Watch your AdWords campaign bloom with the help of these three tips.

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In the world of organic search results, it’s anything but lonely at the top. Websites that rank first in an organic search earn almost double the amount of traffic as the site ranking second, and the traffic percentages only degenerate from there.

It’s a bleak existence for sites positioned after the third or fourth rank in a search, so if you are serious about keeping your brand’s name out of the Google result wasteland, you’ve probably enlisted the help of Google AdWords. It’s quick, targeted and has a wide reach, not to mention it can be completely cost-effective — if you are doing it correctly.

That’s right; AdWords can’t be your omnipotent saviour all on its own, you’ll need to develop a strategy. Here are a few overlooked AdWords truths that can help you cultivate your campaign this summer. Once you’ve sewn a few of these tactical seeds you’ll be able to kick back, relax and watch the results bloom.

 

1. There are three types of keywords

It’s important for businesses to keep in mind that there are three types of keywords that consumers use when searching online. First, they do their research, then they compare products and lastly, they search with the intent to buy.

Research stage: During this phase, the consumer doesn’t know exactly what he or she wants, so the search typically has generic, simple terms. Let’s say the consumer is looking for a tent. During the research process he learns there are all different types of tents: dome, geodesic, ridge, tunnel, etc. Keep in mind the consumer has not decided on a brand yet.

Comparison stage: As the consumer continues to peruse the search results for the generic term, things will start to get more specific. He can read reviews and pit two products against each other. If he is in the comparison stage, he might use phrases like:

Kathmandu v. Robens
Kathmandu tent reviews
Kathmandu prices
Kathmandu warranty

We don’t particularly recommend bidding on phrases like this. They can end up being a waste of money as they are simply being used by those searching for an answer while investigating a future purchase.

Buying stage: By this point, the consumer has his credit card beside him, ready to make a purchase. This is the point where coming up with the right keywords is essential. It’s likely the consumer knows exactly what he wants, just not where to find it. A “buyer keyword” will have the following:

Colour
Make
Model
Brand

So let’s assume the consumer that was searching for a tent has made a decision. He wants to go with Kathmandu and the tent model he wants is the Retreat 270 Tent v2 in “sage green,” so his search phrase may be “Kathmandu Retreat 270.” Buyer keyword phrases are specific. Bid on these specific-to-your-brand words as they usually lead to sales.

2. Try dynamic keyword insertion

This is a big time saver. Instead of writing a new ad for each keyword, Google will update your text with the keyword that is used to target your ad. It makes your brand more relevant to potential customers while making it easier for you to create unique advertisements for a large number of keywords.

3. Ad position has less effect on CTR

This may seem a little disjointed to what was said in the opening paragraph, but hear us out. If you are using AdWords to advertise your brand, Google will highlight the keyword that is being searched for by a user. That way, even if your site isn’t the first result, they keyword that is relevant to the user will show up bold in your ad. It allows the user to see that your ad is still relevant to them, when it would otherwise be overlooked.

If you’re having trouble piecing together the right AdWords campaign for your company, don’t worry — we can help. Get in touch with our Digital Manager, Veronica Nobbs. She will happily provide you with a free, no obligation account audit. veronica@b2bpartners.nz

More play and less work this summer with these online apps

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In the past few years marketers have faced large-scale and accelerating change in their profession, and it’s showing little sign of slowing down. Today’s modern marketer faces a new paradigm of inbound marketing programs driven by digital channels, served by multiple methods and measured by sophisticated technologies.

It’s a brave, new world that marketers are negotiating, and often with limited budgets and staff. Today’s marketers wear many hats, manage a slew of different projects, and can be responsible for most, if not all of clients’ online marketing campaigns including social media, email marketing, content, SEO, etc.

And on top of all that we still have to marketing ourselves!

But there’s good news for the contemporary marketer; there’s an abundance of online tools that can help us control the workload. The following apps can help us manage our daily tasks and responsibilities allowing us to be more productive and ultimately, open up our schedules to do more of what we love.

 

Project Management/ Collaboration

Mavenlink

Mavenlink has a robust feature list. It assists in managing tasks, tracking projects (both internally and those with clients), sharing and receiving files and tracking time and expenses.

