tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32325420974940270592024-03-05T16:00:12.602-05:00LeDuc CreativeLCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-44791955699175275062018-04-17T12:40:00.000-04:002018-04-17T12:40:07.430-04:00How Marketers Can Make Dark Social Work for Them <style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">People love sending links on social media. From skateboarding tree sloths to far more relevant topics, there are plenty of them to be sent. And </span><a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">experienced advertisers</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> have taken advantage of this over the years.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even so, <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2018/04/advertising-question-of-week-what-is.html">dark social</a> - such as IM, emails and texts - has quickly become the preferred method for sending links to one another. And by a pretty sizable margin.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, Dark Social Is A Big Deal</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark social is far more personal than its show-off cousin social media. That’s because when someone shares a link on dark social with someone they know, it’s typically about a common interest. Or possibly a link to something that will help them solve a problem.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where social media is a performance, dark social is an interaction. It’s genuine and real. And THIS is what users are demanding more of these days.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For example, let’s say you’re a purveyor of authentic scones. You know they’re authentic because British people say they’re the “dog’s bullocks” and, disturbing though this sounds, means they like them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, you’ve recently started baking savory scones and are offering them BOGO free with a link to a coupon. You can post this on Facebook, Twitter and the like. And it will be cast to a broad audience - some of whom will be interested and many of whom who will not. Whatever the case, you’ll able to use analytics to measure this.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the mean time, dark social is all abuzz with discussion about your savory scones. And that’s not a euphemism. There were three chaps from jolly old London who came in two weeks ago who were thrilled when you told them you’d be offering savory scones soon. Now they’re texting and emailing fellow Brits - and even an Aussie - about your amazing scones.They’re talking about their experience at your bakery and sharing the coupon link with others who have a genuine love and appreciation for scones. One woman has been on a quest for the perfect scone at her weekly teas, and now she has the link too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And this is what makes dark social so important. It cuts through all the digital noise. It’s the private world where your customers share what truly interests them with others who share that interest. Or again, as in the case of the woman with afternoon teas, where a problem can be solved.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gaining Insight into Dark Social Sharing Is Crucial</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And yet, as of now, all of those analytics tools that measure direct traffic cannot measure traffic that comes from dark social.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s likely that in the future, all messaging apps will offer chat bots who, in all their artificially intelligent grandeur, will be able to track every interaction with customers to help you measure success. And bully for them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the mean time, it’s not enough to just post your link, sprinkle it with fairy dust and then hope it moves through dark social networks. The key is to make those links as shareable and traceable as possible.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s how:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Start with A URL Shortener<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want your content to get a lot of exposure, you have to initially link to the pages to which you want to drive traffic.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So when <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">savvy marketers</a> start an online campaign, they typically include links to relevant landing pages or social profiles. And that sounds all fine and good. The problem is, the links are too long and can’t be traced without an analytics platform. And as we’ve said, most analytics programs are unable to directly account for click-backs that are coming from dark social.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Enter the <a href="https://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/how-to-shorten-a-url-using-a-url-shortener-service.html">URL shortener</a>. This bad boy comes in and creates short, easy-to-share, trackable links. But wait, there’s more. Most link shorteners include real-time analytics on click-backs which gives you data without your needing to invest in a full-service analytics dashboard. They also allow for segmentation of the incoming data.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, people have a real thing for sharing shortened URLs. Especially when they’re customized with campaign- or brand-specific keywords. This just makes them more trustworthy than those drawn-out links riddled with numbers, symbols and, frankly, suspicion. And seeing a link with the name of a familiar company enables people who really want to view your content to know exactly what they’re getting. Thus, short URLs receive more shares and click-backs. So less is more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Set Up Google Analytics to Get Estimates<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another method to estimate dark social is through custom </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">segmentations in Google Analytics. You’ll notice we said <i>estimate. </i>Because, and we apparently can’t stress this enough, there’s no solid way to track dark social yet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But these estimates will at least give you a clearer understanding of the percentage of direct traffic that came from people who shared a URL versus those who typed in the URL directly.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s how you set it up:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Start by creating a custom segment to view direct traffic only. Then select Apply.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. In Google Analytics, go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages. You should see a list of your top visited pages via direct traffic.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Open an advanced filter to set up a series of dimensions that exclude pages that contain short subfolder names. (That’s the part of the URL after the domain, e.g., /contact.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once those pages are excluded, you’re left with only the long URL pages and it’s highly unlikely these were typed out when users came to your site.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pay Attention to How You Interact</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of the tech tricks aside, this is really the best thing you can do in making dark social work for you right now.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it’s part of the reason that “permission based” apps like Snapchat have become so popular. Rather than the willy-nilly broadcasting that has defined social media until recently, Snapchat requires you to engage and interact rather than just spew out post after post about your kids or what you ate for dinner. (Or worse, what your kids ate for dinner.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Make The Most of Dark Social</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To gain loyalty to your brand, you have to be willing to discuss, chat, dialog and be involved. You have to <i>interact</i>. Then once you have that interaction, you can directly provide a benefit (a game, wanted information, the solution to a problem) to the user.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Offering people incredible experiences at the right time is the power behind dark social.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And, lack of analytics aside, it shouldn’t be ignored.</span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-9590430596126925772018-04-16T09:38:00.000-04:002018-04-16T09:38:27.507-04:00Advertising Question of the Week: What Are Some Design Essentials for Effective Online Ads? <style type="text/css">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We could spit out a hackneyed laundry list of how to use color, graphics, images and selective accents to make online ads that are engaging, relevant and well-timed.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But rather than induce catatonia with yet another design tutorial, we’ll attempt to answer this question from a broader perspective.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here goes:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Keep It Simple</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The wildly expressive creative type never wants this directive.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah, if only advertising were as gorgeous, dynamic and beautiful as a Pride Parade. Then writers and designers could openly and freely express themselves. But the sad truth in advertising is that when everything stands out, nothing stands out. As it turns out, simple advertisements are just easier to understand than those that are complex.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So think more Lenny from <i>Of Mice and Men, </i>and less Pythagoras from…um, his theorem.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ease up on the excess verbiage. Ads should be designed to ultimately <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">drive traffic to other places</a> - namely one’s website where verbosity rules. When viewers are given TMI in a short amount of time, they can become disinterested, distracted, unable to later recall the information, and possibly develop a need to draw blood.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, if there’s too much stuff gumming up the works - and not just excess content, but also lots of showy images - the page will take a long time to load. People won’t like you if you do that.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Remember to Whom Your CTA Is Calling</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You need a call to action (CTA). That much you know.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But for your CTA to be effective, it should be visually appealing and focused on value. Now obviously, what’s visually appealing and of value is going to differ vastly for a 24-year-old versus a 77-year-old. For example (and to completely stereotype), fidget spinners versus <i>tchotchkes</i>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The fidget spinners will likely benefit from some flash and whiz-poppery, while the Hummel lovers will fare better with a more subdued CTA.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No matter the demographic though, the <a href="https://knowledge.hubspot.com/cta-user-guide-v2/call-to-action-best-practices">CTA should be brief</a> and direct. Try to stick with fewer than five words. It should also be action-oriented. Be completely clear about what the click will accomplish.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Click here” isn’t gonna cut it. Especially if someone thinks he or she might get blown up. </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But “download your free ebook” sets an expectation and expresses value.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Strike A Balance<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSFw8MP-6598lro3BkX9tNoVQ7f6MGk23lKA39mBwspS_b3TN_NQim6XGA9_IF6Gt5m78XebKZwGOQ83To1CgsCLDHc8bLaz2iG6fnpzDj9UYTQnPcBfjeA1RyBKKyME98y9voDtSGU0t/s1600/balance-3191976_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSFw8MP-6598lro3BkX9tNoVQ7f6MGk23lKA39mBwspS_b3TN_NQim6XGA9_IF6Gt5m78XebKZwGOQ83To1CgsCLDHc8bLaz2iG6fnpzDj9UYTQnPcBfjeA1RyBKKyME98y9voDtSGU0t/s320/balance-3191976_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Balance = harmony and order.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Imbalance = chaos and tension.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This isn't to say that a balanced composition is always better. Just as there are times when you benefit from the antics of an imbalanced friend (like when trying to steal a grocery cart), there are times in a campaign where it may be necessary to stress some chaos. But <i>generally speaking,</i> if stirring the pot with the giant spoon is not the goal, then balance is typically a good rule of thumb.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Balanced” does not denote some boring symmetrical milquetoast design. There are many factors that contribute to balance. The main idea though is to create a harmonious and balanced experience for your customer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Stay Visually Consistent</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A designer may pour his or her soul into crafting the perfect ad, only to be reminded (once again) that most people are only going to casually glance at it for a few seconds. If at all. Yes, it’s demoralizing at times.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So the <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">talented online ad designer</a> has learned to employ a specific image or display repeatedly across numerous ads and exposures. It’s a way of taking those numerous short term viewings and connecting them. This creates visual consistency to help move the message from short-term to long-term memory, while simultaneously giving the designer’s life a purpose. Again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it’s not just images. Taglines need to be a part of that visual consistency too. Part of what makes this approach so effective is that even if the ad changes in some way, consumers will still identify the brand with the tagline and imagery that’s been ever so gently and lovingly hammered into their consciousness.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In A Nutshell?</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">People are always going to process visuals and read subheads long before they get to the body text. That’s because people are busy. And simple.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So determine the relative importance of the various areas of content in your message. Give your CTA precedence. Then make use of simplicity, consistency and balance (along with the color, graphics, images and selective accents we mentioned in the first paragraph) to allow the viewer to scan the page and get drawn in by the most important information.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re doing it well, or if you’re lucky, they’ll be interested enough to read the entire text. From there, they’ll hit your website.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then you’ll just need to be sure you’ve got <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2017/12/question-of-week-what-makes-for-good.html">stellar content</a> there…</span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-85002568256852793992018-04-09T05:16:00.000-04:002018-04-09T05:16:58.079-04:00Advertising Question of the Week: What Is Dark Social?<style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It sounds sinister. Like someone lurking in a corner talking smack about you. (Popularly known as high school.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But dark social refers to the social sharing of content that occurs outside of what web analytics programs are able to measure. And it often gets a bad rap. Especially from <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">seasoned marketers</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark Social Is Traffic That Comes from the Share of a URL<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet analytics tools like Google view it as direct traffic. So companies that are measuring their web traffic solely through old-school web analytics are missing key insights about how folks are <i>really</i> discovering their content and products.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back in the dark ages of the internet, arriving at a site was predominantly a straight shot. If you wanted shoes, you went to Zappo’s site. If you wanted to start raising chickens or alligators (or both because you have issues), you went… to some other site.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now there are multiple ways one lands on a site:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Native Mobile Apps<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile apps either fire up a browser instance in-app (such as Twitter), or force your current browser to open a new browser window with the URL in question in the browser. Either way, the browser goes directly to the site and looks like direct traffic to Google.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the (perceived, at least) sake of privacy and security, most email-providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook don’t pass a referrer when a user clicks the link.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whether it’s web/desktop based chat, or through chat-based native mobile apps, chat clients of all kinds don’t pass referrers either, leaving Google in the dark about their true origin.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even texting is considered dark social.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many estimates state that <a href="https://radiumone.com/darksocial/">84% of social shares are dark</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And this is precisely why it falls out of favor with those of the marketing ilk who rely on analytical insights to structure their social media strategies.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As such, dark social is often given labels such as ‘challenging’,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>‘worrisome’ and ‘terrifyingly horrible’. The last one is an exaggeration. And frankly, all of these words are restrictive in their scope. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"><a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">Marketers who want to achieve success</a></span><span class="s1"> with their social media marketing are approaching dark social from a new - and necessary - angle. And it’s this: <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark Social Is An Opportunity</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark social has a huge impact on traffic. It reaches unique demographics; particularly the 55+ crowd, over 40% of whom share only through dark social. Dark social is </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb1zi-lDQpsGT4E0HdtAIJgc4mJOe7hjshIgKv9D-xjJRDOxSMpO-XPWTAs5mhDusaupuHyQP9JBkies_Rc9uHeJ59kNvsT6g7rHM4CKH_ZWZC0L8c5KY-qbhCDSlT0tbGslLxFPXi1Z5/s1600/web-page-1878634_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb1zi-lDQpsGT4E0HdtAIJgc4mJOe7hjshIgKv9D-xjJRDOxSMpO-XPWTAs5mhDusaupuHyQP9JBkies_Rc9uHeJ59kNvsT6g7rHM4CKH_ZWZC0L8c5KY-qbhCDSlT0tbGslLxFPXi1Z5/s320/web-page-1878634_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">everywhere. And we mean, everywhere. It’s especially prevalent in industries like personal finance, food and drink, travel and executive searches.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s an amazing marketing opportunity in that its data gives a detailed representation of consumers’ genuine interests. Getting familiar with this information allows <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">marketers to access a targeted audience</a> of connections for their clients.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“How do I get the data though?” you might be asking. “Didn’t you <i>just </i>say that dark social can’t be measured by web analytics?”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Settle down.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dark Social Is Getting Integrated into Digital Marketing Tactics</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So far it’s slow-going, because it’s relatively restricted. And it should be. Sharing is often private for a reason and it would be rather callous of brands to hunt for insights among private conversations between friends. Or alligator and chicken breeders.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there are some tactics and tools marketers are employing to tap into some of this valuable information. For instance, they’re:</span></span></div>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"><a href="https://mashable.com/2009/04/05/url-shorteners/#MPqCAkeU2iqS">Shortening URLs</a> for outbound links in content and emails, then tracking how many clicks those links receive.</span></span></li>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s4"></span><span class="s1">Making sharing easier with thoughtfully placed, sophisticated share buttons that match the quality of content.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></li>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s4"></span><span class="s1">Watching other social platforms by checking for a simultaneous spike in link traffic coming from sites like Reddit or Facebook.</span></span></li>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s4"></span><span class="s1">Using some of the newer <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/technology-data/2015-03-27/5-tools-track-dark-social-sharing">tools that track dark social</a> traffic origins and analyze their outcomes.</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AdMSAns-LziaFi9CizcZEqK1HxTqJnUYZDbqUeAhV3JeM18UzF2WHhy8bdGIfnsR75UJAqyHunsk2eq0WY_-0Xb1hIX6q0MPl5s6ZaLD5KhAX3m80Tw99uihb47VUpYg6Gh92WmEJS7l/s1600/private-1647769_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AdMSAns-LziaFi9CizcZEqK1HxTqJnUYZDbqUeAhV3JeM18UzF2WHhy8bdGIfnsR75UJAqyHunsk2eq0WY_-0Xb1hIX6q0MPl5s6ZaLD5KhAX3m80Tw99uihb47VUpYg6Gh92WmEJS7l/s320/private-1647769_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And as time marches on, the tools and tactics will become more defined and elaborate. But dark social will probably always defy<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>algorithms. And as long as ethics are in play, there will be no way to game email or people’s instant messages or texts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which, even as marketers, we see as a good thing. There really is such a thing as too much information.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-90427413740705109812018-04-03T08:01:00.001-04:002018-04-03T08:01:44.433-04:00Creating Impactful Advertising in a World of Distractions<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Terence Winter, the guy behind <i>Boardwalk Empire,</i> once said, “Any distraction tends to get in the way of being an effective gangster.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So why are we citing Mr. Winter?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mostly because it sounds cool. But it’s also true. And not just for gangsters. While the wild world of digital has opened multiple doors for <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html"><span class="s2">marketers and advertisers</span></a>, the countless distractions that are part and parcel with this medium have made it more difficult to create impactful advertising.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your Target Market Is Surrounded By Distractions<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some studies suggest that the average consumer is exposed to up to 10,000 brand messages per day. And that’s today. As marketers have increasing numbers of channels to reach their customers, that number will keep climbing.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Add to that how often people switch between screens. That figure currently stands at around 21 times. No, not per day. Per <i>hour</i>. Short attention spans are seriously trending. <i>#WaitWhat</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it turns out that the short attention span is the perfect petri dish for growing that marketing bacteria strain known as click bait. Honestly, <a href="http://kensingtonchronicle.com/editorials/top-5-reasons-clickbait-is-bad-journalism/"><span class="s2">click bait is gross</span></a>. Like bacteria. Plus it rarely offers any real value. Like bacteria. It’s a desperate attempt to get attention and is devoid of anything of value to a potential customer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So Consider What the Customer Needs Vs. What You Wish to Achieve</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When marketers understand precisely who the customer is, they are better equipped to create attention-grabbing campaigns that also add value. A tall order these days.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To shoot through the distractions, companies need to create simpler messages. And they need to communicate them in a sharper way. But not in the repeated stabbing manner of click bait. Rather, companies should be sharpening their focus on what we’ll call the Three Es of Impactful Advertising:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<li class="li2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Entertain</span></span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Emote</span></span></li>
