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    Category: Marketing Strategies

    Digital marketing techniques that hold the most value for business owners

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Your online presence is essential, regardless of whether you’re starting a new e-commerce business or simply taking over from a previous owner. While the 2020 year has brought about a lot of changes, the only change to online shopping is that it has become more important than ever before, as more customers are flocking to the web to make their essential purchases. We’re in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s your job to keep on top of your digital marketing efforts to ensure that you prosper in the years to come. Here are some techniques that we recommend. 

    Understanding your audience

    As a growing, e-commerce business owner, one of the most important aspects of operation resides in knowing who your customers are. An engaged audience is key, regardless of whether you’re a startup business or you’ve been in the industry for years. For those who are hoping to better relate to your audience, this would require narrowing your content to meet the needs of that demographic, which as a result, will allow you to cater your digital marketing efforts towards campaigns that understand their pains, problems, and priorities. It could be as simple as communicating a compelling message that encourages a prospecting customer to purchase your product. However, it often involves digging a little deeper into the shopping habits of your target audience. 

    If you’re looking for professional digital marketing services that satisfy the above objectives, have a word with a member of the Trek Marketing team to get started. 

    Email marketing is booming

    One of the most cost-efficient, professional digital marketing services available is email marketing. Why is this? It’s because this type of digital service bridges the gap between generations. Pretty much everyone nowadays has an email, aside from using them to communicate with loved ones, most enjoy receiving special discounts from the online businesses they subscribe to. After all, who doesn’t love a good deal? However, the best part about email marketing is a quicker return-on-investment (ROI). While many professional digital marketing services take time to generate revenue, business owners can see the money that’s being made from a good email right away! Emails also help to create brand awareness, which translates to more valuable traffic leads down the road.

    Search engine optimization helps to increase your ranking

    Even if you have the most aesthetically-pleasing website, if you aren’t able to increase your search ranking, shoppers will have a hard time finding your online business. So, while there are many e-commerce entrepreneurs that don’t understand SEO, most invest in this content creating, link-building service! Since SEO involves a variety of crucial tactics, such as an initial audit, ongoing research, on-page optimization, and link building, it’s far easier to hire a professional to help you achieve your search result goals! 

    Don’t forget to be socially involved

    Social media marketing has become an integral part of professional digital marketing strategies for businesses. Its importance is huge in helping e-commerce companies expand their following, as many small businesses start gaining traction through positive reviews and customer word-of-mouth. Needless to say, building your brand involves consistency and relevance in the quality of content you publish. That’s why many e-commerce business owners seek professional digital marketing to help utilize tools that are available on social platforms, create a vibrant posting schedule, and cross-share their content. 

    Blogging adds value too 

    While many e-commerce business owners often overlook blogging, we believe that it holds great value in the expansion of your reach to potential customers. Blogging allows you to establish credibility for your business, inputting regular entries that offer insightful information, as well as take a sales-based approach. Keeping in mind that it’s essential that you create a regular posting schedule (once a week is ideal), unless you’re full of industry ideas, many look to professional resources to create ongoing website content.  

    Can you think of other digital marketing techniques that have added major value to your online business? Drop a comment below to share. 

    Are you looking for some SEO tips to boost rankings?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While most e-commerce business owners possess a rough understanding of how search engine optimization (SEO) affects their presence, many aren’t knowledgeable enough to increase their online rankings, which is why industry experts are needed to improve the quality of traffic and clicks. Nevertheless, with so much lucrative information available at your fingertips there are still some tasks that you can undertake to help your business crawl to the top, and if all efforts fail, an SEO agency for e-commerce who’s ready to swoop in and do all the work for you. 

    Tip #1: Focus on structured data 

    Since there are an abundance of websites that Google is crawling, the best way for this search engine to understand what each is about is through structured data giving purpose and meaning to each page. 

    Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying that page’s content. For example, a page displaying a recipe would include a section containing the ingredient list, another that explains the cooking time, and possibly even further subsections to describe prep, the number of calories, and so on. 

    An SEO agency for e-commerce would track to ensure that each markup is handled correctly, and follow recommendations by Google to review the companies’ online documents and monitor changes that may be needed. Tracking search engine results page (SERP) feature placements over time will also allow them to improve when there is a drop and help them to better understand if the structured data is working to the brand’s advantage. 

    Tip #2: Monitor backlinks

    While having more backlinks doesn’t always mean that your website will rank higher, an SEO agency for e-commerce will ensure that high-quality backlinks are produced, which is proven to be beneficial in boosting SEO rankings. 

    As you are likely aware, Google focuses on the authority and authenticity of every website linking to your domain, and if there are any spammy sites in that list, your ranking could be impacted negatively. These red flags are bad news for your SEO strategy efforts, so it’s always advisable to keep track of who is linking back to your website and monitor the quality of those links. 

    Tip #3: Create skyscraper content 

    Skyscraper content involves a little investigative work where you seek out already high-performing content in your niche and use it to create something better. Then, shamelessly promote it to your audience! However, since this tip involves a lot of legwork to have it done correctly, most business owners hire an SEO agency for e-commerce to handle everything involved in seeking and writing this type of specialized content. 

    Needless to say, for the go-getters, here are some tips to getting started:

    • Find out who your competitors are on Google
    • Discover which keywords best relate to your niche business
    • Add details to your website’s pages and create comprehensive posts about the topics above
    • Get insights from industry experts so that you’re able to add more value to your posts
    • Be sure to review analytics to see which content topics did well
    • Re-work your content to make it more digestible by using things like videos and infographics 

    The key to developing good skyscraper content is to get creative and make something better than anything readers and/or shoppers have ever seen before.

    Which of the above tips will you be trying out first? Drop a comment below to start a conversation with other readers. 

    Common digital marketing mistakes to avoid as an entrepreneur

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Since it’s difficult to guarantee which investments will generate a consistent return, e-commerce business owners will often face marketing hurdles where they will struggle to see profitable results. So, whether you’re looking for help with various digital marketing activities or simply want assurance that you’re on the road to success, an assortment of digital marketing services are available at your fingertips. But first, here are some common mistakes you should avoid!

    Didn’t formulate a digital strategy

    While it would be silly to not utilize the power of social media for marketing purposes, most business owners use their channels to publish a stream of over-promotional content that generates little engagement, which is not beneficial for the time that it takes to perform the task. Any form of return in digital marketing requires the development of a coherent strategy that will underpin business objectives and push forward likable, inviting content. Focusing on posts that highlight keywords via pay-per-click advertising or only crafting brand-related content won’t get you the results that you’re looking for. This is why the best thing you can do is to take the time to understand your target audience and research how they engage with the channels you’re using because this will help you to narrow your focus and avoid wasn’t money by moving forward with no strategy in place.

    There are digital marketing services that can offer you help with all of the above and what’s even better is that hiring a social media manager is a cost-effective way to combine research and content creation with the added bonus of customer service. 

    Don’t cut your spend, move it around

    There are a lot of opportunities for growth in digital marketing, and as a result, common issues are faced by business owners. There’s a belief that return-on-investment (ROI) should come immediately after the trial of a small Google ad or a one-time SEO campaign, but often these investments take time to make money. So, instead of swiftly cutting your spend, consider moving it around to another digital platform that may produce more return. The best thing to do is evaluate your marketing budget, see what is and isn’t working, and increase in the areas where you’re seeing conversions. 

    Consult with a member of the Trek Marketing team to determine which digital marketing services would offer the best ROI for your e-commerce business. 

