Push Notifications Are an Essential Marketing Tool for SMBs

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

As more people engage, consume and make purchasing decisions using their mobile devices, the popularity of push notifications by business mobile app owners continues to grow. Not only will more companies build mobile apps and employ this technology moving forward, but they will also continue to explore the marketing potential it brings. For marketers, push notifications represent an ideal way to stay in touch with prospects and customers.

Push notifications are the fastest way to stay in contact with a connected customer and are a quick way to let people know about updates and new features.

Cross-Channel Promotions Are a Necessity

Small businesses need to use as many cross-channel promotional strategies as they can. There’s no reason to focus on just one channel because that’s not how the modern digital landscape works. These days, people spend time on their favorite sites and apps and respond differently to communications. Because of this need for diversity, the role of digital marketers keeps changing. It’s crucial to create specific content and messaging not just for specific platforms like social media, email and websites, but also for mobile apps.

Push notifications have proven efficient and should make up a significant part of any SMB digital marketing strategy. In addition to using social media channels and email marketing initiatives to highlight a new product offering; coupon; event or special, consider also using a push notification to make the announcement.

Following up with Customers Brings New Business Through the Door…or Site

Push notifications are a great way to augment your current follow-up process. Most companies already use newsletters and email autoresponders to stay in touch with customers. It’s worth going one step further, by implementing push notifications when possible. Not surprisingly, people tend to pay more attention to a push notification. They have been getting them for a while, so they are used to receiving them and know them to be important or to contain information of interest. Because users routinely ignore emails, marketers have been transitioning to push notifications instead or in addition to their email campaigns.

There are a few rules worth considering before you begin sending these out like a maniac! Remember they’re most effective when something unique and important is going on. For example, a coupon or special will get most people to look. Any vague or unrelated messages will eventually make them want to turn your business’ mobile app notifications off. That’s why picking your spots makes sense. If you don’t overdo it and get your timing right, you’ll have a very high click-through and conversion rate. The job is not to annoy people, but to give them something of interest instead. Make sure any messages you send are brief and to the point.

Add Some Extra Pizzazz with Rich Text Push Notifications

Rich text push notifications contain more than just text in their messages. They may contain web links to click for more information, a link to a specific area of the mobile app and even maps a user can click on for a location or directions that are specific to the push message notification.

Like with standard push notifications, you always want to be as focused as possible in your messages. Since push notifications tend to be short in general, make your meaning simple. People are busy, so don’t waste their precious time.

Push notifications are going to remain popular because of convenience. Any company that supplies an app will want to notify users about updates pertaining to their company and also to the app itself. In the case of bug fixes or feature upgrades, the fastest way to get users to update their app or try a new feature is with a push notification. Offer users the chance to install the new app and a significant percentage will do it quickly. Tell customers to allow notifications for the very purpose of receiving updates and if your mobile app allows for it, sign-up for the list that meets their specific interests.

Remind Inactive Users You’re Still Around!

Sometimes people forget they installed your mobile app or haven’t used it in awhile. In cases like this, a notification is in order. You can use the old “I missed you” ruse to try and drum up interest. Or, you may consider telling them about a new feature you added since they installed the app. That might be enough motivation to spur them back into action. It’s worth a try at the very least because people often install and forget apps. If someone is inactive, you have little to lose by attempting to spur them into action.

If you don’t have time or the staff to implement a push notification marketing strategy, you can always turn it over to a third party. There are many providers that can step in and fill that gap. If you used a third party to develop your business’ mobile app, your app developer may be able to assist you with a campaign strategy and implementation. Either way, understand this is a dynamic form of marketing and will require testing and tweaking along the way. Once you see patterns emerge, you’ll be in an ideal position to craft campaigns and push notification marketing strategies that work well. Just make sure your notifications are succinct and useful.

Now’s the Time to Begin Your Journey

Adapting your current strategies to mobile platforms will yield a whole new market of potential customers. The app market for small businesses has grown enormously and having the ability to “push” a message to an engaged user base is always going to be beneficial. If your business does not yet have a mobile app, get in touch with Colleen Eakins Design (CED) today, to get started developing one. CED has mobile app development plans that include push notifications (standard and rich messages) to your mobile app users.

how-to-start-a-blog

How to Start a Blog with HostGator

/0 Comments/in , , /by

I wrote a post about 4 years ago titled, “I Need A Website! Where do I Start?” to help provide information to clients and others with questions about starting a website and paying for web design services. This post is written for similar reasons, but goes into details about the signup process with HostGator.

