The day we’ve been waiting for has arrived. There has been volatility all over Google relating to all areas of Search. We’ve received the warning signs, we’ve let our clients know, and the first thing we do every morning is to check on any updates. Google has released their Core Update.
It has arrived. And although this is not the final time we will see a drastic change, we hope the change is for the good and future of Search. Google Search Central on Twitter (now known as X) announced on the 22nd of August 2023 that they have released the Google Core Update.
Not often do Google actively announce an update, they like to keep all involved in Search Engine Optimisation on their toes, and so we’re delighted they let us know. Over the past few months, if you are an existing client, you would have heard the chatter and been informed of the imminent Google Update.
Broad core updates tend to happen once or twice a year, however, we were and are particularly concerned about this one because of the emergence of AI and Google’s own Generative AI chatter. The repercussions of this Google Core Update can take weeks to roll out and affect website performance and keyword rankings, however, we’re here to support your campaign.
As mentioned above, Google Core Updates happen once or twice a year, so its no surprise. However, with the worldwide use of AI (Artificial Intelligence), ChatGPT, Google’s own Bard with Generative AI experience, and Bing’s own AI chat, all dominating the industry of late.
As we have already seen, there has been considerable volatility with keyword rankings, page speed, and page rankings. While, luckily, some areas of different clients have not been affected at all.
The expectations we have had previously were; to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. But now, we are armed and prepared to address any changes in our client’s website performance metrics.
Quoted in the prominent Search Engine Journal article about the August Core Update:
“Google stresses that if you see a decline in performance after a core update, it doesn’t indicate an issue with your website.”
As long as you continue to provide value and helpful content to the end user, your ideal customer, we seem to be hitting the nail on the head. Google favours helpful content on a well-optimised website.
So do not be too alarmed if the keyword rankings are jittery, the impressions on Search Console seem to dip, and Google Analytics reports weird on-page time, the core update can take a few weeks to embed and then the real work begins.
So we’re monitoring all the campaigns we have ongoing at the moment with a keen hawk eye, to watch the rollercoasters, and make adjustments that do not harm our client’s businesses as much as possible.<
Once the core update has fully rolled out and everything seems to be relaxing and getting ‘used to the new norm’ then we can adjust, change, and re-strategise for each of our clients. The internal meeting has been set, booked, and in the diary already.
Our experts in technical SEO,content marketing, and data analytics are primed for core updates and have already laid down the groundwork for minimal disruption to your business.
There is great comfort in knowing that an experienced and expert SEO and Content Marketing agency knows the warning signs, is able to adjust, and implement a change in strategy for your digital marketing campaigns.
If you need to know more, feel free to reach out to us and we can let you in on what we know to ensure your website’s performance is at its peak, no matter what Google has up its sleeve.
When we talk about KPIs, we are referring to Key Performance Indicators - something which is important to consider when producing content. This is because they allow content creators to measure the success of each piece of content against their business goals. But, deciding on what these KPIs can be tricky, which is why in this article we will highlight which KPIs you should be looking at for your content and why they matter.
Before we delve into the nuances of KPIs, it’s important to understand exactly what content marketing is and why content marketing is a critical part of any digital marketing strategy. In simple terms, content marketing is the creation, publication and distribution of content that is designed to:
As you can see, content plays a key role in every element of the customer journey, which is one of the reasons it’s such an integral part of successful digital marketing. However, this isn’t the only reason why content marketing should be a top priority for any business.
Content marketing is arguably one of the most important aspects of a digital marketing strategy, but why is content marketing so important? As well as being a valuable activity in its own right, it also forms the basis of many other marketing activities, including:
After all, these marketing activities rely heavily on ‘content’ to engage and motivate the audience. From drafting informative, keyword-rich blog posts to drive targeted traffic to your website to crafting compelling ad content to entice users to click-through to your landing page, content marketing underpins so many aspects of a digital marketing strategy and has a critical impact on the success of marketing activities.
It’s easy to assume that, if you create engaging and compelling content, it will automatically bring users to your site and convert them into paying customers, but the reality is a little more complex. Without effective distribution, your reach will be limited, and the impact of your content marketing will be reduced.
Once you know how content marketing works and how to set KPIs, however, you’ll be well on the way to implementing an effective strategy. You may want to create content that targets search terms and keywords your target audience are frequently searching for so that you can drive organic traffic to your site, for example. Similarly, you may decide to create social media content focused on targeted hashtags to increase the reach of your content or original and innovative video content that has a high chance of going viral.
While the quality of your content is obviously of paramount importance, an effective distribution strategy is also critical if you want to get the most out of your marketing and setting meaningful KPIs can help you to achieve this.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable metrics that track your progress towards a specific goal. Essentially, they give you an indication of whether your performance is on track to meet your objectives and allow you to gauge the success of an activity or campaign while it’s still ongoing.
KPIs are important because they provide useful and actionable insights that can be used to optimise campaign performance and deliver better results. Rather than waiting until the end of a campaign to assess its performance, you can use KPIs to undertake mid-campaign analysis. This gives you an opportunity to adjust the campaign to achieve optimal results and, therefore, avoid unnecessary losses and increase the ROI.
There are many metrics and KPIs that can be used to monitor the success of your content marketing, including:
However, the specific KPIs you use may depend on the type of content you’re publishing, as well as additional marketing activities that you’re undertaking and the overarching goal you’re aiming to achieve.
If you want to raise brand awareness via social media marketing, for example, your content marketing KPIs may be CTR, engagement, page views, and likes, shares and comments. Alternatively, if you’re using SEO to generate targeted website traffic, SERPs rankings, page views, share of voice and leads generated may be your most important KPIs.
Before you can set KPIs, however, you’ll need to define your overall goals. For example, what’s the purpose of a specific piece of content and what do you want to achieve with it? If you’re publishing a blog post with the intention of generating leads, then you’ll need a way to define a ‘lead’ and measure how many leads are obtained via the post.