    Keep pace with the digital marketing trends

    E-commerce businesses have ramped up the use of trending features such as more video content and Chatbots, and have also increased their presence on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. So, if you want to remain competitive in your industry, you will need to keep on track of what’s engaging your target audience. The best way to implement and manage an effective digital marketing strategy is to constantly evaluate what’s working, allowing you to make positive changes and push forward in the areas that will generate a higher return. It’s also important to learn from your competition, remain focused on your growth, and keep in mind that building your business will be a long-term game of trial and error. 

    Not Knowing Your Target Market

    One of the most effective strategies in marketing your products or services is profoundly understanding your customer’s pain points and what type of person is more likely to be interested in what you’re trying to offer. Formulating a buyer persona is an excellent strategy used by professional marketers to streamline their target and know what type of people they are trying to aim. 

    Knowing your target market is as important as anything else, especially in advancing technology today. Social algorithms already have much more data than ever before about their users’ interests, hobbies, and even buying behavior. Therefore, having a deeper understanding of your target market allows you to maximize your campaign’s efficiency and even take advantage of sophisticated digital tools in today’s online business world.

    Failure to Track Measurable Goals and Milestones to Hit

    Many entrepreneurs have been successful in their business in the digital space but staying successful is a whole different conversation. In most cases, even a thriving business at its early stages could quickly lose track of its progress because of failing to track its progress and setting goals to target. 

    The e-commerce business is continuously ramping up, meaning you also have to step up your game and never lose sight of your improving your business as a whole to stay relevant to the market. Tracking your progress through statistical analytics by digital services allows you to have a leg up on your competition and gradually improve your online business over time.

    Not Flexible Enough to Try and Test Different Strategies

    There is no shortage of digital marketing strategies that effectively ramp up your engagement, traffic, or even sales almost instantly. While there’s a value in staying consistent about your current method that has already been working for you, being open to other opportunities would open up so many doors for your business, especially in a constantly evolving world.

    An Entrepreneur’s ability to do trial and error, whether through specific marketing campaigns, trying out new digital strategies, or other things, is a massive advantage for taking advantage of opportunities ahead of you. It is likely that an effective digital marketing strategy from just six months ago now could no longer be relevant today. That is why it’s best to keep being updated and allow yourself to try out new things that might or might not work for the sake of the business. This is a common trait for thriving businesses in today’s world.

    Focused on blending in instead of standing out amongst your competition

    Another common mistake for up-and-coming entrepreneurs trying to find their success in the digital space is focusing too much on blending in instead of finding ways to stand out. The reason behind this is to remind you that you’re in the business of offering products/services that are distinctly unique from what the market already has to offer.

    Unrealistic Overnight Success Expectations

    Setting goals and targets are excellent, but expecting unrealistic results over a short amount of time is detrimental and could hold your online business success even further down the line. There is nothing wrong with high-ambitions and having the confidence that your product or service online would do well. However, patience is a huge thing, especially when entering a highly competitive market. 

    Understand that you’re not the only one who’s trying to get a fair share of the market and that you’ll have to earn it gradually with patience and wit if you want your business to thrive. A good rule of thumb when it comes to setting expectations is to set goals that are hard enough to keep you going but aren’t too challenging and leave you in a slump. Small wins, whether in sales, engagements, followers, or any progress in your digital marketing pursuit, get you going and are much more effective for sustainable growth instead of unrealistic expectations.

    Failure to Adapt to New and Updated Strategies

    Keeping an eye on and constantly updating your digital marketing strategies is a huge plus for your e-commerce store to stay relevant to your chosen niche market. Many factors may impact how well a particular digital system might or might not work, so it’s always best to keep open and flexible for future adjustments.

    Undervaluing the Power of Customer Reviews and Feedback

    Online Reviews and Customer Feedback is an excellent social proof and way to get more traction on your e-commerce business. However, not many entrepreneurs understand the value of having honest feedback from customers, whether good or bad and how it could impact your business as a whole.

    Genuinely listening to what your customers like about your products and what they dislike gives you ideas on improving your business. Businesses that listen to their customers will likely have their way to building their community and engagement over time.

