Category: Advertising

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Advertising Blog Web

5 Essential Tips for a Landing Page that Converts

As a digital advertising and public relations agency, we understand the crucial role landing pages play in the success of a campaign. It’s the first thing your consumer sees after showing interest in your product or service – a decisive moment in the consumer journey to conversion.

Given its importance, here are the 5 essential tips you need to create a landing page that converts.

Attention-grabbing design

The design of a landing page is the foundation to its success. Make sure to prioritize your messaging into a hierarchy of information. Main points should be in the heading and subheading with supporting messaging below.

Use your design to help provide focus on the most important elements. Negative space, contrast and strategically placed images all help to draw the viewers’ eyes to a specific point on the page – right to the most important piece of information.

Personalized CTA

Your call-to-action (CTA) is a key element of your landing page. As previously mentioned, the design of the button can increase the likelihood of a conversion, but personalizing your CTA can amplify your success. As Hubspot reported, personalized CTA’s perform 202% better than basic CTA’s.

Develop a few variants of the same landing page and use a smart CTA that reflects different target segments of your campaign. For example, this could be based on location, type of product/service, new vs. returning consumer and more.

User-Friendly Forms

A form can be one of the major pain points for a prospect you’re looking to convert into a lead. Now more than ever, most consumers are unwilling to give too much information to a faceless company. That’s why it’s important to only use the information that is absolutely necessary for your campaign

Also, debate the use of single-step or multi-step forms. For simplicity, single-step forms are key, but multi-step forms make longer forms more digestible for the consumer.

Persuasive Copy

It goes without saying that the copy for your landing page needs to be persuasive. But, make sure to think deeply about how your messaging motivates your consumer to complete an action.

Here, psychological and behavioral principles help provide direction and structure to your messaging. For example, fear-based appeals can help you focus on the benefit of your product or service that you’re providing to the consumer. Fogg’s Behavior Model, Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion and Parallel Processing Models are other helpful tools for designing messaging.

Consistency is Key

Another pain point for consumers is getting to a landing page that looks nothing like the original ad they clicked. When users land on a page that looks nothing like what they expected, your bounce rate will increase and conversions will drop.

Focus on maintaining similar design and messaging on your landing page as your ad. This gives your page more credibility and helps ensure the consumer that they’re in the right place, making the transition to conversion smoother.

Allowing your brand’s voice to be heard can be a tough task. Our duty as marketers is to provide our clients with every resource available, including valuable insights for every aspect of their campaign. With our expertise in the digital realm, we’ll keep your business growing. Contact or stay social with us! We’re just one call, like, follow, retweet, favorite and DM away.

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Advertising Blog

What Does AI Mean for SEO?

Macbook Pro laptop computer with code on the screen sitting on a desk next to a stack of books

Back in January, we made some predictions about digital trends coming this year. Of these, artificial intelligence is at the top of the list, impacting a variety of different areas including search engine optimization (SEO). Now, we dive a little deeper into this futuristic technology’s impact on the future of SEO.

 

Shifting Tides

According to Woorank, Google is no longer just analyzing, indexing and ranking content. Instead, by using AI and machine learning, it’s shifting focus to user behavior and intent to provide more useful information. By analyzing engagement metrics like click-through-rate, the system learns what content is valuable to what search. Now that machine learning technology is in the driver’s seat of SEO, what can brands do to stay ahead of the curve?

 

How to Get Ahead

Consider using semantic markup to make your content machine-learning ready. This tool tells search engines what your content means, not just what it says. This helps with rankings by making your page easier to understand and by associating your content with the intent of a search.

 

For example, a Google search for the word “journey” could return results for the band Journey or the definition of the word “journey.” By using semantic markup you help tell Google specifically if your content simply uses the word in a sentence, is about the band, or is the definition. By making it easier for Google to understand, you help your ranking. In fact, Woorank reports that using semantic markup can increase your site traffic by 30% on average.

 

In addition, make an effort to build a knowledge graph to suggest other content. By linking to frequently related concepts on your website, you reinforce your semantic code and increases the time people spend on your site. These are important determinants of your page’s credibility and increases rankings in Google.

