Digital

By Kevin Nissen

The most effective marketing campaigns always unite a great value story, strong call to action, and a local way to get the solution fulfilled.  All things being equal, proximity to the client can sometimes be a strong enough market differentiator to mean the difference between success and failure.  Businesses are left struggling to acquire new customers while defending their existing market share from the competitor across town.  One of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal is by using geo-based targeting solutions like Geo-Fencing when distributing digital ads.

Geo-Fencing is a powerful strategy for protecting market share and reaching customers when they are ready to buy.  The technique involves creating a virtual perimeter around a physical address utilizing gps technology.  When customers enter the virtual fence their smart phone is identified and machine id is stored.  The phone is then targeted for distribution of ads that entice the shopping customer to consider alternatives.  For example, a customer is shopping for a new car at a local car dealer.  While he waits to speak to a salesperson he interacts with his smart phone’s applications.  Because an advertiser across town placed a virtual Geo-Fence around the dealership the customer is seeing ads for the advertiser.  The customer is made aware of the great deal nearby and travels to the advertising dealership to make a purchase.

Geo-Fencing gives the advertiser a voice when their customer looks to defect or when they are competing to acquire new customers.  Additionally, Geo-Fence retargeting allows the advertiser to continue to push digital ads to the customer’s phone long after the customer has left the fence.  In that way they will be reminded of the great value story the advertiser wants to tell and will continue to be influenced until it is time to make a purchase.

By Jackie Magnusson

Why do major brands opt into Google Sponsored Promotion (GSP) Ads or GSP Ads in Gmail? The main reason that major brands elect to employ GSP ads is to reach potential leads in an environment that they spend a significant time in outside of search. After all, how many of us check our emails first thing in the morning? Email is such a major part of our modern day lives that the average person spends an average of twenty hours per week in their email inbox, so the real question is – Why not advertise to people in a space where they are already spending a significant portion of their time?

What exactly are GSP ads? Google Sponsored Promotion ads are a form of paid advertising in the Google Display Network that appears directly in a Google Mail (Gmail) user’s inbox. A GSP ad appears above the organic emails within the inbox in a similar format to an email subject line, but will be identified as being an ad with the “Ad” icon present to the left of the subject line. When a GSP ad is clicked on, the ad opens up to a large-scale banner that resembles the body of an email.

As a GSP ad appears within the email inbox and has a similar look and feel, you may be asking yourself, “What makes a GSP ad different from an email marketing campaign?”. The key difference between a GSP ad and an email marketing campaign is the method of contact. In order to launch an email marketing campaign, you must first have an email list of intended recipients to send the email. With a GSP ad, your ad is served directly into the inbox of an individual who is determined to be in your target audience based on a variety of targeting options:

● Affinity audiences (interested in your business i.e. sporting apparel companies can advertise to consumers interested in fitness and sports)
● Keywords specific to your services
● Customer match to your database
● In-market audiences-consumers researching your products
● Other options include remarketing, life events and demographics

For example, if you are already subscribed to emails from major department stores, such as Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue, you may also be a potential lead for a subscription clothing service like Fab Fit Fun. A brand may want to target potential leads by implementing a GSP campaign as they already know the email habits of the people that they are trying to reach though they do not yet have a direct means of contact for these individuals – i.e. an email address.

In short, a GSP ad is a great way for a brand to generate leads by getting in front of a new audience who has been targeted specifically based on the emails that they are already receiving.

By Kevin Nissen

Advertising has always been complicated, but in 2018 it seems more confusing than ever.  Long gone are the days when placing an advertisement in the yellow pages or the local paper was enough to keep the phone ringing.  Now, businesses need to be found everywhere potential customers are looking and millions of them are looking at Google.  Connoisseur Digital has local experts who make navigating the world of digital advertising EASY and that starts with understanding Google’s results page.

TO GET RESULTS, YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE RESULTS

It can seem like magic.  You go to Google and search “Best Taco in Babylon” and suddenly you have choices, ways to order, pictures, menus, and reviews from people who have visited local restaurants.  Google delivers this data to you in the blink of an eye by generating a Search Engine Results Page or SERP.  If you’re a business owner being on the SERP means you have a chance to be chosen and talked about.  The only way to get there is to understand what a SERP is and how it works.

