Tag Archive for: SEM

The Do’s and Don’ts of Ad Copy

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Google provides a lot of helpful data when it comes to certain aspects of search campaigns, except when it comes to ad copy. Ad copy can be one of the most crucial elements when it comes to paid search, no matter the platform. Finding the right combination of keywords and titles can be difficult, but when you’re spending a good chunk of budget on paid search, you want your ad copy to be something that’s generating traffic.

 

What is Ad Copy?

Ad copy is the main text or description of a clickable advertisement. The text is usually the second and third lines of the ads displayed on a search engine, in between the title and display URL. It’s generally used to describe what the advertisement is for, as well as inserting related keywords. While most people are aware of what ad copy is, there are still mistakes frequently made, even by experienced paid search marketers. Finding what works best for your particular paid ads can be difficult, but we’re going to discuss some general do’s and don’ts of writing ad copy.

 

Ad Copy Don’ts

Jacob Baadsgaard, founder and CEO of Disruptive Advertising, has identified the top 3 most common mistakes that keep businesses from paid search success, when it comes to ad copy.

Keyword Stuffing

Inserting as many keywords as possible into ads is no longer the secret to search success. The modern user has been trained to avoid any search results that look even slightly suspicious or point towards spam. Users now look for content that address problems and solutions. As consumers evolve, ad copy should follow. This does not mean keywords should no longer be included, they’re still very important. What it means is that they need to be appropriately and specifically selected and placed in the ad copy. The ad needs to incorporate them in a more meaningful way. Focus more on providing answers, rather than keywords, because that’s ultimately what users are looking for.

Focusing On The Wrong Problem

Users click on ads if they focus on a problem, pain point, or whatever triggered their need to search. The issue is many business misidentify the motivating factors behind customers’ searches. A common misconception is that a company’s target audience share the same needs, goals, and values. More often than not the customer doesn’t care, what they do care about is whether or not you can help fix their problem. If the ad doesn’t focus on a solution, customers probably won’t click on it. When the ad copy’s main focus is the need behind a user’s search, you’ll seem like the perfect solution.

Neglecting Ad Extension

While it is ultimately up to Google whether people see your ad extension or not, neglecting it is a huge mistake. It is important to focus on titles and descriptions, since that’s what everyone will see, but when your ad extension is shown, it needs to matter. “Google reports that adding a new ad extension typically increases click-through rates by 10-15%, so they’re well worth investing some time into.” Ad extensions are a way to incorporate callouts, sitelinks, and structured snippets.

Callout extensions allow you to include specific attributes about your business, products, and services. This is an area where you can include more keywords and pitch-heavy content.

Sitelinks are something that should definitely be taken advantage of if given the opportunity. They can build the content of your ad by offering additional information and links to more specific pages on your site, allowing users to get directly where they need to.

Structured snippet extensions allow your ad to highlight specific aspects of your products and services. The layout is a mix between a callout and a sitelink. Each snippet contains a header and list of features you choose to highlight. This extension can hurt your click-through rates if your content isn’t carefully thought out, because the design can be complicated and hard to read.

Ad Copy Do’s  

 

Include Emotional Triggers When Appropriate

Users don’t make decisions on logic alone. People are more often driven by emotions. If someone reads something that triggers a strong emotional reaction, negative or positive, they will be more inclined to click through. You do want to be careful to balance the reaction with the rest of your message because you don’t want your brand to be associated with negative emotions. The ad copy should ultimately focus on resolving the negative emotion. Positive and subtle triggers can be effective as well. It all depends on what exactly you’re advertising.

Create Keyword-Rich Display URLs

Sometimes advertisers may not be aware that the display URL and their actual destination URL can be different. The display URL can be something more interesting or relevant to your ads while including your top keywords. Even if your destination URL doesn’t contain your keywords, your ads can still appear in search results if your display URL includes them.

