VALERIE ROBBINS

5 Digital Marketing Tactics to Attract Your Crowd

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“Build it and they will come!” If only it worked that way. 

You have a knack for what you do, you’ve worked hard at building a conscious brand, and you create memorable experiences for your customers. There are a ton of people who would love your business…if they knew about it! So the question is: How can you ensure that more people do know about it?

Unleash the Power of Digital Marketing

Many digital marketing tactics can expand the reach of your business and, by extension, maximize your impact. Here’s the scoop on a handful of tried-and-true marketing methods. 

1. Local SEO

If your business caters to people in your local area, local SEO is a wise investment. Especially if you’re up against many competitors, your business must stand out in search results. The more visible your website is online, the higher the chances that potential customers will flock to you instead of your competitors. 

What does local SEO entail? It’s a process involving:

  • Setting up an optimized Google My Business listing
  • Setting up citations and business listings
  • Optimizing the pages of your website
  • Performing keyword research
  • Conducting competitive analysis
  • Creating sitemaps
  • Doing various ongoing optimization tasks

And the result? Better rankings in search results for targeted keywords, more engagement with your Google My Business listing, more website traffic, and more customers!  

2. Search Ads 

Speaking of search results, Google Ads Search Ads can also increase your online visibility. These ads afford you prominent placement at the top and on the right-hand side of Google search results. For this reason, they tend to have a high return-on-investment (ROI) and can be a profitable way to feed your sales funnel.

Since search ads are pay-per-click, you only pay when someone clicks on your ads to navigate to your website. In other words, it costs nothing to have your website parked at the top of a Google search results page for all to see! 

3. Display Ads

Also pay-per-click, Google Ads Display Ads can be an effective way to advertise your business, draw in more website traffic, and keep the customers rolling in. These ads are shown on other websites and can be targeted to reach the exact crowd you’re trying to attract to your business. 

Some targeting options include geographic location, the content of the page where your ad appears, or even a person’s web browser history. The more relevant your display ads are to the people who see them, the greater the chances they’ll engage with your business!

4. Remarketing

Not all of the traffic you drive to your website will result in immediate conversions. In other words, not everyone who visits your site will fill out a form, give you a call, schedule a consultation, or make a purchase right away. That’s where remarketing comes in. It keeps fewer sales opportunities from slipping through the cracks. How?

By advertising your website again to people who visited it previously but who didn’t take your desired next step. In other words, remarketing keeps your business top of mind, encouraging future engagement. 

5. Youtube Ads 

Last but not least, let’s talk about Youtube Ads. Youtube is 2 billion monthly users strong. It’s no wonder that Youtube Video Ads can be an effective way to get your business in front of many eyes. But not just any eyes. Geotargeting, remarketing, content targeting, and other methods ensure that your videos are shown to people likely to be interested in your content and your business.

Much like pay-per-click, Youtube Video Ads—which are a minimum of 30 seconds long—are pay-per-view. You only pay when someone watches 30 seconds or more of your ad. This keeps costs down, provides a boost of brand awareness, and can also have a high ROI. 

Time to Step Up Your Marketing? 

If business growth is your goal, digital marketing will play a key role in reaching it. As you may know, though, the industry is huge and it can be hard to know what marketing efforts are worth your time. Lucky for you, you have a cheat sheet in this blog post, which covers some of the most effective methods out there! 

If you’d like to know more about how these tactics can be incorporated into your marketing strategy and the kind of results they can generate, let’s connect and discuss it.

Is Web Design Important?

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In the age of Wix, Weebly, and other DIY alternatives, it’s easier than ever to put together a website. Choose a decent template, drag, drop, paste in your text, and presto! It’s live. But is this really the best way to go? Or are people actually onto something when they say that investing in professional web design services is worthwhile? 

Let’s talk about three key things pro web design can accomplish that DIY often doesn’t. 

1. Your Message is Conveyed With Clarity 

The problem with the do-it-yourself route is, no matter where you turn, there are limitations. For one thing, maybe your web design skillset is not your best attribute and, as a result, your website is not the best it can be.

