Difference Between UGC & CGC

There’s a new term out there and it’s called CGC. If you have been with us for a while, you know what UGC is. If not, it can be defined as any piece of organic content created by a user. Hence, the name is user-generated content. So then, what is CGC? It is similar to UGC except that the people creating the content are professionals and it is typically co-produced with the brand. Let’s be clear here. These are not influencers. These are creators and they add value to a brand’s particular niche. Usually, they hire the creators to create content for them but the creators themselves do not post that content on their pages. This allows for more control from the brand. The goal here is not reach and it is very cost-efficient for the brand. For example, our social media manager is a creator in her particular niche of Muay Thai kickboxing. An app brand reached out to her to create Muay Thai content for them every week for a predetermined fee. They send her a new brief each week with a due date. She follows the guidelines for creating the videos and invoices them at the end of each month. When they share the content, she has created for them, they add a collaborator tag that she can either accept or decline on social media. There will also never be a lack of content creators in today’s digital world. Being that we’re a content advertising agency we’ve worked on both styles of campaigns. Our UGC campaigns are usually organic, unproduced content from creators that may or may not have large followings. In other campaigns, we have enlisted content creators to create certain content for the brand from their specific briefs. This is a great example of creator-generated content. Do you want to learn how UGC and CGC can increase our brand’s social proof? Contact us today to find out how.

Scratch Baking: How to Build an Email List

Email marketing is one of the most effective. A stat according to Statista said that “companies make an average of $36 for every U.S. dollar they spend on email marketing.” That’s some pretty good ROI, right?! But… how do you get a quality email list? First, you have to get quality contact information. Second, you need relevant prospects who will want to buy what you are selling. Lastly, you will need to grow that quality, relevant list to BIG numbers. Here are a couple of ways to start an email list for your brand.

1.     Add an Opt-In button on your website: these could be in the form of “sign up for our newsletter” or “join our community.” It could even be a contact form for inquiries. No matter which one you go with, it should be on every page of your website.

2.     Collect emails in person: if you throw an event or have a brick-and-mortar store, you can collect emails with a sign-up sheet. In-person connections are still the best and produce the best results. Transition your encounters from IRL to URL.

3.     Pop-up offers: these can offer some type of discounted product/service for a signup. This speaks to the gated content we wrote about last week. Offer discounts for submitting email information to receive promotional codes.

No matter which methods you choose to build your email list, it’s important that you obtain permission for their information and never buy email lists. You want quality contacts that fit within your niche. With email marketing your efforts are more precise with targeted audiences and you can personalize their experience with your brand.

Propinquity Effect

Have you ever met someone new and felt that instant click? You somehow knew that the two of you were going to be friends? It may even feel like you’ve known them for years already. You can’t quite put your finger on what it is but you know you’re a match for each other somehow. This is the propinquity effect. This is caused when we meet someone with similar ideologies, attitudes, beliefs, etc. as ourselves. It is also known as the proximity between two individuals as well. When someone is in contact or closer to someone a relationship is more likely to form with that individual. Brands can use this effect to create strong bonds with their brand image and voice to those with similar ideologies, etc. If you create a solid and consistent image of your brand that your audience can relate to and expose them to your image more often, then you are destined for success when using the propinquity effect. This strengthens brand salience. There are two reasons that this effect can take place.

1.     Physical distance from someone: this proposes that the physically closer you are to someone, the more likely you are to have an interaction with them. Typically, interactions are neutral or positive and thus, provoke positive experiences. This is how relationships begin.

2.     Mere exposure effect: if a person is exposed to a particular stimulus more often, then the more favorably that stimulus tends to be evaluated. For example, you have a name that ends in the same last letter as someone in your classroom and therefore, you two are more likely to interact more often due to being seated in alphabetical order.

Proximity and like-minded values will create strong ties with your customers, whether it be B2C or B2B. Actually, “Research shows that the modern B2B prospect gets 57% of the way through the buying decision before ever talking to a sales rep” (Converse Digital). Cultivating brand salience through email, social media presence, and digital advertising is one of the most important.

