How Our Google Ads Services Drive Business Growth

Google Ads is a paid advertising service offered by Google, the most-used search engine in Australia. We’ve all searched for things online and seen the sponsored ads at the top of the search results: these are Google Ads. Businesses use Google Ads by targeting certain keywords with small advertisements that entice a user to click through to their website. You typically pay for these ads when a customer clicks on them, and the costs can vary depending on competition and relevance. Importantly, you can set daily budgets to ensure you don’t overspend. Getting the maximum benefit from your Google Ads campaigns requires expertise and extensive marketing knowledge. Despite Google making it ‘easy’ to launch your own ad campaigns, setting up a highly targeted campaign with a high return on investment is a lot more complex. Our experts at RealClicks are here to guide you and simplify the process. Here are some of the ways we help businesses grow through the specialist placement of Google ads.

A focus on improving ROI

Return on Investment, or ROI, is the measure of how successful your advertising is. In simple terms, if you spend $1,000 on Google ads and generate $3,000 worth of profits (not sales, but profits after deducting the cost of making your products), then you have tripled your investment, or in other words, achieved a 300% ROI. ROI is important to measure in paid advertising, and that’s exactly what we do at RealClicks. We thoroughly assess the effectiveness of your ads, making tweaks as we go and using A/B testing to find the best ad, keyword and landing page combinations. Our Google Ads experts are great at delivering almost instant ROI, but it’s by analysing data that we refine your campaigns for an even greater return in the long term.

Finding the right audience

Practically everybody uses the internet when searching for products and services. This is why having a strong online presence is so crucial. Driving traffic to your website is a big motivator for investing in PPC (Paid Per Click) advertising, but it’s worth nothing if you don’t attract the right types of customers. Our highly skilled SEO experts research your business, competitors and the types of keywords your audience is searching for. By understanding your audience, we use keywords to target the ideal audience –customers who are highly motivated to buy or engage with your business. Take the keyword ‘plumbers’ for example. People searching for ‘plumbers’ may be looking for plumbing services. But they also might just be learning about what plumbers are, what they do, how to become a plumber or anything else to do with plumbing. Instead, we would consider more targeted keywords such as ‘plumbers in my area’ or ‘affordable plumbing services in Sydney’. As a result, your website visitors are more likely to be looking for your products and services, and conversions become easier. Your PPC advertising is more cost-effective because you pay for more qualified clicks.

More traffic, more conversions

At RealClicks, we tailor our Google Ads services to align with your business goals. But ultimately, it boils down to two major goals.

• Increase website traffic
• Improve conversions

Google Ads are specifically designed to drive more traffic to your website. Even the most basic Google Ad can achieve this, but RealClicks delivers much more value than mere clicks. We ensure your ads target the right keywords to attract highly motivated customers. We also build high-converting landing pages for your ads, improving the chance of customers taking the action you want them to (purchasing, contacting, downloading a file, signing up to a mailing list – whatever your business goals are). Our expert keyword research, ad copy and fully optimised landing pages help attract more leads and convert more leads into sales.

Improve organic rankings

While the traffic you generate from PPC advertising is different from traffic from organic search results, let’s consider this scenario. A customer searches for one of your keywords that you rank in the top 5 for. You also have a PPC advertisement on the same Google search results page. The customer doesn’t necessarily click on the first paid link they see. They’ll usually scroll down and check the organic search results, too. If that customer chooses to click your organically ranked link rather than the paid ad, this becomes organic traffic that helps your rankings. This is especially true if your landing page is optimised for the customer experience so they stay on your site for longer. While PPC advertising doesn’t directly impact your website’s SEO, there are certainly still some organic benefits to diversifying your marketing budget across both paid and organic searches.

Meet your audience where they are

The digital marketing landscape is extremely diverse, giving businesses more and more ways to connect and engage with consumers. However, competition is also a lot tougher in the digital market. The old marketing mantra of ‘meet your customers where they are’ is now even more important than ever. In short, your business, products and services must be easily found online. If you don’t have a strong online presence, plenty of your competitors do, and they’ll gladly take the customers. For most modern businesses, online is exactly where their customers are. But where online? Overwhelmingly, in Australia at least, the answer is Google, which usually accounts for around 95% of all online searches. So, if your potential customers are searching for your products and services on Google, Google is where you need to be. Paid advertising campaigns put you front and centre of the action, delivering more clicks, more traffic, and more conversions. If you’d like to find out more about boosting your business with our Google Ads services, we’d love to hear from you. Contact RealClicks today to book a consultation, where we’ll listen and learn everything we can about your business and goals. We tailor all of our services to your needs and are committed to delivering ongoing results.

DIY SEO vs. hiring professionals: The pros and cons for your

ROI. B2B. SEO. Our worlds are full of these three-letter acronyms that roll off the tongue, disguising just how important it is to give them our full attention. If you’re a business owner, you’ll know all too well how challenging it can be to decide where to invest your organisation’s time, resources, and finances. With no shortage of options clamouring for attention, many of your outcomes will be dictated by the strategy of where those investments lie. Particularly for business owners who are working with small levels of cashflow or capital, the temptation to DIY key aspects of their digital marketing can be high - but when it comes to SEO, the cost of getting it wrong, or missing an opportunity an expert would spot, can be not only significant, but transformational. Businesses aiming to carve out a significant and beneficial online presence know that understanding and implementing SEO is non-negotiable. Whether you’re in a position to hire an expert or looking to build the beginnings of your strategy yourself, we’ve detailed what you need to consider when it comes to choosing whether to DIY SEO or hire a professional.

First things first: what is SEO?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is focused on improving a website’s visibility in search engines like Google. By optimising various elements of a website, such as its structure, content, and performance, small but meaningful tweaks can lead to significant improvements in where it places in search engine results pages (SERPS) in relation to specific keywords or phrases. Enhancing a site’s SEO can give businesses a competitive edge, capturing a crucial chunk of that all-important organic search, building low-cost leads, and increasing the likelihood of converting casual visitors into paying customers. This is a fundamental investment for every business in our modern age, directly impacting the amount of organic traffic a website is likely to receive. DIY SEO: the pros and cons With the importance of SEO at the forefront, it becomes easier to evaluate the pros and cons of taking a DIY approach to this cornerstone of your marketing plan. Pros include:

• DIYing can be cost-effective - initially. DIY SEO may seem like the most cost-effective option, removing the need to invest in professional SEO activity.
• Natural learning experiences. If you’re engaging in your own SEO, you’re likely to experience a valuable learning curve, gaining key insights into the dynamics of digital marketing.
• Full control. By managing SEO in-house, you’ll have complete control over SEO strategies, their implementation, and the monitoring of results.

Cons of DIYing SEO include:

• It’s time-consuming. Building an effective SEO strategy that leads to results requires significant levels of time and dedication. For business owners, this means less time can be invested in core business activities, likely reducing revenue capacities in other areas.
• A lack of expertise can hinder results. Our SEO experts bring extensive knowledge to SEO development and management, ensuring the highest quality of results within meaningful metrics for our clients. Without this expertise, DIY management can mean more grasping in the dark, using a trial-and-error approach over time to see what might work.
• Results are slower. DIY SEO can lead to significantly slower results, taking time to build towards any kind of tangible momentum as a result of the learning and experimentation involved.

Professional SEO services: the pros and cons

On the other side of the table lies the option of professional SEO service management, bringing with it its own list of pros and cons. The pros of bringing in the professionals:

• Expert insight. Your business will immediately benefit from the expertise, experience, and up-to-date insights an expert brings to the ever-changing SEO landscape.
• Time savings. No more poking around on YouTube or in explanatory blogs with complicated steps. When you’ve got an expert team managing your SEO, you’re free to focus on running and growing your business, taking responsibility for the strategy and execution that only you can do.
• Consistent results. When you’ve got the right professionals with the right strategy, you can expect consistency in your results, sustainability in your SEO direction, and enhanced online visibility and conversion rates.

The cons:

• An upfront financial investment. This can be one of the biggest blockages business owners have when investing in professional SEO services. However, without professional knowledge and expertise, sales and revenue could be leaking from your bottom line, leading to far more losses than the investment itself.
• A dependence on external teams. With many solo operators and agencies offering SEO services that rely on a lack of understanding from their clients, there can be a risk of depending on an external team that’s not as invested in your success as you are.

Making the right choice for your SEO needs

We see investing in SEO as an insurance investment: without significant gains in your SEO, you’re at risk of losing crucial market share to your competitors, opening your company up to ongoing risks and stumbling blocks. We overcome many of the cons of hiring professionals to revolutionise your SEO by delivering results with a difference. To achieve real rankings based on effective SEO strategies, we monitor and implement SEO to propel businesses forward in a crowded market. Whether it’s in the area of consistent competitor analysis, cleaning up bad links, implementing a digital PR strategy, crafting a consistent on-site blog strategy, optimising images, meta descriptions, page titles, and more, we’re driven to make sure our clients are appearing in the first page of Google’s results. For business owners worried about the cost? We speak from results, like with AirfareGeeks, where we increased front page ranks by 400%, or Captain Green Solar, whose organic traffic we increased by 127% while sending their top 10 keywords skyrocketing by 512%. By bringing traffic to our clients, we’re giving them their best bet of converting passers-by into sales. Dedicated to delivering the highest quality of expert-led services and tailored solutions to meet your business’s goal, we bring the best of SEO opportunities right to your front door. To learn more about our proven strategies and how to achieve the best value for your investment, contact our friendly, expert team.

Cracking the code: Maximising your income on social media

Social media can be a powerful pathway to building new customers, connecting with wider audiences, and building meaningful brand relationships - but with such an overwhelming amount of content, platforms, and competition, the digital landscape of social media doesn't offer rewards by accident. At RealClicks, we take being social seriously, recognising that a business's social channels are a vital branding tool that can humanise your business. Keeping up with changes to platforms, guidelines, and algorithms is more than just a full-time job: it takes a team of dedicated practitioners who look beyond the headlines, pulling the threads to discover meaning within the metrics. When you've got this kind of team at your disposal, however, the pathway to cracking the code and maximising your income via social media engagement becomes less about magic, and much more about intention. Here's how we do what we do. Finding and maintaining your authentic voice If you've scrolled through Instagram lately, you may have spotted content that can feel like rapid-fire AI-generated posts. It's lacking in nuance, homogenised in tone, and offering very little in the way of genuine value. Our social media management is grounded in a foundation of real conversations. With an authentic voice at the forefront of every small choice in copy, strategy in visuals, and brand-level engagements, we hone that authentic voice for our clients while building relationships and cultivating brand authority on select social media platforms. When a brand's talking 'at' the audience, an opportunity is missed to become their trusted partner. 'A well-defined brand voice makes your company seem more human. And a more human brand is easier for customers, prospects, and social media followers to relate to,' shares Hootsuite. 'Especially on social media, people don't want to follow or engage with a random corporate entity. They want to follow and engage with brands that amuse, entertain, inform, and/or align with their values. That's true when it comes to purchasing, too. A well-defined social media voice ensures your social content resonates with the people you want to connect with most.' By strategically designing content schedules in tandem with our Content Development team, we're able to build content that promotes news, fosters connection, and creates anticipation within your audience. Plus, the day-to-day account management is handled by us, while delivering data-driven insights that continually offer value to your business - all without you needing to log on once. Our work with the Australian Menopause Centre shows the power of authentic, organic social media strategy in action. Achieving a 420% increase in engagement, our comprehensive social media solution encompassed post creation, copywriting, and audience communication management. We found a way to effectively connect with the target audience through a nuanced approach that tackled a delicate subject, menopause, with care, awareness, and authority. Backed up by content creation, we've been able to see AMC's engagement and lead rates rise in every aspect of their digital marketing via social channels. Hey, Google, give us some love It's easy to feel like a failure to grasp SEO will leave your company in the dark, sending your website and social media presence to the dusty recesses of deep search results. At RealClicks, we reduce the hype surrounding this critical area, using a grounded approach to SEO to build robust engagement via tools refined to perfection. With fierce competition for eyeballs in the digital space, SEO (search engine optimisation) is necessary to capture, and maintain, your competitive position. SEO is all about making sure your brand's voice isn't just heard - it's actively discovered. We approach SEO holistically, moving beyond keywords to investigate and action on-site and off-site strategies that lead to improved search engine positions. Keyword research is our foundation, providing integral direction for website copy, blogs, articles, and landing pages. This isn't just about good practice. SEO marketing has an average reported return on investment ratio of 22:1, equating to a massive 2,200% on your spend. No matter your industry, that's the kind of return that can revolutionise your income levels when SEO's implemented to achieve genuine, sustainable, and profitable results. 'The average business drives 53% of its traffic through organic search,' reports Semrush. 'Plus, almost every purchase today involves organic search in some way or another.' Another of our valued clients, Multispares, is an independent company providing mainstream distribution for aftermarket truck and bus parts across Australia and New Zealand. When we began working with them, we saw the company's website transform from ranking on Google's front page for just 9 keywords to 206 keywords within the first two years of utilising RealClicks keywords. Now, the site holds positions on competitive and conversion-friendly truck brand names, with demonstrated organic click and impression increases of 42.38% and 115.94%. Maximising social-media-driven income: tips and tricks With a wide world of opportunities existing alongside organic socials and SEO strategies, maximising the income derived from your social media activity can be achieved one small step at a time. Our expert team recommends: Draw on a strategic content calendar. No more randomised posting - you need to be working from a calendar that captures engaging content, value-adding material, and promotional posts to sustainably build your audience. Keep engagement at the centre. Community isn't built through one-way communication. By responding efficiently to comments, messages, and engagement, you can demonstrate real presence to your audience and customers. Lean into your analytics. Different analytics can give you powerful insights into your audience's behaviour, preferences, and the way they're interacting with your content. This data can help you to refine your strategies for the best outcomes. Stay up to date. Small changes to algorithms, policies, or user intent can have significant impacts on your engagement levels and success rates. Our best recommendation? Hand it over to our team, who are committed to providing real, honest services with value-adding and strategic results. When we do what we do best, we empower our clients to experience growth, profitability, and acceleration. Contact us today to learn more about how your brand can maximise its income via strategic social media execution.

Unleash the Power of Visual Storytelling through our Videography and PhotoContent Services

We've all heard the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. When it comes to business storytelling, photos and videos are worth their weight in gold. Videos and photos are powerful marketing tools, and it's not just about improving SEO and Google search ranking. Photos and videos are great for connecting with your audience and building your brand. As a digital marketing strategy, it's important to know that video content is shared 1200% more than simple links or text. That's a whopping statistic, but it demonstrates the power of video as a marketing tool. RealClicks offers comprehensive videography and PhotoContent services, and in this article, we'll explore these options further.

The importance of storytelling

Promoting your business isn't just about placing ads online and waiting for customers to call. In today's world, consumers need more from the businesses they support. Sure, a small percentage of people are not interested in the company behind the products and services they buy, but there are plenty more customers who care a great deal. And it's with these customers who you need to connect and engage with. Storytelling is crucial to connecting with your audience, but it only works when done properly. The stories you tell shouldn't only be about the products and services you sell, but they should include the customer and consumer experience. Let's say you're a software development company. Instead of focusing solely on technical aspects in your marketing, you could tell a story about a client who was struggling to streamline their business operations. Share how your software solutions transformed their daily work, making it easier for them to manage their tasks and achieve a better work-life balance. Advertising this way is how you can humanise your company and appear more relatable to your audience. Storytelling has been a part of human existence forever, taking the form of spoken word, written content, and, more recently, photos and videos.

The benefits of RealClicks videography and PhotoContent

Why is videography such a powerful marketing tool in the modern world? RealClicks works closely with clients to create video and photo content that shares unique messages. We make you stand out from your competitors with high-quality, professional content that shows your company in the best light and, more importantly, tell a story that resonates with your customers. Here are just some of the ways your business can benefit from expert videography and PhotoContent services. Make your business more relatable When you connect with your audience on a more emotional level, customers see your business in a different way. No longer are you just selling a product, but you're now selling solutions and stories. Videos don't have to be advertisements, either. They can be insights into your daily work, customer testimonials, helpful how-to videos or news articles and the latest trends. Building brand identity Consistent messaging across all platforms is a great way to shape your brand's identity. RealClicks creates videos that align with your goals and brand image. Remember we mentioned that videos are shared 1200% more than links or text? When your videos are shared with a wider audience, your brand identity grows. You build real brand recognition by keeping all your images and social posts consistent with your videos and website. Engaging with your customers Repeat business is good business, and customers who engage with you more personally are likelier to be loyal. RealClicks video marketing services shine a spotlight on your brand, but they also give customers something to share or engage with on social media. PhotoContent, for example, might be infographics with valuable information, photos of a work event, or even just something funny that your audience wants to share. Maximum value When you work with RealClicks to harness the power of storytelling through video and photos, you get exceptional bang for your buck. That's because the stories you tell in your videos can be shared across multiple channels, including websites and social media platforms. These video stories can also be turned into blog posts, GIFs, social media stories, reels, and much more. One storytelling video can go a long way. Improved SEO Adding video and photo content to your website is excellent for SEO, provided it is all tagged correctly and is relevant. Google and other search engines love video and image content, so it's a great way to attract visitors to your website. Websites with relevant, interactive content are more likely to rank well, improving your SEO and increasing organic website traffic. Building trust Words are great, and they can be compelling. But video and photo content adds more credibility to those words. For example, your website most likely tells customers how you differ from the competition. But until they see evidence, it's just words. Video testimonials, for example, are a more engaging way to prove you're great at what you do. Case study videos and photos of your products and services are also a terrific way to build trust. How to nail storytelling with videography and photos If you're ready to start sharing more engaging stories with your audience, RealClicks is here to help. Our professional videography and PhotoContent services are tailored to your specific needs. We'll help brainstorm story ideas, and our skilled staff create content that resonates with your audience and brand image. Plus, we can help with all other aspects of promoting your business. With a solid marketing strategy in place, we can help your business grow. If you'd like to discuss your digital marketing needs, get in touch with the team at RealClicks today to see how we can get you the real results your business deserves.

