25 Marketing tips

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/318146

By the end of this year, roughly 30 percent of all internet users will use an ad blocker. Furthermore, nearly 70 percent of Generation Z, which is currently comprised of teens and young adults, take active measures to avoid ads.

These numbers are particularly notable considering that marketers have relied on online advertising for decades, and that Goldman Sachs recently released a report showing that Generation Z is the single most important generation for most businesses.

So if online advertising doesn’t work, what does? The answer, as you may have guessed, is influencer marketing. The marketers behind brands like Nike, Apple and Coca-Cola already know that influencer marketing is a critical strategy that must be employed if brands are to thrive in this new digital world.

Here is a collection of 25 strategies savvy marketers employ to ensure their influencer marketing campaigns are successful.


1. Give your influencers creative freedom.


Never try to keep your influencers on too tight a leash. After all, many of them have earned their followings because they’ve always stayed true to themselves.

Trust that your influencers know what their audiences want. Give them room to express themselves and follow their instincts. You will get more interesting and innovative content as a result.


2. Develop marketing personas.


A marketing persona is an archetype: a detailed representation of your ideal customer, including demographic and psychographic data. If you have a deep understanding of your target audience, you’ll be able to develop an influencer marketing campaign that speaks effectively to that cohort.


3. Use enrichment tools to learn about your website visitors.


Let’s assume you’re a marketer at a B2B company and you partner with an Instagram influencer. Presumably, the influencer will use a tracking link in his or her profile, so you’ll know how many people visited your website thanks to the influencer.

However, you won’t know much about your website visitors unless you use a traffic-enrichment tool. Products like Clearbit Reveal and Terminus use technology like IP lookup to determine who visited your website. If you pair a tracking link with a traffic-enrichment tool, you’ll be able to identify the types of people who were referred to your site, making it easier to know if an influencer reached the right audience.


4. Experiment with different social networks.


Not all social networks are created equal, and different networks will perform differently depending on the influencer and industry in question. Just because Instagram is a hot social network doesn’t mean it’s the best platform for your brand. Develop measurable experiments to determine which social network will work best for your influencer marketing campaigns.


5. Set up remarketing ads specifically for visitors referred from influencers.


As mentioned earlier, online advertising is increasingly less successful as people grow weary of traditional ads. But that doesn’t mean online advertising is completely ineffective. In fact, remarketing ads can be both effective and inexpensive when used properly.

Develop a remarketing ad campaign to target those who visit your website from a tracking link shared by an influencer. That way you can develop ads that speak directly to this audience and will be able to amplify the results of your influencer campaign.



6. Create an affiliate program and partner with micro-influencers.


Just because micro-influencers have small social media followings doesn’t mean they can’t make a big impact on your business. Consider developing an affiliate program in which influencers are paid for each customer they refer to you.

Using a tracking link and a simple form, you can create an affiliate marketing program that will quickly yield new customers.


7. Offer value to the influencer’s audience.


It can be challenging to motivate a social media user browsing an influencer’s posts to take a bottom-of-the-funnel decision like making a purchase or requesting a demo.

Consider developing an influencer campaign in which you offer value to audience members. For example, having an influencer promote an ebook, blog subscription or webinar will likely receive better engagement than a hard sell.


8. Ensure you have specific and measurable goals before launching. 


It’s important to create measurable and realistic goals that are shared with the influencer before your campaign goes live. Doing so will give your influencer an added layer of motivation, and may even inspire him or her to do some extra promotion in order to ensure you hit your campaign goals.


9. Monitor competitors to accelerate your learning curve.


Influencer marketing is growing in popularity. Monitor competitors to see if they’ve employed an influencer marketing strategy. If they have, pay careful attention to learn from their successes or mistakes.

If competitors have not yet launched an influencer marketing campaign, that’s notable as well. You may have a first-mover advantage that can improve campaign performance.


10. Speak with references before hiring an influencer.


Always speak with at least one reference before hiring an influencer. Though they may talk big, you will want to contact prior clients to ascertain whether the influencer is reliable and is able to deliver the results promised.


