Tag - digital marketing

Threads by Meta: A New Chapter in Social Media Storytelling

In the fast-paced world of social media, where trends come and go, one innovation is making waves and transforming the way we connect, share, and engage online - Threads by Meta. Threads, the brainchild of Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is an exciting new chapter in social media storytelling that has taken the digital landscape by storm. Let’s explore...

Should You Advertise During Your Slow Season?

How are you doing with your New Year’s Resolution? Have you skipped the gym already? Have you polished off that bag of Cheetos all by yourself? Have you already thrown out your 40oz Stanley mug because carrying around 40oz of water turns out to be way more annoying than you thought? Or maybe you have changed out water for...

Are You Considering a New Digital Provider?

Update: Facebook shuttered Jobs on Facebook (February 2023) and Instant Articles (April 2023) Are you an ad agency considering or perhaps re-evaluating how to manage all your digital advertising for clients? Whether you are a one-person agency, a startup, or a team of seasoned professionals, everyone reaches the point where they can not efficiently do it all on their own....

Are you maximizing your Pay-Per-Click campaigns? Responsive, Dynamic and Call Ads bring more possibilities than ever.

Pay-Per-Click Ads, Google Ads (formerly Ad Words), Paid Search Ads, it all means the same thing. Not only do these types of ads have a lot of names, but they also have a lot of new options to consider.  If you are currently offering these ads to your clients, or maybe just thinking about offering these types of ads,...

What are the most common objections to using digital advertising?

More and more companies are including digital advertising as a critical component to their marketing strategies. However, there are still some companies out there who have not yet jumped in, or maybe have jumped in and didn’t like the results. We know how important digital is and how big of an impact it can make for small and medium sized...

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...

Are Social Mirror Ads Working for Businesses?

The answer to that is a resounding YES! If you are not familiar with what Social Mirror Ads are, first have a look at my last blog and explore more details here. In a nutshell, Social Mirror ads mimic the look and feel of top social media platforms. However, the ads appear not on the social platforms, but on...

How To Get Conversions With Your Digital Ad Campaign

When is the last time you were immediately compelled to take action on a digital ad? You saw something and BAM! A need you maybe were not even aware of suddenly became so apparent and obvious that you had no other choice but to act, and act now? That is the ultimate goal of a digital campaign. To speak so...

What are the Most Effective Digital Ads?

A few years ago, I was watching the Super Bowl and the most ridiculous commercial came on. It was a woman that was overly in love with her son and throughout the commercial she was being dragged in a laundry basket behind a car, played a two faced janitor at his school while he was eating lunch, popped up...

What Digital Advertising Products Work Best for Real Estate Clients?

According to the National Association of Realtors there are 1,384,166 total registered members for the month of January 2020. Why does this matter? They all need digital marketing.  With numbers like that, you are bound to know an agent. Maybe multiple agents? Maybe one in your very own neighborhood or your family? You know who they are because they are constantly...

How Has Behavioral Targeting Evolved?

One of the absolute best things about digital is the ability to pinpoint the exact person in the exact area you are looking for and put an extraordinarily relevant message right in front of them. Often, when I have a super specific person I am trying to reach; I turn to Facebook for their impressive targeting options....

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...

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...

Why do digital and traditional media work well together?

You have heard the phrase, opposites attract. Well the same holds true for your media mix. Traditional media like radio and television work hand in hand with digital. Digital marketing can include tactics like SEO, online display or native and social media across all online devices. First, it is important to understand your audience and to realize there are many ways...

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...

Are teenagers leaving Facebook? Should that impact your Ad Spend?

My 14-year-old son refers to Facebook as “Snapchat for Old People” yet he still knows every time I post something on Facebook. Teenagers would like us to believe that Snapchat is life, but is that actually true, and more importantly does it matter for your advertising dollars? According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, today, roughly half (51%) of...

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...

Is couponing effective on Mobile?

Short answer: no. In fact, it is not just mobile, we have yet to find a digital product that works effectively for coupons. What is the problem with digital coupons on mobile? The main reason digital coupons on mobile fail is that they are just too complicated for most people. Think about how the ads are served. You are on...

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,...

How Does Back to School Impact Automotive Advertising?

They’re making a list and checking it twice. But, it’s not to see who’s naughty or nice. Parents are checking to make sure that a car is now on their Back-to-School list. According to Nielsen Scarborough 22% of households with a child in college are also planning on buying a new or used car during the upcoming year. What does...

How To Be A Digital Marketing Guru

Because you are reading this, it is likely that you and your team have now completed your digital training. (if you haven’t, click here and get on board!  You make the effort to keep up to date on all things digital through ongoing education and weekly webinars. You know your stuff and you have put it into action! You...

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...

I don’t have time to meet. Can you just send me your presentation?

If you are in sales, you have heard this statement. Probably many times and in different ways: “Just send me your notes.” “Just email me the pricing.” “Just forward your pitch.” All too often when we hear this, we jump to it and start drafting long emails with lots of notes and attaching presentation materials. We give it all away and then follow...

Does my behavior online influence the ads I see?

Absolutely, and it is awesome. One of the main ways we are targeted with online ads is based on our online behavior. Actions we take online and what we demonstrate an interest in puts us into targeting categories. In a way we are virtually raising our hands and saying, “I’m over here and I’m attracted to what you are...

