The Ultimate Guide to Google Shopping Ads

The Ultimate Guide to Google Shopping Ads

by Digital Marketing

One of the most popular online sites for people to search for content and shopping is Google. It has a repository of millions of brands that showcase their products and services online, making it easier for you to go forth and purchase. However, as sellers, you need to understand what Google Shopping ads are involved with and what can be done to shape the online ads.

With that in mind, we’ve broken down Google Shopping ads so that you find it easier to go forth and create ads on the platform.

What are Google Shopping Ads?

Google Shopping ads include a slew of rich information so that the customer can receive everything they need before considering a purchase. We mean things like the product image, merchant name, price, and more by rich information. 

This information is collated and created using the data attributes taken about the product that can be entered. The report can be entered in the Merchant Center and shown to those already looking for the products you’re advertising.

Google-shopping-ads

The ad content can be easily customized based on your requirements, and you can set the pricing and budget that works best for you. The ads can also be measured easily, with the impact understood via advanced reporting and performance tools available on the backend. 

Advantages of Google Shopping Ads

Google Shopping makes the shopping experience much simpler and streamlined for its users. It comes with a slew of benefits that can make eCommerce shopping much simpler for users online:

Qualified traffic

With Google Shopping, you can receive more qualified traffic, similar to a normal Google Search Text ad. You’re only paying if someone clicks on your ads and the text ads are difficult because it needs to be super appealing within a few characters. You need to try and attract many qualified clicks via the site. You won’t have to pay for irrelevant clicks, and this is one of the biggest advantages.

When you have an eCommerce store, you need to ensure that you’re only paying for the clicks you want. When someone is searching for your product, they can see the product title, image, price, and other information such as shipping and promotional info. It also shows up next to other similar products.

This means that whenever someone clicks on a shopping ad, they’re at least a little interested. The information is presented to them upfront to take a properly thought-of decision before they purchase. 

Better UX for better conversion rates

The Google Shopping user experience is much more streamlined than the regular search ads. Whenever a person clicks on the shopping ad, they are taken straight to the product page. They don’t have to click and navigate their way around the website for what they’re looking for. The process is made simpler, and this can help in the overall streamline of the conversion process. 

By being taken straight to the product page, users can enjoy lesser clicks to the point of sale, which means a lesser chance of them getting annoyed. It leads to better returns despite a higher cost of conversion.

Clear customer intent

The customer intent is one of the significant benefits and features on why Google Shopping is super beneficial. These ads are designed to come up only when someone’s query indicates what they want to purchase. Instead of paying for broad clicks at the top of the funnel ensures that you’re paying for those people who are ready with their money to purchase. The intent factor lifts these ads above the search ads a little bit more. 

Once this is paired with how these ads are shown and where they’re going afterward, you’ve got the content for a great ROI!

Shopping ads drive 76% of retail search ad spend, and generate 85% of all clicks on Google Ads or Google Shopping campaigns.

Tailoring goals down to a product

Instead of campaigns that specifically group keywords together, the Google Shopping campaigns can easily group certain products. The entire inventory is available; you can easily advertise and place a structure that suits you best. 

There are plenty of eCommerce stores that don’t have just one blanket goal for all the products. The sales targets and profit margins can also vary between the product type or between the individual products. 

Google-Shopping

The best thing about these Shopping campaigns is that products can be grouped together regarding the sales goals, which can be optimized. It can give you control over what you’re giving them money for and provides quality traffic rather than quantity. 

You can see revenue that results from better traffic and product. This can ensure better ROAS and far valuable insights from the customer’s behavior. 

Google shopping ads are a great way to catch people with one objective: to purchase something. If you have an online store, you can showcase the product in front of them and give them the power to decide based on that.

Creating a Profitable Shopping Ad

To create campaigns for these shopping ads is to advertise the products on the Google platform. The Shopping campaigns must make it simpler to organize, manage and also overall optimize the shopping ads. 

These robust benchmarking and reporting tools can help in better optimization and monitoring of the campaign performance.

The product data is also an integral factor in creating and also managing the Shopping campaigns. Once the product data becomes accessible, these campaigns make it easier to organize and browse product inventory to make better decisions. Here are some ways to improve your shopping campaigns:

Create the listings and photos up to the mark

Google-ShoppingOne of the first and foremost things to consider and take care of is the product photos. These are what your customer is exposed to at first, and they have to fall within the requirements that Google looks for. 

By this, we mean that the images have to be within the required dimensions for the ads, and Google lays these out on the site itself. Once you’re able to satisfy those demands, the photos can make it easier for you to go forth and advertise.

The listings also need to have all the information that can make them attractive for the customers. This is important because it needs to be up to the mark and also contain relatable and relevant information all in one place.

