Business guru Grant Cardone discussed the benefits of network marketing at a recent event covered by the Eric Worre – Network Marketing Pro YouTube Channel.

The Community Advantage
For many, the most significant appeal of network marketing is not the products or the potential profits but the community. Engaging with a network that shares a common goal can transform an individual’s personal and professional life. This is particularly resonant for those like the speaker, who felt limited by the ‘backward’ thinking of his local environment in Louisiana. Network marketing offered him a gateway to a broader world, providing a platform to connect with thousands who aspire to redefine their boundaries of success and personal freedom.

High-Quality Products at the Forefront
Another point often highlighted by advocates of network marketing is the quality of products it can offer. These products tend to stand out not only in terms of innovation but also in integrity. The market’s competitive nature means that products filled with ‘junk’ are quickly weeded out—customers today are more informed and discerning than ever before. This environment pushes network marketing companies to uphold high standards. The speaker emphasizes that legitimate network marketing businesses usually provide superior products, as they cannot rely solely on aggressive advertising budgets like those of some Fortune 500 companies.

A Low-Cost, Flexible Opportunity
Perhaps the most enticing aspect of network marketing is the low financial barrier to entry juxtaposed with a potentially high reward. For a modest initial investment, often just a few hundred dollars, individuals can join a network marketing program and start building their business. This setup is particularly appealing because it offers flexibility that many traditional jobs lack. Participants can maintain their regular jobs while growing their network marketing business, providing a financial cushion and reducing risk.

The Compensation Model
Network marketing compensation structures are designed to reward personal sales and the recruitment of new members. As participants expand their network and their team’s sales volume increases, so does their potential income. This tiered compensation model can be highly lucrative for those skilled at selling products and building teams.

The Dual-Edged Sword of Network Marketing
While network marketing offers numerous benefits, the challenges are equally significant. Success in this field requires more than enthusiasm; it demands persistence, sales prowess, and the ability to genuinely connect with people and understand their needs. The market is replete with stories of those who have not only succeeded but also struggled and failed.

The network marketing model isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It suits self-motivated people who enjoy social interaction and are looking for flexible work arrangements. However, it can be a poor fit for those who prefer more structured, predictable work environments or are not comfortable with the model’s relational dynamics and sales aspect.

As with any entrepreneurial endeavor, network marketing offers substantial opportunities tempered by significant risks. The allure of being part of a vibrant community, accessing quality products, and potentially earning a considerable income must be weighed carefully against the realities of what it takes to succeed in such a competitive and dynamic field. For those considering this path, it is crucial to approach with a clear understanding of the model, a realistic set of expectations, and a strategy for personal and professional growth. As the work landscape continues to evolve, network marketing remains a noteworthy option on the spectrum of self-employment.

The discussions come during heightened regulatory scrutiny of significant technology companies, with concerns over market dominance and anti-competitive practices under the spotlight. Against this backdrop, Alphabet’s potential bid for HubSpot represents a rare example of a major tech firm pursuing a mega deal amid regulatory headwinds, particularly under the Biden administration, which has signaled a more aggressive stance on antitrust enforcement.

While Alphabet has not yet submitted a formal offer to HubSpot, discussions with Morgan Stanley investment bankers suggest that the tech giant is actively considering its options. Key considerations include determining HubSpot’s appropriate valuation and assessing the regulatory hurdles that may arise from such a significant consolidation in the tech sector.

If the acquisition were to proceed, it would mark Alphabet’s largest-ever deal, underscoring its ambition to expand its footprint in the rapidly evolving CRM software market. HubSpot, which specializes in providing marketing software to companies with up to 2,000 employees, has experienced robust growth, with revenue reaching $2.2 billion in 2023 despite posting a net loss of $176.3 million.

The potential synergies between Alphabet and HubSpot’s business models are evident. A deal would enable Alphabet to diversify its revenue streams and tap into new sources of growth. By integrating HubSpot’s offerings into its ecosystem, Alphabet could strengthen its position in the competitive CRM software market and enhance its cloud computing capabilities, positioning itself as a formidable competitor against industry rivals such as Microsoft and Amazon.

However, the proposed acquisition is not without its challenges. Regulatory scrutiny looms, with antitrust authorities likely scrutinizing the potential impact on competition and consumer choice. Alphabet will need to navigate these regulatory complexities carefully and address any concerns regulators raise to secure approval for the deal.

Analysts have offered varied assessments of the potential deal, with some highlighting the strategic rationale behind the acquisition, while others express reservations about the regulatory risks and integration challenges. Nevertheless, the outcome of Alphabet’s deliberations could have far-reaching implications for the competitive dynamics of the tech industry and the broader digital ecosystem.

As Alphabet weighs the pros and cons of pursuing a deal with HubSpot, investors, and industry observers await further developments with keen interest. The decision to proceed with the acquisition will likely be influenced by a complex interplay of financial, strategic, and regulatory considerations, shaping the future trajectory of both companies and the broader tech landscape.

McGuinness emphasized the enormous potential of the global plant-based market, valued at approximately $1.4 trillion, making it a lucrative opportunity for companies like Impossible Foods. The focus of the new campaign is to broaden the appeal of plant-based meats beyond just vegetarians and vegans, targeting those who are looking to reduce their meat consumption without completely eliminating it from their diets.

“Our products are designed to appeal to meat-eaters,” McGuinness stated. “We’ve invested heavily in replicating traditional animal-based meats’ taste, texture, and flavor to provide consumers with a familiar and satisfying experience.”

In addition to the culinary experience, Impossible Foods is keen to highlight its products’ health and environmental benefits. Lower cholesterol, higher protein content, and a reduced environmental footprint compared to conventional meat production are among the key selling points the company is leveraging to attract health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers.

Addressing concerns about processed alternatives, McGuinness stressed the company’s commitment to offering nutritious and wholesome options. “We want consumers to know that our products are not only delicious but also nutritious,” he explained. “It’s not about demonizing traditional meat; it’s about offering a better alternative that is good for both people and the planet.”

Impossible Foods has been at the forefront of innovation in the plant-based meat industry, continuously expanding its product portfolio to cater to diverse consumer preferences. From burgers to sausages and even fish alternatives, the company is committed to providing a wide range of options to suit different tastes and culinary traditions.