Guide to Gated Content

“I am Vinz, Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer.Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the Sebouillia. Are you the Gatekeeper?”

-Ghostbusters  

What is gated content? It is any type of content that viewers can access only after they have given their information, such as email address. This is a way for brands to collect emails for lead generation. It can lead to more sales, and email list growth, and provide insights into your customers. Here are some examples of gated content that your brand can use to generate new leads.

1.     eBooks: these are a quick and easy way to educate your audience without face-to-face contact. Some people prefer information that they can read and ingest on their own time. Typically, these are short and highly specialized.  

2.     White papers: these are usually longer than eBooks. Again, it shows your expertise in a topic area and is very in-depth and informative.

3.     Webinars: this is an educational opportunity for your audience. Not only will you get their information, you will be able to build trust, show your expertise, and inspire.

4.     Templates: we know we’ve downloaded HubSpot’s social media content calendar tracker templates and use them every day. We gave them our email information to receive their daily blogs. We honestly both benefited from that scenario. We love their blogs and we found the scheduler very useful.

5.     Product/service demonstrations: as it sounds, this is a demo of what your brand has to offer. It should show the benefits of the brand’s services/products. This could provide proof that a potential customer will need to pull the trigger on going with your brand over another.

People will assume, and rightfully so, that gated content is more valuable than ungated because they must perform extra steps to obtain it. That said, it’s important to make sure that it does provide value to them. Gated content can help you weed out those who won’t become real customers because they will not want to take the extra steps and give their information. The gated content your brand creates should be well thought out to be valuable and informative. Use your creative juices to appeal to your audience!

Conformity Bias and Social Influence in Advertising

Most people are influenced heavily by society, whether they will admit to it or not. Conformity bias is when we change our behavior to become part of a bigger group or trend. This is the whole concept behind things that are “trending.” Think about hashtag challenges. People swarm for a chance to become part of these in hopes that their videos will go viral. With this in mind, how can your brand leverage conformity bias and social influence? For one, it can help with brand loyalty. Conformity to a particular group can satisfy Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to belong. “Self-image congruence will reinforce the effect of conformity motivation on brand loyalty” (Journal of Brand Management, 2011). Here are some things that affect conformity bias in your advertising efforts:

1.     Review

2.     Number of followers

3.     Word-of-mouth marketing

4.     Endorsements

In advertising, using these examples listed above can help your campaigns succeed, not only due to the conformity bias and social influence, but also through trust and transparency. Inspiring your audience will almost ensure success.

Project Completion: Dealing with Grief

We never really think about the fact that advertising is a fast-paced industry with high demand. It comes in waves of really, really crazy and stuck in the doldrums. In other words, the highs are high and the lows can be low. We saw an article the other day that talked about dealing with grief when a big project ends. It’s interesting to think about. Sometimes we spend large amounts of time on these projects and we can feel a sense of sadness when they’re over, just like any other art profession. Actors deal with this. Athletes deal with this. Academics deal with this. We will tend to experience post-project depression and it’s a real term known by psychologists. Typically, it’s coupled with triumph and satisfaction but eventually that high wears off and we’re left with sadness. Having a purpose gives you motivation and determination, so it’s good to have these projects that make you feel that way. But that said any change in familiar patterns of behavior can cause conflicted feelings. This is the definition of grief. Here are some ways to deal with career grief after a project ends.

1.     CELEBRATE & REFLECT: celebrate the finish of the project and just give yourself a little time to breathe afterward. This is a time to reflect on your career and its role in your life. This is where you can look at the previous project in depth. What went right and wrong? Did you enjoy the project? How would you do it differently and how did it change your outlook? What else can you do in place of your career that you draw confidence from?

2.     Feel those feelings: it’s important to not push down the feelings you are having. Feel them, make space in your life for them, and let them out, however, you need to through journaling, therapy, etc. Talking it out with someone can help you work through these emotions.

