Small business strategy

Unleash the Power of Forms to Amplify Your Strategy

Welcome to the ultimate guide on amplifying your marketing game! Today, we're diving deep into a tool that might seem modest but packs a mighty punch: forms. Yep, you heard that right! We're about to explore how forms can be your secret weapon in elevating engagement, gathering insights, and driving conversions like never before. So buckle up and get...

How important is creative in digital advertising?

In the fast-paced world of digital advertising, where attention spans are fleeting and competition is fierce, the importance of ad creative cannot be overlooked. It's not just about being present in the digital realm; it's about standing out, capturing your audience's attention, and compelling them to take action. Let’s take a look into the pivotal role ad creative plays in...

What digital advertising products to use for Summer festivals and attractions?

Cowabunga Dudes! Summer is just around the corner, and for festivals and summer attractions, it’s time to start thinking about how to best use your marketing budget to help increase business this year.  Using Digital Advertising will allow you to pinpoint the audience you want to reach and invite them into your business. There are many ways that you can do...

What Digital Products Are Businesses Using To Promote Their Business?

Looking at the entire landscape of digital advertising, there is a plethora of digital products out there.   Here at Vici, we have a wheel that we introduce businesses to that incorporates 14 top level products, with lots of elements within each product.   In 2022, we saw two products take the lead in usage from our partners.  Those two products are...

Getting Started with Google Business Profile: Your Ultimate Guide

Your Google Business Profile allows business owners to have more control over the information which Google displays about businesses when it populates Search results pages and Google Maps.  This used to be called Google My Business but has since been renamed. If you’ve ever been to Google and searched for a business name directly, you’ve probably come across something that...

What Digital Products work best for Banks and Credit Unions?

Banking.  So many choices to choose from.  Do you go with a private bank or credit union?  Or do you go with one of the big players with locations all over the country?  Now, there are even online banks.  How do you know where to go?   More importantly, how do they all differentiate themselves? If you’ve been online at any...

How To Use Digital Ads To Target Travelers For Tourism & Travel Businesses

I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. (Did you just reread that so you can sing it?)  OK, I’m not currently taking a trip, though that sounds amazing right now, but a lot of people are. It’s no wonder that people who were homebound for a majority of 2020, had a lot of time...

What to expect for advertising budgets and products in 2021?

2020 has come to end.  How can we possibly know what to expect to happen in 2021?!   I’m no psychic and don’t claim to be.  But, I did attend a webinar that Borrell Associates hosted last month, and here are some of my key takeaways from their study.   Retail sales in 2020 have out performed the last 4 years.  Now, that...

How does Google My Business Help My Business during the holidays?

There are so many digital terms floating around water coolers and company meetings.  One of those terms is “Google My Business Listing.”   Has this term come up in conversation around your marketing team?  Your executive team?   If the answer is no, then pay attention.  This is going to be a great tool to help your company.  If the answer...

How Does Mobile Targeted Advertising Work?

Let’s face it…people love their smart phones. Really! And…they can’t really live without them. What would consumers give up instead of their smartphones? Here’s what the Boston Consulting Group found in their survey. We have our phones attached to us at all times, in some form. Whether it’s in your purse, in your pocket, in your bag, or, in most...

What are some unique ways to advertise during a down time?

It’s tough out there right now.  We get it.  Every day we’re getting bombarded by emails and social media posts from businesses and how they are dealing with our current state of economy and the Corona Virus (COVID-19).  With everything going on in our community it’s important for us to stay positive and stay focused as much as possible.  ...

How can I use video in Digital Advertising?

With Advertisers increasing their digital video advertising budgets an average of 25% , it may be tough to decipher which video products they’re using as part of their marketing mix.  For instance, in Mobile video alone in 2018, brands spent over $30 billion in mobile video alone. So how do you know if what you’re doing is going to...

Digital Advertising Trends

Election season is basically upon us, and we know that every election year, there are so many changes within the economy.  What businesses are going to spend what, and where are they going to spend it? Before we look at 2020, let’s take a quick look at how 2019 digital ad spending will most likely end.  Here’s a quick chart...