As the plant-based market continues to grow and evolve, McGuinness believes that companies like Impossible Foods have a crucial role in shaping food’s future. “We are not just selling products; we are driving a movement towards a more sustainable and compassionate food system,” he said. “And with our new marketing strategy, we are confident that we can capture an even larger share of the market and accelerate the transition to a plant-based future.”

With its bold new advertising campaign, Impossible Foods is poised to significantly impact the plant-based meat market, appealing to a broader audience and solidifying its position as a leader in the industry. As consumers increasingly prioritize health, sustainability, and ethical considerations in their food choices, companies like Impossible Foods are well-positioned to meet their needs and drive positive change on a global scale.

“Even though we were acquired by Uber, we’re still a bit of a challenger brand in the category,” explains Kim. They got big, and the category got big. We wanted to get small.”

Their solution? Focus on the local markets and restaurants, harnessing the power of exclusive partners and merchants. But how do you translate the visceral experience of food into a brand campaign?

“We took some inspiration from that scene in Ratatouille,” Anderson reveals. “He eats this piece of food that sends this rush of memory. We love that notion that a single bite can be that visceral and emotional.”

Thus, the concept of “This is your brain on food” was born—a tagline that evokes the old anti-drug PSA language with a culinary twist.

“It’s really just like a pretty ridiculous experience of making it and wonderfully ridiculous ads, too,” Butt adds.

But translating these ideas into visuals was no small feat. The team tapped into animation to create a trippy, imaginative world where different foods evoke different emotions. From CG to 2D to claymation, each animation style was carefully chosen to match the experience of the food.

“We were very purposeful around selecting animation styles that felt right for the experience of that particular food,” explains Kim. “The challenge was to make sure that there was still a coherence through them all.”

And the result? A series of ads that capture the essence of food and seamlessly integrate merchants into the brand campaign, driving interest and engagement.

“It really functioned well as co-marketing for us and the merchants,” says Anderson. As a result, a lot of restaurants have now been coming to us asking to be included in our brand campaign.”

In the competitive world of food delivery, Postmates’ innovative approach to branding is setting them apart—and leaving customers hungry for more.

A journey that began in 1994, where the mere mention of Stanley Cups in the same breath as hot products of the future would have drawn laughter, has culminated in a staggering revenue surge for the company. From $74 million in 2019 to a staggering $750 million in 2023, the trajectory of Stanley’s success is nothing short of remarkable.

But beyond the numbers lies a masterclass in effective product marketing and the art of harnessing cultural momentum. As one observer notes, “with the Stanley Cup brand, you’re not just buying into a product, you’re buying into a community.” This sense of belonging, of being part of a tribe united by hydration, is a powerful draw that transcends mere utility.

With their blue-collar, utilitarian roots, Stanley Cups have managed to reinvent themselves for a new generation, thanks in no small part to the visionary leadership of Terrence Riley, the company’s president. Riley, no stranger to transforming the mundane into the desirable, previously worked his magic at Crocs, turning them into a fashion statement during his tenure as Chief Marketing Officer.

The secret to Stanley’s success lies not just in the quality of its products but also in its ability to cultivate a sense of exclusivity and community. Limited editions, scarcity, and the power of social commerce have all contributed to fueling the brand’s meteoric rise. While success has not been without its challenges, including instances of uncivilized behavior and concerns over product safety, Stanley remains undeterred.

In a world where brands vie for attention in an increasingly crowded marketplace, Stanley Cups have managed to cut through the noise by tapping into something deeper than mere consumerism. It’s not just about owning a product; it’s about being part of a movement, a cultural phenomenon that transcends boundaries.

As one industry insider muses, “We are all desperate to connect, belong, express who we are.” In Stanley Cups, many have found not just a water bottle, but a symbol of identity, belonging, and aspiration. And in a world where authenticity is currency, Stanley Cups are the real deal.

Dave Gerhardt, VP of Marketing at Drift, was recently interviewed on the B2B Growth podcast by John Rougeux who is VP of Marketing at Skyfii. Gerhardt discusses conversational marketing as a new B2B product category and how it is changing marketing from reaching out to you later to a conversation that is happening now:

Conversational Marketing is About Connecting You Now

Conversational marketing is a whole new way of thinking about marketing and sales. The traditional way of doing marketing and sales is all about later. Come to my website and fill out this form and somebody is going to reach out to you later, when it’s convenient for them. The big shift that is happening in marketing and business over the last five to ten years is customers have all the power today. You can’t make people wait. Information is free now.

I can find anything I want to know about a company without ever having to go to your website. It’s crazy to think that you are going to force people to go to your website, fill out a form, wait three days to hear back from your sales team, and then get a demo. Conversational is all about connecting you now with the people who are ready to buy now while they are live on your website.

B2P – Marketing to People

It’s not about buyers. It’s not about sellers. It’s not about sales. It’s not about marketing. It’s about people. That’s how people all communicate online today. I pressed one button in my car and I got a list. I ordered something from Amazon while I was here this morning to send back to my house and it’s going to be there tomorrow when I get home. There are countless examples of that. That is how we all behave online in our real lives today.

But then something happens weird happens. We go to our jobs in B2B and none of the tools that we use match how we actually buy as real people. That’s the most exciting thing to me about conversational marketing. It’s really closing the gap between B2C and B2B. We just call it B2P, marketing to people.

What Ties Our Products Together is Conversation

We have an email product and we have a landing page product. Black and white versions of those people would say everybody has email, everybody has landing pages. The thing that ties those together is conversation. That forces us to think about what is conversational email? What is conversational landing pages? What is conversational whatever? That one word forces our product team to think about how can we change this? If our fundamental stance as a company is that the internet should be one conversation, then how does that weave into everything that we build?

Ultimately what we care about is that email becomes a conversation. Meaning, the way that marketers have had to use email the last decade is a one-way channel. Email is meant to be a two-way channel. Marketers have been using it as, “John come to my webinar.” What happens if you actually respond to that email? Most of the time you can’t because it’s donotreply@ or it just goes to some inbox where nobody is answering it. That is a terrible experience. Our belief is that if you reply, “Hey actually I can’t make it. Can you reregister my colleague?” That should get handled. We are thinking of that from an evolution standpoint.

The same thing with landing pages. Most landing pages today are static. You go to the landing page, put a bunch of info in and you are gone. What if that was a real-time conversation on the page? That one topic has to weave itself into everything we do from a product perspective.

>> Listen to the complete interview with Drift Marketing VP Dave Gerhardt on the B2B Growth podcast.

