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You may have heard the term marketing automation buzzing around over the past couple of years. It seems to be one of those "buzzy" terms that get tossed about in marketing blogs and guides as the next big thing for your business. But what exactly is marketing automation? Today we are going to take a look at one of the newest "old" trends in digital marketing, and how it can help advance lead generation for your business.
The concept of marketing automation is pretty simple. In the most basic form, marketing automation refers to software platforms or technologies that automate repetitive tasks. This allows companies to more effectively market across multiple channels such as email and social media platforms. The goal is to nurture prospects with highly personalized content. This both solidifies a company's authority on the subject and also helps to woo prospects to convert them into satisfied customers. By automating several contact points in the marketing funnel, business can offer a personalized outreach to their customers without adding hours to their marketing efforts.
This may seem like a silly question, after all, wouldn't everyone benefit from a marketing automation campaign? The process is not for everyone. That is not so say that most businesses wouldn't love to see a steady flow of qualified leads. In reality, some businesses are not ready to automate some of their marketing processes. So how do you know if your business is ready to pull the trigger? First, you need to ensure that you business has a clear understanding of the marketing funnel for your clients. What problems does your product or service solve? Who is your target audience? What messaging motivates them into action? Does your company have a good lead nurturing process in place?
If you know the answers to these questions, then you have a solid understanding of your target client and your company may be a good fit for marketing automation. That is not quite enough, however, to begin the process. It is important to understand that marketing automation does not replace a good marketing plan, it simply helps to scale it up.
Creating the right automation plan takes a lot of work. Many people are surprised at the amount of content and planning that goes into place before anything can begin. The number one factor that can make or break any digital marketing campaign is the understanding of the person engaging on the other side of the computer screen. Every bit of content created, every pop-up coded, every social media post executed must be written with the end user in mind. How are they going to receive this message? What do I want them to know about the company? How do I encourage them to seek out more? Step one is making sure your company has a library of content that is explicitly created to help nurture customers down the sales funnel. These should speak directly towards your customer's needs and challenges, while offering smart and engaging solutions.
Once you have a smart and well detailed marketing plan in place, then it is time to start looking at the various technologies that can help you build our your automated campaign. Researching your options can be quite overwhelming, although there are resources to help make the process a little easier. Both MyCustomer.com and G2crowd.com offer some insight into the myriad of options on the web. Once you begin digging into your options you can see that both functionality and pricing can vary greatly. It is important not to get too caught up in the bells and whistles. Rather, while keeping your core message and target demographic in mind, look for the software that will help you implement your plan in the easiest way possible.
Marketing automation cannot fix a broken system in much the same way more air can't repair a tire with a gaping hole in it. But given the right plan, the right content and the right platform, it can propel your company forward; amplifying your efforts and streamlining the process. When done correctly, your customers feel nurtured all the way through the sales process; while your staff has more time for the business of running your business. In many cases, however, the lead up to an effective marketing automation plan can prove to be too much work. This article in the Huffington Post highlights some of the pitfalls of trying to integrate a digital automation plan on your own. Instead, why not call the experts at Seafoam Media? Our St. Louis SEO company can help with your marketing automation, from strategy to execution. Just sit back and let the qualified leads start pouring in. Call us today for more information.
In our last blog post we looked at some of the Seafoam Media team's favorite business books. Our summer reading list continues with another batch of amazing reads from the rest of the team. These books are a little bit broader in nature, and aren't specific to just the world of business. The rest of the Seafoam Media team pulled together a list of books that have helped shape the way they think, both personally and professionally. Take a look at the continuation of the Seafoam Media summer reading list for another round of amazing reads.
As one of our web developers, Jennifer Gardiner spends her days elbow deep in code. Her favorite book should be no surprise. Most of the books that I read offer an escape for me. I love science fiction books because they help spark my imagination for what is possible, which, as a web developer, is just about anything you can imagine (if it happens online.) One book that speaks to me is a science fiction book by William Hertling, "Avogadro Corp." The book is the first in a series and is about an email developer, David, whose project is in danger of being cancelled. He installs a bit of code, a hidden directive, in an attempt to save his project. In doing so, he accidentally creates a bit of runaway artificial intelligence. I love this book for two reasons. Number one, it is a real page turner and I couldn't put it down. The second reason, this book speaks to me as a developer. I understand how a bit of code can have crazy consequences down the line. I am just grateful that none of my "bugs" have ever had such disastrous consequences.
Our resident social media expert, Erin Hindalong, had no hesitation in choosing her favorite book. I really love the "Strengths Finder" book, based on the Gallup online assessment. I have used it several times in various situations, both personally and professionally to get a better understanding of personality types and how they affect the way we work together. So much of what I do professionally is about reaching out to very different personalities on a regular basis. I use this book to make sure that every time I sit down to write a blog or post on social media I have a clear idea of how our message will get heard, no matter what the message may be. On a personal level also helps me to understand my own strengths and weaknesses in order to grow professionally.
