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Many companies complain that PPC campaigns are “hit and miss.” They either work so well that companies happily keep spending money to run them, or they just don’t work at all, and advertisers swear never to use them again. There isn’t really any mystery as to why this discrepancy occurs: display ads are either planned and executed to optimize them – or they aren’t. The following tips will help you ensure that your PPC campaigns are set up for maximum profitability.

Link your Google Ads and Analytics accounts

A common mistake that companies make is forgetting to link their Google Ads account to their Google Analytics account. Linking the two helps you to track conversions, which, in turn, enables you to optimize your ads. A vital feedback loop forms, which maintains and increases the profitability of your ads.

Set a specific goal for each campaign

No two PPC campaigns should be alike. Some are meant to drive direct sales, others to generate leads, and others for brand awareness. Display ads should always be used with one specific goal in mind. If you set the goal, you can optimize your ads to suit their particular purpose and track their success more accurately.

Use the right audience targeting options

Aside from setting a goal for each ad, you must also ensure that it is targeted at the right section of your audience and for the right reasons. You may need to test these options to find out which one is the most appropriate. The options include remarketing, demographics, affinity, in-market and custom intent. Targeting your ad in the right way will ensure that you reach the right people and improve your campaigns’ success.

Make your ads mobile-friendly

Since so many people access online content via their mobile devices, it is vital that your ads are optimized to be viewed on cellphones and tablets. For this reason, you should be sure to create responsive ads – these are display ads that change their size and orientation based on the kind of device on which they are viewed. If you don’t use responsive ads and make them accessible only on laptops and desktops, you are excluding a large part of your audience, which will reduce your visits and conversions – and thus your profitability.

WSI New Media Marketing is a full-service digital marketing and search engine optimization company in Greensboro, North Carolina. Contact us for expert help with your PPC and SEO marketing campaigns.

When you create your content marketing, you risk losing business if you do not make a conscious effort to make it inclusive. Inclusivity and diversity are not just buzzwords. They are concepts that are currently dominating our social, political and academic dialogue, and influence your clients’ purchasing decisions. A 2019 consumer survey indicated that 64% of consumers take action after seeing an ad they regard as inclusive. If you ensure inclusivity in your content, you can reach new customers and stand out from the competition. In short, inclusivity in your digital marketing is good for your brand and for your bottom line. Here are four ways to make your content more inclusive.

1. Rethink the way you create content

In order to reach more people, stop and reconsider how you are communicating with your audience. Written content is still the most common form of communication, and Google’s search algorithms are still heavily dependent on text. However, you may be leaving out a large audience by focusing only on blogs. Video and audio content will reach those people who prefer to consume their content in this way, rather than reading, but these formats are more critical and inclusive than that. Captioned video content can bring your message to the hearing impaired, while audio content will enable you to reach the vision-impaired community. You don’t have to create new content for each format; you can simply repurpose the great content you already have. Think about your audience and your message and then diversify your platforms to reach more people.

2. Remember that inclusivity is about more than demographics

While it’s important to consider gender, race, age and other demographic factors, your content marketing should be far more detailed and data-driven. Research your audience deeply and then think about how to reach specific sectors of it. What does your research tell you about your customers? What are their values, habits and goals? You can then devise content that reaches them directly.

3. Use images to improve inclusivity

Most companies rely on stock images to add visuals to their online content. As a result, their choices are limited to what the various libraries offer. However, stock image creators are working to make their collections more diverse and inclusive. You can make your search terms more specific when hunting for images, to ensure that you make inclusivity a priority in your search. Add phrases like “African American”, “Hispanic”, “senior”, “gay” or “disabled” into your searches. The options you find will help you to add both diversity and inclusivity to your content. 

4. Be careful with your pronouns

Most bloggers use the word “you” in their content. This practice is generally good in principle because it makes the reader feel that they are being addressed directly. Things get a little more tricky when you need to use the third-person form to refer to a hypothetical person (for example, your customer). “He” and “she” are inherently exclusive and can make some readers feel as if your content isn’t taking them into account. Some people then use the plural form – “they” and “them” as a way of getting around this, which can be a good solution. 

