BlogSearch Engine Optimization (SEO)

How Voice Search Will Change The Future Of SEO

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The advent of the digital age has completely transformed our daily lives, especially the way we search for information. Voice search is no longer viewed as something that’s nothing more than a sci-fi trope. It has arrived and is being used in full flow right now. Consumers have made voice…

The advent of the digital age has completely transformed our daily lives, especially the way we search for information. Voice search is no longer viewed as something that’s nothing more than a sci-fi trope. It has arrived and is being used in full flow right now. Consumers have made voice search a vital part of their interactions, including everything from handheld to home devices. So, voice search optimization being one of the top SEO trends in 2018 is also something which needs to be looked at seriously. But like all things new and shiny, search for voice also comes with its list of doubts and queries. And it is addressed to all concerned parties – consumers, technology providers and marketers as well.

The questions that are often asked are

  • Can voice search be monetized? If yes, how?
  • What kind of questions is suitable for voice search?
  • Is voice search performance trackable?
  • Why is voice search used at all?
Let’s start at the very beginning with a background on what Voice Search really is. Like the name suggests, it’s fairly simple to comprehend. Voice Search lets users talk their heart out – well, not really, but it does allow them to directly ask queries to a search engine through their cell phone, or any other desktop device. Following the voice command, the search engine then looks for data that answers the consumer’s question. When it comes to providers, they use voice search to understand a user’s profile as well as gauge any intentions through the questions asked. They also take into consideration their geography and their browsing history when they attempt to answer the query in a jiffy. Since it’s been around for over 10 years or more, voice search has had its fair share of funny moments, with weird bloopers and gaffs. So, users found it safe to type in the questions, rather than go with voice search in the past. But now, things are transforming at a frankly unbelievable rate. Google’s Hummingbird algorithm has helped users get closer to conversational searches. This indicates that Voice Search seems to be next natural step that will see development alongside movements in the conversational search. Moving ahead, as we witness natural language processes progressing, we’ll realize the importance of digital P.As. like Alexa and Siri. They will second guess our conversations, participate with us in our banter, and even go forward and shoot questions at us and, on the way, comprehend the true meaning of our sentences. Google Assistant is already out there doing all this and more. With the ability to ask questions, this technology understands the user better and performs actions such as the booking of tickets, setting up reminders, and so much more. But Google’s not alone; Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Baidu are all part of the game and are investing fantastically in what is apparently poised to be the next big thing.

Why is voice search so significant?

Voice recognition, voice search and natural language processing are of utmost importance to the world’s biggest IT companies. They are incessantly striving to make it both all-pervasive and seamless. Digital assistants, driven by the technology that fortifies voice search, can connect everything from your home to your car, and even your workplace. Voice search optimization will also gain significance, not only because of the enhanced technology at the consumer's’ disposal but also because a lot of people have grown up with this feature and are accustomed to using it as a matter of convenience. Voice search also offers the chance to give its users exactly what they need, regardless of the size of the business. For example, if the customer says, “Give me directions to the closest cafe,” he will in all probability reach one of the independent ones.

Some tips on how to tackle the rise of voice search SEO:

1. Use speech the way you speak - naturally

Most of us speak in one manner and type in another form when we are looking for something online. While speaking, it is generally a full sentence like – “where can I find a flea market in the UK?” or something along those lines. However, when one puts this into words, it can become as short as – “Flea market in the UK.” So, it is imperative for voice search to know and understand the user’s natural way to converse. With advancements in voice search, the error rates have come down to almost 8% from 20% in just 5 years. It’s becoming more adept at picking up our speech styles and quirky pronunciations. This will obviously be considered in the strategies devised by marketers, who are interested in voice search. There are tools available online that assist with the development of language as well. These tools present the natural speech patterns of users who prefer voice search over anything else. Your content should also be a reflection of your interest in voice search. Incorporating natural speech into your content will help you improve your ranking considerably. Using a chatty or informal tone will help pick up on the shades of colloquialism or everyday language.

2. Long-tail keywords

Short-tail keywords seemingly come across as irrelevant, especially in the case of voice searches. This is because consumers use natural phrases when using voice search. A recent study shows that around 20% of mobile queries are voice searches, and the trend is growing faster as compared to type search. So, it is gaining more importance by the day to make sure that the right keywords are used so as to capture the essence of voice searches. Conversational, long-tail keywords will also aid in boosting your SEO. Long-tail keywords encompass some extremely detailed keyword phrases that are generally utilised by users who are intent on buying something. Taking this into consideration, the keywords should be able to flesh out product characteristics, features and advantages. For example, if you deal with modern lighting solutions, the succinct keyword “lights” will not help you engage users or even capture their attention if they are using voice search. But keywords like “modernist architecture inspired ceiling light” will better showcase what your prospective customers want or are looking for.

3. Mobile should be a major focus

The fact that mobile is big news is a very old statement. But, with voice search becoming so big, mobile has become even more important than before. More than 50% of search queries come from mobile, so marketers are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to boosting their SEO with regards to voice search. Marketers know that most voice searches are done while on the move. So, they need to ensure that the content is optimized accordingly in context of voice search optimization. Some vital pointers to be taken care of:
  • Search will take the route of a more natural, conversational approach.
  • The need and the norm of the day will be long-tail keyword terms, as voice search becomes detailed and longer.
  • Report on voice search through Structured Query Reporter (SQR) information, and Search Analytics will be made available in the near future, with digital assistants sharing their data.
  • Content will give users straight and direct answers to the queries that have been asked. The focus will be on precision and accuracy, not succinctness.
  • The leaders in the game will focus and grow on the basis of providing the best answer for any voice search queries.
  • Amazon might go ahead and use augmented reality to synergize its offline stores with its e-commerce experience.
  • There will be a rise in the search results where videos are concerned. This will be so because the medium is apt for voice search results interface.
  • Google will try and come up with innovative ways to monetize its products.

