Your online reputation is more important than you might think. Research indicates that up to 91% of shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 put a great deal of faith in online reviews when choosing a company. Moreover, businesses see a 5% to 9% increase in revenue for every one-star increase they get on Yelp. Here’s a quick look at how a negative online reputation can affect your business.
Loss of New Customers
When consumers are searching for a new product or service, they usually turn to Google. Not only will they visit the company’s website and/or social media profiles, but they are also likely to check out online reviews as well. It’s usually acceptable for a company to have one or two negative reviews—this demonstrates authenticity and makes the positive reviews more believable. However, having too many negative reviews will encourage consumers to look elsewhere.
Loss of Current Customers
Believe it or not, having a negative online reputation can discourage your current customers, even if those same customers have reported positive interactions with your brand. Customers who become aware of negative online reviews might suddenly question their decision to purchase your products or book your services. They might decide to choose one of your competitors in order to avoid the risk of having a negative interaction with you in the future.
Problems with Recruitment
A company is only as good as its employees. They are the heart and soul of your company. They take care of your customers, build your brand, and scale your operations. If you have a negative online reputation, you may find it more difficult to attract and recruit top talent. Furthermore, your current employees may find the negative reviews demoralizing, and they might start to polish their resumes.
Clearly, having a negative online reputation is bad for business, but what can you do about it? Contact the experts at Smargasy, Inc. to discuss our online reputation management services. You can reach us at (239) 214-8592 or by emailing [email protected].
You might think that most marketing emails are deleted unread. But actually, the average open rate for all industries is over 21%, which is considered quite high. Furthermore, email marketing is an incredibly impactful, yet budget-friendly marketing tool. Consider this: Marketing emails result in $38 in revenue for every $1 spent, which is an ROI of 3,800%! If you aren’t yet using email marketing for your small business, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities.
You can reach more potential customers.
As odd as it might sound, not everyone uses social media. Social media marketing is also quite effective, but it can’t reach everyone. However, these days, it’s all but impossible to find someone who doesn’t have an email address—or two or three. With email marketing, you can get your message in front of more eyes with just a few clicks.
Marketing emails can be personalized.
One unique aspect of this marketing tool is the extent to which personalization is possible. For example, bulk email platforms enable you to automatically have each email addressed to the recipient’s name, rather than reading “Dear Customer.” However, this is just the start. Email marketing tools also enable you to segment your audience with a virtually endless range of filters, including their geography, age range, purchase histories, and interests. This enables you to deliver highly targeted, personalized email campaigns to the customers who are most likely to respond to them.
Marketing emails can be highly engaging.
There are a number of strategies small businesses can use to improve their open rates and click-through rates. One effective way to make your emails enticing is to create content that is unexpectedly entertaining or delightfully informative. Customers are more likely to click on marketing emails if the subject line and body content promise something of value. In turn, this can help elevate the value of your brand in the minds of your customers.
You can easily harness the power of email marketing without having to write the emails yourself. Connect with Smargasy, Inc. today to learn about our complete email marketing services (we’ll even send the emails for you!). You can contact our office in Florida at (239) 214-8592.
Worldwide, there are over three billion social media users. Furthermore, more than half of them use social media for the purposes of choosing a product or a service to purchase. Yet, posting content haphazardly on your social media profiles isn’t likely to help you meet your revenue goals. Before you get started, you’ll need a solid social media content strategy in place.
Understand your audience.
Understanding your audience is crucial for any type of digital marketing, including your social media content strategy. Spend some time researching your own customers, your potential customers, and your competitors. You should know the basics, such as the general age range, sex, income range, and interests of your audience. This will enable you to craft content that is tailored to appeal to that audience. For example, if most of your audience is male, you wouldn’t write lots of content catered to moms.
Consider your industry.
In addition to considering your audience, the topic, style, and tone of content you post should be informed by your industry. Certain niches, such as financial advising, call for a more formal tone, whereas others, such as party supply retailers, call for a casual, playful tone.
Establish your content posting schedule.