Conversational Marketing - Are you doing it right?

AI-driven content creation. Voice search optimisation. Augmented reality ads. Predictive analysis. Neuromarketing. Conversational marketing. In a sea of ever-evolving digital marketing techniques, strategies and technologies, how can you guarantee that your brand is making the most of this expansive toolkit? At RealClicks, we proactively monitor emerging digital marketing trends in order to deliver the highest quality of results for each of our clients. That means we're always looking at not just the kinds of tools that are available, but why these tools may complement our strategy as we work towards collaborative goals. The ongoing expansion of conversational marketing is one such evolution we're utilising, fostering rich relationships with customers through meaningful, real-time dialogues. When conversational marketing is done well, it can turn passive visitors into active participants, enabling brands to establish a two-way dialogue with consumers (as opposed to bombarding them with one-way messages). When it's done poorly? It can feel disingenuous or robotic, making customers feel like they're not being truly heard. If you're considering implementing conversational marketing in your digital strategy, these best practice tips can support a positive customer experience, not a damaging brand interaction. What is conversational marketing? Conversational marketing draws on tools, including messaging apps, chatbots, and social media, to initiate and continue genuine conversations with customers. While the goals of these interactions may vary, it's common for conversational marketing to be used to build a better understanding of their needs and intent, to answer questions efficiently, and to guide them further down the sales funnel. 'I believe that we as marketers need to evolve to stop talking at our customers and invite them to have a dialogue,' writes Matt Ramerman for Forbes. 'The solution is conversational marketing: designing purposeful customer interactions that invite and welcome customers to have a conversation with your brand.' Some of the key elements of conversational marketing (when done well!) include: Instant responses. This demonstrates respect for the customer's time by delivering instant, accurate responses. Personalised interactions. When conversations are tailored to the unique needs of each customer, they're much more likely to feel valued and seen. The capturing and implementation of feedback. When your customers are able to provide feedback on their experience, that feedback can be applied to your strategy, allowing for continuous improvement. What are some of the common mistakes brands are making in conversational marketing? For every excellent conversational marketing experience, there's a misstep. As the tools and tech stacks used to deliver these experiences continue to grow, space for improvement remains in how customers engage with a conversational marketing experience. Over-automation is one of the most common mistakes made in this area. While chatbots and AI capacities have had significant impacts on response times, over-relying on them in your conversational marketing workflows can clearly signify an impersonal approach to your customers. Striking a balance between automated conversations and human-driven interactions is crucial to building genuine engagement experiences. 'Talking at', rather than to the customer, is always one area where brands are failing to deliver an authentic conversational experience. Taking a one-sided approach can leave many opportunities for engagement on the table, reducing the sense of a meaningful relationship between your brand and your customers. Another common mistake is in the area of feedback: when brands fail to learn from negative feedback, customers wonder why they bothered to offer it in the first place. Our recommendations for how to implement conversational marketing If you're yet to dip your toes into the conversational marketing water, considering how you can set your brand up for successful implementation is key to delivering a seamless and enriching customer experience. Our recommendations for this process are: Carefully consider your technology integrations. AI and chatbots can serve incredible purposes - but be mindful of when it may be necessary to hand the conversation over to a human agent. By combining automated integrations with your team, you can build efficient, conversational processes that don't sacrifice a human touchpoint. Invest in regular training. How equipped are your customer service teams? Are they aware of the conversational marketing nuances that have taken place before they connect with your customers? By investing in regular and ongoing training, you can make sure your customer service team is ready to meet the diverse range of customer queries that may arise through a conversational marketing experience. Prioritise authenticity. We all know when we've been met with an overly scripted response: it feels robotic, mass-produced, and inauthentic. By prioritising authentic communication at every customer touchpoint, you can significantly increase your customer's experience, all while maintaining your unique brand voice. Segment your audience. Not all of your customers will have the same exact needs or preferences. In fact, each individual customer may have a unique need that brought them to your brand in the first place! Conversational marketing can be enhanced through careful segmentation, breaking mass audiences into segments based on behaviours, demographics, or purchase history. Look for proactive engagement opportunities. Sure, you could wait for your customers to come to you - or you could initiate conversations at strategic and intentional customer touchpoints in every stage of their customer journey. Prioritise data safety. Increased personalised interaction means customers require even more certainty that their data is safe, secure, and not at risk of being misused. If your organisation isn't already prioritising compliance with data protection regulations, this must be an urgent priority as you step further into the field of conversational marketing. Conclusion Conversational marketing can represent the very best of marketing intentions: carefully crafted messages designed to engage with the right human at the right stage of their buying journey. By placing an authentic human experience at the forefront of your conversational marketing efforts, you can make the most of this emerging strategy, using technology to fuel genuine experiences rather than mass-marketed blanket messaging. Not sure where conversational marketing fits into your overall digital strategy? Reach out to our team of digital marketing experts today, and we'll give you honest, real-world advice that truly moves the needle.

How Do You Get User-Generated Content?

In the world of digital marketing, there are plenty of ways to capture your audience’s attention. One of those is through User-Generated Content (UGC). In this unique form of marketing, your audience does most of the work for you, making it extremely cost-effective. Most markets are saturated today, and with the massive prevalence of social media advertising, spam messages and pop-up ads, customers lack trust in the information brands give them. But they’ll happily listen to the opinions of friends, family and other shoppers, which is exactly why UGC needs to be part of your marketing strategy. What is User-Generated Content (UGC)? In really simple terms, User-Generated Content is exactly as the name suggests. It is any form of online content that mentions your business. But the trick is that your customers and audience create the content. UGC can be videos, posts, comments, product reviews or anything else in the online sphere. You’ve no doubt heard of ‘influencers’ and the impact they can have on a brand’s marketing. Essentially, all an influencer does is create UGC for a fee. As an example, you watch a YouTube video reviewing a product. The product’s creator has likely given it to the influencer for free in exchange for a review. Not only does this effectively create a backlink to your website for SEO purposes (if the influencer includes one), but it also encourages the influencer’s viewers to consider your brand. But you don’t always need to pay for UGC. Here are some clever ways to get user-generated content to advertise your brand. How to get UGC There are numerous ways to get user-generated content for your brand, and the best sources are social media platforms. Let’s explore how to get users talking about your products and services more regularly. Planning Before any type of marketing campaign, you have to understand your goals. Do you just want people to share pictures of your products? Or do you want to collect a heap of UGC that you can re-share across various platforms? When people share content and tag your business (or use your preferred hashtag), you can do any number of things with it, including:

• Re-post to the same social platform and tag the content creator
• Share to other social media platforms
• Upload to your website as social proof

Once the content is created, you can use it however you like. But this is where your goals come in. You need to understand the social platforms you should use for certain types of content. A brief guide is below:

• Facebook: Videos, reels, blogs, photos and more
• Instagram: Photos, videos, reels, stories
• LinkedIn: Blog posts and more professional content
• Twitter: News articles, gifs, photos, short videos
• Pinterest: Images, tutorials, infographics

As each platform has a different audience and style, make sure to target your UGC strategy accordingly. Branded hashtags Before you start any type of UGC campaign, it’s important to create and use branded hashtags on all of your posts. Ideally, you should also include these hashtags in your social media bio. This shows everybody who interacts with your profile how to share UGC. Importantly, this helps to build your brand but also makes it easy for you to check for customers sharing your hashtag regularly. We recommend choosing your preferred hashtag and posting it to all of your social media bios. We’ll touch on direct upload UGC shortly, but you can also include links for this in your social media bios. Direct upload UGC One way to access plenty of UGC is to encourage people to directly upload content to your website or social feed. You may need some specialist help to set this up, but once done, you can review all UGC easily and choose which ones to re-post or include in your website testimonials. Of course, encouraging people to directly upload content is one thing, but achieving it is something else. You should regularly (but not too often) remind customers to upload their photos or videos using hashtags and other social tags. Let’s look at some other ways to entice your followers and customers to post UGC content, either by direct upload or using tags. Emails It’s an old method in digital marketing terms, but it’s still effective. Customers who have just purchased something from your business are more open to interaction. It’s the perfect time to send them an email to check in and see if they’re happy with the purchase. Timing is everything, though. Give them enough time to receive and use the product, but not so long that the purchase gets forgotten. You can encourage users to share videos, photos or social media posts about their purchase, even if it takes a little coaxing. Offer a 20% discount off their next purchase, or enter them into a regular monthly prize draw for customers who share UGC. Even though many people ignore emails, this is still a productive way to gather UGC because you can provide all of the appropriate links, making it easy for customers. So, making it easy for customers is crucial, whether it’s a link to your direct upload, sharing buttons for social media or even a Google Review link. Social media competitions Everybody likes a prize, especially through social media. Your customers probably spend a lot of time on social media, so it’s relatively easy for them to enter competitions. All you need to do is advertise a competition and a prize. Ask users to submit their photos, videos or other UGC for a chance to win. Voila! Instant UGC for you to use anywhere. Influencers Finally, why not try to use influencers to create your UGC? Depending on the influencer, this is a little more expensive, but it can generate a lot of online traction. You can also go to the next level down, being UGC content creators. The concept is basically the same, but many companies have started seeking out everyday people to create UGC rather than popular influencers. It costs less, and the impact may not be as broad, but it’s a good place to start if you’re on a budget. If you’d like to kick-start your user-generated content or digital marketing campaign, contact us at RealClicks today. We offer customised marketing plans and strategies designed to take your business further.

Google Lens and What It Means for Your Business

While Google Lens isn't particularly new, having been first released in 2017, it has a significant impact on how businesses operate online. In particular, e-commerce companies have a lot to gain by optimising their marketing efforts for Google Lens technology. Let's jump straight in and find out what Google Lens is, and how to use the technology to supercharge your business. What is Google Lens? Google Lens is a type of image recognition software found in most smartphones and available as a standalone app. With this tool, users can use their phone's camera to bring real-world objects into their digital environment. One of the first uses of a similar technology was Augmented Reality. For example, a shopper could digitally place a piece of furniture into their home to make sure it fits and looks right. Google Lens takes this concept a step further by not only enabling users to view these additions through their device's camera but also providing access to additional digital features and information. In many ways, it's like a turbocharged QR code. Let's look at a few of the popular functions. A huge range of functions Using image recognition, Google Lens interprets what your phone's camera sees and provides additional benefits. For example:

• Scan a document and ask for an instant translation
• Take a photo of a store and access opening hours and other information
• Snap a picture of a meal and reveal the recipe

These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are almost endless in terms of image recognition. However, in this article, we're mainly concerned about the capacity of Google Lens to enhance the online shopping experience. Product searches Imagine you're browsing online, and you see a jacket you love. But it's just an image, not a product listing from an online store. Instead of going through the hassle of typing multiple detailed search queries to locate a retailer selling that jacket, you can now tap and hold the original image, and Google will find it in available online stores. You can even use this technology in the real world. If you see someone wearing something you admire, you can snap a photo, and Google Lens will show you where to buy it. In that sense, it is very closely linked to Google shopping, which can be a huge benefit for e-commerce businesses. How to use Google Lens for business As Google Lens technology becomes more widespread and image search grows in popularity, it's imperative that businesses have their e-commerce systems set up correctly. Ideally, you want all your products to be easily searchable on Google Shopping, creating greater opportunities for customers to find the items you are selling. Here's a guide to getting the most out of Google Shopping and Google Lens: Make your products visible on Google First, you'll need to ensure all of your products are visible on Google. This involves having product listings featured on Google Shopping. Fortunately, these listings are free, but you can run paid campaigns to gain even more exposure. If you're not technically minded, setting up a Google Merchant account is the easiest way to get started. Head to Google's Merchant Centre and log in with your Google account. Follow the step-by-step guide, and once you've created your account, you can begin adding product listings to your feed. The other option is to add structured data to your website. Structured data markup is small pieces of code that make it easier for Google to determine what your page is about. For example, is it an event page, blog, recipe, or product listing? The challenge here lies in the fact that if you lack expertise in coding or web development, you'll have to enlist the services of a professional to configure this for you. Label and size your images correctly Remember that Google Lens technology is all about image recognition. So, if you don't have quality product images, it's harder for Google to identify them. In addition, your images will appear on Google Shopping alongside your competitors, so having the best of the best is always an advantage. However, it's not all about looks. Your images need to be sized correctly. Larger pictures take longer to load, and this damages SEO. You'll need to strike a balance between having a nice, high-resolution image that also loads quickly. In addition, you need to tag images appropriately. Use keywords associated with that product in your filename, image title, and image alt text. Incorporate Google Lens optimisation into your SEO The way that people search for products online is constantly evolving. We've witnessed the rise of voice search, and now image search is becoming increasingly popular. As more and more people adopt this new way of searching for items, businesses need to stay ahead of the game. If you sell products online, it's crucial to incorporate Google Lens technology into your marketing plans. It certainly doesn't replace the need for SEO, paid advertising or any other form of marketing, But it's a great way to get ahead of your competitors who may be slower to catch on to this fantastic new technology. If you want to build a stronger online presence and showcase your products to a wider audience, contact RealClicks today. Find out more about how we can harness Google Lens technology to boost your e-commerce sales.

Our Top 5 Digital Marketing Tips

It’s no secret that more marketing takes place on digital platforms than anywhere else. So, how do you maximise your marketing spend and take your business to the next level? Here are five digital marketing tips you can use to enhance your online presence. Focus on the customer experience User experience is always a big focus, and rightly so. But what is it? User experience starts from the moment a potential customer searches for your business on Google, connects with you via social media or contacts you in any way. Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to access the information they need or to purchase your products or services. Some examples of this include chatbots on your website to help with customer queries or even simply having a clean website design that’s easy to navigate. Let’s consider an example of a good customer experience for an e-commerce business. A customer searches on Google for camping supplies. You’ll rank well on that search query if your SEO is in good order. Upon clicking the search result, the landing page your customer arrives on is clear, easy to read, and gives them all the information they need. Your website menu should be easy to navigate, so even if the customer wants a specific product, they should be able to find it with one click or search. Once they hit the product page (which should be your landing page for more specific product-related search queries), the checkout process is straightforward, and the customer also receives related product suggestions. This is an excellent customer experience because everything is easy. Anything different than this, such as a slow-loading website or complex website navigation, will send the user straight back to the Google search page to find an easier company to deal with. Quality video content If you look at any list of top digital marketing tips for the last few years, video content will be part of it. People love video content, and it’s a great way to connect with your audience on a different level. Firstly, video content is excellent for SEO, so it should form a significant part of your website design. Beyond that, though, video content is used across several platforms. Social media channels such as X, Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram are all heavily based on users watching videos, even if they’re only 30 seconds long. From funny clips that give insight into your business to finely tuned marketing or ‘how-to’ videos, it’s smart to bring plenty of video content into your marketing strategy. The great thing is, with so many platforms to publish video content on, your videos don’t need to be perfect every time or cost a lot of money. Sometimes it’s just about giving your audience a glimpse inside your business in order to form a connection. Using artificial intelligence It seems like 2023 was the year that artificial intelligence (AI) blew up in popularity. The rise of programs like ChatGPT has thrust AI into the global spotlight, with more people accessing and using the technology. However, AI has been around for a long time in various forms. Product recommendations, ‘buyers also purchased’, and image recognition software like Google Lens all operate with some level of AI. The list of uses for AI is almost endless, so we won’t address them all. However, it’s fair to say that from a marketing point of view, AI has the capability to improve accuracy while saving time and resources. From selecting the best-paid advertising copy to answering customer queries with an AI chatbot, there are multiple ways to take advantage of this technology in your business. New technology like AI can make some people feel uncomfortable, but the fact is, it’s here to stay, and businesses need to adapt quickly or risk getting left behind. Optimising for voice search Let’s say you’re typing a search query into Google on your smartphone. You’re likely to use fewer words because it’s easier, right? So, your search might be: ‘school shoes near me’. However, without the need for typing, voice searches are typically longer because you speak more naturally. For example, you might ask your smart home assistant: ‘Find me a budget shoe store near me that sells school shoes’. As you can see, the search query is a lot longer. But voice search doesn’t necessarily work differently from a normal typed search – the only difference is how you input the information. As a result, we expect to see an increased need to use long-tail keywords when optimising for SEO. The search volume for longer searches may not look appealing now, but getting ahead of the game is never a bad idea. A comprehensive and varied marketing strategy Finally, the best advice we can give for 2023 and all future years is to have a varied marketing strategy. There are so many ways to promote your business online these days, which gives you a great opportunity to build brand recognition. Keep consistent messaging and advertising materials across all platforms, such as social media, YouTube, your own website, and paid ads. In addition, ensure you invest in quality SEO. Remember, every business is different, so you may need a different marketing strategy than your competitors. You might also need some trial and error to see where you get the most value for money from your marketing efforts. But overall, keeping it varied gives you more opportunities to find your ideal audience. If you’d like help developing a tailored, effective digital marketing strategy to boost your online presence, contact RealClicks today.

