Tag Archives: internet advertising

How to: Track and measure your internet marketing results.

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Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.netMost of our clients contract us because they want a steady flow of qualified leads to their business, effortlessly.

As one of the only firms in Calgary that guarantees internet marketing results, I often get asked, what results do you guarantee and how can we track them?

The most obvious results we generate are leads.

Leads are typically thought of as phone inquiries, web inquiries, or walk-ins to a retail location. However leads from an internet marketing campaign can also take the form of Facebook fans or messages, sign ups to your newsletter or webinar etc.

By determining what a lead looks like for you, you’ll then have a great foundation from which to measure the results of your internet marketing campaign.

What you can do is download the internet marketing results tracking template from our blog. This gives you a handy spot to measure all contacts to your company. It’s as easy as asking every single inquirer how they heard about you, and marking it down all in one place.

This information will not only show you the return you’re getting on your investment in an internet marketing campaign, but also what methods are the preferred and most successful in terms of driving business.

From our perspective, generating leads is the end result of a lengthy sales funnel we’ve created for you as the core of our internet marketing strategy.

Typically a consumer needs to go through a 7 step process to get to the point of being a qualified lead.

So, we view results as being quantifiable increases in all the factors that contribute to converting a prospect from mildly interested, to the- cheque-has-cleared.

In a very common situation a consumer will conduct a search online and find your site. If they’re satisfied with the information on your website, they’ll take action to contact you. This is internet marketing in its simplest form.

In order to generate these types of leads, we work backwards, delving into detailed metrics.

Based on a 4% conversion rate (the average percentage of people who will take action based on a website visit), how many visitors do we need to get to the site? So, we measure increased visitors as a metric of a successful internet marketing campaign.

Likewise, page one placement on Google is also viewed as a success factor, as this generates the exposure and traffic necessary to generate the leads.

Fundamentally, we ask, are we generating enough exposure and interaction with prospects to generate leads?

If you’re the business of selling to other businesses, the sales cycle may take quite a bit longer than the ideal internet marketing situation described above.

Typically a business or commercial consumer will go through more steps before becoming a customer, but the payoff is generally larger per lead closed if you end up with a customer for life.

In this case, we measure things like the open rate and click through rate on your newsletter, as well as the rate of sign up.

No matter what your unique situation, you can be sure we measure all the pertinent statistics on our end. Using Google Analytics, a free web traffic measurement tool, we’ll deliver monthly reporting on your web traffic and all internet marketing success factors.

However, the most accurate measurement needs to take place internally. You may even need to provide an incentive for your staff to provide accurate measurement for you.

Here’s the template.

Your Turn!

I’d love to hear your questions or challenges – Tell me in the comments below.

And, if you enjoyed this post, please share it!

Laurel LindsayLaurel Lindsay is a Calgary Internet Marking Consultant & President of The New Media Group Inc. She has over 8 years hands-on Internet Marketing experience.

Laurel is enthusiastic and passionate about helping people live better lives by leveraging the power of the internet.

 

Top 9 Tech Tools You Need For Business Success in 2013

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internet-marketing-calgary-tech-toolsThe times are a changing, and with them, your need to adapt to consumer behavior.

You’re in luck, because deciphering the critical from the nice-to-have internet marketing tools is what we do best!

Here are top 9 internet marketing tools you need to succeed in 2013.

1. Mobile Friendly Website:

More consumers than ever are browsing the web on their smart phones and tablets. Your site needs to be at the minimum, mobile friendly, if not completely compatible with mobile devices. In fact, consumer mobile usage is behind almost all recommended internet marketing tools for 2013.

2. Local Search Optimization:

People use Google on the go; in the car, on public transit and en route to the mall. Make sure consumers can find your business when they’re ready to buy by ensuring you show up on local search for smart phones. A local search presence is a critical component of a successful internet marketing campaign as it can make a huge difference to your bottom line.

3. Video:

YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine for a reason. Video is not just popular but an expected part of your internet marketing presence. With the high quality video output of even the most basic smartphone, now there’s no excuse to leave video out of your internet marketing plan.

