Powerful Digital Strategies for Conquering Top Consumer Seasons

Integrated Plans that Grow Audience's All Year Long

Never underestimate the power of the seasons; their impact on society and the significant role they play in our lives. The world looks forward to certain celebratory seasons and occasions because of their emotional and educational value. Seasonal marketing campaigns can be the most influential contributor to a brand's success, inspiring customers to return multiple times throughout the year due to a positive 'first contact' experience. Seasonal campaigns matter because they're relevant to the times we're living in now. Everything we know and do is subject to being shared; from minute-to-minute restaurant experiences to hashtags that can boost sales with a single word. Then there are the Instagram stories that carry with them the short yet powerful punch that can increase your bottom line simply by being in the right place at the right time. Seasonal marketing campaigns remind us that "timing is still everything." 

Christmas in July: Using Familiar Concepts to Maximize Results 

Every retailer and e-commerce site has the opportunity to make a lasting, profitable impression during a particular season. Some clichés, though overused, never go out of style. They're an integral part of certain strategies that remain tied to images, memories, and buying patterns. Marketers who successfully weave intellect, emotion, and spirituality into the fabric of their seasonal campaigns have a better chance of connecting to the customer on a personal level. 

Seasonal Marketing Campaigns: How Early is Too Early?

It's all about strategy when choosing the right season to market your business. For example, you're in the pet food business and the Christmas season is right around the corner. Consumers who love spoiling their furry friends also buy them gifts. It's a great time of year to add pictures of pets wearing snowshoes or waiting on the porch for the next package delivery. It's easy and it makes sense to use real-life scenarios that people experience in their daily lives. 

Even though a season is short, it provides countless opportunities to reach beyond your present customer. By providing your customers with the following services, you plant seeds that grow throughout the life of your business. Taking advantage of seasonal marketing strategies such as Christmas in July can entice shoppers to purchase items earlier than anticipated by simply making it worth their while. 

· Shipping options: Allow customers a ship date they can lock in now

· Wishlist: The perfect way to give the perfect gift while referring new customers to your site

· Flash sales: A welcome, worthwhile surprise for existing customers

· Rewards: The word says it all; we know you and we thank you

· Huge discounts: Meaning what you say, and saying what you mean builds trust and creates brand loyalty 

Know Your Seasons and Start Planning: Meet the Top 5

According to Internet Retailer's Peak Seasons Report

, there are five holiday and non-holiday seasons that account for more than $136.69 billion in online sales: 

· Valentine's Day

· Mother's Day

· Back-to-School

· Halloween

· Christmas/Hanukkah

E-commerce sites base much of their seasonal marketing strategies on these top 5 occasions, knowing the success and expansion of their business may be dramatically influenced by seasonal shoppers. Marketing professionals who neglect including these occasions in their seasonal merchandising plans run the risk of missing optimal growth opportunities for the rest of the year. 

According to Internet Retailer

, "These five holiday periods combined accounted for an Internet Retailer-estimated $806.31 billion in total retail sales from Halloween 2017 through back-to-school season 2018. This 17% is higher than e-commerce's usual share of total retail sales, which Internet Retailer estimates was 13% of total retail sales in 2017. The report can be a guide for merchants to maximize sales during these periods, as it reveals key shopper trend data, including conversion rates and traffic, for each holiday and explains the online selling nuances for each. For example, nearly 70% of online spend on Mother's Day occurs just one week before the holiday, while the back-to-school online shopping season lasts for more than two months." 

Re-Vamping and Re-Cycling Seasonal Campaigns

Cost effective thinking is a useful strategy and it's a place where humor can really help. Once you commit to a specific advertising campaign, take another look. Can it be used during another time of the year? Does it include materials that are time-sensitive? Is there a way to add humor to re-market the product? Things to look for when the season is over: 

· Did the campaign produce desired results?

· Were there any constructive criticisms or reviews on the product?

· Did the content inform adequately?

· Were the product listings easy to understand and navigate?

· Did we maximize our potential by using multiple content types and various distribution platforms?

