Adrienne Wilkerson

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Starting a blog: An expert guide to content marketing

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 25, 2020

Originally published on June 19, 2018. Updated on May 25, 2020.

Shopping has changed a lot since smartphones were invented. Remember the good old days? All you had to do was see a TV commercial or hear a recommendation from a friend and know you were about to get a great deal. Today’s customers need a little more persuasion.

According to Think With Google statistics from January 2018, 53% of shoppers say they always do research before they buy to ensure they’re making the best choice possible. What’s more, nearly 2/3 of shoppers say online video has given them ideas that inspired their purchase.

It makes sense, right? Smartphones put all the answers right at their fingertips. They don’t have to blindly trust that a product is good; they can read the reviews, compare prices, and find out what the brand’s competitors are doing. Consumers are much more empowered.

There’s no way to ignore the numbers. The whole buying process has evolved, and if you want to stay profitable, you need to be changing right along with your tech-savvy consumers. They’re looking for educational material, reviews, and testimonials.

To stay on top, you need to provide them with that information.

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Evolution of the SEO blog

Blogs have long been a powerful tool that businesses use to educate the public, in order to capture their attention, solve their problems, and gently guide them along the path to purchase. They’ve gone up and down in popularity over the years, but we say the humble blog is here to stay.

In the early days of blogging, all you had to do was write 400-odd words about your products and you’d be set. Various combinations of keywords would naturally boost your SEO, and it was an almost effortless way to start driving traffic to your website. Then other businesses caught on to the trend, and the floodgates burst open. Today, SEO is a fiercely competitive game.

Marketing strategies change all the time as technology and consumption habits evolve. The industry has moved away from traditional outbound marketing methods to new inbound marketing methods. The idea is not to force your brand messaging down the throats of the unsuspecting public, but to make yourself easy to find when they’re looking for your products and services.

Blogs are a critical part of this strategy, because the first thing anyone with a problem wants to do is find answers. Educate your prospective customers. Tell them tips and tricks, publish how-to guides, answer frequently asked questions. Try to help; don’t try to sell. Remember, today’s customer is tech-savvy, which means if they can’t find the answers on your digital assets, they’ll look elsewhere.

Give them a good experience, however, and they might stick around to learn more. They’ll browse a related blog article, or click through to your “about” page, or check out your products or services. If you strike the right note, they may even reach out and ask more questions.

Blogging has evolved a lot over the years, but it’s still an essential marketing tool.

What does modern blogging require?

Blogging is more than just blogging now, and it has been for a while. Consumers still can’t seem to get enough content and us content marketers are hard pressed to provide enough. Customers are demanding not just written blogs, but a variety of types of content.

Remember the statistic we shared about video? Two-thirds of online customers told Google that video has inspired them to purchase. A modern blogging strategy should include:

Videos: Short-format content, ranging from 30 seconds to about three minutes, can be a great way to convey information quickly and help your prospective customer.
Infographics: Significant amounts of content presented in a visual, easy-to-digest format.
Podcasts: Free audio files, usually offering informative content, delivered in subscription form that can be downloaded and listened to on the move.
eBooks: Longer format educational information, including how-to guides, can go a long way to boosting your credibility by presenting you as a thought-leader.

How does blogging actually help?

Another Think With Google article, published in June 2018, notes that modern consumer paths are becoming increasingly complicated. The average computer user will use 3.4 touchpoints before committing to a purchase, whereas a smartphone user will have an average of 2.9 touchpoints.

This means they interact with a variety of sources while researching their purchase before making a decision. The first touchpoint for the average smartphone user looks like this:

Web search: 22%
Store/manufacturer website: 18%
Price comparison website: 12%
Conversation with friends: 13%
POS/in-store visit: 7%
(A whole bunch of little ones fit here, including social media)
Video streaming website: 4%.

As you can see, web search and business websites are the two key sources of potential consumers – right off the bat. This means your SEO strategy needs to be on point, and your website needs to be in tip-top shape, if you want to catch people’s attention for the right reasons.

Blogs form a key part of this strategy, because they naturally contain more keywords than webpages, so they typically rank higher in search. A consistent stream of new posts also keeps your website fresh and up-to-date, which appeals to modern consumers.

Remember, this is just the first touchpoint in the process. For smartphone users, there are still another 1.9 touchpoints to come, and you want to be sure they find you.

Where do your clients consume content?

Most people start their research on Google, but many are also exposed to brands for the first time on Facebook and other social media channels. According to statistics from Facebook, published in 2018, there are 2.45 billion monthly users. About 247 million of these are based in the United States and Canada. More than half of these admit to checking the platform “more than a couple of times a day.”

Blogs make great fodder for search and social. Your Google Ads can drive traffic to blog posts; your Facebook and LinkedIn ads can share information for people to read, comment about, and (hopefully) share with their friends. They key is to be consistent, and keep ’em coming.

One of the foundational parts of running a 21st-century business is interacting with your customers. It’s as vital today as having a working business phone. In order to do that successfully, and capitalize on it, you need to figure out where they’re spending time online. You can make assumptions about this based on a couple of things – for example, where do you interact with most customers now? How old are your customers? Where are they based? Are you targeting consumers or businesses?

HubSpot is a leading American software developer, specializing in marketing and sales products. It compiles a report every year telling marketers what demographics are using different social media platforms, which is incredibly helpful when it comes to targeting the right people:

Facebook: The most popular age range of users is 18-29, at 81%. About 75% of users are based in urban areas, and 90% access the site via mobile devices. College graduates make up about 77% of adult users, and the median income is between $30K-$49K. Helpful, right?
Instagram: About 42% of Instagram’s users are college graduates. It’s a smaller number because it appeals to a younger audience, with 72% of users aged 13-17. However, it’s very powerful, because 60% of users say they discover new products on the platform.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a primarily business-to-business platform, and it has about 165 million users in the United States. The average age of users is higher: 36% are aged 18-29, while 34% are aged 30-49. As you might expect, many of these are college graduates.
YouTube: About 81% of American internet users aged 18-25 watch YouTube videos. It’s no surprise, then, that about 15% of all YouTube traffic comes from the United States. About 62% of YouTube users are male, who spend an average of 44% more time on the site than women.

See what we mean? Each platform attracts a different audience. You obviously already know who your target customer is, so you need to keep this in mind when you’re trying to reach them. The tone and style of your blogs will need to adjust to appeal to different demographics; so does the platform on which you share them. This really is about working smarter, not harder, in sharing your message.

It’s now called content marketing

Blogging emerged as a way to answer a need for content, boost SEO rankings and keep websites fresh. After all, it’s much easier to type out a quick blog post than re-think your website every week. As Google’s algorithm has changed, we’ve learnt to incorporate searchable keywords; as Facebook’s algorithm has changed, we’ve learnt to improve visuals and include video when we can.

However, blogging is no longer a standalone digital marketing strategy. Rather, it’s a critical part of a digital ecosystem. Modern marketing strategies might incorporate blogging as follows:

Problem: A business wants to increase brand awareness and generate leads
Solution Part 1: You create an editorial calendar – including how-to guides, frequently asked questions or hot topics in your industry – aiming for 2 x new blog posts every month for six months. You incorporate strategic keywords, which naturally boost your SEO.
Solution Part 2: Blogs are shared on Google Ads, either as a search ad (which appears at the top of the Google results page for a search of like keywords) or a display ad (which appears on Google’s many other internet properties). This drives traffic to your website.
Solution Part 3: Blogs are shared on social media, either as organic posts (which are designed to encourage community engagement) or Facebook Ads (which are designed to boost awareness). They’re tailored for your target audience. This drives traffic to your website.
Solution Part 4: Every blog post includes a strong call-to-action with a clear next step. It might be signing up for an e-newsletter, scheduling a free consultation, asking for a free assessment, etc. It prompts the customer to engage once they’re on the page.
Solution Part 5: Congratulations! You’ve just generated a new lead.

Remember, the whole point is to make it as easy as possible for people to find you when they need you. When content marketing, social media marketing and digital advertising work together to create an effective digital marketing strategy – well, it’s a beautiful thing to behold.

As you can see, blogging is as important in 2020 as it was in 2015. The way we do it has changed, and the digital infrastructure that supports it has changed, but the essence is unchanged. You’re here to serve your customers. Modern customers are demanding information, so you need to adapt your strategy and ensure that need is met. That’s the key to generating leads. When all the pieces come together, content marketing is a powerful tool for organizations and business alike.

Inspired to create a killer content marketing strategy? Schedule a free consultation.

Seth Godin is still right: Content marketing is the only marketing left

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 19, 2020

Originally published on August 19, 2016. Updated on May 19, 2020.

Seth Godin is considered by many as the “godfather of modern marketing,” and back in 2015 he made the bold statement that “content marketing is the only marketing left.” By this, he meant that marketers should create content their audience genuinely cares about and wants to consume, instead of creating content that contains only thinly-veiled and re-purposes advertisements.

In the years following the release of his first book, Permission Marketing, the marketing industry has changed significantly. In fact, the communications revolution that followed the internet (and more specifically, the smartphone) is quite possibly the biggest change since the invention of the printing press, because the modern marketing environment has essentially required us all to throw the rule book out the window and start inventing new ways to connect brands with people.

We’ve moved away from traditional advertising methods, which placed attention-grabbing brand messages in front of the public. Instead, we’re utilizing the philosophy of inbound marketing to squeeze the maximum value from our budgets, ensuring the right people can find us when they need us. It’s flipped the brand/customer relationships on its head, and it’s a good thing for both sides.

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How content marketing works

Content marketing requires brands and media agencies to act more like publishers than advertisers. Internet culture encourages users to share quality content, from humorous memes to informative blog posts and interesting videos. Basically, “quality content” means content that will add value to someone’s day and evoke some sort of positive reaction or response, such as a like or a comment.

It’s all about giving the public things they want to consume, and introducing your brand in a helpful way that makes it clear it will add value to your customer’s life. When content marketing is done right, followers become fans and even promoters of your brand because you have provided something they want and need. Content marketing leverages the words we use in online searches (SEO) to get responses (engagement) and drive action (conversions). It means you can’t just sell. You have to engage in conversations, share helpful information, and develop a brand personality.