3.     Be patient with yourself: give yourself time to grieve a little and adjust to your new normal. Adjust your routine if you need to fill the gaps where that project took up so much time.

4.     Inspiration: look for new inspiration. What can you do to draw inspiration from? This is especially important for those in the creative fields. I know that I like to run to get my creative thoughts going. So many of my best ideas come to me when I’m just jogging along in the park in the early hours of the morning.

Career-related grief can have a huge impact on your life and your sense of self. You are not defined by your career, so it’s important to have a system in place to create self-worth in other areas of your life as well. Ask yourself these questions: What am I passionate about other than my career? What kinds of things can I do to challenge myself mentally and physically? What kinds of things do I enjoy doing in my free time? What things do I want to prioritize in my life right now?

The 10 Kawasaki Slide Method

Guy Kawasaki is a world-renowned entrepreneur who created a list of 10 slides to pitch your business idea to investors. He used to be the Chief Evangelist of Apple and currently Canva. Rob Schwartz recently did a blog on this idea, and we loved his breakdown. Guy follows the 10-20-30 rule. 10 slides, 20 minutes, and 30-point font. Here are what these 10 slides are all about.

1.     Title: Who are you and what is your idea? First impressions go a long way here so it must be impactful. This is where all contact information should be and don’t be afraid to add s headline, image, or photo.

2.     The problem: What is the problem that your business idea is going to solve? Clearly state the problem and how your brand plans to fix it. Bullet points are good here.

3.     Value proposition: This is where you get to explain your value as a business. Why is your idea the best? What makes your brand different than all the rest?

4.     Business Model: How will your business make money? Is it subscription-based, fee-based, sales, etc? This shows your business plan and should include data.

5.     Underlying magic: This slide should describe your secret recipe so to speak. Less text and more diagrams here. If you have a demo or prototype this is the place for it. It will demonstrate how you will launch the product/service and how it all works from start to finish.

6.     Marketing & sales: Who is the target audience and how do you plan to reach them? How will you make your business blow up and have people throwing their money at it?

7.     Competitors: Who are your top competitors? You cannot overdo it here. Show your current performance, if any, compared to your competition.

8.     Your team: Highlight those that are on your team and show why they are each an asset to your brand.

9.     Projections & metrics: What do the financials look like over time? This is where you can show how much you have invested and what they would invest. Charts are good here to project growth. Use a 3-year bottom-to-top visual. How long will it take you to make your/their money back? How large do you think can you get? Make sure to add metrics that aren’t purely financial here, such as customer numbers and conversion rates.

10.  Timeline, status, & appropriation of funds: Highlight your current business situation and the future. Timeline gives potential investors an idea of how long it will take them to reach these goals. Where are you now on this journey? Make sure to end with a bang because this is the last thing that they will remember before leaving.

So, do you have a great business idea and or just started one? Do you need to get into the right hands to grow? Follow this guideline for an effective PowerPoint presentation to make sure that your pitch is conveyed in a way that’s informative, fast, and still interesting! Good luck!

Acquiescence Effect

Are you a people pleaser? Turns out that since we live in a society with behavior standards and expectations most people want to act a certain way to “fit in”. Acquiescence bias occurs when people agree with sentiments or statements even when they may disagree with them. For example, when a survey is conducted many respondents will answer based on what they think the researchers want to hear instead of what they feel. When conducting market research for your brand it’s important to avoid this effect to obtain accurate responses that will be used for product and service improvements. There are a few things that cause this bias when conducting audience surveys for your brand.

1.     Ideal self-perception: this occurs when people select answers based on their version of themselves that they believe is ideal rather than the reality of who they are. This is because they want to be seen a certain way instead of as they are.

2.     Agreeability: again, what we touched on above. This is the fact that people want to be a certain way and provide feedback that they think is believed to be acceptable.