· What message did we send to the world?

· Is there an emotional takeaway from this campaign that can be meaningful later on?

· Sticking to a Schedule

Time is of the essence when planning a seasonal campaign. This translates to meticulous timing and attention to detail. If you're printing promotional materials, allow time for corrections. If your plans include a winter car sale, make sure the video production is completed by then.  Prepping for a season should immediately make you aware of the hundreds or thousands of other companies who are preparing as well. Everybody is going to be busy at the same time. You can turn this into an advantage by being prepared and ready to go at least two months before the holiday -- the sooner, the better.  

These are the points that make the difference. And, they provide you with opportunities to sit with your marketing team and talk about them together. One new idea can transform your ad into a seasonal favorite, increasing brand awareness and giving you a positive brand image.

Seasonal marketing takes place now but, it lives in the future. We see it over and over again, the companies who produce relevant yet timeless campaigns become part of our lives. Appealing to humanity's heart is a seasonal campaign. Within its pictures, words, and music lies the power to make us laugh, cry, or both. Certainly, gifts to be used wisely.

5 Steps to Structuring an Effective Digital Marketing Plan

The following steps are an effective means of integrating a digital strategy into your business. They provide a foundation for every key online marketing activity that takes place. They integrate the essential multichannel marketing activities

 of the customer's lifecycle and break them down into the following sections:

Planning

Implement a data-driven approach for reviewing the effectiveness of your current digital marketing campaign including:

· Customized analytics

· KPI dashboards

· SMART objectives 

Reach

Build your brand identity and increase awareness using these online marketing techniques which drive consumers to visit your site:

· Personal branding

· Content marketing

· Search engine optimization (SEO)

· Conversion optimization

· Social media marketing

· Email marketing

Act

Encourage visitors to interact on your web or social media site to generate leads for the future

Convert

Your website's goal is to convert organic traffic

. Once a visitor arrives conversion occurs via personal interests:

· Answer questions

· Describe products and features

· Promote purchases through sales or special offers

Engage

Sales happen when businesses meet the needs of the consumer quickly and professionally. Repeat customers are those who are satisfied with the product and customer service. The best way to retain your customer's attention is with follow-up communication using:

· Email

· Social media marketing

· Call to action

We all love a company that can make us smile. We, as business people, get educated and gain perspective from analyzing our work before and after a holiday season so look forward to looking back.  When we open our eyes and listen closely, the possibilities for prosperity become endless.

Real-Time Outsource operates 7 days a week providing proven social media and influencer strategies for the most recognized names online. We'd love to hear your comments, questions and, concerns. Please contact us

 today for cost-effective campaigns, eye-catching content, and monitoring of your reputation online. 

Source:  https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/digital-strategy-development/10-reasons-for-digital-marketing-strategy/

Source:  https://www.lifewire.com/what-are-smart-goals-2377425

Source:  https://www.rightoninteractive.com/multi-channel-marketing/

Source: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2018/10/09/peak-seasons-the-five-largest-online-sales-holidays/

Source:  https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seasonal-marketing-campaign-guide

 Source: https://buzzfixer.com/seasonal-marketing-campaigns/

Source:  https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-advertisements

Source:  https://muchneeded.com/mothers-day-statistics/

Source:  https://www.martechadvisor.com/articles/ux-and-cro/4-conversion-opportunities-you-had-no-idea-you-were-missing-out-on/

Let a Social Media Management Firm Boost Your Company's Online Presence

Lets get REAL about your social!

Let's face it. As an entrepreneur, you're pulled in numerous directions, and it is not always easy to manage your company's social media presence. It is for this reason that you should hire a qualified social media manager to fulfill those duties for you. Social media managers are responsible for setting up your social media accounts, responding to comments, posting announcements of your company's latest happenings, and hosting giveaways. Here is more information on hiring a social media manager.

Don't Expect Immediate Results

You should keep in mind that when you hire a social media manager, don't expect quick results. Your social media manager will create a feasible plan but it takes time to improve your company's presence on social media. You can talk with the manager to suggest specific strategies for targeting your customers better, but trust that he knows what he's doing.

