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Offering website accessibility services has attracted enthusiastic interest from digital marketing and web design companies seeking new revenue streams.
Ground zero is overcoming accessibility assumptions, myths, biases, and even misguided marketing about what accessibility is and who it is for.
Which Leg Is First?When you put on your shoes, which foot do you choose first? Is it your left foot, or right foot? Do you sit or stand on one leg and then switch legs? Do you wear shoes? Do you wear socks with sandals? (Had to ask.) Do you own shoes?
What happens for people who do not have feet?
How often do web designers, developers, and marketers think about what we do, and how we do it? Why do we do it? When do we do it?
What happens when we can’t do it?
The assumption is that everyone can use our websites. They’ll figure it out.
There Is Gold in ADA LawsuitsThere once was a time in America where people lived, hunted and went to war over buffalo and boundaries, or a show of machoism between tribes.
When the country was “discovered”, a new group of people arrived and grabbed the land on the authority of a “chief” from somewhere across the big ocean who had never been there but assumed Native Americans wouldn’t mind a few changes.
Did they know who the people were who inhabited the mountains?
Was anyone brainstorming at a meeting with a gigantic whiteboard exploring all the ways to invade, create, persuade, trade with, sell to, convert, and otherwise dump a new system of life on people who could not use any of it?
No silly. Whiteboards didn’t exist back then.
The insult was the assumption by the British that the land was for sale at all.
How do you sell something you do not understand?
How do we build websites for people we do not understand?
Why do we build websites to sell products and services that target only the people we assume will be able to use the website?
According to the World Health Organization, at least 15% of the world’s population suffer from a disability.
The 2023 Midyear Update on ADA Website and Mobile App Accessibility by UsableNet found that:
ADA web-related lawsuits reached a rate of one lawsuit every working hour; over 2,000 a year.
31% of retail companies listed in suits since July 2023 have been sued multiple times
Industries receiving the most focus in web accessibility litigation include Retail, Food Service Industry, Travel/Hospitality, Banking/Financial, Entertainment & Leisure and Self-Service
When you stop to consider how much of the company budget goes towards digital marketing strategies and hiring SEO professionals to wrestle with search engines that change their business models every month, wouldn’t it make sense to provide an accessible website that will convert more visitors when they arrive?
Offering website accessibility services sparked some marketers to explore if they could automate accessibility testing or provide accessibility insurance policies to prevent an ADA lawsuit.
It would be a real gold rush if making websites accessible was so easy. How about a software application that codes it for you? Remember Frontpage for web design?
Understanding Accessibility & Removing AssumptionsSelling accessibility services is complicated. It’s not just about the costs. The difficult part is overcoming assumptions about why accessibility is important to web businesses.
From my personal experiences, educating prospective clients on website accessibility takes time.
Inclusive web design has never been a favorite area for stakeholders.
Usability and conversions are. Mobile design is. Performance is hot.
But website accessibility is like entering a new country and ignoring how things are done there.
At first glance, it sure looks easy enough to set up accessibility testing or design services or provide products like accessible plug-ins, WordPress themes, and automated testing apps.
One example is to simply write up a marketing campaign about the surge of website accessibility ADA lawsuits and how business websites are easy prey.
Convince prospective clients that you can save them enormous legal fees by performing accessibility tests to find all the accessibility errors that fail WCAG2.1 Guidelines.
Run some automated tests, produce a report with findings and walk away with a check.
The most common mistake is marketing accessibility design and testing as a once and done process.
Small businesses say no to accessibility testing because they have limited financial resources. They may be less likely to have a designer who knows how to design for accessibility.
Perhaps they purchased an inexpensive ready-made website, love it to pieces, and truly have no idea whether certain people are unable to use it.
This target market is terrified of the stories about ADA lawsuits. More than once I am told that a lawsuit will put a small company out of business.
Making accessibility services affordable makes sense. It also requires tremendous patience and a willingness to help these smaller businesses with education and ongoing support at fees they can tolerate.
Larger companies with bigger budgets are more inclined to invest in accessibility testing to satisfy their curiosity or take the offensive approach to any potential ADA lawsuit.
They require staff trained to fix issues that appear in accessibility reviews or a willingness to outsource accessibility specialists.
At the corporate level, interest in setting up an accessibility department increased, creating permanent jobs and a desire to “bake in” accessibility from the start, into the development process itself.
A positive outcome of providing accessibility testing or design services depends on the expertise of the people doing the work. This includes project managers, salespeople, web designers, web developers, and accessibility specialists.
But first things first.
How well do you know how people use websites?
Do any of your assumptions or biases prevent inclusive web design?
Assumptions, Biases & More Fairy DustWay back in the early days of search engines Mike Grehan, CMO & Managing Director of Acronym, researched and wrote an in-depth, 350 pages book called “Search Engine Marketing, the Essential Best Practice Guide.” The book shattered myths about the profession and provided sound practices and guidelines.
