#Effective SEO Tips for Canadian Websites

[dailynewsplatform]

What are the key components of SEO that hold the most significance?

In today’s digital landscape, where online visibility can make or break a business, mastering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become a vital strategy for business owners, executives, and marketing managers alike. Mark Jamiesonis a distinguished SEO expert and the owner of WSI Ottawa, and he can explain the most important elements of SEO that can drive success in the online arena.   WHAT ARE…

[wsiestrategies10]

What are the key components of SEO that hold the most significance?

In today’s digital landscape, where online visibility can make or break a business, mastering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become a vital strategy for business owners, executives, and marketing managers alike. Mark Jamiesonis a distinguished SEO expert and the owner of WSI Ottawa, and he can explain the most important elements of SEO that can drive success in the online arena. 

 WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF SEO? 

At its core, SEO is about aligning your digital presence with search engine algorithms to ensure your content is found by your target audience. The foundational elements include keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, high-quality content, and backlink building. 

 WHY IS KEYWORD RESEARCH IMPORTANT IN SEO? 

According to Mark, keyword research is the compass of your SEO strategy. It involves identifying the search terms potential customers use to find products or services like yours. By integrating these keywords strategically throughout your website and blog content, you increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results, which leads to increased visibility. 

 WHAT IS ON-PAGE OPTIMIZATION? 

On-page optimization involves adjusting individual web pages so they rank higher and attract organic traffic. This involves writing your meta tags, headings, and content to target the highest-volume keywords. Mark cautions that you need to make sure you strike a balance between keyword integration and providing valuable content that resonates with your audience. 

 WHY IS TECHNICAL SEO IMPORTANT? 

Technical SEO ensures that search engines can crawl and index your website effectively. This includes optimizing site speed, ensuring mobile responsiveness, fixing broken links, and creating an organized site structure. A technically sound and well-developed website not only improves user experience but also enhances your search engine rankings.” 

 HOW DOES GOOD QUALITY CONTENT IMPACT SEO? 

Mark tells all his clients that Content Is King! High-quality content is the driving force behind successful SEO. It not only engages and informs your audience but also earns valuable backlinks from authoritative websites. Regularly producing insightful, relevant, and unique blogs keeps your website fresh and appealing to both users and search engines. 

 DO BACKLINKS HELP WITH SEO? 

Backlinks are like digital endorsements from other reputable websites. They signify that your content is credible and valuable. Building a network of high-quality, relevant backlinks establishes your website’s authority and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines, ultimately boosting your rankings. 

In today’s competitive digital landscape, implementing these key elements of SEO can be a game-changer for your business. Working with one of the top SEO agencies in Ottawa, you can optimize your website and content so your business can achieve greater visibility, increased organic traffic, and a strong online presence that drives success. 

[calvarymarketing]

How to Attract More Patients: Essential Dental Marketing Tips for Canadian Dentists

In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, attracting patients to your dental practice requires more than just excellent clinical skills. With a growing emphasis on digital presence and patient engagement, understanding the nuances of dental marketing in Canada is essential for success. Whether you’re an established practitioner or a new dentist looking to build your clientele, effective marketing strategies can make all the difference. From crafting a compelling online persona to staying attuned with industry trends, there are numerous ways to enhance your visibility and draw in potential patients. Ready to unlock the secrets of successful dental marketing? Let’s dive into practical tips that will help elevate your practice and attract more patients than ever before!

Understanding the Importance of Marketing for Dentists

Marketing is often seen as an afterthought in the dental world. However, it plays a pivotal role in a practice's success. In Canada’s saturated market, merely relying on word-of-mouth isn't enough. Patients have options and are likely to research their choices online before making appointments. A strong marketing strategy helps you stand out in this crowded field. Effective marketing builds trust and credibility. It allows potential patients to understand your services and values even before stepping through your doors. By communicating what makes your practice unique, you can attract the right clientele. Additionally, consistent marketing efforts can lead to increased patient retention. Engaging with current patients through newsletters or social media keeps them informed and encourages loyalty. Understanding these fundamentals of dental marketing empowers dentists to invest time and effort into strategies that yield lasting results for their practices.

Establishing Your Online Presence

Establishing a strong online presence is crucial for dental practices today. Your website serves as the digital face of your practice. Ensure it’s user-friendly and mobile-responsive, making it easy for potential patients to navigate. Optimize your site with relevant keywords related to dental marketing Canada. This boosts your visibility in search engine results and attracts more visitors. Social media platforms are another essential aspect of online presence. Sharing valuable content engages current patients while attracting new ones. Post about dental tips, patient testimonials, or community involvement to showcase your practice's personality. Don’t forget about online reviews; they can make or break first impressions. Encourage satisfied patients to leave positive feedback on Google My Business and social media profiles. Investing time in building an engaging online persona will pay off as you connect with individuals seeking dental care services in their area.

Staying Up-to-Date with Changing Trends in Dental Marketing

The landscape of dental marketing in Canada is constantly evolving. As a dentist, keeping your finger on the pulse of these changes can significantly impact your practice's growth. One key trend to watch is the rise of social media platforms. These channels are not just for personal use anymore; they offer incredible opportunities for dentists to engage with their communities and showcase their expertise. By sharing informative content, patient testimonials, or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your practice, you build trust and attract new patients. Moreover, video marketing has gained momentum as an effective means of communication. Short videos explaining procedures or offering oral health tips can resonate well with potential patients who prefer visual learning. Search engine optimization (SEO) remains crucial too. Local SEO practices will help ensure that when someone searches for dental services near them, your name appears prominently in search results. Incorporate location-based keywords relevant to Canadian audiences to enhance visibility. Email marketing continues to be a powerful tool as well. Regular newsletters updating patients about promotions, new services or simply providing educational content keep you top-of-mind without being overly intrusive. Consider the growing importance of online reviews and reputation management in attracting new patients. Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive feedback on platforms like Google My Business and Yelp. By staying informed about these trends and adapting accordingly, you position yourself ahead of competitors while fostering lasting relationships within your community.

For more information, visit us…

dental marketing

marketing agency for dentists

dentist marketing

[eldmandate339]

How to Get Your First Clients When Starting a Trucking Business with One Truck in Canada

Starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada can be an exciting yet challenging venture. With the right strategies, you can attract your first clients and set the foundation for a thriving business. In this blog, we’ll explore actionable steps on how to get your first clients when starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada, ensuring you’re on the path to success.

. Understanding the Canadian Trucking Market

Before diving into client acquisition, it’s essential to understand the trucking market in Canada. The industry is diverse, catering to various sectors such as agriculture, retail, and manufacturing. Identify the niches where your single truck can make the most impact. Conduct market research to determine the demand, competition, and the type of services that are most needed in your area. By understanding the market, you can tailor your services to meet specific needs, making your business more attractive to potential clients.

. Leverage Your Network

One of the most effective ways to get your first clients when starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada is to leverage your existing network. Reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances who might need trucking services or know someone who does. Attend industry events, local business meetups, and join trucking associations to expand your network. Word-of-mouth referrals can be incredibly powerful, especially when you’re just starting out. Make sure to communicate the value you offer, such as reliability, competitive rates, and personalized service.

. Build an Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having an online presence is crucial for any business. Create a professional website that clearly outlines your services, pricing, and contact information. Optimize your website for search engines by including the exact keyword how to get your first clients when starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada in your content. Consider starting a blog where you share industry insights, tips, and updates about your business. This not only helps with SEO but also positions you as an expert in the field.

Additionally, make use of social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to connect with potential clients. Share relevant content, engage with your audience, and use targeted ads to reach businesses that may require your trucking services.

. Offer Competitive Pricing and Flexible Terms

When you’re new to the market, offering competitive pricing can be a great way to attract your first clients. Research what your competitors are charging and aim to offer better rates or added value, such as flexible payment terms or faster delivery times. However, be cautious not to underprice your services, as this could lead to unsustainable business practices. Highlighting any unique selling points, such as personalized customer service or specialized hauling capabilities, can also help you stand out.

. Partner with Local Businesses

Local businesses are often in need of reliable trucking services, and they can become your first steady clients. Reach out to manufacturers, retailers, and distributors in your area, offering your services and explaining how you can help them streamline their supply chain. Building strong relationships with local businesses can lead to long-term contracts and referrals, providing a stable income as you grow your trucking business.

. Utilize Online Load Boards

Online load boards are platforms where shippers post loads that need to be transported, and truckers can bid on these jobs. Websites like Loadlink and Truckstop.com are popular in Canada and can be a valuable resource for finding your first clients. By being active on these platforms and responding promptly to job postings, you can secure your first few gigs and start building a portfolio of satisfied clients.

Starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada requires strategic planning, market understanding, and effective client acquisition strategies. By leveraging your network, building an online presence, offering competitive pricing, partnering with local businesses, and utilizing online load boards, you can successfully secure your first clients and set the stage for long-term success.

At eldmandate, we understand the challenges of starting a trucking business and are here to support you every step of the way. Remember, knowing how to get your first clients when starting a trucking business with one truck in Canada is just the beginning—delivering exceptional service will keep them coming back.