4. QR Codes:

Here’s another tool to lure in those smart phone users. Easier and faster to act on than a website or a phone number, QR Codes can help you track the response from traditional advertising. They are a free and extremely beneficial addition to any internet marketing activities.

5. Facebook Like Poster:

Anywhere your customers are waiting, they should have the opportunity to either like you or check in to your location on Facebook. Make it easy for them by having a Facebook Like Poster with a QR code in your waiting room or at the checkout desk. This internet marketing strategy will increase your exposure as well as grow your Facebook page.

6. Blog:

Leverage your expertise, position yourself as a leader in your industry and get top search engine rankings. By creating and maintaining a blog on your website you’re reaping these internet marketing rewards and more. In addition, you’re offering up fresh content for tech savvy users to Share with their social network.

7. Analytics:

Measure your website effectiveness with Google Analytics. This free tool will tell you where your website traffic is coming from, what keywords they typed in to arrive at your site and what devices they’re browsing with. Enough stats to satisfy even the most avid analytical minds, this tool can help you decide quickly what internet marketing efforts to renew or let lapse.

8. The Ethical Bribe:

Exchanging something free for your prospects email address or a bit of their time invokes the law of reciprocity.

By giving something and asking for something, you create not only an equitable relationship with your prospect, but it also gives them a teaser of what you can provide for them, and permission to market to them in the future. An ethical bribe is one of the cornerstones of list building and internet marketing in general.

9. Email and Social Lists:

These tools are as critical to your success this year as they were in years past. Any salesperson will tell you, sales is a numbers game, and the more people on your list or in your community the better. Nurturing relationships via email marketing or social media builds loyalty and drives sales. Remember though, deliver value and make your internet marketing “about them” 80% of the time.

Employing these 9 technologies will ensure you’re leading the pack, and not struggling to keep up. If you feel like you need these things to keep up, but don’t have the time or the budget for a full marketing department, find a reputable Internet Marketing company that you trust and leave them with the task of accomplishing your tech savvy goals.

 

 

Learn more about Internet Marketing and what it can do for your business.

 

 

9 Easy Steps to Success: A Sample Internet Marketing Plan

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internet-marketing-sample-planThis year, resolve to be present where your future customers are searching and interacting – online. Our gift to you this New Year’s, we’ve decided to give you an outline to put together your very own Internet Marketing Plan. Follow the steps below, and your online presence will become a great contributor to your bottom line.

1. Determine what the objective is.

Determine your revenue goal this year as it relates to internet marketing. For best results, target the most profitable products or services you sell.

2. Find out what people are searching for:

The most important part of your internet marketing plan. In the Google Keyword Tool , type in what you think your future customers are typing into Google. You’ll soon find out the actual demand for your services, as well as the level of competition. Choose about 3 terms that have low competition and high searches and write them down.

3. Create your yearlong content strategy

Create a table with 3 columns and 12 rows: one for each month. In the first column to the right of the month write in what your customers are doing or are concerned with in that month. For example in January, a lot of consumers are concerned with New Year’s Resolutions. In the next column write down anything you’d like to promote as it relates to their concerns.

4. Commit the time :

Block out 15 hours per month in your calendar now and commit to them, (or hire an assistant) they can be either scattered throughout the month or all in one chunk. This time will be used to execute your marketing plan each month.

5. Review your sales flow:

Modify your process to ask your customers for 2 additional pieces of information. The first is permission to use them as a case study, the second is a testimonial. Once you’ve finished the job you’ll now have a critical part of promo for your internet marketing plan; social proof.

6. Review your internet marketing tools:

You should at the very minimum have a decent looking website with a blog section, a Facebook or LinkedIN page and an email marketing account (like with Mailchimp). If not, get signed up for each of these now, or make the updates necessary to bring your accounts up to speed. In addition, sign up for Google Analytics and YouTube if you’re feeling ambitious.

