Tag Archive for: Digital Advertising

Happy Thanksgiving From All Of Us at Onimod Global!

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?

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

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

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

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!

How Pinterest Expects to Increase Revenue by $200 Million This Year

Pinterest is quite new to the world of advertising. 2017 marks the third full year that Pinterest has offered their Promoted Pins to advertisers. Such pins allow advertisers to promote their products and services alongside of a user’s normal featured pins.

Revenues On The Rise

These sponsored pins began in 2015, and generated $100 million in revenue by the end of the year. Last year, Pinterest was able to capture a total of $300 million in revenue, according to recode.

The trend isn’t stopping there. In its current fiscal year, it has been reported by recode that Pinterest is on track to bring in at least 200 million additional dollars by the end of this year.

So how is Pinterest driving all of this incredible advertising success you may ask? The answer lies in the company’s recent ventures into digital innovation.

Pinterest Sections

A recent article by Techcrunch released information on a brand new Pinterest feature called Sections.

This new tool will give users the ability to divide and categorize their board into several sub-groups that all coincide with the main board topic. For example, if the main board were titled “Entrees”, then sub-groups could include titles like “Vegetarian”, “Casseroles”, or “Seafood”.

According to Pinterest CEO and co-founder Ben Silbermann, “It’s been a really popular feature request for years.”

Sections is still making its way through the beta testing process. The new feature has not been released to all users yet, but will hopefully be appearing to the masses soon!

Ad Targeting

As Pinterest’s consumer base continues to grow, now up to an estimated 200+ million users, the company is searching for ways in which it can utilize this incredible resource.

Last year, Pinterest purchased a startup mobile ad-tech company called URX. Jack Chou, Pinterest’s head of product, explained the buyout by saying, “We can now accelerate our efforts with the URX team, who are leaders in mobile content understanding, recommendations, monetization and discovery.”

These efforts have materialized into 5,000 interest categories that advertisers can now use to help properly position their products in front of the perfect Pinterest users. For instance, many consumers are interested in the outdoors, but what about those specifically interested in hiking across the Appalachians?

Much like the new Sections feature, these interest categories will enable Pinterest users to refine their account into exactly what they want. This provides an enormous benefit to digital marketers and advertisers as they are able to easily reach out to the most specific area of their target audience.

Pin Collective

Pinterest has also been continually promoting their service called Pin Collective to advertisers. Pin Collective is described by Pinterest as, “an external network of world-class content creators including photographers, designers, illustrators, art directors and more who are experts in creating content for Pinterest.”

Pinterest has come together with Popular Pays to build this platform. Pin Collective provides advertisers with the best of the best to ensure the creation of flawless ads.

Adidas and essie are two companies that have experienced this service first-hand. Essie utilized Pin Collective to get an edge on the nude nails trend. The results were very impressive. The top pin of the Pin Collective campaign was saved 4 times more than any previous Pinterest campaign launched by essie.

Ending Thoughts

There is no slowing down for Pinterest. The platform continues to outdo itself every year with better ideas and innovations, both for their users and their advertisers. Here at Onimod Global, we can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

5 Simple Ways to See if Your AdWords Account is in Trouble

Google AdWords is the most common form of digital advertising. The use of its search, display, and shopping networks have an incredible impact on consumers who are conducting daily searches online.

Unfortunately, even the best digital marketing tools can come with potential problems and limitations. Keep reading to find out which pitfalls are most important to avoid inside of Google AdWords.

AdWords Audit

The following are key areas inside of AdWords that, when left unchecked, can create serious problems:

  • Wasted Money: In the case of effective ad spend, less is more. Although it may seem smart to have a campaign filled with keywords and 10 slightly different ads, this can actually lead to huge losses. Entrepreneur reports that on average, only 12% of keywords in any given AdWords account are responsible for all conversions produced. That means that 88% of those keywords are a total waste of money.
  • Bad Landing Page: More than half of all Google ads redirect the user to the site’s homepage. This is not necessarily a bad strategy, especially if you are only concerned about brand awareness and simply driving people to your site so that they can get a feel for your business. However, if the primary objective is to produce conversions or leads, then the homepage isn’t going to be enough. For this type of ad, you should use a specific landing page that clearly states the message you wish to deliver to consumers, and a simplified way for them to actually convert.
  • Disorganization and Poor Management: The structure of your AdWords account is also incredibly important. If you don’t properly title and organize campaigns, then it is going to be incredibly difficult for you to keep track of what ads are running and why. Also, if no one is regularly updating the account, then errors are sure to follow. The more time spent inside of the Google AdWords platform, the better.

Get it Right, The First Time

Try to avoid all of the aforementioned problems by starting your AdWords account off on the right foot with these strategies:

  • Keyword Research: Since you want to choose your keywords carefully, make sure that there is some logic behind your choices. The best way to do this is to look at old data. Find out what worked well, and what did not in previous campaigns. If you are starting from scratch, you may want to use a trial-and-error approach. Experiment with different keywords until you can clearly identify which are the most successful.
  • Extensions: Adding short sitelink and callout extensions to your ad can greatly increase its value to a consumer. Providing users with easy access to popular pages, or your business’ phone number makes the process much more efficient. Such efficiency and convenience is a huge concern of consumers today, so give them what they want with a simple extension.

Updates From Onimod

Our team of experts is constantly watching current events in digital marketing. We produce several blog posts each and every week to keep our readers up to speed on the latest in the industry.

CLICK HERE to take a look at the Onimod Global blog today!

