Website Pop Ups: Fantastic or Frightening?

Website Pop Ups: Fantastic or Frightening?

Website pop ups – we love to hate them. Also called “interstitials”, these pop ups can get in the way of an otherwise nice website browsing experience. So why do businesses still use them? Well, in short, they work. Or they can work. Let’s take a look at what website pop ups are, how they work, how to use them, and how not to use them.

Can You Use Website Pop Ups?

Pop ups have been around for quite a while and are perhaps most commonly seen on eCommerce sites, promoting new products and sales.

The technology used to create pop ups has gotten better and is more widely accessible than ever before. This means that, regardless of which platform you’ve used to create your website, there are most likely pop up plugins or solutions available to you.

Used for far more than eCommerce sites, interstitials are used to grab attention, increase engagement, and increase dwell time (i.e. keep visitors on the site longer – good for SEO).

Pop ups are downright cheap to implement, easy to test, and can provide additional data and insights about your website visitors. However the rationale for, and benefits of, pop ups might not seem terribly straightforward for service-based businesses. A few examples of uses:
• Invite visitors to join your mailing list for exclusive tips and information.
• Direct visitors to a certain page whose content is relevant to that on the current page.
• Inform visitors of new product lines/services, or communicate operational changes like holiday or seasonal hours.
• Showcase a recent, glowing customer review.

Best Practices for Website Pop Ups

The key to success with pop ups is not to overuse them and to choose the proper time and trigger to deploy them. Some common pop up triggers include:
• arrival on a webpage,
• scrolling through specific content,
• the click of a button or link, and
• exit intent (when a visitor’s mouse travels north, over the header to navigate away from the page).

Pop ups should not trigger immediately when visitors arrive on your website. Give them time to get oriented and choose the trigger that is most suitable for your goal and message.

A final caveat: if you’re considering adding a pop up to your website, be aware that Google’s algorithm is primarily focused on UX, the User Experience. So, ensure your pop up is configured to trigger at an appropriate time and that it’s easy to close. This is especially critical on mobile devices, where pop ups can consume the entire screen. For this reason, some opt to only show pop ups on desktop devices and maybe tablets.

The bottom line on making website pop ups fantastic and not frightening: justify the disruption. Make them useful, make them timely, and ensure a good user experience.

Want to add a pop up to your website, but not sure how or that it makes sense? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute call with us to talk it through.

Consistency In Marketing

Consistency In Marketing

Find something that works. Keep doing it.

In a sea of fly-by-nighters, consistency helps you rise above.

Consistency in marketing might not sound all that flashy, but is absolutely crucial if you want your marketing efforts to actually pay off. Whether you’re sending out emails, posting on social media, running ads, or even just chatting with customers, staying consistent is what separates the pros from the “just getting by.”

Why Consistency in Marketing is Your Best Friend

Think of consistency in marketing like the glue that holds everything together. You wouldn’t build a house with mismatched bricks, right? The same goes for your marketing. When you’re consistent, your message becomes clear, and your brand starts to stick in people’s minds. It’s like when you hear a catchy jingle on a commercial—after a while, you can’t help but remember it. That’s the magic of consistency!

Trust and Credibility—The Dynamic Duo

Here’s the thing: people are more likely to trust a brand that’s reliable. If your messaging, look, and feel are all over the place, it’s going to be tough for anyone to take you seriously. But when you’re consistent, you build trust. And trust is everything in the world of marketing. It’s what keeps your customers coming back for more.

Think About It This Way…

Imagine you’re following a brand on Instagram because you love their fresh, modern vibe. But then, suddenly, they start posting content that feels like it’s from a totally different company—confusing, right? That’s what happens when there’s a lack of consistency in your marketing. It’s like being in a relationship with someone who’s constantly changing—eventually, you’re going to lose interest.

Across All Your Channels—Yes, ALL of Them!

Whether you’re emailing your subscribers, posting on Facebook, running Google ads, or employing SEO strategies, your brand’s voice, tone, and visuals should feel like they’re coming from the same place. This doesn’t mean everything has to look identical, but there should be a common thread that ties it all together. It’s like a band playing in harmony; each instrument is different, but they all work together to create something amazing.

But What About Experimenting?

Now, I know what you’re thinking—doesn’t consistency kill creativity? Not at all! Consistency doesn’t mean you can’t experiment or try new things. It just means that no matter what you’re doing, it should still feel like “you.” Think of it like cooking. You can try new recipes, but your unique flavor should always come through.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, consistency in marketing is what makes your efforts click. It’s what turns a one-time buyer into a loyal customer. It’s what makes your brand recognizable in a sea of competitors. So, no matter which channels you’re using, remember to keep things consistent. Your brand will thank you for it!

And there you have it—a simple yet powerful reminder that consistency is key. So, go ahead and spread your message far and wide, but don’t forget to keep it consistent.

