Video Marketing: An Effective Way to Engage Consumers

Posted on February 20, 2014 by admin

6410079_mIf you are online or on your phone, there’s no denying that videos are everywhere. It’s no mystery why: they can convey a message in less than 60 seconds and can be created and shared is just as much time. And those are not they only reasons why your company should make video marketing a part of your strategy.

Consider these facts about video marketing and why it’s an important way to effectively reach your target audience.

1. Better Communication:
It’s no secret that many people would much rather watch something than read. Videos have the ability to relay more information that is easy to understand. The words on paper can only say so much, but when combined with the visual effects and images a video provides, your consumer gets more of the message, in a shorter amount of time.

2. More User Friendly:
Trends in online search engines are showing that your consumers are more likely to click on video links than any other content. Consequently, even if you have informative content on the web, if it is not in a video format, your consumers are skipping over it.

3. More Bang For Your Buck:
In a study on online marketing affects, 90 percent of those surveyed reported that videos are more influential in their decision to purchase a product and 64 percent said they are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it. What is even more impressive when it comes to the lasting impression of video marketing is that 80 percent of consumers reported remembering a video they viewed over a month prior.

Though we’ve shared three ways that video marketing is a vital part of advertising, there are many more reasons why consumers are responding more to them. Messages are more likely to effectively portray your message, as well as offer an emotional or entertaining way for consumers to relate to your product. Because of that connection, consumers are more likely to engage with you, either by sharing the videos on social media or sharing their opinions through comments.

For ways to include a video marketing campaign in your brand’s strategy, contact the professionals at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions to find out ways we can help you create unique and effective content to reach your target audience.

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The Mobile User Experience: Are You Giving This to Your Customers?

Posted on February 19, 2014 by admin

If you haven’t believed all the talk about it being a mobile society, maybe these numbers will change your mind: Mobile traffic increased more than 50 percentMobile Phones 1 in the last 12 months. In fact, global smartphone traffic took up 20 percent of all internet traffic in December 2013. That’s one in five individuals who are using mobile devices to access the internet.

Is your content mobile ready?

Here are some steps to ensure your mobile visitors aren’t going to walk away from your content:

Mobile Site: You can make sure that your website also has a mobile website version. This is basically a much simpler version of the desktop site. It will provide users with only the most vital content. However, they can also look a little disconnected from the desktop site, since the theme usually won’t carry over.

Responsive Design: This is a great alternative to building out a mobile website and works great for the mobile user experience or the desktop user experience. The website will detect the resolution of the user’s device and adjust how the content loads to fit those dimensions. One thing you should consider is that having a responsive design can increase the page’s load time, especially for a mobile user.

Easy to Read Text: When writing content, be sure to keep the mobile user experience in mind. Keep it short and sweet. Also think about what your text looks like in terms of font choice, size, and spacing decisions.

Think About Images: Images are a great idea and can be extremely useful. However, consider the size and number of images you are putting on your website. If there are too many, it’s going to take longer for the page to load.

Mobile-Friendly Video: Video is popular, even for mobile users. Some numbers say that video accounts for almost half of all mobile traffic. Wow! This is an important one to consider. Be sure to optimize your video content for the mobile user experience.

Are you already doing some of these things? Are you ready to dive fully into the mobile world of 2014? Contact SJC today and we’ll take your content to a whole new place, through the mobile user experience!

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Walk the H2H Path and Use Twitter as Your Guide

Posted on February 18, 2014 by admin

“Wait. H2H? I thought it was B2C or B2B. What are you talking about?”

So glad you asked! H2H means Human to Human. Think about it, you are a human being. You have certain characteristics that are wholly unique to you, hobbies that you enjoy during any free time you might have, children you interact with, friends you grab dinner with. Each of these things creates a certain value of which companies need to be more aware.

A recent article reminded us of what we should really be focusing on. We need to start focusing on H2H interactions, not just from a marketing perspective, but in every single aspect of business.