    What did you learn from the above blog submission? Drop a comment in the section below to converse with other readers. 

    How to market your website’s Cyber Monday sale

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Every business wants to capitalize on holidays that have a crazy shopping demand, which is why the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday and the holiday season are where many e-commerce companies see an influx in purchases. While it’s never too late to re-work your holiday digital marketing strategy, the sooner you start making changes, the sooner you will be able to see the results. 

    Send out emails to create a buzz of interest 

    If your business is planning to host a Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday sale, we recommend sending a couple of emails for each of your outreach sequences. Often subscribers will see new promotions show up in their inboxes, but it may take some different type of copy to entice them to click over another potential shopper. So, if email one doesn’t do the trick, there’s further opportunity throughout your promotion to reach your target audience. 

    What are some ways that you can get a higher response to your sales email?

    • Write a strong subject line
    • Avoid using spammy words such as “final” or “reminder”
    • Include relevant copy in the body
    • Add a call-to-action (CTA) in the closing copy
    • Include a professional signature and/or logo 

    Update your social profiles to notify followers 

    While posting a custom image on your social feeds the week before your promotion is a good incentive for followers to engage, if you really want to notify your target audience that a big sale is approaching, consider developing a holiday digital marketing strategy which would include a lengthy countdown to the big event. So, in terms of BF, SBS, and CM, you should start advertising for this weekend-long sale by November 20th, but preparing your materials now. 

    Here are some effective ways to drive up your sales using social media: 

    • Use a variety of social channels
    • Create content that isn’t too salesy or pushy
    • Make it easy to purchase right from your social posts
    • Create a sense of brand awareness by pre-posting about your promotions
    • Utilize channel specialties (I.e. Instagram stories and shoppable posts)

    Strengthen your SEO to increase organic traffic 

    Search engine optimization (SEO) should be an essential element in your holiday digital marketing strategy. Since the majority of consumers are using search engines like Google to find new brands, products, and services, it’s very important for small business owners to invest in the tools that can improve their ranking. Since there are many different factors to consider when climbing the organic ladder, improving your ranking (especially in a short period of time) can be a challenging task. 

    Use the following tips to improve your reach online: 

    • Use clever keywords 
    • Write thought-provoking content
    • Grow your reach with social media
    • Utilize your local environment to gain traction
    • Optimize for mobile traffic
    • Professionally manage your reputation 
    • Develop and integrate a strategy that will keep you on track 

    Since there are only a few weeks left before the craze of holiday shopping commences, have a word with our team to see how we can help launch a holiday digital marketing strategy for your business. 

    Which of the above suggestions does your business need more help with? Compare it with other readers in the comments section below.  

    Tapping into success: Which offers the best ROI? Google or Facebook ads?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Google Ads and Facebook Ads have a longstanding rivalry and when it comes down to your return on investment (ROI), it’s essential to invest in the right platform that will generate ad revenue. A professional digital marketing agency would easily be able to determine which platform would work best for your business, but for those who have been in the game for a while, you may possess enough knowledge to kick things off yourself. Continue reading to learn the differences between these two advertising platforms.  

    Google Ads versus Facebook Ads

    While you were probably drawn to this blog submission looking for a definitive answer, we’re here to tell you that there really isn’t a “best” option, because both platforms perform differently from one another, bringing unique benefits to the table for online businesses. 

    Instead, try asking yourself the following questions before you invest money into either digital marketing effort: 

    • What is my budget for digital advertising?
    • Which platform would better reach my target audience?
    • What stage of the consumer’s buying journey am I trying to make a profit on?

    Since most internet users regularly utilize both of the following platforms, it’s more important to channel your pay-per-click advertising services towards efforts that focus on the age, income range, and lifestyle of your audience. Thus, to increase your ROI it’s important to break down what makes each platform unique before you make your final decision towards rolling with one or both. 