[zov911]

In the Great White North where innovations in architecture remain as enduring as our love for maple syrup, a digital shift has made distance a thing of the past. Architecture aficionados are transcending geographical boundaries, circumventing three-dimensional obstacles using a universally acknowledged factor: Search Engine Optimization or SEO. Hereon, we delve into this emerging area with our piece, Rising Above Geographical Constraints: SEO Tips for Canadian Architects. First, doffing our tuques to understanding SEO: SEO is the rigorous process of maximizing the visibility of a website on major search engines like Google. By incorporating specific keywords in your content strategically, you catapult your website's visibility, allowing more potential clients to come across your offerings amidst a myriad of virtually constructed powerhouses. The architectural landscape, especially in Canada, is one noted for its bountiful creativity and diversity. However, with its vast geographical spread, marketing an architectural service can be likened to pitching a tent in the Rockies; majestic, yet demanding. In such a scenario, SEO practices soar above these constraints, allowing your brand's digital footprint to stretch from Victoria to St. John's, and wherever there's Wi-Fi. So, how can Canadian architects bolster their SEO skills to effectively reach a wider audience? Let's roll up our flannel sleeves and launch into some key tips. Know Thy Canadian Keywords Chances are if someone's looking for an architect based in Moose Jaw, they aren't typing 'Architects from Toronto' in the search bar. Get familiar with the terms your potential clients up north might use. Use Google's Keyword Planner to find key phrases related to 'architect Canada,' merging topographical data with your services. Local SEO is Your Best Mate Canadians seeking architectural services may not voyage across provinces. Capitalize on local SEO practices, which mainly involve claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing. This tip is as effective as a good timber hitch in anchoring your architectural firm in local search results. Mobile-First Indexing: A Must-Have, Not a Side Dish More Canadians are scrolling their smartphones than ever, even when envisioning their dream homes! Ensure your website design is responsive, quick to load, and provides a seamless user experience on smaller screens. Solicit Customer Reviews, Eh Never underestimate the power of a well-articulated testimonial. Encourage clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other portals, further strengthening your local SEO standing. Think and Write Like a True Canuck Localization goes beyond geo-specific keywords. Appeal to clients by incorporating local nuances into your written content - the same way we communicated 'beauty' points in this article! A proper implementation of SEO can make your architectural brand more visible than the CN Tower on a clear day. Rise above geographical constraints and let your digital footprint do the talking, and soon enough, those looking for architectural genius amidst the breathtaking Canadian geographic will be knocking at your (virtual) door! Our last loonie's worth of advice? Keep learning and evolving. SEO is like our fantastic Canadian weather; forever changing. So, it's always a good idea to remain updated with the latest SEO practices to keep your digital presence as vibrant as the Northern Lights. And remember - the digital stage is broader than the Prairies, so don't be shy to take centre stage! Case Study: Acme Architecture, a Canadian Firm Rising Above Geographical Constraints Rather than allowing their geographical limitation to halt company growth, Acme Architecture, a leading Canadian firm, chose to leverage digital marketing strategies - particularly search engine optimization (SEO). Over several months and with a comprehensive SEO plan, they successfully impressed a global audience with their architectural marvels and attracted international clients.

Situation Analysis Finding itself overshadowed by mega firms from New York, London, or Hong Kong, Acme wanted to carve out a significant digital presence that placed them on a level playing field with other global powerhouses. To achieve this, the firm enlisted an SEO specialist with experience in strengthening the online visibility of businesses often pegged as "local." Implementing SEO: Tackling Geo-Specificity Acme started by engaging with keyword research, identifying the unique terminology that international clients might use to discover architectural services. They brainstormed broader key terms that didn’t limit them geographically, such as "innovative residential architecture," "sustainable commercial architecture," "international architectural firm," and more. By adopting these keywords, the language on their website became globally relevant and appealing. Building Link Partnerships Another SEO strategy was leveraging globally respected industry blogs that offered guest posting opportunities. By providing well-written content to these blogs, Acme could link back to their site, enhancing their website’s authority and SEO ranking. Additionally, they participated in international architect forums, discussions, and social media groups, subtly promoting their brand and website. Optimizing Website for Global Audience To overcome potential linguistic barriers of a global audience, Acme made their website multilingual. This was a significant design update that gave Acme an edge, improving global visitor engagement and reducing bounce rates due to language barriers. They also used structured data markup—a type of on-page schema that provides context to web crawlers about the information on their site. Driving Local SEO Even while pursuing global audiences, Acme didn’t ignore their local clientele. They enhanced their local SEO by utilizing Google My Business effectively and inspiring satisfied Canadian clients to leave positive reviews and ratings. Results Over time, Acme Architecture saw a significant rise in international website traffic. Their local SEO also improved, with a 25% increase in queries from Canadian customers. The firm grabbed project deals from outside Canada, and their brand visibility skyrocketed. Takeaways Any business—regardless of its location—can overcome geographical constraints and cement an impressive online presence using SEO techniques. By focusing on global-friendly keywords, optimizing their website for a global audience, and not overlooking local SEO, businesses can robustly improve their reach and growth. Remember, while adopting these techniques, it's crucial to avoid black hat SEO practices and ensuring a mobile-friendly website, as Google takes these aspects seriously while ranking sites. With persistence, any business can mirror Acme's success and rise above their geographical constraints. "Don't let geographical boundaries limit your architecture firm's success! Discover top SEO strategies specially designed for Canadian architects. Expand your reach and start attracting quality leads today. Click here to learn how, and take your firm to new heights!" Start Your Digital Transformation Now! "Did you know that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine? This only underscores the crucial role of SEO strategies in boosting the visibility of Canadian Architectural Practices. Local SEO has transformed business positioning strategies, taking into account the user's location to provide the most relevant search results."

[gorealtors]

 Tactics for Lead Generation in Canadian Real Estate

Generating leads is the lifeblood of any successful real estate business. For Canadian realtors, understanding the best tactics to attract potential clients can make all the difference. Here are some proven strategies to boost your lead generation efforts.

1. Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are powerful tools for reaching a wide audience. Share high-quality photos and videos of your listings, engage with your followers through comments and messages, and run targeted ads to attract potential buyers.

Post consistently and during peak hours.

Use local hashtags to increase visibility.

 Engage with followers to build relationships.

2. Optimize Your Website

Your website is often the first point of contact for potential clients. Ensure it's user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and filled with valuable content like blog posts, market reports, and virtual tours.

Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs).

 Provide easy access to contact information.

 Use SEO best practices to improve search engine rankings.

3. Email Marketing

Email marketing is an effective way to stay in touch with prospects and nurture leads. Send out regular newsletters with market updates, new listings, and helpful tips for buyers and sellers.

 Personalize your emails to make them more engaging.

 Segment your email list to target specific groups.

 Use eye-catching subject lines to improve open rates.

4. Partner with Local Businesses

Collaborate with local businesses like mortgage brokers, home inspectors, and contractors. These partnerships can provide mutual referrals and expand your network.

 Attend local networking events.

 Offer to feature partners in your marketing materials.

 Create joint promotions to attract more leads.

5. Host Virtual and In-Person Events

Open houses, webinars, and real estate seminars are great ways to connect with potential clients. These events allow you to showcase your expertise and build trust with your audience.

 Promote your events on social media and your website.

 Follow up with attendees to keep the conversation going.

 Provide valuable content and insights during the event.

By implementing these tactics, you can significantly increase your lead generation and grow your real estate business in Canada.

For more expert advice and digital marketing solutions tailored for realtors, trust Go Realtors—the leading digital marketing organization specially curated for realtors.

[backendbusiness01]

Choosing the Right SEO Agency in Canada: Tips and Considerations

When it comes to optimising your online presence and staying competitive in the digital landscape, partnering with the right SEO agency in Canada is paramount. With a myriad of options available, making an informed decision can be challenging. However, by keeping a few essential tips and considerations in mind, you can ensure that you select the ideal SEO partner for your business needs.

1. Expertise in Canadian SEO:

To truly enhance your visibility in the Canadian market, it's crucial to work with an SEO agency that understands the nuances of Canadian SEO. Look for agencies like Backend Business Solutions that have a proven track record of delivering successful SEO services in Canada.

2. Proven Results:

When evaluating SEO agencies, focus on their past performance. Request case studies and examples of their work in Canada to gauge their ability to deliver results. Keywords like "SEO services Canada" and "SEO Canada" should be prominently featured in their success stories.

3. Customised Strategies:

A reputable SEO agency will tailor their strategies to your specific business goals and industry. They should conduct a thorough SEO audit of your website, identify your target audience, and create a customised plan to improve your rankings. This personalised approach is essential for long-term success.

4. Transparent Communication:

Effective communication is key to a successful partnership. Ensure the agency you choose maintains transparency in their processes, provides regular updates, and is readily available to address your concerns. This transparency is a hallmark of trusted SEO companies in Canada.

5. Comprehensive Services:

Beyond keyword optimization, a full-service SEO agency should offer a range of services, including website optimization, content creation, link building, and analytics tracking. This comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of your online presence are optimised.

6. Reputation and Reviews:

Don't underestimate the power of online reviews and testimonials. Research what previous clients have to say about their experiences with the SEO agency. Positive feedback and a solid reputation are indicative of a trustworthy SEO company in Canada.

7. Ethical SEO Practices:

Beware of agencies that promise quick fixes or engage in black-hat SEO tactics. Ethical SEO practices are essential for long-term success and to avoid potential penalties from search engines.

In summary, when selecting an SEO agency in Canada, prioritise expertise, results, customization, communication, and a good reputation. Backend Business Solutions, a leading SEO agency in Canada, embodies these qualities and can be a valuable partner in enhancing your online visibility. By focusing on these considerations, you'll be well on your way to boosting your online presence and reaching your target audience effectively.