I have been using HostGator to host all of my websites for about 4 or 5 years now, after making a switch from GoDaddy. Although I loved the customer service I received while with GoDaddy, I hated the fees and the fact that they nickeled and dimed me for EVERYTHING! I did not and have not had that experience with HostGator AND I have been quite pleased with the level of customer service I have received from them, when I needed it.

For my web design clients, I encourage them to procure hosting and a domain name on their own (with guidance from me), rather than paying me or someone else to do it. The reason is so that they own those assets. The last thing you want to happen is for your web designer to get sick, close up shop or something worse, whilst holding the keys to your web presence. It also ensures that you can adequately keep up with and be on top of domain name registration expirations.

I’m Confused. What is Hosting? What is a Domain Name?

If you are completely new to blogging and websites, I’ve probably already thrown around a few terms that you are unfamiliar with. So, here is a brief synopsis of what is needed and makes up a website or blog.

I use the analogy of a house to help explain things. In order to start a blog or website, you need a domain name, a hosting account and website files. Your domain name or URL is like your house street address. In order to receive your mail, the post office needs a street address to send it to. In order to view your blog or website, visitors need a URL (address) to type into their web browser.

To obtain a URL, you need to register a domain name with a domain name registrar. There is a fee associated with doing this and they are typically done in yearly terms of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years. This is something you can do through HostGator and I will go over that process in more detail later in the tutorial.

Your actual house is like hosting. Your house contains your belongings like clothes, lots of shoes and furniture. Clothes and furniture are like your web files. A hosting account or hosting environment is where your web files live. Your web files are the visual representation of your site and are what power and make the site function. They are a combination of what a visitor sees when they navigate to your URL and they are also what churns on the backend of the site to make it all work. HostGator, as the name implies, also provides hosting accounts.

So where does WordPress, Joomla and Drupal fit into all of this? They are what is churning on the backend to power the functionality of your blog or website. They are what we refer to as a CMS, or Content Management System. It’s what allows the average Joe to start a blog site on their own or maintain and update a full website built by a designer.

WordPress is what I use to build full websites for my clients and is probably the most popular CMS for blogs. It is very user friendly, but I will admit that if you are not technically inclined at all…meaning you struggle to use your smartphone, you may not find it so user friendly.

How to Start a Blog with HostGator

Step 1: Choose a Hosting Package

HostGator has plenty of affordable plans that are perfect for starting your blog.

According to them, their most popular package is the Baby plan, because it allows for unlimited domains. This used to be the package I recommended to clients, but I have now started to recommend the Business plan because it comes with a private SSL. This is important because Google recently made updates to their search to identify sites that are ‘secure,’ meaning they have a SSL certificate vs. sites that are ‘unsecure,’ and do not have an SSL. Google is also giving prominence in their search engine rankings for sites that are secured with a SSL certificate.

Once you select a plan, click the bright yellow ‘Get Started Now!’ Button to add the hosting package to your cart.

Step 2: Choose a Domain Name

You can use HostGator’s domain registration tool to check for a domain name that is available. From here you can register a new domain name, or click the second tab “I Already Own This Domain,” if you are only buying hosting.

 

Make sure you keep Domain Privacy Protection checked. This will mask your domain information in ICANN and replaces it with HostGator’s, so that you can maintain a level of privacy. If you don’t do this, you can expect to receive spam and unsolicited emails from people trying to sell you on their services, Viagra, and maybe even to collect an inheritance from a Nigerian prince.

Scroll down to step 2. Here you’ll need to enter a user name and password that you’ll use to manage your hosting account with HostGator. In step 3, you will enter your billing information.

The fourth step is to sell you on a bunch of additional services that really are not necessary. I always tell clients to skip those because I install plugins that take care of most of those items. If you are starting a blog on your own, you can find a decent array of free to low-cost plugins to do those same things.

When you reach step 5, make sure to enter coupon code CEDBLOG25. If you go to HostGator by clicking my affiliate link here, you’ll receive an extra 25% off. Yay for discounts!

Finally, click that you agree to the Terms and Conditions, then the big yellow ‘Checkout Now!’ button.

Step 3: Install WordPress

The next step is installing WordPress, the world’s most popular blogging platform, so you can get to work writing, sharing and posting.

When you completed your purchase, you should have received an email from HostGator with your cPanel username and password. cPanel is the portal you’ll use to manage your web hosting. The cPanel link is unique to you, so be sure to bookmark it for future reference.

If you are a Colleen Eakins Design client and I directed you to this post to help you set up your account, this is the email you need to forward to me. You also do not need to complete any further steps.

Log into cPanel and click on the Quick Install icon.

From there, you’ll see an option to Install WordPress for free.