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    BlogDigital Marketing / Inbound Marketing

    Way to Increase College Enrolment Online

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    According to a study (1), over 50% of the colleges will go out of business by 2030, which is obviously a scary stat. In past few years, with the advent of online education, the traditional education mediums have taken a severe hit. The sheer degree of change that the education…

    According to a study (1), over 50% of the colleges will go out of business by 2030, which is obviously a scary stat. In past few years, with the advent of online education, the traditional education mediums have taken a severe hit. The sheer degree of change that the education sector has observed in recent times is nothing short of revolutionary. Access to information, change in gender ratio, diversity of students, technological advancements and increasing competition are just a few of the many factors that are affecting the industry. With so many changes going around, institutes feel a dire need to revamp their educational marketing strategies, so that they can improve their enrolment ratio. The primary process of higher education marketing is a two-step process: a.) Create awareness to attract students and parents towards an institute b.) Transform the enquires into successful enrolments While many colleges that are adopting these changes, and leveraging the digital platforms to reach out to their TG right where they are supposed to be. However, the conversion rate of enquires to enrolments is still an issue that simply can’t be ignored. Just promoting the college campus and facilities is not going to work, and colleges must consider other factors like demographics and the financial circumstances of students.

    Here’s a list of strategies that can help improve the conversion rate:

    1. Fix a number

    This is the most crucial step in deciding the marketing strategy, budget and other aspects of any campaign. It is highly recommended to set your expectations and goals beforehand, and failing to do so will lead to institutes spending more resources for virtually no rewards. These goals are not just about numbers, it must also include aspects like the sex ratio of students and geographical reach.

    2. Analyse and list down the resources to meet your enrolment expectations

    Marketers/college authorities need to make a call and decide the limit when it comes to the resources they want to spend on achieving their enrollment targets. You don’t want to spend all your resources just to reach a target and then end up with nothing for other aspects of your business.

    3. Develop both short and long-term plans

    Yes, it is important to focus on the present and work on achieving your targets, but it also important to set a bigger goal as well. It is important to develop a realistic strategic plan for a set number of years, and plan out a course of development for your institute. Without a bigger picture in your mind, the smaller ones will fizzle out in the long run.

    4. Mark your presence everywhere

    Having a presence on digital platforms is more than a requirement now; if you’re not on Facebook, then you’re just outdated. Make sure your institute is present on every platform where your TG is visible. A strong interactive website, an informative Twitter account, an up-to-date Facebook page, and blogs to educate the audience is something that you simply can’t miss out on if you want to win the race.

    5. Offer early decision benefits

    Confirmations, early bird discounts, and getting a desirable accommodation near a particular college are just a few of the reasons why some students focus on getting enrolled early in colleges. Institutions that don't offer such early bird attraction points or activities are losing a lot of potential business.

    6. Influence parents

    If there is anyone else that an institute must target other than students, it’s definitely the parents. Colleges must market themselves such in a way that parents can resonate with them and understand the potential of the educational institution in question.

    7. Encourage communities

    The more the students interact, the greater is the buzz generated for the institute. Creating Facebook groups, communities, and alumni networks for students to communicate with each other is a great way to engage students and improve the bonding between them. Especially now, when students are active on social media platforms more than ever, every conversation on a digital platform about your college can be used to market yourself better.

    8. Create surprising experiences

    The ultimate hack to keep anyone engaged is to make them feel special. When you make an effort to do something special for someone, then they’re bound to appreciate it. If a college works to give something beneficial to students and parents that they never expected, then it creates an affinity towards your brand in their minds, and they’ll undoubtedly spread the word about something like this. And let’s face it – no publicity is greater than word of mouth.

    9. Track your marketing and recruiting activities

    One mistake that most of the educational institutes make is that they don’t measure the metrics of their marketing campaigns. However, you’ll soon realize that when you start measuring these metrics, then you’ll get a firm grip on what is working in favor of the institute, and what’s nothing more than a waste of resources. If you’re a college that’s just looking to improve the enrolment rate, then we recommend you to consider the strategies mentioned above for a successful turnaround. Of course, these are just some tricks that pretty much any institute can apply, and if you want to improve the reach and visibility of your brand then you can visit here to properly understand how to make your strategies work.

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      BlogDigital Marketing / Inbound Marketing

      Rising Phase of Digital Marketing in Education Sector

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      How often do you come across a situation when you see a brand using old-school marketing tactics? We guess that it’s not so frequent as it used to be. Ever since digital platforms have taken center stage, offline marketing/traditional marketing has taken a backseat. Digital marketing not only helps a…

      How often do you come across a situation when you see a brand using old-school marketing tactics? We guess that it’s not so frequent as it used to be. Ever since digital platforms have taken center stage, offline marketing/traditional marketing has taken a backseat. Digital marketing not only helps a brand to promote themselves to the right audience but also strengthens the authority of the brand and improves their business procedures. There’s a widespread belief that the education sector doesn’t depend on marketing, but – as odd as it may sound – it’s simply not true. With online education practices making a noticeable impact in the industry, there has been a lot of changes when it comes to how students consume information. If we compare today’s scenario with how the education industry was ten years ago, we can confidently say that it’s a complete revolution. The way in which information is consumed and people interact with each other has completely transformed with the advent of the digital landscape. This has directly influenced how universities and colleges reach out to their TG. Digital marketing is the best possible solution for educational institutes to mark their presence and attract students towards them.

      Here are a few reasons why and how digital marketing can help educational institutes to market themselves better:

      1. Reach your audience where they are comfortable

      The Internet has changed the paradigms of how we look at things. Anything we want and need is now available online. This is especially true for the younger generation, who are completely hooked to the online world and spend most of their time using social media platforms. Therefore, marketing at the platforms where your audience will surely be present will pay off.

      2. Digital marketing is more educational and informative and less of sales

      Unlike traditional methods, digital marketing isn’t supposed to look like a sales pitch to parents and students. Today, when people have an attention span which lasts less than 7 seconds, it is impossible to keep them engaged with a typical sales pitch or long articles. It has to be engaging and informative to keep the audience hooked on your content.