Our lives are affected today by digital platforms and content taking over today. The demand for digital content keeps rising. For instance, the global digital content creation market size is expected to touch over $16 billion by 2025. This means a business that invests in digital products has a chance to thrive.

There is a lot involved in making a hustle out of a digital product like eBooks, tickets, podcasts, manuals, or tutorials. It all begins by having the basic knowledge to run a successful online business. Here is a guide on starting an online business selling digital products.

Register your Business

The first step to starting an online business is registering it with the relevant authorities. You want to ensure your business is legitimate and recognized. You can register your business as an LLC and get the proper certification and copyright for your digital products.

The cost of registering an LLC may vary depending on your state. For instance, in Delaware, it costs about $415. This cost includes a state filing fee, name reservation, and adding a registered agent. When you register your business as an LLC, you can reap the benefits of a partnership and a sole proprietorship.

An LLC allows you to reduce personal liability to your business while gaining flexibility in operation and taxation. The process of registering an LLC is not that long compared to other types of business. You should also learn more about the benefits of an LLC for different types of business before deciding the best type of business to register.

Define Your Image and Brand

If you are selling digital products online, you will need a brand image that can sell your products and battle the stiff competition in the online market. Your brand is like an overall vibe of the business. It will need to be iconic enough in case you do expand enough to have more products or even a business delivery fleet.

You want to ensure everything in your business, right from the business name to the design, conveys a consistent idea and visual image of your business.

When working on your brand, you should focus on the logo, color scheme, page layout, typography, photos and graphics. These elements should work together in portraying your brand image out there.

Build a Responsive Website

A website is a must-have if you want to sell digital products. As soon as you’ve validated your business idea, you should proceed to build your website. A website is like your storefront for selling digital products.

It is not that difficult to build a website nowadays. You can create your website in just hours without coding skills using any of the best website builders. You can also hire a website designer to design your website who will also help you choose the best host server that will keep you online round the clock.

When designing a website to sell digital products like courses, written content, and podcasts, you should ensure it has all the required functionalities. Here is what you should do:

• Incorporate forms so visitors can subscribe and join your list.
• Build customized landing pages that can educate your audience to learn more about your products and services.
• Design your website to accept payments so it is easy to sell online.
• Optimize your website for mobile and make it responsive to most visitors who access your services using their smartphones and tablets.

Build an Audience to Sell to

For a physical store, this will sound like building a customer base. If you are selling digital products like a coding course, you want to first build an audience that needs your product. At this point, you want to make use of your greatest asset, the email list.

Everyone on your email list is interested in your brand, which means they trust you. There is a high probability that they will buy from you if only you market your products and services. Add people to your email list and begin marketing your brand to them. Send emails with information on your products and services. This is called list building.

You can give people freebies in exchange for their contact information. For instance, if you are selling a course, you can give a short coaching session to everyone that subscribes to your email list. Freebies can act as your lead magnet. It can attract leads to your business and help you grow your business.

Optimize Your Website for Conversions

You are already selling your digital products to your customers at this stage of the business. What remains is finding ways to increase your sales. If you want to increase your sales, you should optimize your site leveraging SEO to convert most visitors to customers.

To optimize your website, you should look at the data on your site. What do the numbers say about your most trafficked pages? You should also identify the pages on your website that most people rarely visit, and once they do, they leave the page fast.

You want to ensure you can hold your visitors for long so you can get the chance to convince them into buying your products and services. Focus on removing the things that don’t work on your site and improve those that work to optimize your website sales funnel.

You should focus more on how you can sell your digital products on the website. Therefore, make it clear that your website aims to attract people willing and able to buy your products and services.

Make sure you can send every visitor to your landing page, and you persuade them to buy. To achieve this, ensure you have a call to action on one very single page of your website. Go straight to the point and tell your visitors what you want them to do.

You can then reward them accordingly for taking action you asked for.

Final Thoughts                                     

Suppose you are out to start a business selling digital products, now is the right time to start. Register your business and get a copyright for your products. Build a website, brand, and audience for your products and services.

Start your business today by following the five steps listed here and turning your fantastic idea into an income-generating business.

Fortunately, digitization has made it possible for small businesses to reach out to prospects online in the global marketplace. Businesses shouldn’t overlook the importance of digital marketing, regardless of their size. Besides learning various effective digital marketing methods, small businesses should keep tabs on digital marketing trends to remain competitive. Below are a few reasons small businesses shouldn’t overlook digital marketing strategies.

1.  Target Online Customers

Unlike before, modern shoppers begin their search for brands, products, and services online. In the current digital age, prospects expect businesses to have a strong social media presence and a website. There’s a lot that potential customers look for before reaching out to brands for business. For instance, parents might want to know how to transfer a car title from parent to child before buying car insurance.

Small businesses should leverage this opportunity to reach such customers. Your website should be mobile responsive, reflect your brand image, and have solid reviews. Most online customers start by reading reviews to learn what other customers say about your business. For instance, 87% of online customers check online reviews before reaching out to local businesses.

2.  Learn What Your Competitors are Doing

Small businesses should pay attention to their competitors for business success. Digital marketing methods can help businesses monitor and learn from their competitors. For instance, regardless of your niche, if your competitors have a better-performing web presence, you can begin by evaluating their content strategy. Do they use blogs or visual content?

Conducting thorough competitor research is the best way to learn about your competitors. Identify their preferred platforms, focus keywords, influencers, and other important pointers. Excellent tools for competitor research include:

• Ahrefs – Best for discovering competitor’s linked content
• SEMrush – Best for finding ranking keywords
• BuzzSumo – Used to track performing content types
• Moz – Keyword ranking platform
• Google Alerts – Used to track competitor mentions

You should also explore other consumer insights tools to boost your content marketing strategy.

3.  Improve Accessibility to Customers

You should strive to position your small business in front of potential customers, which is majorly the online space. As mentioned, modern customers start searching for products online. Businesses without an online presence miss many opportunities and cannot compete equally, especially if competitors have a strong online presence.

Small businesses should leverage digital marketing to position their brands in front of prospects. Besides creating a strong website, digital marketers should learn search engine optimization to outrank competitors on Google searches. Keywords (both long and short tail) are important, and you should understand how to use them to rank your website.