Best practice is constantly evolving as content marketing becomes more sophisticated.

Developing a content marketing strategy

There are lots of different ways brands can use content to connect with customers. The key is to remember you’re not here to sell; you’re here to help answer a question or solve a problem. Keep this in mind as you’re developing content to ensure it’s attention-grabbing and engaging for all the right reasons. That will open the possibility for each reader to enter the path to purchase.

Video marketing

There is no escaping the fact that video marketing is the most popular form of content marketing around today and it will only continue to grow. There are lots of different forms, including livestreams (such as Facebook or Instagram lives), pre-recorded video (polished content for YouTube or Facebook) and real-time video (such as Facebook or Instagram stories, SnapChat or TikTok).

You’ll need a content marketing strategy specific to each platform, because they’re all favored by different audiences. Facebook might resonate with a middle-aged audience, for example, while TikTok is a great way to make an impact on people aged 18-30. YouTube is the perfect platform for beautifully-produced videos, while shorter conversational-style clips are great for IGTV.

The key is to make sure you plan your video ahead of time. Make sure you’re 100% clear on what you’re trying to communicate and how long it should take so you your message isn’t drowned in a rambling stream of consciousness. Think about the basics, like sound and lighting, to make sure people can hear and see you, and shoot a few takes so you can choose the best one to post.

Email marketing

The traditional newsletters we used to get in the mail, with those goofy little circle tabs (remember those?) have evolved email marketing blasts. Some brands still treat marketing emails like the newsletters of old, and pack them with as much information as possible, but there is definitely a better way. Take it as an opportunity to wow them, to maximize the chance of engagement.

Marketing e-mails have to contend with a lot of other mail, and you want people to look forward to getting yours. Make it boring or annoying, and you risk being relegated to the spam folder! Use interesting images, incorporate engaging videos, and make it personable. They want to connect with a person, not a corporate machine, and they want to read things relevant to their experience.

Keep the text to a minimum, with clear subheadings that make information skimmable, and always include a link to a landing page where people can go to find more information.

Social media marketing

It seems like there is a new social media channel popping up every other week. The weirder the name, the better (we’re looking at you, TikTok). Some are a flash in the pan, like Periscope, while others have become juggernauts, like Facebook). You don’t need to be active on every single social platform. In fact, it’s better to nail your strategy on one than maintain a mediocre presence on all, because a strategy that drives genuine awareness and engagement will make a much bigger impact on your sales funnel than a few posts a week that only your mother and grandmother bother to like.

When it comes to social media, it’s important to remember that people are likely engaging with you in their spare time. They might be on the bus on the way to work, eating a packet of chips on a break, scrolling through their news feed on the couch after dinner, or (God forbid) in the bathroom. No-one wants to be sold to in those contexts, so it’s important to keep your messaging, well, social.

Create original, short-form content with strong visuals to maximize engagement. Make sure you respond to every question and comment to make the audience feel good about engaging with you. The key is to be consistent and to focus on content that is helpful, interesting and full of personality.

Blogging

Google is always looking for fresh content, which means you need to constantly update your website with new information. The best way to do this is with blogs, as they’re very SEO-friendly and can be easily shared across other platforms, such as social media, to encourage discussion.

Blogs are essentially articles, typically 600-2,000 words in length, that discuss an issue relevant to your business. For example, you could answer frequently asked questions, address common issues that come up in sales discussions, talk about new products or services, provide an opinion about something that’s happening in the industry, introduce your team members, or educate the public.

They often provide the first port of entry for a new person coming across your brand, so it’s important to ensure they’re high quality (hello, spell check) and that they reflect your brand’s personality. Make them interesting and informative, and don’t be afraid to have a little bit of fun with the tone and style. They’re a great way to make a good impression on each person who clicks through to read.

You may find that blogs are enough to make people engage with you and take the first step on the path to purchase, whether that’s signing up for a special offer, scheduling a free consultation, or contacting you with a question. Whenever given the choice, we will tend to do business with those that we know, like and trust. When prospects can feel a connection to your business, your brand, they are more likely to call you when they are ready to buy. Keep that in mind as you write.

Webpages

Of course, the content on your website is just as important as the content you release on the internet in the form of videos, emails, social media and blogs. It’s important to tune-up your website every 2-3 years to ensure all the content is up-to-date and that your pages work as they should. There’s no point doing all the hard work to draw someone into your digital ecosystem if they click on a broken link!

It’s important to make sure every page on your website is clear, well-organized and helpful. People won’t spend a lot of time looking around to find the answers they need (at least, not on their first visit), so you need to optimize it and make everything as easy as possible for them. Use text, images and videos to your advantage so it’s clear exactly who you are and what you offer.

One of the most important pages is the “about us” section. People want to do business with people, and often this is the most-visited page on business websites. Trust is important, so use this page to your advantage and make sure your customers are invested in your brand story.

It’s also important to ensure you have dedicated landing pages for all products and services you’re looking to promote. These pages will ensure people’s questions are answered the instant the page loads, which will position your brand as being helpful and friendly, and it will make it clear what the next steps are to doing business with you. It’s a good opportunity to ask for information, such as an email address, so you can provide something of value and take the relationship to the next level.

Content marketing can revolutionize your marketing efforts. We’d love to help.

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Drive more traffic to your website: 6 expert ways to add SEO to your website

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 15, 2020

Originally published on July 3, 2018. Updated on May 15, 2020.

The world of SEO can be complicated. It’s always changing, so it’s easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed, because strategy can evolve just as you feel like you’re getting the hang of it. That said, SEO (a common acronym for the practice of “search engine optimization”) is a core component of every successful digital marketing strategy. It makes you searchable, meaning customers will look to you for information when they need your products and services, which drives traffic to your website and ultimately generates leads.

Before we get into some specific tips to improve your blog, let’s first touch on the technical side of SEO. According to Webopedia, it means this:

Search engine optimization is a methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the number of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine (SERP) – including Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines.

While not an exhaustive list by any means, today’s blog is going to focus on some of the strategies, techniques, and tactics to improve the ranking of your blog and therefore your website. We’ll run you through the essentials of keywords, backlinks, headings and sub-headings, metadata and images. Ready? Let’s dive in.

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Keywords

Tip 1: Focus on incorporating long-tail keywords in all of the content published on your website.

What does that mean? Keywords are the search terms people are likely to type into Google when they’re looking for an answer to something. A long-tail keyword is searchable phrase, for example, “what does SEO mean,” “SEO strategy for beginners,” or “how to use SEO on my website.” All of these phrases use the keyword “SEO,” but they also specifically target probable search phrases. Getting this right can go a long way toward increasing your changes of showing up at the top of the results page, because it targets a niche search.

Narrowing the focus of your search terms mean you won’t have to compete against as many other websites to catch Google’s attention. Take the examples below for example – there is a difference of 958,620,000 search results between the two! Your likelihood of being in the first couple of pages in the search results are significantly better when you use long-tail keywords, because these answer specific questions.

The key to using these in practice is to remember that less is more. That might sound strange, since we’re trying to convince Google that your content is the perfect match for the search query, but it’s really important not to just stuff your webpages and blog posts full of keywords at the expense of readability. The Google algorithm, in its current form, is designed to scan the internet for quality content. Google’s business model relies on its ability to find the best information on the website to answer your questions, which is why readability matters.

Try to focus on 1-2 long-tail keywords per blog, and naturally work them into the blog where it makes sense and fits with the flow. It is effective to use them multiple times in each blog, but again, don’t over-use them. It will make your content seem inauthentic and unhelpful, which could put it at the bottom of the pile.

Backlinks

Tip 2: Link to your own webpages and blog posts when you publish new content.

Backlinks open the door to the SEO chamber of secrets. Their definition is pretty straightforward: they are incoming hyperlinks from one web page to another. The more backlinks you have, the more “popular” your site is, and SEO bots will judge this favorably, because they’re programmed to assume that page is an authority on whatever topic it’s about, and increase its ranking.

The easiest way to start is by back-linking your own content, to boost your own digital ecosystem (see what we did with the “read more” link above?). However, backlinks from other people’s websites are even more authoritative – it’s like being vetted by a third-party. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do this, other than to publish great content that other people find interesting and valuable and ensure you’re constantly networking (both online and offline) with other reputable businesses in your industry. For example:

Identify leaders in your industry or niche.
Subscribe to their blogs and follow them on social media.
- Start a relationship by leaving thoughtful comments on their posts.
- Share their posts and link to their blogs when relevant in your blogs.
Ask to be a guest blogger on their website, with a link back to your website in your bio.
As you build the relationship, you can ask them to backlink to your content in other blogs.
This process will get easier and more backlinks will follow over time.

It’s important to mention here that you should never buy backlinks. You may see articles or receive comments from services offering to backlink to your website for a price, but search engine operators are aware of this and the algorithms they design do not look favorably upon mountains of links from dodgy websites. In fact, it may even lead to your website being black-listed. Quality links from reputable sites are worth the investment of time.

Headings

Tip 3: Use long-tail keywords in your headings and keep them short and simple.

Headings are a great way to incorporate keywords in a natural way, because they’ll introduce the topic, as well as all the related sub-topics, you’ll cover on your webpage or in your blog post. The trick is to keep them short, simple and clear. Ideally, you want to keep your title to about 65 characters and use a subtitle in the first line of your blog if you want to enhance or build on the title its self. Also, make sure to remove any “extra” words like a, an, the, etc. from the permalink.

Create headlines that grab people’s attention by making them interesting and distinct. The word “awesome” in the sample above is a great example, because it adds a flash of personality. Remember, headings need to stand out among a lot of titles all competing for the same views.

Metadata

Tip 4: Don’t forget metadata! This is a really easy win when it comes to adding SEO.

Metadata, also known as meta descriptions, refers to the snippet of information that represents your webpage on search engines. Typically, it includes a short heading and an excerpt that give a searcher a quick overview of the content within to help them decide whether to click or not.