WSI New Media Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency in Greensboro, North Carolina. Contact us for expert digital marketing services, including content marketing and social media marketing.

The use of a DIY web builder results in countless mistakes that will cost you time and money in the long run. Designing a website requires experience and knowledge that will convert potential customers into sales. A flawed website makes the user experience unpleasant, resulting in your potential customers being driven away from your page and on to your competitors, which is not the objective of a functional website. DIY web designs should only be used as a temporary platform while you wait. Website design companies have years of experience in web design and can assist you with all aspects of the web conversion architecture development and management process. Ensuring your website needs are fulfilled with expertise. 

A website is your first impression 

Website design companies for small businesses can assist you with the look and layout of your website. Helping to increase your brand’s awareness and sales by representing your brand 24/7, your website is the business card of the digital age. A website that takes a long time to load and does not function simply and intuitively are just two mistakes that can happen when you use DIY web designs. The layout, images, and buttons of your website can generate more sales if done correctly by a professional. 

DIY builders result in design mistakes

The difference between a functional website and a good website is significant. A website consisting of elements such as optimization, responsiveness, and consistency make it a website that is functional and reputable.

Interior and Exterior functionality 

The optimization and coding on the back-end are just as important as your content on the front end. A DIY builder prevents you from identifying messy and confusing back-end coding, which causes your website to slow down and causes chaos on the users’ screens. The mistake of using a DIY builder causes your site not to be optimized on both ends, driving users away from your site, directing users to your competitors. 

Not compatible with Mobile devices 

Responsive website design companies can assist you with the compatibility of your website across mobile devices. The functionality of your website on cellphones and tablets is crucial. More than half the web traffic worldwide is composed of mobile users. When you use a DIY builder to design your website, your website will consist of poor image optimization and your website not recognizing whether or not the user is on a cellphone or desktop site. DIY builders also forget to include a click to call compatibility and search functionality. DIY builders require you to go through hours of trial and error for a site that is not fully functional.

Start receiving targeted traffic from the moment your new website goes live. For a website that will deliver and exceed your expectations, contact our team of friendly professionals at WSI New Media Marketing today. 

Consumers are spending more and more time on their smartphones and tablet devices, another reason why your businesses need to have a mobile-friendly website that is more convenient for users on the go. If your brand is in the B2C industry, you will need an efficient mobile marketing strategy, which is essential for generating money online and gaining valued customers. At WSI New Media Marketing, we provide mobile marketing services that ensure your website and content look perfect and loads quickly on every device while still reaching a target audience at the right time and the right place. 

Social Media Marketing 

Mobile app marketing through social media apps like Instagram are efficient and effective. Optimizing your social media marketing strategy ensures that your brand’s marketing budget is being utilized exclusively on generating users that become sales. Social media creates endless opportunities and options that can be customized. 

Content adapted for mobile devices 

Mobile content marketing that is easy to read, easier to engage with, and easily shareable ensures an efficient user experience making it ideal for consumers. The amount of text, the font of the text, and the speed when loading the page are crucial in successfully adapting your business’s content for mobile devices. WSI New Media Marketing ensures your content and website look perfect on any device and goes viral faster.  

Mobile-friendly emails

The use of mobile-friendly emails is efficient in reaching and communicating to a targeted audience that is more likely to show an interest in your brand. Campaign emails, and customer newsletters, can be used to reach a targeted audience with the latest products and special promotions. 

Hyper-targeted Ads

Hyper-targeted ads are vital for a B2C and their connection to users on mobile devices. Serving a user in a specific location and having the ability to show ads as they shop; holds many opportunities. It ensures that your brand is connecting with users that are more likely to become valued customers.  

A responsive design

A website that does not load properly and cannot fit the smaller screen of a mobile device makes it difficult and unpleasant for the user to visit. A responsive web design provided by WSI New Media Marketing ensures that your website, and content, can be viewed perfectly and with ease. 

For more information on successful mobile marketing strategies in Greensboro, which is sure to be seen by a growing mobile audience, contact us today at 336.279.7000.

If you are running a small business on a tight budget with little to spend on marketing, take a look at these 5 budget-friendly content marketing ideas to turn your small business into an empire. 