      3. Endless opportunities to engage a wider audience

      With digital marketing tips and tricks at hand, an institute can reach out to a greater audience than it can connect with traditional strategies. Colleges can reach out to students at remote locations, and in places that they can’t reach physically. This will help them get more inquiries from a more significant geographic landscape.

      4. Trackable results

      Often, educational institutes end up spending a fortune on their marketing activities to attract students towards them and are never actually able to measure the return on their investments. With digital marketing, institutes can decide the metrics of their marketing spends and measure the ROI of the same. Once they know what’s working and what’s not, institutes can focus on the strategies that are truly generating dividends to amplify their results exponentially.

      5. Marking authority

      Using digital platforms, educational institutes can establish themselves as an authority in the domain and increase their awareness amongst their audience. When a brand establishes an authority over a specific domain, they don’t have to shout and declare this achievement to the world to convey a message. Whatever they say is read and considered by many. Similarly, when an institute identifies its TG and establishes their authority, they don’t have to go out and pitch themselves to people. The perfect way to do this is to use the inbound digital marketing tactics. For example: Over an extended period, Indian School of Business has established themselves as the premier school for business management, and didn't have to pitch themselves anymore to students since, at this point, students were mostly coming to them.

      6. Mapping customer journey is a master trick of digital marketing

      The process of generating leads and converting these leads into a successful business is complex, and mapping the customer journey helps simplify this process. The same model works for educational institutes, where mapping the journey of getting an inquiry from a person seeking admission to convert him/her to a student is essential. If an institute can map this journey, then they can correctly identify and understand the disconnect between the two points, and work to improve this particular aspect. While we have mentioned quite a few ways on how digital marketing can help an educational institute to market themselves better, here are a few case studies about how these institutes opted for digital platforms and increased their admissions with a sizeable number. Further, if you wish to understand better on how digital marketing can help your institute increase its reach to a wider audience, you can visit here.

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        Importance of Online Marketing for Education Sector Industry

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        The education sector has become more competitive and sophisticated than ever before. This is due to the increase in the number of digital marketing agencies. In today's era of competition, institutions need to adapt to effective digital marketing strategies to go through new changes. Nowadays, the invention of the internet…

        The education sector has become more competitive and sophisticated than ever before. This is due to the increase in the number of digital marketing agencies. In today's era of competition, institutions need to adapt to effective digital marketing strategies to go through new changes. Nowadays, the invention of the internet has totally changed the way people consume products, especially the ones related to education. Although we haven’t reached the point where digital marketing has obscured traditional marketing entirely, the Indian context offers a promising premise – especially if we take the example of the education industry. But why is digital marketing becoming an important part of the education industry? Digital marketing for education is becoming a promising platform due to the increase of web and digital media in the education sector. This sector has transformed entirely, and this is partly due to the widespread access that people have due to the internet. Therefore, educational industries should keep this in mind and work on their digital presence to reach a large number of students & parents with ease. This is one of the many reasons why digital marketing is considered to be the best option when it comes to reaching out to both students and parents.

        Here are some reasons why you should consider the utilization of digital marketing for your institution-

        1. Cost-effective

        Digital marketing is very cost-effective; it is the best medium to attract a broader audience at little to no cost. With the help of an educational marketing agency, the institution can get excellent results with smaller investments and can also avail services like search engine optimization, social media marketing, mobile marketing and email marketing. It implies that educational institutes can focus on a more significant audience at a low cost, and achieve greater benefits.

        2. Enhance Brand Awareness

        Digital marketing is the best way to generate brand awareness through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., as they comprise a greater section of the audience. This can help enhance followers and improve the conversion rate as well.

        3. Facilitates performance tracking

        You can track campaign performance with the help of relevant digital marketing tools, which can help extensively when it comes to measuring and tracking the overall effectiveness of your marketing campaign. This marketing strategy can also be changed if the statistics of the institution are on a low. Digital marketing in the education sector helps to redirect the focus of the strategy, so that can help optimise the marketing mix.

        4. High Conversion Rate

        Online educational marketing platforms receive a high conversion rate. Messaging platforms like SMS and e-mails are some of the forms of digital marketing that receive a high response rate due to the fact that they are personal and educational institutes can easily reach their targeted audience in an effective way.

        5. Digital Presence

        Forming a great digital presence is imperative for any institution, and the education sector is no exception to this fact. With the majority of people finding their information online, it’s highly recommended to establish a strong digital presence to make sure that students and parents can discover you on these channels and consider your institution while making their choice.

        6. Promote through paid channels

        Search and display ads are one of the most effective ways to market an educational institution. Lead generation can yield more results through ad campaigns, as it directs a large section of the online audience towards your site. This is the most appropriate way to drive traffic to the website. Usage of relevant and best keywords will also help in increasing the total number of impressions.

        7. Manage online reputation

        Nowadays, managing your online reputation is a must. This can be done by promoting quality blogs, capturing videos, garnering testimonials from achievers and great inspirational personalities, gaining and implementing alumni feedback, and promoting positive campus news to gain the attention of the audience. This generates interest in the minds of the audience, which leads to a quality online reputation. Thus, for an educational institution to be successful in today’s era, it’s a must to utilize and implement a comprehensive and well-thought-out digital marketing strategy. This digital marketing strategy should be ideated and implemented properly so that the educational institution can enjoy all the benefits, such as high levels of student enrolment, improved cost-effectiveness, garnering a strong reputation, and also attaining a higher conversion rate and a higher rate of return when it comes to your investment. The time has come for every institution to trigger a long-term digital plan with a carefully thought out objective so that it can amplify its brand identity and presence. One of the most effective ways to do so is by enlisting the services of an online education marketing agency to help facilitate this transformation into a new era of digital marketing.