If you don’t fill it out, Google will usually just pull the headline and first few lines of text from your article. However, optimizing your metadata is a sure-fire way to boost your SEO. It’s a great way to reinforce keywords, so make sure you include one in the heading and one in the article, because this will ensure the algorithm recognizes what your article is about. It also provides an opportunity to make most of the space you’re given to ensure your webpage or post sounds absolutely irresistible.

Images

Tip 5: Search engines can’t see images, so fill out the alt-text descriptions of pictures.

This is another really easy way to pump up your SEO, because search engines primarily analyze text. Every time you upload an image, there will be a box that pops up with space to add a title or caption, and most importantly, an alt-text description. Here’s an example of what that looks like.

When you take the time to put descriptions in this space – especially descriptions that include your keywords – you give the search engine context, so it can understand the context of the image to the blog. That helps it sort and rank the image, which is another simple way to boost your ranking.

Other quick tips

Tip 6: Make sure your website is well-organized and fast-loading.

There is a lot of information available online about optimizing your site, so we won’t go into all of it here. However, once your webpage or blog post ranks on Google, and you capture the attention of passing internet users, it’s critical to ensure your website works well.

Once people click a link, you only have a few seconds to capture their interest. If all that precious time is spend waiting for your page to load, you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll click away and look elsewhere. Make sure the virtual nuts and bolts of your site are well-maintained and that everything is running as it should so that your page springs up and gives them the answers they need.

It’s also critical to ensure your template is responsive, meaning it can be viewed seamlessly on phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. Modern internet users won’t waste time zooming in and out to read all the tiny words on the page; again, they’ll click away and look elsewhere.

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3 ways to boost traffic to your website (it’s not just SEO anymore)

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 13, 2020

Originally published on July 5, 2016. Updated on May 13, 2020.

Wouldn’t it be great if generating leads online was as simple as building a shiny new website? Of course, a shiny new website helps. In fact, the first step to any successful online marketing campaign is to create a website, because it will form the foundation of the rest of your strategy. It ties in important elements like branding, content, search engine optimization (SEO), landing pages and calls to action into one tidy package, and all of these things will ultimately increase your chance of digital marketing success.

Once your website is live, you need to help people find it. This will allow you to start connecting with prospectives, giving them information, solving their problems and guiding them along the path to purchase until they decide to become a client or customer. Obviously, SEO is essential. It’s the practice of optimizing content – including web pages and blog posts – so it ranks on Google when people search for keywords and related terms.

Internet Live Stats estimates Google processed about 40,000 queries every second, or about 3.5 billion searches per year, in 2019. The top of the first results page is prime digital real estate, because it’s where most people will look to find answers to their questions. It can be a tremendous source of traffic, due to the daily search volume, as well as a great way to get qualified leads, because you already know people are interested in your solutions.

But what else can you try? As you might expect, SEO can be fiercely competitive, so it’s worth investing in a multi-pronged strategy to ensure you’ve covered all your bases.

Here are three options to help your message reach the right people:

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Blogs

Blogging may sound a little bit strange at first. How can a series of posts, published on your website, help people find you? They’re a slow-burn strategy, but they’re great for a number of reasons.

The first one is obviously SEO, because long-form blogs (1,000+ words) will inevitably include lots of long-tail keywords, which will boost your rankings. Google’s algorithm will also look favorably on the length because it will assume you’re an expert on the topic (which, obviously, you are). Often, individual blog posts will rank higher in search than your homepage because they lend themselves so naturally to SEO.

The second one is because it paves the way for you to get active on other platforms, like social media. Blogs on topical issues, industry issues, frequently asked questions and how-to guides that will help people solve common problems they’re facing are all incredibly clickable. This makes them perfect for grabbing attention in digital ads, because once the headline draws them in, they’ll click through to your website for answers.

Once someone has entered your digital ecosystem, you need to keep them there and gently nudge them along the path to purchase. That means your content has to be good: well written, well structured, and filled with valuable information that will genuinely help someone. This isn’t the time to try and sell. It’s like the first date in the customer-brand relationship where they’re just getting to know who you are and what you’re about.

For this reason, it’s important to include a strong call to action in every blog post in case they decide they like what they see and they choose to move forward with you and schedule a second.

Social media

Social media is a powerful tool to drive traffic to your website. When it’s done correctly, the people who visit your site will be qualified leads because they’ve found you by following links, ads or offers that have interested them.

Different platforms have different strengths. Facebook is a great way to reach a lot of people effectively. LinkedIn shines in a business-to-business (B2B) setting. Instagram is wonderful for anything visual, particularly if it’s helpful or inspiring. It’s a great way to connect with people directly, because you’re essentially delivering your messaging directly into their hands, which is a great way to drive traffic to your website away from SEO. No matter the platform, the secret to making this work is to engage, engage, engage. Follow other local businesses in your area and like their posts. Reply to comments promptly. Follow up individuals and ask them questions.

The key to attracting attention on your own page is to include snappy copy and a headline that immediately addresses a pain point. What’s really in the air you’re breathing at home? Need to keep your job site going this winter? Looking for a second opinion on a medical diagnosis? Do you look at a pastry and gain a pound? Remember to engage with people on a personal level and don’t waste their time. Make sure everything you post has actual value, whether that’s helpful information, a special offer, etc., and a link to your website.

To use the date analogy again, it’s like bringing roses and putting in the work to research a nice local restaurant. Your prospective will appreciate the effort and remember the positive interaction.

Digital ads

Digital ads are a great option to put your website in front of people who have a genuine interest in the types of things you’re selling. You can do this through social media and search engines – every major social media platform has an ad manager, while Google Ads has taken a monopoly on search. It’s a simple process to set up a new account (you’ll need a new one for each platform you plan to use) and get started.

Ad managers are incredibly sophisticated, allowing you to select specific demographics – for example, gender, age, location, interests – to ensure you’re targeting the sorts of people likely to want your products or services most. They’re based on a cost-per-click method that works on a bidding system, which can make digital advertising a very cost-effective way to promote your website and generate qualified leads.

Blogs are great fodder for digital ads. Just like social media, it’s best to use snappy, attention-grabbing copy that immediately addresses a pain point because chances are this will match the search term. It’s worth trying a couple of different blogs to see what kinds of posts generate the most traffic, and updating the ads regularly with fresh content to ensure you’re making every dollar work as hard for you as it can.

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10 tips to improve your website’s ranking on Google

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 12, 2020

Originally published on March 6, 2017. Updated on May 12, 2020.

The statistics are undeniable – these days, consumers look to the web for information before making a decision on where to spend their hard-earned money. Every day, your prospective customers are reading Google reviews and Facebook recommendations to find the business that is going to help them solve a problem.

The key to success is search engine rankings. Optimizing your website for search means your content will appear higher and higher up Google results pages until you land on page one. As far as digital real estate goes, this is gold. It’s the virtual version of being in the right place at the right time and the returns can be huge.

Small things can make a big difference, so here are 10 tips to help boost your rankings.

Just want to ask the experts? Schedule a free consultation.

1. Create long-form content

The length of your content matters for many reasons. Google considers longer content more authoritative, probably because anyone who takes the time to write 1,000+ words about a topic is genuinely interested in educating others and being helpful rather than just selling things. Longer sections of text also naturally provide a lot more space for keywords and avoid the keyword stuffing that often comes with shorter posts. sInternet users and search patterns both focus on long-tail keywords (think full question instead of just strings of search terms), which fits in perfectly with long blogs and page texts since you are more likely to answer those queries.

2. Be original

Being original may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how often plagiarism happens. Write your own content, people! No-one knows your business like you do, so capitalize on that and write from personal experience, share the ins and outs of the products and services you offer, answer questions that your customers frequently ask you, address concerns that commonly occur in your industry. Don’t be afraid to tackle tough issues. It’s a pretty safe bet that your competitors aren’t doing it, which leaves it wide open for you to step in and potentially increase your market share.

3. Get your facts straight

The internet is full of rumors and weird stories. Make sure you fact-check what you post, especially if you’re going to quote statistics on your website or in a blog. We recommend seeing if you can find the same fact on at least three independent sites (trust us: you’ll definitely find some interesting information when you start trying to collaborate facts and stories!). It’s a bit scary how often the same fact is quoted by multiple sites, but hard to trace to an original source. Other times, you may find the original factoid has been misquoted or misrepresented. Research is vital to authenticity, which leads to greater trust, which leads to customer loyalty.

4. Write interesting posts

The key to creating good content is to write things people actually want to read. That means writing for the readers, not just stringing streams of SEO-friendly keywords together, because Google is constantly tweaking its algorithms to improve the consumer experience. It wants to make sure quality content is available for its users, so when your webpages and blog posts cover topics people like, Google will rank them higher. Resources like Google Keyword Planner make it easy to see what terms people are searching and create a strategy accordingly.

Read more: Why the SEO blog will never die

5. Keep SEO in mind

That said, you never want to forget SEO. The magic of good content is that it will both help your customers and increase your website’s ranking. Weave the keywords into the content you are writing for the reader, and when you look at Google Keyword Planner, focus on the words with medium competition. This means that lots of people are searching for them, but your chances of ranking are better when the competition isn’t super-fierce. Remember, digital marketing is about using the right bait for the right readers, not casting a wide net in the hope of catching a bite like traditional marketing methods.

Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation.

6. Focus on the visuals

Visuals are really important when it comes to building trust with readers, because prospective customers like to see who they’re doing business with. It’s also important when it comes to conveying information quickly. Video, in particular, has become increasingly popular as time-poor internet users look for alternative ways to consume content. After all, it’s much easier to hit play and listen than it is to read a lengthy article! Focusing on visuals will ensure your business looks up-to-date and ready to assist customers with their questions.

7. Answer questions

When we searching the internet, we are usually looking for an answer. The sweet spot for business owners and marketers is figuring out the questions. Remember Jeopardy? You have the answers; your customers have the questions. Your job when you are generating content is figuring out the most important issues to address. Here are some ways to make sure you are answering the right, real questions.

Talk to your sales people. What questions do they routinely answer during their meetings with clients?
Talk to your customer service staff. What persuades people to become clients?
Type in a question to Google. What are people also asking?