1. Repurposing old content

Repurposing old content or Historical optimization as it is also known, is a great way to breathe new life into your ‘old’ content. Freshen up and update old content from a few years back or even from last month. Make sure it is updated for SEO with link building and keywords so that it’s able to generate more traffic and conversions than it already does. You can even take it a step further and recycle your old content in new creations. Take a blog post and turn it into a video or take a series of blog posts and turn them into an ebook.

2. Be a savvy social networker

SMM (Social Media Marketing) does not always have to include paid platforms or PPC (pay-per-click) advertising if your budget is tight. Share your content across a variety of social media networks by posting text, status updates, and videos without forking out a dime. UGC (user-generated content) is another extremely valuable tool to keep your content authentic and to create a sense of community around your brand. Best of all, it’s totally free.

3. Lists 

People love lists and they are among the most shared content on the internet. Lists are a great way to engage your audience with useful and straightforward information and it’s generally easy content to compile. Use a variety of formats to keep it interesting and create lists that are relevant and helpful to your specific audience. 

4. Blog posts and articles 

 Great content needs to be relevant to your target audience and optimized for SEO. If you are unsure what your customers want to read about – ask them. Update your content regularly so your audience can always have something new and interesting to read and share. 

5. Infographics

Infographics are not only powerful marketing tools, but are also a feast for the eyes and usually easy for audiences to understand. If you are up for it, create your own infographics using free vector kits that provide you with all the elements you need to make colorful and informative infographics. Remember to include your business name and website somewhere on the infographic so that if it gets shared, people will revert back to your website when they want more information. For more information on website design get in touch with WSI New Media Marketing in Greensboro, NC, today.  

To understand what an inbound ready website is, you will first need to know what inbound marketing is. Inbound marketing is a type of marketing that puts the human element back into marketing. It educates and engages with potential buyers instead of just selling to them. Outbound marketing, on the other hand, interrupts your potential buyers with brochures, television and radio advertisements, print ads, cold calls, and email blasts. Inbound marketing does not do any of this. 

Inbound marketing does not fight for potential customers, rather it attracts customers through informative and engaging content. It addresses problems and concerns of potential clients, answers those concerns, and builds trust and credibility in the brand. Inbound marketing includes email marketing, but it’s targeted at true opt-in contacts and not just blasted at an audience who may not even want to hear from you. Inbound marketing is about nurturing your leads and audiences by offering them something valuable, like perhaps a jam-packed and informative newsletter. 

Inbound website design

An inbound ready website uses a modern website design called UX/UI design. These initialisms stand for User Experience Design and User Interface Design. Both need to be in place to totally optimize your user’s experience and for your site to be fully functional as an inbound website. 

Your inbound ready website needs to make good use of whitespace. Less is more, and you don’t want your pages crammed to the brim with content and visuals. A clean and simple website with lots of whitespace will be easy to view and navigate.

Lastly, an old and outdated website can reflect poorly on your brand and destroy your reputation. Audiences will not want to linger on a website that has nothing to offer them. Make sure your ‘About us’ page tells a great story and is up to date. Outsource a writer to do this for you to liven it up and make it interesting to read. Be sure to add fresh Search Engine Optimized content to your site regularly. Make your content great so that users check in regularly to see what’s new. Don’t forget to include CTA’s (calls-to-action) strategically throughout your pages to motivate your audience to take action.

Whether you are totally new to the world of digital marketing and need a complete revamp or simply want to improve your current digital marketing strategy, our digital marketing agency in Greensboro, NC, can help. We also offer web design, content creation, and copywriting services. 

Setting up a social media marketing strategy can seem like a momentous task and that could be why some businesses end up doing just the bare minimum when it comes to building their online social media presence. Others hire a digital marketing agency to help them out. Challenges abound, like finding the time that is required to do your social media correctly, and then also which platforms to choose? There are so many platforms today that all have enough traffic to merit consideration – so where does one start?

Have a clear vision for your company and set some goals

Your vision for your company should determine your goals. Ask yourself what you would like to achieve from your social marketing strategy. Not sure? Here are some ideas.