Finally, someone had the courage to stand up and say that ranking in search engines required more than magical fairy dust.
There were concerns that search engines would wreck the art of true information seeking.
“Web Dragons: Inside the Myths of Search Engine Technology” by Ian H. Witten, Marco Gori, and Teresa Numerico, explored ideas about how the web would change communication forever and search engines might someday control information and how we see the world.
It was praised by major influencers employed by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.
Web developers were inventing new programs to help build them.
Remember MIVA? ColdFusion? Hotdog? Frontpage?
Steve Krug saw the flaws in the work being produced. His book, “Don’t Make Me Think”, was written because websites were mazes for users just trying to get from point A to point B.
Peter Morville, author of “Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond,” arrived at early conclusions about how web information is organized and made information architecture a vital piece of knowledge every web designer and SEO needed to learn. Suddenly we were classifying, prioritizing, and designing rules for how to find stuff.
Next came all the behavior studies and mountains of data gathered about how we make decisions, search, purchase and develop loyalty to brands.
With each area of exploration came software developed to automate the process. This included eye tracking, keywords, links, competitor analysis, webmaster tools, and Google Analytics.
But something has been missing.
Did we assume the web included everyone?
Do web site owners bring their own personal biases to their websites?
Even with Section 508 and WCAG and accessibility laws for public-facing businesses in each country, online businesses are not designed for everyone to use them.
Automating website accessibility may grant a peek at 25% of errors.
Touchy-Feely Matters to PeopleA business owner once said to me, “I don’t care about that touchy-feely stuff you do.”
He wanted to sell his products online but had no interest in meeting the needs of customers who could use his website.
People who use websites reward companies that build websites they can use.
This is just how it is.
And yet, there are countless websites that people struggle with.
The rise in website accessibility lawsuits occurred because some people were turned away when they needed assistance to do something on a business website that matters to them.
Some examples include wanting to download a coupon from a store website, order pizza, purchase products, book reservations, and access online art galleries.
Whether we are seeking information, looking for social engagement, researching, educating ourselves, looking for entertainment, or browsing for something new, everyone wants to be included as a valued user.
The bigger surprise is how we neglected to design websites that valued online business customers with the same consideration that is often legally required for places of business offline.
Our web design practices lack empathy for disabled persons or anyone with a permanent or temporary impairment.
Removing Assumptions From Web Design“Let them call us if they can’t read it,” I was told by a company that refused to make their documents accessible.
Forcing a blind person to call for help to get a document because the web version does not work on their screen reader is discrimination. Not providing accessible content is against WCAG2.1 or Section 508 recommendations.
So, back to the gold rush of opportunity for companies wanting to add accessibility services. Do you know how to make documents accessible?
Before you jump in, it is vital to understand accessibility so that you can accurately explain why it is important for today’s business websites.
Assistive computer devices, software applications for reading, and mobile device accessibility settings help all people with sight impairments.
If you know someone who is colorblind, they are not seeing the same colors as you are.
If you know someone who uses corrective eyewear, they may rely on screen magnification or audible reading tools. They also struggle with contrasts and lighting, whether indoors or outside.
Should you add an accessibility plugin that allows people to adjust webpages so that they can use them?
Or do you build in accessibility and provide code in the background that responds to browser or mobile device commands to change font sizes, magnify or switch to dark mode?
Providing accessibility services requires vast knowledge about how to design for inclusion, test for inclusion and educate for inclusion. There are no shortcuts.
If you wish to provide accessibility testing as a service, you will need to know the different types of disabilities that are covered and what design practices are recommended.
By law in most countries, businesses must be accessible to customers. Even though a business may not have a physical building, for ethical and moral reasons, the same consideration applies.
Yes, the ADA Title III wording in the USA does not include “websites”. This has not prevented ADA lawsuits from website users trying to conduct tasks on business websites.
Automated accessibility testing tools do not find all the issues, but they are a nice exploratory lift. Accessibility testing is a combination of manual and automated methodologies. User testing with persons with disabilities helps developers understand what is not working or where improvements are needed.
Screen reader testing is done manually. The process is long because screen readers are unique to browsers, operating systems, computer devices – not to mention user habits.
Remember when I asked what foot you choose to put your shoe on first? This is something unique to you.
People who use screen readers also use them differently. For example, they may sort content by heading tags to find what they want faster or to help understand the content topic of the page.
Challenges & ProtectionsAdding an accessibility statement to a website is a service that some companies offer. These are policies intended to protect the website owner by being forthcoming with information about the accessibility compliance of the website.
If they did not test a form, or do not plan on making their PDFs accessible, this is information that should be included in the accessibility statement.
The statement describes:
What was done.
What level of compliance is met.
How to contact the company in the event they are unable to use the website.
