9 tips to dominate video marketing

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingadvertising, markering, video, video ads, video prmotionsWhiteboard Animators

Do you hate the feeling of playing catch up? I know I do.

It’s an awful feeling — you already have a million tasks to perform every day, but then in the back of your head you also know that big picture changes are needed in your business because you’re slipping further and further behind the competition.

Ugh.

So here’s an opportunity, or a warning. It all depends on how you act on it. You can adopt video into your business now, improve your ability to connect with your audience and put yourself ahead of the curve, or you can wait and play catch up later.

The emphasis on online video content is undeniable, and it’s already begun.

Ever notice how the first things you see in your Facebook feed lately are almost all videos? That’s because Facebook altered its algorithm in 2016 specifically to encourage video. All other posts — your picture posts, your text posts, your photo albums — have been relegated to second-class-citizenship status.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for it to change back, either. Video is the future. The international IT giant Cisco estimates that video traffic will account 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic by 2021. The question then becomes: Are you willing to embrace it?

“But Tom, I’m not comfortable on camera,” you want to say. I know video can be scary for some. Most new things usually are.

But your aversion to it doesn’t change the fact that the video train is charging down the tracks. That’s why I want to share some tips to help you get started with video now.

6 videos you should be doing regularly

If you watched this #TomFerryShow, you might remember one of your weekly “Million Dollar Checklist” items was to post one to two videos every week. That might sound like a lot of content, but don’t worry, I’m going to give you topics for many of those videos right here.

How’s the market in [your city/region]?

This is a three-to-four-minute monthly informative video about what’s going on in your market. Share sales stats, tell people something interesting and point out any trends you notice. Doing this on a monthly basis will position you as the knowledge broker in your market.

[X number] mistakes to avoid when buying in [season]

Once every new season — winter, spring, summer and fall — put out a new video titled “3 Mistakes Buyers Make in Spring Markets” or “7 Mistakes to Avoid when Buying in Winter,” etc. This approach keeps your content timely and fresh and, again, positions you as the knowledge broker in your marketplace.

Home improvement tips

The single most important leading indicator of someone preparing to sell their house is making home improvements. Wouldn’t you like access to those people before they begin searching for their listing agent?

Once a month, get together with a local handyman, contractor, or other home improvement specialist and create a short home improvement video that teaches people how to fix up their homes. The topics can be big picture or very specific.

Homeowners who watch these videos will suddenly know who you are, where you work and that you’re the knowledge broker in your market. Provide that value and see how much easier it can make your business.

Team introduction videos

On a monthly basis, post a video introducing a member of your team, a partner you work with or a vendor with whom you have a strong relationship. Let your audience know who you are, show them the people you work with and demonstrate that, together, you provide world-class service to your clients.

Interview with influential community member

Once a month, post a video of you with someone who plays a significant role in the community: school principals, local business owners, city government members, prominent community leaders. This connects you to your community in many important ways and, once again, makes you the knowledge broker people will turn to when it’s time to sell their home.

Real estate behind-the-scenes

Homeowners might know you and have a vague idea of what real estate professionals do, but creating a “behind-the-scenes” video gives you a real opportunity to demonstrate the value you deliver to your clients.

Show the special things you do for sellers, how you prepare for an open house, how you overcome a difficult escrow process and the countless other things that go into being a great agent. Capitalize on people’s fascination with real estate reality shows by giving them a peek inside your operation and show how resourceful you are.

9 Bonus Tips to Make the Most of Video

Now I want to share a few quick tips I’ve learned creating videos over the years.

First of all, recognize it doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re human. People know that. Don’t prevent yourself from using video just because you can’t make it “perfect.” Make it as good as you can and run with it.
Always take lighting into account. The brighter the better.
Don’t wing it. Practice! Before you hit record or “Go Live,” practice what you’re going to say. You don’t want to sound scripted, but be prepared. The more confident you are in what you’re saying, the more effective your video will be.
For the best sound quality, invest in a lavalier microphone (wired or wireless). Believe me, it’ll make a big difference, and it’s definitely worth the expense.
Use Fiverr to create intros and outtros that give your videos an extra bump in quality and credibility — all for an incredibly inexpensive price.
Boost your videos to targeted communities.
Splice up your videos and repurpose them on social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.
Always encourage comments and engage those who leave them. Whenever you reply to a Facebook video, it bumps that post right back up to the top of people’s news feeds — and it builds stronger relationships with people.
Leverage technology such as Livestream.com or Restream.io to “Go Live” across multiple social media platforms simultaneously.

Will you embrace it or fight it?

Remember that stat from above: 82 percent of all online traffic by 2021 will be video. That means in four years, most (if not all) of your competitors are going to have adopted video and be using it to their advantage.

If you start now, you can be way ahead of the curve and look like an industry leader. Or you can fight the video wave, resist it, and then look like a follower playing catch up. (You already told me you hate that feeling.)