“Okay, I definitely agree. But where does Twitter come in? It’s pretty much considered a ‘one-to-many’ platform, right?”

Twitter 1Great question, seriously. To a lot of brands, that couldn’t be a truer assessment of Twitter. However, if we begin to shift our focus to using it more for communication and generating and maintaining relationships, we might see something amazing happen.

Here are five simple ways to get into the H2H mindset while using Twitter:

1. Automation

Seems like it shouldn’t be first when we are talking about H2H, right? The thing to do is use scheduling platforms correctly, and you will have the time to actually engage with your followers.

2. Twitter Lists

These can be a simple way to categorize individuals and groups you are following into lists to make engagement easier and more focused. Put your target audience in their own list; begin by talking to them about what interests them. Don’t engage about your product or services when you start replying, make it about them and their tweet!

3. Twitter Searches

Be sure that you’re looking into some of the conversations and tweets that are about your industry. Jump in, reply, and engage with individuals. This could lead to the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

4. Be Human

It isn’t B2H (Business to Human). It’s Human to Human! Make sure that your brand is being human too. Be accessible, be funny, be you! Relate to your target audience. Find your voice and run with it.

5.  Don’t Be a Stalker

Once this H2H interaction catches on with your followers, you might get seriously excited. Take a deep breath, go out for a coffee run, and come back. No one wants to get a favorite or a retweet from a brand on every single one of their tweets. That’s maybe just a little far. Be sure to take it slow.

Don’t be the friend that always talks about yourself. Be super human (not in a super hero way, unless that’s what you want) with the help of SJC. Contact us today to start being a more human brand.

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Monday Morning Coffee at the Eastside Rotary Spaghetti Dinner

Posted on February 17, 2014 by admin
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St. Joseph Eastside Rotary Spaghetti Dinner
Friday, Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Ashland United Methodist Church

Spaghetti, anyone? How about 500 platefuls – all covered with that special sauce that no one (and we mean no one) will share the recipe for? It’s only Monday, but it’s not too early to think about Friday night … and this week, you won’t want to miss the spaghetti heaven offered by St. Joseph Eastside Rotary.

Each February, the St. Joseph Eastside Rotary Spaghetti Dinner creates a significant amount of traffic and pasta at Ashland United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Mo., and all for some great causes. To fulfill its mission toward “service above self,” Eastside Rotarians will stir, boil, bake and serve hundreds of spaghetti dinners to area residents. The meal price helps the club support area charities, which have included groups like Shoes for Orphan Souls, Smoke the  Red Cross, Noyes Home, Royal Family Kids Camp, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Second Harvest Food Bank, MWSU Scholarships, Special Olympics, United Cerebral Palsy, SJSD Literacy Project, and the YMCA.

Many area residents think of it like a big family meal, visiting with Rotarians working behind the scenes and getting second helpings of the famous sauce. (The recipe remains a coveted secret). Others plan on attending each year and bringing home take-out to warm up a winter night at home. Tickets can be purchased as a walk-in, or online, and donations can be made online toward the event for those who can’t attend. rotary

As a past Eastside Rotary president and active member, our own Susan J. Campbell will be standing over cook pots and enthusiastically selling tickets. Like many other successful winter events for area nonprofit organizations, the secret lies in understanding that if something’s working, stay with it. The Eastside Rotary Spaghetti Dinner brings familiarity and tradition as several sets of local hands pull it all together. The format of the event and the sharing of proceeds with area organizations has stayed pretty much the same over the years, and it works.

This week, we invite you to purchase tickets for some great spaghetti from the Eastside Rotarians, knowing that your purchase helps several community groups do what they do best. We also ask you to consider your own marketing and brand messages – is there something you do really well that you could emphasize or share better? Have you left behind your “secret sauce,” and perhaps are considering a return to your core product or service attributes? Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions can help you get back to who you are and what you love. (But no, we can’t share the recipe for that sauce). See you Friday, Feb. 21st!