Some companies provide an accessibility statement for a fee as part of their accessibility services. The theory is that it helps prevent any legal action when there is proof the company is making an effort towards accessibility compliance.
The challenge here is that the moment anything new is added to the website, such as an image, new form, design layout change, or blog post, if it is not coded to be accessible, the accessibility statement is voided.
The same is true for software applications and forms on websites, WordPress theme updates and third-party plugins. Regression testing is required to verify that changes meet the accessibility standards claimed in the accessibility statement.
Another area of growing concern is protecting designers, developers and companies hired to build or maintain websites built to pass accessibility standards.
What protects you from clients who refuse to maintain the finished product?
Another example might be choosing an accessible theme for WordPress and modifying the accessibility out of it either by accident or on purpose. The theme designer is not responsible for any changes to their compliant code.
Some companies must outsource third-party software that is not accessible, even though the rest of their website is.
There are circumstances where the developers of the third-party software are unable to update their software to meet accessibility compliance.
More and more contracts and accessibility statements are addressing these situations, but a vast majority of business websites are unaware and therefore potentially vulnerable.
The Accessibility Rabbit HoleIf you should decide to expand your knowledge about website accessibility, the good news is that most of the information is free to learn.
The bad news is that it may take years to educate yourself.
I am not afraid to admit that even though I have been conducting usability and conversions testing for nearly 20 years and included basic accessibility practices all along, when I went to apply for accessibility employment at the corporate level and was met with disdain by interviewers, it was a real shock.
In fact, I needed time to want to be part of the accessibility industry after meeting some of their leadership.
In trying to understand what was happening, I learned how deep the accessibility rabbit hole really is. It is not something to jump into lightly.
For digital marketers with a passion for conversions, the opportunities presented by website accessibility practices are wide open for you and your clients just by removing biases and assumptions about how people use websites.
There are people who have been building accessible websites and software for a long time. Search for accessibility podcasts to meet some of them.
Resources Referenced or Used in Research for This Article Books on Amazon
Web Dragons: Inside the myths of search engine technology by Ian H. Witten, Marco Gori, and Teresa Numerico
Don’t Make Me Think, by Steve Krug
Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond, by Peter Morville
Inclusive Design Patterns, Coding Accessibility into Web Design, by Heydon Pickering
I Love You, Now Read This Book (It’s About Human Decision Making and Behavioral Economics) by Guthrie Weinschenk, J.D.
Research Papers
Understanding User Behavior in Naturalistic Information Search Tasks; Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology
2023 Midyear Update, ADA Website and Mobile App Accessibility, UsableNet
More Resources:
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Transformers: Opening New Age Of Artificial Intelligence Ahead
Why are Transformers deemed as an Upgrade from RNNs and LSTM?
Artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology that finds more applications each day. But with each new innovation in artificial intelligence technologies like machine learning, deep learning, neural network, the possibilities to scale a new horizon in tech widens up. In the past few years, a form of neural network that is gaining popularity, i.e., Transformers. They employ a simple yet powerful mechanism called attention, which enables artificial intelligence models to selectively focus on certain parts of their input and thus reason more effectively. The attention-mechanism looks at an input sequence and decides at each step which other parts of the sequence are important.
Artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology that finds more applications each day. But with each new innovation in artificial intelligence technologies like machine learning, deep learning, neural network, the possibilities to scale a new horizon in tech widens up. In the past few years, a form of neural network that is gaining popularity, i.e., Transformers. They employ a simple yet powerful mechanism called attention, which enables artificial intelligence models to selectively focus on certain parts of their input and thus reason more effectively. The attention-mechanism looks at an input sequence and decides at each step which other parts of the sequence are important. Basically, it aims to solve sequence-to-sequence tasks while handling long-range dependencies with ease. Considered as a significant breakthrough in natural language processing (NLP) , its architecture is a tad different than recurrent neural networks (RNN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Prior to its introduction in a 2023 research paper , the former state-of-the-art NLP methods had all been based on RNN (e.g., LSTMs). RNN typically processes data in a loop-like fashion (sequentially), allowing information to persist. However, the problem with RNN is that in case the gap between the relevant information and the point where it is needed becomes very large, the neural network becomes very ineffective. This means, RNN becomes incapable of handling long sequences like gradient vanish and long dependency. To counter this, we have attention and LSTM mechanisms. Unlike RNN, LSTM leverages, Gate mechanism to determine which information in the cell state to forget and which new information from the current state to remember. This enables it to maintain a cell state that runs through the sequence. It also allows, it to selectively remember things that are important and forget ones not so important. Both RNNs and LSTM are popular illustrations of sequence to sequence models. In simpler words, Sequence-to-sequence models (or seq2seq) are a class of machine learning models that translates an input sequence to an output sequence. Seq2Seq models consist of an Encoder and a