5 Essential Questions You Need To Ask Your Clients Before Creating Their Social Media Calendar
Jun 30, 2016
10 min read
“Failing to plan is planning to fail” that is an old but a wise adage that is true when we talk about social media marketing strategy. For your client, the task might have got over by just outsourcing the social media marketing job to your agency, but your job starts when your client’s job ends. Creating a detailed, goal-oriented social media strategy gives you a rock solid boost to proceed seamlessly during the campaigns.
“If your social media strategy is just for the heck of it, your fans and potential customers are going to know” said Amy Porterfield, leading social media strategist and co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies. In the worst case scenario, your clients would turned off of your brand and move on to your competitors.
To carefully strategise and plan your every step while marketing for your client, will help you in the long run and smooth relationships with your client. And to plan, you need to ask some specific questions, and we’ll tell you why you need to ask those questions.
1. What your client expects to achieve through social media marketing?
It totally depends on your client’s business type. He may want to use social media to popularize his brand, to directly interact with potential customers, or to promote specific products, services or website. Even if that question is answered, you need a deeper understanding about the customer’s needs. Specifically think about how you can solve those needs by using social media. That’s a big task and needs to be documented.
2. Does the client needs a presence on all social media channels?
That is the question that needs your expertise to answer it correctly. If the client demands that he wants his company to feature on all social media channels then it is you who could tell all the pros and cons involved. If certain channels do match up with the need of your client then you need to inform him. Usually for small businesses it is advisable that they start by using one blog site and one social media network-which one? Where most of your client’s customers are present.
To add to the discussion, there are other social media channels than Facebook where your client’s business can show up. One is Twitter, that is a platform easy to learn and use, and it’s 140 character limit is unbeatable. Second is Google+, which is essential to boost your Search Engine Optimization(SEO) efforts. If your client’s firm is a B2B, then probably LinkedIn or Slideshare can help you reach out the influencers in your client’s industry. For B2C, being on Facebook and Pinterest will be a smarter option.
3. Does your client wants to use social media as a customer service platform?
If your client’s answer is yes then you’ll need to dedicate a person for this task. Social media is fast becoming the most common way for current and potential customers to interact with businesses. In such cases, people will reach out to your page either to praise the company’s products and services or to complain about some product. In such a case an ORM(Online reputation management) is essential to handle for your marketing agency.
4. How often do we post on social media channels?
Depending on your client’s industry type, certain content has to be posted on the chosen social media channels. For example, channels like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+ are more of visually attracting channels and hence the posts should be related to these. Memorable images of your products, company event videos, behind the scene employees at work, fun work environment are some of the kind of posts that work well. Frequency of the posts is usually 2- 5 times day that works well with these channels because all of the target audience is not present at the time you post and posts become stale in news feed and are lost. Scheduling the posts at fixed intervals during the day have worked better for many successful campaigns.
5. How we are going to report about the success of our social media marketing efforts?
Your client will definitely want to know how their money is being spent on the marketing efforts. To provide them with the analytics report, you can use either the metrics offered by the social channel itself like Facebook offers Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics and many more. If you are looking at using third party tools then you can follow this article on- 19 free social media analytics tools for marketers
You can use the data generated by the report to not only report it to your client but also to better plan your future posts and decide on the most effective ways to interact with the account fans and followers.