 

In short, the shifting tides of SEO require proactive steps for brands. As AI machine learning focuses more on the intent of a search, tools like semantic markups and knowledge graphs can help increase your rank. Providing more meaning and context to search engines helps brands increase their search rankings and get in front of their target consumer.

 

Keeping your brand ahead of changing technologies can be a tough task. Our duty as marketers is to provide our clients with every resource available. Let our expertise keep your business at the forefront of trends. Contact or stay social with us! We’re just one call, like, follow, retweet, and DM away.

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Advertising Blog

Content Drives Revenue: The Art of Brand Integration

Marketing content funnel

Now more than ever it holds true that content drives revenue. Well executed expertly produced content by experienced creators is extremely valuable and measurable. As a panelist and speaker at the 2018 Digital Hollywood Media Summit in New York City and long-time content creator across all platforms, I was engaged in conversations with leading brands, publishers and platform executives who all agree that premium compelling content can be the leading driver to revenue growth–when executed correctly.

All brands and products have a story to tell. Organizations that recognize the value of premium content created by experts for specific platforms, devices, screens and delivery systems rather than a “one size fits all” general distribution model; and, recognize that creators working in tandem with marketers to identify and segment audience will excel at engagement to drive transactions while increasing the ability to identify and build multiple and recurring revenue streams.

Organizations that mitigate risk by protecting their intellectual property; practice high acuity audience segmentation vs. fragmentation; and, create business models with distribution platform diversity will thrive in this exciting, yet, rapidly changing business and social environment.

The production cycle of content creation has not changed much from past decades. What has changed for creators–whether editorial or commercial–is the publishing process and platforms; the ability to laser focus to identify the desired audience; the plethora of digital marketing tools to promote the content to encourage engagement; and, the ability to measure results. Understanding and leveraging the current process and tools available can be a marketer’s dream scenario.

The key for marketers to seamlessly integrate brands into content is to begin by engaging talented creators who have the experience and breadth of knowledge to create and deploy brand integration content via great storytelling. Identifying the right firm or individual to manage and direct the full cycle of each project from ideation to conception to publishing to movement down the marketing funnel and finally measurement, is tantamount in acknowledging that content drives revenue.

Editorial content creators, marketers and audience are all stakeholders in consuming content and driving the desired result. A passionate and engaged audience that becomes evangelists for the creator and/or publisher’s content then becomes the marketer and publisher themselves via social media sharing and online “re” publishing not to mention the all powerful face-to-face endorsement and referrals.

There is a convergence happening and it all begins with compelling content published on the right platforms for the right audience then doing more of what is yielding results and having the swiftness to stop doing what doesn’t work. Organizations that are nimble and data driven and respect the art of storytelling and engage in constant R&D as their culture will lead in transactional growth.

Marshall McLuhan’s 1964 statement that “the medium is the message” has evolved not as a slight to content being second place to the delivery system, rather, as a recognition that brands who embrace and respect the three-legged stool relationship between the creator, the marketer, and the audience as separate yet interdependent entities will build value and market impact.

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Ceslie Armstrong is the executive content producer for Noisy Trumpet, and, Quarter Moon Productions.

Published by Noisy Trumpet in The Rivard Report.

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Advertising Blog Industry Trends

Super Bowl Advertising Reclaims Surprise

This year, Super Bowl advertising attempted to reclaim the element of surprise. This domineering tactic indicates a major shift from previous years with an interesting result.

Traditionally, Super Bowl advertising has become its own championship showdown, showcasing some of the best ads of the year. Not to mention, it constantly has the highest rates of viewership all year. So why did some advertisers not choose to hype up their ads with early releases or teases?

The Power of Surprise

In years past, advertisers release their ads weeks before the game to milk the expensive price tag for all its worth and stimulate consumer interest.

This technique uses the psychological priming effect. Basically, they create a small, positive experience first so that subsequent experiences are more likely to be positive. Teasing an ad helps ensure that people will keep liking it, making sure the $5 million budget isn’t wasted. However, this strategy leaves out a vital component of the ad’s success: consumer engagement.

