Tag Archive for: Digital Advertising

Creating a Highly Proficient Digital Company Culture

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Company culture is a relevant topic for any industry. However, statistics show that workplace culture is particularly impactful in the digital space. Respondents to a McKinsey&Company survey reported “cultural and behavioral challenges” as the most significant challenge to meeting their digital priorities.

Expert Advice

Statistics like the one mentioned previously have caused many corporate leaders to reconsider their methods. Time recently released an article written by Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, on this subject. In this article, Huffington details several ways in which companies can actually improve their culture. She suggests:

  • Overworking is Overrated: Americans have long held the belief that the more time you spend working, the better. Unfortunately, this constant state of maximum exertion quickly leads to burnout of even the best employees. The truth is, we are all human and we all need a break once in a while. By giving your employees time to recuperate, you support a more sustainable business model, which keeps quality employees around longer.
  • Hold Everyone Accountable: It has become the norm to let those with extraordinary talent run the show. As Huffington puts it, these “brilliant jerks” may be causing more harm than good to your company, even if they do bring in a profit. She explains that once others see that this kind of awful behavior is tolerated, there isn’t much to keep them from behaving that way themselves.
  • Authenticity Above All Else: Consumers today, particularly millennials, are interested in companies that are concerned with more than just the bottom line. Social responsibility is not very easily fabricated. A company really needs to possess a genuine desire to improve the lives of others. This aspect is not necessary in order to be a successful company, but it is certainly a very effective way to win over younger consumers.

To read through the rest of Huffington’s article, which includes additional tips to improve your company’s culture, please click here.

More From Onimod Global

Here at Onimod Global, our content creation team is constantly working to produce relevant content about the digital marketing industry. Whether you are looking to learn about social media marketing, website development, search engine optimization, or any other digital service, we are here to keep you up to speed.

Please visit our blog to read through some of our latest articles!

2017 Year in Review: Digital Marketing

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As we near the end of 2017, we recall many of the new ideas and innovations that this year brought to us. In digital marketing, there have been many changes. Digital marketing is centered around change, as it is required for this industry to live and thrive. Now we take a look at some of the biggest changes to digital marketing in 2017.

The Move to Mobile

This past year saw an incredible shift in user preference to mobile devices. It has grown to such a height that mobile search has now overtaken desktop search. The trend began early in 2017, but did not slow down at all. 33.3% of all transactions from Cyber Monday were completed on a mobile device. This mobile activity is up nearly 17% from the previous year.

It is also worth noting that age does not matter when it comes to mobile. Most people assume that the only demographic utilizing these mobile technologies are younger generations. In reality, older consumers are regularly active on digital devices. In fact, 50+ year old consumers had a 12% growth in smartphone usage over the past year. Read more in our article, “How to Reach Senior Citizens Using Digital Marketing”.

Competition Between Social Platforms

In 2017, each major social platform was vying for the spotlight. Twitter attempted to increase their numbers by doubling the character limit from 140 to 280. Sadly, this change did not produce the desired effect they were looking for, as their Q3 reports showed another decline in activity.

Snapchat focused on increasing advertising revenue. Their ‘Snap Pixel’ gives marketers better insight into consumer behaviors, which is certainly valuable when forming any kind of marketing strategy.

In the end, one social media platform came out on top in 2017. There can only be one winner, and this winner is Facebook. Facebook provides a larger audience, better targeting options, and superior results when it comes to digital marketing. Their resources and refined tools cannot be outdone. It is also very likely that their success will only continue to grow in the upcoming year.

The Importance of a Marketing Strategy

Digital marketing has become much more calculated. As the industry grows, experts are looking to make the most precise decisions when it comes to their digital marketing efforts. This means that anyone serious about digital marketing should be using a well thought out marketing strategy.

Long standing organizations have the benefit of possessing a history of data. This data is invaluable. Past behavior predicts future behavior. So, data can show you exactly what decisions to make, without much risk of failure.

However, if you do not have a large database to fall back on, it is best to begin with broad objectives which are then refined over time as you begin to notice what works and what does not. For more detailed information in creating a marketing strategy, please take a look at our article, “Create the Perfect Digital Marketing Strategy”.

Digital Permeation

As the digital industry continues to grow, it expands across many other industries. Digital marketing presents all businesses with the ability to better market their products and services. The main advantage is digital marketing’s low cost. Of course, digital marketing campaigns can become expensive if desired, but most campaigns produce results for mere pennies on the dollar.

This advantage has allowed digital marketing to infiltrate every area of business possible. There are no real limitations when it comes to digital marketing. Any organization looking to sell their product to a specified target audience can do it.