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Six Ways AI Can Help DTC Brands Enhance Their Customer Services In 2022
As we move into 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) will become increasingly important for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. AI can help DTC brands enhance their customer services, including providing more personalized service, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs.With AI tech constantly improving, brands can offer more personalized experiences that can feel surprisingly “human.” In fact, according to a recent study, 78% of consumers said they would be more likely to do business with a company if it offered a personalized experience. So how can DTC brands use AI to enhance their customer service? Here are the six ways: 1. The Use of AI in Customer Behaviour and Needs AI technology can help make a customer’s experience feel like it was crafted just for them. By assessing things like past purchases and purchasing behaviors, AI can help predict what items a customer might be like or interested in or tell them when it’s time to order again. OTT platforms can guide movies and TV series to watch or new music and podcasts to listen to.This type of predictive personalization is becoming increasingly commonplace as businesses strive to meet the needs of their customers. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more amazing examples of how it is being used to improve the customer experience. 2. Improve Decision Making As AI continues to evolve, it's becoming more and more adept at helping businesses predict customer behavior. Thanks to the fact that AI can analyze large amounts of data much faster than a human could ever hope to. This ability to quickly identify trends and patterns is invaluable for making decisions. After all, the better informed you are, the better your choices will be. With AI on your side, you can be confident that you're making the best possible decisions for your business. Source: Unsplash So if you're not already using AI to inform your decision-making, you're missing out. AI-powered insights can help you take your business to the next level. Ditch the guesswork and start making data-driven decisions today. Your business will thank you for it. Decision-making now is the time to start. AI can help you make better decisions faster. And that's something any business can benefit from. 3. Boosts Engagement Omnichannel messaging is quickly becoming a must-have for businesses that want to provide an exceptional customer experience. By definition, omnichannel means providing a consistent experience across all channels. It includes your website, app, social media, customer service, and any other customers' touchpoints with your brand. What are the benefits of omnichannel messaging? The most obvious is that it creates a seamless experience for your customers. They can move from one channel to another without feeling like they're starting from scratch each time. Omnichannel also allows you to personalize messages for each customer. You can use data from previous interactions to customize content and offers in real-time. That provides a much more relevant and engaging experience for your customers. Source: Unsplash 4. Effective Marketing As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so does the field of marketing. AI is changing the way businesses interact with customers and is making marketing more targeted and effective overall. By understanding customer behavior and segmenting customers based on psychological profiles, businesses can more accurately predict how customers will respond to their messaging. As a result, companies can improve click-through and conversion rates, providing a better customer experience overall. AI is also helping businesses automate customer service tasks, freeing up customer service representatives to provide higher quality assistance. Overall, AI is making customer service more efficient and effective. As AI continues to develop, we can expect even more changes in marketing. Businesses that embrace these changes will be well-positioned to succeed in the future. 5. Improve Customer Retention As AI technology advances, so does your ability to retain customers. Machine learning algorithms can now easily help businesses identify and head off problems that could lead to customer churn by helping to identify problems. You can pinpoint and prioritize based on real data through AI rather than guesswork. Features like uninstall tracking, for example, turn the loss of customers into something valuable that can help you solve customer retention problems and craft effective strategies to win them back. AI is thus a powerful tool that can improve customer retention efforts in several ways. By helping businesses to identify customer pain points and target marketing efforts accordingly, AI can make a significant difference in customer satisfaction and loyalty. 6. Boosts Conversion When we talk about giving your business an advantage, customer service is key. Ensuring that your customers have a smooth, stress-free purchase experience is essential to keep them coming back. One way to ensure great customer service is to use AI chatbots to pre-qualify leads. By answering customer questions through a chatbot, you can quickly determine whether or not a customer is interested in your product. That helps save time and resources by only sending qualified leads to sales. Using Chatbots also helps to build trust with potential customers. By showing that you're available to answer their questions, you demonstrate that you're committed to providing the best possible customer experience. It can go a long way in establishing your brand as a trusted source for quality products. So if you want to give your business a boost, consider using AI chatbots to pre-qualify your leads. It's a free and fast way to improve your customer service that will automatically help you in boosting your conversion rates. 7. Customized Content If you're like most people, you appreciate good customer service. And if you're also like most people, you prefer when that customer service is tailored specifically to you. With the advent of AI, businesses now offer creatively customized content to their customers. Whether you're looking for product recommendations, targeted marketing emails, or even just relevant written content suggestions, businesses can now use AI to deliver a personalized experience. So if you value feeling like more than just a number, rest assured that businesses are taking notice and working hard to give you the best possible customer experience. After all, 90% of US consumers find personalization appealing. 8. Streamlined Workflows One of the benefits of using an AI chatbot for customer service is that it can help to streamline the workflow. By answering common questions and directing users to online resources, AI chatbots can take some of the burdens off of your customer service team. It allows them to focus on more important customer needs, which results in a better overall customer experience. In addition, AI chatbots can also help improve First Call Resolution rates, as they can provide quick and accurate answers to common questions. That results in fewer calls being transferred to human agents, saving time and improving the customer experience. Overall, using an AI chatbot for customer service can help to improve the efficiency of your customer service team. By taking on some of the tasks that human agents typically handle, AI chatbots can free up time for your team to focus on more important issues. In addition, AI chatbots can also help reduce call volume, as they can provide quick and accurate answers to common questions. If you are looking for a way to improve your customer service team’s workflow, an AI chatbot may be the right solution for you. ...
