5 Digital Marketing Resources for the New Year
The start of a new year feels like “back to school” for marketers. They’re refreshed after PTO and ready to dive into the newest projects, tasks, and goals.
To stay on top of their game, digital marketing experts can rely on a variety of free online marketing resources. These resources provide digestible and informative information about SEO, content marketing, and PPC advertising.
Google Ads Blog
Google Ads Blog is an online marketing resource that helps you reach your target audience with ads that are relevant to their interests. Its features include campaign optimization, ad placement, audience targeting, and tracking. It also offers tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Google advertising. The platform is free to use, but it requires a certain level of expertise. It is best used in conjunction with other digital marketing strategies, such as SEO and content marketing.
The Google Ads platform has a variety of ad formats, including display ads and video ads. These ads can be customized with images, descriptions and price tags. Additionally, they can feature a direct link to the product or service on your website. In addition, the platform can be integrated with other Google products and networks of third-party apps and websites.
There are seven different Google Ads campaign types: search, display, video, shopping, app, and smart campaigns. Each campaign type has its own ad format and goals. For example, search ads are text-based ads that appear among Google search results. Display ads are image-based and run on the Google Display Network. Video ads are short videos that play on YouTube. Shopping ads are ads that show up in search results and the Google Shopping tab. App ads promote your app on the Google App Store and in Google search. Smart campaigns automatically optimize your ads to drive the right results.
In addition to these ad formats, Google has recently added new features that will make the platform even more useful. For example, advertisers will now be able to get more detailed reporting on their campaigns. In addition, users can now find more information about their ad performance with personalized data on the Ads Statistics page.
WordStream
WordStream is a paid search marketing software tool that helps small and medium-sized businesses get more results from their online advertising. It provides easy-to-use tools for keyword research and organization, AdWords management, and Quality Score optimization. Its software automates best practices and delivers expert-level results in a fraction of the time. In addition, it offers free tools that help marketers improve their ads and campaigns.
A key feature of WordStream is its ability to manage multiple AdWords accounts. This allows you to monitor all aspects of your online marketing strategy from one place, saving you time and money. It also provides a wide range of reporting and campaign analysis tools, including keyword performance, conversion tracking, and competitor insights. WordStream is a popular choice among search engine marketing professionals for its user-friendly interface and helpful customer service.
Unlike other paid search advertising tools, WordStream has the advantage of being completely integrated with Google AdWords. This gives users the opportunity to optimize their campaigns in real-time, without having to wait for updates from Google. Additionally, it has several tools to help users improve their account performance, including an AdWords Performance Grader and a Keyword Efficiency Grader.
WordStream also has a series of articles on various topics related to PPC. Its experts share their expertise and knowledge in these articles, helping businesses understand how to improve their online marketing efforts. It is also a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the field of digital marketing. Moreover, WordStream has a large community of users who are constantly sharing their expertise with others.
BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is a content marketing tool that helps you discover what content your audience wants to see. Its search and analysis features allow you to find high-performing content on any topic. It also gives you a list of sharers for each piece of content, which can help you build connections with people who want to hear about your brand.
One of the most useful features of BuzzSumo is its backlink analysis feature. This allows you to find out which websites are linking to yours, as well as the quality of those links. This information can help you improve your SEO strategy and get your site to rank higher in search engine results pages.
Aside from finding new content ideas, BuzzSumo can also help you optimize your existing content. For example, it can show you how to write more compelling headlines, optimize keywords, and create engaging images. It can even tell you which social media platforms are best for promoting your content.
Another important feature of BuzzSumo is its ability to detect content that has gone viral. This can be useful for a variety of reasons, including crisis management. For example, if your company is involved in the news or has a celebrity spokesperson, you can use BuzzSumo to find out about any controversies that may affect your brand.