The Effect on Consumers

For consumers, seeing the Super Bowl ads prior the game can surrender the joy of novelty. Consequently, consumers will care less when the actual ad is shown.

For instance, if a consumer has already seen the ad, they probably won’t pay attention during gameday — losing out on the value of the media buy. On the other hand, a consumer seeing the ad for the first time will likely be more attentive during the ad and even more engaged online.

Consumers are more motivated to join a conversation about real-time, trending topics rather than what’s already been covered. Therefore, their input and opinions about the ads become more meaningful. Whether it be on social channels or at work the Monday after, they see themselves as apart of a national conversation and current event rather than commenting on the past.

What to Take Away

According to Deadline, viewership for Super Bowl ads on Youtube after the game increased 16% from the previous year despite a 7% decrease in viewership of the Super Bowl. This suggests that there is something to the tactic of surprise.

It pays to be one step ahead of the conventional. Understanding consumer behavior and perception on a larger scale can help brands and advertisers stand out, garnering higher engagement and interest in real time — which, as marketers, is what we’re all after.

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Advertising Blog

Email Campaigns Are Far From Over

Let’s be honest. Most of us suffer from inbox overload, and filing through dozens of unwanted emails is just added stress. Nearly 105 billion emails are sent each day and this number is expected to reach 246 billion before 2020. For some, email campaigns are great at providing information directly to the consumer. However, for those sending multiple emails a day, it can easily get sent to spam. Here are some tips on how to receive and retain the attention your emails need to survive an inbox purge.

Only send important emails

Newsletters are no longer making the cut. No matter how interesting the subject line may be, studies show daily newsletters have the lowest read rate among campaign types and contribute to faster unsubscribing rates. Send emails twice a week, at most, to avoid pestering readers. Keep them interested by showing them what has changed since the last email. If emails include new information about the company or a new promotion, people will engage with the content more.

Keep it short and simple

Long emails filled with clutter will guarantee your email a spot in the consumer trash bin. Since simple structure gets the most clicks, always use clean lines and sharp images make emails more appealing. Write out short, well-defined, pieces to engage your audience. Don’t make anything long or confusing for them. Insert multiple links in your email directing readers to your site; this will keep their attention on your company. Most importantly, make all emails optimized for mobile devices. 72.9% of 18-24 year olds use their phones to check email; therefore, it’s essential to keep emails formatted for mobile users.

Make it personal

Emails with personalized data get the most interaction. Instead of writing “dear subscriber” try using the reader’s name. Personal emails like birthday promotions, post-purchase feedback, and welcome messages receive more attention than any other type of email campaign. Narrow down the general clutter in emails by sending recommendations based off the reader’s past interests. This will give the consumer a greater reason to read your emails.

Most importantly, know who your readers are and what made them originally interested in your company. Keep all emails closely related to each other and experimentation at a minimum. Ask yourself if the emails you send are worth reading; if you don’t want to read them, you can’t expect others to either. By incorporating these methods into your email marketing campaign, your emails are sure to be hit with the audience you’ve worked so hard to build.

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Advertising Blog Industry Trends

Super Bowl LII: Traditional vs. Digital Marketing

As the Super Bowl approaches, there is no shortage of talk anticipating this year’s ads. More than 40% of American households are expected to tune in! It’s no secret the market for ad time is extremely competitive during this period of highly engaged viewers. However, with last year’s ads priced at nearly $5 million for a 30-second slot, some companies are beginning to wonder if the benefits are worth the price. Will marketers begin implementing a heavier presence in the digital realm as a result of increased traditional media competition during the Super Bowl hype?

Traditional Media

Our sister agency, The PM Group, has been handling media advertising for decades and has noticed digital trends. However, despite digital’s evolution, traditional media still reigns – for companies willing to pitch in that extra dime. A recent study published by the INFORMS Marketing Science journal finds revenue increases substantially for Super Bowl advertisers. MarketWatch estimates that a full hour of the Super Bowl broadcast is advertisements, meaning they are collectively viewed more than 136 million hours, just by the end of the game. When researchers studied the sales trends for beverage companies over the course of 5 years, researchers found that heavy sports advertisers, like Budweiser, had nearly a 5% increase in sales before and after major sporting events had aired (such as March Madness and the Super Bowl).