As a result, digital marketing strategies have been developed for entire industries. Food, healthcare, metal fabrication, you name it. All of these industries have been affected by digital marketing, and will continue to be affected in 2018.

Digitally Transform Your Workspace

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Digital marketing is an incredible line of work that is always changing. This profession is based on the innovative spirit of digital, which is translated into the way that digital marketers work every single day.

It can be very difficult to continually reinvent the work you are doing as a digital marketer if your workspace is behind the times. That is why we have put together a list of ways that you can digitally transform your workspace to keep yourself ahead of the competition. This list is based off of an article from AdWeek that can be read fully on their website.

Closer Connections

Many marketers today utilize tools like Go ToMeeting to carry out regularly scheduled conferences with clients or colleagues around the globe. These conference calls are very beneficial, but they do lack in some areas. For instance, you cannot see the individuals that you are talking to. AdWeek argues that this greatly inhibits the call and can even cause it to become a “waste of time”.

It is a bit premature to say that conference calls need to be exiled immediately, but there are technologies coming onto the scene that will allow for a more genuine connection with those communicating.

There is a lot of buzz that has recently been circulating around virtual reality and all of its incredible possibilities. AdWeek mentions a company named MiddleVr, which has already begun the process of developing virtual reality tools that can be utilized in the office. These tools will allow meetings to become much more close and personal, which is believed to positively impact the meeting outcomes.

G-Suite Jamboard

The importance of innovation in the digital marketing industry cannot be stressed enough. One of the techniques that allows digital marketing to be so dynamic is collective brainstorming. Gathering the ideas of many different peoples in many different places can produce incredible results.

This is precisely why the team at Google has put together a tool called Jamboard. Jamboard presents each user with the same visual of a whiteboard. This whiteboard can be written on by any user, and these writings will then be shown to every other user.

Jamboard uses a lot of the same basic ideas that are included in other Google products like Google Docs. The major advantage to using Google Docs is that it allows multiple users to edit the document at the same time while also showing all users any updates to the document. Jamboard will work similarly to Google Docs and will allow teams to collaborate and brainstorm much more effectively, no matter where they are located.

Video Advertising

AdWeek’s article also highlights the ongoing trend of video advertising. We here at Onimod Global have recognized the potential in the video advertising market, and recently put together a comprehensive article on the subject. To read our article, “Maximize the Potential of Your Social Video Marketing Strategy” please visit our blog by clicking HERE.

Organized Communication

Communication is key in any workspace. This is particularly true if your organization is trying to communicate in many ways all over the world. The best way to utilize every piece of information is to write it down and store it somewhere that all crucial members will have access at any given time.

Facebook is developing such a product. Workplace by Facebook is designed to “change the way you work”. The platform instantly updates as posts are made, which makes cross-channel communication simple and easy. The main objective of this tool is to allow users to instantly communicate and quickly turn their ideas into actions instead of delaying the process through conference calls, strategy meetings, etc.

Maximize the Potential of Your Social Video Marketing Strategy

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Consumers are constantly shifting toward the convenient. This is exactly why popularity of video content has soared in 2017, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Users are able to more quickly absorb information through videos, which makes them a very attractive form of advertisement and promotion.

Advertising Implications

The world of digital marketing and advertising revolves around innovation. The goal is to continually adapt to the needs/wants of the consumer in order to be better able to promote products and services to them. Video marketing is proving to be a very effective method in accomplishing this exact objective.

An infographic by Rendrfx states that over 22 billion videos are viewed daily between Facebook (8 billion), Snapchat (10 billion), and YouTube (4 billion). Another statistic that they boast is an online video ad viewer attention rate that is 18.3 times higher than that of T.V. commercials.

The numbers do not lie. What’s more is that daily use of videos is only expected to increase in the next several years. So how can marketers and advertisers best utilize and optimize this trending marketing medium?

Social Spaces Are Best

Social medias have become a wealth of opportunity for digital marketers in recent years. It is a perfect way to tap into the daily activities of target consumers, and to appear as native as possible in advertising style. The more an advertisement looks like a normal piece of news feed foder, the better.

Facebook has become the single most dominant force in social media marketing. With over 2 billion active users, and more than $40 billion made in 2017 from advertisements, according to Statista, it is clear that Facebook is running the show when it comes to paid social media marketing.

Adweek contributor Aubrie Richey wrote a great article on how to get the best value from your Facebook video marketing campaign. Her article is summed up here in the following 5 tips:

  1. Design your ad in a mobile format to best reach potential customers.
  2. Keep the length of your video between 15-30 seconds.
  3. Do not stop being adaptable and flexible with your content!
  4. Your video does not need to be perfect. A less refined video will make the ad seem much more genuine and appealing.
  5. Use video as a supportive piece of the overall customer journey.