Decoder. The encoder model is responsible for forming an encoded representation of the words (latent vector or context vector) in the input data. When a latent vector is passed to the decoder, it generates a target sequence by predicting the most likely word that pairs with the input word for the respective time steps. The target sequence can be in another language, symbols, a copy of the input, etc. These models are generally adept at translation, where the sequence of words from one language is transformed into a sequence of different words in another language. The same 2023 research paper, titled “Attention is All You Need” by Vaswani et al. , from Google, mentions that RNN and LSTM counter the problem of sequential computation that inhibits parallelization. So, even LSTM fails when sentences are too long. While a CNN based Seq2Seq model can be implemented in parallel, and thus reducing time spent on training in comparison with RNN, it occupied huge memory. Transformers can get around this lack of memory by perceiving entire sequences simultaneously. Besides, they enable parallelization of language processing, i.e., all the tokens in a given body of text are analyzed at the same time rather than in sequence. Though the transformer depends on transforming one sequence into another one with the help of two parts (Encoder and Decoder), it still differs from the previously described/existing sequence-to-sequence models. This is because as mentioned above, they employ attention mechanism. The attention mechanism emerged as an improvement over the encoder decoder-based neural machine translation system in natural language processing. It also allows a model to consider the relationships between words regardless of how far apart they are – addressing the long-range dependencies issues. It achieves this by enabling the decoder to focus on different parts of the input sequence at every step of the output sequence generation. Now, dependencies can be identified and modeled irrespective of their distance in the sequences. Unlike previous seq2seq models, Transformers do not discard the intermediate states and nor use the final state/context vector when initializing the decoder network to generate predictions about an input sequence. Moreover, by processing sentences as a whole and learning relationships, they avoid recursion. Some of the popular Transformers are BERT , GPT-2 and GPT-3 . BERT or Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers was created and published in 2023 by Jacob Devlin and his colleagues from Google. OpenAI’s GPT-2 has 1.5 billion parameters, and was trained on a dataset of 8 million web pages. Its goal was to predict the next word in 40GB of Internet text. In contrast, GPT-3 was trained on roughly 500 billion words and consists of 175 billion parameters. It is said that, GPT-3 is a major leap in transforming artificial intelligence by reaching the highest level of human-like intelligence through machine learning. We also have Detection Transformers (DETR) from Facebook which was introduced for better object detection and panoptic segmentation.
Straightforward Website Marketing: 3 Simple Strategies That Work
SMEs with limited time and budget should follow these simple strategies to get results in 2023
Your website is the face of your company’s digital marketing strategy, yet one of the most common critiques today is that websites are too complicated. Sometimes it’s a case of gamification taken too far or overuse of the popular, but visually intense parallax format – a busy website, overdesigned or poorly formatted is simply difficult to use. What’s more, creating such a site, and maintaining an equally deep marketing presence on social media or via email, is time-consuming and may not pay off.
A critique that we encounter far less often in the digital marketing world, is that a website is overly simple, but that doesn’t mean such sites don’t exist. Rather, the overly simple website tends to be described differently: they choose unattractive fonts, lack visual interest, or don’t implement their content effectively.
Look at these manufacturer sites; proposed on the premise that they would make important information easy to find, they fall quickly into the trap of the overly simple. Rather than appearing straightforward, however, they seem to lack aesthetic consideration and could have been built by someone with little coding knowledge. Today, such sites are often accompanied by too little social media use and marketing moves that lack professional polish.
Ready to change your company’s digital marketing style and add a little flair? Build your presence while staying streamlined by implementing these three digital marketing strategies. Combined, simple, and straightforward strategies make for success.
1. Use a Simple, effective page design templateWebsite templates are the perfect tools for helping inexperienced designers create professional, straightforward sites. Most often, the least appealing sites are those that lack an evident template or that have failed to add the little touches that take a plain template from boring to bright.
If you’re not sure where to begin when building your website, consider a platform like SimpleSite. As the name suggests, SimpleSite is an easy to use web design platform, offering limited design templates and a small set of construction tools, allowing users to set the number of columns for content, select the font, and customize the header image. With SimpleSite, you can also add e-commerce features with ease; these tend to be among the more difficult site segments to create, but SimpleSite virtually does it for you. Need some extra information? Check out this page for a review of SimpleSite website building features.
Another option for building simple websites is WordPress. As you probably know, WordPress is a well-known site building platform, but it takes a little more expertise to use than SimpleSite. On WordPress, you have access to a great number of free and paid templates and hundreds of site widgets that can enhance your site’s functionality – you can create photo galleries, build in social media links, add a blogroll, and much more. WordPress is used by many successful bloggers and is highly flexible in terms of what it can support.
Though templates are used for thousands of sites – and unarguably create a lot of very similar pages – a great template filled with high-value content is still an indispensable tool. Don’t skip the template just because it might make your page look like other sites.