Shopping online with AI: new opportunities to connect with consumers

Virtual try-ons. Personalised shopping feeds. Automated customer services. In every direction you turn, AI capabilities are revolutionising the face of our online shopping experiences. Shopping online with AI is no longer the exception, it’s the norm. While some of these AI tools have been in use - visibly or invisibly - in our online retail environments for years, the rapid proliferation of new technologies means we’re entering into an online shopping era that’s changing month by month. For consumers, this means new opportunities to find the products they need more efficiently within an intuitive online shopping environment. For retailers, it’s more important than ever to focus on delivering the highest quality of consumer experiences, harnessing the power of these shifting technologies to identify new ways to connect with their consumer base. How is AI impacting online shopping? In an Algolia article titled AI eats eCommerce, Sean Mullaney writes about 10 ways AI shopping is transforming in the 2023 landscape, including supercharged results ranking, clarified understandings of search intent, personalisation, conversational commerce, real-time data integrations, and more. Mullaney sums these changes up by noting ‘the problem with eCommerce sites is they basically can’t understand humans… So we as humans have to figure out how to speak computer lingo and tell this database what we’re looking for… This is about to change dramatically.’ AI shopping changes are profound, bringing enhanced capacities to the online retail landscape that are compounding years of consumer habits into strategic online sales environments. Some of these notable impacts include.. A shift in how keywords drive search results Search is changing rapidly, with more sophisticated AI capabilities delivering results based on understanding the concepts shoppers are looking for, not just the keyword itself. Commonly referred to as user intent (which can also be understood as the customer’s goal), these new capabilities can result in higher-quality outcomes for consumers based on single search queries. Forbes’ April 2023 article, How AI will revolutionize the future of SEO, states ‘one example of AI integration in search algorithms is Google’s RankBrain, which uses machine learning to better understand user intent and deliver more relevant search results. As AI becomes more advanced, we can expect search engines to adopt similar technologies, leading to a more accurate understanding of user queries and better search results.’ In the online shopping realm, these new tools can lead to better product results, more relevant suggestions, and a smoother discovery process for the online consumer. Unique product rankings for each individual While eCommerce sites have traditionally sorted results according to popular products, AI-fuelled ranking now enables unique rankings based on personalised data from each individual. The result? Optimised outcomes for shoppers based on their unique needs and preferences, rather than rankings based on mass data results. ‘For companies, it can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty, as well as more efficient inventory management… for consumers, personalised product recommendations can save time and improve the overall shopping experience,’ Sprinter Consulting reported in June 2023’s AI Personalised Product Recommendations. Of course, this isn’t a new development in the eCommerce landscape, with giants such as Amazon using recommendation systems for years that are fuelled by the customer’s search history and other behavioural specifics. For small eCommerce stores, however, the ability to utilise personalised technologies is more accessible than ever before. Enhanced personalisation Compared to the rudimentary experiences of personalisation we’ve become familiar with in the eCommerce landscape, AI-driven personalisation will enhance the customer experience from the first click-through to every touchpoint. ‘With the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, brands are finally able to tailor shopping experiences to customers’ interests, based on real-time web browsing habits and shopping data,’ Salesforce writes in How artificial intelligence powers personalised shopping. ‘Through personalisation, brands now have the power to turn every shopping interaction into a meaningful and rewarding experience,’ With personalisation also linked to higher conversion rates and product sales, this online retail development represents a win for both the consumer and the retailer. Conversational commerce In this shift, personalised chatbots engage with customers through questions and conversation, using the data the customer provides to refine products live in front of them. While chatbots are common in many eCommerce environments, this delivers a personal shopper experience that’s highly intuitive, refined, and shaped around the unique purchasing intent of the individual user. Wix eCommerce states that ‘the best experiences use these technologies to guide shoppers through the entire customer journey, from the moment they inquire about a product, to when they’re ready to check out or want to make a return.’ Conversational commerce channels can include online chats, social messaging apps, SMS messaging, in-store consultations, phone customer service, and more. Multimedia shopping capabilities In the world before AI-empowered eCommerce capabilities, products are defined by text listings in the title and description. Today, AI models can draw data from multimedia sources (such as images and videos), using the capacities of generative AI to show custom models in different clothing, recommend purchases based on the customer’s previous purchases, and source customer suggestions from a multifaceted data pool. Generative AI tools can also empower businesses to build targeted product imagery and videos that enhance their visibility while capturing consumer attention. Google’s Product Studio, for example, tackles the problem of creating a range of high-quality images, offering generative AI to businesses of all scales. Able to create custom product scenes, remove product background, increase image resolutions, and more, this tool is a powerful example of how AI co-creation techniques can fuel online retail experiences and increase conversion rates. Conclusion As AI tools continue to deliver innovation and revolution to the eCommerce landscape, the way we search, consider, and buy in online environments will continue to evolve. The future of online shopping, fuelled by AI, isn’t just about convenience: it’s about a marketplace that’s shaped to the nuances of our individual whims, interests, needs and curiosities, delivering results that the eCommerce platforms of the 90s could only dream of. For business owners, marketers and online stores of all shapes and sizes, AI presents a powerful co-creation tool that can deliver sustainability and transformation to their bottom line. Looking for support in making the most of your business’s digital opportunities? RealClick’s bespoke marketing abilities are at your service.

AI Google Search - what does it mean for SEO?

With a Google search often forming one of the first steps towards discovery, connection and relationship between brands and their customers, changes to how Google Search is shaped can have major impacts on our online marketing and sales channels. In 2023, Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionise how we seek, discover and utilise information, with a notable example taking shape and capturing attention in the form of AI-powered Google Search. SEO is a multifaceted process, including on-page and off-page optimisation across a range of factors to support higher web page ranks for specific search terms and user intent. These continued changes have direct implications to SEO managers and practitioners who must continue to navigate their implications as they look to strategically position their content for their target audience, ensuring their investment in content delivers meaningful results within a wider customer journey. By tracking how these changes progress, we can look to the future of SEO, developing tools and strategic approaches that enable us to work with these progressive iterations, not against them. The role of AI in search algorithms While AI may be capturing a wave of consumer and business attention in 2023, AI has fuelled the engine of search machines for years. With new changes to the way this AI operates and new capabilities in its arsenal, however, rapid-fire changes are at foot that have direct impacts on consumer search experiences. In a recent article for Forbes, How AI will revolutionise the future of SEO, Alex Bider writes, ‘the foundation of search engines like Google relies on sophisticated algorithms that crawl and index webpages, and then rank them based on their relevance and authority. AI-powered algorithms have the potential to vastly improve these processes, making search results more accurate, personalised and efficient.’ Bider goes on to note that continued AI integration can provide a range of benefits to traditional SEO functions, including: Enhanced accuracy in the understanding of user queries, resulting in better search outcomes Automated keyword research and content optimisation, including the semantic relationships between keywords, noting search trends and predicting user behaviour Providing analysis of user behaviour data during website visits, including suggestions for personalised content or the use of AI-powered chatbots While these AI-fuelled functionalities may not come as a surprise to those who’ve been monitoring advancements in AI capabilities, Google’s continued search developments offer further insights about the future of AI Google searches. In May 2023, Google invited the first set of test users to experience its new Search Generative Experience, writing, ‘with new generative AI capabilities in Search, we’re now taking more of the work out of searching, so you’ll be able to understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights, and get things done more easily.’ Its generative AI search examples demonstrate AI-powered snapshots of key information to queries, with associated links that allow the user to deep dive with more ease. This search mode also carries context forward, supporting users with more continuity of search results related to their overall search intent. With so much of Google’s search capabilities focused on shopping intent, it’s no surprise that their generative AI in Search is also designed to help users buy products with more ease. When users search for a product, they receive a quick AI-powered snapshot of key factors to consider in their purchasing decision, as well as products that may suit their needs. With product descriptions, reviews, ratings, prices and product images all in a single search result, Google’s Shopping Graph is combined with this evolving generative AI shopping experience. Google’s Labs team also noted that they continued to remain committed to driving traffic to relevant sites across the internet, and that Search ads will continue to appear in dedicated ad slots within Generative Search result pages. How businesses can prioritise their SEO-specific marketing efforts Whether you’re an optimist or a cynic when it comes to the world of evolving technologies, there’s no denying that these changes to search engine functionalities require strategic responses. Some of the potential implications of Google’s generative AI, as well as those of its competitors, include:

• Changes to how content is generated, optimised, and understood by search engines. As SEO professionals, the value of unique, high-quality and value-adding content is more important than ever, with a clear comprehension of user intent leading the way in the push to maintain search visibility.
• Increased risks of duplication and plagiarism. As search engines continue to penalise duplicate content, SEO teams need to prioritise originality.
• A continued emphasis on adaptive strategies. As AI becomes more heavily used in all forms of content generation, algorithms are continually shifting their algorithms to adapt their ability to detect and differentiate. A continued emphasis within SEO strategies on aligning with these changes is necessary to protect content visibility.
• Enhanced keyword strategy requirements. These changes mean that SEO professionals may stand to enhance the value of their content by focusing on a broader approach to topics, concepts, and search intent, utilising more of an awareness of search query context in how content is developed.
• Increased personalisation capacities. As AI continues to enable richer personalised search experiences, this presents an opportunity for SEO teams to leverage personalisation techniques, ensuring content is optimised in a world of highly personalised search results and query outcomes.

Conclusion The rapid pace of AI advancements can make it feel like you’re playing a game of never-ending catch-up - but by taking a strategic, long-term approach to the evolving content and search engine landscape, you can continue to utilise value-adding original content in building meaningful relationships with your consumer base. At RealClicks, our emphasis on data-driven services and genuine value means we’re taking a grounded, iterative approach to evolving SEO needs. Our content strategies continue to evolve in step with AI changes, ensuring our clients’ messages remain front and centre for their audiences. If you’re looking for a content strategist who’ll bring personal investment to the delivery of meaningful and real results, our team’s ready to support your SEO journey - no matter the changes AI-fuelled search brings our way!

4 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2023

As self-confessed digital marketing nerds, we’re always keeping tabs on the latest trends. The end of one year and the beginning of another is the perfect time to take stock, reconvene and establish a strong and up-to-date marketing strategy. Here are the top trends we’re watching in 2023.    

Short-Form Video Content

  It’s no secret that video is one of the top forms of online content, particularly when targeting Gen Z and Millennial audiences. Versatile and engaging with a great return on investment, video marketing’s prominence isn’t likely to fade. The key difference moving forward: it’s getting shorter. With the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels, quick snippets are appealing to the masses, offering bite-sized and easily viewable content. Even Pinterest and YouTube (through YouTube Shorts) are prioritising this format. Use it to showcase product teasers, offer education pieces and go behind the brand. According to HubSpot research, younger audiences seek funny or trendy video content that reflects brand values, while older groups steer towards the informative. Harness this opportunity to build greater brand awareness, generate leads and strengthen relationships through authenticity and transparency as audience attention spans continue to shorten. And, with video up to 53x more likely to generate first-page SERPs, it’s well worth a shot. Who knows, your video might even go viral.    

Omnichannel Strategies

  As the internet continues to fragment and extend, an omnichannel approach is growing in importance. We are all digitally scattered with varied individual consumption, so we need to meet each user at their logical touchpoints. This means ensuring a coherent presence on a range of digital platforms, including your brand’s website, social media, video, apps, and more. Why does it matter? This is how we efficiently navigate the ‘messy middle’ and reach the audience at every point in their customer journey. Consider their map: what path do they take on the way to purchasing? How do they think and act at every stage? The messaging and location of this omnipresent behaviour enable greater conversion and places your business at the forefront of the consumer’s mind. One element of this practice involves consistent messaging and tone throughout, with social media and your website’s blog communicating similar ideas and stories, regenerating content. At RealClicks, we build detailed content strategies to manage this, with the addition of industry-specific content calendars to come in 2023. Being big and bold on the internet is the way forward.    

Enhanced User Experience

  A slow or confusing website is a surefire way to quickly deter a potential customer. The user experience is integral to online business success as you invite your audience to come and stay: learn about your brand, understand your offering, and entice them to follow through with a purchase or enquiry. It’s a priority every year, and no less in 2023. The aim is to make the experience as easy, simple and pain-free as possible, with a straightforward layout and navigation. Create digestible content with strong calls to action, and include video and powerful imagery. Mobile optimisation is key here: almost 80% of the Australian population owns a smartphone, encouraging regular internet access and search functionalities. Benefiting other areas of your online marketing, useful content is also looked fondly upon in recent SEO updates.    

Digital PR and Native Advertising

  Areas that continue to grow online, digital PR and native advertising offer new ways to build credibility and awareness. Digital PR, referring to building relationships with customers, links with online media and publishing content on the internet, is closely related to native advertising, which is akin to an advertorial. Breaking through the traditional advertising model, these are more discreet ways of reaching the consumer and offer added value, typically with informative, beneficial pieces featured on external websites. Build quality backlinks, extend your reach and awareness, and generate fresh leads. Not to mention, you’ll reach even those with ad-blockers!   Is 2023 the year you tackle your brand’s online marketing strategy? No matter the size or industry, RealClicks offers bespoke solutions to meet your needs, tackle your objectives and build a strong digital brand presence. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

The post-Covid e-commerce world: what’s happening?

Undoubtedly, you changed your personal spending and shopping habits during 2020 and 2021. In line with populations across the world, you may have used online stores to purchase groceries digitally for the first time, buy a yoga mat or home decor to spruce up your space. E-commerce was already growing, but this was an extra push that forced businesses to go digital, wherever possible.  

The Covid impact

While most aspects of life adjusted in light of Covid, these are just a few key changes seen in e-commerce:

1. New audiences. The closure of shopfronts and the transition to digital formats drew new audiences to online shopping. For example, elderly individuals started shopping for groceries online, as the safer and preferred way to buy, with easy delivery methods.
2. Increased online spending. One report that studied data from 47 countries outlines the online share of spending as rising from 10.3% in 2019 to 14.9% at the pandemic’s peak. Strict lockdowns no doubt contributed significantly to this.
3. Omnichannel shopping. The option to shop online, go in-store, or arrange a click-and-collect delivery has up-ended traditional forms of shopping, with options that suit every need. In some countries, ordering online and then picking groceries up increased 250%.

 

What’s happening now?

The reign couldn’t last forever, could it? IMF’s research found that e-commerce’s rapid increase is slowly receding, falling more in line with pre-pandemic levels. Some industries are faring better than others - food delivery, healthcare, electronics and clothing are maintaining considerable online sales. In Australia, September experienced a 28% YoY decline (according to AusPost findings). At the same time, 83% of online shoppers are now purchasing each month, an increase from 76% in 2021. It’s not over for e-commerce; instead, it’s time to reanalyse strategy and ensure you’re targeting the right customer in the right places.  

How to remain competitive

1. Utilise social media. It’s a tool that has a myriad of benefits, one of which is acting as a research function. 50% of Millennials say social media is an important part of finding products - a way to extensively analyse offerings before buying (whether that is online or in-store). Consider integrating shopping capabilities directly into your brand’s social media, with in-app purchases boosting sales for small and large businesses.
2. Analyse messaging. Is your copy and messaging, whether ad-based or on your social feed and website, speaking to your audience? Ethical, sustainable and Australian-owned messaging is increasingly important for breaking through the noise and encouraging purchases (46%, 47% and 64% of those surveyed, respectively, believe this is important). Even more, 34% are now buying online from smaller businesses, opening the playing field.
3. Personalisation and trust. With consumers changing their shopping patterns again, building trust and creating community is more important than ever. Allow them to gain (or maintain) confidence in your brand and what you have to offer. Direct connections encourage customer loyalty, so consider adding tools like EDMs, SMS marketing, and loyalty programs and using in-depth analytics to maximise targeted ad campaigns.Mobile-first strategies. Today’s consumers, according to neuroscience research, are more physiologically stressed by slow mobile loading times than watching horror films. Don’t turn potential customers away because of poor design. Create a mobile-first strategy that ensures speed, easy navigation and a seamless experience as mobile shopping continues to take hold. While apps are the preferred shopping method, no matter your business size, make sure your website is doing the hard work for you in generating leads and conversions - capture audiences as they scroll on public transport, in waiting rooms and watching TV (because we are all multitaskers now).

  Get help with your digital marketing and ensure your e-commerce brand continues to grow, despite the fade of lockdowns. Chat to the RealClicks team today for more information.

Not Convinced Your Business Needs Content? Take a Look at the Stats

Although content marketing is picking up the reins, it’s still often the first thing to go when budgets tighten. It can be seen as, pinning profits on words instead of numbers. But, we would argue that it’s more than just a ‘nice to have’; content marketing is essential for business success, regardless of the company’s size. Content is the driving force behind your community and your conversations. Don’t believe us? We selected some of our favourite content marketing reports to back this up with cold, hard statistics.  

Where is your audience?

Most content marketing takes place online these days, reflecting the shift in consumer behaviour. Your job is to meet them where they are at, helping any potential customer to navigate the ‘messy middle.’ In Australia, 86.5% of the population access the internet at least once a month (this figure is only expected to grow). We are online for at least 3 hours each day - inevitably, most office and WFH workers are far exceeding that. So, they are searching, reading, browsing, and also spending significant time on social media platforms. According to this post, there are 18 million active Australian Facebook users accessing the platform each month - 50% log on at least once a day. YouTube boasts 17.5 million unique visitors monthly, while Instagram counts 10 million active users and LinkedIn accounts 6.5 million.  

The power of content marketing

Business blogs are always important: they inform, educate, inspire, engage and drive traffic to your website. (Read more about the reasons why here). Outside of blogs, content marketing consists of a multitude from videos and infographics to email newsletters and social media. Don’t sleep on these stats from DemandMetric:

• 70% of those surveyed would prefer to learn about a company through an article instead of an advertisement
• 60% of customers actually enjoy reading relevant content from brands
• 82% feel more positively towards a company after reading their custom content
• 70% feel closer to a company as a result
• 90% find this custom content useful
• Interesting content is also one of the main reasons to follow a business on social media

 

Content marketing’s effect on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

A robust business blog doesn’t just help entertain and educate your customers - both existing and new - but it also has a strong influence on your search engine rankings. With fierce competition and limited consumer time, it’s critical to appear at the top of the search results. What does a blog have to do with search engine results? Find out more here. A recent study from Chitika found that the first Google search result receives 34% of the traffic, which equates to more than that of positions 2, 3, 4 and 5 combined. Placement truly does make all the difference. Additionally, there is an incredible loss of traffic between pages 1 and 2 of the results. Most users don’t bother clicking to the next page, and, following a rise in the rankings from position 11 to 10, traffic jumped by 143%.  