Here’s the good news: None of those six video ideas I gave you should be difficult. You know this stuff already! Sure, it will take some effort to shoot them and feel comfortable in front of the camera, but growth is never comfortable. Get outside your comfort zone and go become a video leader in your market!

For more tips, videos and articles delivered direct from Tom Ferry, sign up for our VIP List.

Moore seeks to refocus campaign on conservative religious values amid firestorm

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingadvertising, markering, video, video ads, video prmotionsWhiteboard Animators

Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama sought to refocus his campaign on the conservative religious ideals most likely to motivate his base voters, dismissing the national firestorm over allegations that he pursued teenage girls when he was in his 30s.

Addressing a gathering at the Huntsville Christian Academy in Huntsville, Ala., on Sunday night, the former judge suggested that he was investigating his accusers, threatened to sue The Washington Post and called on the United States to restore its culture by going “back to God.”

“We can be proud of where we came from and where we’re going if we go back to God,” Moore said at his second public event since The Post reported the allegations of misconduct last week.
“If we go back to God, we can be unified again,” he said.

Moore’s attempt to steer the political conversation in Alabama back to conservative Christian values came as he weathered a fourth day of repercussions from allegations by four women that he sought romantic or sexual relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

One of the accusers, Leigh Corfman, said she was 14 when Moore initiated a sexual encounter with her.

“We’ve still got investigations going on,” Moore said, referring to his accusers. “We’re still finding out a lot we didn’t know.”

Echoing a remark made by his wife Saturday, Moore also said The Post “will be sued” for its reporting. The event was closed to news reporters, but aides to Moore broadcast his remarks live on Facebook.

[Roy Moore: Alabama voters will ‘see through this charade’ of sexual misconduct claim]

Moore’s campaign received backup Sunday from Breitbart News, which sent employees to Alabama to investigate Corfman and the three other women.

In an article published Sunday titled “Mother of Roy Moore Accuser: Washington Post Reporters Convinced My Daughter to Go Public,” Breitbart quoted Corfman’s mother as saying that Post reporters sought out her daughter, not vice versa.

“She did not go to them,” Nancy Wells said, according to Breitbart. “They called her.”

Neither Corfman nor any of the other women sought out The Post. While reporting a story in Alabama about supporters of Moore’s Senate campaign, a Post reporter heard that Moore allegedly had sought relationships with teenage girls. Over the ensuing three weeks, two Post reporters contacted and interviewed the four women. All were initially reluctant to speak publicly but chose to do so after multiple interviews, saying they thought it was important for people to know about their interactions with Moore.

Breitbart’s chairman, Stephen K. Bannon, supports Moore’s candidacy and has said the accusers are trying to “destroy a man’s life.” Bannon is a former adviser to President Trump and is still considered close to him.

Moore’s remarks Sunday night in northern Alabama received a standing ovation. But in Washington, support for his campaign to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions continued to flag throughout the weekend.

Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) on Sunday called on Moore to exit the race and said that Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), who lost to Moore in the GOP primary, would be a strong candidate for a write-in bid.

“This is a terrible situation. . . . We’ll probably never know for sure exactly what happened,” Toomey said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But from my point of view . . . I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside.”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a frequent Republican critic of President Trump and his wing of the GOP, said the party “ought not to be for” Moore’s candidacy and also raised the possibility of a write-in candidacy.
“It’s just really a matter of whether he ought to be the candidate, the standard-bearer of the Republican Party. And I just think he shouldn’t be,” Kasich said on ABC’s “This Week.”

Under Alabama law, Moore’s name cannot be removed from the ballot this close to the election, but the state GOP can petition to disqualify him. If Moore is disqualified or withdraws, votes for him would not be counted.

The remarks came after multiple Republican senators rescinded their endorsements of Moore and the National Republican Senatorial Committee pulled out of a joint fundraising committee with him.

Some Republicans had hoped Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R), who has called the allegations “deeply disturbing,” would delay the election. But her staff told local media outlets over the weekend that it will take place as scheduled on Dec. 12.

Moore described the backlash as a political conspiracy among Democrats, establishment Republicans and the national media to keep him out of office.

“Why do they come now?” Moore said of the accusations, using parts of a statement he recited Saturday in Vestavia Hills, Ala.

“Because there are groups that don’t want me in the United States Senate. They’re desperate,” he said.

It remains unclear whether the allegations will damage Moore’s campaign, although some signs over the weekend suggested it might.

Representatives of the Trump administration appeared split on how to handle the situation.

Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, said that Moore needs time to defend himself against the allegations and that Trump will look more closely at the issue after he returns from a trip to Asia.

“Roy Moore is somebody who graduated from West Point, he served our country in Vietnam, he’s been elected multiple times statewide in Alabama,” Short said on “Meet the Press.” “The people in Alabama know Roy Moore better than we do here in D.C., and I think we have to be very cautious . . . of allegations that are 40 years old that arise a month before Election Day.”