What techniques are most popular for Professional Services?

According to a survey by BIA’s Local Advertising Forecast, the professional service industries will spend $2.5 Billion on mobile ads in 2019.  These industries include law firms and legal businesses along with engineering, architects and computer/technology services.  These are the industries that will spend the most. Other industries within this vertical include accounting (CPAs), advertising agencies, photography services, and...

Voice Search is Here: Is Your Business Ready for It?

When Apple’s Siri first came out back in 2011 the technology was a novelty.  It was cool to test out and sometimes provided informative results, but often the results were laughable.  Not many people predicted voice search would become a major digital trend of the future.  Voice search is defined as a speech recognition technology that allows users to search by saying...

Do Credit Unions Utilize Digital Advertising?

In short, the answer is yes!  But, to get a good look at what works and what doesn’t, let’s take a deeper dive into how much they are spending, and what they are spending that money on. According to TheFinancialBrand.com, Credit Unions spend between $9.92 – $14.83 per member on advertising.  Now, that number can vary depending on the size of the Credit...

How Do I Get Renewals From My Clients?

If you’re asking this on your way in to get a renewal, you’re already too late…. First, let’s look at some of the most common reasons renewals DON’T happen: 1. You didn’t hold a proper Customer Needs Analysis meeting because you don’t have access to the end client. 2. You assume what the client’s goals are without discussing it with them. 3. You...

What Are Top Digital Advertising Industries For 2019? (Example)

As 2019 approaches, it’s imperative that we understand what’s working and continue to add fuel to the fire. Following up to our last blog about preparing for next year, we wanted to share with you some of the top industries spending money in Digital Marketng. Breweries. Breweries are popping up all over the country. Their individual spin on some classic...

Do Video Ads Work For Small Businesses?

Video.  Is it worth the investment to have a video created and include it in your digital marketing?  The answer is yes. In almost every aspect of Digital Marketing, we have seen not only an increase in using video, but an increase in the interaction with digital ads created by businesses. (photo credit: Ad Week) According to SingleGrain: 70% of consumers say...

Digital Ad Spend Surpasses 50% of Total Ad Spending in the U.S.

Earlier this year, eMarketer, Marketing-Interactive, and CNBC  all predicted that digital ad spend would surpass 50% of advertising dollars in the U.S.  Turns out they were right. Currently, according to MAGNA, digital ad spend in the U.S. will surpass 51%, 51.5% to be exact.  That equates to about $160 billion dollars!  That’s a lot of money! Leading the digital ad spend...

IRS Contributes 3rd Party Income Data to Facebook (Example)

As we know, Facebook has been under scrutiny when it comes to their targeting capabilities and what they can/cannot do. Earlier this year, we learned that Facebook was removing many 3rd party categories from their targeting offerings and that they would take effect October 1st, 2018 (link here: https://vicimediainc.com/why-i-love-facebook-collection-ads/). This impacted many categories, including automotive, charitable donations, financial, job role,...

Opinion: My Love/Hate Relationship with Google’s “Walled Garden”

As Google has advanced as a search engine, it has rolled out many features aimed at getting users information as fast as possible.  Included in Google’s search engine results are things like the Google Knowledge Graph, which appears if a business has an updated Google Business listing, showcasing information like the address, phone number, business hours, reviews, and even...

Are you asking: “How did you hear about us?” (Example)

Please stop. No one will say they heard about you from your digital ad. Most people will say they heard about your business on radio or on TV, even if you are not running on radio or TV!  You don’t have to stop asking, but definitely stop making decisions about your advertising dollars based on the answer to that...

How are small and medium-sized businesses spending their ad dollars this year?

Looking at total ad spend alone; the short answer is “similar to last year.” However, when broken down product by product, we learn that even though half of Small and Medium Businesses are not increasing their overall ad dollars by much, they are adjusting how they are allocating those ad dollars, and more money is moving to digital media. According...