An online presence creates an environment where customers can reach out day and night. Prospects and customers can send emails, schedule appointments, and purchase products or services anytime. You can also visit WebmastersHall to learn more about improving your digital marketing efforts for enhanced accessibility to customers.

Endnote

Digital marketing is beneficial to small businesses in many ways. Unlike other marketing strategies, digital marketing is affordable, making it suitable for small businesses with limited marketing budgets. Businesses that haven’t ventured into the digital space miss a lot of customers and business opportunities.

Seth Freeman, Chief Marketing Officer of Buffalo Wild Wings, was recently interviewed on Adweek’s CMO Moves podcast with Nadine Dietz. Freeman discussed their new “game on” brand architecture that defines not just their new marketing strategy but really the heart of the business. “The purpose ultimately is really about inspiring legendary experiences between friends,” noted Freeman:

Turning Good Times With Friends Into Great Times With Brothers

When I think of brand architecture it really gets to the essence of the brand. There are three components to it in the way we framed it up.  They are the promise, the essence, and the purpose. We identified an insight out there that guys want to turn good times with friends into great times with brothers. More accurately, legendary experiences with brothers. That was the cultural insight that really framed our brand architecture.

When we think about our purpose we defined our promise as the great American sports bar that turned game time into stories worth telling. It wasn’t just about inviting folks to watch a game. It was about translating that into an experience worth telling. That’s what folks are really looking for. That’s the promise that we deliver on every single day. That’s why we get up. That’s why folks are going out there and doing the job that they do and delivering a great experience.

It’s “Game On” for Buffalo Wild Wings

Our purpose ultimately is really about inspiring legendary experiences between friends. The essence of the brand is around this idea of camaraderie and ritual and something that we like to call “game on.” It’s our ability to make sure that when folks come in to experience Buffalo Wild Wings that we have a game on mentality and that we bring them the very best of who we are. We have 80,000 folks out there working across Buffalo Wild Wings and they bring it every single day.

As we were talking to consumers, one of the things we learned was that some of the most impactful experiences that they talked about was with the bartenders and servers. They are influencing whether or not those folks come back. For instance, one of the most memorable experiences they talked about was the bartender remembering them when they came back.

That is our brand architecture, but it also lends itself to things we have done in rolling out this purpose to the broader community through our Brand Champ Initiative. That really is a cultural movement that we are employing across our franchises and corporate stores. We have over 1,200 locations where folks are trained to make sure that the brand architecture is translating to a way that is meaningful to the consumers and also meaningful to the folks that are on the front lines every single day.

Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Marketing, discusses how B2B influencer marketing can be a highly effective force in driving leads and conversions for companies. Lee was interviewed by Tim Washer at the 2019 Content Marketing World Conference & Expo:

Influencer Marketing Is Powerful Because Of Influence Itself

Influencer marketing is powerful because of influence itself, not about the people. Influence has always been a factor in being persuasive and being effective as a communicator, as a marketer, and really being able to tap into the dynamics of that. The psychology and sociology of that is something that is everlasting, it’s evergreen. While there are trends in terms of tactics that come and go, there’s this consumerization of B2B. B2C influencers are misbehaving and have fake followers, etc. and some of that’s leaking over into B2B. But I think that’ll reconcile a little bit and kind of clean itself out. In the future brands are going to be looking at influence as a really key component of their holistic marketing strategy internally and externally.

A lot of people when they think of influencer marketing they think of a Kardashian or some people think of something like Baddiewinkle, a 90-year-old woman who wears hip-hop clothes and now has her own makeup line on Sephora versus someone like Tamara McCleary interviewing an executive at Dell about the right IT infrastructure for doing edge computing. That’s really what it’s about in B2B.

B2B Influencers Actually Have To Have The Main Expertise

One of the big differences between B2B and B2C influencers is that in B2B you actually have to have the main expertise. You actually have to be knowledgeable and have a depth of that expertise in what it is that you’re influential about. It’s also important to have a network for distribution and a place to publish your content. It’s great to have a personality and that’s less common in B2B, where you have charisma. Well, lack of personality is a form of personality I suppose. 

The good thing is that we’ve figured out ways to coach folks that have that domain expertise and an active following but they’re not necessarily used to being social. We are coaching them in how to activate themselves and to pull out the best of what they have to share in a way that’s very promotable. Many of them start to open up a little bit after we show them how to do it.

B2B Influencer Marketing Adds Up To Nurture and Conversion

In the planning stages (with a client looking to promote something) we’ll look at the topics that are important around the announcement and how it affects customers and how customers will think of that news and how it’ll affect or change their lives. Those topics are then what we want to be influential about. We’ll use those keywords or topics to search our network using influencer marketing software to find who is influential around those topics, who’s publishing content, who self-identifies around that topic, and whose audience is actually activated around that topic. We find those people who have trusted voices with an active community and we invite them to collaborate on content and give their opinion about the announcement. 

We co-create content with them in concert with brand messaging. So now instead of people just ignoring the press release we actually have storytelling happening with these different voices. You have this intersection of one or two or three or four influencers talking about this topic and those audiences intersect and cross. They intersect across channels too. Your customer is hearing this credible message not only from the brand but also from people that they trust in different channels. That all adds up to yes. That all adds up to nurture and ultimately conversion.

Such is the reason why marketing – digital marketing in particular – is so crucial for the starry-eyed entrepreneur. Without a strong marketing campaign, it’s likely that your business ends up neglected by your demographic in favor of the more visible competition.

It can be frustrating to try to tackle the problem on your own, especially when your competition is making partnerships with some of the best marketing agencies out there. Therefore, it’s vital to learn the ins and outs of marketing to ensure that you make the most out of all the opportunities presented as you maneuver your company through the industry landscape.

Treat Your Website as a Marketing Tool

One of the first things to consider on the road to marketing success is the idea that your primary website is the last line of defense when it comes to keeping the attention of your prospective clients. While a good marketing campaign will have people clicking on your adverts, keep in mind that it’s still your website that determines whether they stay and make a purchase.

If the website is not properly optimized, it will likely result in a high abandonment rate. A few things to consider regarding web optimization includes:

●  Loading times. Quick loading times will almost always translate to online users giving your website a chance. Most people only give upwards to ten seconds for a website to catch their attention. If a good five seconds are spent waiting for the site to load, they’ll likely exit the tab and look elsewhere.