Paid Advertisements –When you enter a search into Google you usually notice a section at the top, or perhaps even the bottom of the page that features results with [AD] located directly adjacent to them.  These ads are the results of Search Engine Marketing, or SEM campaigns run by these businesses.  While businesses pay a premium to appear here that doesn’t guarantee their placement.  Google places ads based on a proprietary algorithm (formula) that helps them determine which ads a searcher will find most relevant.

Map – If you are trying to find a business’s location you might try visiting the maps section of the SERP.  Google maps provides searchers with a visual of where businesses are located and even turn by turn directions on how to visit brick and mortar locations.  Getting on the map section is easy and starts with claiming your Google business listing.

Algorithmic or Natural Results – This is the meat and potatoes of the SERP.  Here we find all the data we are looking for in an easy to navigate format.  Google keeps the exact formula for how these results appear a closely guarded secret, but Search Engine Optimization, or SEO helps.

Remember Google’s SERP is highly coveted advertising space and appearing there takes time.  If you are looking for quick results, SEM might be the right solution for you.  If longevity is a priority, then SEO might be the way to go.  I often tell clients that you can think of SEM as a sprint and SEO as a marathon.  In order for your track team to win you want to have good runners in all categories.

By Doug Gunsolley

In today’s fast paced environment there are many tactics you can use to improve your business’s visibility and gain more leads and prospects.  One great method that is often overlooked is the value of exhibiting at business and industry conferences, trade shows, and exhibitions.  Here at Connoisseur Digital we sponsor and exhibit and attend  many of these types of events where we can meet new people and businesses in our industry as well connect with existing clients and prospects interested in our services.

There are many reasons why it can be invaluable for your company and brand to not only attend these events but exhibit at them as well.

Here are three of the top benefits

Generate Targeted Sales Leads – the right strategy at a business expo creates an opportunity to increase and expand your sales pipeline and customer base. Attendees at these events are most likely in your industry or target area and have often come specifically to compare the products and services that vendors like you are offering.  The fact that your business is exhibiting shows that you are a serious and credible option for these folks.  Just make sure that you have a strategy in place to follow up with all prospects.

Strengthen Your Brand – business expos are a great place to grow and build your brand.  All businesses, especially those in industries that depend on trust and reputation, benefit from the exposure and brand recognition that these expos provide.  By sponsoring a booth, you have an opportunity to create, convey, and control the message that you want your clients and prospects to see.

Building Relationships Through Face-To-Face Networking –  We’ve all heard of the phrase “See and Be Seen”.  For almost all businesses out there, networking and referrals are one of the best proven ways to get prospects, leads, and sales.  Business trade shows and showcase expos allow you to meet and get to know not only prospects and customers, but also your peers and competitors.  You never know if the next person you talk to is someone that can open up a new world of opportunity.  Just one good connection can lead to years of future business success!

By Doug Gunsolley

Ad extensions have become a useful and important way to improve your Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaign.  They can help performance in several ways such as increased visibility, personalization, lower cost per click, and higher click through rate.  And this can equate to higher sales and ROI for the advertiser.

What are Ad Extensions?

Ad extensions are free tools that you can set up in your AdWords campaigns to show extra business information to prospective customers.  As defined by Google, “Ad Extensions expand your ad with additional information—giving people more reasons to choose your business. They typically increase an ad’s click-through-rate by several percentage points. Extension formats include call buttons, location information, links to specific parts of your website, additional text, and more.”

How they work

To help maximize the performance of your text ads, AdWords for example, selects extensions to show in response to each individual search on Google. Therefore, it is a good idea to use all the extensions relevant to your business goals.

Adding this extra content to your ad gives your ad greater visibility and prominence on the search results page. So, you tend to get more value from your ad. Extensions often increase your total number of clicks, and can give people additional, interactive ways of reaching you—such as maps or phone numbers.