Click the Install WordPress button and then complete the form accordingly.

    1. The Base Domain for your installation.
    2. The sub directory you would like the site to load from, if desired. You can leave this blank. Example: Should you wish your WordPress URL to be mydomain.com/site instead of just mydomain.com. Your site will always display this extension if you enter one.
    3. For Admin Email, enter an email address where you want the admin password emailed to. Make sure this is a working email address.
    4. For Blog Title, enter the name of the website. This is what will appear in the header as the name of your site.
    5. For Admin Username, enter your preferred user name.
    6. Your first name.
    7. Your last name.
    8. Click Install WordPress when you’re ready to proceed.

A progress bar at the top of the page will let you know when installation is complete. Once complete, you will be able to start working on your WordPress site. Check your email for your WordPress username and password as well as a link to your WordPress dashboard.

That’s it! You are now ready to log into your WordPress blog and start your blogging empire. Remember to save a little dough with HostGator in the process by using the coupon code CEDBLOG25, to get 25% off.

 

Inbound Marketing

Inbound Marketing: What Is It and How It Helps Small Businesses

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Digital marketing and inbound marketing are slightly different disciplines that both serve to boost sales. Companies that have an online presence want to reach new markets. Digital marketing helps them do that by stitching together a framework that gets them attention. Inbound marketing attempts to draw new prospects into the customer’s sales funnel. Together, both disciplines are a way to get useful results for any business.

Attracting Clients Through Inbound Marketing Works

The idea of attracting customers is surprising to some people. Many people assume that new customers come in naturally for reputable organizations. However, this is not usually the case. For the most part, companies that attract business through inbound marketing invest heavily in the effort. The process may look seamless from the outside, but the campaigns they orchestrate are accurate. Everything from website design, SEO, and content through email marketing fall into the category of inbound marketing. It’s worth looking at each of these in some detail.

Start with Fantastic Web Design

How your site and app look and function is crucial. People have grown to love fast-loading, easy to understand applications and websites. They won’t put up with anything less. If you plan to embark on a mission to do inbound marketing, don’t neglect the importance of design and functionality. Focus on quality during these initial stages, and your overall task gets easier down the line. Ugly or poorly functioning apps won’t spread your message. A slow website with no clear navigational hierarchy will not improve sales! Marketing starts with a slick presentation and grows from there.

Build in SEO from the Start

Search engine optimization is the discipline and art of creating pages that rank highly in search engines. On-page optimization helps pages rank naturally for keywords that assist the business. Inbound marketing experts are well aware of the benefits of SEO and never neglect this crucial component. When you’re building a new site, it makes sense to think about the ways people will find the site. It’s also worth considering what content you’ll have waiting for them when they arrive. Inbound marketing experts direct the people towards purchases with content, social updates, and email follows-ups.

Inbound Marketing Is a Great Way to Have Constant Qualified Leads

Inbound marketing remains popular with digital marketers because this method of gathering and closing leads is very useful. Inbound marketing as a discipline is changing the way people access online information continues to evolve quickly. Inbound marketing is moving towards catering to mobile devices more now than ever before. Mobile devices are stronger than they used to be, so content created for mobile devices should probably appeal to the particular technology each device uses. One idea is that interactive touch screen content is likely to be an excellent idea in coming months. The level of personalization you offer helps differentiate your company in a crowded marketplace.

Congruence Matters for Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is challenging because people online are now using many different services to access content. Tailoring content for each particular service makes complete logical sense but gets expensive in a hurry. A solid strategy to combat high prices is to analyze which services are most applicable to an individual business and then bulk up the content that’s precisely likely to improve sales. Why spend money on creating content that won’t earn a return?

This trend towards more accurate content is already underway and will likely accelerate in coming years. The mobile revolution is not slowing down. One thing that always remains consistent regardless of what technology you’re using is to create a corresponding message for your inbound marketing. People expect clear and coherent branding and messaging from companies.

Deliver Timely Updates to Strengthen Your Message

Content marketing is an essential part of a successful inbound marketing strategy. A good tactic involves having a few major, anchor pieces of content receive traffic from paid ads and live updates. A lead magnet of some type should be in use, which helps people seamlessly join the sales funnel. Congruent follow-ups serve to answer many of the prospects general questions. They also contribute to warm the person up to the product or service. Define an editorial calendar if you want to establish a logical flow of content.

Automated marketing efforts are being used by successful businesses to bolster inbound marketing results. A digital marketing strategist can put all the many pieces in place to ensure that your online presence is a well-oiled inbound marketing lead generation machine. Any time your organization can utilize automation, it’s worth doing it. The costs are less expensive, and the results are consistent. Inbound marketing and automation go together like peanut butter and jelly!