<li class="li2"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Engage</span></span></li>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Humor helps too. But the "Three Es and An H of Impactful Advertising" doesn’t deliver the same punch. So we’ll blend it in with Emote.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s why it’s essential that your company understands its customers. For example, let’s say you run a funeral home. Most see this as a somber business. You don’t agree because, well, you went into the business. And it doesn’t seem all that dark to you. So in an effort to make things more light-hearted, you decide your advertising needs to be humorous. Put the “fun” back in funeral. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Super bad idea. It would be akin to running a toy company </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and employing a knife-wielding clown as your spokesperson. Or any clown. Because <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/why-are-we-so-scared-of-clowns/"><span class="s2">they’re just plain frightening</span></a>. To nutshell it, marketing will have more impact if it elicits the <i>right </i>emotions for your target market.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once you’ve got some solid content that’s entertaining, emotional and/or engaging, consider this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You Can Also Take Advantage of the Distractions</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though this applies across all forms of advertising, it’s particularly relevant to advertising on social.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once again, using distractions to your advantage requires you to know, first and foremost, the specific audience segment you wish to target. Of course, there will be multiple segments. But trying to go for all of them at once is a waste of resources. So focus on audience that’s most likely to be moved by your message and then blanket the social sites they frequent with advertising that doesn’t look or feel like advertising. This is also known as <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2018/01/question-of-week-what-is-native.html"><span class="s2">native advertising</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Native advertising isn’t about earning clicks. Rather, it serves to provide value through the above-mentioned relevant content. Now, pay attention. Ask yourself, what’s catching your audience’s attention while they’re crawling around online with 13 tabs open at the same time? What, pray tell, is the buzz?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Know What’s Trending<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get familiar with what’s relevant on every platform and channel your audience is reading. Then adjust your campaign to focus on what’s in demand. Most platforms offer some sort of tool that indicates what’s trending. Some can even give you measurements of the engagement levels of certain articles and topics.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check in with Reddit, who brand themselves “the front page of the internet.” Cuz they sorta are. You’re bound to get some juicy trending nuggets there. You can also use tools that are devoted specifically to scouring and sharing top headlines - some of which are free, while others charge a fee.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trends happen fast. So forget about over-planning. You have to take action.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That means if your spirit animal is a manatee or a sloth, then turn things over to those guided by the hummingbird or the ferret. Start streamlining that execution. Set some ground rules - like avoiding any topics of a political or traumatic nature. That’s just good practice. And be sure everyone’s on board with a brand persona that defines how your brand positions itself and why. Be clear about your values.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then get on it. While using trends to your advantage, it’s best to tweak timely campaigns in motion and learn as you go. Consider outsourcing the ad buy portion so you can keep </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">your focus on creative reworking as needed. And plan on having someone specifically monitoring your campaigns regularly so they can keep pace with trends rather than just analyzing the facts and watching your competitors grab your audience.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The ultimate goal? <i>Your</i> company is trending. Or course, for all the right reasons…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is Your Content up to Snuff?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whether you’re cutting through the distractions or using them to your advantage, it don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing. And that swing is content.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes, you’ll need to <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html"><span class="s2">fine-tune your strategy</span></a> to find the most timely placement so you’ll be popping up multiple times. But what’s the point of getting premium real estate if you don’t have anything to to put on it? Or, even worse, populating it with false or misleading content.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Know your audience. Know what they want and what they need. Know those important touch points so you - and NOTHING else - will be at the top of the their minds when the time comes to make a purchase. Distractions be damned.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or just maybe, blessed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-90945767250509733992018-04-02T07:52:00.000-04:002018-04-02T07:52:44.588-04:00Advertising Question of the Week: How Has Digital Changed the Way Manufacturers Market? <style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unless you’re in the manufacturing industry, you may not give much thought to manufacturing and manufacturers. Most of us outside the industry aren’t pondering hydraulic cylinders or contemplating press pit foundations.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But manufacturing is a business. And like all businesses, manufacturers need clients and customers to survive. So says Captain Obvious.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the past, manufacturers stuck to marketing within the confines of their industry - trade magazines, conferences, things of that nature. And these are still effective. But the digital world - and mobile technology in particular - has really changed <a href="http://www.manufacturingglobal.com/lean-manufacturing/why-have-marketing-manufacturing">the way manufacturers market</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Manufacturing Sector Was Once Largely Invisible</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And as far as <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-traditional.html">television and magazine ads</a> are concerned, it still is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nobody wants to see Matthew Mcconaughey staring off into the distant lamenting programmable logic controllers in order to promote new technology. (Or course it could be argued that nobody wants to see him ever.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the same token, Aveeno knows that promoting Jennifer Aniston’s glowing skin in a full-page glossy rag ad is going to be far more effective toward selling their lotion than highlighting the benefits of their extruder as it systematically squirts lotion into jars. That’s more centerfold material for Extrusion Magazine. And Aveeno wouldn’t have much success advertising their lotion there anyhow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which brings us back to our point. The majority of what people have known about manufacturing companies is the products they produce. John Deere is a mower. General Motors is a car. Trane is HVAC. In other words, the manufacturing process has always fallen secondary to the retail side of the industry. But that’s changing.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Digital Technology Has Impacted Both Manufacturing and Marketing</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Current trends in the digital world are changing the way that manufacturers interact with customers. And labor laws, location and politics have increasingly made the manufacturing process part of a company’s marketing focus.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are some of the ways digital has changed manufacturer marketing:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Quick Response Codes (QRC)</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Think of the QRC as the next generation of bar code.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Manufacturers have long been using bar codes to organize </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">products and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>streamline operations. But the QRC brings the customer smack dab into the supply chain by giving them the option to receive a large amount of information that can be easily read on their smartphone. They’re also capable of opening websites and interfacing with the database management software of your contact system.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another big plus? You can get clever with a QRC. (And it won’t smack you.) The code doesn’t have to be square so it can be designed into logos, images, art or even innovative message generators. Maybe a tattoo?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Manufacturers As Educational Leaders</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Websites as a form of marketing have been of tremendous value to manufacturers - even if they’d rather be operating a heavy press than a keyboard. Their website allows them to set themselves as leaders in their specific industry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">More and more manufacturers are <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">incorporating blogs</a> into their websites to provide information and set themselves as an authority in their industry. When an uninformed potential customer sets out to learn about a specific manufacturing sector, having access to informational articles, guides, and links to technical journals is a valuable resource. They’re more likely to trust a manufacturer who takes this extra time to educate their customers. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">it’s helpful for SEO</a> and pretty easy on the marketing budget.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Apps, Apps and More Apps</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The simplicity of developing apps, along with their unbridled popularity, has made them a hugely effective way for manufacturers to interact with consumers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They’re digitally renewable, so they’re always up-to-date. In manufacturing, this is a big deal. Being able to supply a customer with reliable, accurate and current product information is critical. And since updating is done electronically, it’s cost effective. Try updating a print ad every month.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The internet of things (IoT) has undeniably brought more people together - even if simultaneously tearing people apart at the dinner table.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Websites and apps are connecting manufacturing businesses with customers in ways never before imagined. A customer can even use company templates on their smartphone or computer to customize a product that will then be 3-D printed. And from anywhere in the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah. Digital has definitely changed the way manufacturers are marketing. And it looks like that evolution will continue.</span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-67677307474363057212018-03-26T08:04:00.000-04:002018-03-26T08:04:57.285-04:00Advertising Question of the Week - What Is Affiliate Marketing?<style type="text/css">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Affiliate marketing isn’t terribly complicated. But we’ll give you the extra simplified definition here:</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, you partner with a company who offers an affiliate program. Once you sign up, you are required to give them a kidney. No, not really. Rather, the company provides you with a special link. This lets them know when someone who lands on their site was referred by you. If that person then buys anything, you receive a commission from the website.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s the old “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” But if you’ve been scratched, then you know not all back scratchers are created equal. And neither are all backs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That being said, affiliates earn more in commissions for digital products - typically 40% of their price - than they do for physical products. That’s a pretty juicy commission. And, of course, high ticket items allow affiliates to earn higher valued commissions. Duh.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’ll also find that some companies pay more than others. So you’ll want to hunt around to find the one (or ones) that are the best fit for you.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How Affiliate Marketing Works</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’re going to assume that you already have a blog, website, email list or some other online presence. And that you have followers or supporters or customers because you’re either a content whiz, or you hired a <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">professional writer/blogger</a> to provide content for your site. Either way, well done.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, let’s say that your online presence involves dogs in some way. Maybe you’re a dog behaviorist with a vast array of followers trying to manage their unruly dogs. Perhaps, instead, you have a popular website that focuses exclusively on art with dogs. (Or even better, <i>by</i> dogs.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You start thinking that you could use a few extra bucks. Doggie needs a new pair of shoes or two. So you become an affiliate with a company that offers a product or service that’s relevant to your dog-loving visitors. It could be someone offering dog therapy services. Or art supplies. For dogs.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, you recommend this product or service to your followers. You may do this by:</span></span></div>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">writing a fascinating post about it</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">talking about it on social media (#awesomedogshoes)</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">mentioning it in a newsletter</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">placing a button or banner ad somewhere on your site</span></span></li>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whatever the case, you include the special link provided by the affiliate company. This link has a special number that is unique to you. It’s otherwise known as your affiliate ID.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When someone uses your affiliate link to make a purchase, you earn a commission. You receive payment of your accumulated earnings either after a specified period of time, or when your earnings reach a certain threshold.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How to Become An Affiliate Marketer</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You need only join an affiliate program. Some are really easy to join, while others require you to apply. And then there are those that are by invitation only. Because they think they’re so special. Which honestly, they might be. It depends on what you need from an affiliate program.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Start by considering what kinds of things you like to talk about and/or use. For example, if your dog blog has a page devoted to reviewing wacky accessories for your dog, you might check your favorite pet supply website to see if they offer these products. Cruise around the site to look for a link that says “Affiliates,” “Affiliate Program,” or “Referral Program.” Then follow the links.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can also do a more direct search. If you’re going for a big wig website, you could type in “Chewy Affiliate program,” for instance. On the other<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>hand, you might know</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> all about a website committed to nothing but Day-Glo Dog Coats. (Anything’s possible on the internet.) So try typing in “Day-Glo Dog Coats Affiliate program.” And if your first search doesn’t turn up anything, that doesn’t automatically indicate a lack of a program. Sometimes there are slight variances in word usage or terms, so keep on trying.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another thing you’ll want to do is check out the affiliate products others in your niche are using. Study their sites and read their content. Is there anything interesting in their sidebar? To whom are they linking? Check blogs and website in similar niches too - such as the cat lover, ferret lover and hamster lover websites. There’s bound to be some overlap. And if you see a product or service mentioned on those sites that you can promote too (ethically, of course), seek out affiliate information for them as well.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You could also join an affiliate network. You may have no choice in this one, since a lot of companies offer their affiliate program through an affiliate network you’ll be required to join right after you give them one of your kidneys. (Again, not really.) Even if you have a staunch history of being a non-joiner, don’t immediately dodge this. An affiliate network is ultimately going to give you access to a lot more products. Especially if you can <a href="https://www.highpayingaffiliateprograms.com/affiliate-network/">find a high-paying one</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is Affiliate Marketing Right for You?</span></b></span><span class="s1"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As we said above, this is the simplified version of what affiliate marketing is. In most cases, you’re not just going to sit back and watch the gold coins accumulate in your </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1IhZjuRDeJkjqYwdNH_Pu2-wVbPmXAJ7hums7YkpinS0YQI5lIoGsu5pjSDqH3NZForxPhcAJEsAMrOJa7wJgcBLcaOuWUdPbRDBT_32KgZPqkz8Ik1GkdEgFzma5WaVfQRd4mXG_Sny/s1600/euro-1353420_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1IhZjuRDeJkjqYwdNH_Pu2-wVbPmXAJ7hums7YkpinS0YQI5lIoGsu5pjSDqH3NZForxPhcAJEsAMrOJa7wJgcBLcaOuWUdPbRDBT_32KgZPqkz8Ik1GkdEgFzma5WaVfQRd4mXG_Sny/s320/euro-1353420_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Scrooge McDuck money room. <a href="https://www.thebalance.com/can-you-really-make-money-with-affiliate-marketing-1794168">There are other aspects</a> you’ll need to consider before you decide to take the plunge.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When all is said and done though, you’ll find that you have the potential to make a good chunk of money if you get connected with the right company and know how to promote their product or service like <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services.html">marketing pros</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back scratched.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-1419573052359716612018-03-20T07:00:00.001-04:002018-03-20T07:00:23.870-04:00Five Weirder Than Usual Advertising Stories <style type="text/css">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Advertising is a strange industry.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is due in part to how heavily populated it is by creative people who need to pay their rent. But the nature of the work is inherently odd. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">Respected ad agencies</a> are paid by individuals or companies to “talk them up,” as it were.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Remember back in middle school when you told Alex to tell Jessie how cool you were because you LIKED liked Jessie? Or maybe you pretended to be “going with” Alex to see if Jessie would suddenly find you interesting? It’s a lot like that, but more complicated.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Advertising Relies on a Deep Understanding of Psychology</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And then using that psychology to generate interest. This has made for some pretty interesting stories.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sunkist</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Picture it. A smoggy morning in Minneapolis in 1902. A young man with a ripped t-shirt is downing some orange juice and getting ready to go pump iron at the gym.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Okay. So before you go racing down to the comments section to skewer us for inaccuracies of the anachronistic nature (and perhaps question your own psychological need to do so), the above paragraph was intentional.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You probably caught the obvious mistakes. But did you include orange juice as one of those? Because orange juice wasn’t really around in 1902. And certainly not in Minnesota. Of course, oranges had juice. And both California and Florida were producing them. But nobody had given much thought to extracting that juice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By 1907, the production of oranges had increased beyond the demand for them. Most Americans didn’t know much about citrus fruits. So the California Fruit Growers Exchange (CFGE) hired the Lord & Thomas ad agency in 1907 to try to pump up demand for them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The problem was, the CFGE consisted of about 2,000 independent farmers, each with their own brand of oranges. So how could they do this?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Enter Albert Lasker - a.k.a. the original Don Draper (though hopefully not so lascivious). Lasker was able to get the farmers to understand strength in numbers. He got them to unify all their brands under one brand. It would be the <a href="http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sunkist-growers-inc-history/">first perishable food product to be advertised</a>. They named the brand Sunkist; a name that delivered strong on the warm fuzzies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Who wouldn't want something that was sun-kissed?</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But he knew that wouldn’t be enough. Americans were just too unfamiliar with oranges. Sun-kissed or otherwise. So what could be done with the excess of oranges? Lasker realized that it took a lot of oranges to make a glass of juice. That was the key.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So the campaign set out to teach consumers how to squeeze juice from oranges by educating them on different kinds of juicers for that purpose. By creating this new use for oranges, the fruit’s consumption in the United States sky-rocketed from an average of half an orange to 2-3 oranges per day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In essence, orange juice was created by advertising.