More From Onimod Global

This article is only one of the many that has been produced by the Onimod Global content team! We are relentlessly searching to find the most accurate and up-to-date information to keep you informed of what is going on inside of the ever-evolving digital marketing industry.

To read through more of our articles, please visit our blog by clicking HERE. We hope you enjoy reading through the best that our digital marketing experts have to offer!

The Final Results of Cyber Monday

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Since its beginning in 2005, Cyber Monday has grown to become the most profitable day of the year for many online retailers. This year is particularly special, because it marks the largest online shopping day in US history, according to CNBC.

By The Numbers

All of the following statistics have been reported by Adobe Insights, regarding Cyber Monday of 2017.

  • $6.59 billion in transactions
  • 16.8% increase year-over-year

Cyber Monday officially surpassed Black Friday this year, which only generated $5.03 billion in transactions. It is clear that purchasing decisions are changing.

A New Generation

A lot of this change in behavior has to do with changes in the consumer base. The millennial market is currently the largest living generation, and they are having a major impact on the world of products surrounding them.

Mickey Mericle, vice president of Marketing and Customer Insights at Adobe, noted, “Consumers are also becoming more savvy and efficient online shoppers. People increasingly know where to find the best deals and what they want to purchase, which results in less price matching behavior typically done on desktops. Millennials were likely another reason for the dramatic growth in mobile, with 75 percent expecting to shop via their smartphone.”

The Age Of Mobile

Adobe Insights also reported that 33.1% of revenue on Cyber Monday was brought in via mobile devices. The Onimod Global Content Team is always producing new material on this subject. A few of our favorite articles that discuss the many benefits of mobile shopping and advertising are:

These three blog postings highlight some of the key reasons that explain why mobile is such an important asset to any business. Visit our blog to learn more by clicking HERE!

Small Businesses Conquer

It is also important to point out that small businesses were significantly better at utilizing mobile marketing strategies than large corporations. Adobe reported that these small businesses doubled the amount of conversions generated by big businesses.

Happy Thanksgiving From All Of Us at Onimod Global!

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With the Holiday Season approaching, our thoughts turn gratefully to our clients and those who have made our progress possible. It is in this spirit that we say thank you, and best wishes for the holidays and Happy Thanksgiving!

– The team at Onimod Global

Is Blockchain the Next Big Thing in Digital Marketing?

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Recent use of blockchain in cryptocurrencies is leading experts to believe that its uses may go far beyond the crypto market. This technology could be utilized in many different ways, particularly in digital marketing and advertising. While it is still early, the possibilities of blockchain have caused quite a stir in the digital world.

What Is Blockchain?

As defined by Don and Alex Tapscott, “The blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger of economic transactions that can be programmed to record not just financial transactions but virtually everything of value.”

BlockGeeks released an article that breaks this definition down in many different ways. This article quotes several experts in an attempt to break down the technical jargon in a way that makes it easy for every reader to understand the concept of blockchain.

Specialist William Mougayar explains blockchain by comparing the differences between a typical Word document and a Google doc. The major difference between the two is that the Word document can only be accessed by one user at a time, while the Google doc can have multiple authors editing it simultaneously. Mougayar goes on to explain that many systems in today’s society are like that of the Word document, and the blockchain is revolutionizing this system with its Google doc qualities.

Consumer-Centric

The most notable qualities of a blockchain, as given by BlockGeeks, are:

  1. It cannot be controlled by any single entity
  2. It has no single point of failure

This means that no one can alter or corrupt the data within a blockchain. This keeps everything honest and transparent, which as we have discussed in our article, “The Importance of Transparency in Digital Marketing”, is incredibly important to consumers. The entire concept of using the blockchain in digital marketing and advertising is to create a better experience for the consumer.

Consumers are the center of the marketing world. Without them, our efforts would be meaningless. That is why blockchain is such a game changer. It provides ways in which to enrich the consumer experience, and put more power in their hands.

While this may not bode well for major digital advertising platforms like Google and Facebook, it is ultimately the consumer that we have to keep in mind when considering the future of this compelling technology.

The Importance of Digital Marketing in Business

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Many people still have their doubts about the immense effect that digital marketing can have on a particular product or service. A common caveat of marketing is that its results are not always entirely measurable. We have already discussed the internal struggle organizations have between finance and marketing departments in our article, “Ending the War Between Finance and Marketing Departments in Your Company”, but this issue is a bit different.

