Agency Insights

Autumn officially begins this Monday, September 23. With the change of season comes a change in what consumers will be shopping for. Yes, seasonal marketing is upon us, and there are some rules and practices to be mindful of as we ask the question: When it comes time for marketers to prepare for the holiday sale, how soon is too soon?

As autumn approaches, let this infographic about the history of pumpkin beer whet your appetite (or rather, thirst).

Video advertising. Its reach is beyond imagination. Video ads – particular YouTube Ads – continue to ride a wave that will extend well into the future. And if you own a business that is not making the use of YouTube Ads, some recent findings and developments may well make you change your mind. This is not the video advertising you “thought” you knew.

Social media has been around for a relatively short while but has brought big changes. Extreme changes is more like it. Take advertising and marketing. Social media is used by brands, businesses and enterprises of all kinds looking to get their names out before potential customers. When impact is positive, the results can extremely exceed the greatest dreams of success. But when impact is negative, extremely unimaginable nightmares come true. How then, can brands navigate a social media crisis  or fallout. Furthermore, what steps can be taken to implement crisis management?

A few weeks ago, news of Instagram’s removal of the number of “likes” every post receives hit the social media world like a tidal wave. Why post to Instagram if content cannot be recognized by how much it is “liked”? While this change has been in action for only a short period of time, the proverbial “big picture” behind Instagram’s disruption is beginning to be seen in a different perspective. Very simply, it’s time for change in social media. This is because what Instagram users are seeking is changing. This, of course, affects social media marketing.

Some brands are instantly recognizable. Hear their names or see their logos, and you know them instantly. They have a national (or even global) customer base. Then there are local businesses which are favorites within their communities. Say the name of a small family-owned restaurant, and your neighbor likely knows it. Big-name brands are marketed on social media. So are many local businesses. But what about a franchise? You know, that small place on the corner that is noticeable because of the well-known brand logo outside? What about their social media marketing?

Influencer marketing has experienced some setbacks over the last few months. Some marketers may be tempted to shy away. They shouldn’t, because this is still a very viable and strong method where brands and businesses can promote their products and services through the use of social media and influencers that consumers trust and relate to. The secret to successful influencer marketing is knowing its true purpose, and what to keep in mind when generating the three-way connection between the brand, the influencer (or “brand ambassador”), and his or her followers and fans.

Someone clicks “like” on the social media page of a brand. It’s one small sample of free digital advertising. The brand has been recognized. Whoever clicked “like” might follow and even recommend this brand’s products or services to family and friends. This has become standard in the wonderful world of digital advertising via social media. But things change. And Instagram recently set in motion a major change by choosing to hide the number of likes a posted image receives. And this includes digital advertising for brands.

The thing about marketing in 2019, is that all of your communications – whether it be a social ad, TV spot, or email campaign – need to have a personal touch. When it comes to email marketing, this strategy is a quick and convenient way to get your message out there, assuming people actually open your emails. The problem? Your audience is receiving too many emails from thousands of different marketers. Be honest. How many times have you received a marketing email, glanced at the subject line, and immediately deleted it? That’s why during your next email campaign brainstorm, it’s important to stop and think: Is this subject line going to connect with my audience? If not, it will likely be deleted or ignored.

So, you have a fully functional, user-friendly online campaign that’s set up and ready to launch. All possibilities are covered, including email and social media. You launch the campaign and sit back waiting for results. Maybe it will succeed. Maybe it won’t. One asset is being able to track anyone who clicks on your campaign. How to do this? The answer is made up of three letters: U-T-M.