11. Enrich your contact database to learn more about existing prospects and customers.


In order to learn more about your target audience, you can start by learning more about the contacts already in your CRM or marketing automation platform database.

Use a social media enrichment tool (there are many to choose from) to append contacts with social media information like platforms on which they have profiles, follower count and favorite topics. In so doing, you’ll get a better understanding of the types of influencer marketing campaigns that may appeal to existing prospects or customers.


12. Ensure your website is mobile optimized.


Social media browsing primarily takes place on mobile. As a result, you must make sure that your website is mobile optimized. If it’s not, the prospects sent to your website via an influencer will simply leave the moment they experience an issue.


13. Standardize UTM links to improve the measurability of influencer campaigns.


Urchin Tracking Modules (UTMs) are a method of tracking URLs. They are used by most advertising and analytics tools.

Create a spreadsheet that outlines how “source,” “medium” and “campaign” should be entered when creating a UTM link. If you standardize your UTM parameters, it will make it easier for you and your team to track the performance of various influencer marketing campaigns because the data will be clean and thus easier to interpret.


14. Tie influencer compensation to campaign performance.


You want to motivate influencers to do as much as possible to ensure your campaigns are successful. One way to do that is by tying their compensation to campaign performance, even if that compensation is a bonus on top of their flat fee. 


15. Consider working with an agency if influencer campaigns aren’t initially successful.


Influencer marketing can be time consuming. If you don’t have much time to run influencer campaigns it will be hard to produce consistently successful results. But lack of time or lack of experience shouldn’t prevent you from investing in one of the most successful marketing strategies in use today. Consider working with an agency that specializes in influencer marketing.


16. Interview influencer followers.


To understand the depth of influence influencers have over their audience, consider interviewing a few of their followers. In doing so, you may also learn more about your target audience, making it easier to craft winning campaigns in the long run.


17. Implement a social listening tool.


Brand sentiment can be dramatically influenced by influencer marketing campaigns. But the only way you’ll know how it has been influenced is if you invest in some sort of social listening tool. Products offered by Hootsuite and Buffer make it easy for marketers to keep their finger on the pulse of brand sentiment through powerful listening and messaging tools.


18. Ask influencers for feedback about your social media content and strategy.


Assuming your relationship with an influencer is good, you may find it helpful to have him or her review your social media strategy. Since influencers are usually masters of understanding their audience and creating engaging content, your team might pick up a few tips that can transform your approach to social media.


19. Mix influencer marketing with other marketing strategies.


Influencer marketing is often a successful strategy, but it is usually even more successful when paired with strategies like content marketing or online advertising. When you diversify your marketing strategies you protect your business from risk while simultaneously improving the effectiveness of each strategy.


20. Ask your audience to choose an influencer for you.


When marketers at the popular health brand BodyBuilding.com were searching for an influencer, they asked their audience to select the influencer through an Instagram competition. In so doing, the marketers ensured that they selected an influencer who resonated with their audience. At the same time, their audience was engaged and felt that their voices were heard.


21. Align internal stakeholders before hiring an influencer.


Though it may seem that influencer marketing is all the rage, be aware that it is still a fairly new technique. Because of this, senior stakeholders may be unfamiliar with the influencer campaigns. So, before you invest in an influencer, be sure to take time to educate internal stakeholders. Otherwise you may need to cut a successful campaign short due to misalignment within your organization.


22. Develop an influencer strategy that lends itself to organic amplification.


The best influencer campaigns use paid promotion as a spark to ignite an online conversation that burns organically. The trick is devising a campaign that can be amplified through organic means, like hashtag use or user-generated content.


23. Avoid hiring an influencer based on follower count alone.


It may be tempting to hire the influencer with the most social media followers. After all, the more followers the more your message will be amplified, right? Wrong!

Instead, opt for the influencer with a dedicated following that is most aligned with your brand and goals. Simply having many social media followers is no guarantee that those followers will be engaged, and engagement is crucial for your campaign to succeed.