Social Media

We know traditional media isn’t going anywhere, but how are new digital practices affecting the playing field? Researchers suggest social media may have a bigger influence when it comes to extending the shelf life of big game ads. Forbes magazine calculated that nearly 5.7 million original posts were made online within 1 hour of last year’s Super Bowl. This produced nearly 40 billion impressions while paid social impressions had a total of 5.4 billion and TV ads had 11 billion. Consecutively, the hashtags #SB, #SB51, and #Superbowl2017 compiled over 86 billion impressions by the end of the game, which consisted of 11.9 million posts. For advertisers, social media is key when top Super Bowl ad lists are generated by companies. Last year consumers spent a record 350,000 combined hours watching Super Bowl 51 ads on YouTube. Oreos is most famously known for this type of marketing campaign, after tweeting about the infamous blackout of Super Bowl XLVII. Social media during major events gives marketers a platform to experiment with while still accomplishing their goals as a brand.

Digital Media  

Although the cost of social media marketing is dramatically different than the price of TV spots, digital advertising brings a different element of value to the plate. The efficiency that digital ads provide when targeting consumers has many marketers turning to the digital playing field. Marketers can now pay to advertise to a specific subgroup within the Super Bowl audience, rather than the game’s entire viewership. Digital ads on a 30-second national spot will cost you $700,000 while the same national spot in broadcast will be around $5 million. Marketers are even able to customize multiple campaigns on various digital platforms, utilizing creative specific to the market, rather than air just one 30 second TV spot. Smaller budgets, audience customization and overall efficiency creates a better experience not only for the user, but the consumer as well.

So while traditional TV spots are booming, for now, expect to see digital presence skyrocket in the following years with brands’ Super Bowl campaigns. The digital space provides an affordable outlet to take advantage of trending campaigns surrounding major events, such as the Super Bowl. Differentiating between traditional and modern marketing strategies is key to realizing the value that lies in each. Especially as our world becomes more connected, integrating newer digital technologies into our tried-and-true marketing tactics will only allow for a more successful, holistic approach.

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Advertising Blog

When Is the Right Time to Rebrand?

As consumers, we generally don’t realize the exact point we become brand aware. Throughout our daily lives, we interact with so many different brands without thinking about it but usually end up being subconsciously loyal to a select few. Although the number seems high, some studies suggest that we interact with around 4,000 different ads a day across tv, radio and social media.

Let’s face it, we all have our biases and preferences when it comes to certain brands; and to take even further, if we don’t recognize a specific company, we’ll completely write off their credibility.

This brings up the question, when should a business consider rebranding themselves? Does it have to do with their current brand awareness? Maybe, their company looks too much like another one? Or maybe, the brand has simply grown and shifted their mission.

To answer this, you’d need to take a look at a few factors that might aid in divulging existing problems with your current brand.

Your company looks too familiar to a competitor

Let’s say you and a familiar competitor had the same idea when tapping into the elements that make up your brand. This would result in using the same colors, fonts, imagery and maybe even verbiage when communicating your selling points. If the consumer or potential customers can’t distinguish between the two companies at a glance, then it’s definitely time to consider a rebrand.

You’ve shifted from your initial mission or focus

Evolution of a company is almost inevitable. And for the most part, expected. If your brand has outgrown its original mission from its early days or it has simply decided to focus on a new an improved initiative, rebranding could be the perfect way to communicate this message. Changing a business model to stay current with the climate of your competitors is a viable reason to start rethinking your overall image and in this case, approaching a rebrand with a fresh perspective could be extremely valuable.

When your initial brand was just a starting point

Let’s say you’re a startup, and the development of your company is moving quickly. You’ve set up an infrastructure, created somewhat of a general mission or direction, and you’ve got the initial building blocks for what could be a well thought out and expressive brand. Maybe it’s time to start extending the reach or the message to focus on an untapped market or it’s possible that you’ve finally found your voice and you’d like to make that concrete statement of “who are we”. In this case, a rebrand to the level of fleshing out the current brand would be a great idea. Catching a stride and finally understanding what you want to say and who you want to say it to would be the perfect chance to wrap a bow around your current brand.