Once you’ve set your overall goal, you can set KPIs accordingly. If you want to achieve 40 leads within a 4-week period with an 8% conversion rate, for example, your corresponding KPIs can be broken down to 10 leads per week, 120 page views per week etc.
All KPIs should be quantifiable, but how do you go about measuring them? Fortunately, there are many analytics platforms that make it easy to access the data you need to measure KPIs. If you’re using GA4 and Google Search Console to monitor website performance, for example, you can use this data to analyse key metrics of specific content pages, while external platforms, such as Google Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Manager or Meta Business Suite provide in-platform metrics too.
As this post shows, an effective content marketing strategy is about much more than simply creating great content. To succeed in a competitive digital world, you’ll need to take a strategic and holistic approach to content marketing – and we can help.
To find out more about our bespoke content marketing services, get in touch with our team now!
Sustainable business practices are not only a moral imperative but also a key driver of long-term success - companies are seeking effective strategies to achieve both environmental impact and business growth. One such strategy that has proven to be highly impactful is content marketing.
By leveraging the power of compelling and informative content, businesses can engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and foster meaningful connections. In this article, we will explore how content marketing can serve as a catalyst for sustainable business growth.
‘Content’ really is the foundation of all of your marketing activities, which makes it an extremely important element of your success! When viewed in isolation, content marketing can elevate your brand to ‘thought leader’ status, educate, inform and convert your target audience and differentiate your brand from its competitors.
When you consider the impact ‘content’ has on other marketing activities, however, you really begin to see its value. The quality and consistency of your content has a major impact on your search engine rankings, for example, which is why content marketing should be used in conjunction with search engine optimisation (SEO).
Similarly, the content you create and share on social media underpins your social media marketing (SMM) strategy, while ad copy and/or visuals have a significant impact on the success of your paid media campaigns.
As you can see, content marketing is integral to the success of your marketing activities, and it can (and should!) be a critical component of your green marketing strategy.
Green marketing refers to the practice of promoting eco-friendly brands, products, services or initiatives. If being environmentally friendly is a core component of your organisation, for example, you may want to work with a green or sustainable marketing agency to reach, educate and engage your target audience(s).
Similarly, if you’re modifying your operations to minimise your environmental impact or reduce your carbon footprint, a sustainable marketing agency can help you to integrate this into your brand’s ethos and raise awareness of your green objectives and activities.
Content marketing is a valuable way of increasing brand awareness, converting customers and fostering trust, but there are many ways it can help sustainable businesses to grow, such as:
To recognise the value of green businesses, products and services, your target audience must first understand the problem. Although consumer awareness of the climate crisis and environmental harm is increasing, don’t assume that your entire target audience will be aware of the issues you’re aiming to solve.
Instead, work with a green content marketing agency UK to educate the audience about the issue – and position your brand as the solution. This gives you the opportunity to put your sustainable operations into context and really explain why and how you’re making a difference and how your focus on sustainability sets you apart from your competitors.
Content marketing is a fantastic way to raise brand awareness. From thought leadership pieces and blog posts on your website to social media posts and press releases, there are many different types of content that can be used to share your sustainable messaging.
As environmental issues are continually growing in relevance and popularity, they are highly shareable online. This means that sustainability-focused content has an extended reach and the opportunity for reports, shares and likes is significantly increased. For companies that want to maximise their reach and boost awareness, marketing sustainability principles and activities is one route to success.
Fostering meaningful connections is vital if you want to retain your customers and build a following of loyal brand ambassadors. Fortunately, sustainable businesses can rely on their green credentials to establish trust and loyalty amongst their target audience.
By educating your target audience, explaining your sustainability strategy and keeping your customer base up to date with your sustainable initiatives, you can consistently build trust and gain their loyalty. With a regular cadence of sustainability-focused content, a green content marketing consultant can help you to deliver consistent yet innovative and exciting messaging that helps nurture long-term relationships with your target audience(s).
In most markets, consumers and B2B buyers are overwhelmed with choice and there’s no doubt your business will be facing competition from other companies. Developing your organisation into a sustainable business helps to set your enterprise apart from its competitors and gives your target audience a compelling reason to engage with your brand over any others.
However, you’ll need to convey your sustainable messaging in order to successfully differentiate your brand and how do you do this? Content marketing, of course! From blog posts and White Papers to videos, images and social media posts, there are endless formats that can help you to share your sustainable achievements and give you a competitive advantage.
Your conversion rate is arguably one of the most important metrics for your business. After all, generating a high volume of website traffic or getting large numbers of content views is beneficial, but it doesn’t equate to sales or profit. Instead, you need to ensure that your conversion rate is high enough to facilitate business growth and content marketing can help here too.
When a user sees any of your content, it should propel them through the sales funnel and strengthen the relationship they have with your brand. With help from a professional content strategist, you can ensure that your company’s content is designed to accelerate the customer journey while increasing conversions and optimising your commercial performance.
To succeed with content marketing, you need a detailed strategy that incorporates the frequency, format and theme of your upcoming content. Similarly, you’ll need a good understanding of your target audience(s) so that you can deliver content that’s relevant, engaging and compelling.
From audience research and content calendars to digital PR, content creation and reporting and analysis, our expert team provides innovative content marketing services that help sustainable businesses grow. To find out more, get in touch with the Smarter Media team today!
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions; businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to leverage their sustainability efforts as a powerful marketing tool. This is where green marketing comes into play. By effectively promoting your sustainable business practices, you can not only attract environmentally conscious customers but also differentiate your brand from competitors and contribute to a greener future.
In this quick guide, we will explore the strategies and best practices for successfully marketing your sustainable business.
Sustainable marketing is the promotion of eco-friendly and/or socially responsible brands, products, services, missions or initiatives. By using sustainable marketing strategies, companies can showcase their ethos and commitment to building a healthier future for all, which is why it’s such a valuable way to engage with your target audience.