Ask How The Process Works

It is also okay to ask the social media manager about how the process works for managing your accounts and analytics to track your campaign's success. A good manager will be transparent about the strategy he will use, and he will periodically check in with you to give updates on the campaign. Make sure the manager understands your brand's mission and target customer base before you hire him.

Key Benefits of Hiring a Social Media Manager

One benefit of hiring a social media manager is that you'll always have someone who can monitor your website's metrics and other tracking tools to figure out what works and what doesn't work for your company. It also saves you time and money. You'll be able to find an affordable social media manager who might even offer discounts for their services. It also puts you at an advantage over other businesses without a strong social media strategy.

Your Website Traffic Gets a Boost

Another good thing about hiring a social media manager is that it increases traffic to your website. For example, if you host giveaways on your Facebook page, the winners would be directed to your website and they might become subscribers to your email list. If your manager utilizes automation tools for your blog posts, this ensures a steady following on your social media accounts.

In conclusion, you can have a stronger social media presence by hiring a social media manager.

If you need excellent social media marketing for your business, contact us

.  Our team of experts is here to assist you with your advertising needs.

7 Realtime Strategy Dos and Don’ts

As with everything else, you have to understand digital strategy well in order to practice it. Sometimes, you only learn through trial and error. But, at other times, you can learn from the experiences of other people too. This way, you'll know what to avoid, such as keyword-stuffing, long articles without any subheadings and photos which are unclear in thumbnails. You'll also learn what you should try to do more of, such as introducing keyword variety, using clear and striking photos and maintaining a clean-looking website. These are some of the things that people with experience in digital strategy usually recommend:

1. Don't do keyword-stuffing. At one point of time, people used to pick a keyword and keep using it in their content in order to get more hits. Now, however, search engines have wised up to this strategy and will actually penalize you if you do this.

2. Don't write very long articles. Reading on the internet is not like reading in a magazine. It may not be unusual to see an article which is several pages long in a magazine. But this will be too much for someone browsing the internet.

3. Do break up your content using subheadings. This makes it easier to read. You can also use bullet points and lists which are very appealing to the internet reader.

4. Don't use panoramic photos. When people do a search for a topic, they're going to get a number of search results which include small photos. So it's best to use close ups which are clear even at thumbnail size rather than panoramic photos which are not. (If you can tell what's in your panoramic photo when you view it as a thumbnail, it's ok to use it.)

5. Do design an intuitive website. This means keeping the website clean-looking and not too busy. Plus, the headings of your tabs should be easy to understand and the material under these tabs should be relevant to the headings.

6. Do post on social media as often as possible. You can't start a social media account and then let it sit there unused. If you want to attract new customers, you have to keep the conversation going.

7. Do start a blog and update it as often as possible. Fresh material is the only way to get new people to visit your website. And if you're writing something that will add value to the life of your consumer, then all the better.

Contact us for more dos and don'ts when it comes to digital strategy.

Have You Considered These Latest Social Media Strategies?

How often do you engage on social?

Social media marketing trends change frequently, and it is no different this year. In order to get the most out of your social media strategy, you must be aware of the latest tools and services that can help you. This is not to say that you need to follow every social media trend that exists. You can tailor those trends to your business needs and goals. In addition, not every strategy will work for your target customer base. Here are some of the best social media strategies for 2019.

Do More Live Streaming

This is a strategy that you should use as often as possible. Live streaming allows you to engage your audience in a more direct and personal way, and this is an element that was missing from traditional TV broadcasting. With live streaming, you can read and answer questions right away. This creates an educational yet still intimate atmosphere with your audience. Live streaming is great for webinars, online courses, or Q&A sessions. Live streaming allows you to reach more diverse niche audiences. This strategy is also affordable and it is not too time-consuming,

Partnerships with Influencers

In the past, you would reach out to major advertisers but you had to jump through a lot of hoops to work with them. That's no longer the case in 2019 thanks to partnerships with social media influencers. The good news is that influencers don't have to be celebrities or well-known bloggers. In fact, you can partner with micro-influencers to get the word out. Micro-influencers are those who have smaller social media followings but who are still doing well enough to attract sponsors.