In an interview on “This Week,” White House adviser Kellyanne Conway repeatedly declined to say whether she believes the allegations.

“I don’t know the accusers, and I don’t know Judge Moore. But I also want to make sure that we as a nation are not always prosecuting people through the press. He has denied the allegations,” she said.

Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the allegations against Moore require a closer look.

“I’m not an expert on this issue, but what I would say is people should investigate this issue and get the facts,” he said. “And if these allegations are true, then absolutely, this is incredibly inappropriate behavior.”

Senate Democrats continued to wrestle with how to leverage the allegations — and what they might do if Moore becomes their colleague after the Dec. 12 special election.

On “Meet the Press,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) floated the idea of expelling Moore from the Senate if he wins.

“We may not have much choice on that but we have choice on something else,” said Klobuchar, who recently co-sponsored a bill requiring sexual harassment training for senators and their staff members. “That is that you can expel a senator once they are in with two-thirds of the vote after the ethics committee does an investigation.”

But Richard J. Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said that unseating a senator is “several steps removed from where we are today,” arguing that Trump needs to “do more when it comes to this situation in Alabama.”

Asked about Moore, Trump more recently has told reporters traveling with him in Asia that “I have not seen very much about him, about it.”

“And, you know, I put out a statement yesterday that he’ll do the right thing,” the president added.

After the allegations surfaced last week, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement saying that Trump “believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside.”

She also said “a mere allegation” should not “destroy a person’s life.”

Trump Lauds ‘Great Relationship’ With Duterte in Manila

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingadvertising, markering, video, video ads, video prmotionsWhiteboard Animators

The meeting also highlighted the potential conflicts of interest inherent in Mr. Trump’s position as both a president and a global real estate developer. Among those at the private session was Jose E. B. Antonio, a developer who is Mr. Trump’s partner on a $150-million, 57-story luxury tower in Manila’s financial district and also serves as Mr. Duterte’s trade envoy to the United States.

The two presidents declined to answer questions during brief remarks to reporters at the start of the meeting. As they sat side by side, Mr. Trump and Mr. Duterte projected a friendly dynamic, ribbing members of the news media as they prepared to speak privately.

“We’ve had a great relationship,” Mr. Trump said, heaping praise on Mr. Duterte’s stewardship of the summit, including an elaborate gala dinner on Sunday where they were seen chatting animatedly and a set of cultural performances on Monday. “This has been very successful.”

As journalists shouted questions about whether Mr. Trump would press Mr. Duterte on human rights, the Philippine president quickly silenced them.

“Whoa, whoa — this is not the press statement,” Mr. Duterte said. “We are in a bilateral meeting.”

“You are the spies,” he told the reporters, as Philippine security personnel jostled some of them roughly. The remarks elicited a hearty laugh from Mr. Trump before the journalists were led out of the room.

Mr. Roque later said Mr. Trump focused during the roughly 40-minute session on concerns about tariffs being imposed on American vehicles but not Japanese cars. Mr. Duterte, for his part, thanked the United States for its help in dealing with the conflict in Marawi, the southern city where Philippine forces clashed with militants trying to seize territory.

Continue reading the main story

On the streets of Manila, meanwhile, a phalanx of about a hundred riot police officers with shields and truncheons clashed Monday with about 300 protesters as they marched near the American Embassy.

The protesters carried anti-American placards and a likeness of Mr. Trump with a Hitler-like mustache. They were later pushed back with water cannons.

White House officials have said that Mr. Trump has a “warm rapport” with Mr. Duterte, with whom he has spoken and exchanged letters since taking office, and that he wants to mend the American-Philippine alliance after strains during the Obama administration.

Continue reading the main story

“President Trump specifically said he has always been a friend of the Duterte administration, unlike the previous administrations of the United States,” Mr. Roque said on Monday. “He stressed that he can be counted upon as a friend of the Duterte administration.”

Mr. Trump raised eyebrows in April by inviting Mr. Duterte to the White House during what American officials called a “very friendly conversation” on the phone in which the president praised the Philippine leader’s efforts to rid his country of drugs.

Mr. Duterte has been accused of ordering thousands of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in what human rights groups condemn as a bloody campaign that has targeted many who may have nothing to do with narcotics.

On Sunday evening, he made a public show of his affection for Mr. Trump, grabbing a microphone during the gala dinner to sing the Philippine love ballad “Ikaw,” a serenade he said he had performed “upon the orders of the commander in chief of the United States.” A Philippine official later tweeted about the song, reportedly a favorite of Mr. Duterte’s, which includes the lyric, “You are the love I’ve been waiting for.”

