Examples showing why B2B website visitors deserve a great experience too

Whichever business sector you are in, it is still crucial to consider your digital marketing as a holistic process created around your website. In a 2013 blog post here on Smart Insights I detailed a number of areas that all effective B2B websites should have. Many remain relevant even though the technology and customer expectation has moved on. The objective of this blog post is to build on this theme of centrality and align it with the delivery of powerful and engaging user experience that draws visitors in and keeps them coming back again and again. Only by creating a website rich in customer focused content and that is built to respond to the device it is being viewed on, has the chance of catching and maintaining attention. I'll also be covering this topic as part of 6 key tactics to Turbocharge your digital…

Which 'Demandgen' channels and content marketing techniques are most effective for B2B marketers?

Allocating budget and resources to the right channels is always a challenge, even after fully analysing your personas, past campaigns and competitor activity. Properly defining demand generation and then integrating into your strategy is key to developing a future-proof marketing plan. The B2B Demand Generation Report from marketing technology SoftwareAdvice.com explores what companies are investing in to 'fuel their Demandgen'.

Which are the most effective channels for generating high quality leads?

This four quadrant presentation can help prioritise your focus according to your business goals. For generating high quantity and quality leads, Trade Shows, Referral Marketing and in-house email marketing were the best channels. Bear in mind, that this is from a sample of 200 B2B marketing organisations in the United States.

Which content…

Using Google's 'Fetch as Google Render" feature to assess mobile SEO suitability

63% of today's mobile phone users use their cell phone to go online and 34% of mobile phone Internet users only go online with their cell phone rather than any other device, according to the latest Pew Internet Mobile Technology Fact Sheet. Numbers like these demonstrate the power and importance of the mobile experience, and some big names have taken notice - including Google. Google research has shown that 61% of users would not be likely to return to a mobile site if they had problems accessing the site on their mobile phone the first time. Because Google is committed to ensuring the best possible experience for its users across the web, these lackluster mobile experiences may have an effect on SEO and where a website ranks in search engine results pages. Google has also stated that…

Three steps to organic list growth

Often marketers will want to email as many people as possible, as quickly as possible and as cheaply as possible. This is a common mindset which can end in marketers purchasing or renting an email list. If you are looking either for immediate or long term results, buying a list is not the answer. Instead follow our three steps to organic list growth to build your database without damaging your email list health.

Step 1. Optimise your web sign up

The first step in building an organic email list is optimising your web sign up. This may seem obvious; however web sign up can be easy to get wrong, so make sure you have this basic step perfected to avoid any negative knock on effects further down the line.  Optimise your form Begin by creating a solid form which will encourage users to hand over their information instead of leaving your site. Make…

Will 'Facebook at Work' reduce the power of LinkedIn?

Importance: [rating=5] Recommended link: Facebook at Work This is an interesting development, particularly for B2B marketers, but also for all of us who use LinkedIn to progress our careers and seek jobs! The development has not been widely reported other than in an FT.com article from 16th November which described the forthcoming new service like this: "Facebook is secretly working on a new website called “Facebook at Work”... The Silicon Valley company is developing a new product designed to allow users to chat with colleagues, connect with professional contacts and collaborate over documents, competing with Google Drive and Microsoft Office, according to people familiar with the matter. The new site will look very much like Facebook – with a newsfeed and groups – but will allow users to keep their personal profile…

A 40 point checklist for marketing with Instagram

With over 20% of Internet users with Instagram accounts, it could pay to take a closer look at Instagram, particular for consumer marketing. If you are a new adopter of Instagram for marketing or seeking reassurance you are using Instagram correctly, this efficient Instagram marketing infographic summarises the basics well. It covers ensuring your profile is up to date, through to engagement techniques with mentions, visual content (photos and videos) and how to manage Instagram campaigns. You can also check out our Instagram Marketing Hub and guide for more in-depth information on how to improve your marketing.…

7 key email strategy questions every email marketer should be able to answer

Company owners and marketing directors won't want to get into the details of your email marketing like your click-to-open rates or your deliverability. But in my experience, they will often know the important questions to ask . Here are 7 tough questions that as an email marketing specialist you should be able to answer, plus my suggestions of how you should answer.

7 key email marketing questions

Q1. How do you manage our email strategy?

Good answer Strategy is determined by a review of all opportunities to improve our email marketing based on marketing objectives. Each opportunity is reviewed against all others rather than trying to evaluate improvements in isolation. As resources are limited, we balance effort between activities that will bring fast return and those are of part of long-term vision and require more investment. Business and revenue value is predicted wherever possible to…

Understanding your social media site integration and improving its impact on your inbound marketing

Social media is now a truly established inbound marketing channel, with capacities to re-engage a customer base and influence huge audiences. So much so, that links, buttons and widgets that connect websites to profiles are ubiquitous.  Indeed, there is barely a site hosted without them. I think it is safe to assume that the vast majority of people will consider it best practice to have them on websites, yet how many of us think consciously about their potential impacts on a website?

Creating distraction and exit points without motive

Linking to social media accounts from websites can, of course, be hugely advantageous for a business. However, having scoured websites from a wide range of sectors, it is noticeable that many do not use them in ways that channels users sensibly. …

Examples of how content marketing has evolved from 1895 to 2014

Did you know that content marketing started in 1985 when John Deere launched 'The Furrow Magazine' and P&G were the first to sponsor a soap opera, and this is where the term 'Soap Opera' comes from? We're sharing this video since it gives a simple introduction and interesting examples of how content marketing formats have evolved from sponsorship to video to editorial. Of course, the video is an example of a piece of content marketing too... [youtubevideoembedder id="jC43QhFxFrY"] As the video states: 'Content marketing is at the centre of many brand's marketing strategy with powerful visual content, as it becomes so much more personalised with the tools and technologies that marketers have today. 'Content Marketing is Engaging consumers with the stuff they really want, in a way that serves your brand's purpose and ideals, rather than just trying to jam your logo onto their periphery,' Keith Blanchard, NYC  …

A briefing on modern social selling

The age of social selling is upon us, although one could argue that it's always been that way. When people make a purchase they tell others. When people have a good or bad experience with a brand they tell others. When people love your products or services they tell others. It's safe to say that people love to share, which is exactly why social networks are so popular. Selling has always been social, but networks like Facebook and Twitter take that element and amplify it. Today's social selling is completely different, and when you implement it properly, it can do wonders for your brand.

 What is modern social selling?

The modern form of social selling involves integrating sale prompts or direct links via social profiles. For example, Amazon allows Twitter users to add items to their shopping cart…