3.     Social influence: people tend to answer questions of social behavior in a way that portrays them favorably in the community, whether or not they exhibit these said behaviors.

4.     Perceived authority: this is what we touched on above where respondents answer the way they think the researchers want to see. This happens often when the study group is aware of the study’s objectives.

5.     Unengaged respondents: this occurs when people don’t read the questions to provide thoughtful answers. It can happen when a survey is too long and they become uninterested.

Now that we know the reasons for motivating this bias, it’s easier to come up with ways to avoid it. Here are a few ways to avoid acquiescence bias.

1.     Make it short and sweet: it’s less overwhelming when the surveys are quicker and easier to complete. This will reduce the number of unengaged respondents.

2.     Be clear & use intentional language: it’s important to phrase your questions and answers. You don’t want to make your respondents feel as if they’re being judged for their answers and avoid questions that may make people feel negatively.

3.     Open-ended questions: add a text box to fit their exact experiences. Even if the answer explains a negative experience they’re still likely to describe it positively.

4.     Avoid leading questions: leading questions are no good. If they are compelled to respond in a certain way, they will. You want honesty, not bias.

It’s great to see positive reviews about your brand but they mean nothing if they’re affected by a cognitive bias and will likely lead you down the wrong path to improvement. Doing everything in your power to avoid acquiescence bias is crucial to collecting accurate data sets. We work in user-generated content advertising to create organic connections between brand and audience so we value genuine business relationships. When the responses aren’t genuine then it’s essentially a waste of your brand’s time and money. Following proper steps to avoid cognitive bias, such as this one will allow your brand to flourish naturally to the correct audience.

Brand Engagement Strategies

“More than 60% of customers interact through multiple channels, and irrespective of time, place, device, or medium, they expect consistency” (Deloitte Digital). There are two types of brand engagement: internal and external. External is what we will be talking about here between the brand and customers. Brands can engage with their audience in a variety of ways today more than ever. Social media, email marketing, digital advertising, live events, etc. That being said, there is a difference between brand engagement and customer engagement. Brand engagement is focused on pulling consumers to the business whereas customer engagement pushes people toward actions towards a purchase. Brand engagement tends to be on a larger scale than customer engagement as well. Here are strategies to increase customer engagement for your brand.

1. Surveys to improve the brand: people will feel seen and heard. If your brand listens to and implements feedback well, it will develop a good reputation from WOM.

2. Emphasize customer reviews: this is a form of user-generated content and others will trust the brand more if they see good reviews from real people.

3. User-friendly mobile websites, etc.: everyone uses their phone to look up things on the internet in today’s world. Your websites and social sites must be mobile-friendly. Otherwise, their time spent there will be less than limited.

4. Post consistently on social media channels: social media makes the world go ‘round. You have to be consistent with not only posting but also your brand voice. This will engage your customers to like, share, and comment. Integrating your social media channels onto your website can also be great.

5. The Four I Strategy

   1. Involvement: make your customers part of your marketing campaigns

   2. Influence: use influencers or content creators they like to endorse your brand

   3. Interaction: when your customers do interact with your brand, you have to respond to them quickly and personally.

   4. Intimacy: get up close and personal with your audience at different points in their journey on different channels. This will help you further understand their needs.

Brand engagement matters! It can help your brand get its name out there even more through WOM. Aside from this, it can also increase your knowledge of customer expectations so that you’re better equipped to meet them. This will improve overall customer experience and in turn, increase sales to give you a competitive advantage. There are a few ways to measure your engagement strategy efforts: social media engagement, email subscribers and opens, website traffic, and customer feedback. Once you start your strategy it will be important to improve on the areas that are performing low. One great way to do this is to incorporate UGC into your campaigns. The ultimate goal of brand engagement is to cultivate a culture around your brand that bolsters advocacy. If you’re looking to add user-generated content to your marketing campaigns but aren’t sure where to start, contact us to learn more!