Mr. Trump’s encounter earlier in the day with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia was somewhat scratchier, albeit in a mostly playful way. As the two leaders stood alongside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Mr. Trump repeated his vow to eliminate trade deficits that he said the United States ran with “almost everybody.”

“Except us,” Mr. Turnbull interjected.

“Except with you,” Mr. Trump agreed, to titters in the room. “You’re the only one. And if I check it, I’ll probably find out that was …”

Continue reading the main story

“Oh, no,” Mr. Turnbull said. “It’s real.”

The United States, in fact, has run a $10.3 billion trade surplus with Australia in the nine months of this year and has consistently exported more to Australia than it has imported for the last decade.

Since taking office, Mr. Duterte has pivoted away from the United States, a longtime treaty ally, and toward China. The separation took on a more personal flavor before last year’s meeting of the group, known as Asean, in Laos. Then Mr. Duterte used a slur to refer to President Barack Obama when he was asked how he would react if Mr. Obama raised human rights concerns with him. The episode prompted Mr. Obama to cancel a formal meeting with Mr. Duterte at the summit meeting, though the two did talk informally.

Still, Mr. Duterte continued to distance himself, calling for a “separation” between the countries and threatening to scrap an agreement that allows American troops to visit the Philippines.

Trump administration officials have said Mr. Trump wants to improve relations with the Philippines as a bulwark against China’s expansionism in the South China Sea. The Philippines has clashed with China over disputed reefs and shoals in the waterway, which the two countries share, and Mr. Trump has used this month’s Asia tour to offer to, as he said on Sunday in Hanoi, “mediate or arbitrate” such disagreements.

But neither side mentioned the issue in their readouts of the meeting on Monday, and Mr. Duterte has played down the disputes this week, saying that China’s rapidly expanding economy has overtaken that of the United States and that a territorial confrontation would not be worthwhile.

“Today, China is the No. 1 economic powerhouse, and we have to be friends,” Mr. Duterte told Asean leaders on Sunday.

He said that while “the other hotheads” would like confrontation, “the South China Sea is better left untouched.”

“Nobody can afford to go to war,” Mr. Duterte added, including Russia, China, Britain and the United States.

Continue reading the main story

Iran-Iraq Earthquake Kills More Than 300

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingadvertising, markering, video, video ads, video prmotionsWhiteboard Animators

“There has been no help yet, neither food nor water, no clothing, no tents, there is nothing,” said the resident, a man who appeared to be in his 30s, while standing in a street with collapsed buildings. “There are no facilities yet. We’ve slept outside since last night. This is the condition of our homes. Our electricity, water, gas, phone lines are out, everything is completely out, the whole city has been destroyed, it is wrecked.”

Continue reading the main story

An image posted on social media showed soldiers searching through the rubble at night without flashlights or torches, using their cellphones for light.

Officials from the Health Ministry, traveled to the area, as did the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Ali Jafari, but foreign reporters were not allowed to visit the scene.

The movement of foreign correspondents is restricted in Iran — travel outside the capital requires a permit from the Ministry of Islamic Guidance and Culture — and reporters from abroad were not given clearance to travel to the quake-hit region, a change from previous disasters.

Continue reading the main story

The Top Digital Marketing Trends Of 2018

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingmarketing, videoWhiteboard Animators

As 2017 enters it’s final phase, it’s the perfect time to look ahead and predict the Digital Marketing trends of 2018. There are a clear number of industry trends that have exploded onto the scene this year. Trends that are bound to flourish further into 2018.

We divided our Digital Marketing trends of 2018 into three key prediction categories: Social Media, Sales and SEO. These are the three areas you need to keep an eye on in order to stay ahead of the curve. Let looks at what’s in store…

1. Social Media

Video Marketing

Video really is the future of content marketing and it’s a format that’s gained serious momentum in the last 12 months. It shows no signs of slowing down as we move into 2018 and with social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter investing more energy and money into improving their video capabilities, it’s time to ask, why is this? Here’s why video is set to be one of the biggest Digital Marketing trends of 2018.

Improved SEO

According to industry experts, « adding a video to your website can increase the chance of a front-page Google result by 53 times ». This is definitely something to think about. Check out some great SEO tips for video, they’ll help you out!

Higher Engagement

It clear that video has become a major player when it comes to driving engagement. According to the Content Marketing Institute, audiences are around « 10 times more likely to engage, embed, share, and comment on video content than blogs or related social posts ». This is because video speaks one, universal language, meaning you’re able to connect with many audiences right across the globe.

Higher Retention Rates

According to Brainshark, 65% of viewers watch more than ¾ of a video, which is more than we can say about text-based content. Want to get an important message across or convey brand image, then choose video.

Room To Explore

When it comes to social media and video, there are so many different types of video you can experiment with. You can use them to shoot tutorials, perform a recipe, preview programme or movie trailers, show news updates and even tell your brand story.