St. Joseph Eastside  Rotary Spaghetti Dinner
Friday, Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Ashland United Methodist Church
http://www.stjosepheastrotary.org/2014SpaghettiDinner.cfm

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Your Brand: A Love Story

Posted on February 14, 2014 by admin
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Social Media Marketing of 2014: What You Need to Watch For

Posted on February 13, 2014 by admin

2014At the beginning of 2013, we looked at social media and declared that it was going to be a major marketing tool for pretty much any brand or business in today’s society. Facebook and Twitter grew up and grew into effective marketing platforms for generating and maintaining target audiences.

New features and different tools were introduced throughout the year and pulled in even more potential consumers for businesses in almost every single industry. Social Media marketing stepped into using visually-oriented content, ranging from photos on Instagram and Pinterest to videos on Vine.

We can expect trends like this will only continue this year. Here is a list of Social Media Marketing trends that will show their faces this year, and for many years after this:

1. Social Media Marketing will become seriously integrated into business structure. Integrating social media marketing into other marketing resources is probably the smartest business move you could make, if you haven’t made it already.

2. Social Media Marketing will receive a bigger budget from companies. Already 93 percent of respondents to a Digital Marketing survey say they are increasing their budget for social media marketing.

3. Social Media Marketing will move from the online world to offline materials. Promoting your brand’s social media sites, the use of QR codes, and using 3D print technology are just a few different ways to promote to your target audiences while they are offline.

4. Social Media Marketing is going steady with contests. Contests and a variety of promotion tools can be a great way to garner success with your marketing efforts. It can give your business even greater exposure and stir up customer engagement.

Business owners that would like to compete in this quickly evolving, fast-paced technology-inclined society need to be sure they are keeping up with these (and all the other) social media marketing trends. Contact Susan J. Campbell today if you’re ready to take your social media marketing, and your business, to the next level.

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Social Media Content Directed at the Right Target Improves ROI

Posted on February 12, 2014 by admin

According to a recent survey by Social Media Examiner, around 58 percent of marketers said social media use has helped them to improve their sales. LinkedIn appears to be a popular site for B2B marketers, 65 percent of which said they’ve gained new customers through it. However, the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) found in its study that 49 percent of marketers say social media is the least effective tool they use in their marketing strategies.

According to CMI, about 62 percent of the marketers surveyed said LinkedIn isSocial Media 7 effective, while only 21 percent believed Google+ was effective. Twitter was the second most popular at 50 percent of marketers finding it effective. Thirty percent or fewer marketers found Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Vine effective.

For social media to be effective in the B2B market, your business needs to know the audience you are targeting. What’s probably most important in a marketing strategy is that you truly know the audience’s buying behavior. Reaching out through social media channels and offering social media content is a fruitless act if you don’t have a thorough understanding of the buyer.

Once the target is understood, developing objectives is the next crucial step. What is it that you’re trying to achieve with your social media content? Every channel is a little different, which means your content will have to be altered. Once you have clear objectives you will have something to measure against.

To get a better grasp on what your clients want, contact Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions where you’ll get the attention of seasoned professionals who know how to connect you to your target audience.

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Social Media Strategies That Work: How Making Content Marketing a Priority Pays Off

Posted on February 11, 2014 by admin

We all know that advertisers are no stranger to social media. Our news feeds are constantly supplying us with the next best product. With just a click of the mouse, you can gain access to your consumer’s newsfeeds. Gaining followers on social media is just the first step, but how can you take it a step further and encourage engagement from your target audience?

Content Marketing 9When creating a content marketing strategy, you must ask yourself two questions. First, what type of content do you need? Do you want to entertain your audience? Do you need to introduce a new product? Also, consider which type of content will get the most interaction. Are your followers more apt to share a video or answer a poll? The answers to these questions will help you tailor a social media experience that will get you the most bang for your advertising buck.