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Formula E Racing</span></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-9oFxYFODE">This ad</a></span><span class="s1"> is interesting for a couple of reasons.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First, it serves as both an ad for Formula E Racing, as well as a breed of public service announcement promoting electric cars to lessen the impact of climate change… specifically on cheetahs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The ad shows a race between a cheetah and a Formula E car. But unlike the Michael Phelps race with a computer generated shark, this was actually a real race. It took place on </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdd4I9NRZvNDXZ3ACq1w5EuRDer1oHcr0M9ikuQ8mi3zIie_so4TVdjltraMzdrJs___0XmDcKTf46C4FbDpy7YQJ5yMANiHz96r4NdKgEIinzEce4Z905f-0D8cuw5ArmMDrS1VxeF7h/s1600/cheetah-2859581_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="640" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdd4I9NRZvNDXZ3ACq1w5EuRDer1oHcr0M9ikuQ8mi3zIie_so4TVdjltraMzdrJs___0XmDcKTf46C4FbDpy7YQJ5yMANiHz96r4NdKgEIinzEce4Z905f-0D8cuw5ArmMDrS1VxeF7h/s320/cheetah-2859581_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">a landing strip in a remote part of the Western Cape of the southern tip of Africa.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re not quite sure how they pulled it off, but they did. And no cheetah was hurt in the making of this ad. Here’s how it went down.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Both the Formula E race car and the cheetah can reach speeds of 62 miles/hour in 3 seconds. So at the beginning of the race, the cheetah takes the lead. Which is pretty impressive. But since the electric car has a top speed of 139mph compared to the cheetah’s maximum of 70mph, the race car eventually won.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Of course Formula E created this ad to promote its division of electric car racing. But the end game was to also bring attention to the effects of climate change and the danger it poses to the natural habitat of cheetahs and other wildlife. So there’s that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Red Bull</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Understanding of psychology has lead to some success stories in advertising. But, just as with the human brain, there have been misfires as well.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take Red Bull, for instance. You’ve seen the commercials. Red Bull gives you wings. Catchy, even infectious, tagline. But hold up. If you look carefully, you’ll see that Red Bull actually gives you “Wiings.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What are wiings? Simply put, they’re the result of Red Bull getting sued in 2014 for not only stating that their energy drink will give you actual wings, but they also claimed that the drink could improve your concentration and reaction speed. Neither of which it does.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So several consumers brought a case against the company, regretfully stating that they showed no signs of improved intellectual or physical abilities - the ability to fly notwithstanding.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The damage? Red Bull agreed to pay out a maximum of $13 million — including $10 to every US consumer who had purchased the drink since 2002. Nevertheless, they’re still going strong.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Perfect example of taking broken <i>wiings</i> and learning to fly again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Toyota Altis</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you live in the United States, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of the Toyota Altis. (Our version is essentially the Corolla.) But if you were in Malaysia back in 2002, you might have noticed a dearth of the zippy little Toyota’s advertising. It vanished. That’s because Malaysian officials pulled the plug on any advertising featuring Brad Pitt.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now, using attractive people in advertising is nothing new. It taps into that psychological desire to also be attractive. (And driving an Altis will make you look like Brad Pitt.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But the Malaysian government found it an “insult to Asians” and was concerned about the effect Pitt’s good looks would have on the self-esteem of Malaysian men. "Why must we use their faces in our advertisements?” asked Zainuddin Maidin, the deputy information minister at the time. “Aren't our own people handsome enough?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was definitely an oversight. While the self-esteem of men in the United States is routinely assaulted by Brad Pitt’s good looks, they’re used to it. But Toyota should have considered using an Asian Brad Pitt instead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Of course, the fact that Malaysia has some of the world's toughest censorship laws might have played into the decision. Television and film are strictly vetted by government officials. Kissing is often cut from films and TV programs. And forget about swearing. It’s viewed as a direct attack on Malaysian family values.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Imagine the reaction to an ad with Brad Pitt kissing a swearing woman who’s just stubbed her toe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Advanced Medical Institute (AMI)</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In its day, the AMI was no stranger to controversy. The Australian medical clinic thrived on it. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">Experienced ad people</a> know that negative attention is rarely better than no attention. But for the AMI, negative attention was ALWAYS better.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">AMI dealt primarily with men’s erectile issues. And their advertising was often the subject of complaint. Their billboards and bench advertisements were considered tasteless and offensive to many. But there was one particular erectile-dysfunction spot they created which garnered 220 complaints. And this is in a country that started as a penal (no pun intended) colony.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The commercial shows a wife using her husband's erection as a step stool to get something out of the cupboard. And yes, there were probably a great many people who found it amusing. (We reserve comment on our opinion.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But it wasn’t just this commercial that created buzz around AMI. It was the way they used psychology in advertising as a dangerous weapon. They laid claims behind which there was no science. Furthermore, they engaged in unconscionable conduct and used unfair contract terms in treating men for sexual dysfunction. Clients were warned of the dangers of stroke, prostate cancer and “penis shrinkage” if they failed to have treatment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) got wind of this, a long-running court battle began. They stated, “It is immoral to seek to harness the fears and anxieties of men suffering from ED [erectile dysfunction] or PE [premature ejaculation] for the purpose of selling medical treatments.” They were right.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We won’t elaborate on the very drawn-out battle that ensued. Suffice it to say, AMI is no longer around. And now the ad <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ18DZ9psfs">sits happily on YouTube</a> as one of the funniest advertisements ever.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All of which brings us back to our original point. Advertising is a weird industry.</span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-11085164841574287452018-03-19T08:33:00.000-04:002018-03-19T08:33:53.503-04:00Advertising Question of the Week - How Do I Pick the Best Images for My Website?<style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When you meet someone, what’s the first thing you remember?</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unless they have a particularly noteworthy voice (Fran Drescher), an unusual name (Umbrella McGillicuddy), or a strange odor (enchiladas), chances are when you meet someone for the first time, you remember something VISUAL.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Visuals are a big component of what makes up a first impression. So you might want to ponder this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What Visual First Impression Does Your Website Make?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unlike that drunk uncle at every family holiday gathering, your website does not have the luxury of making an impression by noisily kicking over a chair while running naked through the kitchen. Thus, it relies strongly on visuals to make that first impression.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yes, your website must stand on the power of its content. But if the images are shoddy, who’s gonna bother with the content? Are you going to buy a Tesla from a guy in a polyester leisure suit?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Maybe you would. Especially if you have a fondness for leisure suits. Or polyester. But you get the point. The images you use on your website are going to be a reflection of your company, service, brand and product. They’re going to send out a message.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So if you want that message to say, “I’m awesome,” rather than “I am so NOT awesome,” consider the following when picking out your images.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. Be Sure They Can Relate</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This basically means that your images should be relevant. But not to the point of hackneyed over-kill.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re going to assume that if you’re at the point where you’re selling a product or service on your website, you’ve done the footwork to determine your audience. So now you want to be sure your images relate to them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For example, if you’re selling hiking boots, you’re targeting the hearty woodsy types. Thus, you’re not going to have a photo of happy office dwellers high-fiving after winning that big account.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">OBVIOUSLY.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But what might be less obvious is the need to avoid too many</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefhe-buOzTUFAy8SXWx74MAtW_X21qdqdWZpnRJrQvz3K37jG7bFgGNJF6DZDPLRba9DoxnO0dsS4PwuVmJHWoTWXx6Rtx_kPwWOIzTj0VglEplg5hMfQVhmrz7Bb8oNTgm_y5i6ZplUS/s1600/hiking-shoes-2196733_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefhe-buOzTUFAy8SXWx74MAtW_X21qdqdWZpnRJrQvz3K37jG7bFgGNJF6DZDPLRba9DoxnO0dsS4PwuVmJHWoTWXx6Rtx_kPwWOIzTj0VglEplg5hMfQVhmrz7Bb8oNTgm_y5i6ZplUS/s320/hiking-shoes-2196733_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> clichés -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>images of nothing but rugged trails, good looking people with big sweaters, mossy logs, log cabins, logs on fire -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and to focus on other details in your images that appeal to the different subgroups of your audience. What’s appealing to a man in terms of hiking boots is going to be different for a woman or a child. Even if it’s subtle.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So don’t ignore them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. Make Your Images Energetic</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not cheerleader energetic. That’s annoying. But generally speaking, you’ll want to choose active images over passive ones. Unless you’re selling sleep aids. Or harps.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So how do you know if an image is energetic?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s going to have a vibrant and vital color scheme, sharp images and some sizzle. A little crackling. It’s going to inspire your visitor to take action rather than veg on the couch and contemplate their navels.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And if you’re posting multiple images such as albums, slide shows or galleries, avoid overpopulating with every possible image. Stick with the active images.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Uniqueness</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Uniqueness may not have been something you wanted to be branded with in high school. This is not the case with your website images.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By unique, we don’t mean campy high school movie weird and quirky. Napoleon Dynamite is probably not the best candidate to sell your goods.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re talking images that aren’t likely to show up on a competitor’s website. Or even a non-competitor’s website. Ideally, it’s only on YOUR website.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s2"><a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">Website designers</a></span><span class="s1"> are all too familiar with the S-word. Stock photo.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And if stock photos are all that your budget allows, it’s not going to ruin you. But when conducting a search, dig deeper into the results rather than settling on an image on the first few pages. They’re much less likely to be used on other sites that way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even better, <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2018/03/advertising-question-of-week-whats-best.html">use your smartphone</a> to grab some of your own images. Or if you have the funds, employ the services of a professional photographer. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">4. They Need to Be A Rep for Your Brand</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And one big consideration is color.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not only does color promote brand recognition, but color also has deep psychological connections. For example, red can illicit a sense of power and excitement (McDonald’s), while blue denotes determination, ambition, and goals (IBM).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve got a highly recognizable logo and color palette, stick with the dominant colors in your brand for your website images. Every <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">successful advertising firm</a> knows the importance of consistency. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2016/12/13/why-consistency-is-the-key-to-successful-branding/#1fd1f31d7bbd">Consistency builds trust</a>. And trust sells. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But your brand goes beyond your color palette and logo. It’s rather like a person. So just what kind of person is your brand?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Bold? Aggressive? Cheerful? Funny? Happy? Sleepy? Sneezy? Doc?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Think of your website as a person you want to introduce to the world. What images will best capture that person? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">5. And Yes, Size Does Matter</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The most important thing to remember is that you can always decrease the size of large image and retain its quality. But try increasing the size of a smaller image and you won’t have the same luck. Eventually you’ll have a pixelated cryptic mess.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Still, as we all know, bigger isn’t always better. Using too large an image can negatively impact your website’s performance by slowing it down. So you’ll have to find the balance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Determining size also matters because you’ll need to find files that will work within those specifications. They’ll also need to work effectively across various devices and screen sizes. So think about it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What Are Your Website Images Saying?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You don’t want them talking smack about you. That isn’t going to do wonders for your reputation. Or your revenue.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But if you’re not sure what they’re saying, you can always seek help from <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">experts in the field</a> who can guide you in the right direction and get your website images doing what they need to be doing…</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Talking you up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-32718880348702084782018-03-12T08:30:00.002-04:002018-03-12T08:30:46.241-04:00Advertising Question of the Week - What “Tricks” Do Supermarkets Use to Market Their Merchandise? <style type="text/css">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik37el5GE_NgESt2FspBVkqZJH-3tvIysH4GLYMZIj_npC0dJwLiqIEaT8MF9-D43mcsoBvebTopQEGs_VNdNR3qUTfLkmKvegvXrChfo5ogqGmpb62IIbDitTeqRldlHph6im-rUkJcrK/s1600/grocery-store-2119702_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik37el5GE_NgESt2FspBVkqZJH-3tvIysH4GLYMZIj_npC0dJwLiqIEaT8MF9-D43mcsoBvebTopQEGs_VNdNR3qUTfLkmKvegvXrChfo5ogqGmpb62IIbDitTeqRldlHph6im-rUkJcrK/s1600/grocery-store-2119702_640.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Humans are such sensory creatures. Take a gander at the pretty, shiny tomatoes above. Don’t you want to touch them? Look at how easily you're strung along by your senses - like a love-sick teenager. We all are. And, like a love-sick teenager, it’s pathetic at times.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yet, <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services.html">experienced advertisers</a> and, even more so, the wizards of merchandise marketing know how to use this liability to turn a profit. And they’ve been doing it a long time.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sound, smell, color, light, touch, taste, temperature and even moisture are all managed in an effort to make you want to first, buy, and then second, to stick around. They’re keenly aware that these stimuli can drive even the most serious recovering shopaholic to spend.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Merchandise Marketers Know All the Tricks of the Trade <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And it doesn’t stop with just sensory manipulation. They’ve got psychology on their side too. Not just with shopaholics either.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Because even if you liken a grocery trip to oral surgery, you’ve likely been taken - at least to some degree - by these tactics. Because they’re THAT good.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Read on to see if you’ve been bamboozled. (You have.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. Turn, Turn, Turn</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This one falls on the psychology side. Because, as it turns out, humans are also very psychological creatures. Which is also a little pathetic at times.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, it’s a fact that when people are blindfolded, they <a href="https://www.livescience.com/33431-why-humans-walk-circles.html">walk in circles</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And since those of us in the U.S. drive on the right, most people tend to walk in a circle that turns to the right. (Those in the UK and Japan tend to turn left when blindfolded.) So what does this have to do with grocery stores?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Well, in spite of the belief that people would prefer to move in a straight line, this blindfolded circle-walking shows that they naturally prefer to turn. Armed with this knowledge, stores will give you a reason to turn by blocking the center of the front end with checkout stands. They literally bait you into a big right turn which is comforting… in some strange way. Silly humans.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. Grocery Store Smells</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re talking about the good ones, of course.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This would be the scent of fresh-cut flowers when you first walk in, or that of freshly ground espresso from the coffee bar. As you venture further into the store, you might catch a whiff of freshly-baked bread from the bakery. And once your stomach starts banging around down there clamoring for food, the warm smell of rotisserie chicken gets you all in a tizzy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Soon you’re transformed into believing you’re walking through a warm, healthy and fragrant haven that five minutes before was the grocery store. What a nice place to spend the rest of the day and a good chunk of your money. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3. Supersize the Cart</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Grocery store carts are getting larger. In fact, in recent years, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdELsJH1bFHi-3gLTWkAmW2qOEVRMO7CH75J_czn_908Ahbz2yUrNHDBj9XnRt8SYCoQkF9NKEK-U-MKGHQOLYii0VZ8hoZQ_TAdtYUKrYWy6YMuoaEVkZCm8gq4Pa58Wj4Vwqpx024j3l/s1600/shopping-cart-1275480_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdELsJH1bFHi-3gLTWkAmW2qOEVRMO7CH75J_czn_908Ahbz2yUrNHDBj9XnRt8SYCoQkF9NKEK-U-MKGHQOLYii0VZ8hoZQ_TAdtYUKrYWy6YMuoaEVkZCm8gq4Pa58Wj4Vwqpx024j3l/s320/shopping-cart-1275480_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://consumerist.com/2014/02/07/do-super-sized-shopping-carts-equal-super-sized-bills/">carts at Whole Foods</a> have almost doubled in size. And it’s not from all that healthy food. It’s simple psychology again. (If there is such a thing.) A giant cart compels you to buy more, while a half-empty cart makes it appear you’re missing something.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">4. Cross Marketing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Those potato chips are normally $3.99 but you’re getting them for $1.99 with a coupon. You’re really stickin’ it to the man! </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But you’re also feeling hungry from the smell of the rotisserie chicken in your giant cart and just plain excited after all those right turns. This heightened state has convinced you that you MUST have the special caramelized onion dip sitting right there with those chips. It’s $3.99. So much for saving with that coupon.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Oh, and don’t forget the soda - conveniently located next to all of those salty snacks. While you’re there, you might as well pick up some tortilla chips, queso dip and salsa. Nuts would be good too. No half-empty cart for you.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">5. Listen to the Music</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There’s almost nothing worse than being exposed to music that you don’t like and trapped in that space. You know this firsthand if you’ve ever been to a state fair or have a teenager at home. It makes you want to run screaming.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That’s why stores tend to choose easy-listening music such as one might hear in the lobby of an office building. Or the dayroom of the psych ward. It invites you to stay around for a while. Though by choice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">6. Free Food for the Kids<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvTdiHdnpElY8LmBX_WEAAmV24YuzTEhPCgYcDWRMroJ7ZbMYZXuVkERS8AExOeKgpptcg-jbdgfzabmJFh-oYQt5Gf8M6_21pRYzYonI5uyvYOt78N7SYzHVMFh2nVfndcyIPlBHJLpd/s1600/bananas-698608_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvTdiHdnpElY8LmBX_WEAAmV24YuzTEhPCgYcDWRMroJ7ZbMYZXuVkERS8AExOeKgpptcg-jbdgfzabmJFh-oYQt5Gf8M6_21pRYzYonI5uyvYOt78N7SYzHVMFh2nVfndcyIPlBHJLpd/s320/bananas-698608_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You have to grocery shop. And you have to do it with your kids.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Your kids might turn up their noses at fruit when offered at home. But when they’re at the store and free to pluck an apple or banana from a basket at their eye level, they’re suddenly all about that fruit.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s a win-win for everyone. The kids don’t pitch a fit and start whining to go home. The parents are pleased because their kids are eating fruit. And since they now have more time to shop, the stores are happy. It’s like the supermarket version of world peace.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">7. POP Displays</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Point of purchase is that captive zone by the registers. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">Marketing specialists</a> take advantage of this.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You’re stuck waiting in line. You’re tired and hungry. They know this is the perfect time to grab that shiny little overpriced bag of pretzels to tide you over so you don't start tearing into that rotisserie chicken like some crazed predator.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">8. Shelf Placement</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s no secret that the products with the highest profit margin are at eye-level, while the lower-priced and more generic brands are on the bottom. Products at kid level are going to appeal to them - products that promise to explode in a sugary firecracker of cartoon color and dancing toys - #childsimagination. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then there are the aisles.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The most popular items are going to be located in the middle of the aisles. This will force you to walk past all sorts of things you don’t need while you’re bee-lining it to the Kraft Mac and Cheese.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So if you don’t get snagged into buying Hello Kitty Brillo Pads on the way there, you might end up with a jar of garlic stuffed olives that now seem absolutely essential.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">9. Other Tricks</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Suffice it to say there are others. But we'll stop here. We suspect you get the point by now. And it’s this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Merchandise Marketing Promotes More Sales</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Supermarkets know this. And now you do too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But is it going to completely change how you shop? Yes. Just as long as you strip yourself of all your senses and free yourself of your own psychology.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So then, no. Probably not.</span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-52385179401709745872018-03-06T07:53:00.000-05:002018-03-06T07:53:34.038-05:005 Ways to Get around Ad-Blocker Technology <style type="text/css">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRs3rngMrRpqQYs6cGhtUPUGBL-7N86ZItDxwpih1Yfxp3tKZZhj3wokkGs0Ibcys4qVKZJEQ_9IdZ3aw7C9gLeFbiprYyxEXI1p6FrrJCvt6BFIPQcv04V9ZQtppbDr_GQBQRGtkLjgyY/s1600/art-1850653_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRs3rngMrRpqQYs6cGhtUPUGBL-7N86ZItDxwpih1Yfxp3tKZZhj3wokkGs0Ibcys4qVKZJEQ_9IdZ3aw7C9gLeFbiprYyxEXI1p6FrrJCvt6BFIPQcv04V9ZQtppbDr_GQBQRGtkLjgyY/s320/art-1850653_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With the advent of ad-blocker technology, are you starting to feel that doing online advertising is pointless?</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It isn’t.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It just means that <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">advertising and marketing specialists</a> have had to step up their game to get around this ad-blocking technology and figure out new ways to help their clients get the attention they need.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ad-Blocking Technology Is Not the End of Online Advertising</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And yes, there are ways to get around it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It doesn’t involve a treasure map or battle with an impressive show of sword play. Getting around ad-blocker technology requires more covert action.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here are five ways we’ve found are helpful:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. Take Advantage of Content Marketing</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You know what’s cool about content marketing? It’s not a honey badger. It’s neither pushy, nor aggressive, nor in your face.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even so, mild-tempered content marketing is basically the original ad-blocker <i>killer</i>. And it’s stronger than ever. Not because it has mad street skills. It’s just that the simple act of providing valuable, useful and targeted content is really effective toward building authority, generating leads and increasing engagement and awareness of your brand</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">See, the thing with content is that it is de facto advertising. You keep on creating<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and sharing interesting blog posts, infographics, videos, podcasts, and things of that ilk, and you’re essentially getting your product or service out there. And since it’s content, filters won’t filter and blockers won’t block. Yeah, haters may still hate, but there’s not much you can do about that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But with interesting and worthwhile content that isn’t just fluff and filler, you’ll get known. You’ll be in the long game, without having to worry about how many clicks or conversions you get. Engage, connect and build relationships. That’s key. And soon enough, you’ll be advertising to your audience without their even realizing it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That’s some stealthy, ninja type stuff.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. Get Involved with Influencer Marketing</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Remember the popular kids in school? Maybe you were one. (We forgive you.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255);"><a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2017/09/6-ways-social-media-influencers-will.html">Social media influencers</a> ar</span>e like those popular kids. In some cases, at least. They might be high profile VIPs whose celebrity alone gives their opinions an other worldly - and often undeserved - magnitude. If Taylor Swift or Beyoncé starts wearing your bedazzled baseball hats, then her eight hundred million followers will want one too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On the other hand, influencers an also be the folks who have attained a solid social media following because they’re hardcore experts on a subject. These are more like the unpopular kids in school who knew a little too much about meteorological anomalies or Dungeons and Dragons. But in the case of social media,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>admission of such knowledge gives them serious clout rather than merciless teasing on the bus or a wedgie.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So to narrow it down, an influencer is a personality or content creator with a decent-sized following on a given platform. Influencer marketing is a partnership with these influencers to review, promote, or link to your content, brand, and products. And once again, since it’s content, it’s immune to ad-blocking.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How does one find the ideal influencer?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First, decide on the platform you want to use. For example, if you’re an expert in trading commodities, you’ll have better luck with LinkedIn than you would with Snapchat. Once you’ve got your platform, find someone with a large following who’s popular with your target audience and/or active in your industry. Think micro influencers - 50,000 followers or fewer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But look beyond just the number before you settle. You need</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> to check their post history too. Check for any racist, sexist or other objectionable material, so that your product or service isn’t inadvertently associated with the Orange Male Kitten Haters of America. Unless that’s your groove.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Once you’re cool with the potential influencer, start following them. Engage with their content and leave comments. Once you’ve established a presence, reach out to them either through email or a private direct message. Mention how a partnership would benefit both them and you.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3. Focus on User Experience</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This one is pretty simple.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There’s a clear cause and effect component to why people block ads in the first place. And it has to do with the how the ad is received by the viewer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Consumers are sick of intrusive advertising and being barraged with countless ads that lack substance. It’s overwhelming, irritating and rude.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Focus instead on optimizing the user experience on your website. Give viewers the option to skip video ads, hide irrelevant ads or give a thumbs down to content they don't like. Bearing down hard on advertising isn’t working for anyone. Especially advertisers.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And the advent of ad-blocker is clear proof of that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">4. Use Native Advertising<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the past, traditional online ads have sought to get attention in much the same way a child does. They jump, they wiggle, they bounce. They yell and have temper tantrums. In other words, they get noticed for being irritating.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And that’s their downfall. An attention-seeking child is exasperating. So are traditional ads. And because they ARE so easy to see, they’re easy to block and filter.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Enter <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2018/01/question-of-week-what-is-native.html">native advertising</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The native ad is the subdued child who knows how to mimic adults, blend in and play it cool (regardless of the psychological repercussions that might show up later). It mimics the digital environment that it’s in rather than pitching a fit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A native ad strives to NOT be an interruption to the user experience in any way. In fact, it’s trying to make you think it’s not an ad at all. The only way the viewer will know it’s an ad are the words “Sponsored” or “Promoted” that sit nearby.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When a viewer clicks a native ad, they’ll usually land on a page that looks and feels like a regular blog post or article. It’s interesting content that can easily be shared. Yet it still has a message.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Within that content, there are features of the product or service that’s being promoted. There’s often a call-to-action to sign up for a newsletter or report.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All without being obtrusive and bossy, and without the aforementioned psychological repercussions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">5. Find a Loophole</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finally, we turn to technology.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And yes, the technology does now exist that allows for bypassing ad-blocking extensions. For the most part, this technology serves ads in a way that limits an ad blocker’s effectiveness. It will render ads according to Better Ads Standards guidelines and then re-insert them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As with all technology, this isn’t a total fix.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, it’s viable for websites that want to keep ads visible to as much of their audience as possible. BUT, if a user turns off all of the ads with something like AdBlock Plus, these newly rendered ads aren’t gonna get through. So the battle of <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fight-back-ad-blockers-matter-now/">ad-blocking technology vs. ad-block-breaking technology</a> continues - which sounds vaguely like the makings for a Dr. Seuss story.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Work with Ad-Blocker, Rather Than Against It<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Advertising is like (nearly) everything else in that it’s </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">constantly evolving.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But with online advertising in particular, the rate of evolution is exponential. What’s working one week may be obsolete the next. And it’s clear that intrusive, showy, repetitive ads are no longer effective. They are the first to be blocked.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s also clear that, although the evolution of online advertising has been swift and unforgiving, there’s one thing that has remained ever strong. Engaging, valuable, worthwhile content.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The sort with which ad-blocking technology has no beef.</span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-2333407182819109932018-03-05T09:55:00.000-05:002018-03-05T09:55:55.265-05:00Advertising Question of the Week - What’s the Best Way to Use My Smartphone for Product Photos? <style type="text/css">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">When trying to <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">make the most of your marketing efforts</a></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, you may want to save a few bucks. Who doesn’t?</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">And if you spent hundreds of dollars on the newest smartphone, you might be tempted to use it for your product photos. But is it a good idea?</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some folks - i.e. professional photographers - would say no. They’d say that you CANNOT use your smartphone to get professional product photos. They’ll tell you that there are some pretty big things that you can’t control on a smartphone - such as lighting, exposure, aperture/depth of field and white balance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They’d be right. <i>Technically, </i>photos from your smartphone won’t be professional grade.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But You Can Still Take Great Product Photos with Your Smartphone</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And frankly, if you’re just starting out, or if your product isn’t particularly photogenic (like orthopedic shoes), “great” photos are all you need. Then you can spend your advertising dollars on more needful things like <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">effective website design</a>, powerful writing for said website, and pastries or other bribes for the designer and writer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But since you’re not just slapping these photos up on the community bulletin board or your FB page, there are some things you need to think about when using your smartphone for product photos.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ponder these:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Proper Lighting<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stick with natural light. Not the harshness of direct sunlight, but rather diffused window light. It will bathe your product in a large, yet soft illuminating light. Experiment with different angles and positions for your product. Keep the shadows to a minimum.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And unless you’re partial to the pallor of malaria, steer clear of fluorescent light. Most don’t give a full color spectrum so photos taken in this light have a green tinge. Incandescent lights aren’t much better. They’re as harsh as sunlight. Or a mouth full of nails. Which all translates into, “no good.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Neutral Background</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’ll want to go with something soft, plain, neutral and free from clutter. You could remember this with the acronym SPNFFC. But that's unnecessarily complicated. So don’t do that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just stick with something simple that complements your product. To prevent distractions, white is recommended. You can use a sheet, cloth or board, for instance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If your product is on the smaller side, you could go with a piece of white paper on a flat surface. Or curve the farthest edge of that paper to create a small infinity cove.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Picking up Accessories<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These aren’t necessary. But they can help.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you have the less-than-steady hands of a non-surgeon, </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or you can attach different <a href="https://www.enlightapp.com/blog/5-of-the-best-smartphone-camera-lenses-money-can-buy5/">smartphone lenses</a> to your </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">camera to get some seriously detailed macro shots. (In your free time, you can take way up-close photos of your eye. Or bugs.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And editing apps can make all the difference in post production. For example, you CAN get the effect of a high key image shot in your smartphone. You’ll just need to finish it in Lightroom or Photoshop. Rumor has it that the brush tool in Lightroom is pretty spiffy.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ultimately, the thing to remember is this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Keep Your Smartphone Product Photos Simple</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Soft light. Simple background. Get everything you need in the frame, and nothing else. Consider a simple square format so you won’t need to crop the product or stretch the background.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The more you’re able to simplify the image, the less time you’ll spend in post production.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then once your product takes off and starts establishing some visual street cred and the revenue starts flowing, maybe you’ll be able to hire a professional photographer for some real glamour shots.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For your product, of course.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-78880442726004607422018-02-26T10:09:00.001-05:002018-02-26T10:09:18.006-05:00Advertising Question of the Week - What’s the Deal with 6-Second Ads? <style type="text/css">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For decades, brands have worked to tell their story in 30-second or 15-second ads. And while the <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">creators of such ads</a> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">found this challenging, those that embraced it were able to do so with success.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But 6 seconds? Seriously?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You better believe it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The 6-Second Ad Is Here</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact, it’s been here for half a decade.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2013, Dunkin’ Donuts created some sugar-glazed buzz when it used a 6-second video for a Monday Night Football spot on ESPN. It wasn’t long before this extremely short form advertising was referred to as “snackable content.” Particularly apropos in the case of Dunkin’ Donuts. (“Donut hole content” was bantered about, but it wasn’t as catchy. No, not really.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Still, the talk around the 6-second ad died down for a while. And back in 2013, the 30-second ad would continue to rule the roost - where it would hold court for a few more years.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By 2014, only 29% of ads were of the 15-second variety. But by 2017, that number had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/business/media/nfl-six-second-commercials.html">climbed to 36%</a>. As the long-winded and tired old 30-second ad is slowly passing the torch to the 15-second ad, that little whipper-snapper 6-second ad is coming up fast on its tail. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why the trend toward shorter formats? Well, in case you haven’t heard, science (an others) say that attention spans are waning. There seems always to be something oh-so-shiny just around the corner to vie for our attention.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is particularly true of the millennials.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/21/comscore-ceo-millennials-need-5-to-6-second-ads-to-hold-attention.html">A new study</a></span><span class="s1"> by comScore revealed that millennials lose interest in online ads that run any longer than 5 to 6 seconds. And since they’re a major marketing target, this make conditions rife for the further - and faster - evolution of the 6-second ad. They’re only expected to get bigger, bolder and better in 2018. Just not longer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here’s the thing:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When Done Well, 6-Second Ads Drive the Point Home<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sound ridiculous? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlXZh4sJtb8FeCuXyZ90OyUCkpfzs1GtI">Click here</a> to see what we mean.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHn1ba-UdSy-t6J8r-MycBOPc-n4lYh-0QCg4WoM01IkwSwWSGQptTwd2UtYbsJwUIDO1560XlcqosmxTgXf5C0v6EZJ4Fur-ML62rwAn9RsQqBPvF_HERs0cHbdfP6seow2TjcYhv7lT/s1600/number-2052071_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="434" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHn1ba-UdSy-t6J8r-MycBOPc-n4lYh-0QCg4WoM01IkwSwWSGQptTwd2UtYbsJwUIDO1560XlcqosmxTgXf5C0v6EZJ4Fur-ML62rwAn9RsQqBPvF_HERs0cHbdfP6seow2TjcYhv7lT/s320/number-2052071_640.png" width="217" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact, if you went to the above link and watched those ads, you might have noticed that YouTube has a whole slew of them - some of which you may have inadvertently viewed while waiting for the “Otter eats Doritos” video that took you there in the first place.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One talented creator of a 6-second ad is Maud Deitch, who works in Instagram’s creative department. Her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47z0EUylaKk&feature=youtu.be">incredibly powerful</a> 6 seconds on the effects of global warming received honors at an event that recognizes great 6-second ads.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“You can really get to a level of poignance and a level of human connection that you cannot get to even in a 15-second spot,” she says. “It’s because you sort of have to understand your subject matter, your medium, your production tools so much more intimately in order to make use of six seconds in an effective way. I think it’s one of the most important ad formats—if not the most important ad format—that we are going to see more of.”</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And others agree.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Creative folks originally thought the time constraint would not be enough to convey an emotional story. But it didn’t take long to recognize one important point:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You Don’t Need An Entire Story to Evoke Emotion<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehUpZ34CMMldBXFL-OXfAfqrT6G9_UY4NKc6fM0yBF8Q8J3iPuzvyAVrInBI1TN9mNg2MwBf7go3R4yMR76GmsEunYpss2D0xoSPfrJfOQn-2ybS06-WYermG5PIaiHURjUsdgWgbe4Ew/s1600/hand-1549399_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="640" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehUpZ34CMMldBXFL-OXfAfqrT6G9_UY4NKc6fM0yBF8Q8J3iPuzvyAVrInBI1TN9mNg2MwBf7go3R4yMR76GmsEunYpss2D0xoSPfrJfOQn-2ybS06-WYermG5PIaiHURjUsdgWgbe4Ew/s320/hand-1549399_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And honestly, consumers these days don’t want the whole advertising story. That’s why they record shows so they can fast-forward through those longer ads. And if they’re not doing that, they’re looking at their phones during the commercials. Or changing the channel.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those longer ads are causing commercial viewership and retention to take a hit. So <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">the future of advertising</a> - both online and on TV - relies not just on these 6-second ads, but on these ads being well-executed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, they may be short. But they’ve definitely got something to say.