Social media platforms are really leading the way when it comes to video, take Instagram for example, it has Instagram Live, Boomerangs Instagram Stories and much more to use for your business to play with – and this is just from one social channel!

Increased Accessibility

While creating a video used to take many months and potentially thousands of pounds, the production of great video content has become much more affordable in the last few years. Nowadays, you can use everything from your iPhone to a high-end DSLR to capture high-quality visuals. Getting in on the video game is for everyone.

Micro-Moments

Another trend being carried over to 2018 is that of micro-moments. These occur when people turn to their devices (increasingly a smartphone) to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They’re intent-rich moments. « If 69% of online customers agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand » (Think With Google) it’s worth knowing about micro-moments.

The brands that do the best job of addressing our needs in each moment will win. Here’s how you can create the best micro-moments:

Make a “moments map”
Understand customer needs in the moment
Measure every moment that matters
A/B testing

Geo-Targeting

Sounds fancy right? It’s actually just tailored location-based marketing and below are some ways you can use geo-tagging in your digital marketing efforts:

Local Search Ads

Local search ads display only to users in the relevant geographic area. A user inputs a search term with a specific location, such as “cafes in London” and a list of businesses in that vicinity will show up.

You can tailor messages to locals searching for your product or service and increase your visibility and help potential customers find you more easily by setting up a search ad on Google (as well as on other major search engines).

2. Social Media

On Facebook, unlike most other social networks, you’re much more in control of geo-tagging. To ‘check in’ all you need to do is enable location setting and then add a location to your status. This capability also allows other users to see how many people have checked into a certain place, as well as status updates from other visitors.

geotagging

Real-Time Geolocation Marketing

Geolocation marketing lets brands target mobile device users. With geolocation marketing, businesses can reach consumers as soon as their phone’s GPS is nearby. For example, Starbucks offers “Mobile Order and Pay” which allows customers to purchase items and pick them up at their nearest store.

Cross-Technology Location Based Marketing

A great example of this was the phenomenon that was Pokemon Go. As an augmented reality app, it used location data to guide users and provide branded entertainment. Remember those people running all over the place trying to catch Pokemon? We do, it was a big hit!

Influencers

If 2017 was the year of micro-influencers (influencers in a niche field), then 2018 is set to be a year of integration influencing. There will be a growing demand to formulate integrated influencer marketing strategies which will weave together mega-influencers, macro-influencers and micro-influencers as well as merge other well-established word-of-mouth strategies such as loyalty, advocacy and referral programmes.

3. Sales

Chatbots

The chatbot which functions solely with an artificial brain (AKA artificial intelligence)is proving to have an increasingly larger role when it comes to dealing with customers via chat interfaces. They’re really set to be one of the biggest Digital Marketing trends of 2018, so watch out, because they’re popping up everywhere.

Clothing brands like HM and makeup retailer Sephora have both used chatbot technology to their benefit. Sephora has used it to offer their customers bespoke and tailored customer interaction, tips, treatment and advice, whereas HM have offered their users a personal stylist Chatbot. It’s clear that Chatbots are creating new and dynamic ways in which brands provide customer service.

Social Proofing

It’s easy to see why ‘social proofing’ is set to be one of the biggest Digital Marketing trends of 2018. Really, it’s just a fancy way of describing the sense of collectively affirmed assurance that shoppers feel when they read about positive online experiences in reviews, through testimonials or via social shares.

As a concept, social proofing can really make customers feel much more comfortable about buying from an eCommerce store. Below, online memory retailers MyMemory have utilised the power of reviews by featuring Google Customer Reviews on their site.

social proofing

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality is fast growing and indications already suggest that it’s going to be one of the big Digital Marketing trends of 2018. Several Apps are already using augmented reality including Pokemon Go and Specsavers.

As a concept, it’s set to improve the way businesses and customers communicate with one another, as well as how we engage in marketing. It allows for the creation of a three-dimensional thinking, where users not only see ads ahead of them but also around them.

The latest retailer to launch an AR App has been IKEA. Having experimented with augmented reality as early as 2012, flat-pack furniture giants, IKEA, have come back with a brand new AR App called IKEA Place, which used the Apple ARKit framework.

It’s pretty cool. See for yourself on the Appstore.

4. SEO

Voice Search and Digital Assistants

New voice-enabled devices such as the Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant have been a breakout hit with consumers in 2017 and trending products on Amazon. It’s clearly set to grow and expand even more to become one of the biggest Digital Marketing trends of 2018.

Whether we like it or not, voice search affects SEO and incorporating voice command into our websites as well as increasing the amount of quality, conversational style content are imperatives. But what optimisation strategies can we use?

Long Tail Keywords

While it’s unlikely that one word, short tail keywords will ever vanish entirely, but they don’t exactly fit in with the natural, conversational tone used in voice searches. The truth is, we don’t want to feel like we’re talking to machines anymore. We need to focus more attention than ever on personalised, long tail keywords.