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Comprehensive Guide on Google Ad Sets
Welcome to the world of Google Ads, where the power of advertising meets the vast online audience of billions. With Google processing over 8.5 billion searches every day, it's no wonder that businesses like yours are eager to leverage this platform to reach their potential customers. In this article, we'll provide you with a comprehensive guide, along with a handy template and planner, on how to start with Google Ads for your business. We'll take you through the ins and outs of setting up Google Ads campaigns, exploring features specific to the platform, and, most importantly, optimizing your campaigns to achieve the best possible from running Google Ads. So, whether you're new to Google Ads or looking to enhance your existing advertising efforts, this article will serve as your go-to resource for all things Google Ads. Get ready to discover the power of Google advertising and unlock its potential for your business's growth. Read on to learn how to harness the power of Google Ads and make your online advertising a resounding success. What is Google Ads? Google Ads is a highly efficient pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform that empowers advertisers to maximize their online presence. By strategically running ads on Google, businesses can effectively drive qualified traffic to their websites and connect with potential customers actively seeking products or services similar to what they offer. With Google Ads, you have the opportunity to enhance your website's visibility, generate a higher volume of inquiries, and even boost foot traffic to your physical stores. As you continuously run ads on Google, you gain valuable insights and data that enable you to analyze and optimize your advertising campaigns, ensuring they resonate with your target audience and reach a broader pool of potential customers. Leveraging the power of Google Ads allows you to tap into Google's extensive network and capitalize on the immense search volume it handles daily. By effectively running ads on Google, you can unlock the true potential of your online advertising efforts, driving growth and success for your business. Let’s break through your revenue hurdles We find your primary growth blockers, build expert-led strategies, and provide custom data-driven solutions to help you hit your revenue goals. Set up a 1:1 strategy call How Do Google Ads Work? Google Ads is a seamless collaboration facilitates a mutually beneficial ecosystem where advertisers can generate revenue while offering customers products and services that align with their needs. Let's get into the intricacies of how Google Ads operates, unraveling the intricate process that drives profitability and connects businesses with their target audience. Advertisers Bid on Keywords in Google Ads: At the heart of Google Ads lies the fundamental concept of keyword bidding. Advertisers engage in an auction-like process, submitting bids to signal their interest in displaying ads for specific keywords on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Keyword bids vary widely, ranging from modest amounts to substantial investments per keyword. Advertisers typically establish a daily budget, enabling them to allocate funds to individual keyword bids strategically. Remarkably, regardless of business size or available resources, Google Ads empowers advertisers to tailor their ads to suit their budgetary constraints. The user-friendly Google Ads tool facilitates seamless financial management, allowing businesses to remain within their monthly expenditure caps and offering the flexibility to pause or terminate ad spending as needed. The Potential Customer Searches for a Keyword in Google: With an intent to discover relevant information or solutions, potential customers initiate searches by entering keywords into Google's search bar. Upon execution of the search, the SERP displays ads that closely align with the search query's purpose. The positioning of these ads predominantly depends on an essential metric known as ad rank. Google Shows Ads Based on Ad Rank: Behind the scenes, Google expeditiously engages in a process called ad rank, orchestrating the positioning of ads within seconds. By evaluating the quality score of keywords and the bid amounts submitted by advertisers, Google efficiently assigns rankings from the first position to the total number of available ad spaces on the SERP. This meticulous assessment enables Google to present users with ads that are most likely to resonate with their search intent. Potential Customer Engages with Ads and Makes Decisions: Upon viewing the ads displayed on the SERP, potential customers embark on their decision-making journey. They may opt to click on an ad they perceive as the best match for their search intent, leading them to the advertiser's website. At this critical juncture, customers may proceed to make a purchase, explore further offerings, or navigate back to the SERP to explore alternative options. Alternatively, customers may choose to conclude their search without clicking on any ads or making a purchase. What are Google Ad Sets? Google Ad Sets are a powerful feature within Google Ads that allows advertisers to organize their campaigns and ads based on specific groups of keywords or themes. By grouping related keywords together, advertisers can create targeted ads that align with the intent and interests of their audience. When it comes to optimizing your Google advertising strategy, creating separate Ad Sets for different keyword groups is crucial. This approach allows you to customize your ads based on specific search terms, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience. Furthermore, advertisers