8. Be helpful

When you are answering questions your customers and prospects want answers to, make sure you are useful and give them enough information to go on. Don’t be so vague that you aren’t saying anything at all. Many companies are afraid to give away too much information about what they do, and how they do it. However, that’s almost impossible. Obviously, you don’t reveal confidential data, but don’t be afraid to give insights into how you do what you do.

The other thing that’s worth noting is that people really don’t like to be teased. When they click on the link to your blog or web page, they want actual information. They do not want to click on the link and read a paragraph or two only to find out that you aren’t offering anything. We’re all familiar with this method: the teaser, followed by just enough to keep you on the line, but never really helpful information. Don’t be that company.

9. Use Case Studies

Accurate case studies are powerful tools when done correctly. They are an opportunity for you to highlight your product or service and how it impacted your client. The format usually goes something like this:

Challenge: Summary of why the client came to you and the problem they needed you to solve
Method: Explain your solution to the problem and the steps you took to implement it. Include a timeframe if possible.
Results: Include details and statistics whenever possible, describe how what you did was successful.
Call to action: Provide the reader with a way to contact you and some kind of action to take while they are excited about what they just read.

10. Publish how-to guides

How-to blog posts are popular because it answers some of the most frequently-searched questions online: “How do I…” Start with the problems your business solves on a daily basis. How to ignite a pilot light? How to teach kids to brush their teeth? How to cure headaches? Then write a step-by-step guide.

Again, don’t worry about giving too much information. More often than not, if the person is a really into DIY, they’re going to learn a lot and have positive things to say to others about you. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool. However, if they see all the steps and feel overwhelmed, it’s also really likely they’ll give you a call. You’re an expert, after all, so you can easily help solve their problem.

Summary

There’s a lot of information here, we get it. While everything on this list will help, you don’t necessarily have to do it all. Start with one or two things, and make sure you do them consistently. For example, even just getting a solid stream of fresh content up on your site on a regular basis will help improve your website rankings.

Of course, you can also call the professionals. Schedule a free consultation.

5 website design trends you need to watch this year

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 11, 2020

Originally published on February 21, 2017. Updated on May 11, 2020.

Websites are the digital version of a storefront. Often, they’re the first impression you make on a prospective customer, so it’s important to make the right one. We recommend re-designing your website every 2-3 years to ensure you’re up-to-date with the latest styles and trends to maximize your chances of attracting attention.

Think of it this way: back in the 70s, home decor featured a lot of bright orange kitchens, bright green bathrooms, geometric patterns and shag carpet. Fast-forward to 2020, and technicolor highlights have been replaced with natural wood grain, minimalist design and neutral color palettes. Don’t commit a digital fashion faux pas.

Here are some of the top five web design trends for this year:

Want to skip ahead and talk about a new website? Schedule a free consultation.

1. Oversized fonts

One way to attract attention and immediately convey essential information is to incorporate large fonts and oversized elements. This is a great way to use creativity to express your brand’s personality. For example, do you want to be known as creative and fun? Calm and relaxing? Professional and trustworthy? It’s amazing how much of an impact typography has in conveying this, even before prospective customers actually read the words.

This is also a powerful way to ensure you’re connecting with the right audience. If you run a holistic health business, audiences might expect to see a more organic and free-flowing script. If you run a professional services business, customers will expect to see something clear-cut and businesslike. If you run an HVAC business, you could choose a bold typeface that conveys strength and capability. A font actually says quite a lot.

Beautiful, big type is also a really practical design tool, because it formats nicely on every device. That goes a long way when it comes to creating a seamless transition for customers across phone, tablet and computer.

2. Vivid colors

Minimalist design has been popular since at least 2017, featuring eye-catching color blocks as well as plenty of white space that make images and text jump off the page. Simple and clean-cut designs are here to stay, but vivid colors will return, slowly easing out the neutral and pastel palettes that have been popular in recent years.

Bold colors are great for a few reasons. The biggest and most important one is the fact that they help you stand out from your competitors – hey, there’s a reason we at Beacon Media + Marketing use bright orange, balanced with gray. Even if your branding hasn’t featured bright colors in the past, it’s worth experimenting with a more vibrant version of your current branding and waiting to see what impact it has on your website traffic.

Color is also a great way to ensure the details you want to capture attention pop on the page. For example, even if you use a neutral palette throughout your website, you could add color to your headings or calls to action.

Read more: How do I choose the right logo colors?

3. Grids and windows

Humans are visual creatures, and we love organizing things. Design aids like grids and windows help your audience categorize content and get a sense of what your website is about really quickly, which means they’ll find the answers they’re looking for and have a positive first interaction with your business.

In the past, structural elements like grids and tables have been hidden, but they’re becoming increasingly common. Modern websites share a lot of information in a short amount of time, so anything you can do to structure it, help it flow and make it easy to read at a glance will increase your changes of generating leads. They’re a great way to break up elements like text, images and videos.

Read more: Is your website generating leads?

4. Videos

Oversized text is a great way to capture attention, but what about video? The human eye simply can’t resist movement, so capitalize on this by including an auto-playing video element at the top of your homepage. It could be scenic shots of your tourism business, shots of your team members at work, or a portfolio.

The only thing to keep in mind with any kind of motion is that less is more. You don’t want to overwhelm your customers, so use it strategically to capture interest – one element per page is plenty. Where possible, try to make sure the colors used in your video reflect the colors used on your page to create a cohesive reader experience.

5. Custom illustrations

One way to make your website stand out from your competitors is to incorporate custom illustrations into your website design. Because these images are unique, they’re a great way to capture the essence of your business in visual form – especially if your business has a playful or inspirational element. They make strong use of colour and shape, which is an exciting change from corporate photography (although we always recommend that too!), and will provide you with fun and friendly elements to share on social media as well.

Read more: How much does a website cost?

Website Design Essentials

When you’re designing a website, there are a few essential things to keep in mind to ensure you create a great first impression and maximize the chances of converting new customers.

The first one is quality content. People typically click through to websites from search engines and social media because they’re looking to answer a question, solve a problem or find inspiration. The faster you can connect them with the information they want, they better the impression you’ll make. The better the impression you make, the more likely they’ll enter the sales funnel. Happy days! You’ve just generated a lead.

The second one is structure. It sounds obvious, but people like things to be organized. That’s why our cities are built around neighborhoods and our homes are lined up neatly along our streets. We operate best in a structured environment, so it’s important to make sure your website is as organized and uncluttered as your storefront. This will ensure the path to purchase is smooth, to maximize your chances of converting a lead.

The third one us follow-through. Once a new person enters your digital ecosystem, you need to do everything you can to support them on their journey. It doesn’t matter what they need: a new HVAC system? A vacation to Lake Tahoe? A dental check-up? You’re here to help them, so make sure you direct traffic to landing pages that specifically address their problem and utilize strong calls to action that explain how you can solve it.

A great website forms the foundation of every successful digital marketing agency. As long as you keep these three things front-and-center, your website will be a powerful asset in generating and converting new leads.

Want to get started on a website re-design? Schedule a free consultation today.

9 telltale signs it’s time to re-design your website

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 8, 2020

Originally published on June 5, 2018. Updated on May 8, 2020.

Technology is constantly evolving, which means digital marketing is constantly evolving. Every update brings a new way of connecting with prospective customers. It could be a new tool, like a website plug-in that will make it significantly easier to follow-up leads, or a new technique like, SEO. Either way, it’s important to stay up-to-date with best practice to ensure you’re maximizing the impact of your time and money.

One of the foundational principles of digital marketing is that your website is your strongest marketing tool. Think of it as your digital storefront; a storefront that has now become as important as your physical one when it comes to making the right impression. If you don’t have a physical storefront, then your digital one really must be on its “A” game! Websites need to be updated regularly to ensure they deliver what customers expect.

Here are nine telltale signs that you need to redesign (or at least update) your website.

Already know you need help? Schedule a free consultation.

1. It’s been a while

When was the last time you updated or looked at your website? If it’s been a while, that’s pretty much a guarantee that it’s time for a facelift. Trends and styles change all the time, which means you can’t just “set and forget” your website. Just like peeling paint or cracked tiles, an old website will make your business seem dated.

You need to make sure the interface is attractive, the products and services are up-to-date, the tone is contemporary and fresh and it’s fast-loading. Customers won’t sit and wait, they’ll go somewhere else, so you need to make your website as enticing as possible so they choose to stay. Remember, this is your first impression.

Here’s a checklist of things you should consider updating:

New location
New contact details
New services or products
New team members
New awards and certifications
New photos of your building, team, products, etc.
Update your project portfolio and add any news
Ensure all information is still correct

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

2. You have a branding disconnect

It isn’t uncommon for a company’s branding or mission to evolve over time. Perhaps you’ve decided to go in a new direction, you have a new opportunity, you have a new investor or your team has decided to shake things up. It’s likely that your target audience has changed along with some of their services or products.

Whatever the reason, it’s important that your website reflects the story your business is trying to tell and that the story is consistent across all your platforms so customers can get to know you and start to trust you. If you’re run a successful campaign on Facebook or you’ve seen great results with a neighborhood letter-drop, update your website to match. Brand recognition is an underrated, but incredibly important aspect of inbound marketing.

3. Adding new content is difficult

Can you feel your blood start to simmer at the prospect of adding new content? It’s OK, you can breathe easy, because we’ve got you. Website technologies are changing all the time. There are new platforms, new updates and new plug-ins being launched every other week, and the best thing is they’re all designed to make your life easier.

If your website was designed even just a few years ago, it’s probable that some updates could dramatically simplify your marketing life. Truly, there’s no need to wrestle for hours with a page that isn’t formatting properly. You also shouldn’t have to engage in battle with a hosting company or developer who built it for you.

A modern, up-to-date website will be easy to run, allowing you to make edits instantly. If this is something you struggle with, it’s worth asking for professional help. A digital marketing company will be able to help you sort out the rights to your domain (or buy a new one) and set up a user-friendly website that will be running in no time.

4. Your site has a high bounce rate

The term “bounce rate” basically refers to the amount of time people spend on your website – if a high percentage of people click onto your website and bounce off almost immediately, that’s the bounce rate.