Every business is different, so an original approach is always required to develop a winning marketing strategy. However, there are some basic concepts that you can use as the foundation of a successful sustainable marketing strategy, such as:
As consumers become more focused on a brand’s environmental impacts, many businesses are promoting their sustainability. However, this has led to widespread concerns regarding ‘greenwashing’, which is when companies try to appear more environmentally friendly than they really are. As you might expect, this can foster distrust amongst your target audience and damage your company’s reputation, so it should be avoided at all costs.
Instead, be authentic and transparent in all of your green marketing communications. Even if you have a long way to go to reach your sustainability objectives, you can work with a sustainability marketing agency to educate your audience, establish sustainability goals and educate your audience about your efforts to build a sustainable future. By doing so, you’ll engage your target audience with sustainability-focused content and gain their trust by being authentic, reliable and trustworthy.
Reviewing your company’s sustainable principles and the environmental impact of your operations gives you the opportunity to decide whether you want to be about more than simply generating profits. By committing to a sustainability strategy, for example, you can ensure your business is part of a larger purpose, such as reducing emissions, minimising plastic pollution or creating fairer supply chains.
Once you’ve established your mission, tell people about it and keep your target audience informed. By working with a professional content marketing agency, for example, you can deliver content that informs, educates and excites in a variety of formats and keep your audiences up to date about your sustainable progress.
Whether you’re a B2C brand or you’re launching a sustainable strategy with a B2B content marketing agency, make sure your customers remain the focus of your activities. In many cases, companies focus on pushing a product or service in the hopes of increasing sales and generating revenue, but they fail to look beyond this and really drill down into their target audience’s needs, wants and pain points.
By being customer-focused, you can truly understand what motivates your target audience(s) and respond accordingly. Not only will this help to increase sales, but it can also boost retention rates and foster trust and loyalty as you focus on delivering value, rather than being solely focused on generating profit.
Sustainability isn’t simply a trend or a fad; it’s a core principle that’s here to stay. For today’s businesses, sustainability and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) should be an integral element of their brands and a critical component of their future.
Instead of thinking of sustainability as a barrier to success or making it an afterthought, incorporate it into every aspect of your operations. By taking a sustainability-first approach to every aspect of your business, you can ensure that it becomes embedded into your operations and, therefore, a key element of your brand personality.
Furthermore, integrating sustainability into your brand in this way makes it far easier to achieve your sustainability goals and to have a positive impact on the planet.
If sustainability isn’t something you factor into your business and marketing decisions, then you’re going to struggle to be consistent when it comes to delivering sustainable messaging to your target audiences.
With a defined sustainability marketing strategy and regular activities, such as green content marketing services, you can ensure that you’re delivering consistent messaging that continually educates and updates your customer base and your target audiences.
As a result, you’ll find that your brand becomes more trusted and more highly regarded, both commercially and in terms of your sustainability. In turn, this enhances your company’s reputation and helps to set you apart from your competitors.
Some companies, such as those operating within the CleanTech or Climate Tech sectors, have a clear need for a sustainable marketing strategy. After all, their entire purpose is to have a positive impact on the planet. But what about companies that aren’t rooted in sustainability?
You might be surprised to learn that every company can benefit from having a custom sustainable marketing strategy, regardless of what industry or sector you operate in.
As customers place increasing importance on the sustainability of their preferred brands, they are expecting companies to take real and actionable steps to mitigate their environmental impact and failure to do so could affect the long-term success of your organisation. So, the real question is not whether should you have a sustainable marketing strategy but, can you afford not to have a sustainable marketing strategy?
At Smarter Media, we’re committed to helping brands achieve their goals with innovative digital marketing. Combining our expertise and experience with data-driven insights and continual optimisation, we develop and implement winning sustainable marketing strategies that fuel business growth and elevate your ROI.
To find out how our in-house experts can supercharge your brand with sustainable marketing strategies, contact us today!
If you’re a business based in Wiltshire, you know how important it is to reach local customers. However, with so many companies vying for attention in the area, it can be difficult to make sure your website is visible to people searching for your products or services. Local SEO is the practice of optimising your website to rank higher in search results for people searching for a business within the same region.
By optimising your website for local SEO, you can increase your visibility to people searching for your products or services in Wiltshire, driving more traffic and ultimately boosting your bottom line. In this article, we’ll be discussing the various optimisation techniques and strategies that can be used to increase your website’s visibility for local SEO in Wiltshire.
Local SEO is optimising a website’s content and structure to appear in the top positions for relevant local searches, such as ‘best coffee shop near me’ or ‘plumber in Wiltshire’. Partnering with a reliable SEO and content agency can help ensure your website is optimised for these local searches, allowing your business to be found by potential customers in your area.
In addition to increasing online visibility and driving traffic to a business’s website or physical location, local SEO can improve brand awareness and credibility among potential customers. Consequently, businesses can establish themselves as trusted authorities within their respective industries.
Optimising your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing can help you rank higher in local search results. One way to optimise your listing is by ensuring that all information is accurate or up-to-date. This includes details like your business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website URL, and photos.
Another way to optimise GBP is by encouraging customer reviews. Positive reviews not only help boost your rankings but also build trust with potential customers who are researching your business online. This is why it's essential to partner with reputable digital marketing companies that can help you develop effective review generation strategies and manage your online reputation.
Start by adding your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) in a prominent location on the page. Use relevant keywords, such as “SEO services Bristol” in your title tag, meta description, and H1 tag to signal to search engines what your business is about.
Also, add internal links from other pages on your website to your homepage with relevant anchor text. This will help search engines understand the importance of your homepage and rank it higher in local search results. Adding a Google Map to your homepage can also help customers easily find your business’s location.
Schema markup is a form of structured data that you can add to your website’s code to help search engines understand the content on your pages. Adding schema markup makes it easier for search engines to display relevant information about your business in search results.
So if someone searches for a restaurant in their area, they may see star ratings and reviews alongside your restaurant’s name and address. This not only helps them make a more informed decision but also increases the likelihood that they’ll choose your business over competitors.