It’s time to…..get with the times

There’s plenty of reasons to rebrand, but a common situation (and the easiest to justify) is that your current brand couldn’t stand the test of time and it’s time for a refresh. Updating the look of your brand to not look so outdated is the perfect time to consider a rebrand. But be careful. Brand awareness and brand recognition are a real thing and messing with your customer’s perception of your business can have negative effects that you weren’t planning for.

With every reason, rebranding should take place with greater attention than the first time around. Inspiration should draw from the past but not forget the direction that your company is headed in the future. Pay close attention to trends that are useful as well as those that will fade. It’s a process, but with a little work and research, you can come out with an amazing brand that speaks volumes about your company.

Also, be sure to contact us for any of your digital and PR needs in the future.

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Advertising Blog Industry Trends Social Media

2018 Digital Trends to Grow Your Business

2017 was a big year for digital and tech — and 2018 is looking to be even bigger! As technologies have evolved, brands now connect with consumers in new ways as they demand a more integrated experience. We share what we think are the major 2018 digital trends:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will be Commonplace

Artificial intelligence is no longer the product of science fiction. It’s real and helps brands better connect with their consumers. But what is it? Simply, it’s the study of how to make machines smart enough to solve  problems as well as people can. Combined with big data and machine learning, AI is expected to make a huge impact on how we market to our consumers. Think image recognition software, chatbots, speech recognition, recommendation engines, and programmatic advertising.

Voice Searches Are Shaping SEO

As the use of Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, etc. increases, brands will begin optimizing their websites for how users search with their voices as opposed to typed.

According to Google, 20% of mobile search queries submitted via its app are already done using voice. Meanwhile, comScore estimates 30% of searches will be done without a screen by 2020.

Live Video Will Continue to Skyrocket

Live streaming started as a niche but has quickly been adopted by dominating social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Unsurprisingly, live video accounted for 75% of all internet traffic in 2017 and is slated to increase.

Personalization Is Increasingly Important

The further that technology evolves, the higher consumers expectations are. If these expectations aren’t met, they can just click away in an instant. So, personalization, relevance, the customer experience, and tailored messaging will be key to truly connecting with your audience. AI and other technologies allow marketers to achieve this relevance at scale.

Strategic Social Media Will Become Your Best Chance at Reaching Followers

It’s no secret social channels are constantly updating their algorithms — making it harder and harder for you to reach your intended audience. That’s why 2018 is going to be the year for strategic, actionable social media plans for local businesses and large brands alike. Tailor content to your target user and be sure to keep up to date with trends.

Influencer marketing will evolve.

Brands will need to establish deeper, more authentic relationships with influencers, rather than a mere paid transaction that consumers see through. Micro-influencers with audience sizes of 1,000 – 100,000 followers will also gain more traction in the new year as their posts are likely to get up to 4x more engagement than macro influencers.

Mobile Video Viewing (and competition!) Is Growing

Video is king and brands have taken notice. In fact, brands have created video content to boost search engine rankings, increase engagement and website traffic rates. This will continue to grow in the new year.

Get Hyperlocal

Google and Facebook alike have begun incorporating local into their platforms, making it easier for local businesses to connect with their consumers. As ‘local’ becomes an increasingly hot topic, even larger national  businesses will focus on local marketing, ensuring all locations are appearing in local rankings in 2018.

No matter your goals for the new year — if you want your business’ digital presence to outshine the rest — you need to be on top of the latest in digital. Need some help? We’re here for you!

Contact us today to see how we can work together.

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Advertising Blog Public Relations

The Top Marketing & PR Campaigns of 2017

As we look back, 2017 consisted of many powerful marketing and PR campaigns – ones that have helped grow brands by touching on universal truths that resonate with their audiences. As marketers, it’s no surprise we admire when a campaign hits the mark. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites of the year.

 

Force of Nature

Combining nature and female empowerment in retail was not something on consumers’ radar in 2017. But, when outdoor company REI dropped Force of Nature, people were pleasantly surprised by the amazing storytelling campaign about a woman’s place in the wild.