    A breakdown of Google advertising

    As businesses grow and transition to the online realm, customers have more choices now than ever before on where to make their purchases. Although, to be a successful business owner, one must deliver and retain customer interest at every stage of their browsing experience. Thus, many e-commerce companies rely on Google!

    What types of campaigns can you run using the Google platform?

    • Search network campaigns
    • Display network campaigns
    • Google Shopping Ads 
    • Video campaigns 
    • App campaigns 

    Facilitating purchases is one of the many perks of the Google platform, and through pay-per-click advertising services, business owners have been able to approach their audience with the use of industry keywords within their content, only paying for the service when their ad is clicked by the consumer. This technique is an efficient method that’s super popular for those looking to expand their digital marketing efforts. 

    A breakdown of Facebook advertising

    While Google Ads focus on paid searching, Facebook Ads are all about paid social, targeting audience behaviors and patterns to make each advertisement effective and personal. 

    Below are some formats of ads that can be done through Facebook:

    • Video advertising
    • Photo advertising
    • Slideshow advertising
    • Carousel advertising
    • Dynamic product advertising
    • Lead form advertising

    What are the ROI benefits of each platform?

    While both platforms work as channels to utilize pay-per-click advertising services, they also offer different benefits to the business owner.

    Benefits of Google Ads:

    1. You can bid on a number of keywords and get your ads to rank higher, reach new people, and increase your exposure. 
    2. You’re able to earn higher SERP (search engine results page) rankings by creating relevant ads. 
    3. The search and display networks help you to create ads that will appear in search results and generate more leads.

    Benefits of Facebook Ads:

    1. Consumers are always sharing information about themselves on Facebook (interests, beliefs, hobbies, etc.) and you can use this to collect data on your target audience.
    2. Once you have collected a database of people that are likely to be interested in your products or services, you can import it into Facebook and target those people using your ad campaigns. 
    3. Earn sign-ups, sales, subscriptions, follows, and leads. 

    Which platform are you most excited about? Drop a comment below to compare with other readers. 

    How to properly plan for your Halloween marketing promotions

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    The spooky season is in full swing and with All Hallow’s Eve approaching, you should be orchestrating a digital marketing strategy that embellishes all the chills and thrills of your business. While this autumnal holiday doesn’t involve gifting presents, consumers love a company that decorates their websites with festive charm, and even better, plans some ghoulish promotions to show off their holiday spirit! Below are some ideas that you can use to spiff up your online marketing. 

    Send out a spook-tacular newsletter

    For those of you who are equipped with an email list and customizable template, now is the time to use newsletters as a means for showing off your Halloween spirit. Whether you decide to slot in some products that embellish a ghoulish charm or you simply host a seasonal promotion with access to an exclusive coupon code or discount, whatever you’re offering should encourage shoppers to carry out purchases and skillfully align with the season. 

    If you’re unsure of how to get started consider hire a digital marketing professional to carefully craft your Halloween email. If you don’t possess a list or an email design, it’s likely too last minute to have this task completed by Halloween, but you can look to other upcoming holidays and have a web development professional ensure that you’re sorted with everything your website needs. 

    Host a chilling contest on Facebook or Instagram

    While there are tons of opportunities for your business to utilize social media to gain consumer attention, Facebook and Instagram are great channels for visual promotions. So, as one of the best ways to engage with your audience, we recommend hosting a contest to sanction the start of the spooky season. This could include elements where you ask your customers to submit photos of their favourite Halloween-related activities, carved jack-o-lanterns, or party foods and the chosen winner would receive a special discount code to use towards their next purchase. Be sure to include rules such as, “must follow all of our social media accounts”, “must like this post”, and “must share this post” for bonus ways of gaining traction.  

    If you need help coordinating a contest promotion as part of your October digital marketing strategy, speak with a social media expert to get started! 

    Are there other ways to expand on your digital marketing strategy for Halloween?

    Since our favourite grim holiday is only 25 days away, we wouldn’t recommend making too many changes to the development details of your website. However, there are some small transformations that would make it rather eerie-sistable. 