24. Monitor influencers you’ve partnered with even after your work is done.


Just because your partnership with an influencer is over doesn’t mean that you should stop following them on social media. Keep tabs on past influencers. For instance, check whether they partnered with a competitor. Establishing good relationships with influencers can often earn you a free occasional promotion.


25. Attend a social media marketing conference to pick up helpful tips.


One of the best ways to quickly master social media marketing is by attending a social media marketing event. Social Media Marketing World hosted by Social Media Examiner and INBOUND hosted by Hubspot are good conferences to attend if you’re interested in learning more about influencer marketing.

Capture gen z - marketing tips

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/08/16/want-to-capture-gen-z-try-these-eight-marketing-tips/#3c1bac3b5d00

The preferences and attitudes of the millennial generation influenced many of today’s most common marketing tactics, like social media, text messaging and mobile apps. Though this group is about to become the largest living generation, many businesses now have their sights set on the next up-and-coming young adult demographic: Generation Z.
On a basic level, Gen Z-ers are like their millennial predecessors, particularly in their use of mobile technology. But there are some important differences marketers need to account for if they’re looking to capture this generation’s attention – and dollars. According to eight Forbes Coaches Council members, here’s how to best advertise to Gen Z.

Members of Forbes Coaches Council share their insight.ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF FORBES COUNCILS MEMBERS.

1. Focus On Emotional Intelligence
For marketing efforts to convert effectively, brands must get into the minds of their audiences and out of their own heads. Demographic profiling alone won’t work. Psychographic profiles reveal how to create emotional connections that drive response conversion and brand loyalty. An approach centered on behavioral and emotional intelligence works regardless of audience demographics. - Jay Steven LevinWinThinking

ICO Engine BRANDVOICE

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2. Offer Image- And Experience-Based Social Posts
Using image- and experience-based social posts (regardless of network) are incredibly important for connecting with Gen Z and millennials. While some social networks are not currently reaching as many of these demographics, they are pivoting to compete. People want to witness experiences that inspire and move. - Billy WilliamsArchegos
3. Get Influencers Behind Your Brand
Millennials started the influencer marketing strategy, but Gen Z determines their buying habits by it. It’s not about marketing to them; it’s about providing authentic information that creates the support of the brand or product. They like to be part of a movement and have the product and company be more than a purchase. Both are mobile- and social-platform-motivated, but Gen Z bounces around more. - Tracy RepchukInnerSurf Online Brand & Web Services

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches.Do I qualify?

4. Show Them You Care About Their Social Issues
Gen Z wants to know that brands are speaking directly to them and their issues. They are more likely to see a brand as a personality than a product, and therefore will hold brands to a higher level of social responsibility. It is important to create interactive and informative marketing materials to connect with this generation. - LaKesha WomackWomack Consulting Group
5. Build Campaigns For Authenticity And Speed Of Consumption
Time is money. It has never been truer as each generation spends less and less time consuming information online, becomes savvier in seeing through gimmicks, juggles multiple media platforms and devices, and craves authenticity. These are truths for both Gen Z and millennials. Go where your audience is, like YouTube, and engage at the speed of light using key, relatable influencers. - Laura DeCarloCareer Directors International
6. Learn From Them Directly
Do market research. Find out the reality versus public perception of this target demographic. Generational stereotyping inhibits. Great marketing comes from data, not guessing. As you would with any demographic, learn from them first. What do they want and need? In this way, there’s no difference with millennials or other generations. - David Butlein, Ph.D.BLUECASE Strategic Partners
7. Create Unforgettable Experiences
Raised in a world of often isolating constant digital stimulation, Gen Z responds exceptionally well to experiential marketing. Give them opportunities to touch, see, smell, hear and taste what you sell. Create virtual experiences they can participate in and contribute to. Brands that give Gen Z opportunities to be part of something bigger than themselves will capture their hearts and wallets. - Stephanie NivinskusSizzleForce Marketing

8. Be More Human
There is little to no difference between millennials and Gen Z. Both expect a good quality of life in workplaces along with clear direction and coaching to succeed at the beginning of their careers. They are looking for continued development, work-life balance and someone who cares about them. They are looking for humans, not just a laptop and a paycheck. -

Unleash personalized creative at scale

https://www.adweek.com/digital/how-marketing-teams-can-unleash-personalized-creative-at-scale/

Marketers today face enormous challenges in trying to break through with meaningful creative on digital and social channels. Ad blindness is at an all-time high, and audiences have grown up with increasingly high expectations for authenticity that speaks to them and captures their attention across various channels.