Dilly Dilly!

Whose power, creativity and humor has the whole nation shouting “DILLY DILLY”? Bud Light, that’s who. This newly prominent catchphrase caught like wildfire and is worth admiring. In fact, this campaign was successful enough to present a sequel ad. Bud Light even went as far as sending a cease-and-desist scroll via town crier to a Minneapolis brewing company to protect their campaign’s individuality.

Strange Mode

Experiential marketing has been on the rise in recent years as marketers realize the importance of audience involvement. However, Lyft’s partnership with Netflix took it to another level — a “stranger” one. In partnership with the hit series Stranger Things, Lyft users got a chance to visit the Upside Down on the day of Stanger Things’ season premiere.

Fearless Girl

One of 2017’s most well-known campaigns was surprisingly the brainchild of a financial firm. State Street Global Advisers placed a bronze statue of a girl in power pose standing in front of the iconic Wall Street bull. The firm’s goal was to advocate for more female leadership – as a result of this creative statement, brought an incredible amount of brand awareness to the firm.

While the average consumer remembers the campaigns that made them laugh or cry, it is our due diligence as marketers to analyze what made these campaigns work so well. At Noisy Trumpet, we break down what brands have done right or wrong to help us become better at what we love doing.

 

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Advertising Blog Public Relations Social Media

3 Ways Social Media is Impacting the Public Relations Industry

We are living in a connected world, a world where most rely on social media platforms to get their latest news. According to a recent PEW Research Center study, in 2017 two-thirds of U.S. adults received news from social media sites, predominantly Twitter.

Social media has affected not only how we consume news but how we engage with one another. For businesses, social media has become the new content distribution model, disrupting not only the nature of brand marketing, but also public relations strategies.

Gone are the days of traditional public relations, when developing brand awareness and visibility solely depended on press releases and cold calls to relevant media. Social media has changed the rules of the game, making it easier to amplify a brand’s reach, publicity efforts and media outreach on a global scale.

Today, PR firms must be disruptive and innovative, utilizing the power of social media to maintain a brand’s voice and online reputation through promotional content and consistent engagement. To better understand this transformation, here are three ways social media is impacting public relations initiatives:

1. Audience Reach

When it comes to audience reach, writing and distributing press releases is still a prominent and useful promotional tactic for content distribution and news coverage. If a media pitch is successful, press releases offer additional details and information journalists can endorse to audiences via broadcast, print and online channels.

Social media, however, gives brands the power to relieve a bit of this dependency and release news more frequently outside of local media outlets. By posting relevant content and utilizing visual aesthetics such as photos and videos, businesses are able to expand their audience reach, engage with their followers and measure traction. Social media offers a great platform for public relations firms to boost their client’s opinions, promote relevant content and offer commentary on the latest news and trends.

2. New Editorial Opportunities

Social media platforms, like Twitter, have become modern-day newsrooms. PR professionals can utilize these channels to find and segment new journalists by interest and industry focus. Most journalists are highly active on social media, often utilizing it as a search tool for interviews and expert commentary to support their latest story assignments.

Not only can sites like Twitter help PR professionals build their rolodex of media contacts, it can also result in new editorial opportunities for their clients, placing their brand and expertise in front of a larger audience.

3. Crisis Management

If there’s one thing a business dreads to hear and deal with, it’s a crisis. No matter the magnitude of a controversy, how and when a business responds can either boost or severely damage their reputable image.

By identifying potential crisis scenarios and preparing holistic approaches, PR professionals can employ social media in interim, to offer an immediate statement on behalf of their clients until an official assessment of the situation is made. An online presence following a crisis is necessary to not only monitor feedback and complaints, but to maintain a brand’s reputable image overall.

Overall, knowing how to use social media is an essential component to having a successful public relations campaign. Without it, you miss valuable opportunities for your brand and your message. Don’t forego social media’s power in your PR campaign. If you want to know more about how you can leverage social media to impact your campaigns check out our website or get social with us. We are just a like, tweet, follow or connection away.