Make sure the store is as per the Google Shopping ads policies

Whatever ads you put up all need to properly align with the rules and requirements that Google’s Policies hold. The ads can also be created so that they don’t fall foul of the various conditions that Google has created to ensure these ads’ smooth operation. 

The store needs to effectively satisfy the necessary store policies to show these Google ads to the right audience without causing any issues. Just go through the rules docket once, and it’ll become easier for you to start advertising online.

Create and set up the Merchant Center Account  

This is an important step because it is through this account that you’ll run your entire business on the Google platform. You’ll require a Google Account to sign up for the Merchant Center. In case you don’t have a Google account, go to accounts.google.com and create one.

Once you’re prepared, you can head over to the Merchant Center and also sign in with the Google Account. 

Create your product feeds

The feed can be defined as a file that contains a product list that you wish to advertise via the Merchant Center. Whenever you add the products, you can assign specific attributes to them, and the product feeds will use the same to group these products together. 

Once the feed is created, it can be used across as many Merchant Center features as needed. There are various types of feeds that are present in the Merchant Center.

These feed types will also depend on what your needs are as a retailer. The attributes used to describe these products to the Merchant Center are the same across the various feed types.

Mobile devices generate 65% of clicks on paid Google search results.

Link the MCA to Google Ads

This is another crucial addition that you need to make for your Google account and the most important one pertaining to running a store. When you plan to showcase your products on the Google platform, you need to have an account properly connected. 

By linking your Merchant Center account with the central Google Ads console, you’ll be able to gain all the necessary tools to run your store. Whenever you approve a link between the Merchant Center and Google ads, you can allow the product data to seamlessly flow from the Center to the Google ads for all your ad campaigns. 

Depending on the product data type you submit, you can create effective Shopping campaigns to advertise products, use certain dynamic remarketing to drive the Display campaigns, and do so much more. 

Only if you have a Merchant Center account can you link the same. There are new account link requests that appear in the Google Ads account on the “Linked accounts” page, which is also located right at the Setup part of the Tools and Settings menu that drops down.

Campaign settings

Country of sale: You need to choose the country where you want your products to be shipped and sold. Your ads are only shown to people in the country that you’ve selected. To advertise, your product data in the MCA is available for those countries that you choose. If there’s no product data available, you won’t be able to advertise.

Further, the country of sale cannot be changed once the campaign is created. You’ve to adjust this setting to limit the total number of products on the campaign.

Inventory Filter: This is one setting that needs to be adjusted if you wish to limit your campaigns’ overall product number. You need to choose criteria that the product meets to become advertised. The products that match these requirements alone are added to the campaign. This can be changed even after the campaign is created as well.

Bidding: This is something that you wish which can also be adjusted once the campaign is created. Make sure you’ve taken account of the finances before proceeding with this step.

 

In the United States alone, e-commerce sales are expected to surpass $740 billion by 2023.

 

Daily budget: The daily budget needs to be selected based on what you’re willing to spend on a campaign.

Campaign Priority: This setting only needs to be adjusted if you’re advertising one product in various campaigns for one country of sale. The priority helps determine the budget that will be used whenever there is an overlap in the campaigns.

Networks and devices: The shopping campaigns can help drive traffic to the products and increase conversions. In case you’d like to limit where these ads appear, you’ve to uncheck boxes for networks that you’d like to exclude. Ads can appear on any device, including mobile and computers. This can be changed based on the campaign and once it is created.

Locations and Local inventory ads: This setting can limit where these ads are shown in specific locations. This can be changed once the campaign is created. The local inventory ads need to be adjusted if the shopping campaign must include those sold in the local stores. If you’d like to advertise local products, you can submit local data to the Merchant Center.

Once you take care of these factors, the Google Shopping ads are now live!

google-shopping

Top Strategies for More Sales from Google shopping ads

A few strategies can be followed to increase your sales and make sure the ads are running more efficiently. These include:

Optimizing product titles

The product titles need to be efficiently optimized so they can be easily searched and discovered on the Google platform with ease. Make sure the product titles contain all the necessary details with regards to showcasing your brand and the products you’re selling, and you’ll be good to go.

Optimize the descriptions and categories

The product feed descriptions also need to contain a synopsis of the relevant information along with the product titles. This summary needs to have the necessary keywords and other information that a customer would like to know about before going forth and purchasing from your brand.

Ensure that the categories are also corrected, and the products are not shown in other categories so that there is no confusion and a loss of money if it’s not done in the right way.

Optimizing the images

Your product images are another essential addition to the mix, and they need to look inviting. The customer must know that the product they are looking to purchase is the same as the image, so ensure that the editing is precise and well-aligned.  

Use extensions

With Google Merchant Promotions, you can also enjoy the opportunity to showcase certain offers along with the Shopping ads. These extensions make it easier to distinguish products from other ones with certain goods, which gives clients an added incentive to visit sites. 