In conclusion, social media marketing is here to stay. The key is to devise a strategy that will work the best for you. This comes with experimentation and even some failures. But in the end, you'll have a solid plan that attracts new customers.

No More Occasional Engagement

As a business owner, you want to constantly engage your audience without being spammy. You should post diverse types of content on a regular basis, and respond to emails as quickly as possible. Use social media automation tools to schedule your content for certain days of the week. You can hire a social media manager to complete these tasks to make things easier.

In conclusion, social media marketing is here to stay. The key is to devise a strategy that will work the best for you. This comes with experimentation and even some failures. But in the end, you'll have a solid plan that attracts new customers.

 If you need an excellent social media strategy, contact us

.  We offer services that will improve your brand's visibility on social media.

Four Straightforward Strategies to Win at Social in 2019

Four Straightforward Strategies to Win at Social in 2019

Have you evaluated your marketing strategies for social media in 2019? If not, you are not alone. The fact is that 2018 was a hectic year, especially with all the issues swirling around Facebook. Regardless, some brands took bold steps, launching socially conscious and sometimes controversial campaigns.  

Regardless, it is time to update your strategies for social media, incorporating the latest trends. In this article, we are reviewing the top trends and shifts based on our internal data and insights.

1. Increase Audio and Video Content - Generally speaking, online users are spending dramatically more time watching videos and listening to podcasts than engaging with written content. Of course, this trend is impacting different industries and markets at different levels. Nevertheless, audio and video are dominating social media. 

2. Begin Marketing in the Now - Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms are rewarding brands that live-stream with increased organic reach. The big trend marketers have known about for years is being seen as authentic. Live video is a way to highlight the people behind your brand, becoming more authentic and personal.

3. Become Responsive - Consumers and potential customers have an expectation that they can reach out to brand on social media. As a result, they will go visit a social channel to ask questions before a website or dialing a phone number. It is critical to check your Facebook Inbox and Twitter Direct Messages regularly and respond in a timely manner.

4. Evaluate Your Data - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social platforms are providing a treasure trove of data to measure your impact and success. Take the time to look closely and analyze your data. You will discover which posts attract the most views and engagement, new followers, and website visitors.

Strategies for social media in 2019 must line up with your overall marketing strategy and also be measured against your overall business performance. That said, effective utilizing social media is necessary for long-term success and attracting new customers.

What haven't we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like more strategies for social media in 2019, or to discuss a related topic, please contact us.

3 Questions You Need To Ask Before Choosing Your Social Media Platform

If you're a business, then you already know that getting onto social media is one of the smartest things you can do. It gives you the potential to reach millions of eyes, it takes a relatively small amount of time, and best of all it's free! With that said, though, it's important to ask which social media site (or sites, if you have the time and energy to build up multiple platforms) is right for you?

Unfortunately there is no one, right answer to that question. But there are some questions you can ask to narrow the field, and to figure out which platform is best for you, and your business.

Question #1: Who Is Your Target Audience?

The first thing you need to ask is who is your target audience, and where are you most likely to reach them?

As a for instance, say you are primarily marketing yourself to other businesses, or to professionals. The best platform to reach the people who will be interested in picking up what you're laying down is likely LinkedIn, even if other social media websites may be more popular, or larger in scope. As WP Curve points out, if you only have the resources to build up a single social media platform then it's better to focus on your sights in a place where you'll get more engagement, even if it is from a smaller population.

Question #2: What Kind of Content Will You Be Sharing?

While you can share all kinds of content on all kinds of social media sites, the sort of content you'll be sharing most will affect your chances of success.

