Basic Digital Marketing

Objectives can come in the many when planning a content marketing strategy. Getting leads, attracting customers, earning attention from local and international media, and enhancing a brand’s awareness are all frequent goals of content. Link building also falls into this collection.

Successfully and consistently publishing content that newsworthy, informational, instructional, unique, and remarkably different are huge reasons why page gets links. Why links continue to be sought after is because of the positive benefits they show on SEO and the authority they give to websites. Beyond the advice of ‘Write content you know other people will want to link to.’, here are 4 ways to develop blogs, articles, and web pages to get you clicks and links from other sources.

If you’re trying to build a relationship of trust and reliability with your clientele or audience, YouTube’s proven to be the most intimate social media experience there is.

Particularly for millennials who love consuming video and who value a brand’s background, YouTube video marketing might be just what you need to connect with your clientele on an emotional level.

Just think about your own emotional experiences with marketing. Are you more likely to react emotionally to a blog or an image/video – most will say video. Video can communicate a lot which writing cannot necessarily. When you see a person’s eyes and see them as they speak, a different connection is fostered than if you were simply reading their words.

There’s also a reason why some of the world’s biggest brands, from McDonald’s to Apple, advertise on YouTube with emotional stories about their customers rather than true-blue advertisements. Corporate brands like these and others want the viewer to see themselves in marketing and this is far more important than selling a promotion. That’s why they communicate stories in their video marketing surrounding identities like a young person, a parent, someone in need, a sibling, someone’s child, a family member, or someone successful.

Using Twitter for eCommerce and selling product involves knowing what relevant messaging to release when, being able to prospect effectively, and knowing how to capitalize on every element of your social media marketing campaign to get that sale!

Although sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and others are equally important social media tools, we find when it comes to eCommerce, Twitter is a special place. According to a recent survey, more than 74 percent of Twitter users follow businesses specifically in order to receive updates and marketing messaging. Twitter’s one social media site where advertising and promotion is more acceptable than it is elsewhere.

Anyone interested in optimize their selling approach on Twitter or across other social media platforms can do so with some of the tips offered in this quick guide on eCommerce marketing and social media use.

Marketers have a lot to learn from millennials. The rise and growing presence of millennials as buyers have meant more attention paid to them than ever. Arrogant to some and justified to others, this is a generation that demands customization and personalization.

When it comes to communicating with millennials and marketing towards the population, there’s no one-size-fits-all. For a brand to succeed, a lot of investment needs to be made in learning about the audience and in developing the infrastructure that allows for personalized marketing messages to be sent.

Just because a business has a website does not guarantee them any amount of success online. What’s never spoken about is that most websites fail. The vast majority of them, in fact, do not gain enough audience, clicks, and money to sustain themselves. Within six months, a website is highly likely to fail. For the sites which succeed, eventually, they may run into difficulties at maintaining their audience or they may see their analytics begin to go down. This is somewhat normal.

If you believe your website is dying, you may be asking yourself whether there’s a cure – in some cases, there is. The thing to start with is to take a look at your vital signs and see where the problem’s at. At your fingertips, you have likely dozens of analytics to comb through. Sometimes, the landscape is so competitive that the audience will be stretched thin across multiple websites. Other times, you may have a competitor so good at capturing the audience that they’re taking yours. At other times, you may simply be losing customers somewhere along the sales funnel. Depending on which of the three it is, there’s a different way to fight it.

Artificial intelligence’s impact on a global scale is definitely being felt in the world of digital marketing far and wide. Already, AI’s transformed numerous industries. Employees at transportation companies can more accurately predict arrival times now. Food manufacturing companies can more easily monitor production, down to the detail of being able to identify contamination or toxins in food. AI is helping scientists learn how to better treat diseases like cancer. Farmers are even using it to improve and increase yields, all the while utilizing less resources.

According to a 2017 report, AI contributes more than $15.7 trillion to the global economy every year and that number’s only expected to rise. A lot of this development and financial reward is coming from the national economy of the US, the UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, and Thailand, among others. Approximately 27-30 percent of companies in these and other parts of the world have already implemented AI into key processes, with more having launched AI pilot projects. Digging deeper into how AI is changing the way business is done industry-by-industry, we want to highlight a few categories of business where the most gains are being made.

Social media posts that become viral have a keen understanding of the motivations behind why people share information online. These posts are adept at eliciting clicks and engagement from users.

The four types of content accounts most likely to share on social media include funny posts, posts that appeal to a person’s selfish side and make someone look smart by sharing infographics or lists, and content from a trusted source to the user.

