirits up. Therefore, it’s best to strike a careful balance with your copy. Ideally, your messaging should respect the gravity of the situation while also maintaining a sense of light-heartedness.”

7. Making adjustments to existing PPC campaigns is unlikely to be the only thing you should do right now, but it’s a good place to start according to this tips post:

“Your first step should be to audit what you have currently running or in your pipeline, especially any pre-scheduled content where launch is imminent. Decide what should be paused immediately….Consider what to prioritize or pivot.”

8. Thrive Agency recommends making room in your PPC and other ad content for local SEO because with people unable to travel, they’re more interested than ever in what’s around them:

“Make sure your business is using local SEO strategies to optimize your website for “near me” searches. You want customers in your geo region to be able to easily find you online so they turn to you first. At a time when we’re all looking for more convenience, this gives your business a chance to provide assistance during a critical time for families.”

9. Many consumers are in need of some comfort from their online searches and often just want to learn something new, or enjoy a welcome distraction form all the bad news and one way to do that is to avoid the hard sell:

“Tailor messages to be consumer-focused top-of-mind, as most are shopping “in the moment of fear and anxiety – e.g., I don’t have enough toilet paper. Ask is your message relevant now, today, and tomorrow? Step back from the hard sell and provide messaging that reaffirms your commitment to be there over the long term and through thick and thin.”

10. Keeping customer communications clear, simple and completely transparent is another important tip to follow, backed up by research from the Harvard Business Review:

“Everyone is facing this crisis together, so be transparent about what your business is going through. Customers can empathize with brands facing a crisis, as long as you communicate with them properly…. Describe the steps you’re taking to mitigate risk and give them insight into the steps you are taking to help the community.”

11. Stay focused, try not to panic and make your website and all the online advertising linked to it the best it can be, is the advice of marketing professional Grant Simmons:

“Fix your site. You know it’s not perfect, spend some time practising what you preach and make your site the lead magnet it needs to be!”

There’s no question that this is a tough time, but knee-jerk, short-sighted actions could pile worse news on top of the already bad feeling many of us have experienced during quarantine. IF at all possible, try and adapt your online business advertising and PPC campaigns to help your customers, encourage new interest and also to keep yourself and your business busy and ready for the post Covid-19 quarantine future.

Have any industry trends you’d like to share or tips that will help others through this crisis? Drop them in the comments below. Also, I offer audits of your existing PPC campaigns. Find out more here.

The post About To Pause PPC Ads Due To Crisis? Read This First! appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

However, one part of most PPC campaigns you run should also include a branded element. Alternatively, you could run an entirely branded PPC campaign to help launch a new product or service.
It might seem as though spending money on your own brand name is counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t that what your website and SEO activities are for, to push your brand up the search results page? Well, true, sort of. However, organic growth of your website and brand takes time and if you’re promoting something new or a time-limited offer, then time is something you don’t have much of. Here are seven reasons why you should run branded PPC campaigns and bid on your own brand name among other important keywords:

1.Dominate Results

When it comes to topping the search results, even if you do everything right and your brand is number one for your search terms, you will always lose out to space at the very top of the page where paid search results sit. By bidding on your brand name along with certain keywords, your business will come top of the organic search list and also, top of the paid search results.
With such domination of the first search page results, you’re well placed to receive many more click-throughs and eventual conversions than you would be if you only top the organic SERPs but not the paid.

2.Optimize Conversions

When you appear in organic search results, Google is able to make some changes to your META description and title tags to suit their requirements regarding your brand or business. But, that’s not always what you really want potential customers and clients to see or learn about your brand when you pop up in their search results.
A paid for, brand PPC listing ensures the message you want to share remains current, reactive and relevant, without fears anyone like Google will interfere and change your messaging.

3. Lower Costs

When your competitors bid for keywords, it’s rare they’ll consider spending money on your brand name. Or if they do, they probably won’t do so for an extended period or across every key phrase that’s relevant to their industry. That lack of popularity in PPC bidding means the price of your brand name can be low.
That means it should require only a small investment to keep control of your company name in online search results, which is good news for your advertising budget and the potential ROI, too!

4. Improve Quality

By adding a branded keyword search section to your account will naturally help improve the quality or grade of your account. Your keyword selection plays a big part in your Google Quality Score and this is an easy way to bump your grade up.

5. Retain Relevance

We’ve already pointed out that Google has the ability to change your META description to suit its needs in online searches. By bidding on branded keywords, the search results won’t just be dominated by your company but you’ll also be able to tell those online searchers exactly what you want to about your business in relation to their search term.
This gives you more relevance and autonomy over the online story you’re sharing about your brand, which should be very important to most businesses.

6. Confidently Compete

While bidding on competitor brand names isn’t something that every company does, some do. That means that even if potential customers are specifically searching for your business, they could end up being directed to a competitor instead.
By bidding on your own brand name, you’ll ensure the competition doesn’t benefit from your reputation or brand in any way at all, which is certainly worth a little investment at least.