One of the standout features of Mavenlink is the ability to delegate tasks to both clients and employees, assign deadlines and view when the task has been started and completed.

Basically, Mavenlink is an all-inclusive project management tool and it is integrated with Google Apps.

Alternative apps: Basecamp; Trello

Search Engine Optimisation

Moz

This tool is extremely easy to use and navigate. You can see how your keywords rank, compare keywords side-by-side, and see which search engines are sending traffic to your site. And all can be done from your dashboard.

Alternative app: Google Insights; Optify

Landing Page Creation

Unbounce

Unbounce allows you to build, publish and A/B test landing pages without the help of IT. It empowers marketers to act independently from technical teams to improve efficiency and their ability to generate sales. Even if you don’t know how to code in HTML, Unbounce’s landing page builder is much faster.

File Management

Dropbox

Dropbox allows you access to all your files in the cloud, which means you can be anywhere and still access the file you need. Your files are stored online and are accessible to all members of your team for editing or reviewing purposes.

This application is especially beneficial if your company is spread out over several different locations. It saves you and your employees from having to email files back and forth — after you’ve dropped it in, it’s accessible to everyone.

Alternative app: Google Drive

Social Media Management

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a great tool if you manage multiple social media networks for an assortment of clients. You can pre-schedule posts for a specific date and time and you can preview how it looks before it goes live.

One of the best features of this app is the Hootstuit “Streams,” which allows you to view all your posts on all your networks in a visual format, making it super easy to keep track what you are posting and where. Additionally, you can track your campaign analytics, which is handy if you need to regularly report the success of clients’ social media campaigns.

Alternative app: TweetDeck; Buffer

Visual Content Tools

Piktochart

If infographics are part of your digital marketing campaigns, this is a wonderful tool for you. Not a designer? That’s okay; you don’t have to be to use this app. Piktochart allows you to create graphic-design worthy infographics on a user-friendly platform. It also allows you to store them all in your account so you can edit them whenever the need arises, great for clients that require a boat-load of changes!

Alternative apps: Prezi; Flexadex; Passpack; Evernote

Is your brand making one of these 5 content marketing mistakes?

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In a recent blog post, we explored how modern day marketers are evolving their strategies to adopt a more consumer-centric attitude. More and more companies are recognising the need to transition from an “always be selling” mindset to one that focuses on having a story to tell.

In an age where an endless amount of choice is at your fingertips, information is what drives sales. For the past few years, content marketing has been hailed as the future of the industry, and by now most marketers have accepted and embraced the burgeoning tool. But as with any (relatively) fledgling discipline, brands are bound to have some missteps along the way. Even the most agile of companies can trip over themselves from time to time, so it’s high time we explore some of the most common challenges content marketers face today.

1. Throw it Out and See if it Sticks

If your brand’s plan for content marketing is “produce content,” then you don’t really have a plan. Launching new content with no clear direction is a ready-fire-aim approach and there’s a good chance you won’t be providing your readers with anything of value. Yes, your brand’s content marketing goals will likely change over time, but before you set out, you should be able to at least answer the following questions:

– Who is my audience and what are their questions? How can I provide valuable leadership with my own content?

– What are my brand’s short term goals for content marketing? Long term?

– What types of content are my competitors producing and what can I learn from them?

 

2. Content is not Shareable

You want your content to reach as many eyes as possible, but unfortunately no one is going to share if it’s too difficult for them. Every piece of content should have clear, well-placed buttons that allow your readers to share your content with members of their own communities and close circles. To maximise your share-ability, try to include the big three: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

3. Content Doesn’t Encourage Deeper Engagement

The whole point of content marketing is to connect with your existing and potential customers while establishing yourself as a reliable resource. Encouraging your readers to connect can help form dynamic, long-lasting relationships and brand advocacy. Stimulate engagement by:

– Asking viewers to comment or ask questions

– Offer suggestions for related material

 

4. Results are not Being Measured

In the beginning, the process of developing good content will be a bit of a matter trial and error. Unfortunately, not all content is created equal, and more importantly, not all content will work for every type of brand. Experiment a little at first but once you’ve got a good base, pay attention to what is working and what isn’t. With each post, your company should be able to measure:

– What is getting the most clicks

– How prospects are finding your content

– How long are prospects staying on your site and looking at additional content

 

5. No Call to Action

While the primary goal of content marketing is to drive brand awareness by providing existing and potential customers with useful, easy to understand information, it doesn’t mean that we have to avoid salesmanship entirely. Linking your content to a product or service can very beneficial:

– Offers a solution to a customer’s needs or questions

– Establishes your brand’s expertise

– Removes an unnecessary step in the purchase cycle

– Eliminates the need for your readers to look elsewhere for a product or service you offer

 

Content marketing strategies are unique for each and every brand. If you haven’t gotten started yet, or aren’t sure how to measure whether or not your current strategy is working to the best of its ability, flick our Digital Manager an email. She’ll get your content where it needs to be.

Veronica Nobbs: veronica@b2bpartners.nz

 

About Veronica:

Veronica has packed years of experience into her youthful career. A NZ digital innovator, she held the role of Digital Analyst for Jason’s Travel before launching her own last-minute hotel stay app. Veronica is Google Adwords Certified and is a specialist in CRO, SEO and SEM and can call on her analytical and marketing skills at warp speed.

Social media has the insight to modernise our marketing strategies

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The emergence of social media and the decline of mass media are the two biggest marketing stories of the decade. Both print circulation and television viewership have been falling consistently since the turn of the century. TV viewership is down almost 50% since 2002, however, social media has experienced astronomical gains since its humble MySpace beginnings. In fact, social media usage among U.S. adults is up a whopping 800% in the past eight years alone.

These dying forms of traditional media are taking our conventional marketing techniques with them. Today’s connected consumer is inundated with choice the minute they enter the ever-expanding world wide web. In order for companies to win business, their message has to stand out among the rest and the hard truth is, singular-message emails or banner ads meant for a massive audience just aren’t cuttin’ the mustard anymore.

While it may be hard to ditch some of the time-honoured marketing techniques of yore, the rapid transition from mass to social media is actually presenting marketers with the opportunity of a lifetime. Information collected from social media allows us to create impactful, relevant messages and personalise our marketing approach — which is not only more effective, but more cost efficient and scalable.

3 Step Personalised Marketing Process

Data Collection: The first step to gathering user data is to implement social login. Social login is a form of single sign-on which uses existing information from a social networking site (we’ve all been prompted to “login using Facebook,” “login using Twitter,” etc) to sign into a third party website.  By using social login, your business can collect and interpret data information to better understand their customers.

Data Segmentation: Determining meaning from raw data is a crucial next step when personalising the marketing process. Once the data is retrieved it needs to be broken down and analysed to determine customer identity and behaviour.

Data Conversion: After data is segmented, it needs to be converted into actionable insight. Companies can tie collected and analysed data into the marketing platforms they are using, i.e. CRM software, email marketing platforms and advertising networks.

The implementation of personalised marketing allows marketers to collect information from their audience using social data. Targeting smaller audiences is made possible for marketers simply by examining a group of user’s behaviour data and social profile. Messages that are tailored to appeal to niche audiences have higher relevancy and consequently, effect on a group.

If you are looking to improve your conversion rate, our Digital Manager, Veronica Nobbs, can help you turn social data into a targeted, personalised marketing strategy. Contact her at: veronica@b2bpartners.nz

4 B2B marketing strategies with a B2C twist

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As the digital world expands, business buyers are being presented with an unprecedented amount of information and opportunity for choice. This power of seemingly infinite knowledge and selection creates an unparalleled competitiveness that is forcing B2B marketers to evolve their campaigns to meet the growing expectations of their consumers.

But let’s face it, a B2B marketing career isn’t particularly glamorous — we’ve got to sell some downright unsexy products. So how can we present an engaging campaign about software, chemicals or manufacturing widgets to our extremely adept potential buyers?

The most successful business-to-business marketers start with building a brand, or in other words, they think like B2C marketers. The following are four ways to help “consumerise” our marketing practices.