    • Offer treats with each order: Whether the treat you offer is a bag of candy or a small gift bag of sample products, shoppers love receiving seasonal goodies with their purchases.
    • Live stream your haunted shop: If you’re one of the many e-commerce business owners who also possesses a brick and mortar store, be sure to decorate for Halloween and live stream what it looks like on your social channels. 
    • Get spooky with your product or service names: This change, while subtle, makes a world of difference to potential and recurring customers when they’re perusing your website. 

    What other ways in the past have you marketed your business for Halloween? Drop a comment below to share with our readers. 

    Three things we learned from last month’s SERP glitches

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    For those who’re well enveloped in the world of digital marketing, you likely caught wind of Google suffering a massive indexing glitch last month. Since this bug dejectedly impacted the search quality among users for many hours, it’s worth discussing how this kind of disruption can affect business owners and those who work alongside companies performing their digital marketing services. 

    What does the term “SERPS” refer to?

    Search engine results pages (SERPS) are web pages that are served to users when they search for keywords using a search engine, such as Google or Bing. The user will enter their search query using specific terms and phrases, upon which the search engine will load and present them with a SERP. 

    Each SERP is very unique, as many search queries are performed on the same search engine using the same keywords at the same time. This is also because virtually all search engines will customize the experience for their users by presenting SERPS based on a wide range of factors aside from their search terms, such as the user’s physical location, browsing history, and social settings. This ensures that users get a more intuitive, responsive experience because while two SERPS may appear identical and contain some of the same results if you look closely, they will often feature subtle differences that might better appeal to that searching user. 

    Why SERPS matter for SEO

    If you’re looking to find out “why SERPS matter for SEO”, then you’ve come to the right blog. Think of SERPS as a search engine optimization (SEO) opportunity that shows users your site’s value by offering them passage with a clickable title and inviting page description. 

    Since the order of the pages that appear in the SERPS are determined by a complex algorithm that’s formulated by the search engine used, it’s easy to see how SEO is important. The search engine will judge each website based on a variety of factors that help to determine the relevance and value it shares to the searched phrase or keywords. Often, search engines will also make changes to their algorithms and offer users some insight into how the update impacts SERPS, to allow them to make changes and have a competitive advantage over other businesses who’re also looking to strike an appearance on page one. 

    What did digital marketing experts learn from August’s SERP glitches?

    On Monday, August 10, 2020, the SEO community noticed massive ranking changes in Google’s search results. While it initially appeared that Google updated its algorithm, it was way too far off to not be a glitch. Google confirmed that it was a bug and that it would be a few hours before search engine results were back to normal. Needless to say, while defects in the system are uncommon, they do happen, which is why your SEO team needs to be prepared for the potential of future glitches.

    Three things we learned from last month’s SERP glitches:

    • Beware of your analytics: If you’re checking your analytics and notice that Google’s organic search traffic experiences a huge shift from the day prior, you should remember that bugs happen and disregard the reporting instead of creating unwarranted stress. Keep in mind to follow up the next day to see if the glitch has been fixed. 
    • Rankings change: Search engine rankings are changing all the time, especially on a popular search engine like Google. If it happens on a large scale, assess online to see if they’re any reports from other SEO experts. 
    • SERPS matter: While you likely already know the powerful impact of appearing high on Google’s SERPS, now you better understand how the loss of traffic, new customers, and potential revenue greatly impact the success of your business. Investing in SEO really does matter!

    Was there anything else worth mentioning? Drop a comment below if there was something important that we missed.

    Popular trends in the realm of digital marketing that continue to stay relevant

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    In today’s evolving digital landscape there’s an assortment of big business tactics that have proven to be beneficial to e-commerce companies. While generating results can be a challenge at first, many businesses are choosing to showcase a variety of digital marketing techniques to continue to flourish in their trade, and some of these popular trends are expected to remain relevant in the digital marketing industry for quite some time. 