can allocate a specific budget and bidding strategy to each group, enabling better control and optimization of their advertising efforts. This segmentation helps ensure that the right ad is shown to the right audience, maximizing the chances of generating relevant clicks and conversions. By creating separate Google Ad Sets, advertisers can closely monitor the performance of each group and make data-driven decisions to improve their campaigns. They can analyze key metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend for each Ad Set, allowing them to identify top-performing groups and optimize their budget allocation accordingly. Google Ad Sets also provide flexibility in ad customization. Advertisers can create tailored ad copy, extensions, and landing pages for each group of keywords, ensuring that the messaging is highly relevant to the targeted audience. This level of personalization enhances the user experience and increases the likelihood of engagement and conversion. ] Turn website into high paying customers We drive business growth by optimizing every inbound channel to attract and convert high-quality clients for you Set up a 1:1 strategy call How to Run Google Ads? It is rather easy to create ads with Google if one followd the steps well. Running Google Ads involves several steps to set up and manage effective advertising campaigns. Here is a clear and informative guide on how to run Google Ads: Sign up for Google Ads: Visit the Google Ads website and sign up for an account. If you already have a Google account, you can use that to log in. Setup your Google Adwords campaign: Click on "Campaigns" and then select "New Campaign." Choose your campaign goal, such as website traffic, sales, or brand awareness. Select the campaign type that aligns with your goal, such as Search, Display, or Video. Define your target audience: Specify who you want to reach with your ads. Determine the geographic location, language, and demographic characteristics of your target audience. This helps ensure your ads are shown to the right people. Choose keywords: The primary key on how to run google advert successfully relies greatly on this step. Identify relevant keywords that your target audience is likely to search for. These keywords will trigger your ads to appear on the SERPs when users search for them. Use keyword research tools to find popular and relevant keywords. Create compelling ads: Write compelling ad copy that highlights your unique selling points and entices users to click on your ads. Include keywords in your ad headlines and descriptions to improve relevancy. Set your budget: Determine your daily budget, which is the maximum amount you're willing to spend on your ads each day. Google Ads offers different bidding options, including manual CPC (cost-per-click) and automated bidding strategies. Optimize your campaign: Continuously monitor and optimize your campaign for better results. Regularly review your campaign performance, adjust your keywords and bids, test different ad variations, and refine your targeting to improve the effectiveness of your ads. Track and measure results: Utilize the tracking and reporting features in Google Ads to measure the performance of your ads. Monitor metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS) to assess the success of your campaigns. Remember, the question of how to run an ad on Google successfully is answered by the question of how to set up a Google ads campaign. It requires ongoing optimization, testing, and refinement. Stay up to date with the latest best practices and leverage the available tools and resources to make the most out of your advertising efforts. Factors That Affect Your Google Ads Campaign If you are wondering about how to put your Google Ads campaign on the top, you need to learn how to do your Google adverts the right way. One thing to always be mindful of is that this is a longer game that needs to meticulous planning and watchful consideration. Ads capmiagn need constant optimisation and rechecking. Here are a few factors that you should track: AdRank: AdRank determines the placement of your ads based on a formula that considers Quality Score and keyword bids. Quality Score and Keywords: Quality Score is based on ad relevance, CTR, and landing page experience. Select relevant keywords that match searcher intent. Location: Choose a geographic area where your ads will be shown. Consider your physical location or areas where you ship products. Match Types: Broad Match, Modified Broad Match, Phrase Match, and Exact Match determine how closely keywords match search queries. Headline and Description: Craft compelling ad copy that aligns with keywords and addresses the pain points of your target audience. Ad Extensions: Utilize Sitelink, Call, Location, Offer, and App Extensions to provide additional information and enhance your ad's visibility. Google Ads Retargeting: Retarget users who have interacted with your brand but haven't converted yet. Use tracking cookies to display ads to them. Retain your lost customers! get in touch In Conclusion Understanding the factors that influence Google Ads is crucial for running successful and high-performing campaigns. To further enhance your Google Ads strategy and achieve even better results, consider partnering with a trusted digital marketing agency like Saffron Edge. Our expertise in Adwords services can help you navigate the complexities of the platform, optimize your campaigns, and drive meaningful results for your business. So, whether you're a beginner wondering how to make Google Ads work for you or an experienced advertiser looking to take your campaigns to the next level, Saffron Edge can provide the guidance and support you need. ...