1. More Marketing, Less Outside Sales

First and foremost, make sure all the information a buyer wants to know is front and center. One of the great strengths of B2C marketing is the wealth of product information that is available online, transparent pricing and easy purchase options. Yes, B2B purchases are significantly more complex, but marketers can provide detailed product specifications in easy to understand terms, demos and testimonials to help educate their potential buyers.

Marketers can speed up the purchase process by offering fixed pricing, which circumvents the need to negotiate. If a product is more complex with multiple features, tiered pricing will allow buyers to stay well informed during the research process.

Allow buyers to pay by credit card. This may not be an option for every B2B company, but it can greatly simplify the procurement process. Additionally, you could offer a line of credit to your buyers or provide direct billing online.

2. Give (Some of) it Away

Lowering barriers between a product and a buyer is crucial for B2B companies. When possible, try offering a free trial to customers — this allows them to develop an idea of what they can expect when the time comes for a purchasing decision. The focus here is getting people to actually use the product rather than marketers telling them how great it is.

A free product can go a long way; however it’s important to force a purchasing decision at some point. This could come in the form of a trial expiration date or blocking non-paying users from applying some of the features.

3. Customer Challenges to Encourage Feedback

Enterprise buyers want to know what their peers think of a product. Customer testimonials are certainly nothing new in the B2B world, however new technologies are providing ways to get customer advocates more actively involved in the marketing strategy. Platforms like Influitive allow B2B marketers to create challenges (i.e. provide a product review) that customers can complete in exchange for points. Acquired points can then be redeemed for an offer, for example a $25 voucher at a coffee house chain or even a free service provided by your company.

4. Marketing Gamification

It seems “gamification” is the new digital trend craze. It’s an interactive, entertaining way to promote awareness and encourages participation, not to mention makes tedious tasks (completing surveys) a little less laborious. Turning B2B marketing into a game is a bit tricky, but has proven successful for several businesses. Consider SonicWALL, a networking company who created a game for IT professionals called The Network Security Challenge. The premise of the game is to dictate what is allowed past the “security” as potential threats arise. As the game goes on, the threats are presented at an increasingly faster rate until it becomes impossible to stop every one. What the game is teaching its users is that no one person can manually decide what to let past a firewall and that a network security solution (SonicWALL) is needed to automate the process.

As the B2B and B2C worlds continue to intersect, we are likely to see more and more B2C strategies adopted by their business counterparts. While the list here is not an exhaustive one, they are a few tips to consider when making your marketing strategy more consumer-friendly.

If you want help developing a smart B2B marketing strategy with a B2C twist, contact our Digital Manager, Veronica Nobbs: veronica@b2bpartners.nz

5 ways to keep your customers from unsubscribing

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All too often email marketers focus their efforts on acquisition, forgetting that retention is also a major player in growing a valuable email subscriber base. From a single freelancer to global corporations, client equity matters. We know that customers who are subscribed to your email list are more likely to make a purchase from your company, but it’s not as straightforward as simply getting the opt-in box ticked.

Client turnover is the thorn in the side of every e-marketer and runs rampant within the web service industry. While we are always going to acquire temporary subscribers who later chose to withdraw from our databases, we can do a few things to keep them from dropping off like flies.

1. You’re emailing too often

Increased email frequency or too-frequent emails is the number one reason people unsubscribe to email lists. Even those who have willingly agreed to receive your updates can become fatigued with the constant assault on their inbox.

It’s hard to determine a frequency sweet spot as it varies industry to industry, but once you have, try to stick to it. Or better yet, allow your clients to select the frequency of their updates (i.e. once a day, week, month); those on your database will appreciate being given the option and as they are in control of how often they receive your emails, will be less likely to opt out.

2. You’re not emailing enough

Curse you, fickle consumer! Will you never be happy with your update recurrence? Yes, a good frequency is hard to find and, typically, less seems to be more effective; however if emails are too sparse you run the risk of a customer forgetting about you all together.

When you obtain a new subscriber, send them a helpful “welcome” email and follow up again within two to three weeks to keep your business fresh on their mind.

3. Your emails aren’t relevant

Your customers want emails that are personally relevant. Unless your company boasts a niche following, collecting a little data on each subscriber can help you segment your audience more easily. For instance, your male consumer base doesn’t want a bombardment of emails about attending your “Ladies Who Lunch” seminars.