The importance of video marketing

With so many users on YouTube, plus the video tools on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram, video marketing is a no-brainer. Visual content is easily consumable, and importantly, it’s what your customers want. As Wyzowl found, we watch an average of 19 hours of video per week and are twice as likely to share this type of content with others. Here are some other interesting facts they uncovered:

• 73% of those surveyed said they would prefer to learn about a product service through video (11% responded with a blog post or article)
• 82% of businesses surveyed say video has helped increase dwell time, while 86% say it has helped generate new leads, and 81% say it directly increased sales
• 88% of customers have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video

  Get your content strategy right to maximise the benefits. Chat with the experts at RealClicks and let your content flourish - and do the hard work for you.

3 Reasons Why Online Customer Reviews are Crucial for Business in 2022

We always talk about the importance of building a strong online presence, and with that comes the prospect of online reviews. They sound scary and exposing from the outset, but the humble customer review has a lot to offer your business and bottom line. Here are the reasons we encourage online customer reviews and how to manage them.  

The benefits of online reviews

 

1. Build brand trust

With the world increasingly moving online, reviews are paving the way for a new system of doing business and greater opportunities. According to research conducted by Bright Local, 77% of consumers will 'always' or 'regularly' read reviews when browsing local businesses - and this number is only increasing. Online reviews now form an important part of the consumer purchase cycle, particularly as they navigate the 'messy middle.' Almost two-thirds of consumers believe that online reviews are an essential component of the decision-making process. It's vital to stand out from competitors online, and a proven way to do this is to increase positive reviews, moving consumers quickly from the exploration stage to initial purchase. Consumers love social proof. They want to feel validated in their choices, and even the support of complete strangers online (leaving 4 or 5-star reviews and glowing comments on Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc.) is enough to offer this. At times, these reviews are relied on more than anecdotal feedback from friends and family. Online reviews build the brand trust required to make the leap to purchase, helping to develop and solidify an identity and reputation. It also helps to manage expectations - customers are aware of the process, the offering and the feedback loop before they try or buy. With more customers feeling comfortable in their selection, online reviews directly correlate with improved sales.  

2. Improve search engine optimisation

Consider for a moment that reviews are the first section to appear on a Google search, displayed at the top of all results. Google, and other search engines, love reviews. The constant update and input from customer reviews are favourable to search engines, feeding the content machine that satisfies the algorithm. Improve your rankings and, therefore, your business's visibility by encouraging customer reviews. The more reviews, the better.  

3. Gain important feedback

Choose to see reviews as an essential part of the feedback process loop. Customers have first-hand tales about the delivery, the product or service, and the experience in-between, which are vital for the continual growth and betterment of your business. Gain insights into what is being done exceptionally well and what could do with some more work, allowing you to focus on specific areas. Use these tools to your advantage. It also plays a significant role in creating an open communication line with customers, enabling them to feel safe in your hands - that their opinion and thoughts matter. Nowadays, businesses are expected to interact and respond. When it's done right, there is an opportunity for repeat business, the development of brand loyalty, and generating more word of mouth.  

What do we do with bad online reviews?

With the good, of course, may at times come the bad, and asking customers to leave reviews can seem incredibly daunting. Firstly, see customer feedback as a learning opportunity and a chance for your business to allocate resources where they are most needed. Make sure timely responses are prioritised - show customers you care about their concerns and are willing to assist. Partnering with a digital marketing agency is a great way to offload the stress of reputation management. RealClicks believes that online customer reviews are crucial - both for benefitting your business online and off. We assist clients in resolving issues in-house before waiting for a customer to leave a Google review. Our Reputation Management service offers an EDM-based feedback service so that negative comments can be mitigated privately (with the customer service team) instead of being taken public (and impacting your overall reputation online). At the same time, we encourage customers with positive experiences to leave reviews on the platform of their choice - building trust, improving SEO rankings and boosting your bottom line. Shine online and stand out from the masses. Get in touch with us today to discuss how reputation management can benefit your business.

What's the Purpose of a Business Blog? 3 Key Benefits

We often get asked, "Do I really need a blog for my business?" No matter the industry or size of your business, our answer is a resounding yes. These are the reasons why we will always recommend you publish blog content.  

First up: The stats

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, there are a few statistics to consider. Why bother with blogging? The figures speak for themselves. HubSpot research found that companies that engage in blogging see improved marketing results, including:

• 55% more online visitors,
• 97% more inbound links, and
• 434% more indexed pages.

Add to these figures the changes in consumer internet behaviour over recent years. According to We Are Social, Australians spent 10% more time online in 2020, and we know how important the internet is during the decision making process - helping consumers to search, filter and evaluate relevant options. As a business, it’s time to take full advantage of this online presence.  

Drive traffic to your website

Blogs are search engine friendly - meaning, every time a new blog is published on your website, another page is indexed (referring to the process of a search engine visiting, analysing and then adding a page to its database). It's another opportunity to appear on the search engine results page (SERP). Consider how frequently you update the main pages of your company website; this regular blogging stream of publishing continues to show Google that your website is alive and active. Blog posts can also continue to drive traffic long after their publication date. If the content is of an "evergreen" nature (i.e. not specifically time-oriented and general, important information), leads can be generated for years to come as users search for these key terms. Not only do blogs help get the traffic to your site, but they're also vital in converting visitors into customers. Generally, blog posts will feature a strong CTA (call to action), encouraging readers to engage with your business further - purchase, contact, download an ebook, sign up for an email newsletter, and so on.  

Build authority and trust

You're the expert in your field. Blogging is the perfect way to share that expertise. Support business growth and build consumer trust by offering them important information relevant to your field. Use this as a space to answer commonly asked questions and address major concerns; make it easy for your audience to access what they need to know. You want users to turn to you as an authority figure in the area, which, in turn, assists them  through the sales funnel. When they come to purchase, your business will be front of mind.  

Create compelling content

While it's important to sell your brand via the business blog, keep in mind that you must also engage the audience and build community. As part of a wider content marketing campaign, your blog should address peripheral topics and ideas outside of the product-specific. RealClicks works with our clients to develop nuanced and informed content marketing strategies. Editorial calendars are devised around specific content pillars relevant to your audience and brand, with topics derived from these. Surprise your audience with something new; teach them and enhance their lives (while selling and boosting business). We strategise relevant keywords and topics to improve your SEO rankings and build traffic. A good blog strategy will also boost your social media activity - that's why our Content and Social Media teams work closely together. Blog content can feed straight into social media posts and assist in the cycle of information, linking back to the website and, hence, further driving traffic. Chat to RealClicks today about building a blog content strategy for your business. There is no business too big or too small; we believe that all businesses can benefit from these advantages. The internet is a big and wild place, so we're here to help you navigate it.

Why Building Brand Rapport Online Matters

We’re in the business of building relationships. No matter your industry, product or service, rapport and a sense of community foster growth and development. Here’s why we believe that an engaged community is one of the most precious assets, and how to build one.  

What is a brand community and why does it matter?

Think of the individuals within your specific community as your brand cheerleaders, advocates and ambassadors. They are the individuals who actively share your business, spread the word, purchase from you, engage with content and build awareness - even without you actively taking part. They’re emotionally invested. Often, these customers will follow you closely on social media and interact with the brand in various ways. You may notice the same few users commenting on and liking every Instagram post, for example. This select audience is a powerful tool for your business. Not only do they offer priceless word of mouth, but they also offer opportunities for market research, whether it’s testing new products and ideas or collecting general feedback. This back and forth and honing of tone helps to humanise a brand. According to a 2018 study, this human connection also builds brand loyalty (57% of consumers responded in favour). 58% also said that human connection would increase their spending on a particular brand and the likelihood of recommending to others.  

How to build a community

Some businesses choose to start a specific forum or discussion group, however these models require a lot of additional maintenance and, often, a full-time moderator. Instead, the easiest way to build a community of engaged customers is via your existing platforms - in particular, social media. Use Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other platforms relevant to your line of business to communicate with them. The content you post is a gateway for conversation; ask questions and interact in the comments and direct messages. You may choose to launch a business-specific hashtag to encourage user-generated content. Customers may post images of themselves with your products, tagging the brand and using relevant hashtags. This builds a bank of valuable content - like, repost and reshare while generating further rapport. After all, each of us loves to feel noticed, important and worthy. Think of ways that you can give back to your community, as well. Giveaways, loyalty programs and discounts help them to feel rewarded and valued.  

Why value is so important

Remember that this is a relationship - it must be mutually beneficial. Treat your community with respect and reap the benefits. Always consider their needs and interests: how can you keep them engaged and provide added value to them? This is particularly relevant regarding social media content. Make sure that your posting strategy is purposeful - engaging, entertaining, useful and meaningful. Don’t stick to product-based content alone - anything that reads as too “salesy” doesn’t make for a valued, two-way relationship. Mix up these posts with others that offer your audience something, whether it is genuinely helpful, interesting or funny. Infographics are a great tool here, adding digestible information in a visually-pleasing way. As a general rule of thumb, 80% of content posted should fit in the useful bracket with the remaining 20% directly promoting the business.   With a dedicated Social Media team, we are here to help you strategise, develop content and build your community. Chat to RealClicks today and start nurturing these relationships for better business.

Facebook Advertising for Small Businesses: An Overview

The unshakable power of Facebook is undeniable. At the end of 2021, Facebook was nearing 3 billion global users (Meta, Facebook’s renamed parent company, reached almost 3.6 billion users in total). In Australia alone, approximately 60% of the population is on Facebook. Inevitably, the platform is a logical place to get eyes on your products and build brand awareness, no matter the size of your business. So, how does it work, and what are your options? Read on to find out why we value Facebook advertising for small businesses.  

4 Reasons on the importance of Facebook advertising for small businesses

1-Reach your target audience

We’ve established that Facebook - with advertising access to over 60% of Australia’s population - has immense reach, enabling you to reach your target audience efficiently. Facebook also allows the creation of specific audiences so that every dollar spent on advertising is a worthwhile investment. Build your Core Audience, defined by criteria such as age, location, gender and interests. This is your target market. Customised Audiences allow you to dig deeper: retarget and reconnect with those who have crossed paths with your business in the past. Whether they have visited your website or made a purchase, use your contact list to target them again on Facebook. Finally, Facebook also offers the option to target a Lookalike Audience, essentially, an audience that has similar interests to your existing customers. Based on these traits, they are more likely to purchase.  

2-Engage your audience with video advertising

We’ve always said that content is king, but the power of video marketing (and, therefore, video advertising) is continuing to grow. Facebook Watch, Facebook’s video-on-demand service, engages with over 9 million Australian users each month. Facebook also reports that, globally, 74% of non-skippable video ads are completed - we’re happy to sit through the ads while we wait for the content. Videos are quick and snappy, easy to digest and, when targeted correctly, sync up to the needs, wants and desires of the audience. They’re immersive and often enjoyable, too. Reportedly, half of the time spent on Facebook is viewing videos, whether Stories, in-feed, or in-stream. So, create content and structure your advertising around the touchpoints they prefer.  

3-Meet your audience in Messenger

Globally, Messenger has over 1.3 billion users - it’s a simple platform to connect and chat in a streamlined format. Spark a conversation with your audience and invite them to engage with your small business on another level. Facebook offers targeted placements within the Messenger app, visible in the Chats tab. As we continue to develop brand identity and persona, the presence amongst strings of conversations adds another human element. Users simply tap on the ad, and you may prompt them to ask a question, go through to your website or app.  

4-Work with any budget

Importantly, Facebook advertising isn’t only for the big-budget conglomerates. The start-up and growing small business can reap the benefits as well. Set the budget, define your bid strategy and reach new audiences. Consider engaging with a digital marketing agency to assist in managing, building and creating your Facebook advertising campaign. Our expert team take pride in working with businesses of all sizes and enabling them to flourish. We’re passionate about digital advertising and dedicated to fostering an enjoyable online experience for your business and your audience.

Navigating The Messy Middle - How A Digital Agency can Help

Purchase decisions can be overwhelmingly complicated and paralysing, with a constant stream of information, brands and benefits to consider. Thanks to the ease of search engines, consumers now navigate purchases via an undulating loop - an update on the traditional funnel model. After a recent research project, Google’s consumer insights team devised this revised purchase cycle. Sitting between “triggers” and “purchase” is now the “messy middle”: a stage involving exploration and evaluation, finding information and then reducing it to conclusions. What exactly does the “messy middle” mean for brands today, and how can a digital agency streamline this? Read on to find out more. 

What is the “messy middle”?

No two journeys within the “messy middle” are the same, but this stage aims to identify the steps between the initial trigger and eventual purchase decision. Aside from offline sources of information - magazines, TV, radio, shopfronts, etc. - this enlarged middle section has become more complex with the rise of digital media and, primarily, search engines. At our fingertips are endless pages of offerings, deals and advice with so much to digest and many options to choose from. 

It is now dubbed “messy” due to the non-linear nature of decision-making. Consumers ebb and flow between exploring (finding information) and evaluating (narrowing down choices), which forms a loop until a final purchase decision is made. 

What does the “messy middle” mean for brands?

With the abundance of information and growing lists of competitors, it’s easy for a brand to get lost in the process. Although complex, the “messy middle” allows the opportunity for growth and differentiation. It’s important for established brands to maintain their presence and continue to serve the consumer without stepping off the pedal. For new brands, the right strategy can disrupt the consumer decision-making and information-seeking process. If addressed correctly, customers can be won and retained, with the potential to come out on top of more well-known brands. 

Ultimately, it comes down to consumer ease throughout this loop. A brand must always be “on.” Potential customers need to find the brand, find the relevant information and feel satisfied to continue through the purchasing process. User experience is vital here, considering aspects like speed, mobile accessibility, navigation, and pop-ups. 

The research found that consumers now use a variety of mental shortcuts and cognitive biases to simplify and help sift through the abundance of messages and options. These are:

• Category heuristics - shortcuts that help reduce the mental effort when evaluating a certain category. Examples include the carats in a diamond or the Energy Star rating of an appliance.
• Power of now - consumers want products now; the longer they have to wait, the less desirable the offering. Same-day or next-day deliveries are a clear example of this. 
• Social proof - when overwhelmed, consumers will turn to others and copy their behaviour. Online ratings and reviews play a large role in determining this. 
• Scarcity bias - the age-old reality that as availability decreases, the allure increases. Messages around certain time limits, strict quantities (e.g. only x number of shoes in production) and limited access to particular groups help accentuate this. 
• Authority bias - consumers turn to trusted sources and experts, altering behaviours and eventual decisions based on these findings. Consumers feel more affinity for unbiased, external publications where an individual’s authority is made clear.
• Power of free - never underestimate the appeal of “free” in the consumer mind, whether it is a gift with purchase, a buy one get one free strategy or free shipping.

 

How can a digital agency assist?

Google’s researchers listed three main aspects for brands to consider when addressing the “messy middle.”

1. Ensure brand presence. As mentioned above, a constant brand presence means sitting at the forefront of the consumer’s mind while searching. Not only this, but it’s important to make retrieving relevant information simple while they are exploring and build a seamless user experience. Make sure the website is helpful and easy to navigate, addressing all relevant questions. Above this, also consider a range of online marketing activities, including Google Ads, SEO optimisation, social media presence, video, news and links on other relevant external websites. The strategy is to meet the consumer where they are, in as many places as possible.
2. Use Cognitive biases to inform marketing decisions. Take note of each of these aspects and build a compelling and satisfying offer. Use targeted ads, promote good reviews, establish an authoritative figure and embark on a digital PR strategy, consider the power of “free,” and so on.
3. Reduce the time consumers spend in the “messy middle.” From a brand perspective, the less time a consumer spends here, the better, as they move more quickly from the initial trigger to the final purchase. With more time, the consumer is exposed to more information and competitors, potentially pulling them to make a different choice. By presenting all the information to the consumer from the start, with easy accessibility and the social proof behind it, the consumer is more likely to feel validated and secure in their purchase decision.

As a dedicated digital marketing agency, Real Clicks has the tools and experience to better enable brands to stand out in the “messy middle.” Our dedicated teams address various avenues of digital marketing to ensure consistent and constant brand presence, from SEO and social media to content, PR and branding. With these customer behaviours in mind, we work alongside our clients to develop a cohesive strategy and build better brands. 

Hot Tips for Best Practice on Your Google Shopping Feed

If you sell products online, having a strong presence on Google Shopping is non-negotiable. As part of Google’s suite of e-commerce tools, this online marketplace and ad platform help showcase your brand to potential customers and allows them to seamlessly progress from browsing to buying. In this article, we’ll walk through several tips and four best practices to optimise your Google Shopping feed and business revenue through this essential Google Merchant Center channel.

Create Strategic Product Titles and Descriptions

Buyers use Google Shopping to explore product options from multiple brands. In most cases, they’re more concerned about finding a product that fits their needs rather than buying from a certain seller. As a retailer, it’s important to keep this in mind when creating your product titles and descriptions. Product titles should summarise the item in under 150 characters and include key attributes like brand, product type, and any defining features. For example, if you sell dresses, the title of one of your products might be Free People Women’s Purple Wrap Dress Size Medium. Descriptions are longer (up to 5,000 characters) and allow you to explain your product in additional detail. In this section, you can include information about how your product looks, feels, and performs. Here’s an example based on our dress retailer scenario: This purple wrap dress is soft, stretchy, and made from all-natural cotton. Perfect for work or an evening out, this dress is true to size and hits just above the knee.    