Additionally, you may find yourself stuck in a creative box. For example, you may feel pressured to work within the constraints of a web design template not made with your business or audience in mind.

In either case, such constraints only lead to one thing. They keep you from getting across your message, your purpose, and your vision with crystal clarity. 

A skilled web designer doesn’t have these barriers. And because they don’t, they can create a unique design that’s tailored perfectly to your message. 

2. Your Authenticity Shines Through  

Closely linked to clarity is authenticity. You don’t just want your audience to understand what you do. You want them to understand and be drawn to who you are. 

It’s tough to show off who you are and attract your crowd with a run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter website design also being used by a million other businesses. 

You want everyone who lands on your website to get a sense of your vibe, brand personality, and values, all of which can be communicated through design. Custom web design, that is. 

3. You Connect With More of Your People

Authenticity and clarity are magnetic. They attract the right people to you. Yet, to forge deep, meaningful relationships with those people, it often takes more. Beyond that initial action of visiting your site, further engagement is essential. How is that engagement prompted? 

In large part, through strategic website design, which encourages visitors to explore your website further and take your desired next steps. A professional web designer will have all the tricks of the trade to deliver a stunning website that gets results. From expertise in creating a solid website structure to leveraging visual cues, they’ll be in the best position to accomplish this. 

Investing in Website Design: Worth It or Not? 

While there are alternatives out there, none measure up to the potential that expert website design affords your business. With a design made just for you, you can have full confidence that your message is clear, authentic, and forges lasting connections between you and your audience. Do you feel it’s time to look into professional website design? Get in touch and let’s chat about your options! 

What is Branding & Why is it important?

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What Branding Is & Why It’s Important 

If you asked 10 people what branding is, you’d get nearly as many different answers. So what really is branding and why is it important for you as a business owner to have a definitive answer to that question? Let’s dive into it. 

Branding in Simple Terms 

In a nutshell, a brand is the perception people have of your business. It encompasses what they think of it, how they feel about it and, by extension, how they react to it. 

That said, branding encompasses everything you do and every tool you use to shape that perception. For example, included in your branding are:

  • Your visual identity such as your logo and color palette
  • The wording, voice, and tone you use to get your message across
  • Your use of photos and other imagery
  • The user and customer experience you offer to people who engage with you

Why are these elements of your brand so important, though? Why is it worth being intentional about the way you present your business to your target audience? 

The Advantages of Building a Brand 

Building a brand in contrast to simply growing a business has its perks. Consider 4 benefits of branding. 

1. Consistent Branding Boosts Credibility

If you put time, effort, and resources into building an appealing, well-rounded, and cohesive brand, it will show. And that will instantly boost your credibility, establish trust, and give you a polished professional image. 

2. Authentic Branding Is Memorable

From your logo to your tagline to your brand colors, you have the opportunity to make your business instantly recognizable. The more memorable it is, the better. Why? 

It’s more likely that your business will be top of mind when potential customers need what you offer or know someone who does. 

And instead of having to start from scratch to build trust every time they come across your brand, there will already be some mental or emotional connection established between them and your business. The more authentic your branding and the more it aligns with your core values and mission, the stronger those connections. This can give you an edge against competitors they may not have heard of before.

3. Brands Amass Loyal Supporters

Without a brand, your business is relegated to simply offering products or services in a sea of similar products and services. So all it takes is a new and improved offering, a better price, or a clever marketing campaign for customers to switch to your competitors. 

With a unique brand, however, your business is less susceptible to losing customers this way. Because you offer something extra that resonates with your audience—a unique customer experience, a more appealing message, etcetera—they have an additional reason to stick with you. Not to mention an additional reason to recommend you to others. 

In other words, you can earn repeat customers and brand advocates, which can bring you more new customers also.  

4. Branding Attracts & Retains Top Talent

Just like solid branding can attract customers to your business, it can also attract great employees who support what you stand for. In turn, those employees are motivated to provide exceptional service to your customers. This creates a positive cycle; it keeps the customers coming back and the employees happy. 

Will You Build a Brand? 