2. Choose your channel focusAnother common mistake that companies make when trying to develop their digital marketing presence is failing to assess the many social media channels available. Instead, many companies opt to spread themselves thin, expending all their energy on keeping up with their long list of social media accounts. This isn’t a good strategy and tends to stem from a philosophy that lacks a clear sense of market. When you know your market, you don’t need to divide your attention. This radar or Bullseye framework is a great way to review your channels to gain focus.
Instead of trying to reach everyone across all networks, choose one social media channel to be your main focus. This allows you to invest modestly for greater returns and produce higher quality content for your audience. Just make sure you do your research first – find out what sites your clients prefer and target those venues. Most social media sites break down strongly along demographic lines, so it’s just a matter of figuring out where your company fits.
3. Drive contacts through a focuson opt-inEmail marketing may be one of the oldest digital formats, but users still rely heavily on emails for product and promotion information. Unfortunately, many also ignore these important messages because they feel they’re receiving too many of them. This makes the majority of email marketing wasteful for both companies and their clients.
Instead of sending out emails every time something changes on your site, or several times during the course of a promotion, slow down your pace and target your audience more effectively by allowing them to opt in to a stable schedule of emails. This may tie your hands to some degree when it comes to scheduling promotions, but if you’ve promised your audience they’ll only get one email per week and you start making endless exceptions, you’re more likely to land in their junk pile.
Simple Not SimplisticAt the end of the day, the best digital marketing strategy is one that’s simple and straightforward, but that focuses on the right details – it isn’t simplistic. A simplistic strategy underestimates your audience and doesn’t serve your company’s full potential, but a clear and simple one makes the most of your time and money. Do right by your company and by your clients by offering your best and keeping your digital marketing simple and smart.
Marketing In The Metaverse
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Got NFTs, Metaverse, and web 3.0 on your marketing radar?
In a world where the digital and physical meet, metaverses offer an unprecedented opportunity to brands.
Lisa Buyer of The Buyer Group joined me on the SEJ Show to shed light on the Metaverse and what it is.
We talked about this new frontier that’s perfect for marketers who want their business in front of consumers. And it’s only getting started!
Meta is not the Metaverse. Meta is just one version of the Metaverse. We can’t say what the Metaverse will look like because we’re so early. –Lisa Buyer, 8:42
NFTs are very popular right now as art, which is excellent if you resonate with art, but the art also has to have some sort of utility, some sort of what it comes with. What are the uses and benefits I will get if I buy this NFT, or am I just buying a piece of art like I have a piece of art on my wall? –Lisa Buyer, 30:45
I see the whole web 3 movement as being decentralization. I don’t remember anything being this exciting since the internet launched in the first place. –Loren Baker, 12:00
[46:38] – Where’s a good place to learn about the Metaverse.
I see that brands are dedicating a portion of their marketing budget for the year to buying an NFT in a community that aligns with that brand’s mission and vision.
So it’s a way to embed yourself as a brand. You have to do it in the right way. It has to be authentic and transparent, and you have to be able to want to spend time in the community you’re aligning yourself with.
Forget having to launch an NFT collection. Just find an NFT collection or community that matches what your brand stands for and invest in it.–Lisa Buyer, 32:46
The most popular NFTs you see are those from people changing their avatars. Those are great from a marketing perspective because people buy into these NFT projects because of the community. –Lisa Buyer, 22:39
NFTs are just a way to really have your community invest in each other and believe in each other. So I think it’s the next generation of community building. –Lisa Buyer, 36:12
Lisa has been an early adapter of new trends and technologies, always staying ahead in the game. She brings over 20 years of experience as a publicist integrating PR, SEO, and social media for clients, including Fortune 500 companies or start-ups.
She’s also an avid user of digital life tools, so when she wrote Social PR Secrets (4th ed 2023), it was no surprise that this book would be a foreword by Guy Kawasaki.
Lisa is the go-to person for today’s digital marketers. She blends traditional fundamentals with modern-day best practices and loves to share her knowledge at conferences across America.
Importance Of Content In Digital Marketing
Among the most crucial parts of digital marketing is content.
Content marketing has gone from an exciting new marketing concept to an essential marketing powerhouse for almost every business globally. If you have wondered, “Is content marketing crucial for my company?” The answer is a resounding YES!
A strategy method called content marketing focuses on producing and sharing useful, timely, and consistent material to draw in and hold on to a target audience and, eventually, encourage profitable consumer action.
Content marketing can be used to achieve a variety of different business objectives, such as:
A successful digital marketing strategy is made up of many distinct components. Finding where you need to concentrate your attention on digital marketing might be difficult. While each element of your online marketing plan is critical in effectively promoting your company online, some will be more essential than others.