●  Accessibility. An accessible website can help open the door to plenty of new opportunities. For example, translation services for video content could help you grow a new demographic abroad. Closed captions will make it much easier for those with hearing problems to follow your content. Additionally, something as simple as a font size changer on your website can mean a lot for those with vision problems.

●  Ease of use. Developing a website for marketing is as easy as making it simple for online users to get to the checkout page. Ensure that your website is easy to navigate with a minimalist template.

Your primary website is the last line of marketing defense, which means it’s up to you to develop a robust strategy to keep the attention of online users once you’ve turned their heads.

Make a push for search engine optimization (SEO)

What makes digital marketing such an integral part of business management is that it can be surprisingly easy and affordable to get your start. All you need is a robust SEO marketing agency to help make the push toward marketing success. A link-building agency is necessary to ensure that your company spreads the word far and wide, and agencies such as Ocere can offer you the opportunities you need.

Develop Your Company’s Personality Online

Another crucial part of marketing involves building your company’s personality with the help of social media platforms. Staying active in such platforms gives eager entrepreneurs the chance to interact with potential customers and even offers a convenient hub for feedback. How your company responds to feedback will determine how your demographic views your business.

Aside from the various tips above, it’s all about learning from your chosen marketing agencies. The professionals can teach you the best-practice methods you need to make a difference and develop a sound marketing strategy. After all, it would be a wasted opportunity to let the professionals do all the work when you have just as many opportunities to improve your company’s reputation.

Nirosha Methananda, Vice President of Marketing at Bombora, discusses the challenges of marketing without annoying your potential customers by bombarding them with marketing messages in an interview with Logan Lyles on the B2B Growth Podcast:

Marketing Is Really About the Customer Experience

As a B2B marketer, I get marketed to a lot. It’s something that I have increasingly noticed and I’m probably not the only one. That’s just becoming part of the experience in terms of being inundated with different messaging and different calls and this, that, and the other. Use this, do this, buy this, whatever it is. It’s really not a great experience. It doesn’t necessarily provide value. Marketers are so busy as it is, and I know that is applicable across the board with everyone we are marketing to. Being able to cut through the noise and having an understanding of all these different things is very challenging. 

Having on top of it being inundated with this constant flow of messaging like meet me, meet me, meet me, is not very helpful. That’s one of the things that I’m passionate about. It’s really about customer experience. I think that is something fundamental to marketing. I feel like we have gone down this path of almost over automating and having to constantly pounce on people without necessarily being conscious and mindful of what their experience is on the other end. From my experience, it’s leading to me switching off and ignoring messages. I’m sure I’m not the only one. 

Create a Marketing Strategy That’s Not Annoying

It also leads to this annoyance and irritation which leads to distrust of brands and that’s not great for this industry. From a customer perspective those bad experiences, unfortunately, more than good experiences, they stay with you for longer and you remember that. Another thing that we don’t necessarily think of is that it’s wasteful. It’s wasteful of time and it’s wasteful of money especially for marketing and sales where money is a precious resource. It’s not something to be wasted. That’s basically why I’m passionate about creating a marketing strategy that’s not annoying.

As an example, our Intent Event was our first flagship event that we did last year. It was a closed event so we did have limited numbers and we were limited as to what we could do with promotion. What we did was try to have mindfulness around what we were sending out and ensuring that it was helpful. Making sure that the recipients, the people that we invited, were given all the relevant information, but there was brevity in the communication as well as encouraging them to participate without forcing them to be there. 

There was certainly some urgency around some of our communication but it wasn’t you need to attend this and this is why you must attend this. It was more about being a bit more subtle in presenting them the idea and the concept of what it was, why it would help them, and exactly the information that they needed. What that meant was not sending out multiple emails, being very controlled around it, really thinking about what the experience was before the event, to during the event, to after the event. We were really focused on the customer and making sure that all of the content and communication was educational and helpful.

A lot of major companies are using artificial intelligence because it helps make their job easier. If you notice in the infographic below, you will see that 77% of companies use or are researching artificial intelligence. 

Industries Using AI and Marketing

For example, AI is used in legal and professional services, high-tech, financial services, retail, automotive, and pharmacy. AI can solve problems in some of these marketing industries because it can facilitate learning and create new solutions.  

For example, AI has been used in 14% of pharmacies in healthcare while it is used in 28% of legal and professional services. It proves that AI is progressing in each of these industries, regardless of its level of usage.

AI is employed in diverse industries, each utilizing its unique applications within the aspect of marketing. It is utilized in email marketing, marketing lead scoring, customer service routing, fraud detection, cross-selling and upselling, and service chatbot. It is used a lot in businesses as it helps increase productivity.

It will help increase productivity due to the advancements of new AI applications. There has been an increase in AI startups since 2000. It is constantly on the move of making more and better marketing tools. 

New AI Tools

There are new marketing tools that have been created for businesses and individuals to leverage in their daily activities. Examples include ChatGPT, Make-A-Video, Bard, and many others. 

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that is capable of interactive dialogue as 1 million people utilize these tools. Make-A-Video is an AI tool that helps generate videos from text-based prompts. Bard is Google’s newest answer to ChatGPT.

There are many more marketing tools, but they all help contribute to the betterment of businesses. These tools contribute to enhancing marketing outcomes on a global scale, as they are widely embraced and utilized to achieve better marketing results.

These tools utilize advanced technologies such as natural language processing, video generation, and content creation algorithms to enhance marketing strategies. 

Experts are deeply intrigued by the continuous improvement and advancement of AI. According to the founder and CEO of the Marketing AI Institute, businesses that fail to adopt AI are falling behind in today’s society.

Individuals who embrace and use AI will gain an understanding of its capabilities and its capabilities in solving business challenges.

Bringing it all Together

Due to the ongoing evolution of AI, the world can anticipate additional applications in the future. There will also be new features for AI in the future. AI in marketing automation is increasingly relied upon, and small businesses are enjoying enhanced accessibility to these technologies. See more about AI and marketing in the visual deep dive below, courtesy of Nova:

The FCC has been battling robocalls, working to shut down the companies that make them, as well as those that fail to block them. The agency has issued a cease-and-desist to Avid Telecom, saying the company is “apparently originating illegal robocall traffic on behalf of one or more of ts clients.”

The FCC says the robocalls targeted American consumers with insurance-related calls. The agency is giving Avid the opportunity to block the calls or risk all of its traffic being blocked.