If you're looking to enhance local SEO, a reliable digital marketing agency can help you conduct a local SEO audit. This audit will help you identify areas where you’re doing well and areas that need improvement. Here are some tips when conducting a local SEO audit:
· Consider your website’s content strategy.
o Your website should have relevant and high-quality content.
o Create a clear call to action on every website page with consistent messaging.
o Make your website’s structure easy to navigate.
o Your website should also be optimised for mobile devices, as many local searches are conducted on smartphones.
· Analyse your backlinks. Your backlinks should be diverse and natural, and they should come from reputable websites.
· Analyse your social media presence. Check how active your business is on social media and how frequently you engage with your audience.
Your title tag should accurately describe the page’s content and include relevant keywords that users might search for. Meanwhile, an engaging meta description entices users to click through to your site.
You should also include location-specific keywords. Doing so will help search engines understand that your website is relevant to those searching for local services or products in those areas. An agency specialising in local SEO services can help you optimise your metadata effectively.
This strategy can help you reach a wider audience, increase your online visibility and ultimately drive more traffic to your site. When listing your business in local directories, make sure all the information you provide is accurate and up-to-date.
In addition to accuracy, it’s also important to be consistent with how you list your business across different directories. This means using the same formatting so that search engines can easily recognise that each listing belongs to the same business. And don’t forget about niche directories specific to your industry or location—these can be excellent sources of targeted traffic and high-quality leads.
Ensure that all pages on your website are linked together in a logical or structured way. This means that each page should have at least one link pointing to another page on your site, and those links should use relevant anchor text. Ensure that your site’s most important pages are linked to other high-value pages like your homepage or product/service landing pages.
Consider using breadcrumbs as a navigation aid for visitors and search engines alike. Breadcrumbs show users where they are within a site’s hierarchy of information and allow them to quickly navigate back up the chain if needed.
Location pages provide valuable information about your business. Creating these pages can improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find you online.
Include relevant keywords in the page title and meta description when creating location pages. This will help search engines understand what your page is about and improve its visibility in search results. It’s also important to include high-quality images of your business or products on each location page.
Customer reviews not only help in improving your website’s SEO ranking but also influence potential customers’ purchasing decisions. Positive reviews can increase trust and credibility, leading to more conversions and sales.
To add reviews to your website, you can create a separate page or section dedicated solely to customer feedback. You can also integrate review widgets or plugins that allow customers to leave their feedback directly on your website. Ensure that you respond promptly and professionally to both positive and negative reviews, as this shows that you value customer satisfaction.
Focus on producing content that’s relevant and useful to the people in your area. It could be anything from blog posts, videos, infographics, or even podcasts. Ensure your content includes information about your services or products and how they can benefit your local audience.
Use locally relevant keywords and phrases throughout the text. Make sure these keywords appear naturally within the context of your content so that they don’t look like spammy attempts at ranking higher on search engines. Keep in mind that Google prioritises fresh and relevant content on its search results page. So it’s essential to update your website with new information regularly.
Is doing local SEO worth it?
Doing local SEO is definitely worth it. For small businesses, investing in an SEO solution can be a great way to attract potential customers actively searching for products or services like yours within your area.
How can I find my local SEO keywords?
Determine what you offer and what products or services you wish to promote. Then come up with a list of relevant keywords. Google search results can also be used to find local-based keywords. Simply enter your main keyword and scroll down.
What are some common local SEO mistakes?
One common mistake in local SEO is not optimising for Google My Business. Neglecting to do so can result in decreased visibility and missed opportunities. Another mistake is failing to incorporate location-specific keywords into website content, impacting search engine rankings for local searches.
Some businesses also make the mistake of not paying attention to online reviews. Not responding appropriately or promptly to negative reviews can harm a business’s reputation and deter potential customers from doing business with them.
Optimising your website for local SEO can help you improve your online visibility, attract more local customers and grow your business. Following the steps outlined in this article can improve your website’s local search rankings and attract more local customers.
However, local SEO can be complex and time-consuming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the latest best practices and strategies. That’s where Smarter Media can help.
If you’re looking for ‘marketing companies near me’, our team of experienced local SEO specialists can help you develop a local SEO strategy that’s tailored to your business’s unique needs and goals. Contact us today.
When it comes to advertising your business online, Google Ads are one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. However, managing a Google Ads campaign can be time-consuming and complex, which is why many businesses choose to partner with a Google Ads management agency. These agencies specialise in creating and managing Google Ads campaigns and can help you get the most out of your advertising budget. But not all agencies are created equal, so it’s important to choose the right one.
Google Ads management agencies are composed of teams that have spent years mastering the art of Google advertising. They know what works and what doesn’t, which is a valuable trait when it comes to managing your ad campaigns. With their vast knowledge in the industry, these experts can provide valuable insights to help optimise your paid search marketing campaigns for maximum results.
Apart from their experience, Google Ads management agencies also have access to the latest tools and technologies. As a result, they are better equipped to navigate complex algorithms and new updates than someone who does not have access to such resources.
Advertisements that are not current or relevant to the target audience can fail miserably, leading to wasted ad spend and poor ROI. With a PPC agency in Bristol, however, you don’t have to worry about such issues.
The experts at these agencies stay on top of industry trends and changes in consumer behaviour to ensure your ads remain current and effective. They also conduct thorough research into your target audience’s interests, preferences, and online behaviour, allowing them to create highly targeted ads that resonate with potential customers.
Managing a successful Google Ads campaign can be incredibly time-consuming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the platform or lack experience with online advertising. Hiring a paid search agency means you can delegate this responsibility to experienced professionals who can optimise your campaigns for maximum ROI.
In addition to giving you more free time, working with a paid search management agency allows you to focus on other essential aspects of your business. Instead of worrying about campaign optimisation and keyword research, you can concentrate on building relationships with customers or developing new products and services. This lets you work smarter, not harder, and ultimately achieve better results in less time.
Working with a Google paid search agency gives you access to invaluable data-driven insights that can transform the way you approach online advertising. The agency will analyse your campaign data to identify trends and patterns, which can help you optimise your ads for better performance.