You’ll undoubtedly want to attract as many social media followers as possible. However, it’s also important to retain them once you have them. One effective retention strategy is to post on a predictable schedule. For example, if you decide to upload one post each day, you’ll need to stick with it. If you suddenly stop posting because you simply get too busy, your followers will become disengaged. Once you establish your posting schedule, you can upload content in advance and schedule the timing of the posts.
Smargasy, Inc. is your source for complete digital marketing services—from social media content strategy development to Facebook advertising and much more. We take the time to get to know our clients’ businesses inside and out in order to develop customized marketing campaigns that get results. Call us today at (239) 214-8592 to get the ball rolling.
Digital marketing encompasses all approaches, strategies, and tools used to achieve a brand’s marketing objectives online and via electronic devices. It includes email, social media, website content, and online ads. There are two main approaches in the digital marketing world: SEO and SEM. To create an impactful digital marketing campaign, it’s advisable to use both SEO and SEM strategies.
Defining SEO
SEO is search engine optimization. It involves optimizing a brand’s website to improve its positioning in search engine results pages (SERPs). Optimization can include incorporating certain keywords and phrases into the content, as well as technical issues such as improving the load speed of webpages. Although SEO encompasses a wide variety of techniques, one thing they all have in common is that they do not require the paid placement of ads. Rather, the goal of SEO is to attract Internet users to the website organically.
Defining SEM
In contrast, SEM, or search engine marketing, does use paid advertisements. When marketers talk about SEM, they are most often referring to Google Ads (formerly known as AdWords). With Google Ads, you can set up a budget, write ads, and have your advertisements appear on SERPs. However, SEM can also refer to social media ads, such as those appearing on Facebook and Twitter.
Understanding How SEO and SEM Work Together
SEO and SEM work hand-in-hand to improve your brand recognition and draw more customers to your business. Both approaches require smart keyword research and compelling writing that entices customers, and both approaches are quite versatile. Utilizing both SEO and SEM will boost your business’ visibility. However, it’s important to note that the results will follow different timelines. SEO is a long-term strategy, and it can take a while to see significant results. SEM, on the other hand, can boost website traffic fairly quickly. As such, if your business is relatively new, you may want to focus on SEM first, and then work on improving your SEO.
Digital marketing can require a considerable learning curve, which is why many business owners choose to outsource their marketing needs. Partner with Smargasy, Inc. for complete digital marketing services, including organic content marketing and paid advertising. You can reach our friendly staff in Fort Myers, FL at (239) 214-8592.
There are a number of approaches, tools, and strategies that comprise a digital marketing campaign. Two of the most important ones are SEO and SEM. You might hear these terms being used interchangeably. However, despite their having the same goal, they are not the same thing. For best results, a comprehensive digital marketing campaign should use both SEO and SEM strategies.
Understanding SEO
SEO refers to search engine optimization. It’s a cornerstone of digital marketing and its ultimate goal is to drive sales by attracting more potential customers to the company’s website. SEO relies on drawing in web traffic organically. That is, it doesn’t use paid advertisements. Instead, it emphasizes the technical and non-technical optimization of the website, which allows the Internet property to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
A high ranking is critical for digital marketing success. One analysis of billions of search results revealed that the first result has an average click-through rate of 28.5%. In contrast, the second and third results have averages of 15% and 11% respectively, while the 10th result has a much lower 2.5% click-through rate. SEO boosts a website’s ranking in order to increase its click-through rate. It accomplishes this through a number of tactics, such as the strategic use of keywords and phrases, the application of internal and external linking, and the optimization of site architecture.
Understanding SEM
SEM refers to search engine marketing. Its goal is the same as that of SEO—to increase traffic to a website. However, unlike SEO, SEM accomplishes this not by boosting SERP rankings, but by using paid advertisements. That is why this approach is often referred to as “paid search” or “pay-per-click” (PPC) marketing. Note that SEM still requires keyword research, however, as the paid advertisements must be properly optimized in order to attract more clicks and generate more conversions.
From SEO to SEM and beyond, you can count on the digital marketing team at Smargasy Inc. to position your brand for long-term success. You can request your free consultation by clicking the button at the top of your screen or get in touch at (239) 214-8592.