Avid should investigate the identified traffic and take the steps described below, including blocking the traffic if necessary, and take steps to prevent Avid’s network from continuing to be a source of apparently illegal robocalls. Failure to comply with the steps outlined in this letter may result in downstream voice service providers blocking all of Avid’s traffic, permanently.

“Robocalls are used by scammers to deceive consumers,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “We have an all-hands-on-deck approach to combating these calls and will not stop until consumers are truly safe from scammers.”

Favicons are those little icons that show up in browser tabs when visiting certain websites. They’re a way for websites to add a little more branding, but many users find them annoying and distracting. What’s more, browser favicons have been exposed as a privacy risk, allowing bad actors to track users’ activity.

Evidently, Google still believes favicons may have a place in advertising, and is testing their inclusion, according to a tweet by Google’s AdsLiason account.

This is part of a series of small experiments to help users more easily identify the brand or advertiser associated with the Search ads they may see for a given query.

AdsLiason (@adsliason), January 24, 2022

There’s no indication when Google will make a final decision.

From promoting a product or service, increasing engagement with clients, or extending their reach on social media platforms, video content marketing is flexible and accessible. In addition, it presents an influential lead over your competitors when executed right and built with a superior online video editor.

Significance of Video Marketing For Your Business

Video digital marketing engages your potential clients by conveying a compelling story about your product interactively and bringing life to your products.

While a high-quality photo and a brief description provide a fundamental view of your product, a video can convey all of the elements and advantages, explaining why the clients should be interested in purchasing your product. Listed here are some reasons why video marketing can prove beneficial for your business growth.

Videos Are an Excellent Way to Describe Your Product

Online video content assists potential customers in learning more about your product. According to a recent report, 94 percent of online marketers believe using video content helps improve user knowledge of a product or service.

In addition, clients will only purchase your goods when they know better about your product and how they can use them. Unsurprisingly, video content exceptionally provides better visuals and helps companies clearly describe how things work.

Video Content Provides a Higher Return on Investment

The return on investment (ROI) from your video marketing depends on numerous factors, including how well you have managed your content design and the quality of your promotional videos.

However, 83 percent of respondents say that video marketing provides them with a higher return on investment. In addition, while many online marketers think of video as a costly and time-consuming process, you can use a video maker or an online video editor, making it effortless to create video fast without a considerable budget.

Video Marketing Can Help Boost Your Conversion Rates

Yes, it is a fact. Recent research indicates that using videos in your online marketing campaign can help boost your conversions by around 14%. An excellent way to use video on your landing page can be an explainer video for your products or services. This is an excellent option for your client to watch a quick video to know all about what your product or service does, usually in an entertaining or eye-catching way.

Therefore, it is valuable to hold your finger on the pulse here. In addition, video content invariably changes. Key trends that you can try include a product video (a live demo) and product reviews. This content becomes engaging for clients, and by having them on your online marketing, you can drive sales and boost your conversions more than you would ever expect.

The Future of Video Marketing Is Bright

As technology proceeds to pivot and change, how we employ it too. For video marketing, that implies more forms than ever to make your online audience receptive and engaged to you and your business.

It is crucial to understand how videos can be deployed to significantly influence one-to-one promotional videos to live streams. With the future of AR, VR, and online video streaming services at your disposal, it is the ideal time to get into video content marketing, remaining updated on the most advanced ways you can convey your message to your audience.

Video Content Engages Even the Laziest Audience

Video content has become an excellent tool for understanding, but it is also effortless to consume. Modern life is too busy to go through lengthy product descriptions or explore in-depth services. The contemporary client likes to see their preferred product in action.

Video preference is one of the most significant driving forces of employing video in your video content marketing. In addition, video marketing can help you attract a wide base target audience, and it operates on numerous levels.

Video Marketing Is Your Email Campaign’s Best Friend

Compelling viewers to open your email in this fast-paced, modern world is a significant challenge. However, according to a study, just using the word ‘video’ in your email subject line can improve your CTR (Click-through rate) by 200-300%

It is why more and more online marketers are now using interactive video content in their email campaigns. This could indicate anything from showcasing a product that a client has rejected to a welcome email for your first-time clients to build a relationship.

In addition, engaging video content within your email marketing strategy can assist you in engaging, persuading, and informing your target audience. Also, as it is well-known that online users love watching videos over any form of media, why not leverage its benefits to boost your business growth.

Google Prefers Optimized Video Content

Apart from videos being excellent elements in numerous online marketing campaigns and being a fantastic tool to provide information, another significant advantage for online marketers is better ranking on search engine results pages.

In addition, if you take the time to guarantee that your video content remains SEO optimized, with an engaging and appropriate thumbnail, good quality content, and eye-catching title, your video marketing can bring plenty of organic traffic to your website. It can likewise improve your search engine ranking and earn higher views in the process.

Final Words

In a nutshell, video marketing online businesses is a significant factor. It is a reinforcement mechanism for those companies that have just started their online journey. The most meaningful side of video marketing is that it transforms how online users see your products or service. Therefore, while creating exceptional video content, it is better to understand your strengths and execute them.

This way, you can drive on your way towards achieving heights and growth you never imagined. Also, video marketing can help you drive higher organic traffic to your website that boost your business visibility, and help you become more profitable.

Global ecommerce revenue is projected to reach 5.4 trillion US dollars by 2022. Therefore, more and more retailers have jumped into the ecommerce space to make more money. With increasing competition, however, it has become crucial for ecommerce businesses to deliver the best brand experience for improved customer retention and brand loyalty.

The choice of your website’s ecommerce theme plays a vital role in preparing an UX-friendly digital destination that helps to acquire more customers.

What is an ecommerce theme?

An ecommerce theme is a pre-built design that you can select for your online store. It helps to deliver the best user experience to your customers.

Why is the choice of your ecommerce theme significant?

Around 40% of site visitors will stop interacting with your site if the layout is unattractive. Selecting the right ecommerce theme for your online store helps your customers to do business with you with ease.

What features should you look for in your ecommerce theme?

The features that you should have in your site depends on the kind of website that you are looking to build.

That having been said, here are the top features you should look for in every ecommerce theme:

Responsive Design

A responsive website is mobile-friendly. Having a responsive site design ensures that your website’s look and functionality stays the same irrespective of the browsing device. It doesn’t matter whether the visitor is visiting your store using a mobile device or a desktop, they will be able to complete the purchase easily.