Good CTA’s That Will Increase Clicks

CTA’s are an amazing way to get your audience engaged. Whether on your website, social media, or email marketing, your brand will want to use blunt, relatable, bold, subtle but efficient CTA's that use psychology, funny, and/or are different. Which type you choose will depend on the marketing campaign's goal. CTA’s can take a few different forms. They can be buttons, submission forms, banners, links, pop-ups, and/or slide-ins. When you’re creating your CTA marketing it’s important to know the goals. Think about these questions:

1.     Why do customers visit your website?

2.     What problems are they here to solve?

3.     What is your solution to their problems?

Typically, the most effective CTA is the most basic and in today’s world AI can even come up with them for you. However, if you’re a human looking to create an effective CTA, here are some examples to use for higher success rates.

1.     Get started now

2.     Learn more

3.     Start your free trial now

4.     Subscribe now

5.     Get your free (insert item or service here)

6.     Chat with us

7.     Order today while supplies last

8.     Sign up for our newsletter

9.     Share this on social media

Good CTA’s will help the customer find an easy route to purchase. The easier you make their journey, the more likely they will buy. Make sure to create an exceptional design that makes the CTA pop out of the page. Proper placement will also ensure that the eyes are drawn toward them. Keep it short and sweet with the clear benefits of clicking and watch the leads roll in.

Ben Franklin Effect on Advertising

“He that has once done you a Kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you have obliged.”

-Ben Franklin in his Autobiography

Locomotive is now based out of Philadelphia, so what more appropriate topic than the Ben Franklin effect in our home city of the founding father? Otherwise known as the cognitive dissonance theory, the Ben Franklin effect is a phenomenon when asking someone to do you a favor can make them like you more. The idea is that because that person does you a favor they are more likely to be convinced that the person is likable. Here’s how the process works inside our brains:

1.     You ask someone for a favor

2.     They agree

3.     Their brain looks for an explanation for why they did you said favor

4.     Their brain struggles to reconcile

5.     It rewires to explain the favor because they view you positively

6.     Now that person views you in a positive light instead of a negative one

 So, how would this theory work in advertising and marketing for brands? Small favors, such as customer feedback can be one of the best ways to use the Ben Franklin effect. Don’t forget to thank them for their time! Another way would be to make a game or challenge out of something, such as completing a small task or answering an easy question. This can increase the loyalty of your customers. They will also be inclined to do your brand more, larger favors down the road.

Ways to Collect Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is one of the most useful tools for a brand to improve areas of dissatisfaction if there are any. Not only that, it can help you get to know your audience better and you can see what your brand is doing right too. It can strengthen your brand reputation as one who cares about its audience and sees them as more than just a paycheck. Here are a few of our top choices for collecting customer feedback.

1.     Surveys with incentives: these are a great tool and entice people to take them to receive something in return for their time.  

2.     Net Promoter Score (NPS): this keeps it short and simple for your audience. It will ask a single question, such as, “How like are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague?” The answer is a scale of 0-10. Zero is not at all and 10 is definitely. Those that rate you high should be asked for reviews, testimonials, etc. if they’re interested.

3.     Emails: check in with customers on a regular basis. Email marketing is a great way to do this. Some tools allow you to create small surveys within MailChimp to gather information about certain brand topics.

4.     Social media: read comments and see what people are saying about your brand.

5.     Interviews IRL: a lot can be missed with just online feedback. Body language is nonexistent behind a keyboard so it’s important to engage with some customers in person. Read their body language and the tone of their voice. These can tell you a lot but make sure you ask the right questions to get the information you need. The more specific the better.

6.     Website Live Chatbot: collect information from the live chatbot on your website. Have them ask a question when your customers come to your brand website landing page.

Finding out what your audience really wants from you and how they currently perceive your brand should be your top priority. Happy clients equal happy revenue streams. Humanizing your brand to audience connection with strengthen your relationship.