Do you currently have a brand or just a business? If you have yet to invest in branding, you’re missing out, ultimately, on additional revenue. 

Even worse, you could be leaving yourself open to being beaten by competitors who are investing in branding to set them apart as the best option for potential customers. No doubt, you’d like to minimize that risk and enjoy the many benefits we covered. So take the first step in the right direction today. Let’s have a chat about what your brand might look like. 

Is Color Helping or Hurting Your Business? 

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What are your favorite colors? Well, that’s a bit of a trick question. The answer doesn’t matter. While it’s tempting to choose colors you like for your business branding, it’s not always the wisest choice. Why is that? And if not based primarily on your personal attraction to them, how should you select colors for your business?

A Brief Introduction to Color Psychology

Vision is a key way through which we gather information and form perceptions. It also plays a huge role in deciding how we react or behave in response to what we’ve seen. Color is, of course, included in this.

Because sight and color are such an integral part of daily life, we may not often think of how they influence us. But, as various studies have shown, they can have a powerful impact in business. In fact, many top brands intentionally leverage certain colors proven to be effective in accomplishing various business goals. 

We’ll explore some examples of this, as well as how you can leverage colors, in the same way, to support your business and make your marketing more effective. 

Selecting Colors For Your Branding

As with everything, there is some variance to be aware of. Not everyone responds to every color the same way. However, here are some time-tested generalities that you may be able to use to your advantage. 

Red 

Red is a powerful, attention-getting color. It has a strong connection to physical needs and concerns. Think about it. Red is used to symbolize love and affection. It’s used to call attention to important information such as warning signs and stop signs. It’s even used by brands like McDonald’s and KFC to draw attention to our need or desire for food. 

If you want to elicit strong reactions from your audience or quickly grab attention, red may be the color to use. 

Blue 

A very popular color, blue is multifaceted. The color of the sky and sea, it’s closely associated with depth and stability. Not to mention trust, wisdom, intelligence, and integrity, which is why it’s used by businesses and brands that depend heavily on the trust of their target markets. Hospitals and banks are common examples of this.

In its lighter shades, blue is also representative of health, healing and tranquility. As a result, it’s a popular choice for relaxation-focused businesses such as spas. 

Blue may be a color to consider for your brand as it can inspire confidence in what you offer, convey sincerity, put potential customers at ease, and much more. 

Green 

What comes to mind when you think of green? Likely things such as nature, life, growth, and money. Now think of the kinds of businesses that use green in their branding. Restaurants may use it to symbolize freshness and healthfulness. Eco-friendly and nature-related brands use it to reinforce what they’re all about. Financial brands use it to entice those interested in economic advancement. The list goes on.  

Might green be a good color to increase the appeal of your business or to reiterate your main messaging? 

Black 

Black often carries an air of sophistication and elegance, seriousness and security. No wonder it’s used by firmly established, respected brands such as Apple, Nike, Louis Vuitton, and others on the luxury end of the spectrum. This color is also often associated with slick, modern, and minimalist brands. 

Orange  

A motivational, positive, and energetic color, orange is often used by fun, lighthearted brands including Fanta and Nickelodeon. And because this color stimulates activity and action, it’s also used by the likes of Home Depot, Orange Theory Fitness, and others. 

Even if not a primary color for your brand, it can be very effective as an accent color that draws attention to your calls-to-action. 

Purple

The combination of blue and red, purple perfectly balances the two elements those colors represent: Stability and energy. Purple, especially in its deeper shades, is closely associated with royalty, nobility, power, wealth, and wisdom. 

However, on the other end of the spectrum, it can also be a good choice for feminine and children’s design. Light purple works best in those cases. 

Might purple have a place in your brand? 

Are You Using the Right Colors? 

Of course, there are many more colors and even shades of colors to consider when it comes to color psychology and business. However, from what we’ve covered,  are you using the right colors for your business? It’s essential to consider what each color you choose is associated with and if using it will further your marketing and business goals or not. 

Need guidance on navigating the nuances of choosing brand colors to ensure that you get it right?
Get in touch and let’s chat about what colors would be most appropriate and effective!