Informal Content

If you’re writing content in a natural, conversational tone — you’ll be speaking the consumer’s language, the language they use in voice search. Since Google doesn’t penalise for voice search, the websites that are seen to adapting to the voice search world are the ones incorporating (voice) search strategies for typers and talkers, alike.

Schema Markup

One of the latest evolutions in SEO, is a new form of optimisation, a semantic vocabulary code used on websites is here to help return more detailed, informative results for users.

For example, if someone searches for a music venue or concert tickets, by applying Schema to the SERP, (Search Engine Results Page) you can instruct the results to show a list of upcoming dates beneath the original search. This helps to promote your own business but also giving the searcher extra, additional information, without having to ask for it.

schema markup

FAQs

Voice searchers ask questions typically with Who, What, Where, When, Why and How — and they’re looking for quick fixes to their search problems. Have a page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that begins with each of these adverbs. Then answer them conversationally and informally. This exemplary effort from Bimuno shows just how well FAQ’s should be executed.

Personalised UX

« 56% are more likely to return to a site that recommends products, using simple customer data such as account details, shopping history and my potential shopping needs ». Here’s how you can personalise the shopping experience for your customers:

Personalised Products and Product Recommendations

Really, this is just a better version of upselling. Like this example below from Your Design, the automatic, built-in product recommendations helps to generate personalised suggestions for customers based on past purchasing behaviour and present browsing behaviour, combined. This is simple but effective personalisation at it’s finest.

product recommendations

Personalised emails

There’s so much to be said for personalised emails hitting the right note with customers. All you really have to do to hit is to include simple email features like 1) customer name greetings, 2) content segmentation and 3) personalised email subject lines. Below is a good example of personalised emails from Supermarket retailer Sainsbury’s:

personalised emails

Retargeting

« Did you know that 97% of people who visit an online store for the first time leave without buying anything » Woah that’s high! With these stats, it’s no wonder that retargeting is a trending marketing topic right now and set to be one of the big Digital Marketing trends of 2018. At the core, it serves advertisements to people that have already engaged with your store, in an attempt to draw them back to your eCommerce store to buy.

retargeting

Here is an example of a remarketing campaign from New Look. They’ve obviously set their remarketing efforts to include basket abandonment status, to help remind it’s users to come back and check out.

new look

Dynamic Content

Dynamic content is HTML content on your website, forms, landing pages, or emails that changes based on the viewer. As people match the criteria you set for your dynamic content (like an industry, job title, or even a score or grade), a variation of content will display that’s relevant to that viewer.

For example, a national retailer could have their “locations” page only provide the three closest stores to a viewer’s location. A B2B firm, on the other hand, could use dynamic content on their case studies page to highlight the most relevant content based on each viewer’s industry.

Featured Snippets Quick Answers

Rich snippets or featured snippets really are a hugely popular emerging trend, firmly set to be one of the biggest Digital Marketing trends of 2018! In short, a featured snippet is a summary or an answer to a user query or question that is entered into a search engine. This answer is displayed at the top of Google search results. This result is found because it has been extracted from good on-page content that best responds to the search engine query.

If you’re looking to earn a featured snippet, then here’s how you can:

Keywords

Use a keyword research tool to find a niche or less popular keywords that are ideal for your site. The Moz Keyword Explorer tool is very handy.

Strategic Content

When it comes to creating your content it’s important to always keep in mind the featured snippet – but equally, ensure your content isn’t repeating the same words or phrases so often that it sounds unnatural – that’s keywords stuffing and Google doesn’t like it.

strategic content

Consider the viewpoint, tone and approach of the user and produce content that would appeal to you as much as a user.

Tip: A good rule of thumb is to pick a keyword, then write copy adding the keywords in at the end.

QA Formatting

It’s worth devoting a complete landing page to a single question, as well as attempting to incorporate actual FAQ’s or even ”FAQ-style” content onto your pages. With the growing rise of voice search, people are no longer searching for isolated keywords, but in complete sentences.

Slice It Up

Make it easier for Google by slicing up your copy with subheadings, listings and tables. These content strategies form part of a basic understanding of on-page optimisation techniques that are crucial in today’s world.

From an analysis made by STAT, where they analysed one million high-CPC queries for its latest study, « they discovered that 70% of the featured snippets didn’t come from the very first organic result ».

Visual Search

Though the tech isn’t new, it’s finding new life in eCommerce websites and mobile apps. Visual search works by comparing the pixels in imagery to identify and return results that are similar. So, instead of typing in a keyword such as ‘black mini dress’ – which will return thousands of general results – users can upload an image to help narrow it down to something much more specific.

Visual search offers an advantage over keyword-matched search. This is because search results are only as good as the searcher’s ability to describe an item.