Customer Lifecycle Management Strategies

Every one of us goes on a journey when we decide to become a customer of a brand. Good brands understand that it is more than just getting a one-time deal closed and building lasting relationships with their audience. Customer lifecycle is the process of an individual becoming aware of a brand, purchasing from them, and sticking around for repeat business. Customer lifecycle management is all about managing this journey by tracking the stages, assigning metrics, and measuring the successes of those metrics. There are several stages of the customer lifecycle: 1. Reach 2. Acquisition 3. Conversion 4. Retention 5. Loyalty. Analysis of each stage is pivotal to managing each customer’s journey.

• Reach: this is where you want to find when, how, and why potential customers find your brand. How did they find out about you? Was it a search engine or WOM and what is your performance on these channels? What’s their perceived reputation of you? Hopefully, it is good. This is where they reach out for further information on your product/service.

• Acquisition: this is the area where you want to focus on the tools that you offer your audience, such as blogs, social media, websites, etc. This stage is where they visit your brand via the web, social media, etc., so you want to ensure that each is efficient in providing them with information about your company. Some should be engaging so that you can generate leads here as well. What kind of content is on your website to help them make the purchase? Are there enticing offers?

• Conversion: this is where you want to analyze what is and what isn’t working. Are there any barriers to making the purchase, such as poor website navigation, etc.? Are you making sure that they see the value in your product/service? Do you have a clear refund policy listed?

• Retention: this is where you look at your audience’s satisfaction with your brand. Are they happy with their purchases? Can you personalize their experience more? You want to ensure that they stick around for the long haul. Use customer service surveys and satisfaction scores to find out. Make sure to offer something in return for their feedback.

• Loyalty: one of the most difficult to build but most important. Are there ways for your loyal customers to share and spread the word about your brand? Referral programs, loyalty programs, and exclusive perks are great during this stage. You will know a customer is in this stage once they have made multiple purchases from you. We all know that WOM advertising is the best type of advertising.

There are a couple of ways to manage your customer’s lifecycle. Understanding and analyzing each step is only part of the process.

1. Reach:

   1. Identify the audience that’s right for you

   2. Share relevant content

2. Acquisition

   1. Offer self-service resources

   2. Proactive customer service

3. Conversion

   1. Remove any barriers from the purchase stage

   2. Offer support during purchasing

4. Retention

   1. Personalize experience after purchase

   2. Automation

5. Loyalty

   1. Ask for customer reviews

   2. Encourage referrals

Managing the customer lifecycle can seem daunting, but if your brand focuses on staying on top of it with each customer, it won’t be very difficult. There are automated systems to help you do so. Tracking your customer’s lifecycle is important to help your brand take control and increase your loyal customer base.

Foot in the Door Method

What in the world is foot in the door method? Well, the idea is that if someone will comply with a small request then they are likely to comply with a larger request later. Obviously, not all foot-in-the-door methods are unethical. The famous test was conducted by Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser when they went to homeowners in Palo Alto asking them if they would put up a large sign in their yards that said, “Drive Carefully.” Only 17% said yes. The second group was asked to place a small 3” sign in their windows advocating safe driving. They almost all agreed. Then, after two weeks that second group was asked to put up a large sign advocating safe driving and 76% of them said yes. This was proof that this method does, in fact, work. At the core of this method is the principle of commitment and consistency which serves as the customer’s first action. This sets the precedent for their behavior and attitude toward the brand. They almost feel obligated to complete a second task asked of them by the brand since they’ve already committed to them. In order for this to work in marketing the first action must bevoluntary! If the first action is public, personal, or expensive, the more likely they will commit to a second action. Here are some ways to invest in the foot-in-the-door method.

1.     Use sign-up forms: this helps secure leads as well but aside from that it gets the customer to commit to signing up, even if it’s free.

2.     Offer something free: this can be in the form of a free consultation, free samples with a purchase, etc. when they start their online shopping journey.