[zov911]

Title: Maximizing Visibility: SEO Techniques for Landscape Design Firms in Canada If there's one thing everyone admires, it's a beautifully designed landscape. But for Canada's landscape design firms, there's a challenge that stands taller than the proud Canadian Rockies themselves: how to maximize their digital visibility and reach their target audience. With fierce competition and a cluttered online environment, how can Canada's landscape giants make certain they stand out? The answer lies in an effective SEO strategy. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is more than just a fancy acronym. It is the gear that propels online success, nudges search rankings, and ensures you're not lost in the digital wilderness. For a landscape design firm, it's the fertile soil that nurtures the growth of their online presence. However, applying the right SEO techniques can be as knotty as a gnarled pine. This article will provide a guide on how your business can soar to the 'Mount Logan' of Google's rankings, using Canada-centric SEO techniques. 1. **Keyword Optimization**: To kick things off, let's talk the talk. Keywords are phrases that potential customers use in search engines when looking for your services. Targeting these terms, like 'landscape design Toronto' or 'Vancouver garden remodelling', will nudge your website nearer the top of search results. 2. **Local SEO**: Canadians are known for their regional pride. Make use of this by leveraging local SEO. List your firm on Google My Business and keep the contact information consistent across all platforms. Encourage customer reviews and be sure to respond to them – a little Canadian politeness goes a long way! 3. **Quality Content**: Don't just tell, show! Blogs that showcase your work (ultimately leading to CTAs), offer tips on seasonal planting or design trends, and answer common landscaping questions can engage visitors, prolonging their stay on your site. This reduces bounce rates and ends up favourifying (yes, that's a real Canadian word) your page on google rankings. 4. **Mobile-Friendly Website**: Canadians are as attached to their smartphones as they are to their hockey sticks. Make sure your website is as clear and navigable on a mobile as it is on a desktop. This ensures ease of access for all visitors and is also a factor that Google takes into consideration while ranking webpages. 5. **Backlinks and Partnerships**: As collaborative as a Canadian potluck dinner, backlinks and partnerships can significantly boost your online presence. Collaborate with other local businesses or blogs, offering guest posts, interviews or shared promotions. This gives you additional exposure and higher-quality backlinks, both of which improve SEO. 6. **Loading Speed**: Canadians may be known for their patience, but no one likes a slow website. Ensure your site pages load quickly to avoid bouncing visitors towards competitors. Google's page speed insights can help you spot and rectify any issues. The end game of SEO isn't just to get folks to visit your website, but to make them stick around like maple syrup to pancakes. It's about building a bond that goes beyond business, one that resonates with Canadian charm and fosters a sense of community. So, dear landscape design firms, it's time to roll up those flannel sleeves and begin the climb to SEO mastery. Remember, even the tallest Douglas Fir had to start as a humble seedling. Case Study: Green Leaf Design Inc. Green Leaf Design Inc., a small landscape design firm based in Toronto, faced the challenge of increasing their online visibility to expand their clientele and keep pace with their larger competitors. With a limited budget, they needed an SEO strategy that would be effective and efficient. Understanding the Essentials: SEO for Landscape Designers Green Leaf Design Inc. first analyzed how their larger competitors generated traffic and focused on the keywords used on their websites. They used various tools like SEMrush and Moz for keyword research.

They discovered that terms such as 'residential landscape design,' 'garden design Toronto' and 'landscape architecture' garnered high organic traffic. Action Step 1: Keyword Research Perform thorough keyword research to understand the terms your potential clients are using for landscape designs. Incorporate these into your content strategy, addressing your targeted audience effectively. Green Leaf Design Inc. then incorporated these keywords throughout their website – title tags, meta descriptions, ALT tags for images, and the content itself. This resulted in their site showing up in more relevant searches, leading to a 40% increase in organic traffic in the first three months. Action Step 2: On-Page SEO Incorporate your researched keywords into every component of your website - from URLs and images to headings and content. This makes your site more search engine friendly and increases the chances of ranking higher on SERPs. Recognizing that local clients make up their base, Green Leaf Design Inc. optimized their website for local SEO. They registered with Google My Business, and strived to collect positive reviews actively. Their website started showing up in local search results, effectively enhancing their online visibility among their target demographic. Action Step 3: Local SEO Claim your Google My Business listing and focus on managing reviews. This boosts your visibility in local searches and helps potential local clients find you more easily. Keep your listing updated with detailed and current information about your business services, operation hours, and contact information. Green Leaf Design Inc. also started publishing well-researched and unique blog posts on a variety of topics within landscape design, all optimized with their target keywords. They sought guest blogging opportunities on relevant industry websites – thereby delivering high-quality backlinks to their website. This strategy enhanced their domain authority and further boosted search engine visibility. Action Step 4: Content Creation and Link Building Create engaging, shareable blogs optimized with your target keywords. Guest blogging on authoritative sites in your industry helps accumulate backlinks, which enhances your domain’s authority and boosts your search visibility. In just six months, Green Leaf Design Inc. nearly doubled its web traffic, increased consultation requests by 70%, and considerably expanded its client base – all by leveraging a comprehensive SEO strategy. This is the potential impact of focused, tailored SEO techniques for your landscape design firm. Ultimately, SEO is an ongoing process of fine-tuning and forming a strategic plan based on your analysis and experiences. Begin with these steps, and continue to monitor and adjust your approach as necessary to maximize online visibility. "Ready to elevate your landscape design firm to the next level? Don't let your business blend in the background. Stand out and reach more clients with effective SEO techniques. Click here to get started with our specialist SEO services tailor-made for Landscape Design firms in Canada!" Start Your Digital Transformation Now! "According to Statista, as of 2020, over 75% of Canadians are active internet users. With an effective SEO strategy, landscape design firms in Canada have a substantial opportunity to increase their online visibility, attract more clients and grow their business."

[mariajustinteriordesigns]

Enrolling: New Course for Creatives + Small Biz Owners - Attract, Engage and Grow!

Hello my dears, I hope you’re doing well and ready for a new week. I’m totally energized because I just started enrolling for my new course, ATTRACT ENGAGE GROW… This is the perfect online class for creative types who run a small or mid-size business (or plan to), and who want to really expand more online to really REACH people and earn a better living…. To figure out new ideas for our business, reach more customers, and grow… But with heart, not hustle! But before we get into all the details, let’s play a little game of “Do You Ever…” small business edition.

If you say YES to even one of these, this course may be the one for you. If not, you don’t really need me. ;) Okay, ready?

DO YOU EVER

01

Feel like the only way to grow your business online is to put in years of hustle and show up on social media every day, even when you’re feeling burnt out?

02

Feel called to market your business from the heart, but felt stuck because what everyone is teaching and preaching feels like selling out to you?

03 

Get overwhelmed by influencers and the overall competition?

04

Wish to be as successful as others in your industry, but don’t want to sacrifice your family life and personal “me” time?

05 

Feel frustrated because you’re not growing and you’re unsure of why?

06 

Can’t figure out where to invest your time and energy, Instagram, your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, email marketing, helllpppppppppp! (insert head exploding emoji.)

07

Feel like you need fresh new eyes on your work and could use some feedback from me and a community of other small business owners and entrepreneurs for some honest, open feedback?

...did I get you on all 7??!

I completely understand these feelings because I’ve been there myself. That is exactly why I created this course, I have a sense that it’s needed right now more than ever before amidst the crazy past year we’ve all suffered. I want to tell you a little story before I explain what this course is about because I know hearing it can make you feel better.

I left my corporate job way back when because I wanted to be independent and do something creative, on my terms, that felt better than my 9-to-5 job and the excruciating two-hour Boston commute each day. I resigned back in 2005 and never looked back. I solely built my business from nothing using only my blog (the very one you are reading) to grow for the first several years. Man, it was scary at first, and hard, but I was willing to roll up my sleeves because I knew that I was building something for me.

It took time before I figured out a simple formula to success, and that formula changed everything. I became a bestselling author with four books in nearly 20 languages, toured my books in 15 cities, developed a few product collections, started a podcast, lectured at international fairs and moderated panels, won awards for my work, I even ran my own magazine. I also started teaching online in 2009 when I launched Blogging Your Way and here I am, teaching again under decor8 courses, after a two-year pause (I was working on my magazine in Hamburg and I'm a mom so, you know the drill - limited time).

Anyway, I'm back to teaching because I felt like it was time. I have so much more insight into what works and what doesn’t, and this experience is worth gold - and I want to share it. When you run a business and need to market it, you need a solid system in place and when you have it, you really don't need to stress because things organically fall into place, and working for yourself can actually be a lot of fun.

In my course, I want to share my 15 years of experience with you because once you learn what to use, and how, then heartfelt, organic marketing can be so much easier than if you don’t have a clue where to start, and no reliable systems in place. 

“You need to be more transparent”

We've all heard that a trillion times, right?

Well, if you’ve ever wondered how I run my business as a self-made one-woman show and mother, minus the fluff and filters, I’ll tell you during this course, I'll be totally transparent for you. In fact, I welcome my students to ask tons of questions (don’t hold back!) because I want this learning experience to be as real and honest as possible. 

I also want to challenge you to think differently about how you approach your brand and audience because we’ve all been fed the hype on how important it is to “grow a massive following” and become multi-millionaires. There are lots of us who want to live a happy life, enjoy time with our family and friends, and earn an incredible living doing what we love without non-stop hustling. I can definitely teach you how to do that because my business has made me happy for 15 years, and I’ve been able to support my family financially by doing what I love.

What’s inside the course?