This could happen for a number of reasons – for example, perhaps they clicked on the wrong site, perhaps it looks clunky and old so they assume your business isn’t operating or the information isn’t credible, or perhaps they can’t find the information they’re looking for quickly. Again, websites need to make things as easy as possible.

The cold, hard truth is that you only have about four seconds to capture a visitor. That’s the average person’s attention span when it comes to clicking on, loading and viewing a new website. It’s critical it loads at lightning speed and that your layout, color and text are all designed to capture attention immediately.

Read more: How much does a website cost?

5. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly

You know how some websites automatically adjust so they look great on both desktop computers and mobile devices? That’s called “responsive design.” This isn’t a new concept; it became essential when smartphones became mainstream. The idea is to give customers a seamless experience across their devices.

The main reason why this is important is legibility. A full-size website simply becomes too small when displayed on a mobile device, which means it’s too hard to use because readers will constantly have to zoom in an out to navigate the page. You’ll lose them in seconds (unless they really, really want your product or service). The second reason why this is crucial is because Google actively penalizes websites that don’t have responsive designs. This makes it significantly harder for your business to rank on Google when people search associated keywords.

The good news is that most modern website platforms, such as WordPress, Squarespace and Wix all automatically adjust to suit the device the customer is using. Ask a web developer to help make sure you get this right.

Seeing any red flags? Contact us today and let’s start problem-solving.

6. Your SEO is non-existent

What’s SEO? This acronym stands for “Search Engine Optimization,” which is critical to the success of any digital marketing campaign. Put simply, this is the practice of ensuring your content ranks on Google.

If your website is not ranking well on Google (or other search engines), and people are having a hard time finding it, that is a serious sign that you need to redesign it or revamp it right away. Done right, this is an easy win; done wrong, and you’re wasting a great resource. Again, this isn’t something you can set and forget, because search engine algorithms change constantly. Staying up-to-date will pay big dividends.

How do you start? First, decide what keywords best represent your business and make sure you use them consistently. Second, claim your listing on Google My Business. Third, start creating content based around the things people are most likely to search – for example, explain a new product or answer some FAQs. It’s also worth updating your back catalog as Google will consider date stamps when generating results.

7. You’re not converting customers

Getting visitors to your site is a great first step. Congratulations, you’ve got a lead! However, if those people aren’t turning into customers at some point, then something is wrong with your site. You need to ensure it’s easy to get from A to B and that every visitor follows a logical path through to a purchase decision.

For example, can people click on your phone number on your site from their phone and call you? At the bottom of a page full of information, is there an option for them to learn more by filling out a contact form or scheduling an appointment? These are simple enough things to add, but they make a big difference to people wanting to use your products or services. If they can’t do it easily, they are more likely to move on to a competitor.

8. You’re still using Flash

Flash sites were a big fad for a while, and they did lend themselves to some beautiful designs, but they went the way of the dodo after iPhones were invented. Flash and Apple apparently decided not to play nice, because no-one using an iPhone will be able to view content on a Flash website. According to Statista, iPhone owners accounted for about 45.2% of all smartphone users in 2019, which means this cuts out about half of your customer base.

To save your website from being buried under a pile of other content on Google, you’ll need to build a new website. It’s definitely possible to do this yourself, but if you want to save time on the re-design while developing a killer digital marketing strategy to accompany it, it’s worth engaging a professional agency.

9. Your website is confusing

Remember our four-second rule? No matter what, it is vital that your visitors understand know what you do very quickly. You need to make a great impression and give them a reason to stay on your site and keep reading or watching your content. Most importantly, they need to find answers to their questions immediately.

If your website isn’t user-friendly, it’s not easy to navigate, it doesn’t adhere to current user experience principles, or your content is clunky and disorganized, you’ll need to update or redesign your site. It doesn’t matter if your visitors are coming from Anchorage, Alaska, Reno, Nevada or the moon. They’re much likely to stay on your site, and become a customer, if you make their life easy and create a great first impression.

Summary

That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? If your website ticks any of the boxes above, it’s time for an overhaul. A fresh, functioning website will create a good foundation for future digital marketing campaign, which will pay big dividends when you start directing traffic to your new website through social media, SEO and content.

Here’s a checklist of everything that’s essential to a new website:

Your site has been updated recently
Your site is consistent with your branding and product or service offerings
You have updated the content recently (because it is easy to do so)
You captured their attention in the first 4-seconds, and they didn’t bounce
Your site is mobile friendly
You have good SEO rankings, so they found your site quickly
You made it easy for them to convert
Your site is NOT Flash
Your visitors can easily and quickly understand what you do

The best way to ensure you hit all of those goals is to hire a professional digital marketing agency. They’ll take care of the research, design, copywriting and development and build you a tip-top website in no time. Marketers will also be able to advise you about current best practice to ensure you’re maximizing the impact of every dollar.

Have questions? Schedule a free consultation.

Lead generation: Is your website making money?

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 7, 2020

Originally published on July 20, 2016. Updated on 7 May, 2020.

There are lots of different types of websites, but we can generally break them into two categories: the old online brochure, and the new lead generation tool. The truth is, however, that your website should work for you. It should capture people’s interest, make them want to follow up, and ultimately contribute to your bottom line.

To be honest with you, the days of a static online brochure are long gone. Websites aren’t something you can simply “set and forget,” because trends change all the time, so this model won’t serve you. We recommend updating your website every 2-3 years to ensure it’s optimized, working well, and driving new business.

Here, we’ll run you through six common roadblocks that could prevent your website from working well, and then we’ll share four easy tips to help optimize your website to reach as many people as possible.

Want help generating leads? Schedule a free consultation.

Common website roadblocks

1. Bounce rates

The term “bounce rate” refers to the number of people who visit your website and immediately click away. There are lots of reasons for this – for example, perhaps they clicked on the wrong link – but most often it’s because of an easily-avoidable issue. For example, if your homepage is too crowded, outdated, or poorly organized, people won’t stick around. Your home page needs to provide visitors with a great user experience and an easy way to find what they are looking for. In fact, the whole website needs to be very user-friendly, because prospective customers aren’t interested in playing a digital version of hide-and-go-seek. Make it easy for them.

2. Quality content

Words matter! Content will always be king, whether it comes in the form of helpful webpages or inspiring blogs. The right kind of content marketing is essential if you want your website to generate leads. First, you have to ensure the content (e.g. words, photos, videos) appeals to the types of customers you hope to attract. Second, you have to ensure people can quickly find the answers they need. Content is the modern version of an attractive store front or a neighborhood flyer drop. Often, it’s the first impression you’ll make, so it’s important that it counts for all the right reasons. It should be direct, personable and helpful – just like your customer service.

3. Blog… a lot!

Digital customers are generally looking for information that will help them solve a problem, answer a question, or inspire them in some way. The best way to give them what they need is to deliver a fresh and consistent stream of content, which will attract their attention and direct them to your website. Blogging is a new concept for many businesses. The best way to start is generally to answer frequently asked questions, because these are the types of things people are most likely to search. Don’t be afraid to inject a bit of personality, because this helps them understand what makes your business unique and may entice them to click through and learn more.

4. Landing pages

As we’ve explained, the best websites give people what they need quickly. With that in mind, it’s generally more effective to direct people to specific landing pages rather than just your homepage. This is a great opportunity to answer their question, explain a bit about yourself, and explain how you’ll solve their problem with a call to action. It could be something simple like downloading a free factsheet, scheduling a free consultation, or making the most of a special offer. It essentially invites them to begin the path to purchase with you.

5. Calls to action

A strong call to action (CTA) is an essential part of every webpage, but it’s especially important on landing pages. Once people have found the answers they need, you need to make it easy for them to engage with you. An effective CTA has a few basic elements: it’s easy, it’s clear, and it’s known. What do we mean by that?

First of all, it should be easy to use – for example, a single click should take them from the page they’re on to the page where they can buy your product or sign-up for your service.
Second, it needs to be explicitly clear what prospective customers will get from clicking on the button. It might say something like “Schedule a free consultation” or “RSVP now,” so inspire them to take action.
Finally, customers need to know exactly what they’re going to get out of it and what’s required if them. If they click on the CTA, they want to engage with you now. Guide them through the process so they know exactly what to expect at each step of the way (and don’t ask for personal information too early!).

Read more: The evolution of digital marketing

6. Phone numbers

This may seem obvious, but don’t forget to give customers your phone number! It needs to be clearly displayed on every page of your website to make it easy for people to call you with questions. It creates a feeling of transparency and stability that goes a long way in building trust. Don’t play hard to get and make customers work for it!

Need help addressing your roadblocks? Schedule a free consultation.

Increasing your reach

Once you’ve addressed the common roadblocks, it’s time to start increasing your reach. After all, people need to know you exist before they can do business with you. Here are the four best ways to start:

1. Social media

Social media is a powerful way to connect with new people. When it’s done correctly, it will also help qualify the leads you generate, because prospective customers will have followed links, ads and offers that interest them. Your strategy can extend across multiple platforms – for example, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn – to attract and engage new people. This can also bring new customers along the path to purchase so by the time they actually reach your website, they’re ready to do business. Create quality content, share it regularly, engage with your followers, drive traffic to landing pages, and you’ll be in a good position.

2. Digital advertising

Advertising through search engines and social media is a great way to generate qualified leads, because they have the capacity to pinpoint different demographics and ensure the right people are discovering your landing pages. The best ones to start with are Facebook Ads and Google Ads, because these have the biggest audiences.

3. Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO is the essential if you’d like your website to rank through search engines like Google. The first page of results is incredibly valuable digital real estate, and a good strategy will ensure your content ranks as highly as possible, which will lead more people to your site and increase your chances of converting happy customers.

4. Blogs, and more blogs

We mentioned blogs before, but we’ll mention it again to emphasize their importance. Blogs are vital to driving new customers to your website and ensuring you rank as well as possible through search. Often, because they answer specific questions, they may rank higher than your homepage. For this reason, they’re a critical part of every successful digital marketing strategy.

Have a look at your website. How is it performing? Is it an online brochure, or is it actively helping you generate leads? If it falls into the first category, we’d love to help. Schedule a free consultation today.

Facebook vs. LinkedIn: Which one is the B2B marketing winner?

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 6, 2020

Originally published on August 16, 2016. Updated on May 6, 2020.