Through these insights, you'll also better understand who your target audience is, what they're looking for, and how best to reach them. This information can be used to create highly targeted campaigns that speak directly to your audience's needs and preferences. With deep data-driven insights at your fingertips, you'll have the power to take calculated risks that can help grow your business.
Ongoing optimisation ensures that your ad campaigns always perform at their best and drive the highest possible ROI. This involves regular updates to your ad copy, targeting settings, bidding strategies and more based on data-driven insights.
Agencies use advanced tools and techniques to gather data about your campaign performance and make informed decisions about how to improve it. By partnering with a PPC marketing agency, you can feel confident that your ad campaign is in good hands. You can focus on running your business while experts handle the technical details of managing your ads. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your budget is being allocated effectively and efficiently to drive results.
Choosing the right Google Ads management agency can be daunting. Here are some factors to consider when selecting the best one for your needs:
Your goals and desired outcomes are the foundation of your Google Ads campaign, so it’s essential to know them before choosing a Google Ads management agency. Are you looking to increase website traffic, generate leads or sales, or simply build brand awareness? Knowing your goals will help the agency tailor their strategy to achieve these objectives.
Additionally, ensure the agency understands your target audience and how they behave online. This knowledge will inform ad targeting tactics and messaging that resonates with your ideal customer. When all of these elements are aligned with your goals, you can be confident in choosing a Google Ads management agency that can deliver results for your business.
You want to work with an agency with a good track record of delivering results and providing excellent customer service. Look for reviews and testimonials from past clients, as well as case studies that showcase their successes. You can also gauge the company’s reputation by checking their partnerships and certifications.
Another thing to check is the agency’s online presence. A reputable agency should have a professional website, active social media accounts, and regularly updated blog content. This demonstrates that they’re committed to staying up-to-date with industry trends and sharing valuable insights with their audience.
You want to ensure that the agency is upfront about their strategies, tactics, and pricing structure. The agency should be willing to provide regular reports on your campaigns’ performance and explain any changes they plan to make.
Another critical factor is their level of communication. You want an agency that will keep you informed every step of the way, whether it’s through email updates or scheduled meetings. This way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your campaigns are being managed properly and that there aren’t any surprises down the road.
Find an agency with a history of providing successful campaigns over time. An excellent way to determine this is through case studies and testimonials. These give insight into the agency’s past successes and how they achieved them.
You should also look at an agency’s ability to consistently meet or exceed performance metrics. This includes things like click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend. An agency that consistently delivers strong results across multiple campaigns demonstrates their expertise in the field.
A good agency should have a clear and well-defined process for creating, launching, and managing your ads. This process should include conducting thorough research into your business, audience, and competitors to develop effective keyword strategies that will help you achieve your advertising goals. Additionally, the agency should have an approach for monitoring and optimising your campaigns based on data-driven insights to ensure that they deliver maximum ROI.
Another important consideration when evaluating an agency’s methodology is their approach to reporting and communication. The right agency will provide frequent updates on campaign performance while being transparent about the metrics they track and how they achieve results. They should be able to clearly explain their methodology in lay terms so that you can easily understand what they are doing with your ad budget.
You need to ensure that the agency’s pricing model aligns with your budget and business goals. Some agencies charge a flat fee, while others use a percentage of ad spend as their pricing model. It’s essential to understand what you’ll be paying for and how much it will cost.
The goal is to find an agency that provides high-quality services at an affordable price point without sacrificing performance or results. It’s crucial to do your due diligence by researching different agencies’ pricing models and comparing them against one another before making an informed decision about which will best meet your needs and objectives.
Once you’ve chosen a Google Ads management agency, it’s essential to know how to work with them to ensure your campaigns are successful. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your partnership:
· Set clear goals and expectations – This includes defining your target audience, budget, keywords, ad copy, and other relevant metrics.
· Collaborate effectively – Regular communication with your account manager can help you stay updated on campaign performance and make any necessary adjustments along the way.
· Trust the experts – While providing feedback and direction is essential, you should also be open to your chosen agency’s suggestions and recommendations.
· Track results – This will help you see how your campaigns are performing and identify areas for improvement.
· Stay up to date – Work with your agency to stay on top of the latest developments in the industry.
Looking for a digital marketing agency for small businesses in the UK? At Smarter Media, we understand the importance of creating tailored and effective Google Ads campaigns. Our team uses data-driven strategies to ensure your paid media campaigns are always optimised for maximum ROI. Contact us today.
In today's digital landscape, businesses are increasingly turning to content marketing as a powerful strategy to attract and engage their target audiences. Content marketing involves the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience—ultimately, with the goal of driving profitable customer action.
In this article, we'll dive into the fundamentals of content marketing, why it's important and how businesses can leverage this strategy to achieve their marketing goals.
Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience with the goal of driving profitable customer action.
This type of marketing focuses on building relationships with potential customers by providing them with helpful information that will help them make informed decisions. If you're a business looking to implement content marketing strategies, it may be worth considering working with a B2B content marketing agency.
Content marketing is essential for any business that aims to attract and retain customers through valuable and relevant content. By working with a content creation agency and investing time and resources into creating valuable content, your business can increase its visibility online while building lasting relationships with customers.
One key aspect of content marketing is creating high-quality and engaging content that resonates with your target audience. By doing so, businesses can increase their brand awareness and gain more visibility in their respective industries. This is especially important for small companies or startups that are looking to establish themselves in the market.
To create compelling content, it's essential to understand your audience's needs and preferences. This involves conducting research on their interests, pain points and behaviours online.
By tailoring your content to meet these needs, you'll be able to capture their attention and build a loyal following over time. However, not all businesses have the resources or expertise to create compelling content marketing strategies on their own. This is where a content marketing agency can be of great help.
Creating valuable content that solves your target audience’s problems can help drive traffic to your website. By optimising your content for search engines, you can ensure that potential customers find your website when searching for solutions to their problems. Content marketing companies can help with this.
Content marketing is an essential tool for businesses to generate leads and attract potential customers. By offering valuable resources such as ebooks, whitepapers and webinars, companies can capture the attention of their target audience and encourage them to provide their contact information in exchange for access to these resources. This approach is more effective than traditional advertising methods because it offers real value to the user.