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          BlogSearch Engine Optimization (SEO)

          What CMOs Should Expect From SEO Company

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          As a CMO, if you feel that your business is growing at a relatively slow pace, and the ROI is not as high as you had anticipated, then it’s obvious that you have to take the appropriate measures to handle this situation. You may have decided to prioritize SEO, and…

          As a CMO, if you feel that your business is growing at a relatively slow pace, and the ROI is not as high as you had anticipated, then it’s obvious that you have to take the appropriate measures to handle this situation. You may have decided to prioritize SEO, and redirect a considerable amount of your funds for that purpose. After making the initial improvements yourself, you might find out that while you have the budget, you simply don’t have enough time to strategize and execute a proper SEO plan. Hence, you’ll consider outsourcing SEO services to a dedicated and professional SEO team. This leads to you finalizing an SEO company and finishing signing the dotted line with the agency. Now, you may have a question in mind as to what’s next, and as a CMO you really want to make sure that you have made the correct decision. You would also want to know how this SEO company works, and stay up-to-date about the current trends in the online world. Be informed about the Best SEO Techniques to Rank #1 in Search Engines. So, here are a few points that every CMO must take note of and expect from every SEO company so that they always keep you informed about how the company is performing online:

          1. Provide a Brand Brief to the SEO Agency

          After you have finalized an SEO services agency to look after your company’s online marketing, you should conduct an introductory meeting with their team, either in person, conference call or via video. This is to give them an introductory brief about your brand and introduce them to the other employees of your organisation. In this meeting, you will be introduced to the account manager and other employees of the team. This meeting would provide then with the opportunity to ask you additional questions about your business, marketing, and SEO goals. It would also enable them to outline their method of working and clarify their remuneration policies. This also includes laying down their expectations while working with them. While the company clarifies what you can expect from them, you need to ensure they have properly understood what your expectations are from them. Let them clarify things you do not know about, such as billing cycles and time allotment. It is also important to remember that the sales team you previously worked with were probably giving you generalities and some likely strategies which would work for the company. Once your team gets a chance to have a closer look at your website, they may have some different suggestions and strategies regarding internet marketing. The initial meeting also provides a great opportunity to reconcile the differences between what the sales representatives of the SEO company suggested and what your own in-house marketing specialists have suggested is the best solution. This provides an excellent opportunity for you to ask additional questions or express any concerns that you may have thought of. Make sure to list out these questions, and also make sure that all of these questions get answered.

          2. Initial website SEO audit

          The first thing a professional SEO company should do is to perform an initial SEO audit of your site. If you have a Google Analytics account, then your newly hired SEO team would seldom use it, since they would likely bring their additional tools and software with them to diagnose the SEO health of your site. The time it takes for them to finish the audit and declare the result will depend upon the size and complexity of your site. For example, a website with many pages will take much longer than a website with just a few pages. Someone from your SEO team would call to discuss the results of the audit. This person should be the person directly managing your account. He or she would clearly explain their observations, suggestions and lay out the next steps that need to be taken. The more interactive the call, the better it is. Depending upon the contract you have with the company, you should ideally get an e-mail with the account manager’s notes. Step-by-step directions on how to implement these changes should also be expected from the team. However, if you have given adequate website access to your team, then they can directly implement the changes for you.

          3. Regular communications and check-ins

          A good, reliable and professional SEO team won’t just give you a list of “to-do’s” based on their website audit observations and findings. Your account manager should always be available to answer any questions that you may have. Your SEO team should give you regular reports about all the metrics of SEO. Throughout your contract, your account manager will let you know if there is something wrong with any metric, what are the issues with it and how can they be resolved. He or she will also work with their team to troubleshoot any issues that may come up.

          Conclusion

          You will come to know that you have made the right choice if the company is willing to speak to you clearly about their strategies, regularly conducts SEO audits and always keeps you informed about the outcomes of implementing those strategies. SEO is not a short-term profit, but a long-term investment, which has to show results. Hence, give time to your team so that they can provide you with the desired results.

          Need Help?

          If search engine optimization (SEO) is something that you are interested in but don’t know how to get started, contact us today to schedule your marketing analysis.

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            BlogTechnology

            Evolution of E-Commerce Technology in the Last Five Years

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            The emergence of the digital age has certainly impacted almost every individual in some way or the other. Now, people have access to any type of information in the world at the palm of their hand. This digital boom has hugely impacted the way marketing is being done. Many new…

            The emergence of the digital age has certainly impacted almost every individual in some way or the other. Now, people have access to any type of information in the world at the palm of their hand. This digital boom has hugely impacted the way marketing is being done. Many new trends in marketing have emerged over the years, and e-commerce is one of the major sectors that has been affected. It has certainly made shopping more accessible and easier, letting customers shop at the comfort of their homes or wherever else they might be, through their mobiles, tablets, laptops, desktops or any other device. Since the time it was first introduced in the market, e-commerce technology has undergone a lot of changes. With the mobile phone boom in the market, the e-commerce industry is only set to grow, with more and more users adopting this channel. Here, we have traced the growth ladder of e-commerce technologies in the past 5 years:

            1. Online Marketplaces - the New Store Fronts

            In the past ten years, online marketplaces have benefitted all categories of people. It has become a popular medium for product vendors to sell their products, marketers to advertise their products and consumers to shop. With many popular retail stores having their own online stores and making online shopping available, online stores can now truly be labeled as the new storefronts of these retailers. The online marketplaces today is able to deliver as many profits as physical stores, or in some cases, even more. The growth of online marketplaces such as Amazon has really changed how people shop, with added layers of security and confidence. Amazon was one of the major pioneers in the e-commerce sector when they launched mobile e-commerce as early as 2001. They continue to bring technological innovation in the e-commerce market by introducing drone delivery among other innovations. Online marketplaces have a big edge over physical markets since they offer a wider variety of products to the consumers. It gives them the benefit of comparing prices, brands, and analyzing customer reviews as well. Often, these online stores provide products below their retail price and offer big discounts as well. Hence, online markets help consumers make an informed decision while purchasing a product and enables them to buy said products at cheaper rates as well. There has been many technological advancements in the e-commerce sector, with Google releasing Google Checkout in 2006 to ease the process of payments for online shoppers. Another major player, Magneto, is an e-commerce Content Management System (CMS) that was first developed in 2007 and was later acquired by eBay in 2011. According to top million Alexa rankings, Magneto is here to stay as the most popular e-commerce platform with 26.1% market representation.