7. Optimize your internet marketing tools.

Ask your webmaster to embed the Google Analytics code into your website, and add in the Mailchimp signup code and the Facebook Like box, and then add in a blog if you don’t have one.

8. Internet Marketing Content Creation.

• Write 3 blog posts a month. For best results aim for 3 posts per month using the keywords you arrived at in step 2, as it pertains to your customer’s concerns and your promotion of the month from step 3.

• Collect and organize any new case studies or testimonials, photos, videos etc and post them to your website

• Post each blog post to your website

• Add new contacts to your Mailchimp list, or friend them on Facebook.

• Create a monthly internet marketing schedule for when you’re going to release this content via social media and email marketing tools- and commit to releasing it this way.

 

9. Track your internet marketing results:

Keep track of subscribers to your newsletter and Facebook , phone and web inquiries.

Check Mailchimp and Facebook – are people opening your emails, commenting on your posts? Login to Analytics and compare your results from last month.

Check that your internet marketing campaign is generating more traffic to your site, and better ranking on Google.

It’ll take about 90 days, but with sustained effort you’ll see results from your internet marketing campaign.

Learn more about Internet Marketing and what it can do for your business.

 

 

Internet Marketing Tools Reviewed: QR Codes

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What are QR codes?

QR codes are interactive graphics. They are embedded with data that can be read using QR scan apps available on today’s smart phones.

Once a user scans the QR code with their smart phone, they are automatically directed online.

What are the benefits of QR codes?
1. As with all internet marketing tools, the easier you make it for consumers to get in touch with you, the better the odds they will. QR codes offer consumers an easy & instant way to take action on an offline ad. There are no phone numbers or website addresses to remember.

2. QR codes are also one of the most recent developments in internet marketing. By adopting this technology you can reach a whole new audience of tech savvy consumer.

3. Through the use of Google Analytics, you can track the response and ROI of your offline marketing. Analytics helps measure internet marketing campaigns by reporting on your website traffic sources and the behavior of your website visitors.

What are some strategies for implementing QR codes?

Internet marketing & QR Codes: Specialized landing pages


Say for example you have an ad with a QR code running in the newspaper. By creating a specific landing page for people who act on that ad, you receive two benefits.

A specialized page can more personally address the consumer based on where they’ve come from. Even stating “Thank you for clicking on our ad in the Calgary Herald” enhances the user experience.

In addition, if you make this page hidden from all other users in your website, you can confidently state that all the traffic to this page is as a result of the newspaper ad.
Internet Marketing & QR Codes: From contacts to customers

Not only does it look really cool, but adding a QR code to your business card increases the chances of your contact information becoming added to your prospect’s smart phone.

A way to do this is to have your QR code send the user to an online Vcard, which can be downloaded to automatically add you to their contacts.

Not only have you made a lasting first impression, but in contrast to having your stylish business card thrown in the garbage or recycled, you’ve now earned a spot in their smartphone. Now when they need your product or service, you’re right there in their phone.

Internet Marketing & QR Codes: From offline to online:
Placing a QR code on a flyer or poster in-store and link your QR to your mailing list sign up or Facebook page.

Capturing prospect’s data; whether it be their email address, or having them as a fan on your Facebook page is invaluable. Data capture is the most basic and critical of internet marketing strategies. It allows you to grow and nurture a list of prospects, and the bigger your list, the better your odds of converting prospects into customers through ongoing internet marketing activities.

In summary
QR codes are an inexpensive and cutting edge addition to your marketing or internet marketing efforts.

QR Codes offer enhanced tracking abilities and a compelling call to action for tech savvy users. QR codes transform prospects from passively reading an ad to actively participating in your internet marketing campaign.

Your Turn!

I’d love to hear your questions or challenges – Tell me in the comments below.

And, if you enjoyed this post, please share it!

Laurel LindsayLaurel Lindsay is a Calgary Internet Marking Consultant & President of The New Media Group Inc. She has over 8 years hands-on Internet Marketing experience.

Laurel is enthusiastic and passionate about helping people live better lives by leveraging the power of the internet.