</span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-15599428514415751842018-02-20T07:19:00.000-05:002018-02-20T07:19:57.633-05:00The Art of Marketing to Millennials<style type="text/css">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That largest generational group in the United States. Those wacky digital natives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it’s precisely that digital nativity that has rendered them <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287905">a new breed</a> of technical <i>literati</i>. This makes them a unique group when it comes to effective marketing efforts. Why?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the simplest of terms:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Social Media Is the Millennial’s Lifeblood<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Therefore, it is the heartbeat of marketing to them. BUT, it’s not enough to be present. You can’t simply slap something onto Facebook or Instagram and call it a day. Millennials have different needs. They only want to associate a brand that’s as confident and rooted in its values as they are.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So how do you go about marketing to millennials? Start with these five basic mindsets:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Exchange Outbound for Inbound Marketing</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, ditch the old-school magazine ads, direct mail campaigns and radio spots. Millennials see these as impersonal, devoid of substance and all about the bottom line. With a deep sigh and gallant roll of the eyes, they simply dismiss them. If they even notice them at all.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What they will notice is a company or business that’s dedicated to improving the lives of their customers. And how does one convey this? By more than simply listing products and services.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Millennials want informative content. They want blog posts, videos, how-to information, even e-books and white papers. THAT’S substance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which brings us to mindset #2.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Content Is Key </span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But not just any content.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Forget about trying to grab their attention with viral videos of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPm1jf6wMqIRIdzJcyYqoxEIR1fGa2eWIHFPQJjJaXiZzbk1VY0NOKuFIsB_ib7t5Bo2yXJSwc72HhJUrebf6zOau3xIafx2ZjsXig29rokkmP872HoXsguDb8K89hHMaEmegLH7jhgph/s1600/man-791049_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPm1jf6wMqIRIdzJcyYqoxEIR1fGa2eWIHFPQJjJaXiZzbk1VY0NOKuFIsB_ib7t5Bo2yXJSwc72HhJUrebf6zOau3xIafx2ZjsXig29rokkmP872HoXsguDb8K89hHMaEmegLH7jhgph/s320/man-791049_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">bathing rodents or frat parties gone wrong (i.e. most of them). They’re not 3-year-olds. They want authentic content. Trustworthy content. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">Blog posts and videos</a> that speak to them. They also favor relevant and authentic opinions from real users.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Millennials’ buying behaviors and attitudes are largely inspired by people they know in person or online. Not hugely different from the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality that has driven the baby boomers and Gen Xers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But where millennials differ is in their being inspired by strangers who share their interests on social networks. They carry these “influencers” with them on their smartphones everywhere they go.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact, over 80% of millennials say user-generated content has at least some influence on what they buy, while over 70% say it’s important to read the opinions of others before making a purchase.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So take the necessary time to spruce up your content. After all, it’s what they’re going to be tweeting, snapping, sharing, liking, pinning, forwarding, commenting on or whatever new social media verb was birthed an hour ago.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Speak The Language of Millennials</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While creating content, remember that millennials are very much about solving problems - problems created by those generations before them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do the research. See what’s making millennials tick. Or whatever the digital version of “ticking” is. But be cautious about getting too political or too opinionated. You want to draw them in and spark their interest - not scare them away with scary rants.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Invest in Multiple Platforms</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Multitasking is a way of life for millennials. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They’re scrolling and opening tabs and switching from one window to the next. They’re also switching between devices<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- going from tablets to phones to smart TVs and then back again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With millennials being synced across so many devices, it’s nearly impossible to get their undivided attention. But with social media as tool, this can work to the benefit of <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">strategic ad campaigns</a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you divide your brand’s ad investment into multiple platforms, you’re going to have some serious reach across many channels. Plus, you have the advantage of posting in real-time. So let’s say, for example, you create some ad content that’s relevant to a popular TV show. You can leverage it by promoting it in real-time across ALL of those social channels to target that specific audience during the broadcast.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not too shabby.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Offer An Experience</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unlike their crankier and more independent Xer predecessors, millennials embrace the collective experience. They love being part of something. In fact, they like it so much that FOMO (fear of missing out) was born.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That being said, Millennials are thrilled when a brand creates an experience for their audience.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For example, when Budweiser got wind of the fact that nearly every Millennial had seen <i>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, </i>they ran with it. Playing on the nostalgia of that movie, they created a challenge to find the “golden beer can.” Millennials would buy a case of beer, in hopes that they’d get that golden can and win a prize. But even if they didn’t, they still ended up with a case of beer. So it was a win either way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Though some would argue that a case of Bud wasn’t nearly the “win” that a chocolate bar would have been. But you get the point.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give Millennials A Story, Not Spin</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s essentially it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Millennials are far more receptive to brand storytelling than they are to straightforward advertising. This is important to remember because<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>millennials tend to exhibit early adoption </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu4So3qDL6JkYkb6VbMThIfHWeiLsGeUKlh9R5f4_pn4jlIAQDMmGTGPJWCKsS6uFTt1RokdjyiY2m7WCbASmEUW-DcR3WuNIE_T-hrkP8O6a4Br0cCKncKwz8Go4saN3wgRUGUjaM166/s1600/men-2425121_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu4So3qDL6JkYkb6VbMThIfHWeiLsGeUKlh9R5f4_pn4jlIAQDMmGTGPJWCKsS6uFTt1RokdjyiY2m7WCbASmEUW-DcR3WuNIE_T-hrkP8O6a4Br0cCKncKwz8Go4saN3wgRUGUjaM166/s320/men-2425121_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tendencies and then remain loyal to brands they trust.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So rather than crafting ads they’re expected to witness, make them part of your brand’s conversation instead. Address them directly through social media to spark a connection. And take the time to win their trust. It’s a worthwhile venture.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At least as much as searching for a golden can. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-87479902438037470852018-02-19T09:25:00.000-05:002018-02-19T09:25:15.586-05:00Advertising Question of the Week: What Are the Best Times or Days to Send My Email Newsletter? <style type="text/css">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Had this post been written ten years ago, we might have advised you to send them out at the end of the day. Because that’s what logic seemed to dictate at that time and, well, frankly, </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">everyone </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">was doing it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That logical dictation has since been blown out of the water.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet - very much in the spirit of old dogs being unreceptive to new tricks - it’s still what many companies are doing. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But Mailing At the End of the Day Is Actually the Worst Time</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Assuming you’re an email newsletter subscriber yourself, you’ve probably noticed the deluge of these newsletters that come at the end of the work day - coming at you when you’re at your most haggard and world-weary. Not your most “receptive” time. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or even worse, they come so late in the day that they accumulate in your inbox where they eagerly await. For you to erase them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because honestly, even if that newsletter has the most mind-blowing content in the world, you’re probably like most people who’d rather just "<a href="https://www.aim.com.au/blog/7-reasons-keep-inbox-empty">clean house</a>" </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">first thing in the morning. In other words, you find far more satisfaction in deleting that barrage of emails clogging your inbox than in receiving data-driven marketing tips at 7:08AM.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That being said, avoid sending your own email newsletter between 6PM-7PM.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Consider it the witching hour. It’ll be up against way too much competition.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And forget about sending it after 9pm or before 7am. It’ll likely get rolled into the gruesome horror show that is the next day’s inbox clearing.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So Then What Are the Best Times to Send My Email Newsletter?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were recently intrigued by a highly unscientific study </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">whereby a man subscribed to 100 different newsletters to see what time they landed in his inbox. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He found that nobody sent an email newsletter in the 11AM-noon, 1PM-2PM, and 2PM-3PM hours.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Minimum Competition, the 2PM-3PM Spot Is Ideal</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even though the other two time slots showed no competition, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">they bookend the lunch hour. As such, email newsletters are far more likely to fall victim to the “hangry”, or to those in food coma during those hours. But between 2pm and 3pm, work life can get pretty dull and a newsletter might be a needed distraction.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Minor Competition, Shoot for the 10AM-11AM Slot</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The brave leader of this unscholarly study then found that only one email newsletter came in between 10am and 11am. And there’s something to be said for a little competition. Especially if <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-traditional.html">your newsletter sparkles</a> in comparison. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are There Also Better Days for Sending Email Newsletters?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes. But you probably already guessed that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wednesday Is the Best Day</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Strangely enough, the study found that Wednesday is the day with the least competition. In fact, it is on Wednesday that some newsletters get double the open rate of Monday and Tuesday. So for now, at least, Hump Day a darn good day to send your email newsletters.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Saturday Is a Close Second Runner-up</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, it’s not an official business day. But in terms of sending your email newsletters, Saturday deserves your attention. Especially if your newsletters speak to certain interests or are more on the entertaining side. Saturday will provide more time to give it the attention it so clearly deserves.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Forget All about Sundays and Thursdays</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sundays are an exceedingly low competition day. However, it’s something of a wildcard day, being a bit more buttoned-up than its older sibling, Saturday. And for many, it’s a day of rest. Or going to Home Depot. So who wants to compete with that?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thursdays, on the other hand, are a high competition day. So <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">marketing experts</a> would advise against it since it’s too easy to get lost in the shuffle.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sending Your Email Newsletter At the Optimal Time Makes A Difference<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80cdc3-4RNTrnXzcOucPUaWSZk7T3Exa00jqtBGYAzHXk8ydYpZJvIpyywg0VugSJ49fPSO_Qak8F1a3hDeznL8DF-mirc9fRshN7M9dKgkwpJYaKRf8Rb0yXWTp_guL6KzeMysSmloSv/s1600/bread-1494947_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80cdc3-4RNTrnXzcOucPUaWSZk7T3Exa00jqtBGYAzHXk8ydYpZJvIpyywg0VugSJ49fPSO_Qak8F1a3hDeznL8DF-mirc9fRshN7M9dKgkwpJYaKRf8Rb0yXWTp_guL6KzeMysSmloSv/s320/bread-1494947_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, there will always be the exceptions. Farmers might seek the latest data on corn vs. soybeans at 6am. Or bakers may be pouring over a newsletter at 4am to learn about the next greatest thing since… sliced bread.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But unless you’re driving it home to an early morning demographic, you’ll want to avoid those heavily competitive times. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After all, it’s always nice to get a letter when you weren’t expecting one. Even if it’s a newsletter.</span></span></div>
<br />LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-21181277082739054122018-02-12T12:32:00.000-05:002018-02-12T12:32:47.830-05:00Question of the Week - What Makes Some Creative People Rather… Difficult? <div class="p1">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a particularly relevant question for those working in the ad industry - seeing as it’s the primary refuge for creative </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQaIGGrCqUp0YfwjC_ixs9ehTsgX9rzJ1We4tCRU2AZvvhrQHrZy0nmnyXvAuEmc5ibK3ibmfCvwmC6_ImYqX_FjR17HVYA6K29PUwKuZHlq346Rh6ANq9dNcjVotylrVKwPR_RSLAxCg/s1600/cup-2859653_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQaIGGrCqUp0YfwjC_ixs9ehTsgX9rzJ1We4tCRU2AZvvhrQHrZy0nmnyXvAuEmc5ibK3ibmfCvwmC6_ImYqX_FjR17HVYA6K29PUwKuZHlq346Rh6ANq9dNcjVotylrVKwPR_RSLAxCg/s320/cup-2859653_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">people who have ceased romanticizing starvation and homelessness in the name of their creative venture.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So yeah, there is more than a handful of advertising creatives who never envisioned themselves designing ads for walk-in bathtubs or attempting to convey the sheer excitement of banking apps. And they may not be thrilled about it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that’s not really the reason they can be challenging. It’s much more than that. And just to be clear, we’re not isolating creative people as the sole proprietors of onerous behavior.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There Are Jerks in Every Line of Work</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take surgeons, for example. Many of them - men and woman alike - have that certain <i>je ne sais quoi. </i>Let’s call it outright over-the-top cocky swagger. But think about it. It makes perfect sense. When you’re getting cut open, do you want the surgeon who’s going into battle for you to be confident and aggressive? Or would you rather have an easy-going, agreeable barista type on the front line?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s not all that different with <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">creative people</a>. Some of their being seemingly difficult is born out of necessity. And some of it is just part of being a creative in a society that doesn’t always embrace it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Way back in the mid-1990’s, <i>Psychology Today</i> <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199607/the-creative-personality">published an article</a> by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of <i>Creativity: The Work and Lives of 91 Eminent People, </i>that highlighted the creative personality. And he’s something of an expert on the topic, seeing as he spent over 30 years researching how creative people live and work. Much like Jane Goodall and her chimps.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">He prefaced the <i>PT </i>article with this: “Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So it sounds like they should be easy to get along with and to understand. But what Csikszenthmihalyi found is that it’s far more complicated than that.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It turns out that one huge requirement of living as a “creative” is this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They Must Possess the Ability to Inhabit Opposite States of Being Simultaneously</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And at all times.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For example, in their work to bring forth a new reality, creative people alternate between the flightiness of imagination, and the rootedness of that reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And in order to <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">stay innovative</a>, they must also keep one foot forever in the stream of rebellion, and the other in the pool of conservatism. Because it seems that innovation is most easily digested when reckless abandon is mixed with a measure of stability.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In their work, creatives also have to balance being playful and disciplined, extroverted and introverted, humble and proud - this last one being particularly challenging. And since they tend to be open and sensitive,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>they’re prone to both deep suffering and pain, as well as surges of mind-blowing enjoyment. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNexp_lW_tCBx3gOx2IBY-pnUkagbCN_Pu9iATx9ohyphenhyphenUaIcAcddyWlYowRgE4811u3pqwCEhVGEDxLfyS7denNkkCaSEGhOAcYbT73y-dbboTV7U5_KpWGRUnKh2UEdLRrboPvWIdrAaC/s1600/emotions-371238_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="640" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNexp_lW_tCBx3gOx2IBY-pnUkagbCN_Pu9iATx9ohyphenhyphenUaIcAcddyWlYowRgE4811u3pqwCEhVGEDxLfyS7denNkkCaSEGhOAcYbT73y-dbboTV7U5_KpWGRUnKh2UEdLRrboPvWIdrAaC/s400/emotions-371238_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, being a creative simultaneously dwelling in two worlds at all times takes some nerve, some grit and some unorthodox coping skills. And, just as with the aforementioned surgeon, the <i>chutzpah</i> required to navigate this difficult situation is often mislabeled as being difficult, challenging, jerky and a series of other demeaning and incriminating adjectives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The biggest difference between the jerky creative and the jerky surgeon though is that almost nobody questions the surgeon. But creatives have to field questions (and criticism) about their work. ALL OF THE TIME. And regardless of the adage, there are plenty of stupid questions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here’s the thing.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Creative People Have to Willing to Take Risks and Break from the Safety of Tradition</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which is usually not a problem since most are, by nature, prone to deep thinking and not terribly compliant. In fact, studies have shown that the part of the brain that lights up for creativity is also the part that controls rumination, pondering and self-awareness. In other words, their brains are created to push, reinvent and question. And it can be irritating for those around them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We get it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But some of the most creative people in history - Frank Lloyd Wright, Maria Callas and Oscar Wilde, to name a few - were famously difficult to be around.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZk1OGU8a4tS9aofOw2ESZa1BF9itfspuA8lvGSY3A2ylm9RndilPZn5Sz0tPDKJavxpEdcuDbbNxhm6iIIGO3aHzYla2vi0EKPcgumx1sooLdwHLyUvhLQnQv80dR6EHYQ7fLaWyZN91/s1600/paint-2985569_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZk1OGU8a4tS9aofOw2ESZa1BF9itfspuA8lvGSY3A2ylm9RndilPZn5Sz0tPDKJavxpEdcuDbbNxhm6iIIGO3aHzYla2vi0EKPcgumx1sooLdwHLyUvhLQnQv80dR6EHYQ7fLaWyZN91/s320/paint-2985569_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet it is also highly creative people who incite progress and institute change. So maybe they’re hard to work with. And you might call them difficult. Burdensome. Jerks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because they are sometimes. But keep in mind that it can be uncomfortable to be around people who bring dissent and want change. Especially for people who don’t want change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which begs the question, are those who resist change just as difficult?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Something to consider.</span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-37283792538203806942018-02-06T07:54:00.000-05:002018-02-06T07:54:18.671-05:004 (Relatively) Simple Ways to Boost Sales Conversions <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFk6ECX8kLQAnDv8EuOQvYBi3f9ima8H5_CUWaBzpMT9IUhx6iViWCUyiI2C2e-0OdkO-PeunegnbA8KFuN-W7cHwoJ5aldn2ZPenDZeZt_o6m41cAfBQ9g5SmXAkqm0gsclKXQdG6WDr/s1600/ecommerce-2607114_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFk6ECX8kLQAnDv8EuOQvYBi3f9ima8H5_CUWaBzpMT9IUhx6iViWCUyiI2C2e-0OdkO-PeunegnbA8KFuN-W7cHwoJ5aldn2ZPenDZeZt_o6m41cAfBQ9g5SmXAkqm0gsclKXQdG6WDr/s400/ecommerce-2607114_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you have an eCommerce website merely because it’s amusing and “something to do when there’s nothing to watch on Netflix”, then you don’t need to read this.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But if you’re dramatically less unfettered by reality, you’re probably looking to expand your audience base, instill customer loyalty and, of course, generate more revenue from your eCommerce site.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That means your focus should be on <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">converting more sales</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So How Does One Boost One’s Sales Conversions?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, for starters, “one” can do this by incorporating the following (relatively) simple methods.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Secure Your Site</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">People are freaking out these days about security. And with good reason. No one wants to be robbed. Especially of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/01/consumers-lost-more-than-16b-to-fraud-and-identity-theft-last-year.html">their identity</a>. It’s so hard to find a new one.