Not all that long ago, reputation management was largely a concern of major corporations and A-list celebrities. But times change and now, online reputation management is critical for every single business, regardless of size—especially since almost 46% of all Google searches are centered on local information and businesses. With a few clicks, Internet users can instantly look up a business’ reviews—including negative reviews that could jeopardize future sales. Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to minimize the impact of negative reviews and maximize the influence of positive ones.
1. Conduct a Brand Audit
Before you can develop an effective online reputation management strategy, it’s essential to conduct a brand audit. Open an incognito browser window and search for your brand. Pay close attention to the first page of results, as this is what potential customers will see. In particular, note whether any Google My Business features or company social media profiles help or hurt your brand.
You can also take a look at third-party websites. If they post misleading or inaccurate information about your company, you can contact them to request corrections.
2. Respond Appropriately to Negative Reviews
For optimal online reputation management, it’s best to respond to negative reviews as soon as possible. The longer they are left unaddressed, the greater impact they will have.
Always begin your response with a courteous statement. Thank the reviewer for taking the time to provide feedback. If your company was truly at fault for the problem, apologize and explain how you’re remedying the situation. For example, if you run a hotel and the reviewer complained that there was no hairdryer in the room, you could explain that you’ve instructed the staff to ensure all complimentary items are present before the next guest checks into the room.
3. Encourage Positive Reviews
Positive reviews can outweigh negative reviews, especially if they are posted after the negative ones. This is because the newer reviews are shown to search engine users first. Instruct your team to ask happy customers to leave reviews for your company. Remember to thank each reviewer for taking the time to leave their feedback. You can also create positive content by partnering with influential bloggers or paying for sponsored content on high-authority sites.
Online reputation management is an ongoing process that requires a skilled touch. Talk to Smargasy Inc. about our digital marketing services, including comprehensive reputation management. You can reach us at (239) 214-8592, and be sure to request your local reputation score report.
Search engine marketing Fort Myers, FL, (“SEM”) levels the playing field for advertising online. It is the best way to promote services and products, and for growing your business. But it requires a deft hand. It’s not easy to convince a consumer to click in your favor. Creative and innovative solutions have to be designed and applied which are specific to a business’s goals, audience and products.
SEM uses SERPs (search engine results pages) to attract consumers. Keywords supplied by the likes of Bing and Google allows your ads to appear on pages that result from unique search queries. This is a powerful opportunity to reach customers who interested in information about you.
Keyword application isn’t as simple as putting “sneaker” or “pre-owned car” into your campaigns. Everyone’s doing that. It’s about developing a campaign that reaches beyond the obvious. Keywords are a linchpin between you and potential customers.
SEM experts produce keywords and terms that will lead to you specifically. They research to see what doesn’t work and how to optimize campaigns for the best ROI. Letting an experienced consultant work with you ensures business growth without taking your focus away from the business. The partnership puts you in a position to see all the possibilities for the best engagement and analytics.
Smargasy provides services for search engine marketing Fort Myers, FL, CRM and B2B and B2C services. If you want to know more about how to use SEM to your company’s advantage, contact Smargasy today at https://www.smargasy.com or call (239) 214 8592!
Social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram have opened up a world of possibilities for businesses. Businesses that use these platforms should employ social media management strategies designed to maintain a consistent, positive brand image and to encourage customer-brand interactions. There are two main facets of social media management: Creating and publishing original content, and engaging with other social media users, including customers and potential customers.
Social media management strengthens brand recognition.
Brand recognition is essential. It’s one of the reasons why major brands, such as Pepsi and Wendy’s continue to invest in marketing despite already being well known. With proper social media management, including regularly scheduled content posting, your brand can get in front of more eyes. Consider this: According to the Pew Research Center, only 5% of American adults used social media in 2005. Today, 72% of them do. Social media management enables your business to strengthen its brand recognition and tap into that substantial demographic.
Social media management encourages customer interaction.
Another benefit of social media management is that it provides greater opportunities for brand-customer interaction. New, current, and potential customers can view your social media content and interact with it, such as by “liking,” sharing, and commenting. Your social media manager can respond to those comments, encouraging further brand engagement.