Be Benefit Focused, Not Features

It can be disappointing, but most customers don’t care about your actual company. As previously discussed, users want to know what you can ultimately do for them. Focus on how your brand can make their life easier, not about your actual brand. Using words like ‘you’ makes the ad more personal and can demonstrate how your service actually benefits the user. How much time or money users can save with your service are easy and effective things to include.

 

Conclusion

Writing ad copy can be tricky, and there is a lot of room for error. That’s why it’s always beneficial to outsource for your paid search needs. At Onimod Global we are experienced experts in SEM. As a Google Partner we are a digital marketing company, trusted by Google and excel with their products. Experts in paid advertising on platforms such as Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not only are we experts in paid advertising, but also organic search engine optimization. Onimod Global works as your own in-house, cross-channel, digital marketing team.

You can view some of our featured work here, or contact us here.  

LinkedIn’s Newest Update Makes Advertising More Transparent

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Company transparency is especially important when advertising on the internet, social spaces in particular. Social media users want to feel safe and ensured that their information isn’t going to be exploited for advertisements. LinkedIn just recently announced it has launched a new update, called Ads tab, for company pages. The intent is to bring even greater transparency to ads, increasing trust in their environment, while benefiting companies and users.

What is Ads Tab & How it Works

The Ads tab will be available on company pages, showing sponsored content ad history for the last six months. Members can view all native ads running in the LinkedIn feed through the tab, but the advertisers will not be charged for these engagements and the clicks will not impact campaign reporting.

LinkedIn said in the announcement that “the Ads tab builds on similar tools they’ve recently introduced to help members understand and control their ad experience, including new ad settings that each member can access from their LinkedIn account.”

They also added that this is just the first of many updates they have in the works to provide members with useful information about the ads shown to them on LinkedIn. The Ads tab will be implemented across their platform over the next few weeks, meaning it won’t be available to all companies immediately.

Why We Should Care

Transparency is something that benefits both companies and LinkedIn users. This extra layer adds more security to the LinkedIn platform, making it a more trusted source, attracting more users. An increase in users means the potential to gain a larger audience, and ultimately larger ad reach.

Putting it to Use

At Onimod Global we are your in-house cross-channel digital marketing experts. We offer services in SEM and Social Media. We handle paid advertising on Google, Bing, and across all social platforms, including LinkedIn. We market across multiple social platforms to create visibility for your company in places your customers are searching, interacting, and engaging. Having your brand in the correct positioning in essential, and we at Onimod Global have the expertise to know exactly where you and your ads need to be.

Learn more about what we do here, or if you’re ready to become a client, contact us here.

Challenges Facing In-House Agencies in 2019

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An increasing amount of companies are bringing back in-house agencies – such as creative and digital – under the impression it will bring speed and deeper knowledge of brand values. But unfortunately for some, the benefits simply aren’t outweighing some of the risks and pitfalls that come with this strategy.

Why Bring it Back

Over the past decade, we are seeing a trend across the advertising and marketing industry where businesses are increasingly taking marketing matters into their own hands. Cost savings and having more control seem to be the biggest reasons why companies have been transitioning back to in-house agencies.

Many companies also believe that it will help integrate their values and beliefs across all platforms, but as some brands have already demonstrated, this may cause more issues than what the savings are worth.

The Unfortunate Challenges

As Pepsi has recently shown with their Kendall Jennar-starring ad, an in-house team may not always hit the mark. A considerable challenge of using an in-house agency is that it completely eliminates outside perspective, creating tunnel vision. Many criticized Pepsi’s ad to be ‘tone-deaf’ and ‘precisely the opposite of the real-world experience’ that was supposedly being portrayed.

Another downside to going in-house is creating a heavy work overload for the studio teams. Commonly those part of the in-house team are working on multiple other projects at the same time. This can make it difficult for them to make last minute or urgent changes.

With putting a heavy workload on the in-house team comes another great challenge, which is the difficulty of managing the many projects and tasks at hand and the pressures that come along with them.Team members can easily get burnt out, resulting in creative slumps or high staff turn-over.

Benefits of Outsourcing

Although creating an in-house agency may seem like the cost effective decision, outsourcing has more benefits in the long-run and for the company as a whole.