Some extension types require a bit of set-up—those are the manual extensions. Other extensions are added automatically when AdWords predicts they’ll improve your performance—those are automated. No setup is required for automated extensions.

Types of Ad Extensions

Select your extensions based on your primary advertising goal. Here are common advertiser goals and the extensions that can support them:

Goal: Get customers to buy from your business location

If you want to direct people to your physical locations (like stores or restaurants), here are extensions you may consider:

Location extensions

Encourage people to visit your business by showing your location, a call button, and a link to your business details page—which can include your hours, photos of your business, and directions to get there. If you want customers to visit your business location, but to call a centralized line (rather than specific locations’ numbers), use call extensions with your location extensions.

To learn more, go to About location extensions.

Affiliate location extensions

Help people find retail chain stores that sell your products.

To learn more, go to About affiliate location extensions.

Callout extensions

Add additional text to your ad, like “free delivery” or “24/7 customer support.” Callouts can be used to encourage people to convert offline.

To learn more, go to About callout extensions.

Goal: Get customers to contact you

If you want people to call you or send you a text message query, use call extensions or message extensions:

Call extensions

Encourage people to call your business by adding a phone number or call button to your ads.

To learn more, go to About call extensions.

Message extensions

Encourage people to send you text messages from your ad. Available globally at the campaign or ad group levels.

To learn more, go to About message extensions.

Goal: Get customers to convert on your website

If you want to direct people to your website, use these extensions:

Sitelink extensions

Link people directly to specific pages of your website (like “hours” and “order now”).

To learn more, go to About sitelink extensions.

Structured snippet extensions

Showcase information potential customers will find most valuable by selecting a predefined header (like, product or service category) and listing items.

To learn more, go to About structured snippet extensions.

Price extensions

Showcase your services or product categories with their prices, so that people can browse your products right from your ad.

Available in select countries. To learn more, go to About price extensions.

Goal: Get people to download your app

If you want to get people to download your app, use app extensions:

App extensions

Encourage people to download your app. Available globally for Android and iOS mobile devices, including tablets. Learn About app extensions.

The Visibility of Ad Extensions

AdWords will not automatically show your ad extensions. AdWords displays your ad extension(s) with your ad when it determines that the extension will help the performance of your campaign. Your ad extension(s) will appear when your ranking is suitably high enough. While there is no guarantee that adding an extension will secure its place in your ad, you can see when your ad extensions are showing up by checking out the Ad Extensions tab. Your ad extensions may not show for a variety of reasons, including:

• your ad’s position (above the search results or on the side bar)
• your Ad Rank
• your keyword quality and max CPC
• the presence of your other ad extensions

The Verdict

Setting up and implementing ad extensions can be a simple and quick progress. But it can also be tough to decide what ad extensions are best for your business – even if you understand what the extensions themselves do. And sometimes Google’s AdWords algorithm can make it difficult to understand just how your campaign will be received. Business owners and marketers can sometimes be overwhelmed with the myriad of choices available.  That is why so many companies utilize the expertise of Digital Agencies such as Connoisseur Digital.  If you are currently running or thinking of starting an Adwords campaign, let the professionals at Connoisseur Digital help you make sense of your options with a free consultation.  Contact us today to get started!

By: Moss Jacobson

Radio advertisements have the unique ability to provide marketers a pathway to inject audio messages into consumers’ brains. Research has shown that with frequency of exposure (as should be best practice in all ad mediums) Radio ads trigger echoic memory – messages delivered into our brains through our ears. Research has shown that these messages are more memorable because we create the associated visualizations from our own perspective and life experiences. And while echoic memories last longer than iconic (visual) memories, one can use creativity to further enhance memorability than simply using frequency alone.

Theater of the mind is a common concept used for developing highly effective Radio ads that can have the greatest impact on message effectiveness. Theater of the mind is the technique in which Radio producers, using just sound, are able to evoke rich images within listeners’ minds. This can be achieved through a variety of creative approaches such as using emotion, or descriptive information, but humor has proven to be the most potent tool for innovative Radio ad memorability. Listen to some great examples from the renowned Dick Orkin’s Radio Ranch. If done correctly, ads causing laughter can create a memorable branding moment centered on positive emotion. The entertainment value of this method is even more critical for ad success since technology has provided many more media platforms. Again, this is where Radio truly delivers above most other options – delivering, on average, 93% listener retention through commercial breaks (RAB).