Marla Smith, as our newest addition to the team, drew on her experience in account management for her favorite book. The book that has helped me most professionally is an oldie but a goody, "How To Win Friends & Influence People," by Dale Carnegie. I recommend this book for anyone who works with people... which is almost everyone. It has helped me to better my communication skills in a myriad of ways. The most important lesson, I think, from the book offers ways to disagree without being disagreeable. We are not always going to be on the same page with out customers, and from time to time we need to work out some of these disagreements. This book has been invaluable in helping me to see other's point of view and learn to communicate my own point of view in a way that is productive and helpful for all. Seriously, you need to read this book.
Do you have a favorite book that has offered insight in both the personal and professional spheres of your life? If you find yourself with a little spare time in the dogs days of summer, pick up a book from Seafoam's Summer Reading List. Or, feel free to add your own! We would love to hear about your favorite books on our social profiles. Find us on Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter.
Every year, bloggers, business forums and social media starts to buzz with the year's top books for small business. From the best beach reads as seen on Wired to the best books for small business owners from the Huffington Post, there is a little something for everyone. As we head into the dog days of summer we have to admit that it has been more than a little hectic here at Seafoam Media. Between our passion for all things SEO and our recent foray into art with a very large bowling pin; finding time to read can be hard. These lists spurred a conversation in our office the other day. Given our wildly different personalities, we wanted to see what books had made an impression on some of the Seafoam Media team over the years. Some are older books and some are new, but all of these books have shifted the way we at Seafoam operate from day to day. So, without further ado, we offer Seafoam Media's Best Business Books.
Our fearless leader, Nikki Bisel, offers this suggestion: I love "Scaling Up" by Vern Harnish. The book, originally released as "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits", offers practical advise for building a scalable and sustainable business. The core tenets of the book looks at the four major decision areas that any company must master in order to succeed; people, strategy, execution and cash. What makes this book so amazing is that it helps business leaders enjoy the entrepreneurial ride by helping them get their "business machine" running. It has helped me create a company in which my employees are engaged and energized. It also helps me ensure my customers are my best form of marketing because they are so happy with our work. I recommend this book to any business owner, regardless of size or industry.
The team's project manager, Erik Schwenke, offered this book as one of his favorites: I discovered the book, "Jab, Jab, Jab. Right Hook" by Gary Vaynerchuk in a completely random way. I won it through a contest held by a podcast. What could have been just a random prize ended up being a real windfall for me because it is such a great book. It looks at two strategies for social media. It shows the jab approach, which is consistently and patiently engaging with customers online; building relationships. It also looks at the right hook, which is a knock-out punch that will take down your competition. When you master both it will help you float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, socially speaking.
Liz Oeltjen, Seafoam's marketing strategist had trouble narrowing down her list. I have read several of Jim Collins' books, including "Good To Great" and "Great By Choice." All have shifted the way that I look business from both a strategic level and a personal level. The one that I think had the most impact would be "Built To Last" by Collins. In it he looks at companies that have succeeded over time compared to others, in similar industries, that have failed. One of the most compelling parts of the book offers the concept of BHAGs, or Big Hairy Audacious Goals. It reminds me that we must have a clearly defined goal, a shining finish line, that we shoot for in everything we do.
Of course this is just a small sampling of the best business books that have shaped the team at Seafoam Media. Stay tuned for our next blog post as we explore more of the team's favorites books. Or, find us on Facebook or Linkedin and share your favorite business books on our page to join in the conversation.
If you want your website to be on the first page of your customer's search, you should be familiar with Google’s ranking rules. This can be challenging because Google changes its search algorithm around 500-600 times each year, according to Moz. While some changes are minor and unnoticeable, others can make or break a website’s rankings. We took a look at the most recent Google algorithm update to see what you need to know to stay on top.
With each update, Google increasingly awards those that have mobile-friendly websites. In May, Google rolled out yet another boost to benefit those with mobile optimization. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly to please the Google gods. Here is a deeper look at why mobile optimization is so important.
Google is getting stricter on content, so here are a few key content tips to keep your ranking up:
HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Sites that use HTTPS get ranked higher because they are more secure than those that use HTTP. The only downside is that it may become more difficult for you to interpret your site data. You may not get as clear a picture of where your viewers are coming from, how long they are staying, and what they are doing on your site. You have to weigh what is more important to you - security or data? This site explains the difference between HTTPS and HTTP in more depth.
Google is cracking down even more on spammy backlinks. If you ask another website to link to you, make sure that site has quality content and frequent traffic. These are the most time consuming and difficult backlinks to get but are also the most rewarding for ranking. Never request backlinks from a website with a domain authority under 18.
Follow a few of these tips to improve your SEO and get your site ranked higher by Google. It is impossible to predict what Google will do next, but a good rule-of-thumb is to make your online presence as quality and genuine as possible.
If you need more help understanding the basics of search-engine optimization or online digital marketing in general, contact us at Seafoam Media. We have the tools to leverage the Google algorithm update and help you get the most out of your online presence.
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