One of the greatest benefits of outsourcing is that you’re guaranteed a team of experts with extensive experience in the marketing field. Not only will they have the best experience, but they have the best tools and technology to go along with it. There is an extensive amount of marketing tools out there, and they can help you quickly identify which will be the most beneficial for your company, saving you an endless amount of time and money.

Another benefit that comes along with using an outside source is a fresh perspective. As previously mentioned, when using a team that work in-office they can get stuck using the same tactics or ideas over and over. Group think and tunnel vision can easily occur as well as falling victim to office politics. It’s always beneficial to have an impartial third party that can bring new and different ideas to the table.

Lastly, you completely eliminate the extensive processes of hiring and training. A good marketing partner will have a strong team committed to making the best decisions for your company. You can immediately start tackling strategy and making improvements rather than worrying about assembling a team of your own.

What We Can Do

Onimod Global can function as your own in-house agency with all the tools and expertise of an outside agency. We offer cross-channel digital marketing campaigns driven by machine learning analytics and human intelligence. Experts in SEO, SEM, website development, automation, manage your marketing 24/7, along with so much more. Check out what we have done for others and can do for you.

How Customer Reviews Can Rev Up Conversions

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Whether your business is product or service based, B2B or B2C, great reviews will help smash your conversion goals. It’s time to leverage customer reviews to boost online traffic, sales and revenue. Read more

What You Should Know About New Google Maps Local Search Ads

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In response to the recent Google Performance Summit, Google made several announcements on how their services will be changing in the months to come. One of the most important announcements included the introduction of new local search advertisements through Google Maps.

What’s The Difference?

Google already provides location based advertisement options in addition to the Google My Business platform, so what exactly is so special about these new local search ads? Well, these new ads will be available in several new formats including:

  • Promoted Pins
  • In-Store Promotions
  • Customizable Business Pages
  • Local Inventory Search

All of these options are meant to drive foot traffic to a physical location. Now, you may be wondering why businesses would be interested in brick-and-mortar stores when e-commerce is on the rise.

Google revealed during their summit that 75% of people who conduct a location based search on their mobile device will then visit that location within 24 hours with 28% of these visits resulting in a purchase.

Bridging The Gap

Clearly, mobile is not be the only concern. What advertisers should focus on is utilizing mobile in order to drive physical visits and purchases. To do this, the business must first be visible in every form possible across the Internet.

These new local search ads will facilitate this need of visibility by providing another dynamic platform on which consumers can find your business. While this new form of local search ads will not make all of your advertising dreams come true, it is certainly a useful tool to have in your arsenal of digital marketing services.

Process Pending

These new ads are only available in a beta form, and are not available to all advertisers. As such, there is little information currently available about these new ads, but one thing that we do know is how Google chooses which local search ads do and do not show through Google Maps.

Google has provided the following factors in regard to what will affect new ad rankings:

  • Location
  • Interests
  • Query Text
  • Search/Browsing History
  • Behaviors
  • Time of Day
  • Demographics

More From Onimod Global

For more information on the industry of digital marketing, please visit the Onimod Global News Page. Our content creation specialists are constantly producing new and engaging articles that keep you informed of the latest and greatest trends within the digital marketing world. Enjoy!

How to Build Customer Loyalty That Drives Local Search Traffic

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When dreaming up ways to improve search engine results, few SEO specialists consider customer loyalty. However, customer loyalty plays a very crucial role in marketing for a company.

Lessons From Amazon

Amazon never set out to become a brand driven by customer satisfaction. Their primary concern has always been to fulfill orders as efficiently as possible, but along the way they were able to gain valuable insights of customers. All reviews on Amazon are 100% due to the efforts of verified customers. By allowing consumers to share their own experiences, Amazon was quickly able to build an incredibly trustworthy service.