Reviews and Ratings

If you need your products to sell, fetching good reviews and high ratings is extremely important. New customers need to know that the product they are looking to purchase is of good quality, and one of the best ways to do that is by showcasing product reviews and ratings. Ensure that you have this highlighted on the page, and it’ll make your job so much easier.

The ratings and reviews need to be in line with the products, so don’t share fake reviews because it will have an adverse impact on your brand perception.

reviews

Use negative keywords the right way

The negative keywords strategy is another important requirement for anyone who wants to showcase their brand but only with the right ones. The negative keywords will ensure that your products are not shown whenever a customer types in specific keywords which stray away from the ones that your brand needs to be known for.

Adjust based on the performance of devices

Where your customers are buying your products is also essential, and you need to ensure that you’ve optimized your bids accordingly. Take a look at where they’re shopping for your brand online and with this, make it easier for you to go forth and create campaigns. 

These campaigns need to be optimized so that you don’t face any issues regarding where your customers are shopping from.

Optimize by geolocation

Certain products can only be sold in particular demographics and locations. If yours is one, make sure that your ads are also effectively optimized by geolocation to avoid targeting an audience in the wrong geography! 

High-performance products can have in

When you have products that are performing well, you need to capitalize on getting the most out of them. Make sure that you increase the bids for your products that are performing well, and you’ll be able to gain more footfalls once they get optimized.

Remarketing Lists

For your shopping ads, you can increase the number of people purchasing if you remarket to them. They might have dropped off for many reasons, but once you’re able to showcase the product again to them at a time when it is more convenient, you increase your chances of selling.

Ecommerce accounts for close to 11% of all retail sales in the U.S.

Once you implement the above techniques, you’ll begin seeing a change in how your brand is being perceived online. Follow the necessary steps and ensure that you’re always in line with the Google Shopping ads requirements, and you’ll soon begin making a lot of revenue online. 

Creating an approved Google Shopping Feed & running profitable Google Ads is a multi-step process. AdNabu’s app helps you to easily create a Google Shopping feed & run profitable Google shopping Ads. All changes from your Shopify store are fetched and updated automatically in the feed. 

mastering-the-art-of-local-seo

Mastering The Art of Local SEO – How To Rank In Multiple Locations?

by Digital Marketing

A powerful online presence is crucial for businesses these days. Companies that want to succeed have to make sure that they work on increasing their visibility to potential customers. If you are familiar with digital marketing then you know what search engine optimization can achieve for your business. It can help you increase your traffic, visibility and eventually your leads and revenue.

With almost all businesses trying to rank up, it can get very challenging to optimize your website for the search engines. The competition is high which is why you need to hire a professional SEO company to take care of your online marketing needs.

How To Perform Local SEO?

The procedure to rank your business locally on the search results is different than that of performing a traditional search engine optimization. There are certain things that you might have to do differently in getting ranked for local searches.

Choose The Right Keywords

You won’t be able to optimize your website in the right way without proper usage of keywords and location related to your business. So be extremely cautious in choosing the right combination. Let’s say you are a local realtor operating across the New York region, here are the keyword combinations you could possibly use to reach your potential clients- “Buy A Home In NY”, “Property To Buy Near Me”, “Buy A Home In New York”, “Which Borough Is Best For Investment”, “Is It The Right Time To Invest In Real Estate In New York”, etc.

Study Your Competitors

One of the most powerful ways to perform search engine optimization is to study your competitors. Analyze what they are doing and try to do it better. Check what keywords they are using, what type of content they publish and review all the other SEO related practices your competitors do.

Use Google My Business

These days if your business doesn’t show up on Google Maps, it instantly loses most of its credibility. It is another important aspect of local SEO. When someone searches for your business, they should see it on Google Maps with all the information related to the products/services you offer. Having a business on Google Maps will automatically help you perform well on the search results.

How To Rank In Multiple Locations

When people start a business, they only have one thing in mind, that is to build their business and scale-up in the coming years. You might be performing really well on the search results for your local market but once your business starts to attract more clients and turns into a bustling company, you need to expand to other nearby areas as well.

Now it can be very tricky to perform SEO for locations where you don’t have a physical presence as you can’t register a local address on Google Maps or show it on your website that you have an office in multiple localities.

Create A City Landing Page

One of the best ways to rank in multiple locations even when you don’t have a physical presence in that area is by creating a city landing page for the targeted location. One thing to keep in mind is that the content should be unique for each one of the cities. Using the same content and just altering the location names is going to do you no good. It might not even get indexed by Google due to duplicate content.

Make sure to not provide incorrect information about your business address or the location of your service because it can have an adverse effect on local SEO. Create high-quality content and backlinks for your city landing pages and that should help you rank better.