Gathering a little extra information when a subscriber joins your mailing list (gender or age could be a good start) will help you implement a basic filter so each invite or promotion is pertinent to the individual client’s wants or needs.

4. Emails aren’t optimised for mobile

If you haven’t come to grips with the fact that mobile devices are steadily surpassing desktop you are frighteningly behind the times. If your newsletters and email images don’t look good on mobile, there’s a good chance they are going straight to Trash. Content that is difficult to absorb will frustrate your readers and, if the content you send out is consistently a point of dissatisfaction, a customer won’t give opting out a second thought.

If you’re not sure how to format your emails to look good via mobile, work with an email marketing software that provide ready-made, mobile optimised templates.

5. Content is too long, repetitive or boring

Mobile trends suggest people are beginning to expect shorter, more consumable pieces of information. Emails that waffle on don’t feel relevant or useful. Similarly, if you are flogging the same content over and over, you aren’t offering anything useful to your clients, which give them more than enough reason to unsubscribe.

Strip the extra content from your emails and identify a single call to action for each message. If you are sending multiple messages for a single event or promotion, highlight a different feature each time to avoid hounding your clients with the same, mundane content.

If you would like to talk to a pro about how to up your email marketing game, give us a shout! p: 09 950 2140

SEO best practices for the C-suite

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In the past 12 months, the SEO industry has undergone some very significant changes. And while some aspects of search engine optimisation haven’t changed (relevant and engaging content, keyword research, page titles and descriptions are all still invaluable), the presence of social media and inbound marketing are making considerable transformations in search optimisation, specifically at the enterprise level.

Organic search is the indisputable leader in driving traffic that will convert to a website. Yet, it remains among of the lowest funding priorities when it comes to the website or marketing budget. With organic search results garnering over 75 percent of clicks, it’s a wonder why so many businesses continue to invest such a large portion of their marketing budget into paid media. Yes, paid searches offer a quick fix solution, but it’s a short-term outcome with very few lingering benefits. Think of it this way: paying for search results is a lot like renting space in shopping centre–as long as you pay, you stay but as soon as you stop it’s like you never even existed.

So what do C-suite executives need to know? You’ll be surprised that these tips actually have more to do with company-wide collaboration than actual SEO programming.

1. Forget What You Know

Nearly every CEO, CMO and CIO understands the value of SEO and the crucial role it plays in generating leads and traffic. But with the constant metamorphosis of SEO, few executives realise just how challenging it is to not only gain, but sustain visibility in today’s digital environment.

Many in the C-suite will believe that bringing in a search agency or hiring more developers will be the golden ticket out of an underperforming SEO slump. Unfortunately, it’s going to require a little more blood, sweat and tears than that, and more importantly, teams across the entire company have to get involved. All departments must understand what it takes to earns organic search visibility and work together to complete the SEO objectives.

2. You’re In For the Long Haul

Good SEO isn’t simply a project; it’s a long-term investment strategy. Ensure that your SEO consultancy or agency will offer education across all internal divisions in your company. If a comprehensive understanding is not reached throughout all departments, there will be weak links, disconnects and obstacles from several directions, including management.

While the first step to better SEO practices is an enterprise-wide shift in processes and thinking, leadership must also be prepared to commit resources. Improving organic SEO practices is notoriously underfunded — when a strategy doesn’t meet immediate sale and bonus goals (campaigns can take up to 12-18 months before palpable results are felt), marketing managers and executives are hesitant to invest. The reality is, while pay-per-click offers a quick fix solution, SEO’s return on investment will continue to rise long after PPC has peaked. It may take a bit more company elbow grease, but your ROI will thank you for it.

3. Bring the Focus Back People

When putting together an SEO campaign, it’s easy to focus our attention on giving search engines what they want. It’s true that there is great value in ensuring your site conforms to technical SEO best-practices, but visibility isn’t accomplished simply by changing some keywords and titles. Social influence, social shares and content all have a hand in SEO success. And with the ever- increasing impact social media is having on digital media, people matter more than ever. Great content will resonate with your target audience and allow them to see you as an online authority. If you site is trusted, what you have to say will be shared, liked, tweeted, etc which will naturally boost your ranking.