7. Boost Traffic

Just because one of your product isn’t popular with online customers doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t something that people want – they just might not know about it yet! That’s where a branded PPC campaign can help; not only can they work to boost knowledge and popularity of a new good or service you offer, it can also be used to guide more traffic to your less popular pages, goods or services. By using branded keywords to direct online searches to specific pages of your website you can encourage more people to find out about them.

As you can see, bidding on your own brand name or running a branded PPC campaign has the potential for you to really show the best of your business. It can also help you move ahead of your competitors and get different potential customers to look at the right page of your website rather than a page Google thinks is best.

What other benefits to brand bidding have I missed off? Or do you have a related tip you want to share? Pop it in the comments.

The post 7 Reasons To Run Brand PPC Campaigns appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.

The world of digital marketing grew quickly in 2020 with businesses who had little or no online presence adapting quickly to serve their customers. This has resulted in a mixed bag of trends for 2021; some will be completely new while others will be a deeper understanding, or more involved use of existing technology or strategies. But fear not! I have done the leg work, gathering up these trends and popping them in one place. Enjoy!

1. Conversational Marketing

While this is often associated with chatbots, its not the only option in this digital marketing trend that is set to grow in 2021. By engaging with potential customers, providing information and answers to questions at the time of sign up and purchase consideration, the use of conversational marketing, even through a simple onboarding Q&A form, is set to grow.

Dave Chaffey – Co-founder and Content Director

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Smart Insights

2. Marketing Data Interpretation

Data and digital marketing go hand in hand. However, 2020 has shown that the effects of short-term unexpected changes result in data that won’t necessarily be useful for evaluating the right marketing strategies and customer needs in the future. With that in mind, businesses could benefit from interpreting their data differently, either over different time frames or even searching for a variety of outcomes whose relevance will depend on what happens next.

Katherine Oxenreiter – Director @ LEWIS

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Team Lewis

3. Messaging App Marketing

Messenger marketing gives businesses another way to reach existing and potential customers. Many businesses already target one or more social media apps and most apps have a messaging option or extension. This provides an additional contact point which can also become part of the conversational marketing trend we expect to grow in 2021.

Lucy Hawkes – Regional E-commerce Director @ OMG Transact

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Econsultancy

4. More Stringent Data Privacy Rules

As the switch to digital use has accelerated, so too have rules governing data privacy. Even for those businesses who have been following GDPR since 2018 and have already had to alter some ways in which they can use consumer data, with more countries and platforms tightening existing data privacy rules or introducing them, more consideration is now required. One option is to use a separate platform to access or at least assess the type of customer data you need to support future campaigns and to help firms reach their target audiences.

Michał Schindler – Content Manager @ Codewise.com

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Voluum Blog

5. Short-Form Video

Two words: Tik Tok. The social media platform gained millions of new users during the pandemic and the short-firm videos it utilizes have been experienced by consumers around the world in recent months. The creation of similar snack-type video content is something more and more businesses will work on to support customer engagement and brand promotion.

James Blackman – Managing Partner @ CocoonFXMedia

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Cocoonfx Media Blog

6. Shoppable Content

Instagram was an early adopter of this strategy and while the social media platform is now a busy ad-related site, the idea of shoppable content isn’t solely available on it. The use of widgets and developing technology means adding shoppable links directly to your products and services advertised online will become easier and appeal to a growing audience.

Bruce Biegel – Senior Managing Partner @ Winterberry Group

Linkedin Profile

Source: Wordstream

7. Ad Optimization Testing

Digital marketing and advertising is constantly evolving and developing which means that in order to ensure your digital ads are on target, optimization testing of those ads needs to become more sophisticated. This is where expert support or the use of specific technology is essential in creating the right digital ads to help businesses grow.

Lindsay Tjepkema – CEO @ Casted

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Hubspot

8. Augmented Reality

The use of augmented reality has a number of uses and can help make ad and marketing content fun, interactive and more engaging, all of which are desirable outcomes. It’s also a more cost-effective marketing option than virtual reality, so what are you waiting for?

Jim Kruger – Chief Marketing Officer @ Veeam Software

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Forbes.com

9. Zero Click Ranking

Google wants users to trust Google above other sites and with that in mind, its no surprise to hear that zero click results – where Google provides the answer to a search and the searcher doesn’t need to click on any of the search results. However, with the right SEO businesses can still rank highly on those pages and at least gain some visibility.