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Email Marketing Best Practices for 2024

Email Marketing Best Practices for 2024

EMAIL MARKETING BEST PRACTICES

Put your best emails forward in 2023

Email campaigns are an incredibly powerful strategy for building relationships with customers, generating leads, and increasing sales. However, it’s important to implement email marketing best practices in order to maximize the potential of your campaigns and get the most out of your email marketing efforts. In this blog post, we will go over some key tips for creating successful and effective email marketing campaigns that are sure to get results.

Personalize your emails

Personalizing email campaigns is an essential part of effective digital marketing. It helps build trust in your brand, as customers feel that you are directly addressing them rather than sending out generic emails. It can also increase click-through rates and improve engagement, as customers are more likely to open emails with content they feel is relevant to them. Additionally, personalization can lead to better customer retention and loyalty, as emails that feel more personal will make customers feel valued. By utilizing personalized campaigns, marketers can create more intimate relationships with their customers and make sure their message stands out from the crowd.

Keep your email content clear and concise

Keeping email campaign content clear and concise is of utmost importance for effective digital marketing. Long, complicated sentences can be hard to understand and make readers lose interest quickly. By keeping emails concise and making sure your message is direct, you are more likely to capture the attention of recipients and maintain it throughout their reading experience. Short, direct phrases also allow for a better user experience as customers don’t have to strain to read through long blocks of text. Utilizing clear, concise language in email marketing will help ensure your message is delivered effectively.

Include a call-to-action in every email

Including a call to action in every email is an essential part of effective digital marketing. The CTA, or call to action, tells the reader what you want them to do next and encourages them to take action. This can help increase click-through rates and conversions, as customers are more likely to follow your direction when it is explicitly stated. Additionally, including a CTA helps create a clear path for the customer journey, leaving little room for confusion regarding what action needs to be taken. By including a call to action in all emails sent out, marketers can ensure their message is not only being heard but acted on as well.

Test different subject lines

Testing different subject lines is a great way for marketers to increase open rates and ultimately get more people to engage with their email campaigns. Different subject lines can have an impact on how readers perceive the message and its relevance to them. By testing multiple variations of subject lines, marketers can identify which versions are most likely to garner attention and thus improve open rates. Additionally, testing subject lines allows marketers to optimize their campaigns, as they can determine which subject lines result in higher click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall engagement. Testing different subject lines is a must for any email marketing campaign that’s looking for success.

Analyze your results

Reviewing analytics is key for email marketers looking to get the most out of their campaigns. Analyzing data such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates can provide invaluable insights into how successful a campaign is performing. With this information, marketers can gain insights that empower them to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t, continuously optimizing their emails to achieve better results. Additionally, reviewing analytics can help email marketers identify potential issues such as deliverability problems that may be causing low engagement or even getting messages flagged as spam. This can be immensely useful in ensuring that emails are reaching their intended recipients and achieving the desired outcomes.

Automate when possible

Automation is an extremely helpful tool for email marketers that can save time, money and energy. Automation allows marketers to set up campaigns in advance so they can be sent out according to their schedule without needing to manually send out each email. It also eliminates the need to manually segment lists, allowing marketers to target audiences more efficiently. Additionally, automation can provide useful data about how well campaigns are performing, allowing marketers to adjust their strategy accordingly. This makes automation a must-have for any marketer looking to maximize their efficiency and get the most out of their emails.

Make campaigns mobile-friendly

Mobile-friendliness is essential for email marketers wanting to maximize the success of their campaigns. As more people use their mobile devices to access emails, it is critical that marketers ensure their messages and designs are optimized for mobile devices. This includes ensuring the content fits within the confines of a smaller screen and using buttons and links that are easily tapped with a finger or thumb. Additionally, images should be compressed for quicker loading times on mobile networks. Ensuring campaigns are mobile-friendly will help increase engagement and make sure all recipients have a positive experience when viewing your emails.

Use list segmentation

Segmenting mailing lists offers numerous benefits to email marketers, helping them reach their desired audiences more effectively. Segmentation allows marketers to target their emails to specific groups of recipients based on different criteria such as age, gender or location. This means they can tailor content and campaigns based on the preferences of each group, increasing the chances of engagement with their target audience. Additionally, segmentation ensures that emails are sent to those who are more likely to be interested in the messages and helps prevent spam filters from blocking campaigns due to irrelevant content. Segmenting mailing lists is a great way for email marketers to ensure their messages reach the right people.

Make sure content is compliant with applicable regulations

Staying compliant with CASL, CAN-SPAM, and/or GDPR is as (if not more so) important as the email marketing best practices above for email marketers wanting to ensure the success of their campaigns. CASL, also known as Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation, is designed to protect individuals from unwanted commercial electronic messages and help combat spam. CAN-SPAM is the US equivalent (more or less) of CASL. GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation, is designed to give European citizens control over their personal data. By ensuring campaigns are compliant with these laws, email marketers can protect the privacy of their recipients and limit the risk of complaints or penalties for breaking the law. Following CASL and GDPR guidelines allows marketers to continue using email marketing practices without any legal issues.