    Digital influencing is becoming more common

    While some large-scale e-commerce brands have the budget to invest in a celebrity influencer, most can often use the funds towards another professional digital marketing service. However, it’s important to know the power of digital influencing as a business owner and how it can be useful when utilized by smaller influencers that have built their own community followings.

    For example, while it’s unlikely that you will be able to afford a celebrity like Steven Tyler as your brand’s digital influencer, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a micro personality that possesses an impressive following. In fact, some of the best ROI on sponsored content comes from local superstars! Instagram is one of the best social media platforms to outsource a digital influencer, allowing you to check out their content and ensure that they would be a good fit that aligns with the values of your company. 

    Podcasting is continuing to grow 

    For those of you who don’t know, podcasting is a steaming application of spoken word digital audio files that a user can download to their personal devices for easy listening. Overwhelmingly enough, this form of broadcast has skyrocketed in popularity, with more and more businesses utilizing this technology as a form of digital marketing.

    As an e-commerce company, here are some things to consider before creating a podcast: 

    • Try talking about building your brand: Take a humorous or professional stance and establish yourself as an authority on the topics you discuss. 
    • Educate your current customers: Discuss industry-relevant news in an attempt to attract new clientele and answer the questions your current shoppers may have. 
    • Consider having a sporadic podcast: Unless you have a professional digital marketing agency handling your scheduling for you, consider podcasting once a month to provide some comfort to those loyal listeners. 
    • Take questions and offer answers: The ultimate goal of your podcast is to have customers tune in to what you have to say and if your content is important and interesting, consumers will feel that they’re in good hands with your in-depth, descriptive conversations. 

    The development of an intuitively designed website 

    While elements of web development and design have immensely changed over the years, the majority of business owners understand that a good website is needed to successfully market their company online. After all, what’s the point of investing in the strategic efforts of search engine optimization if the landing pages the visitors are directed to are slow and lack a positive user experience? Since a poor web design can cripple your digital marketing efforts, decreasing leads, conversions, and even your current customer’s trust in your expertise, when you hire a professional digital marketing agency to thoughtfully create your web content, consider the benefits of web design as part of your budgeted investment! 

    Which of the above popular trends do you feel is most useful in digital marketing? Drop a comment below to compare your opinions. 

    How Black Friday and Cyber Monday will change amid coronavirus pandemic

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While shopping holidays like Black Friday/Cyber Monday may look a little different this year, it doesn’t mean that you can’t utilize the months leading up to the infamous weekend to properly prepare your business to meet the demands of consumers during the pandemic. After all, this new normal has been great e-commerce business traffic and online conversions!

    What impact has COVID-19 had on businesses? 

    At the start of the shutdown, many small to large-scale businesses were forced to conduct mass layoffs and dig deep into their pockets due to their financial fragility. Since then, the economic impact of COVID-19 has only grown, leading to company closures as the take-up rates and fear of contracting the virus have kept consumers out of their stores and saving for a future rainy day. This major economic shock, even with the help of government aid, has devastated the retail sector, alongside arts and entertainment, personal services, food services, and hospitality. While it has been a few months since, remaining businesses are still feeling the aftermath amid this global crisis, and the uncertainty of when or if their operations will be able to return to the normalcy of pre-coronavirus is still unknown.  

    What are the consumer’s expectations? 

    While the famous saying, “business as usual”, is merely a form of marketing designed to assure customers that operations will be conducted the same as they always have, amid the pandemic, this marketing phrase has undergone some re-thinking to not strike the wrong tone with consumers. 

    Right now, while purchasing products and services for personal use or gifting is still shoppers want, they also want a company that aligns with their current values. This means that prospective customers and returning shoppers expect you to regularly update your business procedures for upkeeping provincial/state regulations and maintain your communication with them by providing comforting words to encourage them that shopping can be continued safely. 