Web-Design-or-Web-Content-What's-More-Important

Web Design or Website Content- What’s More Important?

by Website Development

When your business is marketing its products or services, the most common question you hear is “Do you have a website?”. Websites are no longer just a fancy addition to your business, they are a necessary tool for your business existence.

The quality of your website can have a great effect on your business. However, building and maintaining a website isn’t as easy as it may sound. It is a time taking process and you need to have the most effective web design tools and content in order to outrank your competitors.

There has always been a debate in the business world about the importance of web design and website content. Some believe web design to be more important while others are of the opinion that website content is more important than web design.

Both website design and website content bring a lot of important points to the table. Let’s take a look at the benefits you can enjoy by focusing on each one of them.

https://unsplash.com/photos/assorted-color-abstract-painting-tZc3vjPCk-Q

The Role Of Web Design

Website is always the face of your business in the online world. It is crucial to make sure that it’s responsive, unique and relatable to your brand. If you miss out on decent web design, you would not be able to retain your website visitors or provide a good experience to your customers trying to access from different platforms like mobile phones and tablets.

A simple flaw in web design can actually make customers lose interest in your product or services. The time it takes for the pages to load and the ease of navigating between pages act as some of the important factors in determining the reliability of your brand online.

How Crucial Is Website Content?

A website is nothing without high-quality content. You can build any number of pages you want while designing the website but if there is no impactful content it makes no impression on your website visitors.

Content is always the king and you should treat it right. Though web design can be important for optimizing your website online, web content can directly impact your SEO strategy. By using the right keywords you can improve your website’s ranking and increase traffic to your business website. Content is directly responsible to bring in customers and make your website visible to potential customers.

Content and Design are important however one does not have an advantage over the other. If you have a great web design with poor content, it will affect your business negatively. The same will happen if you have great content with outdated website design.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-writing-on-a-notebook-beside-macbook-1766604/

So in order to optimize your website, you need to focus on both web design and web content and there should be a resonance between the two. Try to invest in both and make sure to start putting up content on the website when you are designing it. Don’t wait until your website is done. Let the design and content work their magic together.

If you want to have the best web design and amazing content on your website then it is highly recommended that you hire the best web design company that can solve your problem. In addition to that, you should also hire a professional content writer or a company that can help you with high-quality content for your website.

Why-Companies-Turn-To-Digital-Marketing-To-Survive-The-Crisis.

Why Companies Turn To Digital Marketing To Survive The Crisis.

by Digital Marketing

The alarming reports of a looming economic crisis have sent business owners into panic mode. A lot of businesses are bracing for impact by making budget cuts and altering their current marketing strategies.

Businesses that are smart enough to still advertise during this period are relying heavily on digital marketing to promote their products and services. This is mainly because of the following:

1. It is Cost-Effective:

One of the major reasons a lot of companies turn to Digital marketing is because of how cost-effective it is to promote their goods and services. There are a variety of digital marketing tactics that cost less, but also yield high results.

This is most especially important during an economic downturn when business owners want to save costs, reduce spending and receive high ROI.

2. It is Measurable:

Another reason why companies turn to digital marketing is that all their online campaigns can be measured in real-time.

This measurability informs them of the tactics that are working and those that are not working. With this important information, they can proceed to modify or alter their online marketing campaigns for maximum success.

3. Precise Targeting:

An aspect of digital marketing that makes it very appealing to business owners, is its ability to target and reach their ideal audience.

Accurate targeting allows businesses to get more out of their marketing and advertising resources. This way a business owner is confident knowing that personalized messaging and content will be seen by their preferred audience. 

More than 4.5 billion people are using the internet at the start of 2020

For businesses to thrive in the current landscape caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, there is a need for new creative and innovative business models.

Although these are uncertain times, you should remember that the current situation will not last forever. As the outbreak is contained and things slowly return back to normal, you do not want to be left struggling to regain any lost revenue.

Promoting your products and services at this time may not be easy, but it is crucial to sustain revenue flow and spur growth. In addition, a lot of businesses are relying heavily on digital marketing during this crisis because of the endless opportunities it presents.

Ways-To-Do-Smart-And-Responsible-Marketing-During-Covid-19-

Ways To Do Smart And Responsible Marketing During Covid-19

by Digital Marketing

The unprecedented circumstances caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put the entire globe on edge.

As at the time of writing, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has infected more than 2,000,000 people in 185 countries/regions and resulted in over a hundred thousand deaths. There is no vaccine yet for this novel virus which makes it more dangerous and difficult to manage.

It’s rapid and continuous spread prompted governments to announce sweeping measures to contain and control the disease. This response resulted in the closure of schools, public spaces, commercial centers, businesses, and borders.