By following the tips outlined in this blog post, you should be able to create highly effective email marketing campaigns that drive results. Ultimately, success with email marketing comes down to having a clear strategy, using quality content and data, and keeping up with best practices to ensure compliance. Keeping up-to-date with industry trends will also help you stay ahead of your competition. With the right approach and tactics, your email marketing efforts will reach new heights of success.

A New Breed of Customer

A New Breed of Customer

Are you optimally positioned to successfully market your products and services to the post-COVID consumer?

I’m not talking about a new market segment. This is the new breed of customer, and they predominate the marketplace right now. They’re the same people that were looking for and buying your stuff before 2020, but now they’re tired, anxious, and stressed-out.

The new consumer is tired of the news, sick of seeing the myriad ways the world has changed over the last couple years. And they’re fed up with stuff that’s hard – hard to use, hard to enjoy, hard to experience. These consumers want comfort, ease, and accessibility beyond anything else.

So the question is, are you delivering that? Regardless of what you’re selling, there are probably ways you can better position and deliver it to improve the appeal and the experience in the eyes of today’s customers.

Increasing the Appeal of Products and Services

Products that directly deliver on the comfort and pleasure of consumers are selling like hotcakes these days. Things like food and drink, plush bed linens, comfortable apparel, flowers and home decor, games, books, and music all deliver comfort right out of the box. This is probably the easiest to wrap your head around.

But what about the essential, but not-so-sexy stuff? A toilet plunger, for example? You’re probably not going sell more by tying pink ribbons around them. But you can make them easy to access by offering delivery or in-store pickup.

You can also re-position products by creating smart/cute/funny social media posts and email marketing campaigns that are highly shareable. While this approach might not result in higher toilet plunger sales (let’s face it, a home only needs so many toilet plungers), it will definitely increase the appeal of your brand and help drive more traffic to your website and/or your physical location.

Create the Path of Least Resistance

While people are getting out and about and travelling more, many have (re)discovered the pleasures of staying at home. Over the past couple years, home owners have been investing a disproportionately high amount of time and money in their homes with both indoor and outdoor renovations. So, now they want to stay there.

What this translates to is consumers who want to stay put. So make your products and services super-easy to access. Consider virtual meetings and consultations. And if you haven’t already created an online store, try adding online purchase options to your shopping experience.

Stand Out from The Crowd

Regardless of what you sell, think about ways to distinguish your brand experience from that offered by your competitors. Offer comfort, security, and (dare we say) fun where you can so people want to

  1. purchase from you,
  2. return for more, and
  3. tell their friends about you.

Need help establishing your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? Schedule a call with us. <– See what we did there? Easy link to schedule a call with us!

Using QR Codes for Marketing

Using QR Codes for Marketing

USING QR CODES FOR MARKETING

Improve customer experience and your bottom line

Invented in 1994 for the automotive industry, the QR Code has been used for marketing for well over a decade. However its original surge in popularity for digital marketing was short-lived due to a number of factors including the need for third-party apps whose reliability was frustrating at best. And so, the marketing world let the QR code fade back into relative obscurity, until recently.

Today’s QR code is recognized by leadership of public and private enterprises for its superiority to the bar code. Mobile device manufacturers have added accurate, efficient readers directly to their operating systems, eliminating the need for third-party apps. And a QR code has a much higher data storage capacity than its bars-only counterpart. 

Not only has it become central to the vaccination status verification process, but the Quick Response code has been widely adopted to help businesses maximize the hands-free experience of their customers. 

Restaurants are displaying them at windows and on tables so customers can access menus directly on their devices. Retailers are adding them to print ads and in windows to link to their online shopping experiences. Service providers are including them in brochures and displaying in windows for online appointment booking. 

 

How to Use QR Codes

So, with the re-emerging prevalence of the QR code, the question is how can you use the QR code to improve your business’s marketing and customer experience? Here are a few ideas:

  • Use it to provide access to you virtual business card or Linktree page.
  • Contactless menu(s) at restaurants
  • Easily share how-to or DIY videos about using your products
  • Link to a digital coupon for your products or services
  • Help clients easily access PayPal or other payment portal to make one-time or ongoing payments
  • Link to your phone number or email address to make contacting you easy
  • Direct people to your online portfolio for examples of your work
  • Provide directions to your location in Google Maps or Waze
  • Link to your events calendar to see what’s coming up
  • Help people link directly to the online review platforms where they can add a review
  • Link to a social media account or featured post to grow your followers

how to generate create a qr code customize

How to Create QR Codes

Simply use a free QR code generator like Create QR Code (which allows you to not only generate QR codes but customize their appearance as well) and then download generated code(s) for either print or digital use.

If you would prefer to focus on your core business and outsource your marketing management, contact us to get started.