Aside from its robust backlink analysis and content research tools, BuzzSumo has many other valuable features that can make it a worthwhile investment. Its “Search” and “Analysis” features let you search by keyword or topic, and produce a set of data boxes and insightful graphs related to each piece of content. You can also filter by date, with the option to select a custom period up to five years in advance. You can also create a project to organize your research, and connect it with Google Analytics for further analysis.
Facebook Blueprint
Facebook Blueprint is a certification program from Facebook that validates digital marketers’ knowledge of the platform’s advertising products. It is a useful tool for companies looking to build a social media presence or expand their existing one. It is available in several countries, and its courses are easy to follow. The certification process can be a bit difficult, however, as it requires studying and preparation before taking the exam.
Facebook offers a number of different Blueprint exams, and each one has its own cost and requirements. Some require a proctored test, while others can be taken at home or work. You can find more information about the different options on Facebook’s website. Once you have passed an exam, Facebook will send you a digital badge that you can use to display on your professional sites and social media profiles.
Having a Facebook Blueprint certification is an excellent way to show your skills and boost your career. Many employers and clients look for this qualification when hiring someone for a position or pitching them for a project. The certification also gives you a competitive edge over other digital marketing professionals who do not have this certification.
Taking the Facebook Blueprint exam can be a challenge, but you should prepare for it as much as possible. The best way to prepare is to take a practice test before the real exam. Facebook provides these free practice tests on the main pages of each of its Blueprint certifications. They are designed to help you understand what type of questions you will see on the real test. They will also give you an idea of the amount of time you should allocate to each question.
Canva
Canva is an online graphic design tool that can help you create a wide variety of social media content. It offers readymade templates that are perfect for any occasion. It also has a huge library of stock photos and elements that can be added to your designs. The software’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to use for people of any skill level.
The platform has a free version and a paid one, with the latter offering more features. The paid version allows you to create multiple team accounts and has unlimited storage. It also lets you share your designs with others and edit them at the same time. It also includes a brand kit for storing your brand’s colors, fonts, and logo. You can also use its photo editor to add effects to your photos and videos.
With a Canva subscription, you can access its full library of templates and images for any project. It also offers valuable editing features like background removal from photos and AutoMagic Format, which resizes your document to make it perfect for posting on any platform. You can even create a customized logo and build a visual identity for your company with the more than 100 kits available for this purpose.
Canva’s most recent update, which is its 10th anniversary, is packed with AI-driven tools that aim to speed up the design process. These include Magic Design and Magic Edit, which allow users to create a template or image by simply describing it using a text prompt.
Canva’s design library is massive, and it includes a range of different categories to help you find what you’re looking for. For example, you can search for an element in the side panel, browse your own designs and uploads, or use its curated folders to stay organized. The software also has a handy color meanings feature that helps you choose the best hues for your design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main categories of marketing?
There are five main categories of marketing: promotion, public relation, advertising, sales and customer service. Each category has its own goals and strategies.
Promotion: Promotional activities aim to increase brand or product awareness. Promotional activities include paid searches engine optimization (SEO), marketing via email, display advertising and other forms.
Public Relations: Public relation builds relationships between brands, people. PR professionals build and manage relationships by creating and sharing newsworthy content for clients and promoting positive publicity.
Advertising: This is where advertisements are created to promote a product or brand. Advertisements can be placed in magazines or billboards, on television, radio and online pages.
Sales are the sale of products or services. It involves closing deals, negotiating, collecting payments and delivering goods or services.
Direct Marketing: Direct marketing is about one-to-one communication. This can be done through mail, email, catalogs or phone calls.
Branding: A brand is the act or creating a unique identity for your company. A brand is what you represent. Your brand’s image is created by your logo, tagline colors, logo design, website design, advertising, packaging, and other elements.
Customer Service: Customers can use customer service to help solve their problems and resolve any issues they may have with your business. This includes answering phones, answering emails and resolving grievances.
Distribution: This is the process of getting your product to market. It involves handling returns and shipping products.
How to Use Video to Market Your Small Business?