Smart marketers know that they need to deliver a personalized, one-to-one experience for every audience they’re trying to reach. Gone are the days of the “one-size-fits-all” approach for creative in advertising.

However, it’s incredibly difficult for traditional creative teams to quickly and affordably deliver enough creative to drive true personalization, especially when it comes to video production and high-quality imagery.


As a result, many brands have discovered that community-driven content creation powered by influencers, if done effectively, can unleash impressive results in today’s digital battlefield.


Personalized creative will rule the world


Ever since Amazon’s rise to ecommerce dominance, personalization has been top-of-mind for brands and marketers. However, personalization focused specifically on creative content has been adopted more slowly.


Over the past year, technology leaders like Netflix have recognized the impact of personalizing visual creative to drive better product engagement. Using multiarmed bandit algorithms, Netflix hunts for the perfect piece of artwork that will play to any particular viewer across an enormous diversity of tastes and preferences. For example, someone who’s a fan of romantic movies will likely respond better to Good Will Hunting when artwork that includes Matt Damon and Minnie Driver is presented, while someone who’s a fan of comedies is more likely to click on and select that movie if artwork with Robin Williams is displayed.

Brands both large and small can learn a lot about Netflix’s use of personalization to help boost advertising engagement, customer retention and conversion rates. And when armed with a diverse community of influencers to drive creative production, brands can finally unlock similar results of their own.


Diversified creative with family appeal at Bitsbox


Bitsbox is an ecommerce brand focused on products that teach kids to code with monthly interactive projects. Its marketing team’s first priority was building a robust customer journey across Pinterest and Facebook ads, email marketing and its own website. This required producing new creative that was customized for each channel and relevant to each month’s projects—a daunting task for any startup.

Organizing professional studio shoots proved to be time-consuming and expensive, and the logistics involved with sourcing locations and subjects was overwhelming. Also, the resulting creative from a single studio shoot didn’t resonate well with its broad audience.

Instead of relying on a creative agency, Bitsbox turned to building a community of micro-influencers to power its content engine. The company began working with dozens of new creators each month to generate hundreds of images and video assets that could be repurposed across all of its customer touch points.

More important, because the Bitsbox creative community was highly diverse, the team was able to easily personalize the images and videos it delivered to each audience. By using creative that is authentic and customized to each demographic, geolocation and channel, Bitsbox has seen higher relevance scores and conversion rates across the board.


Ovation taps niche influencers to discover new audiences


By building diverse communities of creators, brands are using influencer storytelling to unlock new customer audiences in unique and authentic ways.

Ovation Hair has been a luxury haircare brand for years, but it had historically never focused on the benefits of its product for curly-haired audiences, which was particularly impactful for the African-American community. However, because its marketing strategy focused on assembling a diverse group of beauty gurus to generate creative and awareness across its product line, the brand was able to experiment with a wide range of influencer personas outside of its traditional audience.

Guerilla marketing strategies will help success in rural Oregon

As many of us already know, small businesses are the economic foundation of rural communities everywhere, and Malheur County is no exception. Over the years, we have dealt with all types of marketing plans and included some of the highlights below. Happy Marketing!

Radio: One of the most cost-effective ways to reach a large and rural service area is radio. Not only does the radio station do much of the heavy lifting such as helping to prepare your ads, but it is a great way to get better connected with the community!

Inbound Marketing : 4 Pillars

What is Inbound Digital Marketing?

Essentially, inbound digital marketing is a process of marketing that results in potential customers you have never engaged with before coming to you to learn more about your products and services.

This differs from traditional marketing like cold-calling, banner or display advertising, or even worse, spamming potential customers where you make an “intrusive” or “cold” first contact.