Do Your Research

  Not sure which keywords to incorporate into your titles and descriptions? There are several tools that you can use to understand what people are searching for and optimise based on your findings. Google Trends, Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics, and the search terms report in Adwords are excellent places to start.    

Use High-Quality Images

  From a buyer’s perspective, Google Shopping is all about the visuals. According to Google, using high-quality images can drive more engagement and clicks, so it’s critical that the photos on your website are clean, crisp, and high-resolution. Ideally, they should have a white background and be 800x800 pixels in size. And don’t forget to include photos from various angles to help shoppers feel more confident about what they’re buying. Unlike titles and descriptions, which are entered manually, Google automatically pulls product images from your retail site and displays them on your Google Shopping feed. If you need to update any photos for your Google Shopping account, you should do so through your website’s content management system (CMS).    

Optimise your Feed by filling out Optional Fields

  In Google Shopping, some fields (like title and description) are required, but others are optional. While it may be tempting to save time by filling out the minimum number of fields required, it’s highly recommended that you fill out the optional ones as well. For example, adding optional attributes like size, material, and product type will help improve data quality, boost conversions, and offer a better online shopping experience for your customers.   By following these best practices, you’ll be well-positioned to generate more sales through Google Shopping. If you need guidance on starting or managing your Google Shopping feed, reach out to the online marketing experts at RealClicks.

Strategic content: the secret to better SEO rankings

Once upon a time, a business blog was a “nice to have.” Brands that could logically produce audience-worthy content (and had the extra staff member to manage this) would do so, building a stronger community and sharing aligned information. Nowadays, a content strategy is essential for all businesses, regardless of industry or target audience. A blogging strategy remains crucial for branding and as a consumer touchpoint, yet it is also vital for SEO purposes.

Quality content and SEO campaigns are complementary practices; without one, the other is less effective. It’s time to set the record straight and start embracing the opportunities afforded by content.

How does a considered content strategy boost SEO rankings?

Content here refers to blog posts, articles, infographics, videos and images, purposed for your website. They generally will inform, educate or entertain your audience about a vertical aligned to your core business.

Add value to your bottom line in a simple and effective way. Here’s how strategic content assists in SEO rankings.

• Make your SEO efforts more efficient. According to HubSpot, 75% of users don’t scroll past the first page of results, so enhancing this positioning is crucial. Useful and valuable information is highly regarded by search engines; it’s the key to a welcome boost.
• Increase engagement and the time spent on your website. Quality content is enticing for readers, meaning they are likely to spend more time on your website - reading and browsing. This higher level also warrants an increased click-through rate, enticing additional visitors to engage. A positive hit of site engagement increases SEO favourability.
• Build additional backlinks. Credible backlinks (links on websites other than your own) situate a business as trustworthy and authoritative in the algorithms, upping the ante. A blog, or other forms of owned content online, is the perfect avenue to highlight expertise and informed opinion. This may then result in referral from other blogs, news platforms and online publications (seamlessly fitting into the digital PR strategy as well).
• Keep your website fresh and appealing. Search engines love new content and frequent updates. Regular posting signals a pulse in technology: the website is still alive, breathing and thriving. More recent and relevant (quality) content only benefits the resulting SEO status.

How to optimise content for SEO

As repeated above, any old content won’t do the trick. A website filled to the brim with optimised content and keywords galore but with very little user value is almost worthless. A blog should not be a dumping ground for ideal keywords; it is a zone for considered, useful content. (In fact, overuse may be penalised). SEO is important, and so is the audience.

Optimised content should:

• Serve your audience. First and foremost, does it add value to the consumer? Does it help them and enhance their experience in some way? Meet these expectations and then consider optimising the content for an added boost in SEO rankings.
• Prioritise relevant keywords. Consider various keywords of relevance to the business and build content around these. Try to offer a point of difference from competitors, whether it be the information listed or the topics considered. Be careful to avoid over-optimising - repetitive and low-value pieces of content are similarly de-valued.
• Be original, readable and formatted to maximise audience ease and engagement. Use bullet points, numerical lists and short paragraphs to create content that can easily be scanned, read and consumed. No essays here!
• Include additional links. Ideally, include a few links to other relevant sources - internal and external - to continue this link-boosting cycle.

If not only for a welcome bump in search engine rankings, consider a content strategy to build better relationships with customers, generate new leads, and aid in the overall sales funnel. With all the information clearly outlaid online, there is less room for questions and frustrations. Close the loop with content. Rise up the ranks with an informed and effective content strategy.

Digital PR: the must-have tool for building a better brand

There's no doubt that strategic paid marketing warrants instant results for the bottom line—some things money can't necessarily buy, though: trust, credibility, authenticity. As we live more and more online, the messages become blurred, and the brands vying for our pockets become overwhelming. There are so many options and such a range of content, so gaining consumer trust is increasingly important. How does a business break through the noise and stand out?

The role of digital PR in brand development

Digital PR takes the ropes of traditional PR methods and brings them online. The strategy entails building relationships with customers, creating links with online media, working with influencers and publishing content across the Internet. This may take many forms: social media posts, product reviews and trials, business features and profiles, news, expert advice, press releases, interviews and more.

Digital PR is crucial in developing a brand. Consider these roles:

• Reputation management and brand credibility: As consumers, we seek brands with a good reputation; we want to purchase from those we trust. Engaging in a digital PR strategy helps build this credibility online, particularly through backlinks and references on other highly-valued platforms. Brand affirmation from respected outlets, journalists and thought leaders builds this, while strategic placement ensures a brand is respected.
• Greater brand awareness amongst target audiences: With more references and chatter around the brand online - whether across social media or news platforms - the reach and awareness garnered are undeniable. Engage with the audience where they gather. Where do they live online? Digital PR offers a way to better reach the audience through targeted pitching and placement and bolster the brand via these connections.
• Stronger brand referencing: According to SiriusDecisions, 70% of a buyer's journey is complete before reaching out to sales, making this step vital. For a brand to succeed in this cluttered space, it must gain the top spot in the consumer's mind. With valuable content, strategic placement and branding across multiple touchpoints online, the audience is unlikely to forget the brand when the time to purchase comes.

Audiences are more discerning and savvy than ever, so digital PR, hand-in-hand with SEO marketing and other paid approaches, achieves a more robust presence online and enhances validity. Ultimately, the intrinsic qualities achieved through a digital PR strategy benefit the bottom line and increase conversions, customer retention and promote community.

Other benefits of digital PR in online marketing

• Improved SEO rankings: There is no denying the importance of SEO rankings. Google feeds our every query and purchasing decision. Partnered with a paid campaign, digital PR further boosts SEO rankings. Backlinks and references from the quality and credible online sources, generated through the PR process, welcome a rise in rankings.
• Increased traffic and lead generation: These additional backlinks and references also benefit through increased web traffic: more readers, greater awareness, extra clicks. Whether positioned in a feature article or short news mention, notice more click-throughs as readers opt to learn more and begin the purchasing journey. As an added benefit, consider the increased likelihood of clicks from a Google search when the brand name is already recognisable and trusted.
• Become a thought leader: To further enhance credibility, a business or spokesperson may follow the path to become a thought leader in their given field. Positioned as an expert with particular insight, interview and quote requests come knocking at the door. Use this incredible knowledge as a sharing tool, which inevitably bolsters the opinions of target audiences, generates further press and reaches a larger audience.

Digital PR requires thought and careful planning to form a strategic approach. Content and branding must be new and noteworthy, informative and unique, as it is a value exchange of sorts. Education, entertainment and interest are rewarded with audience clicks, improved rankings and credibility. Success doesn't always happen overnight, but with a digital PR strategy quietly bubbling away, the long-term benefits are irrefutable.

Email marketing best practice: 15 steps to success

Email marketing is one of the best ways to reach your target audience. Their inbox is a personal space, which is curated to their specific needs and wants. Build a relationship, send targeted messages, and prompt consistent brand consideration - here are our 15 tips for EDM best practice.  

15 steps to success in email marketing

 

1 - Understand your audience: What are their key focus areas?

How and when does the audience want to be contacted? Consider their focus areas and ensure the content fits these needs. Make it relevant through messaging, content, and related imagery - an EDM without a strong drawcard for the audience is hardly worth the effort.  

2 - A/B testing

Utilise the benefits of A/B testing to better target and build EDMs. Test one element of an email at a time, whether it be an image, subject line, slang/terminology, or send time to determine what works.  

3 - Maintain clear and consistent emails

Make it easy for your audience. A clear and consistent email layout includes the below:

• Your business logo at the top of the email (linking back to your website).
• Distinguishable brand colours throughout.
• A juicy subject line of 3-5 words.
• Short and sweet is the key - build a concise email with a clear CTA (Call to Action).
• Personalise the introduction line with the receiver's name and/or company name.
• Choose 2-4 images or product offers per email. Don't crowd it with too many choices.
• Insert a footer with the staff member's name, contact information, location and links to the company website and socials.

 

4 - Have email purposes outlined before email development

What is your goal for the EDM? This may include building a robust open rate to engage with the audience on a brand level, which is particularly strong with product updates and new offers. Alternatively, click through rate may be important as it prompts sales and additional time spent on site. A higher click-through rate is triggered when sharing discount codes, special offers and package deals.  

5 - Personalise, personalise, personalise

As humans, we love to feel special and unique. Insert variables for the recipients' "First name" and "company name" in the introduction line to build relationships.  

6 - Use holidays or seasons for content

Increase relevance through utilising the seasons as talking points for content. Use custom templates and build seasonal product collections or offerings - i.e. outdoor themes for summer. If relevant, integrate holiday themes and noted events, like Christmas, Black Friday, or various long weekends.  

7 - Don't bombard recipients

This is crucial for your EDM strategy. Remember, your audience list is a precious business asset and should be treated as such. Designate a monthly contact limit - generally, 1-3 times a month, depending on the industry and messaging. Focus on quality content over frequency to minimise unsubscribes and angered recipients.  

8 - Research the best times to enter an email box

As a general rule of thumb, Tuesdays are a good time to send an email. This follows the Monday inbox purge of weekend content. It varies between industry and audience, but mid-morning is often ideal as the day is still fresh and initial emails have been cleared. Research this for yourself using previous experience and A/B testing.  

9 - Reward customers that open your emails frequently

Establish specific audience segments based on EDM action and responsiveness. For those with a high click-through rate history, consider offering them Early Bird access to sales or other forms of incentives and rewards.  

10 - Review your website landing pages

If click-through conversions are low, it could be that your landing page callouts aren't strong enough, and the user experience needs to be simplified. Ensure the most popular products are featured on the website landing page, which may be updated seasonally to include the latest or most relevant offerings. This step helps increase click-through conversions.  

11 - Segment email lists

Consider segmenting your email lists further to enhance messaging relevance and steer particular offerings to specific groups. Their interests, pricing or location, may determine this. You may also create a "VIP Customer" list that rewards your highest spenders and most active customers.  

12 - Always insert an unsubscribe link

Ensure an unsubscribe link is always included at the bottom of your email or the footer.  

13 - Clean up your email list

While the goal is to build an extensive database, it is also important to keep it relevant and make sure recipients are active. If many recipients don't engage with your emails, this can harm your delivery rates and signal to ISPS that you're sending SPAM. After two months, if a recipient has not replied or opened, remove them from your email list. Make a note to action this process every quarter.  

14 - Make sure your emails render correctly across web browsers

Having poorly formatted emails or unreadable content will instantly flag you as SPAM. Depending on the recipient's browser and inbox provider (Gmail, Outlook etc.), the emails may not render correctly. Test this with various tools, including Litmus.  

15 - Target recipients across channels

Consider running campaigns across channels such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram to build up touchpoints with customers and become front of mind. A consistent message across all platforms, including email, helps position the brand as an expert or go-to.    

Brand voice is key for email marketing

Your email copy should have a clear and consistent brand voice. Use similar language throughout your emails and other messaging to further the brand persona and connection with your audience. An email is another form of communication and conversation - one that can award great benefits if actioned strategically and appropriately.  

Warding off SPAM labels

Follow these tips to help keep your communication out of the SPAM folder and safely in your audience's inbox:

• Vary the number of emails you send. Segment your audience to help action this, so you may send to one group of customers on a Monday (say, 5,000 recipients) and another on Friday (e.g. 10,000 recipients). Sending a large quantity in one go may notify ISPS.
• Make sure you have at least 2 IP addresses for 20,000/day email sends.
• Warm up your IP address so that it isn't flagged. The process may look like: Day 1 - 50 emails; Day 2 - 100 emails; Day 3 - 500 emails; Day 4 - 1,000 emails etc.
• Be aware of the General Data Protection Act. GDPR is a regime of personal data protection requirements adopted by the European parliament, which regulates "personal data". Simply put: ensure you have a lawful basis for processing personal data and ensure that is outlined in the email.
• Research words that trigger SPAM such as "clearance," "buy now", etc.

  While there are many considerations, EDMs are not as scary as they look. A little initial effort goes a long way in bolstering relationships and facilitating crucial brand-consumer communication. Use email marketing to your advantage and add value to the overall customer experience.

How to integrate Google My Business into your business

There’s no way around it: In today’s digital age, businesses need to have a strong online presence in all the right places in order to be noticed, bring in new customers and retain existing customers. With a digital marketing strategy that combines social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), content, and other proven tactics, you can build an online brand that attracts customers and establishes credibility for your business. Today we want to talk about a newer player in your digital tool kit, Google My Business. In this article, we’ll explain how Google My Business works and why it should be an essential part of your online brand, as well as some handy tips for getting started.  

What is Google My Business?

Even if you didn’t realise it at the time, you’ve almost certainly used Google My Business in your personal or professional life. When you search for a company name or services near you, you may notice a list of relevant businesses displayed alongside the search results. When you click on one of these company names, you’ll see a Google My Business “business profile,” which includes key details about the company, such as:

• Company name
• Location and contact details
• Google reviews and ratings
• Website
• Social media profiles

If you run a business, you can set up your profile to ensure this information is accurate and relevant to your potential customers.  

Benefits of using Google My Business

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Google for local businesses. Every day, Google processes around 5.6 billion searches, many of which are initiated by potential customers actively seeking out products and services near them. As a business owner, this is a critical point in the buyers’ journey -- and you need to make the most of it. Having an up-to-date profile on Google My Business will help you get noticed by the right people at the right time. “Google My Business occupies too much space under brand search to be ignored,” stated Shannon Hadley, acclaimed Managing Partner at RealClicks., finishing ardently, “Businesses need to take management of this platform seriously.” With an effective brand search strategy (that includes a robust Google My Business profile), you can introduce your company to highly motivated buyers and help them feel more comfortable doing business with you.  

Incorporating Google My Business into your social media strategy

In addition to providing practical information about your company (like location and contact information), Google My Business also acts as a social media platform in it’s own right for your current and prospective customers. Here’s how: Just like other social media sites, Google My Business allows users to add reviews, post photos, follow your business, and send messages to your company’s account. Plus, customers can interact with you and each other by asking or answering questions about your business. By giving your customers the option to interact with you and their fellow customers, your brand will appear more trustworthy and authentic. It’s a valuable opportunity to make your business stand out at a critical point in your customers’ buying journey. Separately, you can also use Google My Business to link to your company’s other social media accounts. It’s a useful feature that encourages your customers to interact with you on their preferred platform -- whether that’s Google, Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram. Positively, once you’ve earned their follow on any of these platforms, you can stay in touch and keep your brand top of mind.  

Getting started with Google My Business

Google My Business is free to use. But to get the most from your profile, it’s important to have an effective strategy behind it. For the best results, it’s a good idea to work with an established marketing agency that understands the ins and outs of this critical acquisition channel. At RealClicks, we help our clients set up and manage their Google My Business profiles to appeal to their target buyers and drum up more business. In short, we know what works and what drives results.   Get in touch with RealClicks today to learn more about our services and discuss a game plan for getting your company noticed with Google My Business.

The Low Down on Content Marketing in 2021

Having thought-out content, appealing images, and a relative-sized audience on social media feeds is no longer an option - but an absolute MUST for good branding. Developing a well-loved brand requires consistent effort. Content marketing not only opens up your brand to new prospects but also keeps it fresh, helpful and current, subsequently gathering new supporters and maintaining relationships with existing customers. So, just what is content marketing you might ask, and how do we do it? Content marketing is about designing and creating valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain customers. Content is specifically designed to reach a target audience, encouraging growth and trust in the brand, and is disseminated in multiple ways like social media feeds, emails and blogs. Social media is an excellent mechanism to deliver your content and as stats would suggest, it is THE growth area for digital marketing. In the early days, many businesses seemed to still do ok with mediocre, poorly maintained social feeds. This is no longer acceptable and social media has every right to have the same consideration as your website and Google ranks. By using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to promote a brand, you can personalise the message and target a specific audience. By keeping content relevant and appealing, the great results in sales, brand awareness and website traffic are undeniably advantageous. Often I see a great website design that is spoiled by a lack of consideration for content and social media. “Content and social media are the layers of digital marketing that give breadth and depth to a brand.” Shannon Hadley All businesses (well basically all) have a good-looking website, so, why do so many fall over on the content and social media components? The fact is you can not just flick a switch and turn great blog content and social media on, it takes time, planning and consistency. Building a good looking website with great UX is a hard job, and it is a job with a start and an end for most businesses. However, when it comes to website content and social media content, there needs to be a consistent effort to create, consolidate and grow. Social media fosters growth and generates constant leads for a brand. There is no end in making relevant content marketing, which also means there are no limits. The reason that brands are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on content marketing is because the payoffs are worth it. The main payoffs being:

• It Creates Trust - Content creates loyal prospects. These committed folk will consider the layers of social media, blog and email marketing as confirmation of the trustworthiness and assessment of the size of an organisation.
• Develops Loyalty - Marketing your brand in the right way, to the right people at exactly the right time provides knowledge and information to clients that they didn’t even know they needed. Become the brand that your audience comes to rely upon and love. A brand with loyalty is a brand to be watched.
• Improves traffic and website rankings - Killer content backed with phenomenal SEO will create a brand that is a force to be reckoned with. Generating consistent high-quality content which is traced back to your website means every word of content produced helps strengthen your website traffic, rankings and conversions.