Even though the containment measures were for a good cause, they have restricted the free flow of people, goods, and services. In effect disrupting valuable supply chains, impeding trade and stalling economic growth on a global scale.

The world is now having to deal with both a health and financial crisis. Virtually every individual, business and region is feeling the impact.

It is evident that businesses are the most impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown due to a significant drop in sales.

As a business owner, you are probably looking for ways to survive this period of great uncertainty and abrupt change in the normal state of affairs.

We completely understand this and have put together smart ways for you to effectively promote your products and services, especially during this crisis.

Ways To Perform Smart Or Responsible Marketing.

The financial uncertainty and alarming reports of an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic sent business owners scrambling for cover. A lot of businesses are now making budget costs and scaling back on their marketing/advertising efforts as sales fall and revenue dips.

However, this move could prove to be harmful to your business in the long run rather than helpful. Cutting your marketing efforts means cutting connections with potential customers who can help you weather the storm. There are a variety of efficient ways for you to still promote your products and services for less than half the original price. Below are some of those ways and helpful tips on how you could apply them.

1. Connect with your customers on social media:

Businesses and individuals alike are feeling the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The containment measures put in place to disrupt the disease spread is affecting the livelihoods of millions.

People cannot go about their daily lives as usual. These are tough times filled with uncertainty over the future. You need to be sensitive and show that you truly care about the well-being of your precious customers.

Social media is a great platform to accomplish this task as a lot of people will be turning to their social media feeds scanning for updates and interesting content. This is the perfect time for you to show empathy with your posts, rather than bombarding your feeds with never-ending product or service promotions.

The current situation is a great opportunity for your brand to stand out by being relatable. During these difficult times, consumers tend to lean towards brands that are relatable and not sales.

It is important for you to balance staying in touch with your customers, promoting your brand and also contributing to relief efforts. A smart move would be for you to donate a certain percentage of revenue from a particular sale to food banks, charitable organizations or relief programs.

Showing empathy and supporting good deeds, can generate much-needed buzz and exposure around your brand.

2. Increase your online presence:

There has been a surge in internet use as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. The various stay-at-home and shelter in place orders mean more people will be using the internet to work, communicate and entertain themselves.

According to early statistics, internet use has risen between 50% to 70% as millions of people are now spending more time online than ever before. Internet traffic is on the increase and it is expected to rise with the extension of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Millions of individuals are glued to their computers, tablet, and mobile devices searching for the latest updates,  entertainment, and products/services they need. With the massive consumption of digital content, you need to increase your brand’s online presence.

67,000 searches are performed on Google every second.

A smart move would be to use search engine optimization (SEO) to achieve high rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs), increase your visibility and gain organic traffic.

You need to put yourself in a position where you can easily be found. With the countless number of options available on the web, your business needs to be at the forefront or else you lose out.

Consumers will still need a variety of products and services even when they are at home. Your main focus should be on applying the right digital marketing strategy that will surface your business to potential customers who need your products or services.

3. Retarget existing customers:

While it is very important for you to acquire new customers, it is also essential that you retarget previous ones. It is easier for you to convince your existing audience to buy from you again than it is for new customers.

An existing customer already has experience interacting with your brand and using your product or services. This means that they are aware of your product or service capability to satisfy their needs.

Ad Spend on E-Commerce Doubled in the US in Period Between Mid-February And Early-March

During the COVID-19 lockdown, you want to always remain in the mind of your audience. You can accomplish this undertaking through a variety of different techniques like marketing automation, incentive campaigns and so on.

Marketing automation refers to the use of high-quality software to automate all your digital marketing campaigns and repetitive tasks. It can help to organize your potential and existing customers based on several demographic and psychographic factors.

You can then develop hyper-personalized messaging to target each individual audience segment. The goal is to nurture, warm and ready your leads for a sale, turn a one time buyer into a lifetime customer or attract an existing customer.

Marketing automation workflows allow you to save time, increase customer happiness and boost your revenue. Some examples of marketing automation are reminder emails, newsletters, personalized product recommendations, etc. Personalized email or text messaging is very effective in nurturing a relationship as well as engaging leads with your product.

Another technique to retain your existing customer base is through incentive campaigns. This move involves attracting them with discounts, free deliveries, early access to new products and other special offers.

These incentives can help to build and improve customer loyalty even as they remain glued, looking forward to better offers from your brand.

10-Reasons-your-marketing-plan-should-go-beyond-social-media

10 Reasons your Marketing Plan Should Go Beyond Social Media

by Digital Marketing

Social media is a relatively new kid on the block regarding marketing. Providing businesses with a low barrier of entry and cost with enticing conversion rates. The days of the influencer are upon us with notable internet celebrity packing a significant marketing punch.