When you ask people why they share what they share, the top 5 reasons you’ll encounter are highlighting valuable or entertaining to others, defining themselves to others under an identity, growing and nourishing relationships with other social media relationships for self-fulfillment and getting the word out on a cause they care about.

If you’re aiming for your video to go viral, we don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news; however, it’s unlikely to happen. The average social media post receives only 8 shares. Even on sites like Buzzfeed, it’s rare for a post to go viral. So assuming you’re not a massively popular celebrity and you don’t already have a built-in audience of millions, here are the 7 strategies you can use to make your video marketing go viral.

1 – Be successful.

People love to consume content from people who are beautiful, knowledgeable, successful, attractive, or have authority of some kind. Before the user even clicks, you need to give them a reason to feel like they want to hear from you. The more ‘rich’ your videos can appear – whether you’re funny, emotional, educating, or something else – the more clicks you’ll receive.

2 – Do your research.

Helping people understand difficult-to-talk-about subjects is an effective video marketing strategy. Evidence shows viral numbers common on videos communicating wisdom on things. Some forms of research and knowledge to consider on your next viral video are the secrets to, a warning about something, or a post discussing current trends.

3 – Help people be successful.

People want to be successful in their identity and what they do. Any time you use the word ‘success’, studies show viewers are more likely to click. The best advice we can give – other than repeating the word ‘success’ over and over again which reduces its effectiveness as a keyword – is to focus on how your products or services can be used to enable people to have success.

4 – Be surprising.

Share something unexpected. Be shocking. If you can give people a reason to click because they’re surprised or shocked about what’s going to transpire, that’s usually more than enough reason to get people clicking.

5 – A quiz.

Use your video to give viewers a quiz on something. Be informative or funny. Consider any possibility of creating quizzes based off of past videos or having a contest surrounding a list. Consider how you can use a product or feature to create an outcome-based questionnaire. Although these are more common when written, they can apply to video as well.

6 – Be funny.

People love humour and entertainment. It’s the one thing that’s consistently driven clicks. It doesn’t matter if you’re the New York Times or a gossip magazine, consumers are more likely to want funny. Consider a little humour when creating your video, but not so much that it communicates you don’t take yourself seriously.

7 – Lists.

Lists are still some of the best-shared content on the Internet. What we recommend is working on your video’s headline to highlight the list component. People like to share informational, helpful, or exciting videos – remember this. The more amusing or awe-inspiring your video’s list is, the more likely it will be shared, so be entertaining.

Here are some extra sources that can offer valuable perspectives on how to enhance your brand's presence through the effective utilization of Social Media Marketing:

• What is behavioural marketing?
• The Power of YouTube for Restaurant Marketing
• The Best Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website for Free
  
• Understanding the Crucial Role of Local SEO for Restaurants

In conclusion, the surge in small businesses leveraging video marketing is a testament to its effectiveness in connecting with consumers. Videos provide a dynamic and versatile platform for storytelling, product showcasing, and brand building. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, embracing video marketing emerges as a trend and a strategic necessity for small businesses aiming to stand out, connect with their audience, and thrive in the competitive online arena. So, for small companies eyeing growth and meaningful engagement, the camera is not just a tool; it's a gateway to a vibrant world of consumer connection and brand success.

Why Select Unlimited Online Exposure for Video Marketing in Toronto?

Unlimited Online Exposure, a renowned Social Media Marketing company based in Toronto, has built a strong reputation in the industry for more than 27 years. They are widely recognized as trailblazers and have an impressive track record of successfully developing over 1400 websites.

In the city of Toronto, we offer a wide range of services, including web design, video marketing, influencer marketing for restaurants, inbound marketing, local SEO, and social media marketing. Our primary goal is to enhance your brand's visibility and drive online business growth. For further information, feel free to contact us at 416-477-0594 or visit our website.

With more users than ever online, on the Internet, and engaged in social media, there’s never been a more opportune time to get into the online selling business.

eCommerce annual sales are expected to eclipse $3.5 trillion by year’s end and businesses all over the world are taking away millions from this haul. Getting started in eCommerce isn’t always clear so here’s how you can launch a successful eCommerce site in 2019.

In the dynamic landscape of digital marketing, small businesses are increasingly recognizing the power of video marketing as a potent tool to connect with consumers meaningfully. In a world inundated with information, videos offer a compelling and engaging medium to tell stories, showcase products, and establish a genuine connection.