What are small business marketing resolutions for 2018?

As this year closes and a new one begins, small business owners are seeking strategies that can help them remain competitive and relevant.  They are analyzing past tactics and campaigns and determining where and how to spend their marketing dollars. Digital is absolutely a significant part of marketing budgets and in a multifaceted landscape, Small Business Owners are looking for...

Desktop Ads Are Still Holding Strong In A Mobile World

Mobile usage is absolutely exploding, but that does not mean that we should ignore the steady performance of desktop.  A smart marketing strategy will leverage the strengths of each device and maximize their unique contributions to the campaign. As mobile continues to grow and evolve, so do the opportunities to advertise using mobile strategies.  However, that does not mean it...

How to Improve Local Marketing? Use Facebook Local Awareness Ads

In an effort to help local businesses connect with people in their area, Facebook launched Local Awareness mobile ads. Local Awareness ads are a great way to find new customers by showing ads to people who are around your business location. These ads are great for bringing customers through your door because of their call to action features. You...

2017 SEO Trends for Small Businesses

As reliable as New Year’s Resolutions, so are the articles about 2017 trends.  This year is no exception with entries from all walks of life, from catering to Social Media and all points in between.  For small businesses and SEO, 2016 was a year of great change, and 2017 promises to offer even more change.  Below are my thoughts...

Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Using Facebook For Advertising

For small businesses, posting on Facebook just isn’t enough anymore. On average, only 2% of your fans will see one of your posts on their Facebook page (socialbakers.com).  Many businesses have heard about the importance of using Facebook to grow their business – but they are not sure where to start.  Do your clients still need convincing? Here are...

Digital Now Commands 60% of Total Marketing Budget

How much of my advertising budget should I allocate towards digital? This is hot topic and a question I get asked frequently. Businesses know they need to spend money on digital advertising to reach their target consumer, the question is, how much? According to a recent Nielsen study, the answer is 60%. “Advertising effectively is difficult in an increasingly fragmented environment. It...

Top 5 Ways Your Business Can Capitalize on the Pokémon Go Craze

Everyone is playing Pokémon Go! Pokémon Go is the wildly addictive smartphone game by Niantic, Inc, which allows players to use GPS to track down and collect digital monsters in an augmented reality (AR). Pokémon originated in 1995 as a popular Game Boy video game published by Nintendo, that encouraged players to collect, trade and battle “Pocket Monsters” or...

Why Your Online Presence is Important

While most businesses recognize the importance of having an online presence in this technological age, new studies are showing how important it actually is, especially for small businesses. A recent survey asked internet users in the US how having an online presence can impact a small business. Over a third (36.7%) of them said they learn about small businesses...

Content Marketing: What it is and why it’s important

Here at Vici, we excel at getting visitors to your website and engaging with your brand. But what happens after that initial engagement? For some, they remain interested in the brand and become a loyal customer. But for many, that one-time engagement is just that. So how do brands retain more of these new visitors from their advertising campaigns?...

Grow Your Small Business with Digital Marketing

As a small business, you may be pinching pennies and trying to save money wherever you can by not doing anything excessive or unnecessary. And you may be of the mindset that digital marketing is one of these nonessential things. I’m going to let you in on a secret: it’s not. Digital marketing, if anything, is going to help...

Local Searches? 64% Don’t Start With A Search Engine

When performing a local search online, many would think that Google-ing it would be the preferred method of inquiry. However, according to a recent study by IDC Custom Solutions, the process is actually quite varied. According to their study, only 36% of individuals performing a local search start with a search engine. What does this mean? Well instead of going...

Negative Online Comments/Reviews – What Should You Do?

Brands and companies, as well as people, are living their lives online and there are times we all have very little control over our online presence and reputation.  However, there are many things we can and should do to ensure we are putting our best possible image forward, and most of it boils down to excellent online customer service. As...

What is a Facebook Custom Audience?