A responsive design also has a positive impact on Google rankings, because Google and other search engines consider site design, user experience, and mobile browsing experience before ranking a website.

Hence, a responsive website has more chances of ranking higher in the search results as compared to a non-responsive site. Besides, a responsive site is easy to maintain and cost-effective.

Speed

Faster loading websites naturally offer a more smooth user experience. Google and other search engines now consider site speed in their ranking algorithm.

The recent Page Experience update from Google takes into account Core Web Vitals as a key ranking algorithm factor. Core Web Vitals comprises metrics such as LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), FCP (First Contentful Paint), and FID (First Input Delay), which collectively measure the real world user experience. Sites that pass the Core Web Vitals test have the best chances of being placed higher in the search results.

You can use the Page Speed Insights tool to check the page speed score of a website. The higher the score, the better would be the UX and organic rankings.

Therefore, before selecting a theme, you should conduct some research on the theme loading speed. Sometimes, fancy elements and design don’t matter much when compared to simple site design with a high speed.

Ease of Use

You should always select an ecommerce theme with a simple and easy to use navigation.

For example, your theme should have a search bar, because often visitors are looking to search for a particular product to complete the purchase. If your site doesn’t have a visible search bar, then it might lead to poor conversions and a high bounce rate.

Opt for a theme that has nicely designed “breadcrumb navigation” and prominent category and subcategory links. Besides, the CTAs should be large and clear. There are maximum chances of conversions when the CTAs are placed higher in the page leading to more clicks.

Security

Website security is crucial for a good user experience. Google takes website security very seriously. Make sure your ecommerce site offers good security.

Opt for an SSL certificate and pick a trustworthy web host. Ensure, your ecommerce theme does not have any vulnerabilities that makes it easier for hackers to steal customer data.

Support for integrations and widgets

Most of the time, you will realize that it is much easier to install a widget or an app to add an additional feature to your online shop.

You can find essential apps and plugins in the respective directories of your ecommerce platform. Plugins are powerful because they let you add beneficial functionalities to your store without the need to hire a developer. You can easily search and install a plugin of your choice to add different functionalities to improve UX and SEO.

Hence, you should see whether your chosen theme is compatible with the plugins you plan to use. You should select an ecommerce theme that offers the support for maximum plugins, apps, and widgets.

Final thoughts

Building and managing your ecommerce business is challenging nowadays. The choice of your ecommerce theme decides the future of your online business.

An SEO friendly store layout helps to acquire relevant organic traffic to your site. Besides, an UX-friendly theme keeps customers happy as it improves conversion and retention, which are significant to boost your online revenue.

You should have a brilliant online marketing strategy, powered by a robust ecommerce theme to drive more qualified traffic to your site.

Rob Locascio, CEO of LivePerson, predicts that the AI-driven conversational space will ultimately have as much impact and be as big an industry as ecommerce, search, or social. Locascio was interviewed by Jim Cramer on CNBC:

Ecommerce, Search, Social… and Conversational Space?

When I look at the conversational space I think it’s going to have as much impact as ecommerce or search or social. The ability to talk to a machine and have a natural conversation, it’s in the collective consciousness of people. We all believe the Alexa type situation should happen with every company. 

We do that with Delta and T-Mobile and all these big brands. What we’re looking at now is how do we take that to the world? LiveIntent is proprietary technology to look at the intent that a consumer is having with the brand. In terms of I want to buy something, we have a way to analyze that and then use machine learning algorithms to then scale those conversations. That’s what this is about. 

Healthcare Companies Defending Themselves From Amazon Via AI

In Q4 we signed a couple healthcare companies. They want to talk about defending themselves from Amazon because Amazon said they want to go into healthcare. The way they think they can do that is scaling the conversations they are having with their customers and creating a totally different experience. You go to a doctor, you have an experience with them, you capture that on a messaging platform and an AI will help you with whatever is wrong with you. You want to process a bill instead of calling and being put on hold, you do that through a conversational experience. 

They want to game change it. The only way they’re going to defend themselves is to get into the conversational space. That’s what they see and we’re the company they’re trusting to scale their operations with the conversational platform.

Conversational Space Is Going To Be As Big As Search and Social

The conversational space is going to be as big as search and social. I think you’ll see one day that there will be a trillion dollar company in this space and I want it to be us. The things we’re investing in right now and setting up for will allow us to do that. That’s what’s important. The Amazon’s and the Facebook’s and Apple’s, they’re in the space. Jeff Bezos made a big bet obviously in Alexa to say this is the way it’s going to be. 

It can’t just be Amazon and Alexa. It has to be other companies getting access to that technology and that’s what we are providing. Who else is providing it? We’re one of the largest companies in the world to do this. Even though we’re not big tech, we are large enough to go ahead and go after them. We are large enough to go ahead and define a space and win it.

What is Emotional Branding?

As the name suggests, emotional branding is a branding technique that tries to trigger various emotions in people. Happiness, love, and peace are the main emotions we think of when we talk about positive emotional branding, but they aren’t the only branding emotions you will find.

Experts believe that positive emotions extend from these basic feelings to more complicated ones. A full spectrum of positive emotions would include:

• Euphoria
• Happiness 
• Inspiration 
• Joy
• Kindness to pride
• Optimism
• Satisfaction
• Serenity, interest
• Awe 
• Relief 

Understanding Emotional Branding and its Benefits

A wider range of emotions in branding provides companies with the tools to run more diversified branding campaigns and get the desired results. Emotional branding is a successful branding technique that the world’s leading brands follow. 

For example, Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign revolved around emotional branding. Their bottles had the most common names worldwide printed, and the company asked their customers to post their names on social media. The campaign was a major hit and increased Coca-Cola’s brand reputation.

Emotional branding has much more to offer, and campaign runners should know the full benefits of this branding technique. We’ve listed down some of these benefits for you, so have a look.

Conceptualize Every Strategy

The main purpose of using emotional branding is to elevate and enhance any business-related change you wish to make. It adds more ground to your business decisions and helps people connect with you better. 

Many companies also use social incidents as an inspiration for their branding methods. A common example is Umber’s renowned anti-racism billboard which said:

If you tolerate racism, delete Uber. Black people have the right to move without fear.

The company tapped into the emotions around the “Black Lives Matter” movement and helped people feel valued. Yes, some people may have also deleted the application, but the overall result was still in Uber’s favor.