In addition to delivering valuable content, content marketing can also help businesses position themselves as thought leaders. By creating high-quality blog posts, infographics or videos that offer insights into relevant topics or address common issues facing customers, companies have the opportunity to showcase their expertise and build trust with potential customers. As a result, they will be more likely to turn those leads into paying customers.
Creating high-quality content on a consistent basis can help businesses showcase their expertise while offering value to customers through valuable insights into the industry trends they operate within. With the rise of digital marketing, content has become a crucial component of any business's marketing strategy. By producing content that addresses the pain points and challenges of their audience, companies can not only attract potential customers but also gain authority within their industry.
When businesses work with a content marketing consultant and consistently produce valuable and informative content, they are more likely to gain the trust and respect of their target audience. Thought leadership is not just about sharing opinions; it’s about providing insights that are backed up by research and data. By doing so, businesses can demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields. Moreover, this helps them create a loyal following that trusts them for advice or guidance.
Consumers are now more informed and empowered than ever before. They have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips and are no longer willing to settle for mediocre products or services. As such, businesses must be strategic in their approach if they want to succeed in this highly competitive landscape.
One way that businesses can stand out from the crowd is by partnering with a digital content agency and leveraging content marketing. By providing solutions to consumers’ challenges through valuable content, companies can position themselves as problem-solvers and earn the loyalty of potential customers.
Content marketing is an effective way for businesses to foster customer loyalty. By creating valuable content, companies build their authority and establish credibility with their audience. This trust can lead to long-term relationships with customers who are more likely to continue doing business with a company that consistently provides them with helpful information.
Additionally, content marketing allows businesses to stay top of mind with their customers by regularly sharing new and relevant content. This can help ensure that customers remember the brand when it comes time to make a purchase or seek out services. By consistently providing value through their content, companies can keep customers engaged and interested in what they have to offer.
Marketing goals are specific and measurable objectives that businesses want to accomplish through their marketing efforts. Companies must set realistic and achievable targets that align with their budget and resources. Having clear marketing goals allows companies to measure their success in achieving those objectives accurately.
Understanding your target audience. This involves researching and analysing their demographics, interests, behaviours, pain points and aspirations. Understanding the target audience helps create content that resonates with them and encourages engagement.
One way to understand the target audience is by creating buyer personas. Buyer personas are fictional representations of your ideal customers. They include information about their age, gender, income level, education level, job title and more. Creating buyer personas allows you to visualise your customer base and tailor content specifically to them.
Based on the marketing goals and target audience, businesses should develop a content strategy that outlines the types of content they will create, the channels they will use to distribute it and the frequency of publishing.
Valuable content is content that your target audience will find informative, helpful and engaging. To create valuable content, you need to understand your audience's needs and what kind of information they are searching for.
One way to create valuable content is by conducting research on your industry or niche. This can help you identify trends, hot topics and frequently asked questions that you can address in your blog posts or articles. You can also use tools like Google Analytics to see which pages on your website are getting the most traffic and which keywords people are using to find your site.
Optimising your content for search engines means ensuring that your website and content are easily discoverable by search engines such as Google. There are several vital things you can do to optimise your content for search engines.
Creating great content is only half the battle, as it’s equally crucial to ensure that your target audience actually sees it. One way to promote your content is through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. You can use these channels to share links to your blog posts, infographics or videos with your followers, encouraging them to read and engage with your content.
Another way to promote your content is through email marketing campaigns. This involves sending out newsletters or other email communications that include links back to your website, where users can access and engage with your latest blog posts and other resources. By targeting specific segments of your audience with personalised messaging and content recommendations, you can increase engagement and drive more traffic back to your site over time.
Once you have executed your content marketing strategy, it's important to analyse results in order to understand what worked and what did not. One of the most effective ways to do this is through metrics tracking. Metrics such as website traffic, engagement rates and lead conversions can give you a clear picture of how well your content has been received by your target audience.
In addition to tracking metrics, it can also be helpful to gather feedback from your audience directly. Surveys or social media polls can provide valuable insights into what resonates with your audience and what they would like to see more of in the future.
Looking for a digital content marketing agency in the UK? From content strategy development and creation to distribution and promotion, Smarter Media’s team of experts works closely with clients to ensure their content marketing efforts are effective and drive results. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you leverage content marketing to grow your business.
At the beginning of February 2023, Google announced they are releasing their own version of ChatGPT ‘imminently’. The global superbrand owned by parent company Alphabet Inc. has felt the pressure by trending OpenAI’s 2022 conversational AI service called ChatGPT. Chat among technical heavyweights has suggested ChatGPT as a replacement for Google Search.
Google and Bing (Microsoft) have simultaneously released their own version in an attempt to keep up with market demand. As well as, we think, to ensure OpenAI does not overtake traditional search engines (or their useability). In this article, we’ll uncover what we believe Bard will do for search engine results pages (SERPs) and how search engine optimisation (SEO) and web content will need to adjust.
What is Bard?Bard is Google’s version of a conversational AI service, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3. According to Google, Bard is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) service based on their own Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA) which holds next-generation language and conversational capabilities.
Etymologically, the word Bard is historically found in Celtic cultures. Interestingly a bard could be a verse-maker, music composer, genealogist, historian or professional storyteller; of course, the most famous bard is William Shakespeare, who helped revolutionise both language and storytelling. A bard is generally employed by a patron (a chief for example) to remember and compose content for the patron’s ancestors or praise their own activities. We think it is a very fitting description and a great name for Google’s Bard.
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-powered platform that helps users interact with virtual assistants that are capable of understanding natural language. It is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, offering an interactive and conversational experience. With ChatGPT, users can ask questions, receive answers in real-time, and even get advice on topics ranging from financial planning to health advice. The platform is designed to make it simple and easy to access the information you need without having to sift through a lot of information.
