By now it’s something of a cliché, yet it’s still worth emphasizing that the 2020 holiday shopping season was truly like no other. With a number of public health guidelines still in place, and many consumers reluctant to do much in-person shopping, we saw a big shift toward e-commerce. This year, the landscape appears significantly different, and it’s hard to predict just what the year’s seasonal trends will look like.
Over the past 18 months, most advertisers have changed their strategies considerably. Of course, there’s been good reason for this: Our world has gone through a season of unprecedented change and disruption, and advertisers have been wise in adapting their strategies accordingly.
Over the past 18 months, email marketing has once again been in the spotlight. This can largely be attributed to the different ways in which the pandemic has impacted consumer behavior: As organizations have now more fully embraced remote work, and as more and more people shift their purchases online, email is simply a convenient way to communicate. Unsurprisingly, marketers have caught on to the surge in email use, and begun championing email as a true pillar of their digital strategy.
When Google announced its decision to end the use of third-party cookies, it led to quite a bit of anxiety within the digital advertising industry. Many advertisers and strategists were understandably concerned about this drastic step, and skeptical about the viability of any alternatives or work-arounds.
The Internet has fundamentally transformed how we shop. For example, consumers no longer have to make their major purchases “blind.” Instead, they can take as much time as they want to read reviews from other buyers, developing a more fully formed opinion about how to spend their hard-earned money.
It’s tough to overestimate the significance of online reviews. Google reviews, in particular, help to establish your brand’s trustworthiness, and engender the goodwill of consumers. They provide greater confidence to those who are on the fence about making a purchase. They also help increase your brand’s online visibility, and can even help you rank in local search results.
If you’ve ever conducted a localized search (say, a search for a nearby eye doctor, a local pizza spot, or a plumber who services your community), then you’ve seen the Google Map Pack. Also known as the “local pack,” this is a block of three local businesses, including their contact information, placed prominently at the top of the search engine results page. Essentially, it’s Google’s way of telling the search engine user that these are probably the three most relevant answers to their query.
In order to connect with local consumers, it’s vital for your business to achieve targeted visibility on Google. There are several things you can do to achieve that goal, including optimizing your business website and developing a strategic Google Ads campaign.
For brick-and-mortar businesses, local search visibility is essential. It’s what allows your business to remain top-of-mind among customers in your geographic area… that is, the people most likely to spend money on the goods or services you provide.
At enCOMPASS Agency, we hear from a number of clients who know that they should be using email marketing more strategically, but are unsure of how to do so. One of the tried-and-true options is to create and send a regular email newsletter, establishing a direct conversation with your target audience, keeping them updated and engaged with your business. Indeed, a consistent email newsletter can accomplish several things: It allows you to foster relationships, share your most recent blog or video content, and promote your latest sales and offers.
We use microdata on all of the sites we build to make sure important details like address and business hours are passed on to Google and other search engines, making it easier for your customers to find you both on and off the web.
Two great companies come together to build something amazing! Starting with an exciting, souped-up, hot-rodder website and integrating it with a custom-built digital media strategy, we delivered accelerated traffic and powerful sales results that blows away all boundaries. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Let us do the same for you.