3.     Remind them of their purchases: this can be in the form of reviewing something they purchased from your brand but it also reinforces their bond with your brand.

4.     Make good recommendations: think of Netflix. They always want you to rate something you watched in order further personalize your experience with them so they can recommend more things that may interest you. Another example is how Amazon suggests, “Customers who bought this also bought ___ item.” This will strengthen the bond between the brand and the audience.

The most important thing about this method is that you get your audience to volunteer something to start. That’s the only way it will work. It makes them more likely to purchase something larger from you later on. Always get feedback and personalize their experiences as well. Remind them that they are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. Humanizing their experiences with your brand will increase their loyalty to you!

The Endowment Effect on Marketing/Advertising

The endowment effect is a byproduct of loss aversion. It states that once people own something they have established the property right that they now own it. Now that they feel it is there it automatically has more value to that person. Think about when stocks fall and shareholders hold on to their shares for too long because they’re afraid of losing money. They inevitably lose in the end in this situation. The point here is that it’s the cognitive bias that creates the endowment effect, making them value their shares and hold them for too long when the smart thing to do would be to sell them off as soon as possible to minimize loss. An example of the endowment effect in marketing and advertising would be in the way of coupons or discounts. The shopper already feels that they own a part of the product and it increases their willingness to pay. Here are some other ways to use the endowment effect in your marketing strategy.

1.     Free trials: let the user try the product before they purchase it. This will set ownership from the get-go and the longer they use it, the more willing they will be to pay once the trial is up.

2.     Giveaways: whether this is a coupon or discount code, this kicks in ownership and will trigger loss aversion if there is an expiration date.

3.     Basic Free Versions: this will give users an account that will spark ownership. If they like the platform enough they can then upgrade and will be more willing to pay.

4.     If possible, use touch screens: a study found that users who interact with touch screens have more of a sense of ownership and in turn, the endowment effect.

As we’ve learned from previous articles we’ve written, the power of the human mind is astounding. The endowment effect just comes down to creating a sense of ownership for the customer. Brands can also use personalize to create a sense of ownership and attachment. This is a useful tool in the marketing and advertising world.

Search Advertising: A Deeper Look

We’ve written articles on pay-per-click advertising but we wanted to know how search advertising works on a deeper level so we did a dive. First, let’s define search advertising. We all search for things every day on Google. Do you know those sponsored ads that are placed at the top of your search results? Those are search ads. All search engines offer search advertising for advertisers. You’re probably wondering, “What other search engines are there besides Google?” Well, there are a few other than Google but they take the number one spot with 77.43% of the market. After that you have something called Baidu at 8.13%, Microsoft Bing with 7.31%, Yahoo with 5.6%, and lastly, Ask at a whopping 0.13%. As you can see they really dominate the market. So, how do these ads work? Let’s use Google since they’re the dominant search engine out there. They use a second-price auction system. This system uses an auction for advertisers to beat out others in order to get a higher spot on the search list. However, that is not the only factor. They also use the advertiser’s ad rank to keep out poor-quality paid ads that link to terrible landing pages. Not every Joe Shmo can just bid on search engine ranks. Here’s how it works:

1.     Advertisers create ads that bid on keywords:

a.     Let’s say you’re an ad agency like ours that focuses on user-generated content advertising. You might bid on keywords like UGC advertising agency, UGC ad agency, etc.

b.     The agency will place their max bid that they’re willing to pay for the ad

2.     Someone searches: keywords matter so choose wisely what your agency will use

3.     Google looks for a match: this is called keyword matching. This is where Google searches to see if others in your industry are bidding on that word(s).

4.     The auction starts: for each account bidding on keywords, Google will choose one keyword for each account to enter the auction.

The winners are not necessarily the highest bidders as we stated above. It will depend on the quality score of relevance, expected click-through rate, and user experience. Relevance is how relevant your ad is to the search intention. CTR is how likely your ad is to get clicked on if shown. UX is how relevant your landing page is to your ad as well as the usefulness of the experience to the user. Second, is the ad rank we talked about above. It is simply the max bid plus the quality score. Lastly, the cost per click is considered. This is determined by your ad rank of the ad below yours divided by your quality score plus $0.1.