1. Increasing brand awareness
2. Generating more sales
3. Growing your audience
4. Capturing, let’s say 50 or 100 more email addresses a week
5. Responding to all social media comments and queries

Choose the right channels

 A golden rule here is to do a handful of channels and to do them well. Pinterest, for example, is a graphics-heavy platform with 71% female users so that may not be a good channel to use if you are selling a service or appliance more suitable for men.  Facebook is by far the biggest platform with over 2 billion monthly active users and is great for lead generation and to show the human side of your business. Linkedin, on the other hand, is great for B2B businesses and editorial content and has a slightly older audience than some of the other platforms with most users being between 30 – 49 years old.

Analyze your competition

Keep abreast of what your competition is up to, not to copy them, but to rather gain valuable insight on what is (or is not) working for them. Look out for posts on their pages that perform well and then analyze why. You can then adapt your campaign based on your conclusions.

Plan your content

In January 1996, Bill Gates wrote an essay entitled “content is king” and great content is certainly key to inbound marketing which draws your audience to you. Great content is still key to inbound marketing and also arguably the most important part of your digital marketing efforts. It helps you to build trust and to connect with your audience. 

Create a content calendar to clearly outline your content strategy. If consistency is a problem, think about how a theme could help. For example, on Instagram, you could run all your photos through the same filter to ensure consistency. Or, you can lessen your workload and increase your credibility by inviting consumers to submit user-generated content (UGC) in the form of photos or videos.  And if you’re not a professional designer, there is no need to fret as you can create engaging imagery relatively easily with a free app like Canva.

In summary – Your social media strategy cannot be a static exercise and will need to be constantly adapting and evolving to work for you. Companies with a clear strategy and realistic goals in place will be much more successful with their digital marketing campaigns. Find out more by reaching out to WSI New Media Marketing in Greensboro today.

There is little point in having an amazing website if nobody can find it on the web. Yes, you can spread the word to family and friends and potential clients, but there could literally be thousands of others that would be using or buying your products or services – if only they knew you existed. This is where digital marketing and online advertising can help you.

What are  Google Ads?

Google ads (previously Google Adwords) is a PPC (pay per click) online advertising platform developed by Google, that allows you to advertise on a SERP (search engine results page) by paying for specific keywords that are pertinent to your product or service. Every second, there are around 2.3 million searches performed on Google, and most of the search results pages include Google ads that are paid for by businesses.  Of course, you could also get your business to show up on a SERP organically through SEO, and then your business or service would probably show up a little bit below the paid Google ads – which isn’t too much of a problem. So are Google ads really worth it then?

Pros

• You can do location targeting and zero in on a specific area or niche
• PPC means you only pay when someone clicks on your website or landing page
• Easy to track ROI (return on investment) 
• You can start, stop or adjust your bid at any time giving your business great flexibility
• It allows you to advertise to thousands (if not millions) of people for a relatively low cost

Cons

• Google ads can be hard to navigate so it is easy to make mistakes
• Keyword pricing can be heavily influenced by the competition
• Will need a great website or landing page
• Ad campaigns need to be managed and adjusted to optimize results
• May take a while to see long-term benefits

Website or landing page specifications 

If you decide Google ads would be good for your business,  you don’t want to be giving Google your hard-earned cash for nothing. Since you will be sending more potential clients to your website, make sure your website or landing page is easy to navigate, not confusing in any way, and very importantly, actionable. Increased traffic to your website does not automatically mean more clients, so make sure your web page keeps them engaged and motivates your audience to take action.

For cutting-edge digital marketing services and solutions to take your business to new heights contact WSI New Media Marketing in Greensboro today.

This holiday season, make pay per click advertising (PPC) the strongest weapon in your marketing arsenal.

We have seen how this year has flown by in a haze and the holiday marketing season – along with a chance to make good on the year’s targets – will soon be upon us.

Why is PPC so effective? 

The primary benefit of PPC is that you only pay for the ads that have been clicked on. This means that you are only paying for an already-filtered audience and people who have no interest in your product or service are already sifted out of the potential audience. Minimal wastage.  It also means that your marketing message is highly customizable and can be tailored for a more selected or niched market, creating what is perceived as an intuitive, bespoke message.