Consumers have a strong preference for video content over images or text. In this day and age, where internet speeds are constantly improving, and mobile devices are becoming more advanced than ever before, small businesses have a golden chance to capitalize on video marketing strategies and reap the benefits they offer.

Let's delve into why more small businesses are embracing video marketing and how it serves as a game-changer in the quest for consumer engagement.

1. Humanizing the Brand:
One of the key advantages of video marketing for small businesses is its ability to humanize the brand. In the digital realm, where faceless transactions are prevalent, videos provide a platform to put a face to the brand, sharing the story behind the business. Whether introducing the team, showcasing day-to-day operations, or narrating the brand's journey, videos create a sense of transparency and authenticity that resonates with consumers.

2. Capturing Attention in Seconds:
In a world where attention spans are fleeting, the visual appeal of videos captures attention in mere seconds. Small businesses can convey their message effectively within a short span, making it ideal for the fast-paced nature of online content consumption. Whether it's a product demonstration, a customer testimonial, or a behind-the-scenes glimpse, videos allow businesses to make a lasting impression in the blink of an eye.

3. Showcasing Products and Services:
For small businesses, showcasing products or services is paramount, and video marketing provides an immersive way to do just that. Rather than relying on static images or text descriptions, businesses can demonstrate the value of their offerings through dynamic visuals. This not only enhances the consumer's understanding but also fosters a connection by providing an up-close and personal view of what the business has to offer.

4. Tapping into Social Media Trends:
The rise of social media has revolutionized how businesses connect with their audience, and video content is at the forefront of this revolution. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok heavily prioritize video content, providing small businesses with an opportunity to reach a wider audience. Engaging video snippets, stories, or even live sessions can create a buzz around the brand and encourage social sharing, amplifying the reach organically.

5. Building Trust and Credibility:
Trust is a currency in the digital realm, and video marketing contributes significantly to building trust and credibility. Through video testimonials, case studies, or even thought leadership content, small businesses can showcase their expertise and authenticity. Consumers are more likely to trust a brand they can see and hear, and videos offer a personal touch that goes a long way in establishing credibility.

6. Boosting SEO and Online Visibility:
Search engines love video content, and integrating videos into your digital strategy can significantly boost SEO efforts. Websites with video content are more likely to appear in search engine results, increasing online visibility. This not only attracts new customers but also enhances the overall discoverability of the business in a competitive online landscape.

7. Engaging a Mobile Audience:
With smartphones' prevalence, most online content is consumed on mobile devices. Video content is inherently mobile-friendly, allowing small businesses to engage with consumers. Whether it's a quick product tutorial, a promotional offer, or a fun behind-the-scenes clip, videos cater to the mobile-centric behaviour of today's consumers.

According to a recent estimate, almost 80 percent of all Internet traffic in 2019 will be video-related. Although we would always say to continue developing written content or images, due to their expense, many small businesses need to pay attention to how powerful video can be. A simple video advertisement and short video outlining your brand, products, services, or promotion go a long way in generating clicks.

Over 65 percent of individuals possess a visual learning style, and this trend is only expected to grow in the future, particularly in our technology-driven society. It would be advantageous if you were already in the process of creating visual content. Visual aids such as images have proven to be highly effective. The human brain naturally retains and processes information more efficiently when presented alongside an optical element.

Additionally, producing photos and still graphics is a cost-effective approach that captivates users, keeping their attention fixed on your content. However, the power of visual content goes even further with video marketing. Research has shown that up to 64 percent of consumers are more likely to purchase after watching a video about a product, as opposed to simply reading or viewing photos. For small businesses looking to engage customers and close sales, videos are frequently their most valuable tool.

Video content doesn’t necessarily mean producing a general business ad. Video marketing is about having fun and engaging consumers, so depending on your industry, there could be several ways to do so. Tap into live streaming on Facebook Live, Periscope, or Instagram. Develop some how-to instructional videos to show customers how to use your products. Give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at how a product is manufactured or what happens with your business. Consider starting a series of video marketing content to help users keep coming back repeatedly. Your videos can be funny, informational, emotional, argumentative, or promotional.

Many small business owners may be hesitant to use video because they don’t know how to produce one, what to say, or they don’t have the right equipment. Thankfully, all you need in this day and age is a smartphone, a microphone, and a tripod. Using these tools, you can deliver some pretty powerful video content. Several video editing apps can be downloaded onto your smartphone, allowing you to create and edit on the fly no matter where you are. Apps like Facebook Creator and Adobe Spark make it easy to create some amazing videos.