So there you have it, the top three SEO best-practices for C-suite executives. As a leader of your business, you have considerable say in how far you can take your brand SEO. If you take anything away from this article, understand that good SEO requires development from all facets of a company, discipline, nurturing and patience. As the age-old adage goes, “good things take time”; garnering and sustaining organic search visibility is no easy feat but the success and exposure is well worth the struggle.

If you are looking increase the ROI on your SEO campaign and want some expert advice alongside a wealth of tools to cultivate your brand, give us a call! p: 09 950 2140

Digital scientist the new cool cats of marketing

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The traditional marketing and advertising techniques we once knew have drastically transformed in the digital age. Smooth-talking, martini-swilling Mad Men have been unceremoniously uprooted from their bar stools to make way for new cool cats in advertising — digital scientists and engineers who are developing new technologies to perfect our digitally driven ads.

While we haven’t completely forgone measures to emotionally connect consumers to a brand, it is no longer our driving force. Today’s strategies are about Big Data and innovation. Through accurate collection and proper analysis, this information enables us to pinpoint our audience demographics and deliver highly targeted ads which directly speak to individual wants and needs. While it may sound a bit hard-nosed, the truth of the matter is this: campaigns today must now be completely immersed in digital strategy or run the high risk of being overlooked.

It is probably unnecessary to say, then, that evolving your brand with the latest online marketing trends is vital to your business. Let’s explore some predictions for what the top digital stratagems will be in 2014.

1. Content Marketing — It’s More Important Than Ever

You may be thinking that content has always been an important part of marketing strategies, and you’d be right if you are. But the ‘what and how’ we are presenting our content is changing and will be more crucial than ever in the next year(s). As inbound marketing strategies are steadily overtaking more antiquated outbound forms, it is important to focus on producing valuable, engaging content designed for specific, target audiences. After all, one of the main ways a brand is able to establish authority and trustworthiness with consumers is by regularly producing valuable content through a variety of different outlets. Some of the most effective channels for B2B companies are: social media, company blog posts/articles, case studies and eNewsletters.

And lest we forget, always make your website accessible from mobile devices. Whether you create an alternate mobile-friendly version or utilise responsive web design, it has to be done. There are seven billion people in this world and six billion of them have smart phones — that’s a pretty big audience that you won’t be reaching.

2. Social Media Marketing Will Require More Diversity

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are still the head honchos of social media, but sites like Pintrest, Google+ and Instagram (to name a few) are surging in popularity, thus providing businesses with a wider array of options to produce unique and engaging content. By branching out and experimenting with multiple networks, businesses will be able to build their audiences across more channels and acquire higher recognition rates, building brand equity.

3. Ad Remarketing Will Grow in Efficiency

To sum up remarketing, it is a strategy that works by utilising browser cookies to track the websites consumers visit. If a viewer leaves your site without converting (only 2% of web traffic convert within the first visit), the product or service will be shown to them again in advertisements across other websites they subsequently visit. It is basically a friendly reminder to the non-converted, keeping the brand front of mind and increasing overall conversion rate.

4. SEO & Social Signals Will Become More Intertwined

Since the aim of Google and search engines like it is to provide users with the highest quality and most relevant content possible, it is no surprise that social shares (likes, shares, tweets, etc) will start playing a bigger factor in SEO. They theory is that the more social shares a blog post or article has, the higher quality it is likely to be. Social shares also serve as a kind of trust signal for visitors to a landing page. If viewers see that a page has a high number or shares, they can only assume that there is something of value there. Many businesses are harnessing this power of social influence by installing social share plugins and encouraging viewers to share content with their social media circles.

5. Websites to Take a Turn Towards Minimalism

In 2014 we will see marketers answer a shift in customer preference by offering content that is quick and easy to digest as opposed to text-laden, in-depth messages. Brands will not only begin to tone down their messages so as not to overwhelm customers, but begin featuring content with well-placed images, infographics, etc to break up content and help emphasise key points.