Now we are talking about companies that question their marketing strategy altogether. Is digital marketing really that important? Let’s explain why the answer to that question should always be a resounding “Yes!”

Keeping Up With Consumers

One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing is that it allows your business to keep its finger on the pulse of consumer culture. An article from Mashable highlights a recent report stating that there are currently over 3 billion active social media accounts around the world. This means that half of the global population is using social media every single day.

This consumer base is so incredibly large that there is no reason why it should ever be overlooked. Digital marketing strategies are focused around these kind of users, and getting them to purchase products and services of virtually any company. Without such strategies, your business is missing out on truly massive opportunities.

It is also a common misbelief that these avid social media users exclusively consist of tech-savvy millennials, meaning that they are worthless to companies targeting other age groups. This is, of course, completely false.

Use of smartphones and tablets increased in every age grouping between 2015-2016, according to a Nielsen report. This same report states that smartphones reach 85% of all 35-49 year olds, and 60% of all 50+ year olds. Clearly, digital devices are not just for kids. To learn more about marketing specifically to older age groups, please take a look at our article, “How to Reach Senior Citizens Using Digital Marketing”.

Digital marketing can do more than just help you access your target audience. An article by SmartInsights discusses 10 of the biggest reasons why your company needs a digital marketing strategy. Some of the reasons listed are:

  • Provides Direction
  • Integrated Business Strategy
  • Avoids Wasting Money
  • Optimization

Not All Agencies Are Created Equal

When implementing a digital marketing strategy, many companies look to outside professionals at a digital marketing agency. These agencies provide specialized knowledge in all of the major digital mediums and paid online advertising platforms.

CampaignLive released a publication by Brent Trimble detailing the process of choosing such an agency, and what to look for in the very best of them. Trimble highlights many important features of digital marketing.

It is always crucial to remember that there is so much more to digital marketing than social media posts and Google Adwords. Not every business requires much in terms of digital marketing, but typically, those looking into partnering with an agency have more complex wants and needs from their digital campaigns.

Trimble expresses similar opinions as he says, “Impressions, clicks, click-through-rates, starts and stops are easily obtained by basic web analytic platforms like Google Analytics. This is useful information and certainly important, but true data science requires more patience and talent investment.”

In the world of digital marketing, you get what you pay for. Many agencies are primarily driven by the bottom line: profit for themselves. This can leave organizations to wonder which angency is really worth trusting with their future investments. When searching for a credible agency, Trimble suggests that companies focus on the 3 C’s:

  • Consequential: What is the effect that your company will have on this agency? Where do you rank in terms of size when compared to their other clients? This can help you determine how significant your business is to the agency and if you will stand out to them, or if you are just another drop in the bucket.
  • Chemistry: What kind of a relationship do you have with the agency? Sometimes when the numbers and statistics are put aside, you can begin to focus on the feeling that you get from a certain agency. If you cannot say that you would genuinely enjoy working with the agency and its representatives, then it probably will not be a good fit.
  • Case Study: Can they prove that they are up to snuff? Past behavior is the single most important predictor of future behavior. An agency grounded in successful past case studies will likely be able to produce similar results for you and your business.

Onimod Global

Naturally, we would like to use this opportunity to tell you about the digital marketing expertise that we have to offer here at Onimod Global. We strongly believe in the impacts of digital marketing, and that we are a credible agency that is qualified to deliver positive results to a wide variety of clients.

Our approach is based around working closely with your organization on an ongoing basis to adapt and stay ahead of your competition in a dynamic digital marketplace. We combine experienced and knowledgeable talent with world-class technologies to efficiently create digital marketing programs that deliver real results.

Learn more by visiting our website, or scroll through several of our client case studies by clicking HERE.

Snapchat App Debuts Pixel To Help Marketers Track Conversions

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Despite still being a bit young in the advertising world, Snapchat is starting to step up their game with the introduction of the new ‘Snap Pixel’. This new addition to the wildly popular social media app will give marketers incredible insight into their ad’s success rate amongst targeted consumers.

What Is A Conversion Pixel?

The idea of a conversion pixel may be a bit foreign. Essentially, a pixel is a tool used to help track conversions. Digitaland.tv describes a pixel as being a, “tiny, transparent, pixel-sized images embedded in everything from emails to banner ads during Digital Banner Production.” Digital advertisers use these pixels to see if their advertisements generated the desired response from consumers who viewed the ad.

Once embedded, these pixels can show marketers if the user converted after viewing an ad or not, which helps marketers determine if the ad is effective or not. It also tells them how well their ad dollar is being spent, which is incredibly important on the bottom line.