Module 1: Find Your Voice

With so much competition, some of us have lost our motivation, positive voice, and even our way. For Module One, we’ll work together on powering up you and your brand to make you feel more invigorated than ever before and to help you to develop an authentic, likable voice to attract a more dedicated following.

Module 2: Blogging Your Way

More than ever before, a blog is what you need to sell your brand and products. We’ll cover ALL things blogging, from content to design, because it’s still one of the key ways to find, and keep, a happy and loyal audience.

Module 3: Email Marketing That Works

Become a newsletter believer in just one week. Learn the platforms available, how to use them, why email marketing matters, effective sales strategies through email marketing that feel genuine and real, and more.

Module 4: Win at Instagram

It’s time to level up your Instagram game and to enjoy using Insta again! You’ll learn branding, strategy, planning posts, writing copy from the heart, increasing engagement without hustle, growing your account, and tips for Insta Guides and Stories.

Each module is supported by a guest expert on the respective topic, with me always as your teacher and guide. 

Meet The Experts

Garance Doré, Founder of Doré - Garance is a beloved French photographer, illustrator, and the best-selling author of LOVE STYLE LIFE who lives and works in Los Angeles, France, and New Zealand with her partner, Graham, and her dog Lulu. She recently launched a membership community for women about love, life, and style called L’île. Garance has built a loyal following with over 700k followers on her Instagram @garancedore through some of the most beautiful storytelling I’ve ever seen. In our 60 minute video inside the course, Garance will share how you can find your voice online and share it to attract a dedicated following.

Paige Brunton, Founder of Square Secrets™  - Paige is a newly married Canadian entrepreneur based in northern Germany, best known for her online courses where she teaches how to set up websites using Squarespace and how to run a profitable web design business. Paige has had over 2,000 students go through her online courses, they’re the most popular in the Squarespace industry. Paige also built her business through blogging, and as a Squarespace web design expert, she’ll be sharing how to incorporate SEO best practices into your blogging to start appearing in the Google Rankings, and tons more. Find Paige on Insta at @paigebrunton

Desha Peacock, Founder of Sweet Spot Style - Based in Vermont, Desha is the author of two interiors books, Your Creative Work Space and Create the Style You Crave. (My home office was actually featured in her work space book!) Desha is also an email marketing expert, retreat leader, business/lifestyle coach, and mother. Inside the course in our 60-minute video, Desha will be sharing her strategies and stories on how to make email marketing work for you and your blog. Find Desha on Insta at @deshapeacock

Niki Brantmark, Founder of My Scandinavian Home - Niki authors a hugely popular blog and Instagram specializing in Scandinavian living and has three best-selling books about interiors and Nordic lifestyle (I love them all so much!!!) Lagom, The Scandinavian Home, and Relaxed Rustic. Originally from England, she lives in Malmö, Sweden with her husband and two daughters. Niki has built a loyal following of over 350k on Instagram @myscandinavianhome, and in our video, she’ll be sharing how she built her following and how to enjoy using Instagram again!

SO my dears, if you’re dreaming of building your business (or improving the one you’ve got!) without the hustle, want to be part of a caring community of like-minded entrepreneurs, and receive expert advice and education from others who have built their businesses in a heart-centered way…

“Holly’s course paved my way and was the founding base of my own blog and social media. her profound knowledge and experience were a real treasure for me.”

— IGOR JOSIFOVIC KEMPER / Bestselling Author and Founder of the Urban Jungle Bloggers

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Please note: Today is the last day to get in on the early bird special for $100 off, and there is a payment option, so click ABOVE to check out more information on this course.

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES & STUDIES, July 19 2020

Welcome to my latest summary of recent ecommerce news, resources & studies including search, analytics, content marketing, social media & Etsy! This covers articles, podcasts, videos and infographics I came across since the late June report, although some may be older than that.

I‘m still working on Etsy search testing and a few new blog posts and pages for my website, so it is still difficult for me to get this summary out more than 1-2 times a month. All suggestions on solutions to my time crunch are welcome. 

If you have an questions, comments or suggestions about my Tumblr or my blog, please contact me here or on my website. I’d love to know what you think! 

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

Latest change from Google: the free Google Shopping listings will now show up in US organic search as part of product knowledge panels. Unfortunately, since they are only doing this for product knowledge panels to begin with, it likely won't help handmade sellers, but could be useful to sellers of vintage & supply items that are known products that will have a knowledge panel. It may be a sign that they are planning on moving free ads to more Google "surfaces" over time, however. Note that it appears that all product knowledge panel ads will be free starting this summer (US only), so that means that any Etsy paid ads for these types of items will become free ads that you won't have to pay EOA fees on if you get a sale. Google claims the free ads are bringing more searcher engagement to Shopping.  

Amazon announced they will begin to show US sellers’ business name and address on the Seller Profile page as of September 1. The same requirement already exists in Europe, Japan and Mexico. 

The USPS will no longer be delivering mail as promptly every day, to cut costs. This potentially affects anyone shipping to a destination in the United States. 

How 7 different companies grew profits during the last recession - there will still be business opportunities during the upcoming recession, but you have to be positioned to take them. 

ETSY NEWS 

Etsy Labels no longer offer USPS international shipping options for all packages under 4.4 pounds other than Canadian orders, replacing them with the Global Postal Shipping Program (GPSP). Many US sellers dislike the GPSP, and have moved on to outside providers that integrate with an Etsy shop and other services, such as Pirate Ship, Shippo, Stamps, and Shipstation. 

The quarterly category & attributes updates are limited to face mask & hand sanitizer attributes for July. Etsy also made some other minor updates recently, including allowing us to set a message auto reply for up to 5 days. 

You may have noticed that Etsy is really pushing Etsy Ads on sellers right now, despite the numerous complaints about the average cost per click becoming far too high last year. I’ve turned mine off permanently, but if you are interested in trying them or fine-tuning them, Etsy released an article and a related podcast with a transcript.

Louisiana and Mississippi have been added to the list of states that Etsy collects sales tax from. 

Etsy raised fees on Reverb to 5%, “to make further investments on behalf of our sellers.” 

Etsy will release the second quarter results on August 5. We already know that April and May were record-setting, and June was also probably pretty good. 

The site has continued to receive decent media coverage for the mask initiative; Etsy is mentioned in several articles/broadcasts a day as a place to get masks, including stylish ones. This article briefly interviews a seller and looks at what Etsy will do next, as the mask demand peak might be over. 

Now that people think of Etsy for things like face masks, Etsy is continuing to market itself as a place to buy everyday items, something it shied away from for a few years. (Remember when Etsy was all about “owning special”?) They’ve added “Everyday Finds” links & Editors Picks pages, and have published tips on what pandemic shoppers are looking for. (Note that the year over year values compare this April to last April, and so were during peak lockdown for the US.)  “Keeping surfaces clean is top of mind these days, and shoppers are searching on Etsy for many types of cleaners, from all-purpose scrubs to washable sponges...134% YoY increase in searches on Etsy containing “ceramic sponge holder.”...”74% YoY increase in searches on Etsy containing “mug”...”352% YoY increase in searches on Etsy containing “diy”.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but this page on the search and ads algorithms appears to be relatively new. 

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

The sea change in online buyer behaviour during the pandemic may mean that you need to update your keyword research. Keyword volumes have changed, some very dramatically. For example “‘adult bikes’ shows a massive upturn.This represents over ten times as many searches for this term compared to just under a year ago. If you projected this back in 2019 you’d probably be laughed at.”

Speaking of keyword research, if you need a refresher on why you should do it and how to approach it, here is a recent article. 

There are many different ways to get backlinks; here are a few that are pretty easy [video & text]. 

Are longer blog posts better for SEO? Not necessarily, as long as you cover the topic well. The exception is that blog posts under 300 words are usually not worth writing. 

Most SEOs think there was an unannounced Google update around the third week of June. Some are reporting that sites that specialize made gains, as opposed to those who have more general material. That same study reports Etsy had one of the largest traffic increases, but not as much as Pinterest (I’ve been seeing a lot more pins when Googling lately, so this seems likely.) Government websites also seem to have received better visibility. “As Google has described in their document on how they fight disinformation, they describe that their systems are designed to prefer authority over other factors “in times of crisis”. If this truly is related to what we saw happen in June, these changes could possibly be reversed once the worldwide pandemic situation improves.”

Bing released a few basic tips on how to use its keyword planner. 

(CONTENT) MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA (includes blogging & emails) 

TikTok has moved out of Hong Kong, while the US government may be looking at banning them, following India’s move on July 6. With TikTok in peril, many people are now downloading its competitor Byte. 

If you use Facebook for your business, please read up on the changes required to comply with California’s new privacy law. 

Instagram is now testing an Instagram Shop tab, which allows users to filter by category. 

Twitter is planning on starting a subscription service, but deleted some of the details  from the job listing just hours later. 

One of the results of the big Twitter hack on July 15th was Google removing the Twitter carousel from its search results. 

Pinterest searches involving Christmas started way earlier this year, with a 77% increase YOY in April. “That includes a 3x increase in searches for “Christmas gift ideas”, while other queries like “holiday recipes” and “Christmas” were up more than 90% and 80% respectively.” These are good stats for marketers to have, helping us decide when to release and promote new products.

ONLINE ADVERTISING (SEARCH ENGINES, SOCIAL MEDIA, & OTHERS) 

Spending too much on Facebook ads? Here are some common mistakes and some suggestions on fixing them. 

If you already know that ROAS stands for “return on ad spend” then some of this article may be old news to you. 

STATS, DATA, OTHER TRACKING 

If you are using Google Shopping with your website, be aware that the Google bots may be inflating your abandoned cart rate. 