Facebook and LinkedIn are both social media juggernauts and they’re both competing for the B2B marketing dollar. Which one is the best? More specifically, which is the best for your business?

If you’re like most busy business owners, you only have a limited amount of time each day to focus on B2B marketing. The question weighing most people down is where do they spend their precious moments? It is a very, very good question, because the right strategy can make a big difference when it comes to generating leads and converting sales. Here are some points that will help you find a solution.

Back in 2015, Think With Google reported that, “90% of B2B researchers who are online, use search specifically to research business purchases. On average, B2B researchers do 12 searches before engaging on a specific brand’s site.” It’s still true in 2020, which is why a solid B2B marketing strategy is essential. Business leaders know exactly what they’re looking for – and if that includes you or your products or services, you need to be easy to find.

Want to skip ahead? Schedule a free consultation.

Every B2B marketing strategy starts with people

Many people exclude Facebook as a realistic B2B marketing platform because they see it as the “fun channel” while LinkedIn is the “serious channel.” It’s true that there is a lot of fun to be had on Facebook, and that LinkedIn is more focused on business-like interactions. However, people don’t stop being business professionals just because they are on Facebook or having fun because they’re on LinkedIn.

When you look at the straight numbers, the two platforms are very competitive in B2B marketing. According to a Statista report from December 2019, Facebook has 190 million active users in the United States; meanwhile, a report from April 2020 reveals LinkedIn has about 160 million active members. On the face of things, Facebook lends itself to quantity and mass reach, while LinkedIn lends itself to quality and better leads.

That’s not to say the quality isn’t there for the taking on Facebook. Keep in mind that when people are using Facebook, they’re looking to be entertained, so to have quality B2B marketing on this platform, it’s important to focus on the story of your brand and to engage with people in a very community-minded way. It’s a great way to build brand awareness, show off your culture, build loyalty and drive traffic to your website. It’s not the place to hard sell through posts on your company’s Facebook page, because that’s not what people want to see.

There’s a knack to B2B marketing on LinkedIn, too. Yes, the audience will be much more open to hearing business-focused information and learning about new products and deals, but they’re people too. Brand story is just as important, as is community engagement, so take time to build genuine influence before you try to sell.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

Know your B2B marketing target audience

Successful B2B marketing strategies depend heavily on knowing your target audience. At the core of every good campaign is a solid knowledge of who wants to know, what they want to know, and why they want to know it (their pain point). Digital marketing is the same, and when you are looking to optimize your social media strategy, it’s vital to define your target audience so you can get the most out of your time and money.

(We always recommend a multi-channel approach, but we understand that can be tough if you’re short on time. It’s always better to excel at one than to spread yourself too thin over two or three.)

Facebook and LinkedIn both offer excellent audience analytics tools for B2B marketing, which means it’s easy to focus your messaging on the types of people most likely to become customers. For example:

82% of internet users between the ages of 18-29 use Facebook vs. only 22% of internet users in the 18-29 age group that use LinkedIn
79% of internet users between the ages of 30-49 use Facebook vs. only 32% of internet users in the 30-49 age group that use LinkedIn
64% of internet users between the ages of 40-64 use Facebook vs. only 26% of internet users in the 50-64 age group that use LinkedIn

If you’re looking at number alone, Facebook is the clear B2B marketing winner. However, it is important to know the what and the why. As we said, people tend to go to LinkedIn looking for something specific, which makes it a great platform for growing awareness of your products and services and generating qualified leads. If Facebook is a casual networking lunch, LinkedIn is an industry-wide conference.

Know what your target audience is looking for and find a way to connect.

Read more: Using buyer personas can help convert more leads.

Engage in B2B marketing in a human-centered way

Once you connect with the right people, your B2B marketing plan needs to allow room to engage with them. Both Facebook and LinkedIn have some specific avenues for businesses and individuals to engage with the public.

Let’s start with LinkedIn. The most effective interaction is typically found in groups. LinkedIn has always done an excellent job of facilitating groups where like-minded people can come together and share ideas. Its professional forums can be particularly effective for B2B marketing if you regularly participate by asking questions, responding to issues and comments, and posting information or articles that are helpful to the group at large.

As with anything worth doing, this takes a dedicated investment of time and is more about you building your personal brand or by association the brand you work for. No-one wants to hear a sales pitch or unabashed self-promotion. Engaging in groups and publishing original, quality content will help establish you as an expert in your field. Again, the focus is still primarily on you as the person and not on the company first.

Facebook, on the other hand, focuses on the business first. Huh? OK, this statement does sound a bit strange considering Facebook is all about casual, personal engagement. However, founder Mark Zuckerberg figured out pretty quickly that his platform was going to have to cater to companies, and B2B marketing, if he was going to take over the world. While every company account must connect to a personal account, business accounts and pages have a tremendous amount of flexibility in how they connect to and engage with social media users.

In recent years, LinkedIn has tried to follow suit, but their system is nowhere near as intuitive or user-friendly. It is more about a company brand interacting with their customers and fans than it is an individual building their personal network. Both have value, but we think Facebook takes the win in this category of B2B marketing.

Ready to kick-started your B2B marketing plan? Call us.

Get creative with your B2B marketing ads

Facebook has dominated digital ads and promoted posts in the B2B marketing space right from the beginning, and everyone else has struggled – and is still struggling – to keep up with its monopoly on social advertising dollars. That being said, LinkedIn has stepped up their game a bit in recent years. As the adage goes, better late than never, but Facebook is far ahead with a sophisticated, yet simple, advertising solution.

Facebook does a thorough, to the point of invasive, job of collecting data for marketers and professionals to use to target their promoted posts and ads. It offers businesses a chance to target people by age, location, gender and even interests. This changed the face of B2B marketing forever, due to its incredible specificity.

Additionally, it offers retargeting ads through the use of a pixel put into the code of your website or landing page that can track when someone has visited either one. Then when they show up on Facebook, ads show up based on which pages a user has visited and what they are interested in. This custom feature is a little bit creepy, but it’s very powerful for B2B marketing.

Read more: What are Facebook Ads and how to we use them?

Facebook vs. LinkedIn B2B marketing score

For a company looking to maximize their essential and often limited time, Facebook marketing is the clear winner. However, if you’re a business owner looking to connect person-to-person, then we still recommend LinkedIn first – despite the hype, it generates much better B2B leads.

The truth is that your B2B marketing plan should use both to capture different people in different ways. If you’re looking to optimize your social media strategy, it may be worth engaging a marketing agency. Doing social media well requires a clear and consistent strategy as well as a significant investment of time.

The potential to generate leads and convert sales, however, makes it well worth the effort.

Want to talk strategy? Schedule a free consultation.

Inbound marketing is a perfect fit for functional medicine

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 5, 2020

Originally published on June 21, 2018. Updated on May 5, 2020.

Inbound marketing and functional medicine are a perfect match. Inbound marketing, also known as content marketing, focuses on the brand story and we rarely find more sincere, heartfelt and compelling stories than in the functional and naturopathic medicine fields.

If you’re reading this and you’re a functional medicine provider, we’re willing to bet you started your practice because you had a driving desire to change the world of your patients. You wanted to make a difference and follow a less walked but more transparent path.

This is great for two reasons. First, you change people’s lives. Second, it’s marketing gold. Don’t believe us? Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek once said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” As a general rule, a company’s “about” page is the second-most popular page on their website after the homepage. Why? It’s because people want to do business with people. They want to know who you are and what you’re about, so don’t be afraid to share your story. What motivates you?

Stay with us and we’ll run you through the basics of inbound marketing, including how it works to generate leads, the basic theory of how to get started, and how to convert sales.

Want to skip ahead? Schedule a consultation today.

What is inbound marketing?

You might be wondering what inbound or content marketing actually is, so let’s start with the definition. HubSpot, a software company, is widely credited with pioneering the concept. It defines inbound marketing as follows:

“Inbound marketing is focused on attracting customers through relevant and helpful content and adding value at every stage in your customer’s buying journey. By creating content designed to address the problems and needs of your ideal customers, you attract qualified prospects and build trust and credibility for your business.”

That’s probably the most concise definition out there. It gives you a great 10,000-foot view, but if you’re anything like use, at this point you’re probably thinking, “Well, that’s nice, but what does it mean for my practice?” That’s a really good question and we’re glad you asked.

To answer your question, we have to start with a bit of history. The internet and social media have forever changed the way consumers make buying decisions. The term “buying decisions” doesn’t just refer to shoes anymore, either, but all decisions to spend money.

Historically, functional health patients would have made a decision based on word-of-mouth, or perhaps a traditional marketing method such as a TV commercial or a print advertorial. Modern functional medicine patients, however, have more resources available than ever before. They read widely, they search for reviews, they’re swayed by opinions and trends on social media. This is important, because it essentially gives you a whole new set of tools.

People are looking to build a connection. If given any kind of a choice at all, we will all choose to do business with those we know like and trust. The internet and social media now provide practitioners the opportunity to meet your potential patients and build a connection with them before they come in. You can provide the knowledge and education they need.

“Start with the soul and end with the sale. Not the other way around.” -C.C. Chapman, content marketing expert and author.

Read more: The evolution of marketing

Inbound marketing is transparent

Transparency is critical in functional medicine practices. Modern consumers are drawn to services that help provide the answers they need – quickly. They also want to make genuine connections with practitioners. Inbound marketing forces a level of transparency in the advertising world that hasn’t existed before and education is a core component of proving value.

As a provider, you can leverage social media channels like Facebook or Instagram, increase awareness of your practice and your mission while educating and engaging with prospective customers. Your website and the articles you post on it become a powerful tool to disseminate information to searchers, establish your credibility and help develop your influence as a thought-leader.

Inbound marketing levels the playing field because it gives a voice to anyone willing to invest the time to create and distribute quality information that people want to read or watch.

Education is key to inbound marketing

Functional medicine typically operates adjacent to, and in some cases instead of, traditional medicine. Education is essential because prospective customers may not be aware of the different ways functional medicine can alleviate chronic symptoms. It’s critical to show them why your service is valuable. This includes explaining why their bodies and minds are behaving in a certain way, what symptoms can be treated, and how you plan to do so.