 

While it may seem like consumers could not possibly be more connected than they already are, the truth is, we are becoming increasingly more conscious, hip, knowledgeable, by the second and it’s not waning any time in the foreseeable future.

If you are looking to fine-tune your website and want some expert advice, contact our Digital Manager, Veronica Nobbs:veronica@b2bpartners.nz

The psychology of marketing: influence and the power of persuasion

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In recent blog posts we’ve explored several tactical methods for improving conversions rates,and while these practices certainly have proven benefits, we can’t focus all our energies on traffic-generating strategies. A key component of a great inbound marketer is the ability to understand the science behind what drives a consumer during the buying process.

Integrating behaviourism into your marketing strategy is a fail-safe way to increase your conversion rate and boost your web sales. Understanding the key psychological principles behind consumer behaviour can mean the difference between good content and persuasive content, which will better influence target audiences and allow them identify with a product or service.

Dr Robert B. Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and best known for his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion in which he famously lists his “Six Principles of Influence.” Despite being published in 1984, the book’s foundations remain steadfast and relevant even as the digital marketing world evolves.

Cialdini’s Six Principles of Influence:

1. Reciprocity

The theory of reciprocity is that people generally strive to return favours, pay back debts and treat others in reflection of how they have been treated. Customers respond well when they are given something for free without being asked for anything upfront, hence the prevalence of free samples in marketing.

Action: From a digital perspective, evaluate what you have to offer (whitepapers, samples, free features, etc) and present it at no cost to your viewer. This small “gift” will generate a feeling of obligation with your audience who, as a result, will be more willing to concede their business.

2. Commitment

We, as humans, have an inherent need to be seen as consistent. Delivering on a promise is congruent with our self image, meaning that we want to see ourselves as an individual who stays true to his word. Once we have publicly committed to something or someone, we are much more likely to follow through with it.

Action: Havepotential customersmake a preliminary public commitment. Perhaps, before they receive an offer or sample, the consumer must share their pledge or support to your brand on one of his or her social networking sites.

Another option could be the length of a commitment. If you are a company who collects customers through memberships, consider lowering prices or offering rewards to customers who sign up for six months instead of three. The longer the commitment, the harder it will be for a customer to churn.

3. Social Proof

Social proof is apsychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect the appropriate behaviour in a given situation. For example, if everyone in the office is working late, we will be more inclined to stay late too. Social proof is a type of conformity; we are particularly susceptible to this principle when feeling uncertain and are even more likely to be influenced if the person we are modelling our actions after appear to be similar to us.

Action: The power of social proof can drastically improve conversion rates of a website, and the best part: there are several ways to incorporate it. Testimonials, reviews, feedback and social widgets (i.e. shares, likes, tweets) allow potential customers to be influenced by the opinions of the masses.

4. Authority

People have a tendency to obey those in positions of authority — a police officer, professor, government official.  This is why the most influential type of spokesperson is the Credible Communicator. This person is an expert in his or her field and demonstrates two key traits: knowledge and trustworthiness.

Action: If you have the ability to employ an expert as your spokesperson or communicator, do so. (For example, we often see pharmaceutical companies invite doctors or medical professionals to front their campaigns.) Or position yourself to be an expert by soliciting reviews from satisfied customers, bloggers or even friends and family.

Additionally, you can develop brand trustworthiness by saving your most compelling argument after you have mentioned a weakness. By admitting to a shortcoming, your viewers will see your brand as fair, honest and relateable.

5. Liking

According to Cialdini, “liking” someone is extremely meaningful as it affects the chance of being influenced by that individual. Liking someone is usually based on sharing something akin, whether that is a personality trait, goal, or value. Highlighting the parallels in you and your audience’s relationship is an effective way to further improve conversions.

Action: “About Us” or “Our Mission” pages serve as an opportunity to tell potential buyers about yourself/company and promote the similarities you share.

6. Scarcity

Perceived scarcity will generate demand as people tend tocrave more of something unavailable to them. The simple idea that something may be limited will alone spur action. For instance, we may purchase something immediately if we are told it is that last one, ensuring we do not miss the opportunity later on.