For example, is your business very visual? If you're going to be primarily sharing pictures, then you might find more success on Instagram or Pinterest than you would on Facebook, even though Facebook will let you post images as surely as anything else. On the other hand, if you're going to be making videos then it's important to ask if YouTube or Vimeo will serve you better, even though such sites may not be strictly considered social media by some people's definition. The purpose of the site you're on, and how well that meshes with your goals and what you'll be providing can make a huge difference, as Vertical Response tells us.

Question #3: Which Is Most Visible?

While it might seem like it contradicts the first question, it is important to consider the sheer size and connectivity of the social media site you're planning on using, in addition to the interaction you can get from it, according to Medium.

As an example, compare MeWe with Facebook. Both of these sites allow you to join themed groups, post content, and to reach other users organically. However, Facebook is by far the larger of these two options, with bigger tools, more groups, and additional options. While MeWe may still provide you with engagement, and allow you to reach people who are interested in the products or services you're providing, it simply can't compete with Facebook in terms of ROI. Additionally, because of Facebook's sheer size and track record, it's a website that everyone knows about. While it's possible some folks may be aware of MeWe (largely due to Google + shutting down and the groups there looking for a new home to migrate to), it simply isn't going to be as well known.

Sometimes it's a good example to join the social media sites that are the most popular, precisely because they're the ones everyone knows and uses. That means they'll be the first places someone goes looking for your page. For more information on finding the right social media platform for you and your business, simply contact us today!

5 Popular Digital Strategy Myths Busted

People often assume that there is some secret to doing well in the digital world. Are you going to suddenly start getting more hits by posting at a certain time? What if you start writing about celebrities? Is that going to make you more popular? What if you start writing in a slangy way? What if you start using a lot of big words or jargon? Will people assume that you know more? These are some of the myths that have been perpetuated when it comes to digital strategy. So let's get rid of them once and for all.

1.    Time: Is it really that important to post at a certain time? The fact is that people check their email and social media first thing when they get into work. And teens tend to check when they get off from school. So sometimes, it can help you to post at certain times. But the fact is that if you keep posting regularly and writing good content, the time you're posting at is not going to matter that much.

2.    Celebrities: Sure, you might get a lot of hits by writing about the hot celebrities of the day. But are these the types of hits that you want? Are any of these people going to turn into customers? Probably not. So writing about celebs may get you more hits in the short term but doesn't help you any in the long run.

3.    Slang: If slang comes naturally to you, then sure, feel free to use it. But if you're forcefully using slang into order to appeal to a younger age group, you can be sure they'll have you figured out in no time!

4.    Jargon: No one wants to read big words that they don't know or understand. There might be some people who will be impressed by this type of language, but the majority will leave your website when they find they aren't getting any of the information they need.

5.    Attractive Models: Most people assume they need to use attractive models on their websites if they want to get more traffic. But the fact is that it's more effective to use relatable models—models who look at least a little bit like your customer. So why not mix it up and use models who are white, black, skinny, plus-size, men, women, young, old etc.? Your potential customers will appreciate you for it.

Contact us to learn more about increasing your following in the digital world.

Understanding Influencer Marketing and Using it to Your Advantage

Many people think that the term "influencer" only applies to people who are really popular, like celebrities. Sure, actors and models might be influencers but there are a number of other influencers out there in different fields. There are bloggers who have large followings, Instapoets who have garnered up to 2.5 million followers and people who have managed to connect with others on the internet on the basis of shared interests. There are people who post about fashion, beauty, parenthood, fitness, interior decoration, art and many other topics.

Influencers Post Written and Visual Data

The influencer's posts might be written; this is usually the case with bloggers. Or the influencer may just put photographs on Instagram or other social media sites. Usually, influencers use a combination of written and visual data. Think about the people you follow on social media or the internet and you'll find that this is true for most of them.

Finding an Influencer You Can Work With

So how do you find an influencer whom you can work with in your business? The first step is to discover these influencers, which can be done with a simple internet search. When you find someone who has a significant number of followers, take a look at their posts. Make sure that this person is posting something that you agree with. For example, if you're selling prints of classical artwork, there's no point in working with a blogger who only likes modern art. So you can't really skip this step. You have to thoroughly understand that influencer's point of view before you approach them.

