"The customer journey is crucial and the foundation for the approach towards (future) clients" Arjen Vissers, Managing Director for Marketing and Communications at Aon

Our blog series ahead of the Brand Marketing Summit Europe is now coming to an end, with the third and final interview. In our previous blogs, we spoke to Michal Szaniecki and Bart Visser, both of whom are speaking at this year's summit. Within the third interview of the series, we spoke to Arjen Vissers about how a marketing strategy with a structured approach that aims to build his brand is his focus for 2019. Arjen Vissers is the Managing Director for Marketing and Communications for Aon leading strategy creation and implementation. With over 30 years’ experience in marketing, communications and sales in both B2B and B2C industries, Arjen has led a strong focus on digital…

How influencer marketing can fail if you chose the wrong influencer, channel of promotion and don't understand the audience you're targeting

Question: would you rather spend thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) for an influencer with 1m+ followers on social media or web traffic but has much lower brand loyalty and even less public trust, or spread your budget across many smaller micro/nano influencers whose reach online is less but following much more loyal? First, let's look at some influencer marketing stats... 80% of marketers find influencer marketing to be an effective strategy. 89% of marketers say that influencer marketing offers ROI that is comparable to, or better than, other marketing channels. 61% of marketers agree that finding the best influencers for a campaign is a big challenge. On average, businesses generate $6.50 in revenue for each $1 invested in influencer marketing. …

Twitter's new reporting tool ahead of elections, LinkedIn's new 'services' feature, Facebook suing a company for selling fake 'likes', Instagram replacing travel brochures, Sri Lankan blocks social media following terrorist attacks, Snapchat seeing user recovery and Google adds fun Avengers-themed feature

This week has seen another update to Twitter, this time to help stop the spread of misinformation ahead of elections. A new reporting feature will allow users to flag incorrect information that could influence people's election decisions. LinkedIn is helping freelancers and business-owners showcase their services on their profile with a new trial feature. Facebook has launched a lawsuit against a company and individuals who have been selling fake engagement on Instagram. New research has found that more people turn to Instagram to find holiday locations than travel agents, with many people choosing destinations based on how photogenic they are. The Sri Lankan government has blocked social media while investigations into the terrorist attacks…

Digital marketing, simply put, cannot be ignored

No one can be found disputing the power of effective marketing. After all, if a marketing and advertising campaign are executed expertly, it can serve the requirements of any business and grow the demand for the product or service that they offer. While the need for marketing is still present, the areas where marketing is most effective has improved a lot. The rapid growth in the field of digital marketing has launched a new era of human engagement throughout every aspect of life. For industries that are business-centered, the combined effect of digital technologies in promotion and marketing has proven to have a high value for online trade and distribution. Since the world today is witnessing the feasibility of the digital era, marketing strategies involving the utilization of electronic media are prioritized in today’s business approach. Trends of a digital scene including personalized & unique content,…

It's time for e-commerce marketers to start taking Pinterest seriously

Pinterest is about far more than collecting aspirational pictures of perfectly decorated rooms, stylized desserts, and faraway locales. With the introduction of buyable pins last year, the platform’s more than 100 million active users now also flock to the site to shop. Compared to other social networks, Pinterest users spend an average of 50 percent more. Many brands are already taking advantage: By the end of 2015, there were more than 60 million buyable pins. In 2016, buyable pins became available on mobile platforms, increasing shoppers’ ability to purchase anywhere at any time. While other social networks struggle to find ways to convince users to make purchases, Pinterest’s visual user interface makes it an ideal showcase for products of all kinds. Research by Shopify found 93 percent of Pinterest users utilize the site to plan purchases, almost like a vision board.

A Pinterest Home Run

Businesses of all…

There are two types of product descriptions: those that tell and those that sell

Words have huge power to turn even the most ordinary product into a must-have. There are two types of product descriptions: those that tell and those that sell. Most e-commerce businesses simply tell their customers about products, instead of turning them into a revenue-generating buyer. According to research, 20% of online shopping fails as a result of missing or vague product information. Some 87% of customers rate the inclusion of product content as critical when making the buying decision. Beyond dispute, product descriptions have a huge impact on your sales. They should give consumers the information they need. They should be short, clear and to the point.

The importance of creating product descriptions

Product descriptions are just like an in-store sales assistant. They are your around-the-clock sales staff. They help you increase…

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to bring in the most relevant, local customers

Local SEO is absolutely core to the success of many businesses. While lots now operate online, most businesses need their local customers in order to truly succeed. Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to bring in the most relevant, local customers. It relies on measurable, tangible metrics that result in leads and sales, not vanity metrics and other insights that won’t bring in sales or real value. While it is not just about Google, it’s important to remember the search engine giant’s stance on local SEO: "nearly two-thirds of smartphone users are likely to purchase from companies that customize online information to a user’s location," which is something we simply cannot ignore. Local SEO works through emphasizing core topics…

"Brands have realized they need to create a compelling narrative that excites, surprises and inspires consumers, potentially through 'immersive' experiences" Bart Visser, Director of Brand Marketing Spark Networks SE

In preparation for the Brand Marketing Summit Europe, we are continuing with our interview series. Our previous interview featured Michal Szaniecki, Managing Director SEAT and CUPRA, Volkswagen Group. In this interview, we speak to Bart Visser to better understand what he sees as the biggest and most exciting marketing opportunities in 2019. To see the full range of incites from the speakers of the summit, take a look at Incite Group's exclusive whitepaper. Bart Visser is responsible for all global Brand Marketing efforts for Spark Networks SE, one of the global leaders in online dating. Among its top brands are EliteSingles, Christian Mingle, Jdate, eDarling, JSwipe and Attractive World. Operating in…

Video marketing is no longer something to 'dabble in' if there are extra resources available. It is essential for businesses, both small and large, across all industries to have video marketing as part of their overall digital marketing strategy because consumers are engaging video more than ever

Video consumption is on an upward trend and savvy brands have been incorporating video into their marketing strategy. In a recent study, Hubspot reported that 80% of users were able to recall a video ad that they viewed in the past 30 days. If this data excites you, it should! But there is more to video marketing than recording footage and uploading it to the Internet. To help you maximize your video marketing ROI, check that you’re not making any of the following video marketing mistakes. [si_guide_block id=23343" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Video and YouTube marketing guide" description="Our guide…

Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common, meaning that, if you're not prepared, your e-commerce business could be at risk from more than competitors

The rate at which the e-commerce business is growing in India is remarkable. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation or IBEF, India is the fastest growing e-commerce market. IBEF mentions that this rapid growth in the market is due to the digitalization of every sector in the country. As long as the business provides a service or a product which interests a wide range of customers, the online business is on the roll. While any e-commerce company has huge competition from other organizations in the same sector, they are not the only threats. Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common, meaning that, if you're not prepared, your e-commerce business could be at risk from more than competitors. [caption id="attachment_136825" align="alignnone" width="895"]…