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEGZ5XUsdKfdJlKs2pXT8-c_gfEZeRR5iLkhdiCO5PnqSvFIer2GIhhmJBYJdmUuMjQ7V5Vdydvgpvf-wyBZftv7w6tezOiMII_whdd_AYRzCiZL92o_QZlWasf_ydzU0dZCxATEuOfHe/s1600/security-265130_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEGZ5XUsdKfdJlKs2pXT8-c_gfEZeRR5iLkhdiCO5PnqSvFIer2GIhhmJBYJdmUuMjQ7V5Vdydvgpvf-wyBZftv7w6tezOiMII_whdd_AYRzCiZL92o_QZlWasf_ydzU0dZCxATEuOfHe/s320/security-265130_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At any rate, if you want people to spend money on your eCommerce site, they need to know that their information is safe and secure at all times.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reassure your customers that you are doing everything you can to keep them safe.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some of the simplest ways you can do this are to:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Get an SSL certificate</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Display credit card images/PayPal logo to demonstrate that you only accept trusted payment options</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Implement secure registration logins</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">NEVER store your customer's credit card data in case there’s a data breach</span></span></li>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leaving your customers feeling nervous about pressing that “Confirm Purchase” button is no way to gain sales conversions. Assume they’ve got enough to worry about right now. They probably do.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Offer Coupons and/or Discounts</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Especially to repeat customers. It’s a no-brainer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With a coupon, they’re more enticed to finalize their transaction. They get a deal and you get a sale. You also get their continued loyalty.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can offer coupons in specific amounts off the total purchase price. Or maybe it’s a discounted percentage. Possibly a free bonus product. Just be sure it’s not a puppy. Or any other living creature. Except maybe a plant.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Consider having a dedicated section just for coupons and discounts. Much like a blog. Speaking of which…</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Get A Blog Already</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seriously.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, so creating a blog might not sound all that simple. But with the right content and some regular contributions (whether you write them or you <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">hire a blog writer</a>), you can get it up and running in no time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZVOMv8_gZc6qwpXO8hVjpt9GI10KUwLWNThrSFI8oXrdd7kAOyGSggMsgmZzUXXPDflD5GfziukocoQQ9UqmzdtILHSY8VVSQuhwp02x0GEBpaUUOPwb5RFdJD6Bv-9mjOZxC9eHDMMh/s1600/wordpress-581849_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="640" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZVOMv8_gZc6qwpXO8hVjpt9GI10KUwLWNThrSFI8oXrdd7kAOyGSggMsgmZzUXXPDflD5GfziukocoQQ9UqmzdtILHSY8VVSQuhwp02x0GEBpaUUOPwb5RFdJD6Bv-9mjOZxC9eHDMMh/s320/wordpress-581849_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, giving your customers the option of extra reading material that will educate, entertain, or even enlighten is going to give you more click through traffic. And it infuses your eCommerce site with a <a href="https://leduccreative.blogspot.com/2017/09/why-every-company-should-have-business.html">more human element</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being able to inform your loyal customers about your business, services or products and special deals is effective in boosting those sales conversions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Provide Live Chat Support</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If your customer has an issue, do they have the option of live chat to get support? Yeah, this one might cost you some dough on the front end. But giving your customers access to live chat can easily pay for itself.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s up to 30% cheaper than providing phone support. And those who are manning the desk can handle multiple chats - thereby increasing efficiency.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, people like it. In our “instant gratification” culture, they get quick or even immediate response. No more hoping for return emails or waiting on the phone and listening to Mel Tormé’s cover of Michael Jackson’s <i>Beat It, </i>praying that you don’t get disconnected in spite of the musical torture.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can collect data from those chat sessions to better understand your customers’ gripes and how to alleviate them. As such, live chat instills more trust in your brand and customers are 20% more likely to convert after a successful live chat session.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s4"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Live chat allows online stores to <a href="https://www.inc.com/bill-carmody/5-ways-live-chat-can-increase-online-sales.html"><span class="s5">act more like brick-and-mortar retailers</span></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, with all of that said, here’s the most important question to ask yourself:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How Solid Is My eCommerce Site’s Foundation?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7z9FvM_BktXDpZmdowVLtRXtdISjxvIZBs00Vta2MQFDHyBE60TTpdxSt5k_m-YfQoViPaNIf9ybSGzGWwe-vUNsn3VxwwoLog7KQWMvb__KDOR5iFj7XRh69m8DcbDLTKgN_uy9pskx/s1600/brick-215779_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7z9FvM_BktXDpZmdowVLtRXtdISjxvIZBs00Vta2MQFDHyBE60TTpdxSt5k_m-YfQoViPaNIf9ybSGzGWwe-vUNsn3VxwwoLog7KQWMvb__KDOR5iFj7XRh69m8DcbDLTKgN_uy9pskx/s320/brick-215779_640.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’ll spare you the plethora of “the importance of a strong foundation” metaphors. They’re as played-out as that $1 Hall and Oates on scratched vinyl at the record store.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that’s not to <i>say it isn’t so</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your site can be secure, interesting and chock full of coupons and live chatters, but these methods are only going to work if you have a solid foundation at the beginning.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the foundation in the case of your eCommerce site is user experience (UX). So if you haven’t addressed that part, then you’re going to have to spend some time building that foundation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Make sure it’s easy to navigate.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Give it adequate (not over-the-top) branding.</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Provide a smooth checkout process.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, the design should be in line with your brand and product base. And would it kill ya to throw in some great imagery? No. No, it wouldn’t.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, the search function should not require a search function to locate. Because that’s ludicrous.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But don’t stress.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There Are Many All-in-One eCommerce Platforms Available</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or if there is someone you know (or can bribe) who is more tech-savvy, you can have it built from scratch. You could also solicit the wisdom of <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">advertising professionals</a>. They can help you figure it all out.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yet another option would be to just scrap the whole idea and binge watch <i>Game of Thrones</i> on Netflix for the third time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that last option only applies if you don’t care about your eCommerce website. Or, really, life in general.</span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-18205272234895506492018-02-05T10:26:00.000-05:002018-02-05T10:26:00.371-05:00Question of the Week: How Will the Lack of Net Neutrality Impact Influencer Marketing? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwx-rzcocnNqBgYLCqp1phQkF7_anuMlUHNYXOdWF9pWsIFbIDNcxOEip1CkoIkHxkCKknSNCqQljc1NcDpumWSGyOrZM7WYoLlTk1_8jHOqLJnI6AZHSHW0pDuxTtXuI-T0FvBnO9Chwp/s1600/hand-3044387_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwx-rzcocnNqBgYLCqp1phQkF7_anuMlUHNYXOdWF9pWsIFbIDNcxOEip1CkoIkHxkCKknSNCqQljc1NcDpumWSGyOrZM7WYoLlTk1_8jHOqLJnI6AZHSHW0pDuxTtXuI-T0FvBnO9Chwp/s1600/hand-3044387_640.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That’s a good question. And if we had a crystal ball (or believed in them) we could answer it (or pretend to).</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">As <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">professional marketers</a>, we can only guess what the impact will be on influencer marketing at this point. What we can say for certain is that there WILL be an impact.</span><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it might happen sooner than later.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What Was the Benefit of Net Neutrality?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those who favored the now halcyon days of net neutrality are concerned that Internet providers will start giving preferential treatment to sites that pay them or that they own. And if history has anything to say about it, that sounds about right.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Furthermore, without net neutrality, those same providers are able to legally discriminate against sites that they don’t like. And they can choose to not like them for any reason at all.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It doesn’t even have to be a good reason. They may simply not like the cut of the site’s jib. As such, they will make it much harder and SLOWER for people to access those sites.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, since influencer marketers rely on their websites, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">content, and audience engagement to grow, they’re obviously concerned that without those fair access principles in place, their presence will be weakened. (Like going from a triple shot espresso to a cup of diner coffee.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Especially if the ISP Grand Poobahs - <a href="https://lifehacker.com/now-that-net-neutrality-s-dead-here-are-the-isps-you-c-1821292661">like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast</a> - start placing commercial interests<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>first.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what does this all mean?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Loss of Net Neutrality Will Change Influencer Marketing</span></b></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZ8IOi0VcQZRQZqX7CugGLY9iDJ5Nc8T52MlN1kp1hCBIiqnYpb1KszpRVxNEuExv-1CCzBseuE4xD6xTiyp7mD-WXqrnZRqzj9gY2w6R0klZTrtfDYFAeEGfXJ2Pdb57ncv3v7Xu4hs2/s1600/traffic-lights-1013503_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="640" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZ8IOi0VcQZRQZqX7CugGLY9iDJ5Nc8T52MlN1kp1hCBIiqnYpb1KszpRVxNEuExv-1CCzBseuE4xD6xTiyp7mD-WXqrnZRqzj9gY2w6R0klZTrtfDYFAeEGfXJ2Pdb57ncv3v7Xu4hs2/s320/traffic-lights-1013503_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And while several ISPs have publicly vowed to maintain neutrality, not all of them have. Over time, this is bound to have some repercussions.</span></span></div>
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<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">1. Say Good-Bye to Unlimited Data</b></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The repeal of net neutrality will likely be felt on the mobile level first. Broadband companies - if they so choose - could put the kibosh on streaming services and choose pay-by-play data packages instead.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Influencers who rely on Instagram and Snapchat will probably see a reduction in the streaming content these platforms produce. Again, to keep data usage costs down.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Influencers Will Have to Charge More to Brands and Agencies</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With net neutrality, audiences became accustomed to getting their content quickly. But as this starts to change, influencers and influencer networks will have to start paying out to the ISPs to get speed. (Sounds vaguely like a drug deal.) This cost will then be passed down to the <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-traditional.html">agencies</a> and brands who hire influencers.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which leads us to point #3.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. All Hail the Micro-Influencer</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It could potentially become more and more expensive for brands to work with high-tier influencers. So rather than use a well-known influencer (think Beyoncé), they may have to leverage several micro-influencers (think The Backstreet Boys) across a campaign to get the word out.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the money they’re paying, these agencies will need to squeeze as much out of those micro-influencers as possible. And those Backstreet Boys are just not the chipper upstarts they once were.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. “You Can’t Put a Price on Knowledge”</span></b></span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C-I11Q5_LLErQWr1g9Vi8q5oY0OViPQ_8VL7DcxP39FPT33YPTRZSezhMii0VphzfYO0pKr8fbBvpxKBa1hE7bAicU3hrWKgYQ8-RK7wAgixOv_sXH86UwXo9vtEkhXsRjBFRzlHramE/s1600/fire-1075162_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C-I11Q5_LLErQWr1g9Vi8q5oY0OViPQ_8VL7DcxP39FPT33YPTRZSezhMii0VphzfYO0pKr8fbBvpxKBa1hE7bAicU3hrWKgYQ8-RK7wAgixOv_sXH86UwXo9vtEkhXsRjBFRzlHramE/s320/fire-1075162_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unless you’re an ISP. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The thing is, most Americans get their news and info from search platforms and web-based encyclopedias. The sheer volume of content and the archival nature of the data on these sites makes them more expensive to host. As ISPs are now free to charge these “heavy-hitter” sites, the sites are then forced to charge users a subscription fee to offset those costs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And don’t believe for a minute that you can just get all your information from the “Uncle Larry’s Cavalcade of Interesting Facts” website. If the ISP feels that Uncle Larry wronged them, they’ll make it really difficult to see Uncle Larry. Or make him “disappear.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While this last point on paying for knowledge has a less direct impact on influencer marketing, it is a scary thought overall.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Loss of Net Neutrality May Not Be That Bad</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"><b></b></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Again, we just don’t know.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It would be nice to believe that these ISP empires will recognize they don’t need to make any more money. It would also be nice to believe that nobody ever suffers. Especially puppies.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bottom line of the loss of net neutrality could very well mean higher prices for the end user. At first, it may not seem like much. But who knows what it says for the long run? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We sure don’t. But we can guess.</span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-16150118266217792862018-01-30T11:49:00.001-05:002018-01-30T11:49:36.322-05:003 Ways for Marketers to Incorporate a Customer-Centered Mindset <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5pwIq02Qct3YkJUMS0ABMmlKGd6tDy7KbKQID60fwfRRJ20pO1jknGMiDNkQRm4hffx9E_6L7HsIDPWltraZEjaK6sYOFBxF8haMbAuCgW1tyPYUr7KoFZWOb9fLWBywt9OIJ4nK6mTw/s1600/ball-563962_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="640" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5pwIq02Qct3YkJUMS0ABMmlKGd6tDy7KbKQID60fwfRRJ20pO1jknGMiDNkQRm4hffx9E_6L7HsIDPWltraZEjaK6sYOFBxF8haMbAuCgW1tyPYUr7KoFZWOb9fLWBywt9OIJ4nK6mTw/s320/ball-563962_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In any business, a customer-centric mindset is essential. Because, with all due respect to mama, the refrigerator magnet </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><i>should</i></span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> actually say, “If the customer ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">That’s the reality.</span><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But another reality is how easy it is to forget the customer-centered mindset when the work really starts flowing. Especially for marketers who tend to have less client-facing time than the folks in sales and support.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The irony is that it’s the many clients that create the work flow that keeps you so busy that causes you lose to focus on those very clients that live in the house that Jack built.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s certainly something of a quagmire.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So How Do You Maintain That One-Pointed Focus on the Customer?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Keep your eye on the prize. Not that we’re in the business of objectifying your customers, but they’re the “prize” in this case.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To help campaigns resonate with prospects and customers, it’s absolutely necessary to employ a customer-centric mindset. This, in turn, will lead to increased sales and <a href="https://financesonline.com/top-20-marketing-automation-software-solutions-2017/">happier, more engaged clients</a>. Put all of this together, and it’s going to differentiate you from your competitors. And by differentiate, we mean in a good way. A shiny way. A winning way. And what are you going to win?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">More customers, i.e. the “prize.” So let’s begin.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">#1. Take A Strategic Approach to Technology</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How personalized is your correspondence with your clients?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Get personal. And we don’t mean addressing emails with </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vN-1KTA-dwR56q_Qx_498u29pY3F2JbPSvT41ZooKOe8Tf2-RSNG3ruDh37hfrtzoT469Oemsq0ADc_1G-YAF6-SjmMoDnc2Gl3PAVI6bUla-tH-3GalBLU4Of22f0uDkr4lwlQzgenC/s1600/idea-3085367_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vN-1KTA-dwR56q_Qx_498u29pY3F2JbPSvT41ZooKOe8Tf2-RSNG3ruDh37hfrtzoT469Oemsq0ADc_1G-YAF6-SjmMoDnc2Gl3PAVI6bUla-tH-3GalBLU4Of22f0uDkr4lwlQzgenC/s320/idea-3085367_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Hey there friend o’mine” rather than “To whom it may concern.” They’re both inauthentic. Especially the former, which borders on insultingly so.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But keeping it real with a high level of personalization takes time and effort. We get it. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is where technology steps in. You can scale using marketing automation. <a href="https://financesonline.com/top-20-marketing-automation-software-solutions-2017/">All sorts of marketing software</a> can help you to automate those time-sucking tasks like prospecting emails, creating invitations to events or formulating on-boarding communications.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This will free up more time for you to focus on delivering a personalized experience to customers while mastering Level 3,461 on Candy Crush. Ah, technology.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But wait! Here’s the caveat. You must be clear about your goals to <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">develop a strategy</a> with technology. Because with all of that smooth automation, your internal goals could quickly become your main focus - and at the cost of the customer experience. So don’t scale a task if there’s the risk it’s going to frustrate your customer. It’s not worth it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which brings us to step #2.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"># 2. Communicate on a Human Level</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With the convenience of texting and emails, nobody ever has to talk on the phone again. But that doesn’t mean nobody WANTS to. There are plenty of people who still want to do precisely that.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As we’ve moved into deeper into the digital age, we’ve had to start making sense of when and how certain types of conversations need to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>happen. So with each interaction, ask </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1yGyWlreacbmVMRSdA8_tNLU3NP99XtPLY2tfQ2g9XZ7FdYvZndC5kz_a_84OmsgnTTHRauDMxjbnOnZROX44-GdmaMCK-IjVKjcW4NyRo0p5GpnTjLitp9SpEBtjIHtTTh5BpklB7Zj/s1600/beard-2286440_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1yGyWlreacbmVMRSdA8_tNLU3NP99XtPLY2tfQ2g9XZ7FdYvZndC5kz_a_84OmsgnTTHRauDMxjbnOnZROX44-GdmaMCK-IjVKjcW4NyRo0p5GpnTjLitp9SpEBtjIHtTTh5BpklB7Zj/s320/beard-2286440_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">yourself, “Does this response warrant <a href="http://www.dmnews.com/marketing-automation/marketing-still-needs-the-human-touch/article/420210/">a personal touch</a>, or can it be automated?”</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you get down to bare bones, business is still about human engagement. No existing technology can offer up the intuition and experience of a human. It doesn’t understand the competitive landscape. And it sure can’t forge emotional connections.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When it makes sense, take the extra time for in-person meetings and phone calls to maintain those pathways of human connection.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">#3. Remember That Your Customers Change</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We all do.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But if you have long-standing clients for whom you’ve done the exact same service year after year because it’s what’s worked in the past, you can’t just write them off. They might not be as satisfied as you think.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s like that aunt who continues to buy you an airplane-themed gift every year for your birthday because you loved airplanes when you were, like, seven. You’ve even mentioned that airplanes don’t really do it for you anymore, but she just won’t listen. And frankly, you’re feeling pretty unvalidated.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you really want to weight down your clients with metaphorical airplanes?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not only have you stopped listening to their needs, but you’re operating in the dark. You’ve also missed an important opportunity to validate who they are. You’ve essentially forgotten them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is another reason you want to keep interacting with you customers. It’ll help you avoid turning them into categories.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Consider customer focus groups. They can help you understand what clients need and which messages are hitting home.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Taking the Customer First Approach Is Not Limited to Marketers</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it shouldn’t be. We all gotta get along.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtRiAsvKMCp0HXChbwh_Z7H8-ksO4JyqteuFGqps8yzSrG0kiEmGCbEd72w4bR7lxNKycWC3OzF__IS7uzlBUn1ZWP2v5De-hIQneUGoGC6C3xdrfNUk8YX9k9I7mSvSUZxcSphy1ZscD/s1600/handshake-2160176_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="494" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtRiAsvKMCp0HXChbwh_Z7H8-ksO4JyqteuFGqps8yzSrG0kiEmGCbEd72w4bR7lxNKycWC3OzF__IS7uzlBUn1ZWP2v5De-hIQneUGoGC6C3xdrfNUk8YX9k9I7mSvSUZxcSphy1ZscD/s320/handshake-2160176_640.