3 Digital Marketing Trends to Prepare for in the Near Future

In a recent article from Forbes, there are some important trends in the digital marketing industry that marketers should be aware of. The digital world is always evolving: consumer patterns change, new platforms emerge, etc. Therefore, organizations must be prepared to adapt. The three key trends that Forbes focuses on in the article are social marketing, the talent gap, and video marketing.

Social Marketing:
If utilized correctly, social marketing campaigns can be very successful. Advertising on Facebook for example can turn a low cost investment into a high return on investment (ROI). According to the Forbes article, research has shown that “social users appeal more to offers and discounts, so even a simple 10% off to promote a product or service will greatly increase visibility.” Forbes also points out that the strategy is to “always find new mediums gaining popularity, as conventional outlets like news sites should be avoided.”

The Talent Gap:
According to the article, “the talent gap in digital marketing is the root cause of unsuccessful campaigns.” Not understanding the data, wasting money on ad spend, and not properly managing accounts are frequent problems in today’s industry. Many “traditional advertisers” don’t possess the same skill set and thinking process as the younger generation of digital marketers. Ultimately, it’s essential for organizations to find individuals who consistently deliver high ROI in a digitally dominated world.

Video Marketing:
Viral videos have a ton of power in today’s digital world, yet it’s very challenging to gain popularity online. Millions of users are streaming YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites daily. Forbes point of advice from video marketing is that “it’s not the big budgets that win, it’s the great ideas that create buzz.” If marketers can capitalize on this hot trend in video traffic, there will be high rewards.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing expertise, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

The Top 3 Skills Needed on an Elite Digital Marketing Team

Digital marketing is a fast growing field of employment. Every year there is more and more of a demand for experienced digital marketing experts. Our article “Why Digital Marketing is a Major Career Opportunity” highlights some of the biggest reasons as to why this industry is booming.

While hard work and determination can certainly increase an individual’s chances of success in digital marketing, there are some natural skills that all of the top performers possess.

Video Content Production

Consumers are tuning out advertisements more and more everyday. Overall screen time is continuing to rise, but people are paying less attention to advertisements and what they are saying.

One new way to boost engagement rates with ads is to use video. Videos make the process much easier on the consumer because they smoothly deliver the message through visuals, rather than some kind of long winded text.

Videos also have the added benefit of being absorbed quicker. Images can be seen much faster than words can be read. This gives the advertiser a little more time to get their message across, before the audience moves on.

Professional Copywriting

Even with videos, the content has to be solid in order to get the right message across to the consumer. This message comes from a qualified copywriter.

Content is the centerpiece of every advertising campaign. It is essential that every commercial, blog post, and Google Search ad is focused around the same marketing strategy. Driving home the same big idea to every potential customer is how you tell the world about your business, and why others should do business with you.

An article by Forbes recommends that agencies look for writers that can produce quality material over a wide variety of subjects. In some instances, companies will only require technical writers, but it is better for you as an applicant to have multiple writing specialties in your wheelhouse as you search for jobs in digital marketing.

Social Media Management

Once the copy has been created, there needs to be a way to spread the word. According to the Pew Research Center, oughly 70% of the U.S. population uses social media. This includes all age groups and demographics, generating endless possibilities for marketers.

Facebook leads the pack in terms of engagement rates and audience size with over 175 million daily users according to Business Insider. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram round out the list of major social platforms to utilize in digital marketing.

A deep understanding of each of these platforms is invaluable. One important aspect to consider is that the interfaces and services offered by these social media leaders are constantly changing. The best way to maintain current working knowledge within these platforms is to utilize them in every day marketing activities.

Why Digital Marketing is a Major Career Opportunity

With Digital Marketing being the heaviest advertising route used by most organizations today, the career opportunities are flourishing. Whether through digital marketing agencies or companies hiring “in house,” there are plenty of jobs to be filled. Many individuals from the older generations are unfamiliar with concepts like SEO, SEM, Social Media Marketing, Website Development, and other parts of the digital world. Listed below are some reasons as to why digital marketing continues to be a “hot” field for many years to come.

1. Heavy Demand:
It’s no surprise that the demand for digital marketing experts is increasing at a rapid rate. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, “It is anticipated that there would be around 150,000 digital marketing jobs at the end of 2020 and not enough professionals to fulfill them. there will also be a rise in demand for digital marketing professionals by about 38% this year.” Therefore, learning the appropriate digital marketing skills will provide you with a huge competitive advantage in the job hunt.

2. Always Changing:
Digital marketing is an ever changing industry. Web, mobile, and other digital technologies are changing at an extremely fast pace. So why is this a reason to pursue a digital marketing career? Most people aren’t comfortable with or afraid of a field that always adapts, so they decide to stay away from it. It’s essential to understand and stay on top of the current trends in digital marketing to outsmart competitors. See how a client of ours (Theory) utilizes digital marketing to maintain a competitive advantage in the bar industry in Chicago. CLICK HERE to view the case study.

3. Field for Everyone:
The entire landscape of digital marketing consists of numerous skill sets, making it applicable for all sorts of jobs. Many digital marketing organizations not only consist of SEO/SEM strategists, they include graphic designers, business development executives, content writers, social media specialists, and other opportunities. Ultimately, digital marketing is a versatile industry, meaning it requires a mixture of these numerous skills. Passionate about social media, being creative, or writing? Then the digital marketing industry may be for you.

4. Great Opportunity for Advancement:
In addition to the great job outlook for digital marketing careers, the opportunity for advancement in the field is also promising. Entry level positions out of college typically consist of digital marketing strategists, social media specialists, SEO/SEM strategists, etc. If you’re able to catch on quick and continually learn more about the digital marketing world then advancement to an upper level position is highly feasible. Digital marketing managers, director of digital, or a VP of marketing for example are all respectable and reachable advancement opportunities.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!