How It Can Be Used

We have already discussed how pixels can be used to tell marketers about an ad and its effectiveness, but what else can it do? An article by Casey Wilson of Forbes shares insight into how this tiny tool can be used to better understand your target audience.

Specifically, Wilson says that a pixel can help digital marketers produce the following 3 audience segments:

  • All Site Visitors
  • Cart Abandoners
  • All Converters

It is always critical to understand your target audience. The more information you can gather, the better. This information is what is going to help you generate solid conversions, and in the end every business is looking for more conversions because more conversions mean more money made.

Other Pixel Platforms

Google and Facebook have already been using pixel tracking for quite some time, and have received great results. Social media has shown itself to be an incredible digital marketing medium. Facebook recently released their third quarter reports for 2017 to reveal an astounding $10.14 billion in advertising revenue.

This is the very same stage that Snapchat is now competing on. It will be very interesting to see the effects that the new Snap Pixel has within the industry of digital marketing. It is doubtful that Snapchat will ever rise to the same level of advertising at which Facebook currently operates, but it will certainly be intriguing to see how it all plays out in the months to come.

 

*Feature image courtesy of: ThoroughlyReviewed

Digital Marketing Advice From Procter & Gamble’s Chief Brand Officer

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Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer of Procter & Gamble, had many things to share with the attendants of the most recent ANA’s Masters of Marketing Conference.

Kristina Monllos of Adweek reported on the event, and gave keen insight into Prichard’s presentation. Prichard referenced his many years of experience working with the P&G brand, and the struggles it has faced through digital marketing and advertising.

The same concerns are often echoed in the experiences of all marketers. Everyone grapples with challenges in their marketplace and the positioning of their own brand. There are always new ways to innovate, create, and improve upon what already exists.

Prichard hit on the following main topics as ways for a brand to rethink their digital marketing tactics:

  • Transparency
  • Ad Quality
  • Mass One-to-One Marketing
  • Messages For Good

Transparency

Brand transparency is a rapidly increasing area of concern for consumers. It has become the norm to assume that advertising and marketing is dishonest and untrustworthy.

In order to convince people that your brand is truly the best choice for them, you need to gain their trust. Consumers won’t believe just anything that you tell them. In today’s market, potential customers prefer to be shown rather than told about a brand.

So how do you go about showing off your brand’s trustworthiness? For more insight into the subject of brand transparency, take a look at another Onimod Global Blog, “The Importance of Transparency in Digital Marketing” by clicking HERE.

Ad Quality

The quality of your advertisements is what will determine its relevance. Major search engines like Google have no greater purpose than to provide the most relevant results for its users.

Google makes continual updates to its algorithm to maintain its search engine’s integrity. Click HERE to learn more via our article, “What Google’s Algorithm Adjustment Means for Digital Marketing.”

Another key aspect of quality ads is their frequency. You want to make sure that you are showing your ad to the right consumers, but don’t overdo it. In the case of P&G, Prichard explained the brand’s struggles with ad frequency by saying, “Excess frequency is a massive source of waste, and it really annoys consumers. No wonder ad blockers are growing 20 percent a year. I mean, how many times does a person need to see a toilet paper ad to get the point?”

Mass One-to-One Marketing

The title of this digital marketing topic is a bit perplexing. After all, how can something be unique and personalized while also being applied on a mass scale? The meaning behind this idea is to make an ad as personable as possible, while also applying it to a large audience.

This complex concept is often put to use in many ways that you may already be familiar with. For instance, if you have recently made a purchase through Amazon, then you will likely receive a follow up email from Amazon asking you to review the product. Amazon sends the same follow up message to thousands of other users, but only if they have selected to purchase that individual product.

Messages For Good

It is a bit unclear as to what Prichard meant by “messages for good” in Monllos’ article. This may be referring to a cause marketing strategy, which has proven to be very successful for many brands in recent years.

It may also be discussing the development of an advertising strategy that will withstand the test of time. In order to leave consumers with a clear idea of a brand, you have to make sure you are delivering a consistent message.

Prichard announced that the brand’s shifts in digital marketing strategy are, “about two-thirds complete on these steps today and should be largely finished by the end of 2017.” Keep an eye out to see the meaning of this fourth and final brand objective unfold through P&G’s digital marketing efforts in the following months.

Brand New(s)

In the meantime, stay up to date on the latest digital marketing news by visiting the Onimod Global Blog today! Our team is constantly working to provide expert insight into digital marketing trends all over the world. Click HERE to visit our blog and learn what your brand may be missing!