Consistent and exciting content marketing is the backbone of keeping a brand up to date, subsequently influencing its success and growth. Content marketing streamed strategically through social media is the winning combination that none of us can afford to ignore.

Video Makes Brands Stand Out

In recent years, marketers and business owners have embraced the power of video to promote their brands and make them stand apart from their competitors. It’s safe to say that video is now an essential part of a well-rounded marketing strategy, with 86% of businesses reporting that they use video as a marketing tool in 2021. In this post, we’ll explore the reasons why video has become such a powerful tool to help brands stand out. Keep reading to learn more about this must-have marketing tactic, including a real-life example of how a prominent Sydney institution used video to introduce a new product. How Sydney Grammar leveraged video to introduce its Fee Assisted Places program RealClicks recently partnered with Sydney Grammar, a well-established and exclusive private boys’ school in Sydney with a reputation for educating many of Australia’s top politicians and business leaders. The school was preparing to introduce its new Fees Assisted Places program, which would open enrollment to qualified students whose parents cannot afford the full fees. Because the program was a departure from Sydney Grammar’s traditional admissions process and not a scheme typically associated with prestigious private schools, the school really needed to get the word out and make prospective parents aware of it, without hindering their established brand identity. With this in mind, RealClicks and Sydney Grammar agreed that a video campaign would be an excellent way to achieve this goal. RealClicks produced a video that was promoted through the school’s social media channels and in social media advertising, which allowed us to maintain the integrity of the prestigious brand while educating a new audience about the Fee Assisted Places program. Customers crave video Just like you, your current and potential customers are incredibly busy. In many cases, they will be disinclined to read through a lengthy blog post (are you still reading this?) or webpage - but still want to learn about your product or service. That’s where video comes in. With video, your prospects and customers can absorb key information about your offering in a way that’s visually appealing and easy to understand. It’s been a complete game-changer for businesses as well as consumers. In fact, nearly nine in ten people say that they would like to see more video from brands going forward. Video is social media friendly When a video is posted on a social platform like Facebook or LinkedIn, it will automatically capture more attention than a text-based post. Social media videos are generally set to auto-play, so your message will jump out to your audience as they scroll through their feed. Plus, videos are incredibly easy to share on social media. If you can get a few people to share your content with their like-minded followers, you can effectively amplify your message to an entirely new group of people -- at no extra cost to you. It can boost SEO Search engines have started to feature more videos in their search results, offering brands an excellent opportunity to grab their audience’s attention when they’re most engaged. By building a solid video library, you can attract more attention to your business. Similarly, using video on your website can increase the amount of time a person spends on your page (on-page engagement), which Google ranks favourably. Interested in learning about how you can use video to make your brand stand out? Get the conversation started by reaching out to RealClicks today. Call us on 1300 064 668 or visit our website for more information.

Video Content Marketing - The Future

With the world watching billions of YouTube videos, social media clips and on-site marketing videos, the power of digital video marketing would be foolish to disregard. Learning to incorporate video into your brands marketing campaign can help your business access a larger audience by providing easy to view, digestible and engaging content.   The 'What' and 'Why' of Video Marketing… Video marketing is when brands use videos to increase their brand awareness and equity online. Its versatility is a strong point as we see video shared across various channels, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even on websites and in electronic direct marketing. Video marketing is accessible for anyone with an internet connection. Versatile and engaging, video marketing allows viewers to get real-life portrayals of a brand. It's easily digestible by an audience and keeps them engaged with storytelling, quick and easy information dissemination and fun graphics or designs. For marketers, the versatility of video marketing and its shareability - did you know that after watching a branded video they enjoyed, 83% of consumers said they’d consider sharing it with their friends? Plus the strong returns on investment of video marketing (as you will learn in the next section) all mean it is fast becoming an essential tool in your digital media mix in order to remain competitive in an ever-evolving market.   Videos have a great Return on Investment  Strategic planning of content and producing creative, high quality videos are vital to gaining positive returns on video investment. The power of video marketing and its ability to reach large audiences across different mediums has been well documented, so let's take a look at 4 specific advantages of video marketing that attest to video being an excellent choice for your marketing mix, all of which increase your return on investment:   1) Ability to explain your product in style 97% of marketers believe that videos help customers understand products. (Hubspot) Simple and effective videos are a great tool that allows consumers to understand products. When a customer understands a product and how it will benefit them, they are much more inclined to buy it. Excellent imagery, graphics, and visual aesthetics help produce content that conveys a message, creating better understanding and trust in a brand.   2) Search Engine Optimisation It is estimated 82% of all consumer internet traffic will consist of video by the end of 2021. (Cisco) Incorporating video in your social media advertising campaign and your website can work wonders for search engine optimisation. It's an easy way to get your website listed on the top of Google searches. Think of videos and another opportunity to catch potential customers by selecting the right keywords, creating a solid meta description with strong titles to draw them to your website.   3) Boosting Conversions 90% of consumers believe a video will help them make a purchasing decision (Social Media Today) When consumers see a product in action, they gain a sense of trust and are better equipped with the knowledge to make a purchasing decision. With landing pages boosting conversion rate by as much as 80%, video is an excellent tool on websites to keep people engaged and intrigued about the product on offer.   4) Video and Social Media Advertising Social media posts with video have 48% more views. (The Marketing Helpline) When it comes to social media advertising, videos are king in terms of conveying a message. Marketers have plenty of options regarding how and where they use video from YouTube to Facebook and Instagram. With super quick delivery and simple explanations offered to viewers, videos allow you to engage and build upon your audience.   Video marketing is the winner of reaching a larger audience and generating trust in your brand. To learn more get in touch with RealClicks here.

Join the Small Agency Revolution

If you are part of a large company or corporation, you're probably used to working with big marketing agencies to craft and execute campaigns for your brand. But have you considered the benefits of working with a smaller agency instead? Boutique marketing agencies have a lot to offer -- whether you're a small business or a massive corporation. In fact, there are a few areas in which small agencies can outperform their big-name competitors, according to RealClicks Managing Partner, Shannon Hadley. "The holy grail of marketing is fast, good and affordable.' Traditionally, the advertiser can only get two of the three," he said. "But small agencies can be faster, have the talent and tech to be good, and usually have better price points for service. Small agencies can deliver the holy grail of marketing." Interested in learning what your company can gain from working with small agencies? Read on to find out.  

Smaller agencies are leaner and more flexible

When you work with a big marketing agency, there's a good chance that you'll be dealing with many different people in various departments and roles. It can be harder to push things through due to organisational requirements and communication gaps across time zones. On the other hand, bespoke agencies offer a centralised experience. Team members work together more closely, so it's easier to reach someone and quickly align priorities. And since you're working with a smaller group, you won't experience as many delays due to red tape or bureaucratic policies.  

You'll get more bang for your buck

If your budget is looking tight this year, you'll need to evaluate your agency options wisely. Large marketing agencies can charge sky-high prices because of their recognisable brand name and long list of clients. But that doesn't necessarily mean that their quality of work is better than what you would get from a small agency. Partnering with boutique agencies allows you to get more from your marketing dollars. You'll work with a dedicated team of creatives who are passionate about what they do and eager to deliver for your company.  

Small agencies are committed to your success

For smaller agencies, landing (and retaining) a big corporate client is incredibly valuable. Often, these teams tend to be more invested in their client work than their large-scale peers. Ultimately, your marketing success is their company's success, so these agencies are focused on doing a great job. Small agencies can't afford to submit subpar work because it could cost them a large portion of revenue and ruin the reputation of their entire business. Of course, big agencies don't want to lose clients either, but the impact isn't nearly as severe as it would be for a boutique agency. Even if you know what you're looking for, choosing an agency can be a challenging and high-stakes process. You don't want to waste time on an agency that isn't a good fit, but you want to get your campaigns running as soon as possible. At RealClicks, we work with our clients to add real value and generate real results for their business. Our full-service online agency offers a range of marketing services, including SEO, social media, and content development.   Learn about how we can drive results for you by getting in touch with us.

Poor Web Design Causes Stress Among Users, According to Study

We all know that bad web design can be frustrating and annoying, but did you know that it can even negatively impact our health? A recent study conducted by the UK-based Cyber-Duck UX agency found that people who encountered websites with multiple pop-ups, slow pages, auto-play music, and similar features experienced a spike in blood pressure and added stress. As a quick bit of background on the study, the researchers surveyed 1,100 people between the ages of 20 and 58. None of the participants had any professional UX knowledge, nor did they have existing health conditions that could affect their heart rate. In the study, users were split into 10 groups, and each segment had to interact with a website that had a specific element of poor web design. For example, one group used a website with slow load times, while another set of people visited a site with auto-play videos. Each participant's heart rate was measured before and after using the website to understand the impact of these issues. Here are the design features that were responsible for elevating the users' blood pressure, in order of most stressful to least stressful:  

• Slow loading pages
• Multiple pop-ups
• Auto-play music
• Broken pages (such as a 404)
• Auto-play videos
• Non-clickable call-to-action (CTA) buttons
• Hard-to-read fonts
• Images not loading
• Multiple image sliders
• Disorienting animations

  The results of this survey are perhaps not surprising for many of us who work in the website design field. Even though many of the features listed above are intended to engage visitors, they're often implemented without much thought behind how the user will perceive them. Instead, you need to work backwards and think about the user's reason for being on your site -- rather than your desire to convert them. This is the approach that good web designers take, before even considering design elements or functionality. "Our first goal when creating a website is to understand why the user is on the site," says Joe Truong, our Digital Producer at RealClicks. "From there, we develop a plan that takes into account the user's needs, values, abilities, and limitations." Once that information is mapped out, says Joe, his team can begin designing a site that truly speaks to the user and creates a sense of credibility for the company. This is achieved through the strategic use of brand elements (logo and colours), helpful content that's relevant to the visitor, and easy-to-use features. "The first impression counts," says Joe. "If we design and build sites based on all of those criteria, we gain the trust and interest of the user. If we don't, it will just increase the bounce rate." These days, poor design choices like those in the Cyber-Duck study are all too common -- but you can avoid them. With the help of an online marketing agency like RealClicks, you can create a site that attracts, engages, and converts visitors and establishes authority for your business. As a full-service agency, RealClicks provides bespoke marketing services, including branding, SEO, social media marketing, and content development. We work with clients around Australia to help them build their brand, reach new audiences, and drive more business.   Learn more about RealClicks by calling us on 1300 064 668.

5 Tips for Maximising the Value of Your Advertising Dollars

Advertising is one of the most effective ways to get the word out about your brand -- but only when done correctly. If you're running ads without much thought behind the creative or targeting behind them, then it's time to reevaluate and adjust your strategy.

In this post, our Director, Shannon Hadley is sharing 5 tips to improve your advertising strategy and get more value from your ad spend.

Cut back on bad marketing

Let's cut to the chase: there's simply too much bad marketing out there today. From uninspired creative to ineffective targeting, poor marketing is pretty much everywhere you look these days. Unfortunately, all of this bad marketing clutters the marketplace and can even cause us to forget what good marketing looks like.

Whether you're a marketer, advertiser, or a business owner, all of your marketing efforts should be well-designed, properly targeted, and compelling. If your ads don't meet those criteria, don't run them. Not only will bad marketing reflect poorly on your brand, but it will also decrease the impact of good marketing that's being done by others.

1. Have a USP

To get your marketing in good shape, you first need to identify the unique selling points (USPs) of your product or service. If your business doesn't have these critical differentiating points, there's no point in spending money to market it. Instead, you should consider how your product or service adds value for your clients -- then build your marketing efforts around those points.

2. Don't go cheap on creative

Once you've found your USPs, it's time to pull together your creative. In this context, creative could come in the form of display ads, video content, a user-friendly website, or a well-executed Instagram presence.

But as we mentioned earlier, your creative must be eye-catching and worth looking at -- otherwise, it won't attract any attention, and your marketing dollars will go to waste. Don't go cheap on the creative. Give your brand a fighting chance to grab the attention of your best prospective clients.

3. Tighten up your targeting

We've just emphasised how important it is to get your creative right. However, it doesn't matter how well-designed your ad is if you aren't getting the target right. Simply put, great ads won't work if you show them to the wrong people.

Instead, spend some time defining the characteristics of your target audience. Consider their job titles, location, and other relevant demographics. Once you've identified those points, you can adjust the targeting on your ads to ensure that they're being seen by your best potential clients.

4. Define your go-to-market strategy

Once you've established your USPs, pulled together your creative, and defined your target audience, you need to think about how you're going to take your business to market.

Again, think about where your potential clients are engaging online. It could be Google, Instagram, YouTube, or some combination of those (and other) platforms. Regardless, the point is to figure out where your target audience is and interact with them there.

Create your plan and set measurable KPIs around your ad spend, so you know exactly what you're aiming to do and how you're tracking to reach your goals.

If you don't have much experience with online advertising, this would be an excellent time to partner with an agency that can outline and execute an effective go-to-market strategy for your company.

5. Measure and make adjustments

After you've launched, you should keep a close eye on how your ads are performing. Too often, marketers have a "set it and forget it" mindset when it comes to their advertising. Instead, take a proactive approach and monitor your ad metrics throughout the duration of your campaigns.

If it's not working, change. Otherwise, you’re undermining your hard work and adding to all of the bad marketing that’s already out there.

Learn more about maximising your ad spend by watching this Vlog - with insights expanded on by Shannon Hadley, Managing Director at RealClicks.

Reputation Matters: Managing Online Reviews

In this digital age, it has never been easier to share your opinion and make your voice heard online. Whether you love or loathe a product or service, it is all about sharing the experience with others online. From a business perspective, online reviews have are everywhere and can either have a positive or negative impact on your brand. That is why it is so pivotal to have a review management strategy where all reviews are monitored and appropriately addressed. Online reviews are a massive part of engaging in any business service, and they also offer other advantages. Reviews offer prospective customers real accounts and insights into the experience they are likely to have when determining whether they should engage with a brand.  

What does it all matter so much?

• 95% of consumers look at reviews before making a purchase
• 9 in 10 consumers claimed online reviews were likely to influence their decision making
• 85% of consumers hesitate to do business because of a negative review
• 95% of consumers admit that online reviews impact their purchase choice
• An overall average 3.3-star rating is the minimum needed for consumers to consider engaging

Paying attention to your reviews is critical to your online reputation. Whether you receive negative or positive reviews, they are a vital part of the customer journey and feedback loop. As you can see, it is necessary for your business to have an online review management strategy in place. You can do this by setting up a social listening strategy in place to monitor all reviews across social platforms.  

Guide to Review Management

• Positive reviews: Positive reviews are gold. What better way to tell prospective customers how amazing you are. Thank the customer to show how much you appreciate their feedback.
• Responding to negative or fake reviews: A negative review can do damage, but that is not to say that a negative review is the end of the world. It is the response to the negative review that will make the difference. Even if a review is not legitimate, it is vital to address it and seek to investigate the claims further. After all, prospective customers will be watching your response so keep it positive.

 

Benefits of an Online Reputation Management

• Brand Trust: Positive reviews are unbiased and offer consumers a window into the experience they will likely have when dealing with a business. Additionally, the response your company puts out will show that you care about your customers and the experience they have. This, in turn, will foster a positive relationship and create trust around your brand.
• Search Engine Optimisation: Online reviews and SEO benefits go hand in hand, and this especially carries weight on google were reviews account for 10% of ranking factors. Reviews are the first thing displayed in search engine results, making Google the ideal platform. For better search results, aim for more of those reviews.
• Increase in Revenue: Even increasing your reviews by one star can lead to increased revenue; in fact, numerous studies have found that the increase could be anywhere between 5-9% as a result.
• Feedback: Reviews also give your company insight into what you need to improve on and the things you are doing right. This first-hand knowledge is invaluable to the future success of your business.

 

Key Takeaways

When it comes to online reviews, consumers hold a lot of power. But with a review management strategy in place, businesses can also shift brand perception positively by acknowledging and responding to both good and bad online reviews. An effective review management strategy will boost customer perception and, in most cases, increase satisfaction. For more information, get in touch with Real Clicks to learn more about how we can help with a review management strategy for your business.

Building a Brand Through Facebook Advertising

As marketing becomes increasingly data-driven, many marketers have started to focus their efforts on tactics that directly connect to revenue. As a result, certain marketing activities (like branding) have become less of a priority because they aren’t as easy to measure.

However, creating a strong and recognisable brand remains an essential part of building a successful business. These days, Facebook advertising is one of the best branding tools that marketers can use to boost their brand and create awareness among their target buyers.

When implemented as part of an integrated digital marketing strategy, Facebook advertising can be a game-changer for your business. In this post, we’ll take a look at how this versatile marketing tactic can increase your following and grow your customer base.

Why use Facebook advertising?

As a bit of background, let’s quickly discuss why Facebook is so important for marketers and business owners. Facebook has about 2.7 billion monthly active users, making it the most used social media network in the world. With numbers like that, it’s safe to assume that a significant portion of your target audience is on Facebook -- making it a great place to capture their attention.

In terms of its advertising solutions, Facebook allows marketers to promote their business in several ways. You can set up multimedia ads in people’s newsfeeds, through Facebook stories, in Messenger, and more. There’s also the option to target people by location, age, gender, interests, and many other criteria, which is especially important for brick-and-mortar businesses who are looking to draw new customers to their shop.