            2. The Growth of e-Commerce, or Mobile - friendly Purchasing

            Perhaps the most powerful innovation that has happened in the sphere of e-commerce has been the growth of mobile commerce, or m-Commerce. This innovation has made it possible for consumers to browse, compare, and shop from appealing and responsive mobile sites, or through apps. The introduction of m-Commerce has led users having a smartphone, tablet or laptop to experience an easier buyer's journey, by making the process more convenient and enjoyable, and also giving them the power to shop from any time and anywhere. As Google and Apple developed their app marketplaces, i.e., Android and iOS, app-based mobile commerce players have the opportunity to constantly experiment with methods to make their app much more interactive and engaging for the user in these platforms. Push notifications provide mobile shopping apps with an advantage that can aid them when it comes to re-engaging their customers and ultimately increase their sales.

            3. The Growth of Digital Marketing and Social Shopping

            The growth of m-Commerce has not only impacted the way consumers do shopping but has also enhanced their overall buying journey. It has a vast impact on how companies and the consumers stay connected with each other, and how companies market their product. Today, almost every person has an access to a smartphone, making it easier for marketers and advertisers to reach consumers where they are. Online marketing campaigns have now replaced traditional ad campaigns. There are numerous channels for online marketing campaigns, such as e-mail, social media, online games, apps, websites, blogs, etc. With the evolution of e-commerce, the potential of online marketing has become practically limitless to help them reach and persuade customers during every stage of their buyer journey. The latest innovation in this sphere has been the emergence of social buying as a concept. It refers to selling a product on different social media platforms and has opened many avenues for the businesses by providing them with multiple benefits. They can reach a wider audience, engage in an interaction with them, know about their interests and hobbies by following their social timeline, and can target a more specific audience by following these steps. For example, Twitter has now introduced “buy now” buttons, which is described by brands as a way for customers to discover and purchase their products in real time. Instagram has also recently enabled actionable advertisements, and their social selling initiatives are only expected to grow under Facebook’s direction.

            Conclusion

            With the rapid growth that the e-commerce industry has witnessed worldwide, it is safe to say that online marketing will dominate the future. With new technology trends being developed regularly, it is slowly finding its way in the online marketing sphere as well. Newtech trends, such as augmented reality and virtual reality, are already being used by many companies in different industries, like the real estate industry. And this is just the start – its popularity is only going to increase in the future.

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              Everything You Need to Know About Perfect Lead Generation Website

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              Today, technology has changed the way we market and promote our products and services. Websites have become imperative for any business to maintain a digital presence on the web. An active site helps marketers generate leads, which is one of their primary objectives. Marketers use various tactics to nurture their…

              Today, technology has changed the way we market and promote our products and services. Websites have become imperative for any business to maintain a digital presence on the web. An active site helps marketers generate leads, which is one of their primary objectives. Marketers use various tactics to nurture their leads, but a fair share of marketers still believe that to generate a lead is an art, and to master this art you need to attain more high-quality sales-ready leads. In this contemporary economic climate, marketers are looking for channels which are highly accountable, and where the return on investment (ROI) is easily calculable.

              What is Lead Generation?

              Consumer behaviour changes from time to time, and so does the lead generation. Therefore, it's important to revisit the lead captures to take advantage of the evolving technology trends and consumer behaviour. Lead generation is a process of attracting the visitors to your site and getting them interested in your offerings. You convert your potential customers into leads and persuade those leads to provide their information. It has become one of the most cost-effective and measurable ways to track potential clients. This is done by getting the contact details of the customers who have requested information regarding these products or services. To generate leads, marketers use their best tactics to build a website that can draw attention, which is critical for them to value the web design skills that can be used to create an effective lead generation website.

              Here are some ways to boost your website’s lead generation performance:

              1. Content Upgradation

              Content is the king for any internet site. There is a need to post significant content every time for the readers to generate leads. Not just that, but with the change in trends, content needs to be updated as well because of the change in the tastes of readers. There is so much competition in the market that to outstand; content marketing goes with the most creative methods to attain the attention of the audience. It involves creating and distributing valuable, accurate and high-quality content to their target audience. Various tools are used to interact with these consumers, where content marketing is proven to be one of the efficient and massively effective means to target the audience. Content Marketing is not just limited to blogging, but various other mediums as well. Videos, Storytelling, Infographics and Imagery have played a great role in generating traffic, as they are interesting and appealing to their viewers.

              2. Responsive Web Design (RWD)

              Smartphone users depend on responsive web design to consume content. RWD isn't just for increasing your website's search rankings or delighting mobile users, it also serves as a powerful lead-generation tool. If the website isn't responsive, then it’ll get bent out of shape quickly, which means that it loses its overall effectiveness. On a responsive internet site, the core elements like images, text, navigation and videos resize themselves to fit the screen on which they are displayed. Your site will look great on a device as small as a smartwatch, or as large as a three-monitor desktop setup.

              3. Build an effective landing page

              You have five seconds to convince a person to read your email, so make sure your event landing page grabs their attention. Creating a conversion-focused HubSpot COS landing page is essential for a lead generation strategy. There are some critical components in a landing page that you need to be aware of:
              • A captivating headline
              • Using three to five bullet points, including the date, time and highlights
              • A clear focus on what your audience will learn after visiting your website

              4. Guides, eBooks & Whitepapers

              Educate the readers with topics relevant to their interests in the form of eBooks, whitepapers, free guides and other forms of high-quality content. This information can help your target demographic to associate with your business eventually. Get the feedback from your customers and understand the type of content they are looking for so that you can upgrade the content accordingly. This feedback can help your business to convert them into potential leads.