Here at Vici, we like to build campaigns with elements from all parts of the sales funnel. However, the most important piece to include is the retargeting element. This is because it is much easier to sell your products or services to existing customers, rather than to find new ones. One of the best new ways to do this,...

How big should my advertising budget be?

When working with our clients, we are often asked how much they should be spending on advertising. Many companies spend a certain amount, but few know what that amount should actually be for what they do. The short answer: it depends. There are a few factors that should be considered before setting aside money for advertising purposes. I will...

Change Your Business Hours on Google

When you Google yourself, what do you see? Your customer's are doing searches everyday looking for business information, and if they aren't seeing your address, business hours, aggregated reviews, and directions to your location you are missing valuable leads.  Nothing is more frustrating then driving to business that is closed- or even navigating to the wrong address because your...

Credit Union and Banks Turn to Digital to Reel in New Customers

Banks and credit unions are businesses that have served their customers' financial services and needs for centuries.  As many traditional industries are still learning to adapt to new technology, financial services are leading the change in the digital evolution as they attempt to keep up with our new fast-paced lifestyles. There is no disputing that technology has had an incredible...

Shop ‘Til You Drop: Digital Influence on Retail Sales Hits $2.2 Trillion

Could this be the end of coupon mailers and Sunday ads? The year 2015 has shown an immense positive correlation between digital advertising and in-store retail sales.  Digital advertising is expected to influence 64 cents of every dollar spent in retail stores, or $2.2 trillion, by the end of this year. This figure has grown considerably since 2012, where digital advertising...

Who Is Your Social Media Audience?

As a business, you may have asked yourself many times, how do I connect with my audience? Social media is an effective way to help businesses connect on a personal level with their customers. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter allow contact directly from business to customer and essentially puts a face to the business and encourages upfront communication...

Google Analytics Can Tell Me When I Should Advertise?

The folks who bring you Google Analytics have just released some first quarter insights from the previous two years that could help you decide when it is best to beef up your marketing in the coming weeks. They analyzed billions of Google Analytics sessions and found that “in particular, the week of February 5th (also known as the week...

Don’t Make the Same Digital Marketing Mistakes in 2015

At only 2 weeks into the new year, there have been plenty of new tips created on how to make 2015 your most successful year yet.  But reading lists on top of lists about what your business should be doing but isn't doing yet can be intimidating and overwhelming.  It takes time for you and your consumers to adapt...

Want More Conversions? Offer Less Options!

Giving people too many options or asking them for too much information can quickly reduce your conversions. For example, a study found that by reducing the number of options on your website’s “contact us” form from 6 to 3, you can increase your conversion rate an average of 66%.  Even changing something like the “submit” button can increase your...

Mobile Window Shopping: Look but Don’t Buy

As smart phone usage increases rapidly in America, the technical abilities of new phones become more and more advanced to add convenience to their users’ lives.  The smart phone population realized that their phone is essentially a mini desktop computer that allows them to fulfill any task on the web without the constrictions of desktop computers or even Wi-Fi. Despite...

The Omnichannel Experience: Coming to Screens Near You in 2015

The Omnichannel Experience may sound like an action movie you would see in an IMAX theatre, but this concept is a new marketing trend that is expected to explode in 2015. The omnichannel marketing experience is a term that describes the seamless, cross-channel shopping habits that consumers have latched on to this holiday season and are expected to stay latched...

The New Year Means New Facebook Changes

Have you heard about the changes that Facebook has announced that will begin in January?  Facebook announced that they are going to filter out unpaid promotional material in user news feeds that businesses have posted as status updates.  Even if someone has “liked” your business Page and opted in to see your company’s status updates, the chances are they...

Tips on Talking to Young Women

Millennials, or the generation born between 1980-2000, have inherited a reputation of being “entitled,” “enigmatic,” and even “slackers.”  Unfortunately, it is not only the millennials as a whole who are underestimated and underrepresented, it is the women within the 16-34 age group who are the most misunderstood, despite their huge buying power.  Small businesses seeking the attention of women...