With extensive reach and sophisticated targeting capabilities, Facebook has positioned itself as a must-have in the modern marketer’s toolbox. Not to mention, advertising through the platform is becoming more cost-effective. Last year, ad impressions on Facebookgrew by 37%, and ad prices decreased by 6%.

How to grow your brand on Facebook

As Facebook has turned into a valuable marketing tool, its ad functionality has become more robust. These days, the platform will optimise your ads to fit the objective of your campaign. Advertising objectives include lead generation, app installs, and traffic, but the brand awareness option is the best option for brand-building purposes.

On Facebook, brand awareness ads are specifically designed to help increase brand recall of your advertisements. Depending on your business and your goals, running these types of campaigns to your ideal audience can build up brand recognition in their minds.

Even if they aren’t ready to buy your product or service at the time that they view your ad, you’re putting your business at the forefront of their minds. As a result, they’re more likely to remember (or at least recognise) your company name when they’re actively seeking out products in your category.

At the same time, maintaining an ongoing presence on social media (where your target buyers spend their time) allows prospective customers to learn about you on their own time. It’s a smart way to grow your following, creating a place for existing clients and potential buyers to interact with you.

It's clear that Facebook advertising is an effective way to build your brand, but it represents just one part of an effective multi-touch marketing approach. When used in parallel with acquisition channels like SEO and SEM, you can truly maximise the benefits of a branding campaign.

Get in touch with one of our Facebook advertising experts here to find out how Real Clicks can build your brand.

Read Also

https://realclicks.com.au/does-your-brand-need-a-refresh/

https://realclicks.com.au/5-tips-successful-social-strategy/

Changing Website and Organic Ranking

Website changing is always a challenging process for business owners, web developers and digital marketing professionals. There are various types of website change happens. Here are some of the common the types:

1. Changing design
2. Changing Content
3. Changing site structure
4. Changing domain name
5. Merging two websites
6. Splitting one domain into two

Usually, each change has several impacts on organic ranking. Though there are several ways to minimise the effect, every website faces some adverse after changing. For this reason, recently we have asked one of Google search Advocates, John Mueller about this issue on Google SEO Office-hours hangout. In this article, we are going to share his answers.

We have asked John how organic ranking of a site is affected in the following three situations:

1. If the domain name is changed
2. If a website is merged into another website
3. If a section of a website is turned into a new domain

Our question has been whether rankings of the old URLs transferred to new URLs instantly in these three cases. According to John, it is not same for each case.

If the domain name is changed, will Google transfer the ranking to a new domain?

Yes, if a domains name is changed, the entire ranking and other ranking signals will be transferred quickly.

"It should transfer all of its signals. If everything is fine, all of that should transfer normally. We’ve worked for a really long time to make kind of these domain moves as smooth as possible. I think for most part they work really well." - John Mueller

He has also said that when a domain name is entirely changed, they pick up all ranking signals easily.

If the website is merged into another website, what will happen to rankings of the old URLs?

According to John Mueller, in this scenario, transferring all ranking signals is harder compared to the case of changing a domain name. He has explained that Google algorithm observes the internal linking, assesses the page relevancy, and figures out the connection between two domains. For this reason, it will take a little bit more time to move the ranking of the old webpages to the new ones.

"We obviously have to kind of recalculate and rethink things how the internal linking is, which of these pages are relevant and how kind of they’re connected with the rest of the web as well. So that’s something, I would expect some of these pages, on a page by page, if you’re just moving them to essentially just transfer over and for a lot of the rest it’ll probably take a bit of time settle down." - John Mueller

If a product category of a website turns into a new domain, will new site gain all the rankings of old urls?

Google Search Advocate did not give any specific answer to this question. Compared to merging scenario, it is harder to move all the rankings to new URLs in this case. While a section of a website transforms into a new domain, it changes the internal linking. As a result, it is not easy to gain ranking quickly for the new domain. Instead of

"Splitting sites up is almost harder than merging them but it’s a similar situation where you can’t do it purely on a page by page basis because of all of the things like internal linking will be very different if you take things out of one website." - John Mueller

He recommends concentrating things rather separating until it is necessary.

"I think sometimes it makes sense to separate things out. For the most part, I generally recommend concentrating things more rather than separating them out but sometimes there are really good reasons to split things out across separate domains." - John Mueller

WooCommerce vs. Shopify: How Do They Compare?

Building a successful online business is hard work. Not only do you have to worry about designing, manufacturing, and marketing your products, you also have to manage the technology that powers your online shop. But with a sophisticated e-commerce platform in place, running your digital store can actually be relatively easy. These tools are designed to simplify the technical side of operating an online business, allowing merchants to stay focused on higher-priority tasks. In this post, we’ll compare WooCommerce and Shopify, two of the most popular e-commerce platforms for online retailers. Take a look and see how these companies stack up in terms of usability, customisation options, price, and more.  

About WooCommerce and Shopify

WooCommerce began in 2008 as WooThemes, which designed and sold WordPress themes. Since 2017, the company has focused exclusively on e-commerce. As an open-source e-commerce solution, WooCommerce works on top of WordPress sites, making it easy for sellers to add it to their existing website. More than 3.3 million websites currently use WooCommerce. Shopify was founded in 2006 and has become one of the most well-known e-commerce solutions in the world. With the platform, merchants can create an online store, host it on Shopify, and start selling their products right away. More than one million merchants in 175 countries use Shopify to sell their products online. Both WooCommerce and Shopify allow merchants to manage payment processing, shipping, and marketing from their respective platforms. But how do they differ? Let’s explore four key areas.  

Usability

Shopify allows users to build their own websites by dragging and dropping text, images, and links onto premade templates. Even if you aren’t tech-savvy, it’s incredibly easy to use the Shopify for this purpose. On the other hand, WooCommerce sits on top of your WordPress-powered site. That’s great if you already have a website that’s built with WordPress. If not, you’d have to first design and launch your website, before installing the WooCommerce plugin. However, once your Shopify or WooCommerce store is up and running, the functionality of the two platforms is quite similar. Advantage: Shopify  

Customisation Options

Both platforms allow you to personalise the look and feel of your online store, but there’s a clear winner in this category. Shopify has 70+ free and paid themes to choose from, which is more than enough for most store owners. You can also hire a Shopify expert if you need special features that you can’t find in one of the prebuilt themes. On the other hand, WooCommerce allows for much more flexibility and customisation. It also offers free and paid themes, but since it’s an open-source platform, developers are encouraged to build custom sites. Advantage: WooCommerce  

Price

As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce is technically free. However, to run a successful online store powered by WooCommerce, you will need to consider the price of web hosting, purchasing a domain name, and additional theme customisation. It can be a pain to manage all of these details yourself, which is why many store owners prefer Shopify in this regard. Shopify bundles several services within its three plans, so it’s really a matter of personal choice in this category. Advantage: Your preference  

Support

WooCommerce and Shopify both provide ample support documentation, as well as active user communities that shop owners can consult for help. However, only Shopify offers 24/7 support for all of its customers. It’s a great perk, especially considering Shopify plans start at just $29 USD per month. Advantage: Shopify   There are many more criteria that you could evaluate when it comes to these e-commerce platforms, but all things considered, they’re both solid choices for powering your online store. You can learn more about Shopify and WooCommerce by visiting the company

Boosting Sales With Email Nurturing Campaigns

Did you know that there are two kinds of email marketing automation campaigns? Both are a series of emails - one is called a drip-email campaign which automatically sends promotional emails as well as reminders if there is no response from the recipient. The other is the email nurturing campaign which is more responsive to the actions of your leads and fosters a more personal relationship with them. It is more integrated with your sales strategy. Let’s explore what these email nurturing campaigns are and how your business can use them.

What is an Email Nurture Campaign?

An email nurture campaign automatically sends emails to your leads, but not at random. Instead, it sends particular emails with the appropriate set of information based on the lead’s specific behaviour. For example, it may take into account websites this person visits, if they have downloaded any guides, looked at your products, or registered for anything to engage with your brand. Depending on these factors, it will deliver emails timed in just the right way, and with certain targets to guide your leads through the buying process.

How It Can Help

The purpose of lead nurturing is to educate your leads on your brand and why you are the best at what you do. The emails are more tailored than that, though; they can use marketing analytics to target the right leads with the right content. Further, they encourage leads to move on to the next steps on their journey towards buying your product or service. That’s because an email nurture campaign allows you to give resources that are appropriate to the point leads are in the sales process. This process really pushes sales along, lowers costs, and saves lots of time.

What Tools Can Create It

There are several Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software services your business may subscribe to make the best of email nurturing. These widely used CRM tools are designed to turn your leads into conversions and develop an intimate relationship with costumers. Here are our recommendations for lead nurturing:

Salesforce

Salesforce utilizes its own suite of products, like Pardot and its very own, “Engagement Studio” which allows users to test and report on their own engagement programs. They may also take advantage of other integrated tools like Einstein; a type of AI that uses predictive analytics.

Infusionsoft

Infusionsoft by Keap offers a wide variety of email templates, but also allows sales reps to use its Email Builder tool to create their own emails. Their straight-forward email marketing automation software is simple and easy to use, yet quite effective.

Hubspot

With Hubspot, automated email campaigns can become a part of your workflow, instantly updating your database and determining whether certain goals are met. You can also trigger notifications when desired calls to action are met.

Zoho

Last but certainly not least, Zoho is our top pick for supporting email nurturing campaigns. Employees will define triggers and build a whole email journey based on criteria with a drag-and-drop email workflow. Sales team may also integrate with other services, such as Shopify and Zoho Commerce.

Email is an important tool in order to seek new customers and get “leads” to know your business and your brand. But gone are the days when sales representatives had to individually email potential customers and keep track of how they were personally doing. By utilising more updated technology, they may exponentially multiply their effectiveness. Email Nurture Campaigns make this possible by making customers feel appreciated, using statistical data to build trust, and inspiring consumers to take actions.

Read Also

https://realclicks.com.au/email-edm-marketing-campaigns/

Bring back the good old days

The internet has fundamentally changed how businesses market themselves. Back in the good old days, businesses thought about building a brand. They understood the value of building a name, that consistently promoting the business was important. Most people who exposed to the advertisements, did not need the product or service at the time. But businesses operated with a belief they would eventually, and when they did, they wanted to be front of mind. Before the internet businesses had to be consistent and memorable. Well, those days seem to have gone. The value of building a reliable brand has been replaced by Google Analytics. If I cannot measure the Click to sale journey, well the marketers of today are not interested. It is all about attribution. $1 spent for $X returned. Yellow Pages were the start of it with call tracking from print ads. Dollars spent on measurable returns. As directory books died off directories online sprang up, the leader of these being Google. Google is the world's largest directory for businesses. As Google rose to dominance, some early adopters really cleaned up. Lots of businesses could not make the jump, but for those who saw the power of Google early, it was a gold mine. Relatively lower costs to be there, and it brought excellent prospects right to your business. Well ranked Google listings became the name of the game, either free listings or Google Ads, you had to be there. With this new form of marketing came an unprecedented level of reporting. Advertisers could just pay for clicks they won and then measure those clicks to conversions as leads or sales. That old marketing seemed silly and primitive - hit and miss. This Google thing is the way of the future, measurable, trackable controllable marketing. As advertisers bowed to the Google gods, this new level of measurement became the expectation. You start to wonder how some businesses get ahead now while others don't. It should be a straight race. All the best prospects are on Google. Get your listing sorted and get your share. But some businesses do much better here than others, and some businesses have turned their back on Google completely. Businesses are returning to the good old days of branding where consistency mattered. Where men and women got paid for creativity, not statistical analysis. At the start of the internet, it was enough to just be there. But now 'there' is very crowded, and businesses need more than only listings. It would be best if you still were to be on Google. This has not changed. But where on Google? In the generic search terms with your competitors. Maybe. But the better way is to make Google work for you, forget being an also run in a sea of identical competitors . You want to flip the game, cut the prospects off at the pass, and have them search for you by name. Prospects searching brands will click on the brand they are looking for. Brand searches will convert significantly higher on your website. Leads from brand searches will turn to sales at a much higher rate.   How do you get prospects to search for your brand, well here is a list of ideas?

• Build a brand.

Make it clear internally. Why does this business operate? It would help if you had a story before prospects will follow.

• Be great.

Be great at what you do. Businesses that are really making a difference get referrals. Referrals become brand searches.

• Show off your wins.

Website, reviews, case studies, email marketing. You need to be sharing your greatness with your existing clients.

• Once you are there and have your greatness well presented, advertise it.

Social media, social media advertising, radio, print. Show your work to a larger group.

• Be consistent.

Stick to the story you are telling. This helps prospects recall you when they need your service. Candidates like to know what they are getting.

• Run some branding advertising.

Facebook, Instagram, Radio, TV (pick the channel carefully) billboards. Branding is not just for the big players; small businesses can run advertising on Facebook and ask prospects to follow their information. Some of those likes will become your best clients in the future.

• Give it away. Be an educator.

Produce valuable information that helps prospects. Free help creates fans. Fans buy and refer. So, stop putting your hand up in a crowded room, hoping to be picked. Follow some or all the above. Take a long-term approach; building a brand takes time. Stop chasing down clicks, with low conversions rates, who will become short term clients and probably lower average sales values. Start building something that candidates can follow, something familiar, something that they will think for before they think of Google. The future is bright, let's stand out in the crowd.

Full-service agencies are the future

Smart business owners and marketing managers know they need to partner with experts that can support them on this treacherous digital journey. Consumers have become demanding. They want eye-catching website creative. They want sexy social media ads. They want engaging video content. They want discounts in search ads. They want topical email and SMS nurturing. Either your business serves it up to them or your competitor will.

The big question is what and how much of the many types of digital marketing business should undertake.

Business owners and Marketing managers are overrun with digital marketing choices. Here are just a few ideas that get thrown around as must-do digital marketing.

• Google ads
• SEO (organic Google ranks)
• Social Media content
• Social media advertising
• General Display advertising
• Email and SMS Marketing
• YouTube advertising

Then to add another layer of complexity. The next question is what businesses should be doing about Creative for: -

• Social Media
• Social Media ads
• Websites (Desktop and Mobile)
• Website content
• Landing pages
• Video content

If by some miracle sent from the digital Marketing gods, the average business or marketing manager can get all those plates spinning in harmony. The next thing to be across is tracking and attribution. Here we need to understand; -

• Google tag manager
• Facebook pixel tracking
• Google ads pixel tracking
• Google webmaster tool
• Google Analytics
• SEMrush (or similar)
• Call tracking (3rd Party preferably)
• Client relationship software (CRM)

I have run a full-service digital agency for ten years, and I have trouble keeping up with the new developments as they happen. The average Marketing Manager or the Business owner simply cannot get across all the above. So, what is the solution?

1) Roll in the experts

The business owner heads off to find experts for each of the things they have read or been told they need to be doing to make their digital marketing great. So, you now have a team that looks like this.

• Web designer and development team
• Website content writing team
• Google ads management team
• Social media Content team
• Social media advertising team
• SEO team
• Email Marketing and SMS marketing supplier
• CRM support

Your days are now filled up with managing eight suppliers towards an end goal. Most of the suppliers will not communicate well or at all. Advertising suppliers will likely have quite different reporting methods. With suppliers managing individual marketing verticals, there is little reason to or want to understand the broader picture. This top-level management will be the responsibility of the Marketing Manager and or owner of the business. This might be fine if the owner and Marketing manager has a background in digital marketing. But if you are a newish player, you will soon be on a confusing carousel.

2) Find an Agency that can service all your needs

Digital Marketing is maturing as an industry, and agencies now have access to a deeper talent pool. Smart agencies are assembling teams of experts ready to roll out complete solutions. This will be the future of digital marketing suppliers. Marketing managers and owners will cut down on coms with their many agencies. They will have a better chance to build a stronger and deeper relationship. The agency will be much more responsive to your needs. The agency is seeing all sides of the picture and be able to play towards the larger goal.

So, Business owners fire your specialist and find some all-rounders. Or pick your best specialist and start consolidating the digital efforts with this one online marketing agency. Your marketing will be better for it.

6 steps to pick the best digital marketing agency

Digital Marketing is a complex sea of packed ice. One wrong step and you can be underwater fast. Running marketing ‘in house’ is basically impossible now. While your in house staff get up to speed, the competitor has partnered with a lean and mean digital agency that comes with a full set of experts. The landscape of digital marketing has become far too complex to transect without a seasoned guide.

So, how do you find a digital marketing agency you can trust?

Here is a simple checklist you should consider when trying to choose an agency.

1) How long has the agency been in business?

I am not talking about stories of industry work. The brand you are about to partner with, how long have they been consistently running? This is a simple risk aversion. If the business is less than three years old, the fact is that it will not be here to see its 3rd Birthday. Statistics say 95% of startups fail before three years. Of the 5% that get through only 10% of them will see five years. The straight fact is if the agency you are partnering with is under five years old, it is very unlikely they will be with you for long.

2) Ask and investigate their staff attrition

Nothing worse than the agency changing account managers and your contact at the agency every six months. Every time this happens, you lose the communication thread and a portion of the historical knowledge is lost. Who works at the agency? How long have they worked there? Try looking at about us pages and meeting the team pages. Stalk the staff a little on LinkedIn and get a picture as to the likelihood of you getting consistency with your project manager. High staff turns over might tell you something about the ethic of the business you are engaging.

3) Look at their current client performance

Ask the agency to provide you with some case studies of their best work - zero to hero stuff, where they brought the rain to a parched business. You want to see the creative, you want to see Google analytics reports, historical rank improvements, social media historical reports and you might want to talk to the principal contact at that business. Naturally, they are going to be showing you their best work. Keep that in mind.