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Project managers and creatives need to work together. Sales and marketing execs need to work together. CFOs and CEOs need to work together. There’s this whole working together theme here.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But ultimately, success is achieved when EVERYONE works together to put the real people who matter first.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that would be, ahem, the customers. You know, the prize. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So listen to them. Do the necessary work to solicit their input. Then bring that input to life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s the ultimate <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">job of the marketer</a>. </span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-34421080574538319092018-01-29T09:38:00.000-05:002018-01-29T09:38:06.741-05:00Question of the Week: What Is the Future of Interactive Advertising? <div class="p1">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"><b></b></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember the days before interactive advertising? Back when you knew your cola was enriched with coca leaves and snake oil was all the rage?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, it wasn’t quite <i>that</i> long ago.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But Interactive Advertising Did Not Start with the Internet<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was already around - at a decidedly more rudimentary level - in the form of things like customer surveys, focus groups and Ovaltine.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, Ovaltine. Back in the (not so) glorious days of radio programs, they encouraged listeners to save proofs-of-purchase from jars of (not so) delicious Ovaltine to obtain radio premiums. Radio premiums, in this case, were secret decoder rings, badges or pins that the lucky obtainers could use to decode messages during <i>Little Orphan Annie</i> or <i>Captain Midnight.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1"><i></i></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can bet the good folks in Bern, Switzerland - where Ovaltine is still produced to this day - used that feedback to “analyze” how they could improve upon their advertising.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, the definition of “analyzing data” in the late 1930’s/early 1940’s was about as different from its current definition as “happy returns,” which once meant “vomiting.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even so, it was the internet that really got people excited about interactive advertising and, more specifically, analytical data that could be <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2017/12/03/the-top-6-data-and-technology-trends-for-2018/&refURL=https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3232542097494027059&referrer=https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3232542097494027059#1b5ab8743680">transformed into actionable insights</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Analytical Data Was Groundbreaking Stuff<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Customer surveys and lukewarm chocolate beverages aside, advertisers soon discovered they had this new superpower at their fingertips. Rather than using this power for evil, they got to work tweaking ad approaches, changing up colors, swapping out content and then soliciting feedback from their target audiences.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">Savvy advertisers</a> could now give their potential customers a chance to interact with companies and their advertising, as opposed to simply being recipients of the pitch. This gave them some savory feedback.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But as valuable as that feedback was, it still took a backseat to the analytical data that tracked how those changes affected the ad’s performance. And soon enough, the wild world of interactive advertising was going beyond simple clickthroughs and banners to branch out to social media, branded games and polls and a slew of other approaches.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What’s the Next Phase of Interactive Advertising?</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While advertisers grapple with how to best wrangle the powerful animal that is interactive advertising, they’re also curious about where this dynamic, volatile creature is heading next.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are, of course, varying opinions on the matter. But two components seem to be taking center stage:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">New Technology and Content</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And they’re in cohoots.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Advertisers are discovering how combining street campaigns with social media, innovative technology and powerful storytelling are coming together to create lasting effects.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So the future of interactive advertising seems to be facing the challenge of how to integrate this shiny new technology, the internet and - perhaps most importantly - entertainment and good storytelling into advertising campaigns which consumers feel compelled to connect with rather than block.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s a big order.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But here’s what could potentially happen:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">creation of engaging content</a> will boost the cost of buying ad<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>space. This will have a domino effect on the quality of ads - meaning that they’ll also have to be higher quality. That means fewer ads. But those that are birthed will demand attention. Like a child with a temper tantrum. But far more entertaining. And that’s the operative word. Entertaining.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It Is Advertising Posing As Entertainment</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Interactive advertising may just evolve into content that is </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">indistinguishable from regular entertainment. Yet it’ll be just as effective in leaving a lasting impression on consumers.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ads that create a dialogue between the consumer and advertiser will be those that make a difference. The <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">future of interactive advertising</a> could just create a world where ads are enjoyable and advertisers are paid good money for great content, not spin.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Imagine that.</span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-82615460573875600202018-01-22T07:37:00.000-05:002018-01-22T07:37:57.861-05:00Question of the Week: Is Advertising An Art? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArAxOjdJgJjo4KV6dcWfZU2kougOvmuNWiDErPhdB7865EIHuTdy6iuys_gvAPWEKn_DysrI4AX2M9bXm0nyGCmDstNElEvpsbACoU54kgP8edg_DBxh_0m-Nc38vLJ6nacU7ZV-v95wC/s1600/fantasy-2506830_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="640" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArAxOjdJgJjo4KV6dcWfZU2kougOvmuNWiDErPhdB7865EIHuTdy6iuys_gvAPWEKn_DysrI4AX2M9bXm0nyGCmDstNElEvpsbACoU54kgP8edg_DBxh_0m-Nc38vLJ6nacU7ZV-v95wC/s640/fantasy-2506830_640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hit the internet and you’ll find folks saying, “absolutely not.” Yet you’ll just as easily find folks saying, “without a doubt.” Then there’s a third and larger camp of folks that don’t take a definitive stand.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We reside in that third camp. We see this as one of those annoying questions that has no right answer. Like, “Is Kenneth a good name for a tree frog?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, it's subjective.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But since the question was posed, we figured it was worth exploring a little. So let’s start by asking this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How Does One Define Art?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Merriam Webster defines art as this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wikipedia - posing as a dictionary here - defines it as:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The product or process of deliberately arranging items (often with symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So given both of these definitions, it’s possible that advertising could be perceived as art. Then again, what we perceive isn’t absolute truth. Like when you’re in a non-moving car and the vehicle next to you is slowly inching forward so that you PERCEIVE that you’re moving backward. But you’re not.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, without getting drawn into a philosophical argument on perception, we should look at the other important question here:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How Does One Define Advertising?</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let’s see what Wikipedia has to say now:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Advertising is how a company encourages people to buy their products, services or ideas. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">Advertisers influence our emotions</a></i><i> </i><i>by using techniques that include stereotyping and targeting the audience according to who we are.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And as for Merriam Webster?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcements.</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay. So there seems to be some clear delineation between the two.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Advertising Has A Definitive End Result</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To encourage the viewer to buy. But that does that necessarily preclude it from being art?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever been stirred by an emotional and inspiring </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW17_MccSXLkf3vRzGc4ZAzSSXSJLM1VGcKCXm2GxrueAq7XGEM3gdwh8ChKC0mEDeZzJYgJER55tdqK_8GsHIX72ExXLdYigulnecF8g4vE1C_KvTQZuvogxn9W9Ee_T1XzcjzhDK55tI/s1600/film-596519_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="640" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW17_MccSXLkf3vRzGc4ZAzSSXSJLM1VGcKCXm2GxrueAq7XGEM3gdwh8ChKC0mEDeZzJYgJER55tdqK_8GsHIX72ExXLdYigulnecF8g4vE1C_KvTQZuvogxn9W9Ee_T1XzcjzhDK55tI/s320/film-596519_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">commercial that tells a story? Okay, so it’s a very short story and not a full-length art film. But does size really matter? The <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">expertise and creativity</a> required to produce it could have easily come from the same place.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The advertising as art question is difficult because it deals with the complexity of being human. So let’s simplify the human into three parts:</span></span></div>
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<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Senses/Emotions</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Intellect</span></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s3"></span><span class="s1">Will</span></span></li>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When we focus on senses and emotions, we’re entertaining. When we focus on intellect, we’re educating. When we focus on will, we’re creating propaganda.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These three things rarely exist in their purest form though. As you trip through life, most of what you encounter will be some combination of these three things. Art and advertising included. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But where art seems to deviate is that there isn’t as definitive an end result as there is in advertising.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Art Pursues A Higher Truth</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, that commercial that moved you in some way might just qualify as art if it conveyed a little bit of truth about the human experience and what it all means.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then again, maybe not.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, most advertising focuses on entertaining the senses and emotions and then appealing to the viewer’s will to buy the product. There might even be a little education thrown in for good measure. And frankly, that’s considered really solid advertising. The kind that gets awards.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there is advertising that manages to touch on some existential truth and resonates through as art.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And, of </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">course, there have been countless times when advertising has inspired art.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It did wonders for <a href="http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2013/february/22/the-fascinating-story-behind-andy-warhols-soup-cans/">Mr. Warhol</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So while it seems impossible to answer this week’s question, it’s always a hoot to keep the conversation going. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Especially as the face of advertising continues to change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-28026872095585194132018-01-16T06:23:00.001-05:002018-01-16T06:23:55.780-05:006 Ways To Increase Email Subscribers <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYb-Emby4dmSJvMd5ykYO-qLRfekOd0enRJ0TlqUDN04b34viYwTdxqn7u6otAlXiMupy3GFWElENyW2EFoRfLviu-Hjn3prNK7o_rSk4OE0LAmfg2J9dHhjXzakQPGjLYmiOhwx4Wy1n/s1600/email-1903444_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="640" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYb-Emby4dmSJvMd5ykYO-qLRfekOd0enRJ0TlqUDN04b34viYwTdxqn7u6otAlXiMupy3GFWElENyW2EFoRfLviu-Hjn3prNK7o_rSk4OE0LAmfg2J9dHhjXzakQPGjLYmiOhwx4Wy1n/s320/email-1903444_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">“The money’s in the list.”</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s the mantra in the illustrious world of <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">email marketing</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And while all the new-fangled technology might have you thinking that email marketing has gone the way of bell bottoms and perms, it’s still extremely effective.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In fact, a majority of marketers have found that doing the work of crafting personalized messages for their audiences results in exceptional rewards.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As such, they say they’re planning to increase their upcoming email marketing budgets. So there.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grow Your Email Subscriber List</span></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">It’s so absolutely worth the time and </span><span class="s3">agony</span><span class="s1"> effort to do so. Here are eight ways to go about doing it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Minimize Clicks to Subscribe</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve got your opt-in form placed firmly on the home page of your site, you should be good to go.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You <i>should </i>be. But you’re not. Because if a viewer lands on another page and likes what s/he sees, s/he may not be willing to take the extra time to go to your home page to subscribe. Especially if some other shiny distraction beckons.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So be sure that opt-in form shows up on every page.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Offer a Little Something Extra to New Subscribers</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give them more than a simple “thanks for subscribing!” note. It’s so insincere.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’re not suggesting you up-sell here. You’re really just demonstrating your value to potential subscribers. For example, if you offer grooming services, you could include a 10% off their first groom on that thank you page. But not a puppy. That’d be overkill. And inhumane.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This one simple edit to your thank you page could post a significant increase in profits.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Give Them A Content Upgrade</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the same spirit as offering something to new subscribers,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q7Y9SfkRww9zFRq8pVwMZSkUt6IOkeiaPt6STZCFvx3SkTYqaFniE0XvGA2XDYkstvPIKSSGKDMlv-5fiCrkiSB7Y-PA12cHNKFuVinSPXsUru4AWC38XzGcE6omd60hNpL_sk1xxA9N/s1600/download-1666700_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="640" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q7Y9SfkRww9zFRq8pVwMZSkUt6IOkeiaPt6STZCFvx3SkTYqaFniE0XvGA2XDYkstvPIKSSGKDMlv-5fiCrkiSB7Y-PA12cHNKFuVinSPXsUru4AWC38XzGcE6omd60hNpL_sk1xxA9N/s320/download-1666700_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a free e-book is a nice idea. But unless it guarantees eternal health, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all e-book.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You aren’t going to be able to create a lead magnet that resonates with everyone.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ask yourself this - What are the most popular posts on my site? <a href="https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6027-how-to-use-google-analytics.html">Google Analytics</a> can tell you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take that information and figure out how you can enhance the informational value to those posts by including a content upgrade at the end. The extended information is offered in exchange for contact info. See what you did there?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, the contact info you get will be from people who are truly interested in what you’re saying/speaking/selling. It’s a great way to grow your list.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Cross Promote</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cross promote is another way of saying “get people from someone else’s subscriber list.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's not cheating.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The idea here is to make a list of other companies who serve a similar demographic, but who are not your competitors. For example, if you sell workout clothes, you could reach out to gyms, yoga studios or the creators of <i>Squat Magic</i>™.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Contact those companies to see if you can come up with a mutually beneficial agreement where you recommend each other’s products and services to your own lists.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They’ll wonder, “What’s in it for me?” So be sure to mention that you want to promote their products to your list at no charge. You can ask for something in return later.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Make Your Submit Button Interact with the User</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once upon a time, a marketer decided to test a submit button with a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-color-red-influences-our-behavior/">red border</a> that changed to green when the mouse was moved over it. It might be that red and green stirred nostalgic holiday memories for him. We’re not discounting that possibility.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But it turns out that, holidays aside, this conversion test resulted in a 40%+ opt in rate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">That’s because color is a strong motivator. Think for a moment now. Where else do you commonly see red and green? If you said they’re the dominant colors of your chalet room, then good for you. Mostly for having a chalet room. But that’s not where we were heading.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traffic lights. The color change from red to green visually and subconsciously moves the user from “stop” to “go,” motivating them to make that click.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give the user a real connection.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. Let the User Be in Control<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, we realize that this post is about <b>getting</b> email subscribers. But keeping them is part of the game too. So let them be in control of not only of what they receive, but when they receive it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Regardless of the psychology behind it, this isn’t as much about control issues as it is about sheer exhaustion from purging one’s inbox every twenty minutes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re getting a bunch of “unsubscribes,” don’t automatically assume that they’re just not that into you. They just might no be able to keep up with you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So instead of asking, “Why are you leaving?” with obvious desperation, simply ask them if they’d rather change the frequency of emails or types of messages they get. It gives them a chance to say, “It’s not you, it’s me.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it establishes you as a trusted sender who only wants to send information that’s relevant to them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One More Thing…</span></b></span></h4>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not to completely negate what we<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>said above about “the </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyc_uW79HuquqCwcWTSM9fNfuELh0p2l_zI8DsGF8LAcF-JGKP3KK-pc_3whaJPCd7tc8_xSNHmEqf2bis9K7yNyuNduxugHCpurioAWr1tHMAgLzUFWL8_qwI313iHvgMpNnlsAE-z6G/s1600/subscribe-2580606_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="640" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyc_uW79HuquqCwcWTSM9fNfuELh0p2l_zI8DsGF8LAcF-JGKP3KK-pc_3whaJPCd7tc8_xSNHmEqf2bis9K7yNyuNduxugHCpurioAWr1tHMAgLzUFWL8_qwI313iHvgMpNnlsAE-z6G/s320/subscribe-2580606_640.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">money’s in the list,” but there’s something to be said for the quality of the list too.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, it’s the old quality versus quantity argument.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Because the reality is, lists with a few hundred dedicated customers </span><span class="s5">can</span><span class="s1"> outperform lists of 10,000+ when they focus on <a href="https://leduccreative.us/connect.html">building relationships</a> rather than just connecting with freebie-seekers.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Certainly another angle to consider as you’re building those connections.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-32839380174056388152018-01-15T09:06:00.000-05:002018-01-15T09:06:57.494-05:00Question of the Week: What is Native Advertising? <div class="p1">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a nut shell?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbPOD-wnFzU82n4fRGu9I1675kpHulhtrOXmVoe3GV5lJtJj6RTWkNNZVDuNAzrTUpY4DBf1TgT3Ftf76n3-Jw__JW48KUweWZfkdR6XwpJr-QzZWf8pRlM04OjugjJorfaNW6l6or758/s1600/fractal-2009325_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="640" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbPOD-wnFzU82n4fRGu9I1675kpHulhtrOXmVoe3GV5lJtJj6RTWkNNZVDuNAzrTUpY4DBf1TgT3Ftf76n3-Jw__JW48KUweWZfkdR6XwpJr-QzZWf8pRlM04OjugjJorfaNW6l6or758/s400/fractal-2009325_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Native advertising refers to ads that have a similar look or feel to the <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services.html">content or design</a><span style="color: #0433ff;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255);"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">that surrounds it. This can include its color, shape, formatting, tone, location and/or contextual relevance.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Native Advertising Fits in with the Existing User Experience</b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it’s available for advertisers to purchase at scale. The </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">only thing that makes it stand out is that it’s marked as “promoted” or “sponsored.” (Which you often don’t notice until that split second after you’ve clicked on it.)