Creates more Usability

Such a diverse range of emotions can be challenging for brands to utilize in their campaigns. Fortunately, adding emotional branding to their marketing campaign helps brands get actionable insights in their campaigns too.

It can show you how the visitors on your website interact with the platform and help you advance with future tactics accordingly.

Provides better Storytelling

The emotional narrative of any branding strategy needs to connect with the brand’s target audience. 

A successful example of good storytelling is Heineken’s ‘Worlds Apart ‘, which revolves around the idea that despite differences among different countries, we still unite as one. The campaign helped their audiences see others differently and resonated pretty well with the audience. 

This kind of branding technique merged with an advanced video advertising solution can help reap better results. 

Improves the Product Design 

The best way to improve your product design is to create the one that the audiences love. Identifying the right product design is challenging since it won’t reflect well on your brand if you do not understand the audience’s requirements. The product design options are virtually limitless, making it pretty challenging for companies to find the right one.

Improving the product design requires understanding the customer’s expectations from the brand and delivering accordingly. Nike is one of the few brands that quickly mastered emotional branding and the right approaches. 

Their “Just do It” campaigns are among the most well-renowned emotional branding campaigns. It focuses on athletes that have suffered injuries and how they have bounced back from these challenges. 

Stand out with your Social Media

Social media is one of the most viable tools for brands wishing to better connect with their audiences. It allows direct engagement, content sharing, collecting real-time feedback, and much more with your target audience. 

However, branding your products through social media doesn’t always have to be direct. The “Unsung Hero” by Thai Life Insurance is a perfect example of this technique. It doesn’t mention the product directly, but it discusses the importance of human belief in values.

Social media allows brands to connect with their audiences personally, increasing the number of conversions towards their brand without direct advertising. 

Creates Experience Dialogue

Working on your emotional branding technique can help increase dialogue around your campaign. People have more things to say about your brand, and if these responses are good, they will improve how the industry sees your company as a whole.  

The more people talk about your brand, the more they know. Customer feedbacks are one of the simplest types of dialogues that you can advertise on your websites too.

 Mistakes to Avoid in Emotional Branding

Running an emotional branding campaign is great for a company’s brand reputation and overall stature in the industry. However, there are some mistakes you need to avoid, while emotional branding can be counterproductive for you. These include:

• Focusing on the features of your business instead of the values behind it
• Trying to address the audience in a technical or tactical language
• Failing to tell a compelling story to the audience
• Thinking of emotional branding as academic alone
• Trying to replicate what others may be doing with their brands
• Failing to launch a new product or brand internally may lead to inconsistencies within the company.
• Compromising on the branding budget 

Bottom Line

Emotional branding is a simple yet effective technique for resonating with audiences. It lets companies connect with their target groups on a more personal level and help them achieve better results. 

Emotional branding campaigns vary for each brand, and so does the message they want to put across. Some companies consider social movements as their primary emotional branding, while others may consider success stories or battling struggles their main selling point. Nevertheless, the fact remains that you can use emotional branding to effectively change the customers’ perception about your brand. 

Platforms like Get Cash, for example, employ AI to match borrowers with approved lenders within a 24-hour period. Even if your credit is less-than-perfect, you can apply on the internet for the finest short-term loan offer ranging from $100 to $5,000. AI is to blame for the loan requests being processed more quickly than in most banks and lending institutions.

However, let’s get back to the topic of how AI is influencing marketing. AI enables businesses to make choices that result in more creative and specialized advertising. That’s not all, though. Here are a few more ways that AI is having an impact on marketing. These are ways that businesses cannot afford to ignore. 

Voice Search Is Growing

It’s no surprise that many people are switching to hands-free data entry while traveling. As the world becomes more mobile, all kinds of changes to our lifestyle can be expected. According to recent research, technology has improved to the point where many algorithms can now accurately distinguish human speech about 95% of the time.

According to the most recent research, the voice search functionality of their smart speakers will be used by up to 33.2 million US consumers this year. 

In 2018, Nielsen found that one in every four Wi-Fi-enabled homes in America had a smart speaker. Therefore, companies will need to modify their SEO and marketing tactics in response to the growing popularity of voice search.

Additional Applications for Augmented and Virtual Reality

Although VR and AR have been around for quite a while, they are still seen as new. Although AR is currently more often used for video games these technologies are increasingly being employed for marketing. More and more businesses are realizing the potential of AR and VR as effective marketing tools.

Consider the augmented reality furniture app that allows you to test furniture, acoustic panels, or other amenities in your home before purchasing it. This is a great illustration of how AR can be both practical and entertaining. Additionally, some clothing companies have joined the virtual reality revolution. They design apps that let consumers try various outfit combinations without leaving their houses.

In order to avoid missing out on this fantastic opportunity, it is necessary to start investigating how to incorporate VR and AR into your marketing strategies immediately.

The Use of Chatbots for Marketing Is Growing

Chatbots facilitate marketing, which is why their acceptance is expected to increase. These AI innovations are perfect for handling the early stages of the marketing process. For instance, they are great at gathering contact information and information for a sales call, responding to typical customer service inquiries, or providing guidance on common technical issues. Up to a certain point, these chatbots assist in automating client communication before directing them to a person for assistance.

Chatbots may significantly improve the marketing process. Because most of this process is automated, you and your team will be able to perform more marketing duties and close more business as a result.

Chatbots on Facebook Messenger have also made great strides. Businesses can now offer an in-app shopping experience thanks to them. Customers can browse and even make purchases inside the chatbot with the right configuration. Therefore, it makes sense that more businesses are attempting to incorporate chatbots into their marketing plan.

More Individualized Advertising

The Facebook team started a project named Rosetta a few years ago. The initiative intends to improve the caliber of material that Facebook users see in their news feeds. Rosetta employs AI to improve user experience by determining users’ wants and maximizing their Facebook interactions.

Fundamental changes are occurring in traditional marketing procedures. These changes range from improved engagement to greater client loyalty and strong conversions. The quantity and variety of user data available today, including usage of social networks, purchase history, and personal preferences, pave the way for effective personalization.

However, businesses ought to do more than merely gather data; they ought to combine and analyze it in order to develop campaigns that directly cater to the needs of the people. This may be difficult, but the payoff is substantial.

The benefits of AI in digital marketing are hard to dispute. Marketing organizations can now employ emerging technology to enhance their tactics as they become more widely accessible.