The paragraph above was the answer to a question we posed to ChatGPT. So the answer is in its own words. No wonder there’s been a scramble by other internet heavyweights to provide an alternative and try to make it better than ChatGPT and OpenAI’s capabilities.
The image below shows the international interest online (Google Trends) for the past three months (November 2022, December 2022, and January 2023)
OpenAI admitted that the content on which ChatGPT is trained is only up until 2021. This means that Google’s version Bard can take advantage of the almost unlimited information on Google’s databases in real time.
Google’s search bar is already a household name and is used over 99,000 times every single second (2022 Stats). Knowing this, Google wouldn’t replace the search bar functionality but rather place Bard alongside it.
However, the fast paced release of Bard has already revealed several errors, most notably on its opening question which has since wiped off $102 billion from Google’s share value. Since we know Google will continue to push their ideas to the entirety of Google users, and the Bard release is set to roll out any day now, we hope the functionality and accuracy will improve.
Bard is powered by Google’s own LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) which was released (mentioned) over two years ago. They can recall real-time and (potentially) accurate information from Google’s own database (where OpenAI’s ChatGPT is limited).
Bard offers answers starting with ‘some say’ which points to the AI’s ability to answer questions based on several sites' content. This offers you information about a topic without you having to visit several sites at once. It’s a benefit that some copywriters have mentioned about ChatGPT as well.
Google mentioned in an online presentation that the purpose of Bard was to also remove any roadblocks to information. We think they want users on their SERPs for as long as possible, which is a classic move from Google (just see the old zero-clicks searches from yesteryears).
They also mentioned that Bard’s AI capabilities will be incorporated into AR, Maps, Lens, Multi-Search and more. Possibly biggest update to Google’s search functionality is the inclusion of Bard into more than just search from a user perspective. We expect search engine optimisation and SEO based content strategies to alter to meet this new challenge and functionality.
It seems that Bard will show as a first result on the SERP. The first question we have is “what about featured snippets?” Google has not mentioned anything else about existing search functions, including featured snippets itself. It is all speculation at the moment.
The landscape of a SERP may alter, and SEO strategies will need to take this into consideration. We may have to consider what keywords a Bard user may pose and how to optimise and create content so your website may rank in an answer in Bard. However, traditional search is not going anywhere and conventional SEO needs to continue.
There is some chatter about AI bias, and how can we optimise content to best rank considering this potential. Knowing this too, AI services such as Bard takes information from several sources and therefore, how can one website rank there (and potentially be the sole source?).
There has been a lot of gossip in SEO circles about AI participating in content theft (and how can we regulate links to sources). There are also considerations around content regulations and how to ensure accurate and factual information is presented in AI services like ChatGPT and Bard.
Google Translate has been improved and with the assistance of AI through Bard, there is talk about hreflang importance and if there would be any need (or priority) around this. For those who are unfamiliar with hreflangs, they’re a type of signal to search engines about what language is used on a webpage, allowing search engines to display that particular webpage for a certain language searcher, e.g. you may use an Italian hreflang tag to mark out a page as suitable for users of Italian Google. Obviously, there is no update to Google’s own best practices for multilingual sites, and we will stand by their importance as long as Google does.
One last point to make at the moment, is the fact that we have all known for the past few years that visual search is a priority for Google. This is due to the current generation of Google users using images (and Google Lens) to make searches of varying intents; as Google puts it, “if you can see it, you can search it”. The importance of optimising for visual search is only enhanced with the release of Bard and AI learning.
Knowing the massive change in the introduction of this technology can make a business anxious. It is our job to be experts in this new AI technology. We are able to apply our own SEO and Content expertise to the use of AI (both ChatGPT and Google’s Bard). Knowing and being a part of these changes and embracing them completely means we are able to continue helping your business grow.
We understand the generational importance of this update and the new function of Bard and we can advise accordingly to your industry and company’s needs. We also know that there is a potential that Bard may obliterate featured snippets, but before we panic, let's await Google’s announcement on this.
Finally, a term that has been floating around is ‘zero-click-searchs’ and this is when the answer to a Google user’s search term is offered without the need for the person to click through to your website. This is not ideal when you need them on your website to convert into a lead, a sale and contribute to your profits. As is standard in our practices, click-through rate optimisation is addressed as part of the Conversion Rate Optimisation strategy.
So if you find yourself anxious about what emerging artificial intelligence means for your website and especially your company, then reach out and we can guide you through SEO and Content optimisation for AI search services such as Bard and ChatGPT.
What is the future of Facebook ads? One thing is for sure, and it'll be much different from today. And yet, you can still learn from the past. We've been working with social media ads since 2020 and have learned much. So considering we're only just going into 2023 now, we thought we'd share some of our insights with you. In this article, we'll share five fantastic insights, free tools and master classes to help you grow your social media campaigns and get the ROI your business deserves.
Short answer: yes. Consumers might not like social ads. However, they are still very effective, and avoiding them is hard.
A key benefit of paid social media ads is their ability to impact results. Even though social media users who see ads in their news feeds may not convert as quickly, 58% of respondents said it affects their buying decisions. Further, 49% of internet users report purchasing from brands advertised on social media.
It’s also interesting to note that 57% of consumers use social media while watching television. So while television advertisements (31%) and word-of-mouth ads (28%) remain more popular for brand discovery than advertising on social media (27%), consumers are increasingly researching brands on social networks.
Given how effective social media advertising is and how it’s managed to influence our everyday lives, it’s still worthwhile to invest time, money and effort into social media ads.
Companies can use social media platforms to interact with clients and build relationships with them. The more familiar customers become with your brand, the more likely they recommend you to their friends, thereby expanding your brand's reach.
Comparatively speaking, social ads are relatively inexpensive. Budgets can also be set at any level. This way, you can devote some of your funds to social media without hurting your budget.
Ads on social media can also demonstrate social proofing, thereby improving brand loyalty and converting one-time visitors into long-term customers.
More advertisers are experimenting with social video ads than ever before. Increasingly, advertisers see that social video advertising can help them meet branding and performance objectives. As TikTok, Instagram Stories and Reels continue to rise, and marketers are also using snappy video content to reach their audiences.