Capturing the spearfisher

Visual search is a particularly great tool for shoppers who are looking for a specific item – also known as ‘spearfishers’. This is because it reduces the number of steps the user would otherwise have to go through, such as typing in a keyword or scrolling through results. Instead, the desired product is immediately brought to the shopper’s attention.

In turn, visual search could also help to reduce basket abandonment, eliminating the tedious processes that usually frustrate and annoy users.

Cross-selling and inspiration

Another benefit of visual search is that it can be a great cross-selling tool. If a website does not have the desired product in stock, it is able to show similar or related items that might still prompt a purchase.

Moreover, it can also help consumers to imagine how other products might complement it. For instance, someone might search for a red dress, but if they see an image of a woman wearing a red dress and a bag that completes the entire look – they might be inclined to buy more than originally intended.

The Top Digital Marketing Trends Of 2018: Final Thoughts…

This is a round-up of all the items and products that we think are going to hit the and feature as the prominent Digital Marketing trends of 2018. It’s not imperative that you incorporate every single trend into your marketing or sales strategy this second, it’s all about assessing what works for your business and your customers – trial and error!

Oath Unveils RYOT Studio as Its Global Creative Studio for Brands and Agencies

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingmarketing, videoWhiteboard Animators

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oath, a subsidiary of Verizon (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), announced today that
it has unified and expanded its content marketing initiatives under RYOT
Studio. With a presence in 14 countries across five continents, RYOT
Studio is a next-generation creative studio offering a premium
end-to-end content marketing solution that brings brands’ stories to
life. Capabilities formerly available through Partner Studio by AOL and
Yahoo Storytellers are now fully integrated into RYOT Studio.

“With continued growth in mobile, content marketing will be the key to
successfully building the brands of the future,” said John DeVine, Chief
Revenue Officer, Oath. “RYOT Studio is at the forefront of this
disruption, helping top agencies and brands build deeper relationships
with consumers with brilliant content marketing.”

Fueled by rich customer data, scaled distribution, premium publishing
and award-winning creative expertise, RYOT Studio works with brands and
their agency partners to match them with relevant publisher voices and
audiences. It is committed to crafting custom content that has a fresh
perspective on the human experience, using the newest and most
groundbreaking technologies to distribute content across diverse mediums
and platforms.

“At RYOT’s core is impactful storytelling that highlights the beauty of
humanity and inspires viewers to take action,” said Bryn Mooser,
Co-Founder, RYOT. “We look forward to pairing our international network
of creative expertise and curated talent along with Oath’s massive
global scale, investment in innovative technologies and digital,
mobile-first approach to expand our efforts around the world.”

The division works with brands and agencies to create successful content
marketing campaigns, including for brands like American Family
Insurance, Jack Daniel’s, Sleep Number and Sun Life Financial.

“RYOT Studio has shared our commitment to innovation, and we have found
a partner to help us share the benefits of quality sleep, in cutting
edge ways,” said Sleep Number VP of Media, Lisa Bailey. “From our
inspirational video series to developing compelling custom content
pieces, the RYOT Studio team’s content marketing expertise and execution
has enabled us to reach, connect and genuinely engage with our key
target audiences. »

RYOT Studio has a presence in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France,
Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, the
UK and the U.S. It is a division of RYOT, part of Oath’s dynamic house
of media and technology brands.

To learn more about RYOT Studio, visit here;
to see how RYOT started, visit here.

About Oath

Oath, a subsidiary of Verizon, is a values-led company committed to
building brands people love. We reach one billion people around the
world with a dynamic house of media and technology brands. A global
leader in digital and mobile, Oath is shaping the future of media. For
more on Oath, visit www.oath.com.

Interview with Dvir Doron, Chief Marketing Officer, Cedato

novembre 13, 2017Video Marketingmarketing, videoWhiteboard Animators

On Marketing Technology

MTS: Tell us about your role at Cedato and how you got here? What do you enjoy most about being in video adtech?
I joined very early on following an impactful meeting I had Ron Dick, Cedato’s CEO. At the time I was busy working on my own project, but Ron’s positivity, passion and overall vision for the company’s future intrigued me. It seemed like an industry-changing idea and a great opportunity so I decided to come aboard. It was clearly the right move and I thoroughly enjoy my current position (Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer), which allows me to strategically contribute to several aspects of Cedato’s marketing and business development plans.

It’s a great time to be in the industry and I’m impressed by how quickly the space is evolving, particularly right here in Israel. Tel Aviv has emerged as an epicenter for some of the most dynamic and innovative video adtech solutions in the world.

MTS: How does Cedato power video transactions in a native ad marketplace?
Cedato has truly created a new model in the video advertising space. Our SaaS solution is designed to run omnichannel video programmatically to maximize value, monetization, and engagement for publishers. By providing the necessary infrastructure to run high-impact video across all formats and platforms, we’re able to give publishers an easy way to reduce latency and optimize yield from demand sources.