Inbound Marketing Continues to Rise in Prominence

Inbound marketing is likely to gain even more importance in coming years as the ROI has been increasing as technology improves. More people than ever use social media channels to help inform them about purchasing decisions. Savvy companies are helping their potential clients to make the decision to buy from them. Give them as much information and motivation to purchase as possible, and make it easy for them to ask any questions they have.

Once a sale happens, inbound marketers continue to contact clients. Creating a robust mechanism to assist your business with inbound marketing will make a significant impact on the type of numbers you do online. Make it a point to hone your strategy until it’s powerful enough to generate leads and sales. Since you collect data through lead generation, you never have a problem following up with people. Whether it’s a month or year later, you can introduce new products to people who already went through your sales funnel. With the proper configuration, you can make more money year over year for as long as you want! A significant promise of inbound marketing is to add consistency and long-term stability to your revenue generation efforts.

2016 Year in Review and 2017 Goals

/0 Comments/in , /by

Last year instead of making New Year’s resolutions, I decided to set 3 goals instead for the year. By choosing a small number of goals, I felt I was more likely to achieve what I set out to do, rather than make a bunch of resolutions that would probably fall by the wayside. I am happy to report that I was successful in achieving those goals.

To recap, the goals I set were:

  1. Create an additional revenue stream.
  2. Fix my eyes.
  3. Find more balance in my life.

Creating An Additional Revenue Stream

This one was by far the most difficult goal to complete. As I mentioned in my post last year, I have a running Evernote doc with tons of ideas. The problem has been trying to find the time to research, test and implement those ideas. I have a shop that is attached to this site, but sadly it’s sad. I have tons of product ideas that I think would be great for the shop, but it requires that extra time to sit down, sketch out the concepts and make them digital designs for the products I think they would look great on. I have the concepts written down, but that’s still their status.

I joined a client and became a co-founder for a great start-up in the Washington, D.C. area that focuses on cultural and language learning activities for kids. Shout-out to Mully Lingua! Again, time became my enemy and I had to back out of the start-up because I could not meet the time commitment demands.

By the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2016, I was beginning to think that I may not reach this particular goal. So I decided a new direction was needed to approach accomplishing this goal. Instead of doing something completely new, I decided to work on one of the ideas in the notebook that was complimentary to the services my design business already offers–mobile app design and development.

I already did design for mobile apps, but I only did the front-end design work–not the development. Adding development to the mix and handling the ‘hosting’ of an app would provide an additional revenue stream. So that’s what I did.

Starting in November of 2016, I put all of the resources in place to begin offering mobile app design and development. The service is still in a soft launch state, but things are up and running and I currently have apps launched in the Apple and Google Play app stores, as well as a few in development. Need an app? Head over to this page: CED Mobile App Design & Development

Fix My Eyes

This one was somewhat of an easy one. The biggest hurdle was fear. I was scared and I talked to anyone and everyone that I knew had had a LASIK procedure done. They all said the same thing. They were scared too before they did it, but wished they had done it sooner, once they had.

I now say the same thing. In June of 2016, I had my LASIK procedure done and now I am 20/15 with both eyes together.

Find More Balance in my Life

I was already on the path to trying to accomplish this goal when I set it as a goal for 2016. I had found a great massage therapist and I continued to get regular massages throughout 2016. I have carried this practice into 2017 and I have no plans to stop. It really does help me decompress from the hustle and bustle of running a business.

I started practicing mindfulness and added yoga and meditation to some of my daily routines. I still do it a bit randomly, but I have been doing it regularly.

I travelled a lot last year. Most of it I did without bringing work with me, which allowed me to relax more. Two trips I did, but the other five or so, I didn’t.

Last year was not a good year for health within my family and close friend circles. A handful of relatives passed away, several became terminally ill and a close friend was near death. To help me balance out dealing with the stress of it all, I had to let go of a part-time contract assignment that I had been doing. Making that decision for me, was a part of this goal. It was necessary at that time, in order to balance the scales of life.

Goal Setting

Setting goals, writing them down, and actually achieving them, was pretty rewarding. It has helped to add to the positive feelings I have of last year. There were some things that were bad, but overall I feel the year was a good one. Being able to see things I said I would do and actually followed through on, is pretty awesome!

So for next year, here are the 3 goals I am setting out to do:

  1. Learn to speak conversational Spanish.
  2. Be better with personal budgeting and savings initiatives.
  3. Reduce my overall debt significantly.

Did you make and keep any resolutions/goals last year?