While some may be ready to push their chips all in on Social Media marketing, we implore you to consider these ten vital reasons to extend your marketing beyond the confines of a selfie made platform.

1. Declining Reach

You can’t blame us for reaching for the sky. With our heads and pictures securely floating in the nebulous cloud, it is only natural to latch on to the supported platforms. Driven to popularity by an unprecedented engagement rate Social Media marketing is an enticing avenue. Though 2019 has shown that the avenue may be shrinking. Organic traffic to marketing posts is in a steady decline impacting your overall reach.

https://griffonwebstudios.com/10-reasons-your-marketing-plan-should-go-beyond-social-media/2. Crowded Market

Have you ever braved a trip to the brick and mortar stores on Black Friday? Surrounded on every side by people trying to get their hands on the same products as you, with hardly enough room to breathe?  Social Media marketing suffers from overcrowding, as more and more competitors join the platform it can be harder to establish a presence.

3. Attention Retention

Social Media marketing remains a viable method of grabbing audience attention. However, recent studies have shown a decrease in awareness retention when compared to other marketing methods.

4. The View from a Blind Eye

As consumers become more familiar with Social Media marketing, they become more adept at turning a blind eye. They are able to tune out unwanted advertisements at an increasingly effective rate, impacting conversions and the efficiency that once championed the platform.

5. Increasing Cost

A steady increase in cost to operate Social Media campaigns is a direct result of their effectiveness. Unfortunately, as previously stated that effectiveness has seen a substantial dip over the past year. Making the cost per conversion closer to direct marketing competitors.

6. Lack of Brand Loyalty

The enamored effect earned by an inspired ad seldom lasts. A recently conducted poll points toward millennial disinterest in brand loyalty. They are inspired by the product of the moment rather than the company behind it.

7. Long-term Promotion

Retaining significant mindshare over a lasting period of time is the goal of every marketing campaign. However, Social Media Marketing is highly susceptible to rapid decreases in efficiency over time. Making long-term promotion an expensive undertaking.

8. Social Media Push-back

2019 has been a historic year of inspired movements gaining momentum. While many great causes have found increased awareness, Social Media marketers should be cautious. Millennials have expressed a desire to move on from prominent social platforms. A troubling development for those relying on the platform as their sole source of marketing.   

9.  The Double-edged Sword, Brand Image

While Social Media Marketing has proven an invaluable tool in the hands of professionals, it can be equally as detrimental to inexperienced users. One mistake can destroy your brand.

10. Tired Marketing Strategy

Social Media marketing runs rampant with copied marketing strategies. Businesses are looking to emulate the success of a competitor by emulating their every move. This practice has led to redundancy within the industry. Utilizing a rinse, wash, repeat template of uninspired marketing methods.

Emerging-ecommerce-trends-that-will-dominate-in-2020

Emerging eCommerce Trends that will Dominate in 2020

by Digital Marketing

eCommerce has exploded in popularity over the last few years as a growing market with exponential potential. As 2019 comes to a close, ushering in a new decade, we found it fitting to set our sights on the future of eCommerce and the trends that will catapult those to the top of their markets. Join us as we predict our 2020 visions.

Subscription model

Subscription models have dominated the eCommerce space. Offering customers, a grouping of products under an umbrella of interest, is not a new concept by any means. However, the use of the subscription model allowed sellers to capture an expanding base of users, from those intrigued by the upcoming delivery and those who forgot they were subscribed. We believe the trend will continue into 2020. 

While incorporating the ever-buzzy internet of things. For those unfamiliar, it is the interaction of electronics into neighboring ecosystems, such as a fridge able to place an online Walmart order. Thereby streamlining the purchasing process while offering consumers the convenience they so desperately crave. The internet of things represents a renewed opportunity to engage with customers on various platforms.

Experts project a significant metric of online sales that will occur on new hardware integration such as cars, appliances, and devices with voice integration. Bridging the intent to purchase with the product used to perform the purchase. Integrated marketplaces utilizing the vast capability of the internet of things.

E-commerce in 2020

eCommerce was popularized by offering products with a personalized touch. Customized products circumvent the competition by leveraging personal interest to increase the value of product rarity. We believe that this point to a future fueled by a personalized approach. 2020 will see an increase in targeted marketing. As more companies adopt a Business to Customer model or B2C, utilizing tracked data to identify purchase intent will become common practice.

Consumers will be directed towards products within their umbrella of interest at an increasing rate, further cementing eCommerce as the industry’s conversion rate champions. This personalized approach will also consolidate the shopping experience. Customers expect retailers to provide a unified transaction process across multiple disciplines. The marketplace will adjust to meet those expectations by integrating channels into a singular touchpoint. 