Inbound marketing has its roots in a concept called “consultative selling.” Put another way, you are taking steps to act as a consultant or thought-leader to a potential customer by demonstrating expertise in, an understanding of that customer’s needs. Buyers tend to make purchases more from people they trust and have familiarity with.

In the digital world, you establish and demonstrate your understanding of customer needs by providing educational content, case studies, frequently asked questions, etc. relevant to those needs. When it comes to the buying decision, you will have a head start on the competition if you establish credibility first with the buyer.

When engaging in an inbound marketing strategy, it is advisable to rely on a marketing platform such as Hubspot to manage the process, track and nurture leads, and handle your customer relationship management database. There are several platforms you could choose from (see marketing platform reviews here), but for the purposes of this article, I will be referring to some of the practices outlined by Hubspot for inbound marketing.

Know Your Audience

As with any marketing strategy, you will need to conditionally identify your target audience profile for the product or service you are promoting. Try to create a typical customer profile including: lifestyle attributes, related interests, demographic attributes and possible keywords your target profile might type into the search engines to learn more information about possible purchases.

This is an ongoing practice, you will constantly be refining and segmenting your audience as your list grows and you get more information about your customers

Let’s examine Hubspot’s inbound methodology step-by-step.

Attract

Starting with (“Attract” in the diagram above), your first step in the inbound strategy is to establish (attract) the attention of potential customers.

Keep in mind that this requires that you have access to a robust SEO channel with the ability to have your content indexed in the search engines; ideally, Google and Google News search. In addition, you will utilize social media assets to amplify and enhance your content. Also, remember that this content should be optimized for your target keywords (what you think potential customers will search for to find your product or service).

Goals:

Create content that has a purpose, will attract potential customers to your blog, web site or social media presence,Offer significant value and education in your content to instill a sense of confidence and respect on the part of the reader,Format the content so it is easy to read and understand

Convert

If you have effectively managed to create compelling, useful content and get your content visible to potential users that should result in visitors coming to your site or blog. If you are not getting traffic, try to evaluate the keywords you are targeting. If that does not help, you may want to evaluate your distribution channels. Do they get any traffic? Do you have followers on your social media channels?

When visitors arrive, they should find appropriate landing pages, an enticing call to action (CTA) or forms where you can capture some basic contact information and ideally gain further insights into the customer profile. Remember; give visitors a reason to fill-out a form. Offer some further information in the form of a white paper, e-book or free newsletter.

This may take several visits to accomplish. Building trust is based on repetition. This is why it is important to produce content on a regular basis and to build a strong, up-to-date content library.

Goals:

Expose expanded content offerings to visitorsEncourage multiple visitsConvert a visitor into a lead that voluntarily gives you some basic contact information

Close

By this point, potential customers will have some familiarity with your company. They have likely read one or more articles, browsed your blog or web site, visited your social media pages, or a combination of these. They have also trusted you enough to give you some contact information.

Now it’s time to “close” on an offering. A well-written product or service email offering should reinforce what they have learned and leverage the trust you have build in the first few stages of your inbound marketing campaign. You should now be asking your customer to make a purchase with a well-placed offering.

Goals

Make the sale, orTry a trial close.

Delight

This journey does not end at the sale! Marketers can learn and earn a lot from an existing customer in several ways. It’s a well-known fact that existing customers are the biggest source of sales in a company.

You want to delight your customers by providing follow-up (post sales) support and customer satisfaction activity. Surveys, polls and other feedback are excellent ways to refine your products, process and service. There is valuable information to be gained by existing customers.

Also, remember that in today’s digital world, most people base their buying decisions on peer recommendations. A happy customer will very likely become a promoter.

Goals

Gain post-sales intelligenceProvide excellent follow-up supportMake your customers promoters of your company

These are the broad strokes of inbound marketing. Dig deeper into each of these areas and you will build a strong inbound marketing presence that will provide your company with a consistent source of qualified marketing leads.

Sources: http://forextv.com/online-marketing/4-pillars-inbound-marketing/