Digital Marketing Trends

Projected Digital Marketing Trends For 2017

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

A new year is here, and that means it’s time to speculate about what digital marketing trends will emerge! There’s no question there will be some new trends to follow, but much of what will happen in 2017 has already been happening!

Classic strategies don’t change much from one year to the next, but strategies and tactics indeed evolve. By the year 2017, everyone is aware of the fundamental nature of mobile marketing. Web developers have been noticing a shift to mobile device access for years. Now, it appears as if Desktop users are nearing extinction! That means Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and other technologies will proliferate rapidly.

AMP Is Worth Implementing

Google and Bing are always looking for ways to increase speed for their users. One way they can do that is by showing AMP pages in their search. These web pages display fast in mobile devices by stripping many additional HTML elements. Users want answers fast and search companies are delivering quick results. Anytime you can stay abreast of technological advances; it pays to do so! AMP and HTTP2 are two enhancements for your website technology and a digital marketing trend to consider.

Virtual Reality Is Going to Grow

One digital marketing trend we saw emerge toward the latter part of 2016, was virtual reality. Depending on your vertical, virtual reality may play a large role in your digital marketing efforts. It’s not hard to imagine the numerous potential applications for just about every sector. Millions of people are purchasing VR technology, and they’ll want to use the pricey equipment to its fullest advantage. If your organization can come up with a slick way to deliver content or a user experience to this emerging technology, you’ll see a sudden boost in sales.

Big Data Keeps on Growing

There’s an interesting thing about data. The more of it anyone amasses, the more useful it becomes. Companies are relying heavily on mining Big Data as much as possible to guide their marketing. Being able to predict results accurately means you can spend marketing dollars much more wisely. Big Data has been contributing a lot to the top end for large organizations. Next up we’ll see small and mid-sized enterprises catch up. Amazon Web Services have some Big Data options that marketers will build applications for to help the ecosystem grow.

Multi-Channel Marketing Continues to Dominate

Companies have to craft specific messages for the various crucial social networks. If they don’t, they’ll find the effectiveness of their overall campaign diminishes. Having to do this requires more work and money, but the results make it a mainstay. It’s not enough to manage a Facebook Page. You should also represent your company on Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have a business where creating visuals is easy, consider the benefits of Pinterest and Instagram. There’s no one size fits all strategy that will work for any small business’ marketing plan, but it is a digital marketing trend that is still a staple.

Social Analytics Become Essential

Analytics help marketers correctly interpret social media information. Analytics may not mean much when you first start, but when you’re running multiple campaigns with high budgets, they are unavoidable. It helps to see what content matters most and who your most influential followers are at all times. Social analytics dashboards range in features, but all of them give you profound insights into how you interact with customers and prospects. For those who are waging campaigns across multiple channels, this type of knowledge is hugely important.

Video Never Slows Down

By now you’re probably investing heavily in video content. That digital marketing trend will continue in 2017 and beyond. People love the format of video. If you introduce a video marketing campaign to your inbound marketing efforts this year, expect a boost in your activity. Attracting viewers on Facebook and YouTube is easy. Facebook has been granting precedence to video content for months, and that will go on for quite some time. Now’s an excellent time to dive in with both of your feet and start pushing engaging video content. There are still many of your competitors who haven’t been producing videos. Beat them to market and win new fans and customers.

Distributing Your App Helps Growth

2017 may be the year to advertise your app to a broad market. The app ecosystem is so large that it’s still possible to find low-cost advertising that works. It’s worth experimenting by targeting those who are already using related applications. You may be able to poach the exact type of customer you want at an affordable cost. Have your digital marketing agency come up with a strategy that takes the vibrant world of App Discovery into consideration. Investing in an app once is never enough. It matters that you continue to improve your offering and that you advertise it far and wide. Rewards for companies that stay consistent with their marketing are high.

The classics won’t change this year. In marketing, that means to have a strong brand and a coherent message. If people can quickly identify what your company sells, you’re on the right path. It might be worth discarding older marketing material and coming up with fresh new ideas. If you aren’t into doing it yourself, many professionals can assist. People who work with digital marketing every day develop a strong sense of what works. Once you plug your existing efforts into a digital framework, you have a chance to really take off!

No matter what digital marketing trend you decide on, make sure you follow up with your clients! Whether you use email alone or call or text them doesn’t matter. You’ll find those who have dealt with you in the past can be excellent sources of revenue. Sometimes all it takes is a simple reminder that you’re out there and can help them. That triggers a process that ends with them seeking you out for more services! Adding more people to the top of your sales funnel and selling more to those who are already customers will help you get excellent returns.