Social media engagement isn’t limited to customer comments, however. A savvy social media manager will periodically host social media contests, surveys, polls, and other interactive features designed to boost brand engagement. This provides more opportunities for customers to develop a positive impression of your brand.
Smargasy Inc. provides a full spectrum of digital marketing services designed to propel your brand to the spotlight. Contact us today at (239) 214-8592 and be sure to ask us about our social powered Wi-Fi! You can also request a free digital marketing consultation with the button at the top of your screen.
It seems as if the COVID-19 pandemic has changed pretty much everything, including digital marketing. Although you might assume that businesses have been scaling back on their marketing budgets, in truth, savvy business owners see these challenging times as an opportunity. Furthermore, the importance of digital marketing has been underscored by the fact that people are spending more time surfing the web at home, looking for goods and services.
Updating Keywords for the New Reality
When they look for goods and services that fit their needs, consumers are using new keywords. Keyword analytics reveal that some popular phrases include “curbside pickup near me” and “delivery service near me.” Of course, an incredibly large volume of consumers is also searching for “COVID-19,” with 5.9 billion results to choose from.
In response to this, digital marketers have been working these keyphrases into their campaigns to highlight the COVID-compliant services of their clients and attract more consumers. Website content for this era might emphasize a company’s curbside pickup and delivery services, for example, or their contact-free estimate process.
Striking the Right Tone with Visual Imagery
These days, seeing a TV commercial that shows unmasked people close together seems rather tone-deaf to COVID-adjusted consumers. As a result, companies have had to reshoot commercials to reflect the new reality. The same is true of digital marketing. Whether it’s for an explainer video, PPC ad, or featured image for a blog, digital marketers must carefully select the visual imagery to ensure it’s striking the right message and resonating in an appropriate way with consumers.
History demonstrates that the brands that invest more in advertising during economic downturns are those that are more likely to thrive well into the future. Strengthen your brand today by partnering with Smargasy Inc—a team of savvy digital marketers who are committed to updating our strategies to suit the times. Call us in Fort Myers, FL at (239) 214-8592 or click for your free consultation today!
Surely and quickly, social media marketing is becoming one of the most important ways for businesses to reach their target market. But why?
How come social media provides such incredible benefits? Wasn’t it too long ago that social platforms were only used to connect with family & friends?
The truth is, over the past few years, things have changed. A lot! Today, over 90% of marketers have noticed how social media has significantly increased their exposure. And this can only mean 1 thing: if you’re not using social media to your advantage, you’re missing out on an incredible marketing opportunity.
With that in mind, here are 7 “secrets” about social media marketing that no one’s telling you about:
What does social media have to do with search engine optimization? The idea is simple: search engines know which pages on your website are getting traffic and which ones don’t. This means that each time you share your evergreen content on social media, you’ll send traffic to your website that tells the search engines your website is still relevant, helping you to maintain your rankings or climb faster in the SERP’s.
By taking an interest in your “fans” on social media, you can easily find out who your target market is! By simply checking their status updates, you can learn what products they buy and why what are their hobbies, and what they like most about other brands. The more you know about your audience, the better you can market your products or your services.
People don’t look at Facebook or Instagram and see a marketing platform. They see a social network! With that in mind, the more you interact with everyone, the sooner you can start building a relationship with your audience and grow as a brand.
Did you know you can narrow down your audience on social media and target only your ideal customers? Not only that, but Facebook allows you to retarget your products and services to anyone who was “this close” to become your client! If someone visited your website but left before making a purchase, you can add that person to your list of “almost clients” and deliver your ads to them in the hopes that they convert.
Did you think you’d have to spend a fortune to market your business on social media? On the contrary! Creating a business profile is free and so is being active. And if you decide to advertise on Social Media, you can always start small if you don’t know what to expect.
One of the best things about social media is that it’s a fair way to market your business. Sure, bigger brands have some advantages like bigger marketing budgets and better name recognition. But everyone can create a social account for free and dedicate their time to engage with their audience or hire a Social Media Marketing Specialist to take care of this task for them.
Last but definitely not least, did you know your competition is already social? Most brands already have at least one active social media account. Don’t allow them to get ahead and contact us today! I’m here if you’re curious to learn how easy it is to make an impact.