Not to be outdone by Radio, online advertising has made strides in delivering effective, humorous advertisements using solutions such as rich-media display and video. However, online ads can lose any benefit of their audio component – all too often set to auto-play. Chrome browser now has a feature to allow users an option that disables autoplay for entire websites. So proper planning of an integrated advertising campaign provides marketers the use of each medium’s best attributes. Combining Radio and display advertising has shown to provide a 4.5X increase in brand recall. Use Radio for highly engaging, creative audio messaging and display for aligned, supporting visuals. While so much attention is currently pointed toward online advertising, and some may laugh at this fact, Radio remains the top way to reach consumers across all media platforms (Nielsen). Include Radio in your media mix and, with creative humor delivering effective, highly memorable messages, have a healthy chuckle as you leave your competitors behind.

By: Shayla Smith and Robin Faller

Our team of leaders and sales professionals in both our Radio and Digital businesses participate in all types of networking events. They take on leadership roles and attend a variety of events hosted by Chambers of Commerce, Business Network International, Trade Associations, and private non-affiliated groups.

Feeling intimidated?

No matter how charismatic you are, feeling intimidated is normal. Rethink why you attend networking events. Look at is as an opportunity to meet new friends, be helpful and learn something new about where and how you do business. Attend events that are interesting to you, even those that you may not think are relevant to your business. Sometimes you need to think outside of the box.

Wear something that you enjoy wearing, that makes you feel confident, and is comfortable. If it’s unique, even better to make you more memorable.

Look for friendly faces with open body language. Smile and relax and seek a casual conversation to enter. Say hello and ask open ended questions. Have an interesting fact or story about yourself to help people connect with you and remember you better.

Networking can help build brand YOU!

1. Confidence. Get out there and meet people and see how people react to you. It can only build confidence. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.
2. Enhances your positioning statement. Can you explain what you do in a few sentences? The more you deliver your personal positioning statement, the better it’s going to be and the more comfortable you will be saying it.
3. Insight. Meet the right people and you will get a pulse on your local business community. Use that Network of people to help gain insights and broaden your view of your business community.
4. Relationships. You will continue to form new friendships. Invest in getting to know people. Creating the right connections will give you and your business credibility.
5. Referrals. You can take great satisfaction in making introductions. Connect connectors. Be the first to offer a contact or service and be a greater value to your connections.
6. Leads. As your new colleagues get to know you and your services, they can provide valued referrals.
7. Advice. You can be a resource to others, as they look to you for advice, your personal brand value becomes stronger.

By: Robin Faller

In APP Serves get more traction

Business owners sometimes express concern about the viability of advertising in apps. They can’t imagine their target customer being engaged in their ads while using an app.  The data says something different.  We see click through rates on in-app serves 4x that of a typical banner ad.

Consumers return to favorite apps several times a day

The reality is 93% of smartphone users use apps.  App users return to their favorite apps 2x to 3x per day.*  Apple’s App Store has over 2.2 million apps.  Apple is trumped by Android, with 2.8 million apps. **  In fact, app usage data may surprise you:

You would be surprised at which gender drives gaming

Women make up  % of game app users.*  The average age is 36 and the average time she spends on gaming is 62 minutes a day.

When are women gaming…

• 58% while relaxing
• 42% while watching TV
• 38% before sleeping

And also surprised at who consumes entertainment

On the contrary, men drive usage of some of the most widely used categories.

When planning an effective display campaign, mobile apps, are a valuable asset in your arsenal.

*Think with Google…Something for everyone,” Ipsos MORI mobile app research report, U.S., July 2017

**https://www.statista.com/statistics/276623/number-of-apps-available-in-leading-app-stores/

By Doug Gunsolley

Google is constantly experimenting with their search engine results pages and evolving their placement of paid ads, maps, and organic listings.  If you’ve tried searching for a local garage door repair, plumber, locksmith or other home service on Google recently, you may have noticed (depending on your location) a new Local Services ads box at the top of the search results page.  This is a new advertising product that has been slowly tested since 2017 and is now rolling out in many major markets in 2018.

