How to Better Leverage Customer Data

Ask anyone in the marketing industry today and they will tell you that big data is where it is at. Unfortunately, despite all we know about the importance of using big data to target customer and prospects, few companies are leveraging that data to its full extent.

The fact is, most businesses see big data as simply a way to figure out what a customer will purchase next. And while this is certainly an important piece of information, that is all it is-just one piece. Big data should also be used for a more sustainable competitive edge, namely harnessing that information to create long-term loyalty. After all, if all of your customers are one-and done-buyers, you won’t be in business very long.

So instead of asking what will compel a customer to buy, companies need to ask what will compel a customer to remain loyal to their brand in the long term. For example, if a competitor offers a lower price, what will prevent them from switching to that competitor?

In other words, big data needs to be used to help businesses understand what they can do for their customers instead of the other way around. Doing this involves asking a few questions:

  1. How can I use data to reduce my customers or prospects costs or risks? Testimonials and reviews are increasingly important to consumers. That’s because people want to know what others in their situation gained from going with a particular vendor, be it a hotel chain, a dry cleaner or a daycare provider. If I can provide those cost- or risk-cutting measure that people are looking for, then I would be providing value that other companies are not.
  2. Is there something people are looking for that is not currently available? Think of companies that have been widely successful doing something we all feel we should have thought of. No matter what you sell, there is undoubtedly a better way to sell it. One example would be insurance companies that began selling their products online. Is there a better way to give the people what they want? Your customer data will likely offer many clues.
  3. No matter how different my customers or prospects may seem from each other, is there something that they all have in common?
    Collecting information from a wide-range of customers or prospects can allow you to pinpoint specific traits of a particular customer.

Building a Better AdWords Campaign

AdWords is a great way to market your business and drive traffic to your website. Unfortunately, when not executed correctly, it can also be a huge drain on your marketing budget. This is especially true if AdWords is your principal marketing method.

If you want to launch an AdWords campaign and are expecting a big ROI, you are going to have to manage that campaign. What follows is a list of the things you need to pay particular attention to if you want your AdWords campaign to be successful and cost-effective.

  1. Keyword Matches. Picking the wrong keyword match type is a surefire way to obtain poor results. There are three keyword match types-broad, phrase and exact. Each type will produce different conversion rates and search values so you must do your research before choosing which type is best for your purposes.
  2. Negative Keywords. Targeting keywords is only one part of the AdWords equation. Using negative keywords will save money on clicks that have no chance of converting. Your ads also will receive better quality scores and enjoy higher click-through rates.
  3. Landing Pages. If your ad gets people to your landing page your work has just begun. In order to convert, your landing page needs a great headline, a clear call-to-action and compelling copy. It also must be mobile-friendly. If your landing page doesn’t contain all of these elements, it won’t matter how successfully your ads are performing.
  4. Product Pages. If you are a jewelry store sending someone looking for pearl earrings to your home page you are very likely to lose that sale. Direct matches are your best chance to convert sales. Failing to do so is a costly mistake that can be easily avoided.
  5. A/B Testing. When it comes to your ad copy and landing pages, you must always be testing. No matter how successful your ad copy or landing page currently is, it can always be more successful. Many people are surprised to learn how just a slight change to a landing page can drive up conversion rates. It also is important to keep in mind that you are not testing just for the sake of testing. Instead, you want to use your results so that you have the correct data and analysis to support any changes.

An AdWords campaign can do wonders for your business but only if it is well executed. While a successful AdWords campaign is never a sure thing, paying attention to the most crucial aspects of your campaign will greatly increase the likelihood of its success.

Why Digital Marketing Can Make or Break Small Businesses

Digital marketing is no longer optional for small businesses. Instead, digital marketing can literally make or break a small business.

While many small businesses still staunchly believe that their business can thrive without digital marketing, this is simply not true. From social media to online reviews to local online searches, you either adopt digital marketing or you face extinction.

Talk to small businesses owners who are resisting digital marketing tactics and you often will discover an individual who is overwhelmed at the idea of going digital. Most of them will tell you that they simply don’t believe that they have the time to learn about every digital platform, nor can they afford to effectively market on all of these platforms.

The good news is that there is no need to “do it all” when it comes to digital. Instead, the key is to develop a marketing strategy that allows a business to do only what makes the most sense for their business. Of course, there are a few things that a small business must do in this digital age.

The first thing that a small business must do is to optimize their business website for local searches. After all, if you are a hair salon in Columbus, Ohio, there is no reason to try to attract customers from across the country.

The key to getting noticed locally is to optimize title tags and meta-descriptions on your website so that they include the name of your city or town. You also need to make sure that you are listed on leading directories like Google My Business and Yelp. Many small businesses are surprised to learn that local businesses are what are found on the first pages of these types of directories. The key is to make sure that your information is always accurate.

The second thing to keep in mind is that your website must be optimized for mobile. If people search for your business on your phone and your website isn’t set up for mobile that will make it difficult to read and navigate, causing users to quickly move on to the next listing. When this happens, you don’t just lose a customer, your ranking on search engines drops.

Finally, don’t just optimize your business for local searches and then make sure your website is mobile-friendly. You always must be checking to see that anything you are doing online-email marketing, for example-is producing the results you want it to produce. If it isn’t you must try something new. After all, marketing dollars are scarce so you can’t afford to waste them on digital tactics that aren’t working.

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