In our experience, video marketing has helped small businesses and corporations grow their audience. By using video, you instantly elevate yourself above competitors who may need to make full use of their marketing or who may not be engaged in video. Consumers are also more likely to click on a video and purchase a product or service. By tapping into video, you could be reaching a whole new audience!

Why Choose UE for Video Marketing in Toronto?

Unlimited Online Exposure, a reputable Social Media Marketing company based in Toronto, has built a strong presence in the industry for over 27 years. They are highly regarded as pioneers and have an impressive track record of successfully developing over 1400 websites.

We offer a comprehensive range of services, including web design, video marketing, inbound marketing, local SEO,    social media marketing and Influencer Marketing in Toronto. Our primary goal is to enhance your brand's visibility and drive online business success. For further details, please feel free to contact us at 416-477-0594 or visit our website.

Local search engine optimization efforts are key to building small businesses in a specific region. Companies serving a city or a province are recommended in their SEO marketing to target geography, otherwise risk wasting digital marketing budget on users they don’t need.

Even so, local companies continue to make big mistakes on local SEO efforts. For that matter, when discussing local SEO, some companies don’t even know whether their strategies are up to date. For example, almost 40 percent of all businesses cannot definitively say whether their website’s optimized for local SEO. That could be money wasted and a huge chunk of the marketplace you’re missing out on.

As we look ahead towards the last weeks of winter, here are our top 5 digital marketing statistics to remember!

53 percent of marketers will increase AI spending in the next 3 years.

AI is going to see some massive investments in the world of marketing as more have come to accept it as a necessary part of the future of the industry. In 2019, AI is already responsible for several companies seeing an increase in sales and increases in customer retention. The impressive performance of AI in a marketing context is leading to more strategy development and investment paid to simplifying the online customer service.

eCommerce sites have a lot to focus on. Setting up eCommerce analytics can be a step easily forgotten in all the hype. Nonetheless, analytics can help track what products are being viewed and purchased or not purchased, measure transactions, and provide insight into consumer behaviour.

If you’ve just started selling product on an eCommerce site, being able to measure consumer behaviour helps to show what people are buying and what they’re not so much into. If you’re honest in interpreting what you see, eCommerce analytics information can help build or re-develop your catalogue of products. Perhaps you’ll notice a product that’s getting a lot of views and yet, these views are not converting into sales. Or, potentially you’ll see products that are failing to get the sort of leads other products are. All of this data can help you create a more effective eCommerce web design and inform your marketing efforts as well.

Analyzing blog traffic for the average business website, you’ll find somewhere approximately 50 percent of leads come direct from search engine optimization whereas less than 9 percent come from social media.

So much focus goes on promoting content on social media platforms, it’s easy to forget the power of SEO. As a video, AR, AI, voice search, eCommerce, and other trends have come to influence SEO keyword research, the most successful keyword research you can produce are related to targeting long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords contain a minimum of three words, usually embedded with specific terms relevant to your audience. Long-tail SEO accounts for more than 70 percent of total searches, incorporating descriptive phrases and sometimes questions. Long-tail works because it’s more specific, less competitive than more generic keywords, and can be better targeted to a geographic location, audience, or something else.

You may have heard the term ‘growth hacking’ before. Far from just another buzz word, growth hacking is any strategy executed specifically for fast, strong growth. It’s all about leverage resources and market knowledge to spur your company into fast results. For when you have a constraining budgeted, limited time, and big-spender competitors, growth hacking can help even the playing field.

Growth hacking is commonly employed in digital marketing, assisting with the accomplishing of goals. There are three areas that makeup growth hacking – experimentation, creativity, and performance measurement. It goes without saying but if anyone could do growth hacking, it wouldn’t be considered a ‘hack’. Thereby, experimentation is important. One must be willing to investigate unique ways to find and build an audience. Growth hacking never comes from the expected.

As a blog writer and marketer, you may not know what you want to write about. When the ideas stop coming, it can be infuriating. Trying to write like that and stir up emotion or action from a reader, the result is usually pretty terrible. If you’re looking for inspiration to get you going, there’s thankfully plenty of places to find it. So if you’re in a predicament where you can’t get going with your content marketing plan writing, here are a few places to look.

LinkedIn has social media marketing tools used by both B2B and B2C companies, although its effectiveness is mostly associated with B2B. With so many opportunities to release content and then, to target it to the appropriate audience, instantly win yourself new business.