Approaching and Working with an Influencer

When you approach them, you can do so in various ways. You can ask them to blog for you. Or you can ask them to review your products for their blog. For the first option, of course, you can offer to pay them. But it's not a good idea to pay anyone to review your products on their blog. You can send them the products free of charge and it should be up to them to review them as they see fit.

So start with one or two products and see if the influencer seems to recommend them. If so, then you can develop a relationship with that influencer and send them all your new products in the future.

Contact us for more tips to work with any influencer.

21st Century Advertising Is On Social Media

Photo Credit: Coupon Plugin

While signs of advertising are detected in ancient eras, its biggest boom came around the mid-19th century in capitalist economies, through the use of newspapers and magazines. Radio and television commercials during the 20th century increased the saturation of ads, covering every bit of blank space possible with marketing campaigns. The 21st century is no exception to the evolution of commerce. Social media is now the leading platform for advertising. If you're business is still focusing on traditional forms of marketing, your campaign is officially outdated. 

Consumers have become more resistant.

Like an insect whose evolution made them a superbug, immune to repellent, people have become progressively resistant to traditional forms of advertising. The overload of exposure has resulted in consumers seeing right through marketing strategies. People don't want to feel like they're being sold to, which means companies need to get creative.

Social media provides powerful opportunities for new campaigns.

While print and commercial ads are limited in time, space, and money, social media platforms can break through these barriers. Strategies can include:

• User Generated Content – users promoting the brand, so the brand doesn't have to, generating word-of-mouth reliability.

• Brand Influencers – influential personalities connect with your target audience, producing organic growth.

• Trust and Transparency – gaining loyalty of consumers by being open and honest about who you are, and what you provide.

• Artificial Intelligence – tools such as chatbots, a conversational interface that uses text forms to communicate to your following.

Social media advertising is imperative for every brand.

Business marketing needs to grow at the same rate of technology to acquire and maintain the interest of their target market. Results show the rapid growth of social media advertising, confirming the continual evolution of marketing over the past couple centuries. Using social media platforms to advertise your business will produce a wider reach, save money, establish 24/7 customer service, and keep your marketing fresh and up-to-date. 

For more information on strategies that can boost your success, contact us so one of our experts can help!

Twitter Is a Prime Platform for Business in 2019

As one of the biggest social media platforms worldwide, Twitter is a remarkable tool to use for anyone looking to market their business to a target audience. Considering the highest percentage of consumers also make up a big portion of the 336 million monthly active users, your Twitter profile may be well worth building. While a successful profile is more than having a memorable handle and a clean, cohesive branding (although, these elements are rather important), the following tips can help make Twitter an optimal marketing channel for your business.

Land more sales.

It's never been so easy to find exactly what your customers are looking for. Twitter is the place your patrons go to express their desires in a few key phrases, followed by a hashtag, or two. This is gold for any commerce that has the product or solution to save the day. Consider the common phrases and keywords your target market may tweet and reuse them to get in on the trending conversation.

Track your success.

Tracking is one of the many resourceful benefits of Twitter, when utilized efficiently. Twitter is full of useful data that can skyrocket your success by simply placing trackable links in valuable places. Suggestions can be your calls-to-action, promotional, or sharable content tweets. Get some customer validations by asking some beta testing questions. Know exactly which tweets and timeframes your followers engage with the most.

Engaging is key.

Twitter can seem difficult to establish at first but one thing to keep in mind is tweet, and then tweet some more. Engage with your audience or expect to fall off the radar. Slowly let them leak throughout the day to keep your viewers' interest. However, a good rule to follow is avoid tweeting a bunch of tweets all at one time. You may consider using a scheduling systemto maintain consistency, so your following knows when to expect you.

Twitter is a prime platform in social media to engage with your following, increase your reach, and share your message or product with the world. Whenever your potential customers are on social media, so are we. Let our team of experts work hard for you!