    Are you doing your part but need the help of a professional digital marketing agency to do more? 

    Here are some suggestions on what they can assist you with to meet your consumer’s expectations:

    • Educate the public using brand authority. 
    • Highlight more sales and ways to obtain discounted products. 
    • Bring people together on your social channels to help bridge the gap that has been imposed through physical distancing. 

    More shopping will be done online

    Some big-box retailers like Wal-Mart, Kohls, and Target have already decided that they will remain closed this year during the annual shopping weekend with many more to follow as the greenlight for high-traffic, in-store shopping remains on hold. However, while you can’t bank on brick and mortar shops to shop the deals of Black Friday/Cyber Monday, you can be sure that online retailers will be stepping up their game to make this year’s shopping experience one to remember. 

    If you’re the owner of an e-commerce business, here are some ways that you can reap the rewards of Black Friday and Cyber Monday amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

    • Start building a cohesive search engine optimization strategy (SEO) to improve your search rankings. 
    • Attract buyers by hyping up your sales event using company social channels.
    • Run pay-per-click ads based on messaging that proved high-performance and appealed to your target audience in the past. 
    • Send out a vibrant email to your subscription list to ensure that they know what type of promotion you will have and which item(s) and service(s) will be on sale. 

    For those who need assistance getting off the ground and running or simply prefer the expertise for such an important e-commerce shopping weekend, it’s worth hiring a professional digital marketing agency to handle your online affairs and set the groundwork for some successful conversions. 

    How does your brand plan to keep up with the new normal? Drop a comment below to share with other entrepreneurs.

    Exceed your marketing goals with these digital strategies

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    We all know that marketing is the process of communicating value to customers and many tools help to aid the development of your online strategy. As a savvy e-commerce business whose purpose is to always look for ways to connect products and services with consumers, the opportunities to boost your awareness and credibility are endless in the realm of digital marketing. That being said, here are some cost-effective ways to effectively engage with your target audience.   

    Invest in more time spent on social media engagement 

    If it isn’t already, social media should be an essential part of your business marketing strategy. The diverse world of social platforms helps you to reach out and stay connected with your customers, increase the awareness of your brand, as well as boost leads and sales. So, not only are you better able to improve your company’s image through social influence, but it also aligns with your desire to invest in some low-cost digital marketing strategies. 

    Customer satisfaction plays a vital role in the continued success of your business, which is why social selling has proven to be a great way to reach new and recurring customers by posting relevant content mixed up in between sales and other promotions. The best part is that you’re able to try out various social media channels to determine which platforms reach your target audience and which are disadvantageous for your brand’s demographic. 

    Are you well-versed in visual or auditory storytelling?

    People are drawn to different types of advertising, including magazines, radio, television, billboards, and social endorsements, however, one thing all of the following examples should share is the ability to create an expressive, meaningful story. Regardless of what product or service you’re trying to sell, audiences value content that’s entertaining, informative, and either audial or visually appealing. This means that you should be focusing your attention on low-cost digital marketing strategies that can meet the continual needs of your customers, and there are so many professional services that can you help. 

    At Trek Marketing, we tell your brand’s story in a variety of ways by servicing low-cost digital marketing strategies such as PPC Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, and Blogging. All of the above strategic digital elements involve carefully creating either content or visual elements to draw in your audience and boost conversions. So, if you’re looking for a service with a return-on-investment (ROI) that you can count on, let’s have a chat about getting you on board with some professional digital marketing services. 

    Looking for other ways to enhance your campaigns?

    If you’re a larger scale business, it’s possible that you already have the above services on-the-go, which is why we have a few more suggestions for those who’re furthering their company goals. 

    • Consider starting a hashtag campaign.
    • Look for new customers on search forums by proactively building relationships. 
    • Promote case studies to advertise on your business webpage. 

    Do you know of any other low-cost digital marketing strategies that may help prospective business owners amp up with advertising? Drop a comment below to share with our readers.