Google Analytics can help you track the effects of changes to your website, or other business conditions. You can also get alerts when certain types of events happen, or when traffic is abnormal. 

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS 

Walmart is expected to launch Walmart+, similar to Amazon Prime, this month. But note that while many brick & mortar businesses are now doing a lot more business online, it is more expensive for them. 

For those of you who use Stitch Labs, they have been purchased by Square, and the existing services will likely be cut in 2021. 

Deja vu for Etsy sellers - eBay was apparently offering incentive payments for signing up for their new Managed Payments system by mid-July. (Etsy did the same with its Etsy Payments system, but only for Americans.)

Is Amazon Handmade as good for small makers as it claims? Maybe not. If you sell on Amazon, consider these strategies to protect your core business from being swamped by the big A. 

Wix has introduced an ecommerce version with a lot more options and integrations. 

Shopify’s new “Shop” app has some good features but also some issues. [podcast & edited transcript]

BigCommerce filed to go public, and added Ayden as a payment option. More details on the Ayden move here. 

Did you know there are sites you can use to sell your ecommerce business? Here are 10 of them. 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER STUDIES, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

US ecommerce sales are now expected to grow 18% this year, while overall retail is predicted to be down 10.5%. “In a pandemic economy, consumers have gravitated toward trusted and reliable retailers. As a result, we can expect the top 10 ecommerce retail businesses to grow at above average rates (21.8%). Amazon will gain US ecommerce market share this year, while Walmart's accelerating ecommerce growth will take it to the No. 2 position for the first time.”

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a factor you can use to drive sales; here are 6 tips. 

Generation Z is acutely attached to internet use, and is more likely to be planning on starting their own business than any other generation. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

It’s possible that the increase in people working from home will lead to more work hours and therefore more burnout.

[clarencenicholsonata]

8 Strategies To Generate Leads From Podcast Guests & Collaborations

The simple yet entertaining nature of podcasting has made it an extremely popular form of lead generation and content marketing.

Podcasting also has a massive audience just waiting to be turned into leads:

More than a third of Canadians 18 and up listen to podcasts monthly (36%)

6.5 million adults in the UK listen to podcasts weekly About 90 million people in the United States listen to podcasts once a month

If you think your business can benefit from podcast lead generation (which it definitely can), there are two ways you can go about it:

Starting your own podcast

Appearing as a guest on other podcasts

While both are great for lead generation, podcast appearances have some advantages in that it:

Takes less effort and resources compared to starting your own podcast

Gives you access to a new audience every show instead of the same one every week

The question now becomes, how do you actually get leads out of your podcast appearances?

The general concept is the same as running a podcast and other forms of content marketing.

People listen to the podcast, find value in you and what you have to offer, then express interest in some quantifiable way (such as leaving contact information, reaching out to you, taking actions on your website, etc.)

But there are of course specific tactics you can do to maximize your leads, from your podcast appearance.

So, here are 8 strategies to help you generate leads through podcast appearances.

Talk About Topics To Show You Are An Expert

Demonstrating to people that you are an expert in your field will increase their trust in you, and by extension, what you have to offer.

So if you created an online tool that helps job seekers build resumes, and you can prove that you know what employers are looking for in a resume, people will then be more likely to trust your tool.

There are, of course, other ways to prove you are an expert, but a podcast has its advantages:

Sometimes it is easier to explain complicated topics simply through talking

Podcasts are an entertaining way of conveying information to people

Listening to podcasts is a passive act, making it easier for people to hear what you have to say than if they had to read it

Proving your expertise on a podcast appearance starts with your pitches.

When reaching out to podcasts to be a guest, you will typically include two or three topics to talk about that you are well versed in.

That way, once you’re on the podcast, you’ll be able to have an in-depth discussion and display your knowledge on the subject. If possible, you should also bring something new or original to the conversation.

You could talk about a:

New opinion

Problem in the industry (and potentially a solution)

Different take or angle on an existing topic

Study you’ve done

Analysis of a case study

In sticking with the resume tool example, potential pitches for that could be:

I discovered one thing everyone does wrong when highlighting their skills that most people don’t realize.

Results of a study show that employers actually like seeing a diverse work history.

An argument for why people should keep their college GPA on their resumes for at least ten years.

You will hear great examples of showing their expertise on NPR’s podcast Throughline, where every episode is about how events in history are impacting the world today.

The hosts, Ramtin Arablouei and Rund Abdelfatah, often have guests who help them explore these topics and contribute new perspectives.

On the Throughline episode titled “White Nationalism,” Sam Sanders as a guest, who hosts his own podcast called “It’s Been A Minute with Sam Sanders.”

In the episode, Sanders explains how white supremacy has inspired policies in place today in the United States. In doing so, he establishes himself as an expert on the subject, hopefully earning listeners’ trust and encouraging them to listen to his podcast.

Prepare a CTA With An Incentive Hopefully, after listening to your podcast appearance, many people will be interested enough to look you up on their own. But you shouldn’t settle for that.

You could potentially get more leads by having some kind of incentive and a specific call to action (CTA) that listeners can do, which works for two reasons:

People are lazy

People are selfish

Having an incentive will get listeners motivated to go to your website, as they will benefit from doing so.

Potential incentives could be:

Discounts

Free trials, lite versions or samples of a product

An ebook

Sample chapters of a book

A CTA also helps get people to your website, because sometimes, people need to be given direct instructions.

Not everyone is going to take the initiative and go out of their way to look you up.

Ideally, there will be a link they can click on in the episode description, making their lives even easier.

There are many ways you can phrase your CTA, but one template could be, “to get the discount [or another incentive], go to our website at [website domain].”

An example for a personal trainer could be, “to get a free fitness evaluation, go to my website at www.fittrainer21.com and book a call!”

The host may (rather, they should), either do this for you or present an opportunity for you to bring up your CTA. But if they don’t, make sure you find a way to get your CTA in there.

A podcast that does this well is the Eventual Millionaire Podcast, where at the end of each episode, host Jamie Masters asks her guest where listeners can find them, presenting the perfect opportunity for a CTA.

Pitch Topics To Promote Your New Release Another way you can turn listeners into leads is to intrigue them with a preview of something new, like a:

Product

Service

Business

Book

Video, film or documentary

Your preview shouldn’t be the only thing you talk about on the podcast (unless that’s what the host wants). But if you can, pitch topics where it would make sense for either you or the host to promote your new offering.

Let’s say you own a beauty product company, and you are coming out with a new anti-wrinkle cream, a pitch could be “new ways to stop wrinkles.”

Throughout your appearance, you can talk about several different tips and tricks for keeping smooth skin, with one of them being your new product.

For examples of what this sounds like, check out Scheer Intelligence.

It’s a podcast hosted by journalist Robert Scheer where he interviews people who “through a lifetime of engagement with political issues, offer unique and often surprising perspectives on the day's most important issues,” according to the podcast description.

Frequently, his guests have recently published a book. The conversation doesn’t revolve around the book, however, but around topics related to it.

This allows Scheer and his guest to mention the book organically, hopefully peaking listeners’ interests and causing them to look up the author’s latest release.

In an episode of Scheer Intelligence titled “Lee Camp”, Scheer interviews Comedian Lee Camp, and through their discussions mention Camp’s new book “Bullet Points And Punch Lines.”

Promote Your Appearance Using Multiple Platforms

The host of the podcast is going to promote your appearance because they do it for every episode. It’s one of the ways they get people to listen to their podcast.

If they aren’t, that probably means they don’t have any listeners, and you shouldn’t waste your time with them.

But just because they are promoting your appearance, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t either!

Promoting your podcast appearance yourself will help for two reasons:

People will hear about your appearance: People aren’t going to listen to your podcast if they don’t know it exists, right? So by promoting it, more people will hear about it, expanding your audience and driving up listens. This will increase the episode’s authority among people who discover your appearance, as the number of listens is often an indicator of the quality of a podcast.

Promotion will help with SEO:You will also be creating a backlink to your podcast appearance by promoting it. A backlink is a link to an external site, page or content. And these are critical for SEO. They essentially serve as a stamp of approval from other people, which plays a significant factor in search engine’s algorithms.

So, promoting your podcast appearance increases awareness of its existence and improves its searchability, bringing it to the ears of more people who could potentially become leads!

You should use multiple platforms to promote your appearance, such as:

Social media (like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

Your website

In other content like a blog

PR releases

When promoting your appearance, you don’t have to come up with a crazy complicated campaign. Writing something simple will get the job done.

For example, you can send a tweet that says: “Hey, check out my appearance on the Entrepreneur's podcast! I discussed with host James Smith about starting my marketing company, and listeners can get access to an exclusive discount on their first month of my services!”

A good model to look at comes from when Edward Snowden appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience a podcast where Joe Rogan interviews various influential people- to talk about his book, Permanent Record. Snowden sent out promotional tweets after the appearance that were to the point but effective:

Tell A Story To Connect With The Audience

Podcasts are a great place not to just talk about your product, but your story as well.

Why should you tell your story?

Because people respond much more strongly and emotionally to stories than they do to product pitches.

A story will deepen listeners’ interest in you, making them more likely to look up you and your business, becoming a lead.

You can also write your story, but a podcast has the advantage of allowing people to hear your story coming from your voice, creating a stronger personal connection.

On your podcast appearance, you can talk about:

What inspired you to be in the field you are in

How you came up with your product idea

Your process starting your business

Anecdotes with lessons you’ve learned

Again, this comes down to your pitches to get on a podcast. When you pitch a story for a potential talking point for your appearance, be sure also to include why your story is beneficial for listeners to hear.