Videos are an excellent way to communicate with customers. They can increase sales by as high as 30%. Videos allow you to post messages on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. This allows for you to promote your products without spending money on advertisements. The key is to make sure your video is well-made and interesting.
It is important to think through what you want your video to say. Don’t rush through it. You should take the time to plan your message. Next, write down every point you wish to include.
What are you trying to achieve? For example, if you want to sell more products, you may want to talk about why your customers should buy from you.
You can also showcase your best assets if you’re looking to generate leads. Whatever you do, remember the most important thing to remember is to be concise.
Make sure that every word in your video is understood. It doesn’t matter if your video is true. It matters that it sends the right message.
Editing the video is necessary after you have completed recording. Your voice should be clear and loud. Make sure there are no mistakes.
If you don’t want to spend a lot on a professional editor, you might consider Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. Both programs have basic editing tools.
It is important to choose the right file format. There are many file formats. There are only two formats you will need:.avi for Windows and mp4 for Mac.
These formats are supported by both operating systems. YouTube will automatically convert your files into.mp4/.avi.
Finally, publish your video online. You have two options: host it yourself or hire someone else to do so. A web address is required to let people access your video.
How to make an SME video?
First, you need to identify a niche in your industry. This is where it’s important to choose the content that you want your target market to consume.
This research may be done already, but now is the best time. It is also important to know how much time it takes to create your videos. Without enough time to promote them properly, there is no point creating an amazing video.
Once you’ve chosen your niche, and determined how much time it will take to produce your videos, the next step is to decide who to use to share them. It might be possible to sell your videos directly to your target audience depending on how your business operates. But this might not work well.
Partnering with another company to split the profits is another option. Many companies are open to new partnerships. It could be a good opportunity for you, or anyone else, to team up with them.
There are lots of ways to generate revenue from your videos. You could sell advertising space (i.e. Google Adsense), products (i.e. Amazon Associates), and subscriptions to your mailing lists (i.e. MailChimp).
What exactly is video marketing for small businesses?
The best way to market to small businesses is to use videos instead of websites and blogs. Videos effectively connect with customers because they’re more engaging than static content and allow you to tell stories.
Videos can also be used to build trust with potential clients. Videos are easier than web pages and blogs to remember. Video content is more appealing to people and they will be more likely to click on the links to find out more.
So when writing copy for small business owners, include videos as part of your strategy.
Statistics
- 46% of U.S. adults trust consumer reviews online. (nealschaffer.com)
- Statistical research shows that 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, and 40% of viewers leave a website with a loading time of more than three seconds. (smallbiztrends.com)
- After all, 72% of people prefer videos over written text. (nealschaffer.com)
- The company attracted 37% of new customers from Instagram Stories ads. (nealschaffer.com)
- It’s estimated that 82% of all internet traffic will be video by 2022. (vimeo.com)
External Links
blog.hubspot.com
support.google.com
wordstream.com
facebook.com
- Capture Attention With Updated Features for Video Ads
- Are you reaching out and educating your clients on what is happening in this market? If not, your clients are likely getting their information from…
How To
Here are 22 of the most powerful ideas to help you create a 2022 marketing strategy for small businesses
From hundreds of submissions, our expert panel chose the 22 best ideas for your 2022 small-business marketing strategy. Each idea was rated based on its effectiveness in increasing revenue, sales, leads, etc. for your local small business.
- You can use social media to establish customer relationships
- Create a Customer Relation Management (CRM) System
- Create a website that focuses on what you do best
- As a trusted advisor, build a reputation
- Provide good products/services at affordable prices
- Offer samples free of charge
- Offer incentives for referrals
- Don’t be afraid to offer discounts
- Stay current with industry news
- Promote events
- Make an email list
- Offer online classes
- Don’t forget to give away promotional products
- Include testimonials
- Leverage customer reviews
- Collaborate with other businesses
- Share information about upcoming events
- Host networking events
- Join associations
- Start a blog
- Participate in activities within your local community
- Showcase your expertise