The second thing to consider in your content marketing strategy is how to create the type of content your consumers like. Keep in mind why people are on social media. They want to talk. They want to share. They want to engage. Your content marketing strategy needs to meet those needs. Your consumers want instant, timely content that is relative to what is going on in their lives.

For instance, during the 2013 Super Bowl, when a power outage caused a lull in the excitement, the world’s most famous cookie company, Oreo, capitalized on the online buzz and tweeted “You can still dunk in the dark” and practically received a standing ovation from its followers, who retweeted with a vengeance.

Creating effective content on social media should be the ultimate goal of all companies with an online presence. Whether you are seeking reviews or supplying your consumers with new ways to use your products, there are endless ways to be a valuable addition to your consumers’ social media experience.

To tap into the endless ways you can engage with your target audience, contact the professionals at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions, who can help you create an effect marketing strategy.

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Monday Morning Coffee: St. Joseph, Missouri, a “Top 10 Fastest-Growing Economies” City

Posted on February 10, 2014 by admin

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St. Joseph, Missouri. Everyone knows it is “where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended.” Or so the slogan goes. But what else is there to know about St. Joseph?

There’s its regional workforce that is truly the backbone to the city. It determines the economic growth and the overall prosperity of the region. St. Joseph is very diverse, since it holds a proximity to Kansas City and has that metropolitan influence while maintaining the rural community. It is composed of a wide variety of workers from farmers to scientists. This diversity has paved the way for St. Joseph, Missouri to be named among “America’s 10 Fastest-Growing Economies” by the USA Today!

Alec Friedhoff, a senior research analyst from the Brookings Institution, says that most of the economies on this list will have similar jobs and won’t look all that different. However, the key comes to if the economies are bringing in the outside income. They used a number of different statistics to measure the success of a city, one of the major ones being unemployment. It is said that unemployment is typically lower in areas where the economic growth is the highest.

So what do these numbers say about St. Joseph? We saw an increase in the gross metro product (GMP) of 4.5 percent in 2013 with a projected growth of 2.3 percent this year. Additionally, St. Joseph had an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent, which is significantly lower than the national rate at the same time. We all know that St. Joseph is a major hitter for the animal health and agricultural sciences businesses. The IHS Global Insight estimates an increase in construction and a rise in wages over the next year.

This is just another reason to be proud to live and work in St. Joseph, Missouri. We would like to recognize the significant influence the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has had within our community. Also, a big thank you to every individual who has contributed to the economic growth through the support of local businesses!

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How is Your Social Media Customer Engagement?

Posted on February 7, 2014 by admin

You’ve worked hard to create a quality product or service and you’re doing everything you can to let others know about what you’ve got to offer. You’ve probably established a budget for advertising, but what about social media strategies?

Social Media 6According to a Pew Research Center poll this summer, 72 percent of online adults are using social media networking sites. Teenagers are still more engaged in social media, but adults are catching up to them. With millions and millions of people engaged in these channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.), it’s high time to get your brand engaged.

It’s not as simple as signing up and sending out friend requests. A little planning goes a long way in getting value out of social media. Customer engagement is the goal, so you need to establish where your audience is. Many users will cruise social media sites professionally and also personally/socially.

Closed loop marketing is a good technique to use to track users. Marketing software used by marketing consultants can weed out avenues that provide lots of leads but no customers. Knowing where the customers are spending most of their time with social media is a valuable piece of information.

Once you’ve tracked down your audience and are linked to them, offer excellent content. Clogging your news feed with impersonal information that offers no chance for the audience to participate is not a good way to engage with your customers. Great customer engagement tactics include offering tips about using your products; blogs that you’ve written or find; offering case studies that pertain to your industry and announcing webinars.

If you’re stuck and don’t know exactly how to actively engage your customers in a great way, contact Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions where engaging the audience is our expertise.

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