Local Services ads (LSA) are a new type of ad unit designed to provide an easy connection between consumers and selected home services professionals in categories like locksmiths, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, etc.  They are placed at the top of the search results page above the other pay-per-click ads.  Instead of paying for clicks, advertisers are billed on a cost-per-lead basis and consumers are protected by a “Google Guarantee”.  All Google Guaranteed providers undergo background checks by Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, Inc.

In order to participate, businesses must fill out an application that includes checks of identity and criminal history, applicable trade licenses, insurance, civil litigation history, and more.  Once approved, the business is eligible to appear in the LSA boxes.  LSA bases its results on location, reviews, and responsiveness. This means that to stay in the program and occupy top position, contractors must deliver services (or respond to the leads) in a timely manner and must cultivate the kind of customer relationships that motivate their clients to leave ‘positive’ reviews.

It’s early too early to determine the effect the LSA will have on the pay-per-click landscape for industries that can utilize this service.  At Connoisseur Digital, we continue to keep a close watch on evolving digital trends in order to make the best recommendations for our clients.

NO.

By: Robin Faller

Advertisers assume that isolating revenue generation from various Digital Marketing strategies is the best way to evaluate performance (PPC vs. Social Ads vs. SEO).   On top of that, they may segment new customer revenue against expense for a specific channel.

The truth is, the consumer lives in Micro Moments that matter, looking at their phone 150x a day.

91% turn to their smartphone while in a task.  90% use multiple devices. So assuming a single advertising channel influenced a consumer action is not reasonable.

Where do I start?

Whether you are a brick and mortar or service based business, you need to believe in the power of brand recall and reputation.   These two things drive revenue, new customer and existing customer sales. 

The simpler side of this is reputation, as so much of this is in your control.  Check your business against this list:

• Do you have a responsive website that is easy to navigate across devices?
• On your website, have you made it easy to call, fill out a form, or chat with you?
• When someone calls your business, is the phone answered within a few rings and is the customer greeted with a pleasant helpful person who responds quickly?
• When chat is on, is someone answering in a polite fashion?
• When someone walks into your business, are they greeted with a smile and are they getting prompt, courteous service?
• When your business makes mistakes, are they corrected and handled swiftly?
• Do you respond to reviews online?

Marketing requires a plan.   Focus on what you want your potential customer to do or think about your business.  Often a marketing objective is being known for something so when a consumer has a triggering event, they turn to your first.

Share of mind is achieved through more than one strategy.   You need to coordinate the most impactful online and offline mediums.  On the traditional side, Radio offers the most effective CPM’s, reach, and the power of echoic memory that creates recall and drives brand impact.  TV can complement Radio with the power of motion and sound.  Radio added to TV increases reach.

When combined with the reach medium Radio, Digital Marketing increases brand recall 4.5x. The Digital Marketing strategies you choose will be based on your objectives.

I need to get the phone to ring or increase my sales…

• Search Engine Marketing is the go to direct response strategy as you are positioning your business in front of someone looking for your goods or services.
• Search Engine Optimization is the second go to for direct response.  The stronger your organic rank for key services, the more likely you will increase free traffic to your website and through your doors.
• Local SEO (Local Business Listings with Reviews) is the must do for every business.  Reviews are viewed by 87% of consumers, most look for decent scores and validation from your comments.  Recent reviews are the most critical.  Your review efforts can never rest.
• Bottom line-page dominance wins!

I need to be known in my field for a service or product.  I need my lead generation to be more effective…

• Programmatic Display is no longer an option.  There are many tactics to embrace: video marketing and Geo-fencing to name a few. You need to stay in front of that consumer where they are online, researching your services.  Better online brand awareness, yields better results for SEM, SEO, and Map Listings.

Some of the choices are tough to make.  Partner with a reputable professional to navigate your marketing plans to get the most for your business.