For example, the content you develop is widely considered an essential element of your digital marketing efforts. Content contributes to establishing trust and engaging with your target audience and fuels other forms of marketing. It’s the foundation on which you promote your business online, so make sure you give it the attention it needs.
The bottom line is that content marketing is no longer an option if you want your business to succeed in today’s digital age — it’s a necessity.
What is Content?An Internet site’s content can take the form of text, graphics, videos, or interactive elements.
It is important to entice people to visit your website in the first place in order to add value to it. If your site is just a parked page – that’s the default option when you acquire a domain name – no one will visit it, and it won’t be beneficial for your business. A website that is filled with information about your company, sector, employees, and more has the potential to attract new customers.
You can further enhance the value of your website’s content by making it shareable on social media, searchable via Google, and linkable to other websites. These things will help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), leading to more web traffic.
Although not all internet sellers have an online store, those with a website can sell in-person at events or offline via social media. For example, if you work in retail, you may make more sales on your site to earn those clients. You may earn those customers by getting website visitors to contact you if you work in a lead-based industry.
Both strategies are effective in growing a company, especially if you customize them to your target demographic. So, to summarize, an essential aspect of your website when beginning digital marketing is content. But why is it so crucial? Keep reading…
Let’s examine three reasons content is crucial to your digital marketing strategy!
3 Reasons Content is Crucial For Digital Marketing Strategy 1. It’s the Foundation of Your SEO StrategyThese days, SEO is more complex than simply using the right keywords. Your website needs to offer searchers something unique and relevant to rank high on search engine results pages. That’s where quality content comes in!
2. It Aids You in Interacting with Your Target MarketThe whole point of digital marketing is to engage with your target audience and build relationships that encourage them to become customers. And, guess what? Content is the perfect tool for doing just that!
3. It’s a Versatile Marketing ToolContent marketing is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does it help you with SEO and engagement, but it also provides you with many other marketing opportunities.
For example, your blog posts can be repurposed into social media posts, infographics, ebooks, or even downloadable PDFs. You can also use your content to drive email marketing campaigns or create targeted landing pages. The options are endless!
The bottom line is this: if you want your digital marketing efforts to be successful, you need to ensure that content is a central part of your strategy. By creating high-quality, engaging, and relevant content, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your business goals!
Content must be high quality, relevant, and engaging to be successful.One of the most important aspects of having successful content is making sure that it is high quality. This means that it should be well-written, accurate, and engaging.
Additionally, it is important to ensure that your content is relevant to your target audience. Your content should be tailored to their interests if you are writing for a specific niche market. Finally, your content must be engaging to keep readers coming back for more.
Let us now see a use case of poor content quality, irrelevant, and not engaging. You have a website on which you post daily blogs. The topics are not in sync with your business, and neither are they interesting. As a result, people who come across your blog quickly leave without taking any action. This has a negative impact on your business as it reduces the chances of those people becoming customers or clients.
On the other hand, if you have high-quality, relevant, and engaging content on your website, people will be more likely to stick around and take action. This could include signing up for your newsletter, downloading a free eBook, or making a purchase.
The bottom line is that content quality is essential to the success of your online business.
Content must be tailored to the target audience and the campaign’s goals.Your target audience and the goals of your campaign must be kept in mind when creating any content. Whether it’s a blog post, an email, or even just a social media update, your content should be tailored to fit your audience and help you achieve your campaign goals.
If you’re unsure who your target audience is, consider who you want to reach with your campaign. What are their needs and wants? What kind of language do they use? Once you understand who you’re trying to reach, you can start creating content that will resonate with them.
As for campaign goals, these should also be considered when crafting your content. Are you peeking to raise awareness about your brand? Drive traffic to your website? Increase social media engagement? Whatever your goals may be, make sure that your content is helping you to achieve them.
If you keep your target audience and campaign goals in mind when creating content, you’ll be well on developing effective and successful materials.
Let us now see an example,
Suppose you are launching a new product in the market and your target audience is the young generation.
Your goals could be,
Now that we know our goals, we can start creating content to help us achieve them. For example, we could write a blog post titled “10 Reasons Why the Young Generation Needs Our New Product” or create a social media campaign with the hashtag “#OurProductIsBetter.” This would help us to create awareness about our product, drive traffic to our website, and increase social media engagement – all of which would allow us to achieve our goals.
By tailoring our content to our target audience and campaign goals, we’re more likely to create effective and successful materials. So keep this in mind the next time you sit down to write a blog post, send an email, or create a social media update. It could make all the difference in the success of your campaign.
It’s no secret that content is key to a successful website or blog. Not only does it provide valuable information for your readers, but it also helps attract new visitors and keep them coming back for more.
However, simply having great content isn’t enough. To keep your site relevant and engaging, you must regularly update your content. This can seem daunting, but there are a few easy ways to ensure that your content stays fresh without requiring too much work.