Video advertising is Twitter's fastest-growing advertising tool, with more than 2 billion video views daily on the platform. It also states that tweets with videos receive ten times more engagement than tweets without.
Influencers with trustworthy social media ads and content are increasingly sought after by social media users. There is potential for micro-influencers to bridge the gap between the new demand for authentic, trustworthy sources and established influencer marketing practices. In 2021, micro-influencers had a higher engagement rate than mega-influencers.
The trend of personalisation has been around for several years now. Even so, its adoption for social media is still relatively new. Personalising social media ads is the most effective way for businesses and marketers to utilise the trend. Marketers can target and customise their campaigns through social media platforms. Since social media platforms now can understand the types of products people like, this enables you to show suitable ads at the right time to the right people.
Social media advertising is the second most popular digital advertising, following search advertising. Brands worldwide spent £3,118 on social media ads in Q2 2022, but UK brands spent 59% more. UK brands had the highest social media advertising spending, averaging £4,945. Most global digital ad spending goes to Google, and Facebook is close behind.
Social media platforms with the most popularity for advertising include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. Various ad formats on the platform include an image, video, carousel, collection and boosted posts. Advertisers on Facebook reach 2.11 billion people, which is why businesses can benefit from partnering with a reliable Facebook advertising agency.
Knowing the landscape before getting started is always helpful. Look at what your competitors do on social networks like Facebook and Instagram.
Social media ads are often viewed on mobile devices, so you need to make your ads easy to view on mobile phones.
There's no need to be present on every social network. Choosing the right platforms is more important, so you invest your time and resources wisely.
In a busy feed, anything that moves, such as videos and gifs, will catch your audience's attention. Additionally, motion allows you to share more images and information with less space.
Test several ads with small audiences, and determine which works best. The winning ad should then be used in the primary campaign.
It may seem daunting to create social media ads, but we're here to help. If you’re looking for a ‘marketing agency near me,’ and you’re in Swindon, our team at Smarter Media can assist you in running a successful social media advertising campaign. Get in touch with our strategists today.
Is there a social media lead generation agency near you? If you're in digital marketing, the answer is most likely yes. Many have learned that digital marketing isn't just about displaying ads. Of course, social media advertising is quite popular nowadays, and some companies don't know when to stop spending on paid ads. Sometimes, all they have to do is to start focusing on organic marketing instead.
Social media lead generation involves collecting new leads through social media. It is all about capturing and converting qualified leads through effective marketing strategies.
B2C and B2B marketers can benefit from social media lead generation, as it helps you identify your target audiences. As a result, you will be able to reach out to them with helpful content and offers and eventually convert them to paying customers. This establishes you as a valuable resource for potential customers.
Using social media, you can enhance your lead generation efforts to increase brand awareness, web traffic and community engagement.
If you want to collect leads organically, set everything up before you start your following social media lead campaign. For instance, if you want customers to get in touch, subscribe to your newsletter or purchase from you, make it easy for them to do so on your profile.
Your profile should include your contact information. However, before adding them, ensure you can handle customer inquiries via phone, email, Messenger and other methods.
Your bio should also include a link. This space is often used on Instagram, but it can also be found on LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest. Include a call-to-action that explains why people should click and what they can expect.
It is often possible to obtain information freely from people with the right incentives. Creating enticing lead magnet offers, such as a free tool or research report, will help you accomplish this. Additionally, you could offer whitepapers, webinars and discount codes.
In today's marketing world, instant messaging and chatbots have become powerful marketing tools. Using chatbots, businesses can better connect with their prospects and simultaneously lower overhead costs. AI-powered chatbots enable you to engage your social media followers and increase leads. Chatbots can also build profiles based on previous interactions, allowing them to provide tailored content and product recommendations.
Influencers on social media are a great source of qualified and engaged leads. Influencer marketing reaches people through the content they already consume. A few seconds of coverage from a content creator your target audience loves can boost social media B2B lead generation. Promote your brand by having your chosen influencers sponsor posts, giveaways and content.
Showcase how clients benefit from your products and how your brand has helped resolve common customer concerns by encouraging customers to leave feedback on your page. Social proof is a valuable lead generation tool, and social media is an excellent platform for showing client feedback. By allowing prospects to read or watch reviews and recommendations, you will increase your brand's credibility and make them feel confident to do business with you.
Social media contests are a great way to spread the word about your product or service. Generally, businesses run contests for two reasons. The first benefit is receiving many leads that can benefit their business. The second benefit is that participants can share each contest with more people. As a result, the post reaches an even broader audience.
Social media can be a great way to promote something time-sensitive and create buzz ahead of time.
You can create a Facebook event with the date, time, location and price a few weeks in advance. Utilise your company's Facebook page to encourage RSVPs. Set up a hashtag and promote it on all your social networks. Encourage Twitter followers to use it when discussing your event or promotion. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use the hashtag to share images from the event and invite your followers to join in.
By staying consistent across all your channels, you can use social media to make people aware of your event and motivate them to attend.
Pin important information, such as your contact info and other key links, at the top of your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles so that visitors can see it immediately.
When you go live on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you can invite your followers to join you. During the live video, you can point them to a sign-up page.
To work this out, ensure your live video provides value to your audience. You can interact with an industry expert, do a Q&A on a relevant subject, share some insider tips or demonstrate how your product works. Your ideal customer should find the content you talk about in the video interesting.
Live videos do not have to be elaborate productions. In most cases, you need a smartphone and a tripod, and you're ready to go.
Your sales leads can be doubled with referral campaigns. Leads are rewarded for referring their friends and colleagues through these campaigns. You could offer a discount, complimentary gift or gift card for a referral. Meanwhile, referred people will have the opportunity to learn about your offerings and become potential customers.
Social media marketing is a key tool for generating leads. Following the tips above can turn any platform into a lead generation channel.
Looking for a social media agency to help improve your paid and organic lead generation efforts? Smarter Media has years of experience developing and managing social media campaigns. Get in touch with our team today.