Ideally, there will be some kind of lesson in the story. A couple of examples could be:

A mistake you made and learned from- ex: My first company failed because I didn’t get enough investors in time, but it helped me learn how to be more persuasive in pitches to investors.

A change in your life- How waking up at 4:30 am every day increased my productivity and led to me starting my consulting firm.

To get an idea of how this sounds, listen to Stuart Goldsmith’s, The Comedian’s Comedian podcast.

Every episode, Goldsmith interviews a different stand-up comedian and they talk about things, like:

The comedic writing process

Stage presence

Tips for amateur comedians

But every episode, Goldsmith also asks them about how they got started in comedy.

In telling their origin story, the guest immediately becomes more personable and relatable than if they just bragged about how good their new stand-up tour is because you get to hear about their struggles and hardship.

Turn The Host Into A Lead

Yes, the host of the podcast you appear on can actually become a lead!

Think about it. They clearly are interested in your business and see value in you. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t be on their podcast.

Unfortunately, not every host will become a lead, because if you’re a marketing specialist on a marketing podcast, for example, the host probably won’t need your help.

But say you’re a marketing specialist on a podcast about starting businesses, the podcast host could potentially want your services.

So with every podcast you appear on, be sure to maintain a relationship with the host because you never know when they could become a client.

A real-life example occurred with Milotree’s Blogger Genius podcast, which is about successful bloggers and online entrepreneurs. SEO expert Deepak Shukla appeared as a guest on the podcast, which is hosted by Jillian Leslie, and Milotree later became a client of Shukla’s.

Improve Your SEO With A Backlink

As mentioned earlier, putting a backlink into the description makes it easier for listeners to get to your site.

Well, this backlink not only serves as a marketing channel to bring people to your site, but will also help improve your site’s search engine ranking, because again, backlinks are crucial to improving SEO.

Also, getting your name out there on more platforms, mediums, and spaces will boost your online presence and authority, increasing your searchability and lead generation even more!

So make sure you get a backlink in the description to one (or multiple) of your sites or profiles.The link can be for your:

Website

Social media

CTA landing page

Specific piece of content

One podcast that consistently gives their guests backlinks is the a16z podcast.

Hosted by Marc Andreesen and Ben Horowitz, the podcast is about what it is like to enter the world of startups and innovation. Their episode descriptions are pretty detailed, and always include links to their guest’s website(s).

On the episode titled “The Question of Education,” Dylan Field, CEO of Figma, appears as a guest, and there are links to the Figma website and some of its content.

Hire A Lead Generation Agency To Schedule Appearances

Don’t be afraid to get help!

Scheduling podcast appearances is not easy and will take a considerable amount of time and effort.

You’re also going to need to get on several podcasts to make it worth your time, probably 20 or more.

Hiring a professional lead generation service can help with the outreach process and scheduling appearances for you, leaving you more time to spend on nailing the interview. They will also:

Be more efficient at getting appearances

Have more contacts they can reach out to

Get you on podcasts that align with your target audience

Be able to get you on more podcasts

All of this will help you generate more leads faster.

An example of a company that does this is Pear Lemon Leads. They are an award-winning lead generation agency with a fantastic podcast outreach service that gets results.

Here is a case study on how they helped Amir Bormand, co-Founder of Elevano, get 12 podcast appearances in 2 months.

Conclusion

If you aren’t using podcast appearances to generate leads for your business, you have no excuse not to now.

It’s a great form of lead generation, and there are so many simple strategies you can use to maximize the number of leads you acquire from your appearances.

For a quick recap, here are 8 strategies you can use to increase how many leads you generate from podcast appearances:

Talk about topics to show you are an expert

Prepare a CTA with an incentive

Pitch topics to promote your new release

Promote your appearance using multiple platforms

Tell a story to connect with the audience

Turn the host into a lead

Improve your SEO with a backlink

Hire a lead generation agency to schedule appearances

So start getting on some podcasts and getting leads!

About the Author

Noah Carey is a content writer at Pearl Lemon Leads. He also attends the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies English, because he likes reading and writing, and runs for their track and field team because he likes running in circles.

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[thelmasirby32]

Six must-know international SEO tips to expand business

30-second summary:

Achieving online visibility on an international scale can be tricky, particularly when you factor in differences in language, culture, and search habits. It’s not a cookie-cutter approach where one size fits all across all regions. 

Chief Executive at Go Up Ltd, Edward Coram James shares a strategy to tackle the challenges of international SEO.

Right from picking an effective domain strategy to implementing localized link building, there’s more to discover.

The start of international expansion is an incredible milestone for any business, and gearing up to take your venture around the world will be one of the most exciting moments of your career. But just because your business is thriving at home doesn’t mean that it will be a success abroad. To achieve that, you’ll need to give attention to your international SEO strategy.  

Achieving online visibility on an international scale can be tricky, particularly when you factor in differences in language, culture, and search habits. It’s not a cookie-cutter approach where one size fits all across all regions. However, you’ll be more than ready to tackle the challenges of international SEO once you’ve followed these six must-know tips, and should soon see your business soaring in search rankings across the globe. 

1. Pick an effective domain strategy

A .com TLD is usually considered the cream of the crop when it comes to domains and the authority afforded to them by search engines. But this can be far too generic to attract international customers. Instead, your domain should clearly target your country of choice and show users around the world that your website is catered specifically to them. 

A ccTLD (for example, cocacola.fr) is often popular because the country code immediately shows users and search engines what the target country is. However, if you have multiple localized versions of the website across a number of ccTLDs, search engines will treat these as separate entities, meaning each domain will need to build up backlinks and authority from scratch.  

A subdirectory ( like nike.com/fr) maintains all your pre-existing SEO efforts as you’re simply adding a localized folder to your current domain. However, this risks causing internal cannibalization if different international landing pages are optimized for the same keywords, such as a US subfolder and an Australian subfolder where the language is largely the same.  

A subdomain (such as fr.airbnb.com) is often the default for CMS tools, but users are less likely to associate your site with their country as the country code comes first rather than last, meaning click-through-rates could take a hit. 

All domain strategies have pros and cons, so it’s important to ascertain how each option would work for your business specifically. Matthew Finn, one of the SEO specialists at Go Up, highlights several points that could determine your international domain strategy decision. Budget obviously comes into play—ccTLDs can be particularly expensive—and your branding could be a factor too.

As they explain: “If your company has a logo which features your domain, or brand guidelines which stipulate talking about your business as YourBrand.com, then a ccTLD wouldn’t work.” You also need to consider possible limitations of your CMS and current domain. For instance, subdirectories and subdomains only work with an existing generic top-level domain like .com. Look at the domain structures of competitors in your new target countries to see what Google favors. You might decide to use a combination of all three strategies to target different markets. 

2. Conduct localized keyword research

You may feel like you have a good understanding of your current audience’s search habits, but these keywords may not be popular across the board. Conducting localized keyword research will help you judge the online queries likely to serve you best in each country. 

This isn’t so difficult when you’re targeting other English speakers, though you still have to take slang and regional variations into account. For example, if you’re a shoe business going after an Australian audience, you would probably be better off targeting “thong” rather than “flip flop” keywords. This is especially relevant to voice search. 

Of course, things become more complicated when dealing with entirely different languages. You may not understand the words themselves and also need to consider how cultural context can impact intent. Findings from Webcertain showed significant differences between the search habits of US and Chinese users. Roughly 60% of US searches about chairs related to style and shape, yet only 20% of Chinese searches had the same intent. In fact, 5% more Chinese searches were action-based—what to do with the chair. Culture can hugely influence how people formulate their online queries and you can’t ignore this factor when choosing location-specific keywords. 

3. Don’t assume one language means one culture

One size does not fit all when it comes to international expansion, especially considering the diversity of languages. There are many differences in Standard Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, while there are plenty of Spanish variations spoken across North America, South America and the Caribbean, let alone the many regional dialects in Spain itself. You may think that translating your website into a “standard” language will enable you to connect with all relevant markets, but you risk alienating millions of potential customers if you don’t tailor your content to each target location. 

First of all, remember that idioms or colloquialisms may make sense in one place but not in another, even if the same language is spoken. If an Ireland-based furniture business used the word “press”, it’s highly unlikely any English-speakers outside the country would realize this referred to a kitchen cupboard.

Similarly, some words, images, and practices are accepted in one place but offensive in another. Though Arabic is the official language of both Morocco and Saudi Arabia, references to alcohol would only be permissible when targeting the former as drinking is forbidden in Saudi Arabia. You also need to use the correct measurements, currencies, and other details, which may vary from country to country regardless of language. French-speaking Canadians would be puzzled to see prices in euros rather than Canadian dollars. 

Errors like this could deter users and damage a business’s trust, authority, and click-through-rate. Therefore, it would be a huge mistake to focus on accurate translations without considering the unique historical and cultural factors making every place unique. Consulting people familiar with the nuances of each target location will ensure your content is suitable for all the potential customers living there. 

4. Think beyond Google

Google is normally the holy grail when it comes to all SEO efforts, but there may be other search engines to prioritize during international expansion. The majority of users in China and Russia, two of the largest markets in the world, direct the majority of their online queries to entirely different platforms, so focusing on Google alone could be detrimental to your visibility and profits. 