High customer satisfaction translates directly to customer loyalty. Any time a customer is dissatisfied with an Amazon product, they receive a full refund, and typically also gain a complimentary service from the company to incentivize the customer to come back. Customers love to have a voice, and Amazon is more than happy to provide them with a way to be heard by other target customers. Companies with a customer focus certainly have a thing or two to learn from Amazon regarding their customer loyalty methods.

6 Additional Components

It is no simple task to replicate the efforts of Amazon. For this reason, the search engine optimization specialists from Onimod Global are here to offer several simple ways in which you can develop better customer loyalty within your own organization. The following 6 tips are based off of Wesley Young’s article that was recently published through Search Engine Land:

  1. Social Loyalty: Social media has grown to wield an impressive amount of influence over any given company. Recently, Facebook began appealing to users looking for recommendations regarding any number of products or services. This feature allows other users to weigh in on the topic and recommend businesses that they find relevant to their friend’s search. This word-of-mouth by proxy through Facebook is significant because it disrupts typical search engine procedures.
  2. Narrative Control: As mentioned with the example of Amazon, online reviews carry an incredible amount of power. Make sure that you are giving customers a way to express their loyalty via online platforms such as Facebook and Yelp. You can even use this information as a testimonial to the benefits that your company offers.
  3. Forever Loyal: Truly loyal customers will seek out a preferred business no matter what the odds. Young used the example of Chick-Fil-A to represent this ideal. He noted that no matter where he goes, he can find a line out the door of Chick-Fil-A, even when other area fast food restaurants have no wait at all.
  4. Loyalty Economics: It can be difficult to track down truly loyal customers. Typically, a company’s marketing efforts toward new clients are much more expensive than if the company were to simply continue marketing toward dissatisfied customers. For this reason, it may be worth considering ways in which you can better the experience of existing customers rather than solely focusing on new customer leads.
  5. Loyalty Database: Data is an invaluable resource for any business. Data regarding repeat customers is even more essential to promoting growth and prosperity. Once you are able to gain information about current loyal customers, you will be more easily able to locate new ones, which cuts out a lot of wasted ad dollar being used in search engine marketing.
  6. Determining Improvements: Even if a company’s customer satisfaction ratings are high, there is usually significant room for improvement. This issue points back to the loyalty database and what insights it can provide to your business. By going back over the numbers you can begin to paint a much clearer picture for both current and potential customers about your business and why it is the right choice for them to purchase goods and services from.

 

4 Statistics That Should Impact Your 2018 Online Marketing Strategy

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2018 will be a critical year in terms of marketing with all of the constant changes happening within the industry. Therefore, having the right marketing strategy in place will ensure that your organization doesn’t fall behind in 2018. The importance of online visibility in today’s digital world should never be overlooked, and it’s an aspect that many businesses lack. Listed below are four marketing statistics from various sources that will help shape your marketing strategy for the year ahead.

1. Repeat E-commerce spenders spend twice as much as new customers
Customer loyalty is huge, and it’s no surprise that repeat customers are far more likely to purchase more from your business. According to an article from Neil Patel, the “average E-commerce spending of repeat customers is $52.50 compared to $24.50 for new customers.” Moreover, effective E-commerce strategies will be crucial in 2018 and being able to generate solid customer relationships will most likely result in revenue increases.

2. The number of advertisers using Facebook is now over 3 Million
Facebook is an extremely effective digital marketing channel, and if utilized correctly it can greatly increase the ROI for your business. Investing plenty of time and money to the social media giant should definitely be a component of your organization’s marketing strategy, as it will pay off in the long run. According to a report from Statista, “the number of active users on Facebook worldwide has now reached 2.13 billion.” Another interesting Facebook fact found by WordStream is that “the average cpc on Facebook across all industries is $1.72.” Ultimately, there’s a reason that Facebook now has over 3 million advertisers, as the platform can be very rewarding for you business if used correctly.