Shannon Purcell – Content Creator & Digital Marketer

LinkedIn Profile

Source: shannonpurcellmedia.com

10. Local Search

Local community interaction has increased during the pandemic and surveys suggest consumers are specifically searching out local businesses to support. Optimizing your online business presence for local search will tap into this feeling which will likely last well into 2021.
Mirko Humbert, editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. Key Internet Marketing Trends in 2021 (designer-daily.com)

Mirko Humbert – Editor-in-Chief @ Designer Daily

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Designer Daily

11. Alternative Social Media Marketing

We’ve already mentioned TikTok but it features for a second time in our list as a potential new social media platform for business to consider using in their digital marketing campaigns. It’s not the only ‘other’ social media platform but given its popularity its one many business owners may have heard of, opening up the possibility of exploring what other options are out there aside from Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Diana Wright – Marketing Coordinator @ Techwyse

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Techwyse

12. Providing a Service in Return for Subscription

Many businesses already understand the importance of gaining key customer information and try to do so through signup options to unlock certain information or deals. However, by considering your business in terms of the service it can provide – even if you manufacture or sell a specific product – it becomes possible to encourage more sign up and subscription activity.

Pius Boachie – CEO Digimatic

LinkedIn Profile

Source: ClickZ

13. Authentic Relationship Building

The pandemic really brought home the importance of real relationships, which is another of the reasons behind the increase in local community shopping and support. Through the use of a few different digital marketing options including videos, conversational and messenger marketing, it’s possible for businesses to create more authentic and real relationships with their customers and users.

Tim Williamson – Managing Director, APAC, Telum Media

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Marketing Tech News

14. Virtual Event Marketing

The online or digital pivot was evident across many different industries around the world in 2020 and we don’t expect that to stop in 2021. Indeed, as so many people had to quickly learn new online skills to do their jobs or complete important training essentials, online events from training seminars to concerts and joining virtual audiences for live TV shows quickly became more commonplace. Add to that the convenience of viewing or joining in from the comfort of your own home and the lower price point where payment is required and its easy to see why virtual events will be a growth sub-sector.

Latane Conant – Chief Market Officer @ 6sense

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Paperblog

15. Smart Bidding for Google Ads

This is where Google can use its historical user data – within data privacy rules – to help businesses gain cost-effective results, even if it means spending a little more. Googles data helps indicate the likely rewards from a slightly higher bid in paid ads which can result in your slightly higher ad spend gaining a much larger reward.

Boris Abaev – Co-Founder @ Bidease

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Forbes.com

16. Micro Influencers

Influencers are no longer new in the digital marketing world. However, well-known influencers can easily begin to look like a walking advert, even when they’re not promoting something. But, even as the big, more well-known social media influencers might not provide the same bang-for-buck they once did, micro-influencers are still on the up. That’s due to their relatively small, but very loyal following. It does mean you need to be specific in your choice of micro influencer if this is a digital marketing trend you’re interested in, however, if you get it right, the results will likely be a pleasant surprise!

Michaela Underdahl – Senior Community Manager @ Nimble

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Top Rank Marketing

17. Mobile Optimization

We know, this isn’t new, mobile optimization has been an important digital marketing trend for the last couple of years. Looking ahead to 2021, it’s a trend that will accelerate even more quickly as the increase in working from home has resulted in less PC use and more consumer engagement on mobile devices as working from home means laptops are used for work, leaving other mobile devices the increasingly preferred option for social media scrolling and online shopping.

Tony Arnold – CMO @ Unica

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Toolbox.com

18. Chatbots

They can be used in a variety of ways to support digital marketing campaigns and ambitions which means they’re an important and cost-effective way to engage with existing and potential new customers. In addition, the constant improvement of the AI which powers chatbots means they will increasingly support that conversational marketing trend we listed right at the top of our list.

Sasha Lassey – Business Marketing Coach

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Every Day Shes Sparkling

19. Voice Search Focus

It’s fair to say that voice search has been a relatively slow burner in comparison to some other developing digital trends. Even though it hasn’t ‘blown up’ like other trends, it has continued to increase in popularity which means that even if your business hasn’t really worked to optimize for voice search, it’s something that could be done in 2021 and deliver a welcome additional boost to customer engagement.

Jared Atchison – Co-founder @ WPForms

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Business2Community

20. Video Marketing is Here to Stay

With lockdown and social distancing rules limiting face-to-face creativity during much of 2020, video marketing definitely advanced across most industries. Looking to 2021 and with so much uncertainty still ahead of us, the safety of online video ads and marketing will be comforting to many businesses and consumers, ensuring its popularity will grow even further.

Deepak Shukla – Founder @ Pearl Lemon

LinkedIn Profile

Source: SEM Updates

21. Back linking to Evergreen Content

Content has long been an important element of digital marketing and that will remain the case in 2021, with backlinking to existing, but evergreen content increasing to help increase visibility to search engine ranking systems. This will work for a number of reasons including that in many cases, the answer to customer questions or concerns about a service or product remain unchanged, ensuring the relevance of that previously created content.
In short, back-linking to relevant, long-form articles will increase the value of the information on the website which will be recognised by search engines and customers alike.

Neil Patel – Founder at Neil Patel Digital

LinkedIn Profile

Source: Neil Patel Facebook

There you have it, some 2021 predictions from experts in various fields. If you agree, disagree or have your own views on trends not mentioned here I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

The post 21 Experts Predict Digital Marketing Trends for 2021 appeared first on Profoundry Digital Consultancy.