In Russia, the leading search engine is Yandex which holds 56% of the market share. This success has been put down to the search engine’s deeper understanding of Slavic languages. Meanwhile, Google has been blocked in China under the country’s Internet censorship policy. Most Chinese users conduct their online searches through Baidu, which held between 60-77% of the search engine market share in China during 2019. 

You can’t afford to ignore alternative search engines when targeting markets like these, and it’s also important to recognize each has its own unique algorithms. There will be some similarities—for example, Google, Yandex and Baidu all reward quality content—but you’ll need to be aware of the differences. Indexing can be very slow for both Yandex and Baidu which means it will take longer to see the benefits of your efforts, so long-term results should be the priority. Paid search is crucial to Baidu, as paid results are given much greater precedence than organic results. Meanwhile, Yandex still values meta keywords—a metric that Google removed from its ranking algorithm some time ago. 

5. Implement hreflang tags 

Hreflang tags signpost which languages and locations your pages are aimed at, helping Google to understand which version of a page is most appropriate for its users. For example, if someone in Paris typed in a search term relevant to your product page, an hreflang tag signals to Google that the French version of the page should appear in search results.  

To target users as accurately as possible, you should include hreflang tags for both language and region. For instance, an ‘en’ tag shows Google that your page is for all English speakers, but you could also add tags to emphasize the specific geographic locations you’re targeting, en-ca for English speakers in Canada and en-us for English speakers in the US. It’s crucial you use the correct codes—for instance, the UK is ‘gb’ rather than ‘uk’—and a hreflang tag generator like this one recommended by Moz could help minimize mistakes.  

6. Start localized link building

Just as with any domestic SEO strategy, links are essential in building the authority of your website within a target locale. To elevate your brand in local search, it’s vital to source links from local platforms within your industry. The more hyperlocal, the better. For example, if you’re opening a new hotel in Berlin, links from travel platforms in the German capital will be more valuable than those in Munich or Hamburg. 

Seek out journalistic opportunities and serve as a source of expertise, guest post on influential sites within a region, and use social channels to build connections with local influencers and businesses. It’s also recommended that you use a translator or someone accustomed to the language and customs of a target region to handle the outreach. The more you extend your brand in a target market, the more you will be rewarded with high authority backlinks. 

Edward Coram James is an SEO professional and the Chief Executive at Go Up Ltd, an international agency dedicated to helping its clients navigate the complexities of global SEO and the technical aspects of delivering location-specific pages to targeted audiences.

The post Six must-know international SEO tips to expand business appeared first on Search Engine Watch.

from Digital Marketing News https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2020/06/03/six-must-know-international-seo-tips-for-expanding-businesses/

[douglassmiith]

Best Practices for Marketing During and After COVID-19

May 10, 2020 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A global crisis can either paralyze a marketing team or galvanize it to thrive. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s exactly what we’re seeing: some companies are cutting back on marketing agency (in some instances, laying off the entire marketing agency team), while others are being more agile and coming up with interesting ways of engaging their audience during these difficult times. 

If you want to stay in business, you can’t stay idle for long. As a business owner myself, I understand why many entrepreneurs would want to cut down completely on marketing agency activities. Being conservative feels like the safe choice when there’s uncertainly about how long the crisis will last. But we have to balance financial responsibility with the need to keep consumers informed and engaged when things get tough.

Related: 5 Ways Brands Can Reinvent Their Digital Marketing Strategy

In fact, long-term studies show that the right approach during economic uncertainty is to increase — not decrease —  your marketing spend. The last thing you want is to be caught flat-footed and find yourself lagging your competitors when the economy revs up again.

For the most part, consumers are receptive to some marketing agency at this time. A recent study from the American Association of Advertising Agencies found that 43% of consumers find it reassuring to hear from brands. In addition, 56% said they like learning how brands are helping their communities during the pandemic. Only 15% said they’d rather not hear from companies.

That said, marketing agency during these times requires sensitivity to what’s going on in people’s lives and the flexibility to keep up with swift and swooping changes.

Start with customer empathy

COVID-19’s impact on consumer behaviors and attitudes cannot be understated. An ongoing study we’re conducting with our sister company Reach3 Insights recently found that 76% have recently picked up new habits, behaviors and routines in the wake of COVID-19. Of those people, 89% said they plan on keeping some of their new habits. Consumers are also trying new products, with 36% planning to continue using new brands they’ve tried after COVID-19.

Now is not the time to rely on assumptions. Any data you have from 6 weeks ago—let alone 6 months ago—is already out of date. As the consulting firm Gartner recently advised, CMOs must be proactive in monitoring changes to customer behaviors and purchasing needs while the crisis is unfolding.

Related: 3 Tips for Marketing a Service Business

Businesses must move forward but do so with genuine empathy. Marketers can help C-suite executives take the right action by acting as a lighthouse for consumer understanding. Many companies already have existing Voice of Customer and research programs—these can be leveraged at this time to uncover the emotions underlying people’s shifting attitudes and behaviors. Doubling down on customer engagement and listening programs can help provide insights on how to best move forward.

Tell relevant, authentic stories — and give, give, give

Impressively, some brands have already produced compelling campaigns that speak to the realities of the pandemic. Dove, for example, created a spot shining a light on the courage of health care workers. Some brands, like Budweiser and Burger King, are focusing on social distancing and encouraging people to do their part by staying home. One of my favorites is Sam’s Club, which recently created a 60-second spot thanking its employees and calling them “retail heroes.”

It’s great to see creativity in storytelling at this time, but marketers must push their companies to do even more. This is the time to pay it forward and provide as much value as possible to your customers and communities.

Every organization and person has the capacity to contribute in their own way. The most important question companies should ask themselves is this: “what can I do to help?”

Giving back can take several forms. For instance, Jägermeister is hosting a virtual event to help raise funds for New York restaurant owners. In tech, companies like Apple quickly mobilized their resources to produce much-needed PPEs. In my home country of Canada, big-box retailers such as Loblaw and Save-on-Foods have increased the wages of their front-line staff to show appreciation for their efforts. Following the lead of many software companies, Nike has temporarily eliminated its subscription fees for its app to help people stay fit while quarantining.

These moves transcend marketing agency and may not increase sales immediately, but they’ll build goodwill and help drive long-term loyalty. Giving back is simply the right thing to do. The faster the world can beat the COVID-19 pandemic, the better chance all companies have in surviving the crisis.

Be agile for the new normal

Some entrepreneurs and marketers are holding off action, thinking that things will be back to “normal” in a few weeks or months. I do not hold the same view.

Related: 4 Ways Solopreneurs Can Strengthen Their Businesses Through Marketing

For one, some scientists are predicting that some form of social distancing may need to happen until 2022. That’s a long time to put any type of marketing agency on hold. A more important consideration is the fact that the pandemic will have a long-term effect on the psyche and outlook of consumers. In our own COVID-19 study, 86% of Americans and 81% of Canadians agreed that the crisis will create a new normal and have a lasting impact on society.

Regardless of how long the crisis actually lasts, COVID-19 will forever change the consumer landscape. After this comes to pass, companies can’t go back to their old playbooks. Personas, messaging and even your product strategy may need to significantly evolve for the realities of the post-COVID-19 world.

For various reasons, some CMOs are hesitant to engage consumers in research at this time. But as Gartner’s Frances Russell points out in a recent article, many marketers who have deployed surveys specifically about COVID-19’s impact on customer experience have seen actionable responses. We see this in our own research as well: Not only are people answering our conversational chat surveys, they are also providing detailed selfie videos, which is really helping us and our clients and partners understand the human impact of the pandemic.

The bottom line is that fresh data and accurate insights have never been more important. In these uncharted territories, relying on instincts alone is dangerous. If you haven’t reached out to your customers in the past month, now’s the time to do so.

While it’s important to recognize the uncertainties and fears surrounding COVID-19, don’t let this crisis paralyze you. Enabling your team to really understand your customers and act based on timely insights is key to navigating your way through this crisis both for your marketing agency team and your company.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

Via http://www.scpie.org/best-practices-for-marketing-during-and-after-covid-19/

source https://scpie.weebly.com/blog/best-practices-for-marketing-during-and-after-covid-19

[riichardwilson]

Best Practices for Marketing During and After COVID-19

May 10, 2020 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A global crisis can either paralyze a marketing team or galvanize it to thrive. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s exactly what we’re seeing: some companies are cutting back on marketing agency (in some instances, laying off the entire marketing agency team), while others are being more agile and coming up with interesting ways of engaging their audience during these difficult times. 

If you want to stay in business, you can’t stay idle for long. As a business owner myself, I understand why many entrepreneurs would want to cut down completely on marketing agency activities. Being conservative feels like the safe choice when there’s uncertainly about how long the crisis will last. But we have to balance financial responsibility with the need to keep consumers informed and engaged when things get tough.

Related: 5 Ways Brands Can Reinvent Their Digital Marketing Strategy

In fact, long-term studies show that the right approach during economic uncertainty is to increase — not decrease —  your marketing spend. The last thing you want is to be caught flat-footed and find yourself lagging your competitors when the economy revs up again.

For the most part, consumers are receptive to some marketing agency at this time. A recent study from the American Association of Advertising Agencies found that 43% of consumers find it reassuring to hear from brands. In addition, 56% said they like learning how brands are helping their communities during the pandemic. Only 15% said they’d rather not hear from companies.

That said, marketing agency during these times requires sensitivity to what’s going on in people’s lives and the flexibility to keep up with swift and swooping changes.