              5. Site Speed

              Nothing is more frustrating for the users than slow-loading web pages. It has become such a vital part of any website that search engines rank website links according to the loading speed of these sites. The speed can lead to slow SEO results as well. A full range of development and design techniques and its best practices are required to optimise speed for any website to generate a lead.

              6. Whitespace

              Whitespace – also known as negative space – is one of those things while designing a website that can make a significant impact. You can insert essential content, videos or pictures on your site to make it look more appealing for users, instead of cluttering it with overloaded content.

              7. Webinars

              A webinar is a seminar conducted over the Internet. Webinar platforms offer their users the ability to download a recorded version of the webinar which can function as an excellent evergreen asset. A successful webinar should start with well-developed content and an active pre-webinar promotion. Then there is a post-webinar promotion, after which one recruits the right presenters. You can follow up with the leads who attended the live webinar as they are real customers who are excited about the new products which are discussed in the webinar. Every time you conduct another webinar on your website, you can get the contact information of an adequate number of people.

              8. Mobile Marketing

              In recent times, the widespread usage of smartphones has become a successful tool for B2B marketing’s growth. Lead generation has gained importance through mobile’s astounding data connection, and multiple industries are taking charge with innovative marketing approaches. Mobile marketing plans are used to manage emergency notifications, handle promotions, streamline assignments, and enhance B2B effectiveness with real-time events. Buying signals, demographics, and contact information are being used to increase the business outreach depth. >>Hubspot is one of the Essential tools for SaaS Companies. Know more about Hubspot.
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                BlogDigital Marketing / Inbound Marketing

                7 Inbound Marketing Tactics For Educational Institutions To Drive Growth

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                The world of marketing is ever-changing, with every industry imaginable adopting faster, sleeker and overall more effective marketing methods. In this regard, the education industry is no different. With so much information available to the potential students, it is easy to get lost in this deafening noise. A higher educational…

                The world of marketing is ever-changing, with every industry imaginable adopting faster, sleeker and overall more effective marketing methods. In this regard, the education industry is no different. With so much information available to the potential students, it is easy to get lost in this deafening noise. A higher educational institution generates a lot of content inherently by nature, but most of the marketing strategies adopted by higher educational marketers are not able to nurture the streams of this content efficiently, and hence are not able to achieve their goal of increasing the overall volume of lead generation throughout thegv admission season. Inbound marketing enables you to share your message in an easy and engaging way. It enables you to deliver the right message to the right people at the right time, and on the right channel. Here are seven inbound marketing tactics which would enable you to kickstart your inbound marketing strategy and get the most out of it :

                #1. Big Data and Research

                To truly succeed and give direction to your marketing strategy, it is very important for you to assess how much you actually know about your prospective students. More often than not, there is a wealth of information gathered from various online channels, which marketers don’t nurture and neglect. Gathering and analyzing this information should be the first step to gain a better understanding of your audience. Identifying and analyzing big data not only help you understand your prospective students but also helps these students learn more about you as a university. There are various sources through which big data can be generated. Tools such as online forms, surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc. can be used to gain insights about valuable information, such as what made your current students and your alumni choose your university to begin with. You can leverage this knowledge to create a content strategy that can attract future students.

                #2. Web Analytics

                Your website is one of the most valuable resources which your prospective students and parents can use to research about your institution and its programs. Hence, it becomes extremely crucial for you to earn attention online through quality content, that can help you attract your prospective students. There are many tools – free as well as paid, which help you perform data analysis with relative ease and efficiency. Some of the most popular tools are Google Tag Manager, Universal Analytics and HubSpot.

                #3. Online Paid Advertisements

                The greatest virtue of online paid advertising for inbound marketers is that it allows them to segment their audience according to their buyer persona. This enables them to deliver the right content to the right person at the right time. This is one of the major drawbacks of traditional marketing methods, which does not facilitate such precise targeting of audiences.

                #4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

                SEO has grown and developed into a full-fledged profession today, which has become an inevitable function for every online entity. Concerning educational institutions, the attitude of your prospective students and their parents is changing, with the majority of them turning up online to find answers to their questions and research about the most suitable school or college. SEO is an ever-changing process, with new updates coming frequently. However, it is always centred around the searcher’s needs. It is important for you to know your prospects, research about them and give purpose to your content by centring them around the relevant keywords that would answer their queries and draw them to your site. By making your site visible to your target audience, you are likely to receive traffic which is more likely to convert.

                #5. Content Strategy

                All the efforts discussed so far would be worthless, if you don’t have a well-planned content strategy in place. A good content strategy is what keeps your business running, by helping you organise all the inbound marketing bits and pieces in a way that makes sense to your audience. It is your final masterstroke which would enable you to convert your website visitors into leads, and eventually into applicants. The structure of a great content strategy includes an outline of the list of topics that your audience wants to read, the tone and voice of your content and the format in which your audience would prefer consuming it. Your educational institution’s online content is a great way to tell its stories and is what sets you apart from the cutthroat competition. It is a great medium for you to build an emotional connection with your prospects and also show your worth as an institution, giving reasons why it is the best fit for them.

                #6. Social Media

                Social media has evolved in the past decade, with its usage not being restricted just to sharing photos and posting updates. It has also become one of the most powerful tools for businesses worldwide to run advertisement campaigns for various purposes, participate in discussions on various forums or among customer groups, create and update their brand’s page, and much more. To optimize your social media strategy, the first thing you must do is research about which channels your prospects prefer to use. You can use social media channels to share your content, reach a new audience, and keep your current students engaged.