Why I Love Facebook Collection Ads

Facebook has been in the news lately, for some not so popular things, mainly the Facebook data breach impacting over 50 million user’s data. They reacted quickly to the news, publicly declaring that starting October 1, they will no longer be offering 3rd party targeting categories to advertisers.  Moving forward, they will only be allowing advertisers to buy categories...

Are you interested in FREE MONEY that can be used on digital?

I find this statistic shocking: “Roughly half of the nearly $70 billion allocated to fund co-op advertising programs goes unused every year.” However, according to estimates from LSA, Borrell Associates and others that is exactly what is happening. So it is not that co-op money is less available as some might believe, it is more that the uses of...

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...

Digital Advertising continues to grow year over year!

  2017 saw record growth in Digital Advertising dollars throughout the United States.  According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, those dollars are actually $40.1 BILLION.  And, that’s just for the first half of 2017. $40.1 billion represents a 23% increase over the same time period in 2016.  What can we take from that?  Businesses are spending money on digital advertising, and...

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...

How long does a digital campaign need to run to work? (Example)

One of the core challenges advertisers face is determining how long a digital marketing campaign should last. Digital, like many other mediums, requires frequency. If the campaign is too short, you reduce the probability of your customers seeing your message, and grasping it enough to take some action. So what is the ideal time for a campaign? We believe it is...

Digital Ad Reports Are Great But What About The Big Picture?

I receive a lot of digital ads. I’m targeted as much as the next consumer, and the most intriguing digital messages and offers absolutely shine through the clutter enough for me to open my wallet and become a customer. In fact, I made a purchase because of a digital ad just this morning. In this case, I was served...

The best digital campaigns are expertly mixed, just like your favorite cocktail

When creating a digital marketing strategy, it is easy to become enamored with products that are at the bottom of the sales funnel.  It would be easy to think, “I’m going to focus only on Pay Per Click/Search Engine paid ads, Retargeting and SEO because they will help me drive the most conversions.” This way of thinking is not...

Native advertising is one of the hottest areas of online advertising

Digital ad spending is steadily rising, and no area is intensifying faster than native advertising.   Native ads come in many forms, but all share the common goal of not “looking” like an ad.  Native ads match the look, feel and visual context of the website where they are seen. They can run across all devices or be specified mobile only,...

Traditional and Digital Together Improves Purchase Intent

It is a well-known fact that digital platforms have transformed how people do business these days.  The influence of digital on the shopping journey is impacting how people shop and make decisions about products and services in which they are interested.  It is also setting new digital expectations of retailers in terms of how they help their customers gather...

Warmer Weather = Digital Opportunity

Now is the time to market to consumers thinking about home repairs! The IAB’s Digital Influence on Home Improvement Plans analysis showed that 22% of consumers who were working on home improvement projects were influenced by ads on mobile, social media and desktop. That is a huge opportunity for advertisers looking to showcase how they might meet all the home improvement...

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...

Why Are Frequency Caps and Conversions So Important?

Retargeting, also sometimes referred to as remarketing, is a form of digital advertising that can help you keep your brand in front of bounced traffic after they leave your website. A visitor goes to your website, you drop a cookie on the person, and then follow that person around the web and show your ad to that  person until...

Why digital advertising in 2017?

Digital advertising allows you to craft an extremely targeted and measurable campaign. If you are not already implementing digital into your overall marketing plan, it’s time to explore the possibilities! Don’t make the mistake of thinking that digital is only for large corporations. Digital is affordable and allows small and medium sized businesses a solid chance to compete for targeted...

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...

When It Comes To Your Business Reputation – Online Matters!

Election day has me thinking about the important role online presence and opinions have played this year. Just like our candidates, local brands and companies are living their lives online and consumers are sometimes left weary and wondering what is true and what is just “a bad review.” There are absolutely times we all have very little control over our...

How Does Facebook Know What Ads to Show You? (Example)

The way Facebook determines what ads to show you is based a lot around the information you provide by your online activity. By using things such as your age, location, page likes, app use, and even data from the mobile websites you browse, Facebook profiles you into categories that advertisers can then use to target ads to you on...

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...

Facebook Reactions: What You Need To Know

As people, we are able to react to our environment with an array of emotions. Why is it then, that Facebook only allows us to Like content in our News Feed? Well Facebook has finally done something about it. This past week, Facebook has released a new feature which has changed the way we can now react to individual...

Geo-Fencing and Geo-Targeting: What’s the Difference? (Example)

Digital jargon can be pretty confusing at times.  Many words can have different meanings and it's important to dig further into their true definitions.  For example, keyword targeting could mean Pay-Per-Click, organic keyword display, or can even mean targeting keywords on your website to increase a websites SEO value.  See what I mean? Confusing! Most often confused? GEOs!  I often...

Digital Advertising: A History Lesson

When you think of where digital marketing is in 2015, I'm amazed everyday at how quickly advancements are being made to deliver beautiful marketing to the sophisticated web users.  As web users we expect a lot.   We are more informed about our purchases being made online and offline.   We have means of communicating to other consumers to...

Mobile App or Mobile Website?

Over the past few years, the number of people who own an internet capable mobile device has risen dramatically. According to the Pew Research Center, 64% of American adults own a smart phone and 42% of American adults own a tablet. These are very significant numbers that will only continue to grow. With the increase in mobile device adoption comes an...