4) Look into the Agency’s marketing and their Brand Values

If you want to know the people you are partnering with are passionate about marketing, take a close look at ‘why’ they are in business. Forget comparing services and USPs. Most agencies are making all this stuff up anyway. Ask your contact at the agency ‘why’ their agency is in business. You want answers like.
- To create great marketing.
- To make a difference to our clients.
- Complex problems with beautiful solutions is our passion.
- We thrive on turning clients into fans.
- Making simple, beautiful, and impactful marketing is our priority.

These are great reasons to let them play with your marketing.

5) You need a full-service agency

There is simply no room for specialists anymore. SEO agency, not talking to the Google ads agency, not talking to the Social media agency and none of them talking to the website design agency. Partnering with multiple ‘specialist’ agencies will leave you with disjointed marketing. The buck will get passed around. Providers will hold back with suggestions, particularly if the suggestion is outside their contracted area.

You want to partner with an agency that has you covered for all your needs. If things are going well or if things are going poorly, you know where to look. The agency will have full interservice communication. They will be keen to share all their intellectual property with you. You will likely be a higher value client, and they can provide you with a better service. Find a full-service agency that has specialty departments that all flow together as a team, it is merely the best way.

6) You need to trust them

The straight fact is the agency and the people in it should know lots more about digital marketing than the marketing manager and probably the business owner. You find an accountant and follow his/her instructions. You find a lawyer and follow his/her instructions. Well find a marketing agency that you are prepared to follow their instructions. Before you start a relationship, ask yourself would you be happy with the agency and the representative they sent making marketing decisions around your marketing. If the answer is, you would have to manage and control the direction of things. If you feel you could not trust them, or you do not want to follow their suggestions or will feel the need to manage them. You have partnered with the wrong agency. This is not to say you should not be adding value to the relationship.

Marketing managers and business owners have industry knowledge, the marketing agency can never have. Provide the knowledge as needed, but then let them do their thing. If you are with the right partner, they will make your marketing great.

I really hope this shortlist might help clients find the relationships they need with marketing agencies that are genuinely trying to create fantastic marketing for their clients.

Great CRMs make all the difference

As your business grows, you need to implement processes and technologies to help you stay organised. With just a click, you should be able to find a lead or contact’s details, understand how they’re engaging with your team, and see how they’ve responded to your marketing campaigns. With a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, you can do precisely that. But the CRM space is crowded, and business leaders often find it challenging to determine which vendor best suits their needs. In this post, we’re highlighting three of the most popular CRMs on the market right now: Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho. Take a look and explore what each of these offers and how much it will cost you.  

Salesforce

In terms of brand recognition, Salesforce holds the top spot in the CRM space. The San Francisco-based company started in 1999 and currently has about 20% of CRM market share. In recent years, Salesforce has acquired several companies (including marketing automation and BI tools) and integrated them into their ecosystem. By offering this level of seamless cross-platform integration, it’s easy to understand why more than 150,000 companies around the world use Salesforce.     If you’re expecting your business to scale quickly, Salesforce might be a good option for you. They have a dedicated small business offering, with a platform that’s designed to grow with you -- even up to enterprise level. Depending on the features you need, you can try Salesforce for free for 30 or 90 days. After your trial ends, prices start at $35/mo. per user.  

HubSpot

If you need a basic CRM, HubSpot is a worthy contender. The company is well-known for its free CRM product, which allows salespeople to log activity, track deals, manage pipeline, and measure KPIs. For bonus features like automated outreach and email insights, you can also sign up for HubSpot’s Sales Hub.   HubSpot’s CRM isn’t the most robust platform on the market, but it integrates seamlessly with the company’s (paid) marketing automation software -- making it easy to align sales and marketing. No matter how many users you have, HubSpot CRM is free. But if you want to go beyond basic features, you’ll need to pay for access to their Sales Hub, which starts at $60.80/mo. for two paid users.  

Zoho

Like Salesforce, Zoho is well-known for its diverse solution offering, including tools for sales, marketing, finance, IT, and customer support. What makes Zoho particularly appealing, however, is its budget-friendly pricing scheme.   Even on its most affordable tier, Zoho offers all of the must-have CRM features, including leads, contacts, accounts, sales forecasting, and more. With more than 50 million users, Zoho is an excellent option for businesses of all sizes. If you need three or fewer licences, you can use some of Zoho’s basic features for free. Paid access begins at $18.70/mo. per user. At RealClicks, we’re committed to supplying all of our clients with the very best in CRM support. That’s why we opted to make Zoho our CRM of choice - to allow our clients to derive more value from their CRM. “Zoho has all the tools without the ridiculous prices of other CRMs,” says RealClicks Managing Director, Shannon Hadley. “RealClicks has used Zoho CRM in-house for the last 10 years. We could never recommend a CRM we are not prepared to use ourselves.”   To learn more about RealClicks and how we can support your company’s growth, visit our website or call us on 1300 064 668.

Does Your Brand Need a Refresh?

In this new decade, consumers are savvier than ever, and with so many options to choose from, capturing their attention is key to staying power and brand resonance. If your company is at a standstill or feels outdated, then you need to consider a re-brand or brand refresh to attract new customers and retain current ones.

If you want to remain relevant in a competitive market, your brand must be on point. 

To determine if your brand needs some reviving, examine your current brand and all touchpoints.  

Here are some factors to consider when evaluating where your brand stands:

Get with the times

As consumers and market tastes evolve rapidly, your business must stay on top of these changes. For instance, it is important to take note of broader changes in the market without getting too caught up in what is trending and losing authenticity. Social media platforms offer a great window into the community and as these platforms develop, your brand must adapt. Building a solid brand image will require tapping into these factors, and most importantly listening to what your customers are saying to ensure you are evolving consistently.

Know your Audience

If your branding isn't directed at a specific target market or there is a disconnect between your customers and product positioning, then you must reevaluate your position. Take advantage of insights and position your product to reach your audience in a more meaningful way such as aligning your brand with your existing clientele. Rebranding is an effective way to expand brand reach.

Brand messaging and visual identity don't align

If your logo isn’t relevant to your brand or maybe it once was, but you have simply outgrown it, then a new vibrant look to your visual identity can evoke engagement to reboot existing user expectations. Nonetheless, consistency is key to a successful marketing strategy, so it's not surprising that all brand elements must work coherently together to solidify your brand message. Aligning visual identity and marketing strategies is essential to brand identity and customer experience. 

User Experience

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, outdated website designs will no longer suffice. A website must be both user-friendly and optimised to generate growth. Your website design is the biggest expression of your brand and business goals. As such, it is important for a website to be fully functional and integrated to help drive sales and grow your audience. Aim for a seamless user experience that will increase engagement and decrease bounce rate.

If any of these points are true for your brand, then it is time you consider a rebrand. With that being said, it can be hard to change old designs for a new identity, especially if you have been in business for a while. However, you must keep an open mind or risk becoming irrelevant. 

Are you ready to refresh your brand?

Brand evolution is a part of the process, so recognise it, embrace it, and grow.

For a better idea of what a brand revision can look like, check out or re-branding case studies. If you are ready to evolve your brand, get in touch with the team at Realclicks today. 

Read Also

https://realclicks.com.au/building-a-brand-through-facebook-advertising/

https://realclicks.com.au/great-crms-make-all-the-difference/

What Are Email & EDM Marketing Campaigns?

Well, first you should know that EDM stands for Electronic Direct Mail. Secondly, you should be aware that EDMs and email marketing campaigns are two separate things. Producing an EDM is a much larger effort than simple email communication. An EDM will employ multiple forms of communication to get your message out there and then work to reinforce your campaign messaging. Some of the most commonly used channels used for EDMs include: Social Media Channels PPC Campaigns Remarketing Advertising Offline Advertising An email marketing campaign, on the other hand, is purely based on email send-outs. It involves the process of creating an email database consisting of both existing customers and/or potential customers and sending them email communications about current offers and the like - directly. In reality, the outcomes of both email and EDM marketing campaigns is often the same. As far as their proven ability to build on brand loyalty or to convert sales. Here are some of our key recommendations through our experience with both marketing options:

BENEFITS OF EDMS AND EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

The primary benefit of email campaigns is that it’s one of the only means of achieving mass communication that also provides you with usable data. Regardless of the level of success of the campaign you ran - the analytics you can gather afterwards can be very helpful for future planning. What we love about emails campaigns is that we can see how many people opened the emails, how many then took an action, when and where they did so and on what device - in fact pretty much anything you can think of - we can access. This data helps you in turn to be able to calculate a clear ROI. Another significant benefit of email marketing campaigns is how much investment it can save your business. All email service providers make it pretty straightforward for small and medium-sized companies to reach large audiences - audiences that would probably have previously been beyond their reach. Another massive benefit of email marketing is how incredibly personal they can be! Unlike the traditional marketing platforms, email provides the sender with various personalisation options, which we can see from our campaign results, does go a very long way with customers. For example email marketing campaigns can be tweaked to include the consumer's name, localised news and most importantly: customise the products or services that they are interested in learning about. Because these factors improve the end user experience there is an increase in the probability of successful conversations.

WHAT KIND OF EMAILS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE?

The nature of the emails sent is dependant on what the desired action of the recipients is. Do you want them to like you on facebook, buy a product directly or are you just touching base to strengthen the relationship they have with your brand? Some ideas to consider for your next email campaign effort: eCommerce Special offers New arrivals/product launches “We miss you” Holiday specials Re-orders Sale reminders Non-eCommerce Company newsletters Industry news “Welcome” Testimonials/case studies Tips & advice Event information

TESTING

Make sure that before you send the email that it looks the way you want on the devices, you want them to be viewed on. Comprehensive testing is crucial for all email marketing campaigns - so it's worth the effort to make sure it's done properly the first time.

EMAIL SPLIT-TESTING

Generally, email providers will offer the chance to split-test an email campaign. This is handy because you can test different elements of an email in order to gauge which format and content generated the best results. Conveniently, these days testing can be carried out on the images, subject header, body content, and pretty much every aspect of the email.

WHEN TO SEND YOUR EMAILS?

Another thing worth testing with your next email campaign is when the best time is for the emails to go out to your particular audience. While there are many guidelines available and debates about the best time of day and obviously also the best day of the week - in general, these "best times" will differ between industries. So, the best thing to do is to conduct your own email campaigns and take time to review the analytics carefully. You will then have the best indication of when and on what device your particular set of customers prefer to receive your information.

SO ARE YOU READY TO PLAN YOUR NEXT EMAIL CAMPAIGN?

If you are ready to make a serious commitment to online marketing, then planning an EDM or email marketing strategy is one of the most cost-effective ways to generate results you have been looking for.

Why You Need a Killer Website

In today's digital world, your company's website is the first and critical pivotal interaction with your potential clients. A website helps to build credibility and trust in a brand. It shows that you put in the time and effort to collect and effectively organize all your key information. Therefore, it's more crucial than ever to have a killer website as it can have a massive impact on your business, as shown below:

SEO

Today's consumers depend on search engine results for everything from restaurant and travel recommendations to B2B service providers. Irrespective of what your company offers, target audiences are already searching for services or products using Google. Therefore, an effective way of attracting those people is with proper search engine optimization or SEO. The result of good SEO in a killer website includes increased, high-quality traffic, enhanced authority or credibility within your niche and also outranking your competitors.

User Experience (UX)

The user experience or UX is the experience that your visitors have when they interact with your website. UX is critical in getting your potential clients to browse through your website and is the basis of good organic ranks. These actions include making a quote request, submitting the contact form or even buying. You only have around ten seconds to persuade a visitor on your website to stay and keep browsing. Also, besides that initial attraction, the content, CTA's and responsiveness should also convince them to go deeper into the website. So, UX is all about making the website aesthetically attractive, informative, easy to access and navigate and even enjoyable to use.

Conversions

Conversion not only includes sales but also covers people who request quotes, call you, fill out the contact forms or make appointments. The conversion refers to any desired step that the visitor takes that helps to bring your business much closer to closing the sale. The primary reason for participating in the online market is to convert your web traffic into clients for your company. Hence, your website, campaigns and sales processes must be in sync to deliver more value to your customers. E-Commerce Integrating e-commerce into your website offers your clients more convenience by allowing them to shop online whenever they want. Also, unlike a marketplace where your products would be listed generically with restrictions on word count or logo usage, your e-commerce store allows more customization and branding. And as your brand awareness continues to grow, your sales increase as well. You can run different marketing campaigns and promotions to get better sales through your e-commerce store compared to your physical stores. It opens up your business into new markets as you are no longer limited by location, space or time.

Functionality

The functionality of your website means that it is easily findable, accessible and usable. The focus here is simple design elements to improve navigation and drive conversions. Faster load times and responsiveness also contribute to better functionality. With most web traffic coming from smartphones, your website must work well across all platforms, especially mobile devices. Functional designs translate better to smaller screens and are also easy to update.

Users Have High Expectations

Very often, users aren't just looking for an online brochure when they look at your website, but instead, they have very high expectations. They expect modern design, easily readable content, clear navigation, fast loading pages, distinct service or product benefits, brand personality, consistent messaging and that unique wow factor. Once you understand your audience's high expectations and consistently deliver on them, you'll effectively be a step above your competition.

Conclusion

Assuming you use great design and strategy when building your website, you won't need to keep updating it regularly, besides the regular blog posts. And since the site will always be live, potential clients can easily access it and learn about your products or services at any time. Clients can even make purchases without your input, which means your business is always running 24/7, even during the holidays. Ready for your killer, high-quality website? Contact Real Clicks today to arrange a consultation.

How SEO Helps A Business

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is one of the most indispensable parts of online marketing. There are many reasons which make SEO essential to growing a business. One of the most important and well-known aspects is getting organic traffic to the website. In addition to this, there are other hidden benefits which will directly or indirectly affect the Return of Investment (ROI).

Increase Organic Traffic

For SEO, driving organic traffic to the site is usually achieved by hitting the top Google search result rank. In other words, the top 5 sites on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) are favoured by most users. Moreover, depending on the niches and/or search terms, top 20 sites are also favourable.

Building Brand Awareness

Many online marketing specialists believe that social media or social networking websites are the best platforms to build brand awareness. Websites like Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin are strong tools for brand marketing, but that does not mean that other online marketing campaigns like search engine marketing or SEO have no role in this matter. In fact, each section of online marketing is interconnected and dependent on one another. For example, most websites usually share important blog posts on their Facebook or Linkedin page. Now it must be ensured that the blog post will be loaded to the users' device quickly and in the proper format so that readers can enjoy the article without any hassles. For this reason, onsite SEO is required to make sure the post page is user-friendly.

Read Also: Does Your Brand Need a Refresh?

Manage online reputation

Online reputation is an indispensable part of any business. From small to large sized businesses, global to local brands, it plays a vital role to gain and retain customers. People usually do online research about a company before signing up for their services. They value previous customers’ feedback and make a decision based on those reviews. For this reason, when someone searches for a company online and finds some unpleasant news about the brand, he or she must are most likely to avoid the business. SEO is one of the best ways to resolve this issue. For example, asking your clients for review or press release submission are the best ways to get rid of the negative news or minimise content appearing on the front page.

Read Also: Reputation Matters: Managing Online Reviews

Improve UX of the website

UX is very important from a conversion point of view. If a website is not user-friendly, its conversion rate will be low. Now the question is how a user-friendly website can be SEO-friendly. To get this answer, we need to focus on the features which make a website user-friendly. Those features include - website layout or structure, webpage loading speed, images on the website, content quality, title tag and meta description and mobile usability. These features are not only important for user experience but also for SEO. For example, webpage loading speed and content quality are two major and strong ranking signals for Google.

Read Also: Why You Need a Killer Website

In conclusion, it can be said that SEO is one of the best marketing methods to ameliorate your business. As part of SEO activities, a lot of things are usually done which directly and indirectly boost business and brand. For this reason, business owners should focus on SEO not only for organic traffic but also for building a brand.

5 Tips For A Successful Social Strategy

Social media presence doesn't just contribute to brand perception; it impacts your bottom line. Nonetheless, every business has its own set of challenges and opportunities on social, and every social network offers a unique opportunity to increase brand awareness and create a long-lasting impression in the minds of customers. Brands can improve their efficiency and strategy in the area by considering the following tips to help expand reach and build engagement. These five points will help you approach social media marketing successfully and build relationships with your audience.

1. User-Generated Content User-Generated Content provides an excellent opportunity to offer customer recognition while also enabling potential prospects to experience authentic content that can create a community of engaged brand advocates. Only 36% of consumers said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service recommended by an influencer whereas 64% would consider a product mentioned by a friend.
2. Create engaging content It's crucial to avoid solely publishing promotional messages. Instead, social feeds should include a mix of inspiring and educational content that is more likely to be of interest to your followers and will get them on board.
3. Utilise social analytics By monitoring and interpreting social analytics, you can leverage social data to adjust your strategy around digital interactions, increase engagement rates and traffic.
4. Customer satisfaction Consumers are more likely to become loyal customers with good customer service. Social is one of the first channels consumers jump on when they have a question or an issue. Most customers prefer to message a brand on social media rather than call customer service. Social is the consumer's preferred care channel for inquiries. As such, social customer care is crucial to your overall business strategy. When a customer reaches out, use this as an opportunity to form a relationship—not just resolve an issue. Listen, respond, and use this chance to turn one negative into a positive.
5. Paid advertising Use placement performance results to allocate your budget for Facebook and Instagram. The cost on search per click would be a good indicator of the budget you need to run a successful campaign, but usually, the more competitive the industry is, the higher the cost. A low budget will prohibit you from acquiring sufficient data to analyse the results and decide on what direction to take in the future.