Search engine, social media, websites and blogs are all essential tools in a successful inbound marketing strategy, because they provide information to the people seeking it. When it’s done right, it’s not going to go everywhere. It’s going to go to the people who need and want it most. This makes it incredibly valuable, because it essentially qualifies all new leads. It’s the most effective way to use a marketing budget, because you’ll be targeting an interested few instead of the entire public.

What this means for you as a provider is that inbound marketing provides you with a dynamic platform to do what you already naturally do: educate. Again, content or inbound marketing is first about education, community, and establishing a trusting connection.

Once that’s in place, the sale will naturally follow.

Read more: Is marketing the new sales?

Inbound marketing delivers results

Anyone who has worked with people for any length of time knows how unique each person’s challenges are. Functional medicine practices strive to develop solutions as specialized and individual as the people they treat. The sector is renowned for being willing to explore new and historic solutions to medical challenges and look at problems from different perspectives.

Inbound marketing came about because traditional marketing was not adapting fast enough to a changing market. Marketing today requires more flexibility from its practitioners than ever before, because it’s constantly adapting to new technologies. Modern marketers must be willing to learn, explore, and embrace each new phase of advertising technique.

That’s why we can say from experience that inbound marketing delivers results. It’s how we generate our own leads and drive our own sales. This blog is an example, and we know it works.

Once you’ve made a connection with a prospective client and taken them through the education phase, it’s time to close a sale. This means following up with clear and strong calls to action and a personal follow-up, whether that’s over the phone or by email. You’re here to help solve their problems. Remember that, keep it front-and-center in your approach, and you can’t go wrong.

Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation (see what we did there?).

Social media networking vs. word-of-mouth networking

Adrienne Wilkerson

May 4, 2020

Originally published on April 10, 2017. Updated on May 4, 2020.

Does word-of-mouth networking even work anymore? Or has it been replaced with digital or social media networks? We hear this question a lot. We believe they are both integral to any business’s marketing plan and should be strategically planned and implemented.

Networking is an important part of business. It will help you stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, find new business opportunities, meet prospective partners and clients and build awareness of your own brand. At the end of the day, people do business with people and connections matter.

Benefits of social media networking

Social media is a fantastic method of networking, in fact, we are big fans! The stats are impressive regarding the power of social media to influence consumers through people networking digitally. For instance:

50% of shoppers have made a purchase based on a recommendation through a social media network
51% of Facebook users are more likely to buy the products of brands they follow online
The average consumer mentions brands 90 times/week in in their interactions with other people.

There are a few best practices that we have found to be helpful for business professionals who want to use social media networking as part of their marketing plan.

Focus your time and energy on two social media networks. In Alaska, we have found that Facebook and LinkedIn are a great combo for business-to-business networking (B2B), while Facebook and Pinterest is a good option for business-to-consumer (B2C) industries
Be consistent with your interaction. Here are 10 tips to optimize your social media.
Offer helpful information that your target audience will find useful in their daily lives. We’re here to add value to their lives by helping them find the products or services they need, so don’t sell your products or services directly. This is important – you can read more about whether marketing is the new sales.

There is no denying the power of networking through social media to a wide range of age groups, but it’s most effective when coupled with word-of-mouth networking. Word-of-mouth is the original and best form of marketing. We can come up with effective digital strategies until we’re blue in the face, but if your product or service is good, people will talk about it. It’s the most effective marketing tool you’ll ever hope to have.

Benefits of word-of-mouth networking

Some refer to this style of networking as “old fashioned” or “traditional” networking. It’s been around since the first product was put up for sale and it’s still incredibly persuasive in purchase decisions. In fact:

3.3 billion brand mentions in 2.4 brand-related conversations happen offline in America ever day
54% of Americans say that their purchase decisions are driven by word-of-mouth
59% of Americans believe offline or word-of-mouth to be highly credible

Word-of-mouth networking gives people a chance to build deeper relationships and increase trust. This increased trust often leads to more qualified referrals, longer professional relationships, and more profitable transactions.

As part of a targeted marketing plan, we recommend business professionals be part of at least three face-to-face networking groups. The best combination is to join two soft touch groups and one referral, focused group.

For example, if you live in Anchorage, AK, you could try:

A local or state chamber of commerce like our local Anchorage Chamber.
A professional association for your industry like the American Association of Graphic Designers Alaska (AIGA) or the Public Relations Society of America Alaska (PRSA).
Service clubs like Rotary or Lions , which often include many local business leaders.

A referral based organization like BNI is what is called a hard contact referral network because the whole organization’s focus is increasing the business for each member through referrals and word-of-mouth networking. This is also a good option to consider if you’re looking to drive brand awareness quickly.

Secrets to effective networking

No matter your target audience, it’s important to get the most of our networking and leverage the power of both social media and word-of-mouth. Used together, they allow business professionals to be highly effective at not only getting their message out to their target markets but also to build profitable client relationships.

The key, either way, is to follow up. Take your connection to the next level and get to know your new contact as a real person rather than an opportunity to boost your business. If you’ve met online, follow up with an email linking an interesting article or asking for an opinion. If you’ve met in person, follow up with an invitation to coffee or another industry event. No-one wants to stay connected with a robot.

Networking is a two-way street. It’s not just about what they can do for you, but what you can do for them as well. Connect thoughtfully. Ask people about themselves. Talk about their projects. Offer considered thoughts. Give advice if they ask. Successful networking requires give-and-take, but who knows who you’ll meet?

Need help developing your brand? Schedule a free consultation today.

How Much Does Hiring a Marketing Agency Cost? A Beacon “How To” Guide

Adrienne Wilkerson

April 30, 2020

Originally published by Adrienne Wilkerson, CEO, Co-Founder. Updated and revised by Sara Jokela 3/13/25

You may have heard, “Digital marketing can be an expensive endeavor, but the ROI has great payoff.” There’s truth to that statement — especially for digital marketing done well.

However, feeling hesitant about pouring money into marketing or having reservations about the but when considering whether to shift gears by hiring a digital marketing agency is normal. In fact, at some point every business owner grapples with the question, “Is marketing a good investment?”

Trusting someone else to capture the heart and essence of your brand is no small step of faith. Neither is trusting a particular advertising agency will deliver on what it says it can do — get you more customers or increase sales. The daunting reality is: the list of questions and unknowns is real and can profoundly impact your business.

What is a Marketing Agency?

Definition of a Marketing Agency

A marketing agency is a company that specializes in helping businesses attract potential customers through various traditional and digital channels. Also known as advertising firms or marketing companies, these promotion experts can focus on one or many techniques to boost a brand’s visibility and engagement. Marketing agencies play a crucial role in developing and executing strategies that drive customer acquisition and retention, leveraging their expertise to navigate the complex landscape of modern marketing.

Services Offered by Marketing Agencies

Marketing agencies offer a wide range of services to help businesses achieve their marketing goals. These services may include:

Social Media Marketing: Creating and implementing social media campaigns to engage with target audiences on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This involves content creation, community management, and paid social advertising.
Content Development: Producing high-quality content such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and eBooks to attract and retain customers. Effective content development helps establish a brand’s authority and fosters customer loyalty.
Advertising: Designing and placing ads across various media channels, including digital, print, and broadcast, to reach target audiences. This can encompass pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, display ads, and traditional media buys.
Digital Marketing Strategies: Developing and implementing comprehensive digital marketing plans that may include SEO, email marketing, and online reputation management. These strategies are tailored to meet specific business goals and drive measurable results.
Value-Based Pricing Model: Pricing services based on the value delivered to clients rather than the hours worked or the specific tasks completed. This model aligns the agency’s incentives with the client’s success, fostering a more collaborative relationship.

By offering these diverse services, marketing agencies provide businesses with the tools and expertise needed to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape and achieve sustained growth.

Questions to Ask Before Outsourcing Your Marketing

The benefits of outsourcing your marketing to a digital agency (with a proven track-record) far outweighs the list of unknowns.

Choosing to use a digital marketing agency can (and does) trigger important questions — especially for business owners exploring this route as an option for the first time. A few questions you may find yourself pondering are:

How much does it really cost to hire a marketing agency?
Why is digital marketing so expensive?
Is it really worth it?
If I pay this much for marketing, will I actually turn a profit?

Understanding advertising agency pricing can help break down project costs and clarify potential confusion during the sales process. Using specific services or projects as examples can help clients understand the various factors that contribute to the overall cost of a branding project.

We know these are significant questions. Particularly when deciding if investing in marketing is the right (and best) choice for your business. That’s why we’ve prepared this how to guide — we want to answer some of those questions by highlighting the benefits of partnering with a digital marketing services company.

This guide is for you if:

You want to learn more about how much hiring a digital marketing agency costs.
You’re curious about how agencies structure their fees and service packages.
You want to discover how that partnership can pave the way for future growth and success for your business.
You’re researching digital marketing agencies and want to do your due dilligence ahead of your consultation meeting.

Are you interested in how Beacon Media + Marketing can help your business? Learn more about our work and how we can help your business thrive!

Why Do Costs Vary When Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency? Understanding Marketing Agency Pricing

The cost of hiring a marketing or advertising agency depends on multiple factors. Some of these variables include:

company size (yours and theirs)
reputation (theirs)
the scope of work (they’ll do for you)
geographic location (yours and theirs)

Marketing Industry Billing Trends Have Shifted

Previously, digital marketing agencies billed clients on an hourly or per-project basis. As we’ve collectively rolled into the 2020’s, most marketing firms have since changed tack. Along with the internet, the digital marketing industry itself has matured and evolved. So have standard operating practices and procedures. Most commonly seen practice these days? Client billing for ongoing monthly revolving services.

Typically, businesses prefer monthly revolving payment schemes to an hourly charge. This approach makes monthly budgeting predictable and more manageable for both sides. It also gives an agency’s clients peace of mind knowing they’re not being nickel-and-dimed.

An Agency’s Cost Per Hour Is Variable

You may observe rate variations for things like: project management, graphic design, illustration, programming, creative direction, content creation, strategy development, etc.