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Email Marketing Automation: How-to-guide for lead & customer nurturing
In today's digital landscape, connecting with your audience personally is more crucial than ever. But how do you achieve that personal touch when you are managing hundreds, if not thousands, of customers? The answer lies in email marketing automation. This guide delves into email marketing automation, its benefits, practical implementation steps, examples of effective workflows, selecting the right tools, and essential best practices to maximize your marketing efforts. What is email marketing automation? Email marketing automation software leverages predefined rules to trigger personalized email messages based on specific actions your customers take (or don’t take). Think of it as having a virtual assistant who knows exactly what to say and when to say it to each of your customers. The software sends automated emails with personalized content to many subscribers at once. This approach saves time and ensures consistency and relevance in customer communications. Why Should You Care? As a business owner or marketer, your time is precious. You want to focus on growing your business, not getting bogged down in repetitive tasks. That’s where an email marketing tool shines: it can significantly optimize your email marketing strategy by automating email campaigns, managing customer segmentation, increasing efficiency, personalizing email content, and making your campaigns more effective among your target audience and customers. Personalization at Scale: Research shows that 90% of consumers find personalized content appealing. With automation, you can send personalized emails tailored to each customer’s unique journey, making them feel valued and understood. Improved Efficiency: Automated email workflows free up time for high-value activities like strategy and relationship building by taking repetitive tasks off your plate. Higher ROI: Automated email campaigns: Generate a whopping 320% more revenue than non-automated ones. That’s a game-changer for any business. Better Customer Retention: It’s easier (and cheaper) to sell to existing customers than to acquire new ones. Automation helps you stay in touch effectively, nurturing those valuable relationships. Scalability: When your customer base grows (and it will!), your email marketing efforts can seamlessly scale. How to Get Started with Email Marketing Automation? Choosing the right email automation software to streamline your efforts and enhance efficiency across your sales, marketing, and customer service teams. Now, the question is: how do you choose the right email automation tool? Features and Functionality: Ensure the email automation tool offers essential features like customizable templates, segmentation, A/B testing, and analytics. Ease of Use: Look for a user-friendly interface that simplifies email marketing campaign creation, management, and tracking. Integration Capabilities: Check if the tool integrates seamlessly with your CRM, social media platforms, and other B2B marketing tools . Scalability: Choose a tool that can grow with your business, accommodating increasing subscribers and advanced features as needed for SaaS marketing . Customer Support: Reliable customer support is essential for troubleshooting and optimizing your email marketing campaigns effectively. How to Set Up Email Marketing Automation Integrating with third-party plugins and leading email service providers can offer advanced automation capabilities and personalized email campaigns. Choosing Email Automation Software: Select a platform like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or Moosend that aligns with your business needs and offers robust features for creating and managing automated campaigns. Audience Segmentation: Divide your email list based on demographics, behaviors, or engagement levels to create targeted campaigns that resonate with different segments of your audience. Defining Campaign Goals: Clearly outline campaign objectives, whether lead nurturing, customer retention, or product promotion, to shape content and strategy. Setting Enrollment Criteria: Determine triggers that enroll subscribers into workflows, such as form submissions, website visits, or specific interactions. Creating Email Assets:: Develop compelling content, personalized subject lines, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that cater to each audience segment's interests and needs. Testing Your Setup: Conduct thorough testing before launch to ensure workflows function correctly, making necessary adjustments for optimal performance. Launching and Monitoring: Activate automated workflows and monitor key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to measure effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. Email marketing automation for lead generation is crucial to keep your users engaged and hit multiple touch points to get closer and closer to conversions. Examples of Automation in Action Let’s look at some real-world applications: Welcome Series: When someone joins your mailing list, trigger a series of marketing emails introducing your brand, showcasing your best content, and maybe even offering a special “new subscriber” discount. Abandoned Cart Recovery: Has a customer left items in their shopping cart? An automated email with a gentle reminder (and perhaps a limited-time offer) can help recapture that sale. Post-Purchase Follow-Up: After a customer buys from you, automatically send them usage tips, complementary product suggestions, or simply ask for their feedback. Re-Engagement Campaigns: If a subscriber hasn’t opened your emails in a while, an automated sequence can try to rekindle their interest with fresh content or exclusive deals. These automated workflows can be efficiently set up using various email marketing automation tools. Best Practices for Email Marketing Automation Segmentation: Tailor messages to specific audience segments based on preferences, behaviors, and purchase history to boost relevance and engagement. Trigger-Based Campaigns: Use automation to send emails triggered by specific actions or events, ensuring timely, personalized communication. Welcome Series Optimization: Craft compelling welcome emails that set the tone for interactions, showcase brand value, and encourage ongoing engagement. Behavioral Targeting: Use customer behavior data to deliver targeted content and offers that align with customers' interests, driving higher engagement and conversions. Mobile Optimization: Ensure automated emails are mobile-responsive, optimizing readability across devices to maximize engagement. Continuous Optimization: Regularly analyze campaign metrics and conduct A/B testing to refine strategies and enhance results over time. The Future is Automated As we progress, thriving businesses will master the art of relevant, timely communication. Email automation marketing is your ticket to achieving just that. Marketing automation software plays a crucial role by offering automated workflows, personalized email campaigns, and audience segmentation, ensuring your messages are always relevant and timely. Remember, it’s not about bombarding your audience with messages. It’s about delivering the right content to the right person at the right time. When done well, it doesn’t feel like marketing - it feels like excellent customer service. Conclusion Embrace growth marketing automation and watch your business grow while focusing on what truly matters: building amazing products and delighting your customers. Explore various marketing automation tools with Saffron Edge to enhance your email marketing efforts. Your journey towards smarter, more effective email marketing starts now. Happy automating! ...
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