Google Ads: New Features You Need to Know

At the end of July, Google officially transitioned from Google Adwords to Google Ads and rolled out a few new features. The term “Google Ads” intentionally drops “words” from the title to better encompass the advertising solutions provided by Google outside of their search term-based Pay Per Click (PPC) functions such as web display, video, and in-app features. In this article, we dive into the most exciting changes Google made for the average business to utilize.

August 2nd, 2018|Articles of Interest, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, News/Announcements, Search Engine Optimization, Trends and Technology|

Content Marketing: What it is and Why Use it

Year after year, content marketing continues to rise in popularity. Consumers are paying less attention to traditional advertising efforts and are now drawn to authenticity, transparency and value, paving the way for the creation and rise of content marketing.

July 19th, 2018|Articles of Interest, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Search Engine Optimization, Trends and Technology, Website|

Instagram Stories For Businesses

Instagram Stories is a feature on the social media app that allows users to post photos or videos that last only 24 hours. As the stories feature continues to grow in both active users and features, so do the opportunities for businesses. Instagram Stories has proven to be an effective marketing tool for businesses when optimized correctly.

July 12th, 2018|Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Social Media, Trends and Technology|

Promotional Items: Brand Awareness That Lasts

While the idea of creating promotional items seems relatively easy, there are some pitfalls companies should avoid when designing their promotional item campaign. Avoid using items that most people have seen or receive regularly, choose items based on your brand, and give out items that make sense to your target audience.

July 6th, 2018|Articles of Interest, Branding, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|

Automatic Image Sliders or Carousels: More Confusing Than Informative

Website developers continually seek new and innovative ways to display information that reaches audiences in an efficient and effective way. Occasionally, usability and design meet to create a new layout or format that revolutionizes the way websites are built. Some updates, however, seem useful in theory, but are not in practice. One recent trend uses automatic image sliders or carousels that seem useful for providing a large amount of information while taking up limited space above-the-fold.

June 21st, 2018|Articles of Interest, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology, Website, Website Design|

Email Marketing Part III: Formatting for Success

Once your platform is set up and you have selected the strategies that work best to optimize your marketing efforts, it is time to write the content. Based on the current email marketing landscape, the following formatting trends are crucial to the usability and ROI of modern digital communication initiatives.

June 15th, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology, Website|

Email Marketing Part II: Types of Email Campaigns

Carefully choosing the goals and structure of your email campaign while considering important formatting trends are key factors in creating successful email campaigns. Setting up the appropriate framework initially will save on time and expense later. Well-built email marketing campaigns can be adjusted based on response rate, while poorly structured initiatives require complete reorganization. In part two of our series, we will explore six different types of email marketing campaigns.

May 31st, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|

Email Marketing Part 1: Choosing the Best Platform

Any Google search for “email marketing” returns a staggering amount of hits including a wide variety of email marketing platforms bidding for your attention and your money. While choosing the right email marketing platform is essential, it is only half the battle. In part 1 of our email marketing series, we help you choose the right email marketing platform for your business and key factors to consider.

May 18th, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Just for Fun, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|

Cutting Through the Digital Clutter – the Reemergence of Direct Mail Campaigns

While digital ads can be a useful and successful component in marketing to new customers, the time-tested nature of print ads are more relevant than ever. Buying ad space in magazines, newspapers, and popular print are already considered commonplace, but businesses often forget the power of direct mail. So much so, that there is a widespread assumption that direct mail is dead.

May 3rd, 2018|Articles of Interest, Email Marketing, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|

The Importance of Business Cards in Today’s Digital World

Business cards continually remain an important piece of business collateral, even as we evolve digitally. As a first impression, business cards are the first step in introducing your brand to a new contact. Business cards are tangible items that carry more weight than a quick email or contact share on a smartphone. Different design elements ensure your business card attracts attention and drives recipients to your online presence.

April 26th, 2018|Articles of Interest, Branding, Marketing Ideas, Trends and Technology|