Our increasingly digitized world means demand runs high for skilled, senior-level staff — their talent comes at a price. Skill and experience of those doing the work as well as current market rates impact total hourly costs. Thus explaining why agencies log different hourly rates for their services.

The Per Project Billing Approach

The per project billing approach takes into consideration the different rates and skill sets for each team member assigned to a specific project.

Those individual rates are then complied and packaged into one flat fee for an entire project. This places the burden on the agency to ensure they’re working efficiently and to deadline. It also helps them make sure they’re meeting their own profit and revenue goals.

Marketing Agency Pricing Models

Marketing agencies employ various pricing models to charge for their services, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Understanding these models can help businesses choose the best fit for their needs and budget.

How do Marketing Agencies Charge Their Clients?

While there’s no concrete answer to the question, “How much does hiring a marketing agency cost?” Each of these four variables factor into the overall equation:

hourly billing
project billing
revolving charges
managing budgets

What Should Your Marketing Budget Be?

Company size and overall revenue determine a company’s annual marketing spend. The budget set aside to spend on marketing contributes greatly to finding the right marketing agency for your business.

On average, companies allocate the following percentages of their revenue on marketing:

Small Business: 7–8%
Mid-Sized Business: 10%
Enterprise Business: 15%

Keep in mind: marketing is an investment. And knowing your options is essential for great payoff.

Hourly Billing Means Unpredictable Costs

Similar to accounting or legal firms, digital marketing agencies can bill by the hour for some projects. You’ll find, the ones who do so in this space are typically marketing consultants or freelancers.

As you may anticipate, multiple factors contribute to hourly rates. Geographic location, for example, will make a substantial difference as local competition is taken into consideration.

Case in point — a marketing agency in New York City. They may bill an average of $500+ per hour. In contrast, other regions of the United States, $300+ per hour is considered standard billing (according to the American Associate of Advertising Agencies). In smaller areas or markets, an average cost ranges anywhere from $95-$335 per hour. Naturally, this also depends upon the skill of the individual supplying the service as well as the specific service itself.

Many agencies have pivoted to a blended rate which, is the rate (roughly averaged) across all services and skill levels. This approach to agency billing helps simplify accounting and can work out to your favor. Especially when working with smaller marketing agencies — you’re likely to have senior-level staff involvement in your account.

Project Rates And Budget Creep

When assessing the cost of hiring a marketing agency, getting whole project quotes rather than per hour, can prove tedious. Especially as, the agencies you’re considering need time to create estimates for you. You’ll want to shop around and evaluate your options for price and quality before settling on the most appropriate fit for your budget.

A point to note is that the project rate approach makes space for budget creep. For example: A simple website redesign could be tweaked to include one or more of the following: a blog roll, social media management, or corporate photography. Adding in any of those will bump up the price. Generally speaking, a project will go up in cost when your marketing agency identifies how adding a particular service option will increase your success.

A common project many businesses turn to a marketing agency for help with is website redesign. The average prices for updating your website range between:

Website Design: $2,500 – $100k / website
Website Copywriting: $25 – $25,000 / page

Marketing agencies must accurately estimate the time their staff will take to complete the job, and they are betting on little to no issues arising. As such, this model is much less flexible. The agency must ensure its staff is working efficiently and on point if it wants to make a profit. This can both help and hinder the client.

Keep your budget in mind as you’re talking with your marketing agency about the project you want to do. Depending on your financial range and industry, your project limitations will change.

If the scope of work is clear, you’ll only pay one flat fee, making the cost of hiring a marketing agency simple and easy to assess. This arrangement benefits small businesses operating on a tight marketing budget.

Be Specific About Project Scope

If there is any wiggle room or ambiguity about or in your project brief (or the budget,) making adjustments down the line will be harder. Because of this, paying careful attention to the project scope before accepting a bid is critical. A project scope should be explicit and specific — look for the details outlining what the price does and does not cover.

Speaking from experience, vague scopes of work leaving a lot to a agency’s imagination or that are open for interpretation are high on the things to be aware of list. Be intentional and talk with the agency about the specifics of their project brief. Doing this upfront will not only save you both time and money, it will also mitigate any potential misunderstandings and correctly establish your expectations.

If you’re interested in what kind of work they can provide with your budget, it’s important to ask for examples. This is an excellent way to clarify what your expectations should be in addition to understanding better the value of what you’re getting for the price you’re being asked to pay. It’ll also help you visualize what you want the final product to look like and more clearly communicate your vision with the marketing agency.

Revolving Charges Ensure Predictable Costs with a Value Based Pricing Model

Inbound marketing is changing the scope of services and introducing a new paradigm of how billing is done to benefit the client. Revolving billing brings in the best of the project world along with the advantages of a long-term agency relationship. This makes the cost of hiring a marketing agency more straightforward and transparent than ever.

A social media marketing agency can provide comprehensive social media management, including pricing, content creation, and advertising strategies, making it easier for brands to manage their social media presence effectively.

Many agencies have a tiered system of packages that can be adapted to a specific client or project as needed. These packages, as they’re not based on monthly billing, allow marketers to provide consistency in monthly billing. They also make room for you to upscale or customize services as your business needs ebb and flow. This means: you know exactly what services you’re paying for each month! And this is a tremendous asset for annual budgets.

Below is a rough pricing guide for revolving marketing services:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): $1,500 – $5,000 / month
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising: $1,500 – $10,000 / month or 5-20% of month ad spend
Email Marketing: $300 – $5,000 / month or $0.1 – $0.5 / email
Social Media Marketing: $900 – $20,000 / month
Content Marketing: $2,000 – $10,000 / month

These revolving services make understanding and estimating how much you’ll spend on marketing each month easier and more simple — especially for those with tight budgets. With the advice and input of your marketing agency, you’ll also more quickly identify which services provide the best ROI for your specific business. As your business grows, adjusting your budget (or services) depending on the new goals you’re trying to reach will be an easier, more straight forward process as well.

Do you want to see what services Beacon Media + Marketing can provide? Learn more about the excellent marketing services we can offer your business!

Simple Tips for Keeping the Cost of Hiring a Marketing Agency Manageable

Keeping your budget under control is crucial, especially for small and growing companies. Having worked in the marketing industry for over 20 years, we’ve learned a few essentials. We’ve acquired a lot of experience helping businesses afford the cost of hiring a marketing agency.

When considering social media services, it’s important to understand the pricing and offerings available for businesses looking to manage their online presence. This includes monthly fees and hourly rates for consultants, as well as the range of services provided by marketing agencies.

To get the best value possible for your marketing budget, do this:

Match your company with a similarly sized agency. Larger firms often charge more than smaller ones, so choose a marketing agency to match your size and business goals. Not only with the cost be within a reasonable range, but the agency should understand where you’re at as a company, your goals, and even your struggles because they’ll be in a relatable position themselves.
Have open and honest conversations with your marketing agency about your budget constraints. Most often, this will empower your agency to make the most of what you have to make service or strategy adjustments as needed.
Establish benchmarks for the project based on results and only increase the budget as current marketing efforts increase your company’s bottom line. This ensures the cost of hiring your marketing agency stays within your comfort zone.
Commit to a long-term relationship with an agency. Often, marketing agencies extend special pricing to companies willing to commit to working with them for longer. Marketing isn’t magic, it’s a process and sticking with an agency allows them to work through different strategies in order to arrive at the most successful and effective plan for your business.

What’s the Value of Investing in a Marketing Agency?

Encapsulating the true value good marketing can make to your business is challenging. It’s a given that marketing a business helps with brand awareness. However, other marketing services such as Google or Facebook ads also help escalate business by bringing client conversions.

Over time, companies have invested more money in marketing than their sales teams. Nowadays, marketing strategies take up a large chunk of business success. And with more investments happening towards marketing, finding an agency that’s well suited to you is even more critical for success.

Benefits to hiring a marketing agency include:

Having professionalism and expertise in the marketing industry.
Widening the talent pool of marketing experts who work on your business.
Gaining new perspectives to brainstorm the best method of marketing your company.
Staying up to date on all new effective marketing strategies.
Controlling and interacting with everything to ensure that it reflects who you are.
Focusing on growing your practice by providing your products or services.
Saving money by outsourcing your marketing instead of in-house marketing.
Creating a cohesive marketing strategy for long-term growth and sustainability.
Obtaining more content with the efficiency of a marketing team.
Achieving greater results with concrete data and client conversions.

Although you can do some marketing services, the whole scope of marketing is a huge undertaking and can take away from your business if done wrong. Pairing with a marketing agency allows you to benefit from a cohesive and effective marketing strategy guided by experts.

It also lets you understand which marketing aspects are doing well and what could be improved upon. For example, your website is one of the most critical aspects of your marketing. The Hubspot State of Marketing Report (2021) states that your website is the number two channel used in marketing behind social media. Similarly, their 2023 edition points out most website traffic is now flowing inbound via mobile devices and a mobile-optimized web experience can impact your ranking on Google.

In other words, if your website is outdated or not creating a positive user experience, this can significantly hinder your client conversions. Working with a marketing agency lets you have data on how well your website functions and get professional advice on what would be successful. You can then utilize their website design and development services for updates and watch your customer numbers rise through organic website traffic.

How to Choose Your Marketing Agency

Other than the cost of hiring a marketing agency a critical question to keep in mind is, “Is this agency a good fit for my business?” A good fit isn’t only about financials — that’s only one element. Evaluating based on experience, creative approach, company values, business procedures, the agency’s skill set and quality of work is also important.

Discuss the cost of hiring a marketing agency and your budget expectations with potential partners upfront. Here at Beacon, we’re firm believers in transparency and community. Make your needs clear and make decisions based on alignment with your company values. This could be the beginning of something beautiful and it’s important to lean in.

Take Your Business to the Next Level with Beacon Media + Marketing

Are you ready to see how a digital marketing agency can transform your business? Take your business to the next level with Beacon Media + Marketing! We offer several services that improve customer conversions, such as website design and development, content marketing, social media marketing, paid advertising, branding, and more. Our Beacon Media + Marketing team is excited to work with you to appeal to your target audience and encourage them to take the next step.

Are you ready to see how Beacon Media + Marketing can elevate your business? Schedule your free consultation today!