3. Over 90% of shoppers’ purchase decisions are influenced by social media
It’s no surprise that social media is important when it comes to potential consumers and what influences their purchase decisions. A study from Iron Paper found that “approximately 93% of purchase decisions are influenced by social media, and that 90% of users trust peer recommendations.” Businesses that have caught on to this trend have seen increases in sales and overall ROI. It should also be noted that image focused platforms like Instagram and Pinterest offer a huge opportunity for businesses to showcase products/services to help influence purchase decisions.

4. 87% of internet users own a smartphone
The overwhelming usage of smart phones has revolutionized the entire advertising industry. Mobile marketing is not the future, it’s happening right now. The Global Web Index found that “87% of all internet users own a smartphone” and that “there are 9 new mobile users added every second.” Therefore, there must be a major focus on mobile responsiveness in any marketing strategy. It’s essential regarding your organization’s website in terms of user friendliness and ranking higher in search engine results.

Contact Us
If you’re business is in need of digital marketing expertise this year in 2018, Contact Us at Onimod Global. Check out Our Work and see what digital solutions we have to offer! We look forward to hearing from you!

When is it Time to Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

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Regardless of how long your company has been in business, there will come a time when you realize you need assistance with online marketing efforts. The demand for engaging and effective digital marketing strategies is increasing, and numerous organizations don’t want to fall behind the curve. According to the U.S. Digital Marketing Spending Report from Gartner, “many companies outsource up to 50% of all online marketing activities.” Moreover, it’s critical to hire an experienced digital marketing agency sooner than later, and listed below are signs that it’s the right time to outsource.

Lack of relevant skills
It’s easy to imagine how much business owners already have to deal with when it comes to overseeing their own company. Therefore, trying to incorporate marketing efforts into individuals with busy schedules is probably not the best bet. Staying current with SEO strategies, SEM, social media, email marketing, etc is very time consuming and requires plenty of effort. Once your company has realized it’s time to work with an agency, be sure to find one that is experienced and is a good fit. Review case studies and other work from multiple agencies to help with your outsourcing process.

Inadequate Reporting
Are your marketing results being measured? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter the most? Are you focused on brand awareness, leads, or conversions? These are questions that should always be addressed when it comes to an organization’s digital marketing efforts. Hiring the right digital marketing agency would give your company the ability to measure results with accuracy and evaluate if returns on investments are positive.

Website is getting poor traffic
A lack of website traffic is a common issue that many businesses encounter. They begin to realize that the traffic being driven to their site is often irrelevant and lower than expected. Is your company paying close attention to Google Analytics data? How well does the site continually rank for relevant search queries? Questions like these can be better answered by a digital marketing agency with a proven track record. Ultimately, hiring an experienced agency is most likely the best solution to increasing relevant website traffic

Content quality is lacking
Many companies need to face the reality that their internal employees are most likely not experts regarding content generation and knowing how to increase online presence. A good digital marketing agency will consist of content marketing experts that better understand effective SEO strategies, high quality content, and how to increase organic traffic. Therefore, if content marketing results are poor, it’s time to hire a digital marketing agency that will help your business grow.

Contact Us
At Onimod Global we are a proven digital marketing agency and know what it takes to fulfill the needs of our clients. Check out Our Work and see what digital solutions we have to offer! We look forward to hearing from you!

“Micro-Moments” Provide Better Insight into Changing Consumer Preferences

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There are many steps in the consumer journey. One of the most difficult aspects of marketing is understanding this journey in its entirety. It may not simply be one single ad that inspired a purchase. There may be several interactions that are going unnoticed.

As consumers continually change, we marketers are faced with the task of keeping up. The digital world is incredibly fast paced. Those who are unable or unwilling to move along with trends eventually fall behind. That is why we here at Onimod Global are always doing our best to keep you up to date on the latest trends and topics.

Google Search Data

Big data has been a big topic of discussion for years now. The unlimited potential that exists in the tiny, seemingly insignificant, data that any individual generates on a daily basis is mind boggling. Many marketers are wondering how they can harness this power to better the brands that they serve.

One of the biggest collectors of data is Google. There is truly a wealth of knowledge to be had in the data mines that this search engine giant holds. Most recently, Google has been exploring the concept of “micro-moments”. According to Google, “Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something.”