Customer demands will also be reflected in the representation of products. Today’s consumer is inundated by visual stimulation. Social media platforms reinforce this trend of communication through imagery. We noticed a trend over the past year as more buying power is afforded to millennials engaging in the workforce. A drastic increase in the reliance upon visual product representation continues into 2020 at an alarming rate. Causing eCommerce to adopt a visual-centric approach.

We believe renders and imagery will dictate product sales figures like never before. Positive image reinforcement is a cornerstone of eCommerce and shows no signs of stopping.

73% of consumers will switch from a poorly designed mobile site to one that makes purchasing easier. (Google)

eCommerce as a whole is on the rise making it the opportune time to enter the arena. We hope you put our prophetic visions of the future to good use. May they aid you in unlocking the immense potential that awaits your online store. For all of your eCommerce website development and online marketing needs, look no further. We bid you a very Happy New Year.

MOST-SUCCESSFUL-ONLINE-MARKETING-CAMPAIGNS-OF-2019-

Most Successful Online Marketing Campaigns of 2019

by Digital Marketing

Another year has passed. Events have transpired, some memorable, some less so. Timelines are filled with pictures capturing the gradual passage of time.

Social media feature unfiltered streams of consciousness, spewing forth a healthy blend of opinion with limited facts. The gram is littered with a litany of #ad featuring all manner of products and “experiences”.

With such a smorgasbord of information bombarding us at a nearly constant rate, we look back at the online marketing campaigns that cut through the noise. Rising to our prestigious title nomination of the Most Successful Online Marketing Campaigns of 2019.

Let’s begin with that cuts close to our hearts. Gillette’s masterful marketing moves have been on the mainstream radar for some time now.

Utilizing the perceived qualities of manhood to sell razors with an ever-increasing about of cool strips and blades, is no simple task. Unlike the simplicity of shaving with a Gillette branded product. This is why the public was taken aback when Gillette used their ideal man imagery as a call to arms with ‘The Best Men Can Be’ campaign.

Imploring the male masses to be better and treat others with the respect they deserve is an aggressive strategy. Well suited to reflect popular movements that gained momentum over the past years, the campaign shot to the foreground of public perception.

However, the campaign caused a significant stir, showered in praise and backlash at near-equal rates. The bold decision paid off with a healthy bump in conversion thanks to a target millennial approach.

An equally thought-provoking strategy was used by beloved chocolate connoisseurs Cadbury. In conjunction with Age UK, they created a campaign that highlighted the loneliness our elders experienced. ‘Donate your Words’ was a moving testament to our propensity for compassion and empathy.

Designed to raise awareness and funds to combat this dreadful isolation, endearing Cadbury to the public and proving they are the true masters of sweetness.

We would be remised without mentioning the masterful follow-up campaign conducted by marketing legends Heineken.

Utilizing their immensely successful ‘Go Places’ campaign to once again claw out a hefty chunk of mindshare with ‘Go Places 2.0’. Embracing the iterative trend so prominent in 2019, Heineken was able to deliver thirty-three stories from the employee perspective. Offering a refreshing beverage with a refreshing amount of transparency.

However, there is one clear winner in 2019. Toting an impressive following with an immensely positive brand image, at a shocking three to one ratio in their favor, Spotify.

Algorithm informed advertising is prominently used throughout the digital marketing industry. Never quite like this. Whether identifying the perfect MEME ‘the _____ for every mood’ campaign’s use of pop culture is astounding.

The proper balance of humor and personalized recommendations endears the platform to users old and new. Who can forget the Laurel or Yanny moment that held the spotlight and cemented Spotify in pop culture? Utilizing tracked data for their #2018Wrapped turned out to be the perfect stepping stone for an unbelievable 2019 pop culture campaign.

Lastly, it is worth noting that our selections primarily feature industry titans with existing brand recognition. However, according to metrics gathered over this past year, small businesses and mid-tier businesses are the true winners of online digital marketing.

Utilizing a reputable digital marketing agency has proven invaluable in capturing potential growth at an unprecedented rate. Skyrocketing brand awareness to previously unattainable heights with ease and efficiency.

The emergence of SEO marketing provides a compelling option with a return on investment well above previous standards. We implore businesses to adopt this effective method of marketing. Who knows, maybe your business could climb to the upper echelon and earn our coveted title of Most Successful Online Marketing Campaign of 2020.

Role-of-Mobile-App-for-your-business

The Role of Mobile Apps for Your Business

by Mobile Apps

Mobile Apps represent a range of opportunities for companies of all industries and audiences. From fostering customer interest and loyalty to deploying marketing to the masses. Building an app worthy of the customer’s time and attention should be a primary focus for all businesses.