Also Read: Dreamforce TechBytes with Scott Brinker, VP Platform Ecosystem, HubSpot

MTS: What are the disruptive forces in the contemporary video adtech space?
Video advertising continues to evolve, in part due to its increasing popularity. The advent of header bidding particularly has been a game changer for our industry in the way it levels the playing field for publishers. When applied to video, header bidding makes it possible for publishers to monetize more efficiently than ever before.

Some have dismissed it as a ‘publisher hack’ but I see header bidding becoming an industry standard over time. It offers transparency and evens the playing field for everyone.

MTS: How should publishers determine if they need to rely on cross-channel Video OS?
In the past couple years the video space has shifted so much, which can be challenging for publishers to adapt to. There are several factors that contribute to the key decisions they face, including the myriad of screen options, the changing landscape of programmatic, advent of video header bidding, and the overall consumer shift to a mobile-first world. The accumulated effect of this is the publisher’s growing need for a modern stack, which gives them a more seamless way to handle these new changes.

Historically, video has represented the biggest revenue opportunity, and I think every publisher needs to carefully review how to maximize this.

MTS: Do you see programmatic video monetization platforms maturing enough to create fresh revenue streams for publishers?
Definitely. The market is constantly evolving, and publishers are gaining more power to monetize than ever before. Combine this with the rise of native and outstream, and there are now so many new inventory opportunities for publishers to maximize yield performance. But they must proceed with caution and be wary of solutions that aggravate users and negatively affect their viewing experience.

MTS: What tools does your publisher tech stack consist of?
We’ve built the tech stack with mid-sized publishers in mind, and it includes everything publishers need to run modern video programmatically. Cedato’s tech stack includes an intelligent, lightweight cross-screen player that can deliver ads to any device and unique outstream video units all within an open and customizable API.

Also within, a video ad server that’s powered by predictive algorithms and our hybrid video header bidding engine, and a self-serve UI that allows for seamless access, management and control. We’re pleased with the progress of this product, which provides publishers an easy to implement solution that takes into account the technology gap and budgetary constrictions many of them face.

Also Read: Why the Ad Fraud Fight Needs a Global Approach

MTS: What are your thoughts on the AI revolution in adtech and how is your company preparing for a more AI-centric marketing world?
AI is somewhat of an overused term at this point, but it’s hard to discount the tremendous impact it has had on the advertising industry. Advances in machine learning have enabled executives to take the guesswork out of their jobs with the ability to contextualize ads to users based on specific insights into their search and consumption habits.

The vast amounts of data today’s marketers have at their disposal will make for a more efficient industry, reducing waste that comes from ads that are missing their intended targets.

This Is How I Work

MTS: One word that best describes how you work.
Value. I focus on what generates the most value/contribution.

MTS: What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
Apart from the usual set of Google apps, I live by Asana, a great task management tool, and by Hubspot, helping me get my bearings on all our marketing and sales efforts.

MTS: What other startups or technology platforms are you watching/keen on right now?
Analytics/BI, and obviously everything that’s happening on the video space.

MTS: Do you have a work-related shortcut or productivity hack to share with our audience?
I live by David Allen’s GTD (Getting Things Done) method, at least I try to. I recommend his 2-minute rule on deciding how to handle a new task/email – if you can get this done quickly (like within 2-5 mins) just do it right now. If not – process this for later. This helps me streamline my day, being responsive to others and also not letting external interruptions manage my time completely.

MTS: What are you currently reading? (Or what news sources do you read, and how do you consume information?)
Just finished reading Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. An inspiring review of where our device and data-obsessed culture is leading us.

MTS: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Embrace volatility. It may sound straightforward, but it really isn’t. We all have an innate resistance to change and I try to be as flexible as possible.

MTS: Tag the one person in the industry whose answers to these questions you would love to read:
Evan Spiegel.

MTS: Thank you Dvir! That was fun and hope to see you back on MarTech Series soon.

Texas Counted a Fetus as a Church Shooting Victim — That’s Not Unusual

novembre 12, 2017Video Marketingadvertising, markering, video, video ads, video prmotionsWhiteboard Animators

The mass shooting one week ago inside of a rural Texas church devastated three generations of the Holcombe family. Among the dead were Crystal Holcombe, 36, and her three children — Megan, 9, Emily, 11, and Greg, 13.

But Holcombe was also eight months pregnant, a cousin told The Associated Press. When authorities released the identities of the 26 victims, included on the list was Holcombe’s unborn child: Carlin Brite « Billy Bob. »

Image: Handout photo of Crystal Holcombe

9 tips to dominate video marketing

Moore seeks to refocus campaign on conservative religious values amid firestorm

Trump Lauds ‘Great Relationship’ With Duterte in Manila

Thank you for subscribing.

An error has occurred. Please try again later.

You are already subscribed to this email.

Iran-Iraq Earthquake Kills More Than 300