                #7. Video Engagement

                Video has become one of the most popular trends among marketers. And with Youtube being one of the web’s most popular search channels, this trend is not going to fade anytime soon. Hence, video storytelling is a platform your institution shouldn’t overlook. There are plenty of reasons why having video content is a must-have for your institution. It enables you to convey your message to your audience in a visually appealing manner, which would not have been so effective through other mediums. Apart from that, videos also add a humane touch to your content and build emotions, enabling you to connect with your viewers on a more personal level. These are the seven best inbound marketing tactics which will help you get started with your inbound marketing strategy. You need to decide which of these strategies and tools will enable you to market your content to your audience in an effective manner. Need any help to increase student enrollments with Inbound marketing? Please get in touch

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                  6 Must-Follow Inbound Marketing Leaders

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                  When they said change is a constant, they must have been referring to the ever-evolving universe of B2B Inbound Marketing. In the world of digital marketing, knowledge is what matters and what truly accords power. You need to think on your feet and keep up with the fast-paced changes and…

                  When they said change is a constant, they must have been referring to the ever-evolving universe of B2B Inbound Marketing. In the world of digital marketing, knowledge is what matters and what truly accords power. You need to think on your feet and keep up with the fast-paced changes and trends that keep altering the marketing scenario almost every day. Emerging technologies need to be tracked and catered to if you want to keep abreast of all the transformations happening in this landscape. According to a recent study, 88% of the world’s Inbound Marketing thought leaders can be found on Twitter. So, following social media channels to know just a bit more wouldn’t exactly be a bad proposition. But more than that, you can’t just follow anybody to gain a competitive edge. You need to know who’s the cream of the crop, AKA an Inbound Marketing Leader. Just don’t blindly follow anyone who claims to know it all. There are overtly successful entrepreneurs, and then there are zillions of people who claim to know social media strategies. There are writers, and there are specialists who have a perspective that’s completely unheard of. As marketers, you need help from all these industry experts and content marketing leaders to keep up with the changing times. These leaders can also help you make sense of it all – the jargon, the positives as well the pitfalls. Are you confused? Just read on, and you’ll know who to follow and how to improve your digital marketing services. We present to you six of the Inbound Marketing gurus we think make the cut. Maybe paying attention to these will take you where you want to be sooner rather than later.

                  Simon Sinek, @simonsinek

                  When he talks, 21 million people listen! Wildly famous for his discovery of the golden circle, he has also given an all new meaning to “Why”. He inspires leaders to motivate their teams, and has been described as a visionary thinker. If you want to know “Why” for yourself, and motivate your employees by helping them build a formidable team that performs cohesively and delivers quality, Simon is the one you’re looking for.

                  Andy Crestodina

                  The co-founder of Orbit Media Studios, Andy revels in web design and content marketing. His Twitter posts are toasted by all who need help with the ever-changing demands of digital marketing. Unique and without any unnecessary clutter, his posts have vital information and details about how you can succeed online. Andy is also an environmentalist who is completely devoted to the cause. He’s also a well-known figure at marketing conferences where he speaks his heart out and floors many.

                  Rand Fishkin, @randfish

                  The co-founder of SEOMoz, Rand has helped his company become one of the most well-known SEO service providers in today’s day and age. The initial success and acceptance from industry stalwarts led Fishkin to rename SEOmoz to Moz after turning it into a fully-fledged company. His unfettered passion shows in his writing, and the blogs that bear his name have become gospel for marketers who wish to remain competitive and maintain a growing mindset. His Whiteboard Friday series provides pearls of wisdom to a large spectrum of the audience. Moz is a name to reckon with for businesses who require online marketing tools. However, while Rand is no longer the CEO of Moz, he still remains a cult figure in the industry who shares a lot of information on his social media channels that benefit a huge populace.

                  Ann Handley, @MarketingProfs

                  The author of the best-selling book ‘Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content’ has what it takes to completely wow audiences – irrespective of their age. One of the top 20 women bloggers as named by ForbesWoman, Ann was given the distinguished title as one of the most influential women in social media. Handley’s professional approach to content marketing has given the world some very engrossing and engaging content. The Chief Content Officer for MarketingProfs, Ann is not only a LinkedIn influencer but also a speaker par excellence.

                  Avinash Kaushik

                  A bestselling author, a keynote speaker, an expert in his field, Avinash has a resume that can impress the most accomplished people. Google’s own Digital Marketing Evangelist, Kaushik is also the co-founder of Market Motive Inc. He wants to simplify complex things when it comes to data analytics. He writes well, and writes to the point. His succinct writing has provided a lot of advice to his followers. His renowned blogs carry some wonderful and revelatory posts.

                  Seth Godin, @ThisIsSethsBlog

                  Not someone who would kill to get a massive following, Godin is the author of one of the most revered and adored marketing blogs. Having written 18 best-selling books, Seth chooses to be found out virally. He is also the founder of Yoyodyne and Squidoo. If you wish to make a mark as an entrepreneur, Godin is someone you can’t afford to miss. He loves to provide his opinions about marketing, entrepreneurship and leadership. Apart from the top 6 marketing leaders we just shared with you, here’s a list of various sources you could use for your content curation needs.

                  1. Business2Community (B2C)

                  One of the most reliable and topmost sources for content curation needs, B2C caters to a plethora of marketing-related topics.

                  2. Inbound.org

                  The brainchild of Rand Fishkin of Moz and Dharmesh Shah from HubSpot, Inbound.org has some stringent rules and procedures in place that lets users submit nothing but the best content pieces they come across.

                  3. HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog

                  Truly the main authority when it comes to Inbound Marketing, HubSpot offers great content for free. A lot of marketers use the pieces that are available to make the most of digital marketing.

                  4. Social Media Examiner

                  At the forefront ever since the beginning of digital marketing, Social Media Examiner is a rich source of case studies, subject matter expert interviews, how-to modules and much more.

                  5. Social Media Today

                  From housing a collection of various authors who contribute to the topic, as well as writers who know much more than others about the field, Social Media Today is a wonderful place to know what’s trending and what’s faded away.