For example, if you’re a travel blogger, you can share your latest blog post on Facebook and Twitter, along with a photo and a brief description. This will help to pique people’s interest and encourage them to check out your post.
Another way to ensure that your content is always fresh is to add new sections or pages to your site regularly. If you have a blog, consider adding a new category or expanding on an existing one. You can add new pages with information about new products or services if you have a website. Regularly adding new content to your site will give visitors a reason to keep returning for more.
For example, if you run a website for a small business, you can add a new page with information about a new product or service you’re offering. This will help to increase interest in your business and encourage people to check out your site for more information.
The next easy way to keep your content fresh is to repurpose older pieces that are still relevant. Finally, don’t be afraid to go back and revise old content. If you notice something is outdated or no longer relevant, take the time to update it. This will show your readers that you’re committed to keeping your site up-to-date and providing them with the most accurate information possible.
For example, if you have a blog post from a few years ago that’s still getting a lot of traffic, you can update it with new information or add a new section. This will show your readers that you’re still an authority on the topic and are committed to providing them with the most current information.
By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your content is always fresh and up-to-date. This will keep your readers coming back for more and help attract new visitors to your site. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
The different types of content can be used in a digital marketing campaign.When it comes to digital marketing, there are a lot of different types of content that you can use to reach your target audience. Here are some of the most popular types of content that are used in digital marketing campaigns:
1. BlogsBlogs are a great way to share your company’s story and provide valuable information to your target audience. When writing a blog, be sure to keep your audience in mind and write in a tone that is relatable to them.
For example, if you are targeting stay-at-home moms, you might want to write about topics such as balancing work and motherhood or tips for saving money on groceries.
Different Types of Blogs for Digital Marketing CampaignsMany different blogs can be used as part of a digital marketing campaign. The kind of blog you choose will depend on your goals and objectives for the campaign. Here are some different types of blogs that can be used in a digital marketing campaign:
1. Product launch blog: A product launch blog is a great way to generate excitement about a new product. You can use this type of blog to share information about the product, photos, and videos.
2. Corporate culture blog: A corporate culture blog can help to humanize your brand and give insight into your company culture. This type of blog can be used to share employee stories and information about company events and initiatives.
3. Event blog: An event blog is a great way to promote an upcoming event, such as a conference or trade show. You can use this blog to share information about the event and photos and videos.
4. Behind-the-scenes blog: A behind-the-scenes blog is a great way to give your audience a peek into your company and how you operate. You can use this blog to share information about your team, office, and processes.
5. How-to blog: A how-to blog is a great way to share helpful information with your audience. You can use this blog to share tips, tricks, and tutorials on various topics.
6. Review blog: A review blog is a great way to share your opinion about products, services, and events. You can use this blog to share your thoughts and experiences with your audience.
7. Q&A blog: A Q&A blog is a great way to answer questions from your audience. You can use this blog to address frequently asked questions and provide information about your products and services.
8. News blog: A news blog is a great way to share timely information with your audience. You can use this blog to share newsworthy items and information about your company and industry.
9. Guest blog: A guest blog is a great way to add fresh perspectives to your blog. You can use this blog to feature guest posts from experts in your industry and share your thoughts and experiences.
10. Video blog: A video blog is a great way to share engaging content with your audience. You can use this blog to share video tutorials, interviews, and product demonstrations.
According to HubSpot Research, 48% of companies that have a content marketing strategy leverage blogging.
Digital marketing campaigns are a great way to promote your brand and reach your target audience. By using a variety of blogs, you can share valuable content with your audience and achieve your marketing goals.
2. VideosFor example, if you are targeting millennials, you might want to create videos about popular trends or social media marketing tips. When creating videos, keep them short and to the point so that viewers don’t get bored and stop watching.
Different Types of Videos for Digital Marketing Campaigns.You can use all sorts of videos for your digital marketing campaigns, but not all of them will be equally effective. Choosing the right type of video for your campaign goals, target audience, and marketing channels is important. Here are some of the most popular types of videos used in digital marketing campaigns:
Product videos: These videos focus on showcasing your product in use. They’re a great way to give potential customers a more in-depth look at your offer.
Customer testimonial videos: These videos feature existing customers talking about their experience with your product or service. They’re a great way to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
How-to videos: These videos show viewers how to use your product or service. They’re a great way to provide valuable information and build trust with potential customers.
Animated videos: These videos use animation to bring your product or service to life. They’re a great way to grab attention and explain complex concepts.
Interactive videos: These videos let viewers interact with your brand fun and engagingly. They’re a great way to increase customer engagement and loyalty.
Live videos: These videos are live broadcasts of events or moments related to your brand. They’re a great way to connect with customers in real time and create a sense of urgency.
Now that you know the different videos you can use for your digital marketing campaigns, it’s time to start planning your own. Keep in mind that the best video is the one that best aligns with your campaign goals, target audience, and marketing channels.