</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As to what can be defined as native advertising and what isn’t, there is some debate. But when humans are involved, when isn’t there debate? Seriously.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At any rate, the following sit under the wide spanning umbrella of what’s considered, to many, to be native advertising:</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Sponsored Articles</b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve ever been on the hunt for content, you’ve likely been fooled by one of these. A sponsored article is one where an informational article is sponsored by a brand, but it doesn’t promote that specific brand.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For example, <a href="https://local.theonion.com/pile-of-dirty-clothes-on-bedroom-floor-starting-to-mix-1821908113">this article </a>from the Onion entitled “<i>Pile Of Dirty Clothes On Bedroom Floor Starting To Mix With Pile Of Clean Clothes On Bedroom Floor” </i>could have been sponsored by the Institute to Promote Laundry and Eradicate Procrastination.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If it had been, the Institute would not be mentioned by name in the article. But you would have seen their logo next to the words “Sponsored Post” so that you’d immediately make the connection.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your reaction might sound something like this: “I really need to do a load of laundry. Like, yesterday.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then maybe you’d do it tomorrow before heading to the Institute. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. In-Feed Programmatic Native</b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These ads are unobtrusive in that they appear in-feed or in-stream as you scroll through organic content. Kind of like sitting by a babbling fresh water stream in Alaska and watching a piranha casually swim past.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that’s the main criticism. The publishers of these ads will tinker some with the look and feel of these ads, but not so much that they completely fit in with the surrounding content. So yeah, they stand out a little.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These ads are bought/sold through programmatic channels like Facebook, the Audience Network and other native ad OpenRTB exchanges.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The integrated native ad is more akin to the salmon in that Alaskan stream. It matches the look of the surrounding content (i.e. other salmon). Furthermore, it provides value through contextual relevance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These ads are employed by user-first brands like Facebook,Yelp and others with or without hugely recognizable names. And these native platforms are usually built in-house rather than using a network.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those involved in the heated native advertising debate might want to turn a blind eye to content recommendation widgets as native advertising.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are the “Around the Web” rectangular ads on news and media sites that are visually and topically similar to the article you just read. But many consider them spammy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, there are other issues with appropriateness. For instance, it’s pretty horrible to have a well-researched article on eating disorders be accompanied by a promotion for “10 Foods to Make You Skinny” at the bottom of the page.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As such, publications like <i>The New Yorke</i>r <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/31/business/media/publishers-rethink-outbrain-taboola-ads.html">has removed them from its website</a> altogether.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5. Advertorials</b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those involved in the even more super heated native advertising debate would ban the advertorial from donning the native advertising moniker altogether. And let’s face it - it’s a shifty poseur with a bad rap. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’ve seen one. It looks and reads like an objective editorial, but all the while, it’s really promoting a specific </span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">product. So just when you are drawn into that editorial about dysfunction and feel at one with the world in knowing that you’re not alone, you’re being bamboozled into buying a product to fix it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shameless. And that’s why a lot of publications have pulled these too.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>So What’s the Value of Native Advertising? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In cases where it looks authentic and is not involved in back-handed, dark alley trickery, people tend to trust it. Some people even like being drawn to a product or service hand-picked just for them.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It also increases the brand value of the advertiser, since it’s put on platforms which people are likely to trust.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is it something you should use? Maybe. As long as you have <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">advertising professionals</a> to guide you and keep your trustworthiness in tact. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Otherwise, you could be doing egregious things with piranhas. And nobody wants that.</span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-19419703342298737482018-01-08T05:15:00.004-05:002018-01-08T05:15:38.322-05:00Question of the Week: Does Mobile Advertising Work Better Than Desktop Advertising? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK58W526BMuuNeEwDfQ4_M22NpUWztbsSop5vRunaFUpFHgOEK93bSNxn4MxcsV3gOLKrRUiynWB5T8NtA45aMSIASMnSN_g0mNJ7n_89DD4jSLB9V0aTEKUcW68IRFr8zr3w74qIldT0/s1600/nokia-623939_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="640" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK58W526BMuuNeEwDfQ4_M22NpUWztbsSop5vRunaFUpFHgOEK93bSNxn4MxcsV3gOLKrRUiynWB5T8NtA45aMSIASMnSN_g0mNJ7n_89DD4jSLB9V0aTEKUcW68IRFr8zr3w74qIldT0/s640/nokia-623939_640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And here's why.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Decision-Making Is A Built-In Element of Being Mobile<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When we’re mobile, we have to decide where we’re going, how we’re getting there, whether to run the yellow light to get there faster, what we’re going to buy when we get there, etc.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There’s no other medium that has us so steeped in choices that require immediate action. Meanwhile, desktop decision-making is often resting on a search bar. Or downright sleeping.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Consider this.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile Advertising Is of Higher Quality</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has to be. Because mobile users will not tolerate advertising blocking any content on their screens that could </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBroOv3kGnPaoCtiDNJ4ZWuVfCVZcvLs5b5g9IXhyphenhyphenoUh20LsiC-Q6_BDXcJfwBv7-xSzAOZQjSe0-KXSnDW-aTGqokTvqPmPPyiEcUUfDlO55GV_yP4K0WZm-CyzfkpX9LkIQwXW5IlOhg/s1600/smartphone-569076_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBroOv3kGnPaoCtiDNJ4ZWuVfCVZcvLs5b5g9IXhyphenhyphenoUh20LsiC-Q6_BDXcJfwBv7-xSzAOZQjSe0-KXSnDW-aTGqokTvqPmPPyiEcUUfDlO55GV_yP4K0WZm-CyzfkpX9LkIQwXW5IlOhg/s320/smartphone-569076_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">be vital to their enlightenment or current social plans.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile advertising has to be more about quality than volume. It has to be engaging without being needy. Less is more, and all that good stuff.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Otherwise, it’s going to serve only to irritate users and will soon be blocked with true <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Payton">Gary "The Glove" Payton</a> mastery.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile Advertising Is More Cost Effective</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s true.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back in 2012, venture capitalist, former Wall Street analyst and internet maven <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/5/31/15693686/mary-meeker-kleiner-perkins-kpcb-slides-internet-trends-code-2017">Mary Meeker</a> researched the numbers and came up with this:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The effective </span><a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cpm.asp" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">cost per thousand impressions (CPM)</a><span style="color: #0433ff;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 51, 255);"> </span></span></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">for desktop web ads is about $3.50, while the CPM for mobile ads is just $0.75.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another mobile ad platform broke down the numbers even further for mobile ads by device. They found that the iPhone has the highest average CPM for mobile ads of any smartphone. Not shocking. But at $2.85, it still falls short of that CPM for web ads on a desktop.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On a completely unrelated note, print ads can command rates of as much as $100 per thousand impressions. Yeah. Ouch.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile Advertising Is Just More Relevant</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’re gonna go out on a limb and assume you don’t take your desktop computer with you wherever you go. (But if you do, no judgment.) So location specific targeting is not an option with desktop advertising.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Obviously, the more accurately you can <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services.html">target your advertising</a> and the more engaging the experience, the more effective the advertising will be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For example, imagine this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’re in Paducah, Kentucky. Why? Let’s just say because the National Quilt Museum is there and you’re really into national quilts.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, it’s late afternoon and you’re walking up Jefferson Street after a long stroll on the Riverwalk. You decide to look for a place to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>grab some chow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You search your phone for “restaurant" and you immediately see an ad for Paducah’s hottest happy hour spot, which happens to be two blocks away on the left and has a very hip patio. Based on where you are, the time of the day and the fact that it’s a gorgeous day, it sounds perfect. It must be kismet!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or maybe it’s more that your phone is seriously savvy. It knows where you are, knows that the weather where you are is patio-worthy, and knows that it’s happy hour where you are. As another big plus, the ad offers a discount code for one free national quilt replica if you spend $10.00 or more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Okay, dynamic mobile ads haven’t hit quite this level of sophistication yet. But they’re pretty close.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Caveat of Mobile Advertising</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is a responsibility on the part of advertisers to be mindful of customers’ privacy. This is especially true when it comes to formats like SMS, social networks and location-based mobile advertising. They’re still potential customers, not your BFFs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reality is, it's almost unfair to measure mobile advertising against desktop advertising because it's a DIFFERENT form of advertising. Mobile devices are considered more personal. And since there is less real estate available, it raises the stakes for which disruptions mobile users are willing to accept.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mobile advertising gives marketers opportunities to reach audiences in a meaningful way like never before.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And <a href="https://leduccreative.us/about.html">creative advertisers</a> will take this and fly with it. (Or drive with it. Or walk with it...)</span></span></div>
LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-44626000410998464402018-01-02T09:49:00.000-05:002018-01-02T09:49:35.013-05:00Old-School Marketing Methods That Still Work <div class="p1">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every industry is inundated with (and yes, riddled by) new technology. Advertising and marketing are no different. Many </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gmpCPtAjI4NIkUoEDzPWGCKair6EF4yqED3nz2khwxrPBVHdU8h2afJ_9EqmyDr9wrTumMpWjIcYKWI_-PLqiZgoWM2zmcSw4ZCkmAMcc5EFl9IGpJ_bjL-DMbXZ_1EK6wFi5wJErr7M/s1600/background-3045402_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gmpCPtAjI4NIkUoEDzPWGCKair6EF4yqED3nz2khwxrPBVHdU8h2afJ_9EqmyDr9wrTumMpWjIcYKWI_-PLqiZgoWM2zmcSw4ZCkmAMcc5EFl9IGpJ_bjL-DMbXZ_1EK6wFi5wJErr7M/s320/background-3045402_640.png" width="320" /></a></div>
of the <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-traditional.html">classic marketing methods</a> <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">have gone by the wayside.</span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course there’s much to be said for the Internet and social media and their vast contributions to one’s marketing efforts. After all, it’s essential to target advertising to those digital natives, otherwise know as the millennials.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) promises a shiny space-aged future with automated programs and robots that will rocket advertising/marketing to new heights. (All the while rendering our jobs - and eventually us - obsolete.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep. <a href="https://leduccreative.us/index.html">Marketing and advertising</a> continue to move forward. Big wheels keep on turning.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even so, there still remain several wheels that need no reinventing.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Classic Marketing Methods That Continue to Be Effective<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Obviously, advertisers need to be cognizant of generational wants and needs. And yeah, they want to appeal to the younger generation by being trustworthy rather than just aw brand.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But they also know when a good thing works - no matter how outdated.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s like your great great uncle who insists that his divining rod puts “your gall-danged BPS to shame” when it comes to locating water. Obviously he meant GPS. But it doesn’t matter because that divining rod still does a bang-up job at finding those underground water sources. Certainly better than your GPS.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the following marketing methods still work their magic too:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you’re over 40, you can probably sing a jingle from your childhood on command. It could for some huge and looming corporate entity. Or it might<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>be for Crazy Eddie’s Chair Emporium. But we bet something’s going through your head right now.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The jingle, as well as its melodically-challenged cousin the slogan, relies on human psychology and our shared capacity for language. And that’s why it’s still effective.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some catchy tune or phrase can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ1nfdO_3Aw">seed itself in your brain</a> and thrive there - leaving you, for example, with the eternal knowledge that Nationwide is, in fact, on your side.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Picture it. Milan, Italy. 1470.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A young and enterprising Leonardo da Vinci decides to set up shop selling portraits. But since he’s relatively unknown, he decides to offer a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>promotional hilarious caricature for each person who sits for him. It’s an extra expense for him in terms of time, paper and charcoal but those Renaissance folks sure do love a good laugh! Who’d have guessed? Soon, word gets out about Leo.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Until one day, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa">Lisa Gherardini</a> walks in and, well, the rest is </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">history.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yeah, okay. That didn’t really happen. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there’s something to be said for adding in a little “thank you” gift to someone who is purchasing your product or service - like a free baseball with the purchase of a bat, or a free bat house with the purchase of the other kind of bat. Either way, it’s cost-effective and makes a lasting impression on a potential customer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The big plus of these is the ability to target specific demographics in certain zip codes and/or neighborhoods. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mailers and coupons are especially effective for service companies. That’s why you’re far more likely to find a coupon in your mailbox or on your front porch for roofing services if you live in a house rather than an apartment. Or a yurt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if the service company specializes in a single service - such as high-end garage repair or lining pools with gold - being able to identify and target their best potential customers means no wasted money on sending out a mass mailing to places with, say, regular garages and inflatable pools.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We’re not talking about those slowly turning signs that were popular in the 1950s-70s. We’re referring to the folks to whom Justin Timberlake so poignantly paid tribute in his role on SNL as a singing and <a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/veganville/n35373?snl=1">dancing slab of tofu</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s the woman who stands in the sun on a 90-degree day and dances around, spinning a sign for the car wash or nail salon in the strip mall. Or it’s the man who dons the Statue of Liberty garb each year in January and stands in the bitter cold waving his fireless torch while spinning a sign in front of the tax preparation place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are the real heroes of advertising. Or maybe they just really need the extra money (which isn’t much). Because that’s some pretty grueling and thankless work for them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But not for the businesses for whom they perform. It turns out that this specific brand of theatricality does manage to catch the eyes of those passing by and pull in people who would have otherwise drifted past. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Humans are suckers for a good show. Or at least a strange one.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that’s the main reason these old methods still work. They mostly rely on human nature.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So unless we quickly become cyborgs in a robot nation, it seems unlikely these methods are going any where any time soon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which, if nothing else, is comforting.</span></span></div>
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LCCohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007032991591517565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232542097494027059.post-81009719022789626952018-01-01T10:40:00.000-05:002018-01-01T10:40:10.925-05:00Question of the Week: What is Cloud-Based Advertising? <div class="p1">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s not when you’re at an outdoor concert and see planes pulling banner ads across the sky. And it’s not sky writing either.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So now that we’ve established what it isn’t, let’s address what it is.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="https://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/cloud-advertising/">Gartner IT Glossary</a> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">defines it as this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Cloud advertising are cloud-based services that support the selection, transaction and delivery of advertising and ad-related data in which content and price are determined at the time of end-user access, usually by an auction mechanism that matches bidders with advertising impressions as they become available. This applies to search, display, mobile, social and video ad formats.”</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Huh? What does this mean? And why does Gartner sound like such a buzz kill?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let’s whittle it down to this instead:</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cloud-Based Advertising Actually Refers to Products and Services</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">From there, it deals with how they relate to <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-digital.html">online advertising</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Typically, online advertising consists of traditional display ads with a static or moving image and some CTA (call to action) text. It’s essentially like old school advertising - in appearance at least - but online.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cloud-based advertising, on the other hand, pulls in the ever-important social and real-time aspects of the web. (No plane required.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is important because like pretty much all technology, the technology to deliver ads has advanced. Programmatic advertising and advanced analytics are like ruthless task masters demanding better ad production and more creativity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Enter Cloud-Based Ad Production Services</span></b></span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This cloud-based component allows you to program display </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOddUWmLPb2a4fNDSMJ_B8VsTOKR0JdiLZieO0HVutFGvpQpqaWqv0Q-97VK056LICrSfPihcgTTyRWpKFmI6PJjytJjyyQUVPNWBoC7sR87Uc148I8Y0OnwRAGTucS2c9ji7UmrKtNPR/s1600/cloud-2537777_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOddUWmLPb2a4fNDSMJ_B8VsTOKR0JdiLZieO0HVutFGvpQpqaWqv0Q-97VK056LICrSfPihcgTTyRWpKFmI6PJjytJjyyQUVPNWBoC7sR87Uc148I8Y0OnwRAGTucS2c9ji7UmrKtNPR/s320/cloud-2537777_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">ads with content management systems, video servers and APIs. That way you can update or swap out components like lead generation forms or white papers based on what’s<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>trending.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s1">And what’s trending is almost as important in <a href="https://leduccreative.us/services-analytical.html">social media marketing</a> </span><span class="s1">as it was in junior high.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, if you need to change your ad message for whatever reason (a change of weather, or an unfortunate PR incident which doesn’t bear repeating here), it can be done by updating the ad on the platform so it will instantly roll out across all publisher websites.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What does this really mean?</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">No more hassle of having to submit the new creative assets and ad tags to each publisher while waiting for them to upload the changes and everything that follows. First world problems, to be sure. But still important in this context.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bottom line is this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cloud-Based Advertising Equals More Flexibility and Control over Your Brand</span></h3>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And that ain’t too shabby. Especially for a cloud.</span></span></div>
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