This concept may not seem like much, but Google believes that micro-moments will play an increasingly large role in the life of consumers everywhere. In fact, Google has developed personas to represent the different types of consumers it believes that are represented through these micro-moments.

The Well-Advised Consumer

This type of consumer always does their homework. Whenever they make a decision in their life, big or small, they typically will consult a device first. This could range from anything as simple as a search for a nearby donut shop to a deep dive into the best types of portable bluetooth speakers for under $300.

The Right Here Consumer

Many marketing strategies focus around the idea of personalization. This tactic is touted as a sure fire way to promote better interactions with potential customers. While there is some evidence behind this statement, the method has become so widely used that it is now an expectation of consumers.

Users today do not typically feel the need to enter anything more than “sports bar” when looking for somewhere nearby to enjoy tonight’s game. Instead, they believe that their device and the apps it uses will automatically make an assumption about their location for them. Any sort of site or app that does not comply with this is quickly perceived as irrelevant by the consumer, and repeat usage is unlikely.

The Right Now Consumer

The final persona that Google developed through exploration of micro-moments is the right now consumer. This type of consumer finds satisfaction in things that are most immediate and convenient for them. This trend has become very apparent recently.

Google reports that today, “smartphone users are 50% more likely to expect to purchase something immediately while using their smartphone compared to a year ago.” This means that less time is being spent within the customer journey as users today are more apt to complete a transaction immediately from their device rather than later through non-mobile means.

Final Considerations

What this means for marketers is that they need to pay more attention to these micro-moments in order to better understand their target consumers, and which category each of those consumers fall into. This kind of attention to detail will greatly aid in any marketer’s efforts to better understand the customer journey, which will ultimately lead to better generation of sales.

4 Digital Marketing Skills Every Professional Must Have

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Digital Marketing is a very broad term that consists of many important areas for professionals to master, and is also a fast growing industry for employment. SEO, SEM, social media advertising, email marketing, and data analysis are all critical aspects that every digital marketing expert should have experience with. Besides knowledge of these key areas, what are some other important digital marketing skills professionals should have?

1. Copywriting and Content Development 
Being able to effectively communicate and deliver persuasive messages is one digital marketing skill that can never be overlooked. Content is one of the most important components of every advertising campaign, and is a major factor when it comes to SEO and ranking for certain search queries. It is crucial that every blog post, Google ad, commercial, and company website contains relevant and powerful content. Driving home the “big idea” to every potential consumer is how you get your name out there, and why others should do business with you. Ultimately, content development is a skill that more and more marketers are being asked to master.

2. Website Development Knowledge
Some people confuse digital marketing and website development as two completely separate fields. In some ways this could be the case, yet having website development knowledge will greatly benefit an individual’s digital marketing expertise. Being able to understand the basics of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and how to operate within a content management system (CMS) are all important. Another thing to keep in mind regarding website development knowledge is that it goes hand in hand with SEO, and understanding how to achieve good organic rankings on search engines. Moreover, the more website development knowledge a digital marketing professional has, the better.

3. Research and Strategic Planning
Staying current with the latest digital marketing trends and updates will only set yourself apart from the other digital marketers in the industry. Taking 30 minutes out of your day to read up on articles from Search Engine Land, Forbes, AdWeek, and Search Engine Journal can be extremely beneficial. Effective research can sometimes require more than simply “Googling things” like understanding the industries of clientele and who their target audiences are. In addition to research, strategic planning is also very important. This refers to analyzing past data and knowing how to deliver better results in the long run.

4. Account Management
Having proper account management skills and understanding how to effectively interact with clients is huge. Demonstrating strong account management means you have a firm grasp of execution, planning, strategy, budgeting, data analysis, and more. Being flexible and customer service-oriented is important as well. Campaigns consistently need monitored, problems arise, and some clients experience their best business outside of the typical Monday-Friday 9-5 hours. In the end, account management is huge in digital marketing, and certain “soft skills” often times get overlooked.

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!