3. InfographicsInfographics are a great way to provide your target audience with information in an easy-to-digest format. When creating infographics, use images and colours that appeal to your target audience.
For instance, if you are targeting college students, you might want to use bright colours and relevant images. When creating infographics, include a call to action so that viewers know what to do next.
Different Types of Infographics for Digital Marketing Campaigns.There are various types of infographics out there. Some are better suited for certain digital marketing campaigns than others. Here is a look at some of the most popular types of infographics and how they can be used in digital marketing campaigns:
Static Infographics
Static infographics are the most basic type of infographic. They are simply images that contain information. Static infographics can be used in various digital marketing campaigns, including email campaigns, social media campaigns, and even blog posts.
Animated Infographics
Animated infographics are similar to static infographics, but they contain animation. This can make them more eye-catching and engaging. Animated infographics are often used in video marketing campaigns, as well as social media campaigns.
Interactive Infographics
Interactive infographics are the most interactive type of infographic. They allow users to interact with the information in the infographic. Interactive infographics are often used in social media campaigns and email campaigns.
4. PodcastsPodcasts are a great way to reach your target audience if they are commuters or have a long commute. When creating podcasts, be sure to keep your target audience in mind and create content that is relevant to them.
According to HubSpot Blog Research, 80% of marketers who leverage audio content and podcasts plan to invest the same amount or more budget in 2023.
5. MailersMailers are a great way to reach your target audience if they live in a specific geographic area. When creating mailers, use images and colours that appeal to your target audience.
For example, if you are targeting seniors, you might want to use images and colours that are calming and easy to see. When creating mailers, include a call to action, so recipients know what to do next.
As you can see, many different types of content can be used in your digital marketing campaign.
Boost the visibility of your contentWhen it comes to blog visibility, there are many things you can do to ensure as many people see your content as possible. First and foremost, it’s important to have well-written and keyword-rich content. Secondly, you need to make sure potential readers easily find your blog. And last but not least, you must actively promote your content through social media and other channels.
Final Take on some tips to boost the visibility of your content 1. Write well-written and keyword-rich contentIf you want your content to be visible, it needs to be well-written and keyword-rich. Make sure to target specific keywords your audience is searching for, and include them in your title, throughout the body of your post, and in the SEO keywords section.
2. Make sure your blog is easily foundMake sure your blog is easy to find by potential readers. One way to do this is to submit your blog to search engines and directories. Another way is to promote your blog on social media and online forums.
3. Actively promote your contentTo get your content seen by as many people as possible, you need to promote it actively. Share your posts on social media, participate in online forums and discussion groups, and guest blog on other websites.
Promoting your content will ensure that more people will see it and potentially share it with their networks.
By following these tips, you can boost the visibility of your content and ensure that more people see it.
The Importance Of Event Marketing For The Success Of A Business
In recent years, more organizations have started to host events to grow awareness about themselves in the market. The step is also aimed at achieving sales and positioning through establishing connect with the target audience and leveraging face-to-face relationships. Well-planned events can bring benefits that are far-reaching in scale therefore transforming the face of a business.
Here is the importance of event marketing for the success of a business –
Boost your conversation rates
Events are hosted to market brands and help them sell their products or services. Whether a company is into B2B or B2C, it can always leverage the impact of event to forge human relationships and in turn positively impact their conversion rates. Both businesses and customers will come face to face where the latter can clear their doubts, get assurance of quality and then establish a bond with the company. A lot of companies took event as an opportunity to drive sales and increase their ROI.
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Increase your brand awareness
When businesses host an event, they basically give potential customers a chance to find them. Hosting an activity is always quite helpful in letting people interact with the brand. A lot of companies use events to offer free samples to their customers to increase their brand awareness. Some events have guest speakers, freebies, discounts etc to catch the attention of the target audience and build the brand. Plus, the event photo and other information can be shared on social media to get more mileage out of them easily.
Building brand affinity
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Grow relationships with the target customers
People crave fruitful relationships more than anything else. Brands should thus focus on enriching them with stories and magic so that they can feel a sense of connect. Without building an interpersonal connections, no business can benefit from event on any scale. You can host an event to show existing customers how much they mean to you and this will definitely reflect in your conversions. If an event is hosted to value the existing customers, then you can be sure about amazing results and better returns for your investment.
Establish thought leadership and credibility in the market
By using event production, a company can establish thought leadership in the market and show to their audience the domain-leading expertise and skills they possess. You can take steps that add value to potential customers whether directly or indirectly and prove your utility in the market. To gain a leadership position and build trust in the market, you need to use event judiciously and with the interest of the target audience at the forefront. You can get a speaker discussing about innovative concepts and show how much you’re keen on adding value to the industry.
Clearly, events can prove magic and beneficial for any company if used rightly and open the door of prospects as well.
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