                  6. The Content Marketeer

                  A driving force in the content marketing space, The Content Marketeer is following and reporting all the content related to the digital marketing revolution. It talks about various aspects and fabulously reports about the people out there in the field.
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                    BlogTechnology

                    Top Challenges SaaS Companies Face in Lead Nurturing

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                    Let’s assume a situation – you’re pleased as punch that a lot of people have signed up on the landing page of your SaaS product. Now what? It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee – you still have to achieve a more unnerving job. You still need to…

                    Let’s assume a situation – you’re pleased as punch that a lot of people have signed up on the landing page of your SaaS product. Now what? It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee – you still have to achieve a more unnerving job. You still need to nurture these leads and convert them into customers who are ready to part with their money. According to a study that was undertaken recently, 40-60% of users who have willingly and happily signed up for your product don’t even become loyal customers or even revisit your landing page. Even after putting in your heart and soul into this, there are still quite a few challenges faced while attempting lead nurturing with a SaaS marketing strategy. Some of them are mentioned below.

                    1. What should the lead nurturing timeframes be?

                    Is there any time that can be called right, per se? Chasing after a lead who has left you a long time ago can be quite unfavourable. So, should you just give up? There are no definite answers when it comes to choosing the right timeframe, but you can look at your customer’s buying cycle and decide wisely based that data. You need to look carefully at how long it takes for your leads to get converted into customers. Your lead nurturing campaign will need to be looked at again, once you have all the answers. Your messaging and timing would ultimately be dependent on your prospect’s stage.

                    2. Know how often to contact leads

                    What should the frequency of your emails be? How many times can you flood their inbox? Most businesses lean towards sending more offers and educational emails at the top of the funnel. (TOFU). It is at this stage that the lead does not find the emails cumbersome or intruding. This will work especially well if the content is engaging and unique.

                    3. What should the focus be on - Quality or Quantity?

                    Looking at the prevailing scenario, we can confidently say that there are two ways to come up with a content strategy for SaaS. The first way is to create a massive amount of content that caters to a lot of questions which are asked frequently and repeatedly. Generic content can be curated to take care of these queries. This helps in tackling the traffic issue, as it manages to pull a lot of visitors to the site. But at the same time, this does not guarantee that leads turn into customers. The second option is to aim at creating valuable and unique content for the visitor, which will obviously take more time and effort. So, given your inclination, size of the organization and the time available, you will need to decide between the two choices. Limited content might pose a few challenges, but in the long run it helps with finding quality leads that can be nurtured as well.

                    4. Paid or unpaid social networks don’t guarantee customers

                    Your audiences can possibly love what you present to them as your social campaigns. But this doesn’t mean that you will definitely be able to garner workable leads from there. Your total number of followers will determine your organic growth, which is quite a tiresome process. Smaller companies may face the inevitable hardships when it comes to generating followers as well. All in all, it will remain a slow process and there isn’t much that can be done to speed it up. At the same time, paid channels can help you with greater reach if the quality of the content is appreciated by your target audience. But that said, this too is not exactly an effective lead-generating campaign.

                    5. Developing workflows on the basis of content

                    How do you decide what content needs to be placed at precisely what place? You need to know what is classified as Top of the Funnel (TOFU) content, and what goes into the Middle of the Funnel (MOFU). Designing the workflow on the basis of content might not be as easy as it seems, because any updated content piece or offer could throw the whole strategy out of gear.

                    6. Taking into account and managing sales

                    If your workflows are not working as per your expectations, then it’s recommended that you consider the tried-and-tested sales process and go back to it to nurture leads. But – more often than not – the pitching of the product (which is undertaken by the sales team) kills any remaining possibility of lead nurturing, and you stand to lose the prospects you were banking on.

                    7. What needs to be done to get back the ones who have left?

                    When do you think would be an opportune moment to revisit a prospect who doesn’t seem interested anymore? Maybe a strategy that will help you get in touch with them could be devised, rather than just relying on salespeople to do the job. Dropping an email or something similar can help as well.

                    8. Don’t fail to follow up

                    Once you know who’s interested in your product and who’s not, make sure to not ignore the ones who have shown any sort of interest. Basically, don’t leave them high and dry. Get in touch with these people and establish contact as soon as you can manage to do so. Maybe they do not want your product right away, but mindsets and situations can change later on. Follow up and remind them that they had shown interest in your product. Reports have shown that following up on leads within an hour or so have improved the chances of conversion by over 7 times.

                    9. Customer referrals can only help a bit

                    Though it is a fantastic way to acquire new customers, customer referrals is not a method to rely on. It is not a scalable method, and you constantly need to push your existing customers little by little. Even with conversion rates of around 60-70%, referrals do not guarantee loyal customers.

                    10. Marketing based on triggers

                    Cash in on opportunities when they present themselves in the form of behavioral triggers. You can positively impact sales if you get in touch with a lead within a short span of time after he/she has checked out your product. You might not be able to close a sale, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try.

                    11. You need to track and monitor the lead nurturing results

                    You’ve left no stone unturned to attract and nurture prospects. So, don’t adopt a laidback now of all times. It is quite easy to keep introducing new lead generation campaigns, but you need to know how you have fared in the earlier ones. This will assist you in the knowledge of what the best practices are, which also entails what has worked for you and what hasn’t.

                    12. Analyze and optimize using the results that lie before you

                    Monitoring lead volume in the sales pipeline, analyzing increased revenues, and carefully looking at email click-through rates will help you decide the next step in your lead-generation process. This will provide you with an answer to the following questions – what emails need to be worked upon, which ones fared really well and which ones did not make a difference at all. Taking a critical look at your past performance can also help you determine a lot of other things, such as the frequency for sharing content and the timeframe that you should consider to get the best results. To wrap it up, we can safely say that lead nurturing is a not an easy task in the slightest for a SaaS Company, and however hard you try, you can never have all the answers. But at the same time, with some amount of experimenting and the analysis of quality and reliable data, lead nurturing campaigns can provide you with larger revenues and profits without burning a sizeable hole in your pocket. >>Hubspot is one of the Essential tools for SaaS Companies. Know more about Hubspot.
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