Using both organic marketing strategies and paid advertising, your brand can engage with the right people and begin building loyalty. Like other social media platforms, any content plan must be carefully considered.

The best advice we can give as a starting point to LinkedIn marketing is to identify user intent. Users consume content on LinkedIn primarily to inform themselves about a certain category of industry. Users also want to show others that they’re smart, qualified, and knowledgeable about certain subjects. LinkedIn marketers will usually target users’ needs, creating high value, informational and useful content that they can consume in the industry or category they’re interested in.

Digital marketing changes because it has to. As consumer behaviour changes, one’s marketing adapts.

If you’re going to remain successful, how you advertise needs to match what’s going on in the world – not only in the cultural conversation but also with the technology, strategies, opportunities, and platforms available.

Twenty years ago, social media was not even a thing. Today, it’s arguably the most powerful digital marketing tool there is. Some would say it’s even more important than having a website. This is just one of dozens of examples of how things have changed.

Sourcing visually appealing images that are relevant to your blog are a large part of any blog’s success. They can also be one of the most challenging aspects, for less experienced writers and marketers.

There are a few considerations you want to make when selecting images. Firstly, you want them to be sized correctly. Secondly, you want them to be high quality in high-definition and high resolution. And, thirdly, you want to ensure you know whether they are free to have or whether they need to be purchased. Lastly, you need to know your permissions to use them.

Not all images come free and/or are able to be used. A lot of images come with copyrights associated to them and if you do use them – and don’t ask permission – you could be breaking the law.

eCommerce and selling online can provide locally-based small businesses big returns. Selling online, you won’t need to worry about paying overhead and any limitations relating to location are erased. Let’s say, you’re a small business selling in Toronto. Through eCommerce, you can spread and send product to Australia, Ireland, China, and wherever in the world you wish to expand to. As lucrative as eCommerce can be, it can also take up time and resources to successfully manage an eCommerce site. So if you’re thinking about selling online, read ahead first.

Twitter’s always been a very effective platform on which brands can connect with fans and deliver engaging content.

Twitter’s also been a central platform that can be used to direct fans to become customers. Use it as an eCommerce lead generator and a hub of customer service. Compelling tweets and on-point brand messaging is all you need to have in place to make it work. According to a recent study, 30 percent of Twitter users will buy from a brand they follow this year. Use the opportunity to increase retweets, favourites, and shares on Twitter, and build your sales in the process.

Creating content comes down to satisfying the technical prerequisites of search engines while also appealing to your audience and ensuring you’re writing for engagement. It’s the highest priority to fulfill both of these expectations.

Knowing which content types work for your audience, however, can take time. Waiting for content to boost rankings and increase organic traffic can sometimes be challenging, especially in moments where you come to find out a strategy isn’t working.

Here are 12 content strategy rules we believe should be kept in mind as you build effective content marketing.

As a beginner to Facebook marketing, it can be easy to send a ton of money down the wrong path. If you’re serious about generating real results using Facebook, you’ve got to master both organic and paid reach. These days, more than 70 percent of digital marketers are using Facebook to build an audience. For 47 percent of all marketers, they call Facebook their #1 influence on purchases. There’s no disputing it’s got significant power. Make the most of your Facebook marketing and read on.

Keeping customers warmed and ready to buy is an art in email marketing that relies on maintaining a healthy subscriber list. For those that know how, there’s high potential in email marketing to generate strong returns, using cost-efficient strategy.

According to a recent survey, 20 percent of North American marketing firms say their primary source of revenues are directly linked to email marketing. To maximize the power of email though, you need to know the importance of personalization, and how to segment and target effectively. Increasing open rates, conversions, and email-derived revenues begins with focusing on strengthening your email subscriber list.

High quality content and the creation of said content within the parameters of SEO algorithms are important to your success. Correctly optimizing your website for Google, Bing, and other search engines have to be priority in digital marketing. If you’re looking to up the effectiveness and performance of your SEO in 2019, here are the key strategies you should hang your hat on.

The rise of millennials and Generation X buyers has brought with it what is possibly the most socially conscious generation of our time. For businesses, marketing, and media to succeed against requirements for a social conscious, authenticity is key. Traditional advertising isn’t working anymore. Ads are easy to tune out. If you want to cut through the noise and are marketing to an under-30 audience, a brand has to look for new flourishing digital marketing opportunities that haven’t been beaten to no end. As the buying power of millennials and Generation X continues to rise, this is a lesson extremely important to learn.