Start with customer empathy

COVID-19’s impact on consumer behaviors and attitudes cannot be understated. An ongoing study we’re conducting with our sister company Reach3 Insights recently found that 76% have recently picked up new habits, behaviors and routines in the wake of COVID-19. Of those people, 89% said they plan on keeping some of their new habits. Consumers are also trying new products, with 36% planning to continue using new brands they’ve tried after COVID-19.

Now is not the time to rely on assumptions. Any data you have from 6 weeks ago—let alone 6 months ago—is already out of date. As the consulting firm Gartner recently advised, CMOs must be proactive in monitoring changes to customer behaviors and purchasing needs while the crisis is unfolding.

Related: 3 Tips for Marketing a Service Business

Businesses must move forward but do so with genuine empathy. Marketers can help C-suite executives take the right action by acting as a lighthouse for consumer understanding. Many companies already have existing Voice of Customer and research programs—these can be leveraged at this time to uncover the emotions underlying people’s shifting attitudes and behaviors. Doubling down on customer engagement and listening programs can help provide insights on how to best move forward.

Tell relevant, authentic stories — and give, give, give

Impressively, some brands have already produced compelling campaigns that speak to the realities of the pandemic. Dove, for example, created a spot shining a light on the courage of health care workers. Some brands, like Budweiser and Burger King, are focusing on social distancing and encouraging people to do their part by staying home. One of my favorites is Sam’s Club, which recently created a 60-second spot thanking its employees and calling them “retail heroes.”

It’s great to see creativity in storytelling at this time, but marketers must push their companies to do even more. This is the time to pay it forward and provide as much value as possible to your customers and communities.

Every organization and person has the capacity to contribute in their own way. The most important question companies should ask themselves is this: “what can I do to help?”

Giving back can take several forms. For instance, Jägermeister is hosting a virtual event to help raise funds for New York restaurant owners. In tech, companies like Apple quickly mobilized their resources to produce much-needed PPEs. In my home country of Canada, big-box retailers such as Loblaw and Save-on-Foods have increased the wages of their front-line staff to show appreciation for their efforts. Following the lead of many software companies, Nike has temporarily eliminated its subscription fees for its app to help people stay fit while quarantining.

These moves transcend marketing agency and may not increase sales immediately, but they’ll build goodwill and help drive long-term loyalty. Giving back is simply the right thing to do. The faster the world can beat the COVID-19 pandemic, the better chance all companies have in surviving the crisis.

Be agile for the new normal

Some entrepreneurs and marketers are holding off action, thinking that things will be back to “normal” in a few weeks or months. I do not hold the same view.

Related: 4 Ways Solopreneurs Can Strengthen Their Businesses Through Marketing

For one, some scientists are predicting that some form of social distancing may need to happen until 2022. That’s a long time to put any type of marketing agency on hold. A more important consideration is the fact that the pandemic will have a long-term effect on the psyche and outlook of consumers. In our own COVID-19 study, 86% of Americans and 81% of Canadians agreed that the crisis will create a new normal and have a lasting impact on society.

Regardless of how long the crisis actually lasts, COVID-19 will forever change the consumer landscape. After this comes to pass, companies can’t go back to their old playbooks. Personas, messaging and even your product strategy may need to significantly evolve for the realities of the post-COVID-19 world.

For various reasons, some CMOs are hesitant to engage consumers in research at this time. But as Gartner’s Frances Russell points out in a recent article, many marketers who have deployed surveys specifically about COVID-19’s impact on customer experience have seen actionable responses. We see this in our own research as well: Not only are people answering our conversational chat surveys, they are also providing detailed selfie videos, which is really helping us and our clients and partners understand the human impact of the pandemic.

The bottom line is that fresh data and accurate insights have never been more important. In these uncharted territories, relying on instincts alone is dangerous. If you haven’t reached out to your customers in the past month, now’s the time to do so.

While it’s important to recognize the uncertainties and fears surrounding COVID-19, don’t let this crisis paralyze you. Enabling your team to really understand your customers and act based on timely insights is key to navigating your way through this crisis both for your marketing agency team and your company.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/best-practices-for-marketing-during-and-after-covid-19/ source https://scpie.tumblr.com/post/617768617370599424

[laurelkrugerr]

Best Practices for Marketing During and After COVID-19

May 10, 2020 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A global crisis can either paralyze a marketing team or galvanize it to thrive. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s exactly what we’re seeing: some companies are cutting back on marketing agency (in some instances, laying off the entire marketing agency team), while others are being more agile and coming up with interesting ways of engaging their audience during these difficult times. 

If you want to stay in business, you can’t stay idle for long. As a business owner myself, I understand why many entrepreneurs would want to cut down completely on marketing agency activities. Being conservative feels like the safe choice when there’s uncertainly about how long the crisis will last. But we have to balance financial responsibility with the need to keep consumers informed and engaged when things get tough.

Related: 5 Ways Brands Can Reinvent Their Digital Marketing Strategy

In fact, long-term studies show that the right approach during economic uncertainty is to increase — not decrease —  your marketing spend. The last thing you want is to be caught flat-footed and find yourself lagging your competitors when the economy revs up again.

For the most part, consumers are receptive to some marketing agency at this time. A recent study from the American Association of Advertising Agencies found that 43% of consumers find it reassuring to hear from brands. In addition, 56% said they like learning how brands are helping their communities during the pandemic. Only 15% said they’d rather not hear from companies.

That said, marketing agency during these times requires sensitivity to what’s going on in people’s lives and the flexibility to keep up with swift and swooping changes.

Start with customer empathy

COVID-19’s impact on consumer behaviors and attitudes cannot be understated. An ongoing study we’re conducting with our sister company Reach3 Insights recently found that 76% have recently picked up new habits, behaviors and routines in the wake of COVID-19. Of those people, 89% said they plan on keeping some of their new habits. Consumers are also trying new products, with 36% planning to continue using new brands they’ve tried after COVID-19.

Now is not the time to rely on assumptions. Any data you have from 6 weeks ago—let alone 6 months ago—is already out of date. As the consulting firm Gartner recently advised, CMOs must be proactive in monitoring changes to customer behaviors and purchasing needs while the crisis is unfolding.

Related: 3 Tips for Marketing a Service Business

Businesses must move forward but do so with genuine empathy. Marketers can help C-suite executives take the right action by acting as a lighthouse for consumer understanding. Many companies already have existing Voice of Customer and research programs—these can be leveraged at this time to uncover the emotions underlying people’s shifting attitudes and behaviors. Doubling down on customer engagement and listening programs can help provide insights on how to best move forward.

Tell relevant, authentic stories — and give, give, give

Impressively, some brands have already produced compelling campaigns that speak to the realities of the pandemic. Dove, for example, created a spot shining a light on the courage of health care workers. Some brands, like Budweiser and Burger King, are focusing on social distancing and encouraging people to do their part by staying home. One of my favorites is Sam’s Club, which recently created a 60-second spot thanking its employees and calling them “retail heroes.”

It’s great to see creativity in storytelling at this time, but marketers must push their companies to do even more. This is the time to pay it forward and provide as much value as possible to your customers and communities.

Every organization and person has the capacity to contribute in their own way. The most important question companies should ask themselves is this: “what can I do to help?”

Giving back can take several forms. For instance, Jägermeister is hosting a virtual event to help raise funds for New York restaurant owners. In tech, companies like Apple quickly mobilized their resources to produce much-needed PPEs. In my home country of Canada, big-box retailers such as Loblaw and Save-on-Foods have increased the wages of their front-line staff to show appreciation for their efforts. Following the lead of many software companies, Nike has temporarily eliminated its subscription fees for its app to help people stay fit while quarantining.

These moves transcend marketing agency and may not increase sales immediately, but they’ll build goodwill and help drive long-term loyalty. Giving back is simply the right thing to do. The faster the world can beat the COVID-19 pandemic, the better chance all companies have in surviving the crisis.

Be agile for the new normal

Some entrepreneurs and marketers are holding off action, thinking that things will be back to “normal” in a few weeks or months. I do not hold the same view.

Related: 4 Ways Solopreneurs Can Strengthen Their Businesses Through Marketing

For one, some scientists are predicting that some form of social distancing may need to happen until 2022. That’s a long time to put any type of marketing agency on hold. A more important consideration is the fact that the pandemic will have a long-term effect on the psyche and outlook of consumers. In our own COVID-19 study, 86% of Americans and 81% of Canadians agreed that the crisis will create a new normal and have a lasting impact on society.

Regardless of how long the crisis actually lasts, COVID-19 will forever change the consumer landscape. After this comes to pass, companies can’t go back to their old playbooks. Personas, messaging and even your product strategy may need to significantly evolve for the realities of the post-COVID-19 world.

For various reasons, some CMOs are hesitant to engage consumers in research at this time. But as Gartner’s Frances Russell points out in a recent article, many marketers who have deployed surveys specifically about COVID-19’s impact on customer experience have seen actionable responses. We see this in our own research as well: Not only are people answering our conversational chat surveys, they are also providing detailed selfie videos, which is really helping us and our clients and partners understand the human impact of the pandemic.

The bottom line is that fresh data and accurate insights have never been more important. In these uncharted territories, relying on instincts alone is dangerous. If you haven’t reached out to your customers in the past month, now’s the time to do so.

While it’s important to recognize the uncertainties and fears surrounding COVID-19, don’t let this crisis paralyze you. Enabling your team to really understand your customers and act based on timely insights is key to navigating your way through this crisis both for your marketing agency team and your company.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/best-practices-for-marketing-during-and-after-covid-19/ source https://scpie1.blogspot.com/2020/05/best-practices-for-marketing-during-and.html