Mobile apps are projected to hit $188.9 billion in revenue by 2020.

mobile apps griffonwebstudios

Mobile marketing on your own platform is cost-effective. Aiming advertisements at customers that are already aware of your brand can increase sales within an existing customer base. Invigorating those around them to take notice. Offering benefits attached to those sales can further incentivize word of mouth. Allowing you to reach additional customers.

When properly utilized Mobile applications can unlock exponential growth potential while encouraging continued support from an existing customer base.

Mobile Apps

There is an app for that!

Mobile apps invaded our way of life, offering convivence, entertainment and engaging content on all our favorite devices. In a climate that has an app for everything we think exploring the space could yield desirable results for companies interested in dipping their toes in the water. Increase your presence and outreach with enticing and exciting content for your customers.

mobile apps

Working with mobile app developers can be incredibly beneficial. They offer personalized solutions designed to meet your needs and requirements. Whether encouraging promotional content or remain in touch with your community, a well-implemented mobile app can invigorate growth and development. Search for the Mobile App Company that suites your needs and discover the potential.

Customer Loyalty

Many mobile applications utilize loyalty programs to incentivize customers. Rewards programs or deal alerts are common functions drawing the attention of a lapsed customer in order to motivate a purchase. Then subsequently rewarding the purchase. Leading to a perpetual cycle while separating your company from competitors.

In 2017, there were 178 billion app downloads. That number is projected to grow to 205 billion this year, and 258 billion in 2022—a 45% increase over five years.

This method has proven beneficial to a multitude of scenarios. Increasing visitation frequency. Such apps also rely on the fear of being left out. Inspiring customers to constantly check in on inventory status. Customer interaction is at the core of a well-built mobile app.

Direct Communication

Door to door salesmen thrived on their ability to turn customer interaction into sales. Utilizing sales methods to inspire customer confidence. Building a rapport with pleasant chit chat. Engaging the customer as an attentive helper focused on fixing an issue. Mobile Applications are the modern-day door to door salesman.

Presentation is crucial to establishing and maintaining interest. A well-designed app can be very endearing to customers looking for an entertaining and beneficial way to engage. The quality of the app establishes the customer’s concept of perceived value. Informing their assessment of the company behind the app.

Applications offer a direct line of communication. Allowing companies to express their values and goals directly to the customer. Building a relationship and rapport helps foster a sense of brand loyalty. Which in turn becomes a habit. Applications offer a truly one of a kind opportunity for modern business owners. Allowing them to connect with every household directly.

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What Should Your Marketing Budget be in 2020?

by Digital Marketing

We have seen a dramatic shift in marketing strategy occur over the past few years. Digital marketing has grown significantly. Largely to the increased returns provided by the burgeoning online customer market.

With projection indicating further growth within the competitive online space. Awareness has become a coveted commodity. In an age notorious for individuals with ever-decreasing attention spans being recognized is becoming more and more difficult.

Marketing in 2020

Many have turned towards innovations within the digital marketing space to capture the elusive attention they desire. Local SEO represents the attempt to capitalize on the potential.

Search engine optimization is no longer an interesting attempt but a tried and true method with exceptionally high conversion rates. Offering immense return on investment, a boon to top tier Local SEO companies. 

With many companies increasing their capital investment in such marketing, the question emerges how much should we spend on our marketing budget in 2020?

Marketing In 2020

Marketing budgets are different for various industries. Universally 8% of your gross revenue is the agreed-upon recommendation as far as a percentage. However, dependent on your current marketing company you may see significant fluctuation and discrepancy regarding their recommendation.

Many companies are pointing toward the competitive online market as a reason to raise that percentage. Establishing an online presence is of the utmost importance and requires a substantial investment. Others argue that the efficiency at which top tier digital marketing companies are able to operate offsets the needs for additional funding.

However, utilizing the proper digital marketing company is a factor they all agree upon. Protect your investment and identify productive partners.

The Importance of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is crucial to the proper implementation of marketing and capturing the optimal return on your marketing budget. The modern customer interacts at least fifteen times a day with online platforms.

Social media acts as a constant tether bringing customers back to their devices. Encouraging engagement with other websites.

Google accounts for the vast majority of the search engine userbase drawing multiple visitations. The potential is astronomical. Our society continues to emphasize the use of smart devices. Providing engagement not restricted by location or current activity. 

We believe 55% of that marketing should be spent on digital marketing. On average most companies spend 35%. A weak sum when compared to the growth potential that digital marketing offers. Those companies are living in the past, do not repeat their mistakes.

Return on Investment

Make your money work for you. Money is precious. Every cent should be spent to advance and grow. This is why return on investment is so very important and an excellent way to evaluate marketing effectiveness. There should be a tangible result. The impact should appear in increased traffic and a higher conversion rate. Which is why we emphasize digital marketing as worthy of a greater investment.

The primary focus is making that investment work for you. Maximize the return by investing in effective and impactful marketing.