LISTENING TO PEOPLE, CONNECTING AND INSPIRING

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The marketing landscape is continually changing; it almost seems weekly. In my toolbox, I use several things to keep my projects firing on all cylinders. Google Analytics is a must; knowing where, when, and how traffic is getting to your website is key. Along with heatmapping your web properties, you have the ability to act quickly and understand how people are interacting with your website. 

Running a PPC campaign isn't enough; you need to know what the user is doing when they get to your website. Understanding how to improve SEO with the right keywords and consistency throughout your website is imperative to ranking high in searches. Also, having the budget to bid on specific keywords will play a big part in where you sit with Google.

I have used Geo-fencing, IP-Append, and remarketing campaigns to great success, and the options seem endless. However, following your personas and knowing your audience is the "make or break" for any digital campaign. Generating traffic means nothing if your leads are not qualified and converting.

Social media is modern-day word of mouth. Its power can be tremendous, so communication in this realm needs to be consistent with its mission and authentic. If not, they will eat you alive.

It's important to remember that Digital, albeit a big part of marketing, should match and be consistent with your overall plan.  

A big player in today's marketing world is video. Video content always ranks highest when heatmapping a website. However, there are pitfalls. You must be aware of quality, releases, rights to the music (if you're not using stock), and time versus budget.

I would often get requests from our marketing managers to use content shots from an iPhone, usually with poor lighting and composition. Believe it or not, sometimes this is entirely appropriate. When talking about how amazing last night's event was on Facebook, we didn't want the content to look overly polished. Sometimes authenticity trumps perfection. However, when speaking as the company's voice, you want your content to be pleasing, direct, beautifully composed with perfect audio. The mix of the two throughout a campaign can show diversity and build credibility if appropriately executed.

Video content should also be timely. Turn-a-round time in editing should be as quick as possible. Posting content quickly to remember a past event will leave an imprint on the participant's mind. Remember, we want brand loyalty, so those people become brand ambassadors.

Budgets are important and always on our minds. Informational videos are particularly sensitive as most companies want to keep the price low to post different subjects throughout the year or the life of a campaign. The more informational videos you post, the more credibility you will have and thus become a thought leader and the "go-to" in your industry. 

Yes, believe it or not, print still has a place in the world—a big place. With print campaigns, your prep work is everything. Direct mail, inserts, and ads all have long production times and press dates you cannot miss. In this day and age tracking, progress may seem a little archaic but can be incredibly accurate. Using call tracking numbers gives you the ability to know which ad, insert, or direct mail piece a person responds to.

Print can be expensive, but it also has an effect that digital does not. When people touch, feel, and smell something, it leaves an imprint on their brain about your product. All your senses are involved when holding a physical piece. Usually, a person will look at an ad or direct mail piece then hop online and inquire about the product. These folks have a higher chance of converting through online channels than your typical Facebooker; they've made the effort.

Ensuring that you have good quality mailing lists for direct mail pieces and accurate demographic data for your publications will play a big part in determining if your effort was worth it. No matter how great your creative and messaging is, your campaign will not work if you're not reaching your demographic.

Again, print is time-sensitive, and it's essential to make sure that dates are solid and contacts are correct as you're tied to the publication's or printer's schedule. Lastly, it's important to make sure your print initiatives fall in line with your other marketing initiatives.