From the back end, we as your local SEO company can track your advertising and thereby provide valuable data on your ROI almost immediately, allowing you to respond to trends or opportunities as they arise.

One of the attractions of PPC is that it levels the playing field for smaller businesses which can ordinarily not compete with the huge ad spend of large corporations – especially in the holiday season when those budgets go into the millions.

We can even tailor your PPC advertising so that you can show ads on mobile search results giving users an option to click-to-call from the ad and make direct contact with your company.

Another PPC marketing benefit is that it allows you to drive traffic to your site within hours, so your holiday marketing can be time-specific. It is faster than an SEO campaign that could take weeks or longer to show results.  With PPC advertising, your ad will show up on search result pages as soon as the campaign goes live.

Why is the holiday season the ideal time to start using PPC advertising to bolster your campaign? 

Apart from the obvious benefit of creating a seasonal campaign so that your ad appears only for a certain time period, you can also bid on only the amount you are willing to spend. You can even choose to target your ads to a specific position, keyword, or time of day! Holiday season marketing campaigns are the ideal time to incorporate PPC advertising into your campaigns, so speak to your SEO service provider to action this.

The local SEO agency with global expertise 

For more information on pay per click advertising, as well as effective social media marketing, local marketing, and mobile content marketing, contact your local SEO company – WSI New Media Marketing in Greensboro – today!

Local SEO marketing increases geographically-relevant traffic to your website so that prospects in your area can easily find your business. It is particularly important that your business appears in local searches on mobile devices – where users are looking for a solution on-the-go. Google notes that 46% of searches have a “local intent”. Here are five critical elements to get more outstanding visibility than your local traffic competitors.

1. Listing management 

This is the bedrock of a successful local marketing strategy. It is not as creative and colorful, as methodical and systematic.

Claim your listing on search engines and online directories like Google, Facebook, Apple Maps, Bing, Yelp, and industry-specific directories.

Clean up your data by making sure that every citation of your business on the web is accurate and in alignment, especially your NAP – business name, address, phone number – must be exactly the same throughout.

Elevate search engine rankings with correct, current, and consistent local data including:

•         Maps
•         Product categories and descriptions and/or services provided
•         Business hours
•         Payment options and coupons or vouchers
•         Photos – In the last couple of years Google has increased the number of mobile SERPs that contain an image thumbnail by a whopping 200%.

2. Local SEO 

The algorithms used by search engines return more pertinent results according to user location, so it makes sense to use local SEO strategies to build a strong customer base. If you are a national brand with multiple branches, your local pages need to be discoverable individually and via your brand website. Localize your site by:

•         Incorporating city and state names in title tags.
•         Including product categories in your meta descriptions.
•         Helping search engines to understand your page better with schema markup for local business names, addresses, and phone numbers.
•         Including local street names and product categories to URL structures.
•         Sharing operating hours, directions, and local descriptions via on-page business content.
•         Track and update citations. 

3. Local landing pages   

Create a mobile-friendly landing page for each of your locations. Not only does this capture local consumer demand, but it also collates valuable metrics for your ongoing local marketing efforts. Ditto utilizing trackable local phone numbers – mobile phone users want to contact local businesses and campaign performance can be measured.

Link to review sites such as Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, and other industry-specific sites to boost your reputation management and review marketing.

4. Reputation management 

Because 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, social proof your offerings by encouraging online reviews and other forms of user-generated content (testimonials, social posts, and comments). The best way to increase the volume of positive reviews is to ask your customers to write them. Encourage review-writing by making it easy.

Use marketing automation tools to keep track of what is being said about your brand, and swiftly address inevitable negative feedback.

5. Paid search and social media 

Geographically target your marketing message on social platforms according to location to engage mobile consumers and increase offline conversions.

Use paid search and social advertising to boost markets that are underperforming. 

The local SEO agency with global expertise 

For more information on local marketing, as well as effective social media marketing, pay per click advertising, and mobile content marketing, contact WSI New Media Marketing in Greensboro today!