Action: Scarcity language is an important catalyst when persuading a viewer to take action.  “Only 2 Left at This Price” or “Offer ends in (x) hours” are examples of phrases that focus on the rarity of the offer and encourage buyers to act with a greater sense of urgency. TryA/B Testingyour landing pages to see which phrases promote more conversions.

 

Cialdini’s principles are paramount when you are looking to influence and persuade others. These truthsgive insight on howreach your audience on a deeper, emotional level and encourage them tofollow throughwith a desired action. It is important to be responsible with this strategy; if a customer feels they have been misled you’ll lose not only their business but run the risk of losing new business through bad reviews and feedback. Always use these principles honestly and ethically without misrepresentation.

Have you applied any ofthese sixprinciples of influence in your marketing strategies? Have you used any other physiological methods to improve your conversion rate? If so, leave a comment below and tell us how it worked for you!

Why video content is the future of marketing

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While it may be overused, the old adage, “content is king,” still rings true — perhaps more so than ever. According to eMarketer, a total of $118.4 billion has been spent on content marketing in 2013 alone and, as we allocate more and more of our budget towards content, we must contemplate new ways to keep the information we produce fresh and engaging.

Many marketers are seeing video as a prominent player in the future of content marketing — it’s a quick, consumable and provides a creative way to tell a story or communicate ideas without exhausting an audience. It can offer a refreshing, laid-back alternative to the large quantities of text we consume on a daily basis, not to mention it’s likely your competitors have not implemented video into their marketing strategy yet, giving you an advantageous leg up.

Traditionally, video content has been very difficult to measure and analyse, making it impossible to justify via ROI. But with new advancements in video content analytics, you can see who is watching your video, for how long, what parts are being skipped and what parts are being re-watched.

Once you decide that video content marketing is the right move for your company, how do you implement it successfully? Here are a few tips to make video as engaging, compelling and cost-effective as possible.

1. Don’t Break the Bank

You don’t need to throw your entire budget into one, high-production video to bait followers. Make your video part of a wider content marketing campaign that aims to generate ongoing, sustainable outcomes. Over time, when/if your goal changes, you will have the funds to be able to produce additional videos to meet your evolving needs. It is also important to note that it is unlikely at best that your video will be completely optimal your first attempt. If you make a pig’s ear of the first one, your economical approach will allow for changes and improvements to be made withinyour remaining budget.

2. Make Use of What You Have

Have any of your company members spoken at an industry event? Been on TV? Maybe you’ve filmed some product testing or development in the past? If so, there is a good possibility you’ve got some compelling footage already on hand. And if there is still not enough to put together an engaging video package, there are plenty of inexpensive ways to generate content that will give your customers an inside look into your business (think staff interviews and office tours). A tight budget doesn’t have to stop you from putting together a great video that connects with your audience.

3. Leverage Events

Holding events provides you with an abundance of subject matter for video footage. The key is to be resourceful and creative; use these opportunities to collect a wealth of content in one go. Interviews with international staff who would otherwise be unavailable, visiting speakers at the event as well as your own company speakers can all be accessed in one location! Now would also be a prime opportunity to gather some time-lapse footage depicting the buzz generated from your product or service at the event in question.

4. Assure Your Video Works Across Mobile Platforms

As more and more people access content on the move via iPads, tablets, and smartphones, it’s important to be sure your videos are optimally displayed when viewed from mobile devices. When choosing your distribution channels, make sure that at least one is properly formatted for responsive design and will support video playback on a variety of devices (remember: Flash is not accessible from iPhones/iPad).

5. Make it Interactive

There are tools that are now allowing for more consumer interaction within video. Dynamic content and maps as well as an ability to ask for responses within a video’s frame are just a few of the new capabilities available. Mozilla’s Popcorn is a good tool to look into to and find out more about video interaction.

The opportunity for your brand to creatively engage with its audience is constantly progressing and expanding. Video has undoubtedly shown a vast upward trend in the past two years alone and the best part is there is no one way to incorporate it into your marketing strategy. Whether you are a multi-million dollar brand or a mom and pop shop, video can be business and budget friendly.

If you think your business is ready to introduce video into your marketing strategy, contact our Managing Director, Steve Ballantyne. p: 09 950 2140