Search ads can be a great way to get eyes on your business. Google ads have an ROI of 800% and receive 65% of clicks for buying keywords vs only 35% for organic search results. Since Google is the most trusted search engine in the world their credibility is high. Therefore, any sponsored ad will be viewed as credible. These search ads are incredibly effective and cost-efficient. They can help drive sales and traffic to your site.

Using UGC for Social Proof

Building the credibility of your brand can be as simple as harnessing user-generated content in the way of reviews, shoppable content, galleries, etc. When your current audience already positively advocates for you on public social media spaces, it fuels growth. We’ve done great campaigns that utilize social proof user-generated content in their advertisements, such as IT Cosmetics and Marshalls. Most of these videos were videos of people either using the product, conducting real-time shopping, unboxing, product review, and/or generally flaunting their purchases. When the audience sees the average-day person vouch for a product or service, it’s more relatable to themselves. They’re more likely to trust the opinion of someone who seems genuine, invested, and honest. “60% of people say that content from a friend or family member influences their purchasing decisions,” according to Stackla. This is important because it is social proof for potential customers and will build their confidence in purchasing from the brand. Working with UGC in advertising is just one way to obtain the social proof your brand needs to push that WOM marketing. There are a few other ways to showcase social proof of your brand if your brand can’t quite afford to do UGC advertising campaigns.

1.         Surveys

2.         Social media challenges

3.         Hashtag challenges

4.         Contests or giveaways

5.         Reviews

6.         Case studies or success stories

7.         Influencer or content creator collaboration

These are all great ways to increase social proof through UGC. However, with that said, it’s important to obtain proper permissions for any user-generated content that you receive on social media, etc. Copyright laws are our specialty in the way of using user-generated content for ads, but other sources are a little different. So, content creators must be aware that their photos and videos will be used in contests, challenges, etc. on social media. Following proper practices here will keep your brand safe from any issues. Reposting content is a great way to increase eyes on your brand while providing social proof from creators. UGC is a way to make your brand stand out and outshine all the rest!

How to Build Lasting Content Creator Relationships

“93% of marketing professionals use influencer marketing to increase brand awareness, build trust, reach their target audience, drive conversions, and connect to a wider market” (Influencer Marketing Hub). We know we work with content creators every day as well as influencers. Brands using real people to get their name out there to the right audience are really on to something. We may be biased since we know the power of UGC ad campaigns firsthand, but we want to chat a little about the importance of creating a relationship with creators that will last a long time. Successful creator-brand relationships are no different from any other and must be nurtured. They’re very valuable for both parties involved. The brand gets to spread awareness while the content creator also gets cross-promotion to increase their brand awareness as well. It’s important to keep the collaboration positive. Here are some tips to create and foster a great brand-creator relationship.

1.     Check-in: check in with them often and show your appreciation for them. Communication is vital!

2.     Communicate clearly: make sure that you provide them with concise and detailed briefs on what you need from them. This will lower any mistakes from confusion and streamline the work process.

3.     Don’t micromanage: you have to trust them. Treat them as if you understand that they’ve worked hard to build their content brand and know what they’re doing. There is a reason that you chose them to collaborate with. Don’t lose sight of that.

4.     Compensation: be on time with payments and make sure that you’re paying them accordingly. You show them that you value their work and will build greater trust between you both.

When both sides are happy the relationship will continue to be productive and reciprocal. This collaboration has become a large part of marketing strategies for most brands. With happy creators, the content they create will be meaningful. You will see in the content’s quality that they are fully invested in the brand.

Fun Friday Feature 7/14

We wanted to do something fun for today and go back to our ad of the week article. Today we want to feature the ad recently done by Maybelline. They pulled a great stunt where they put eyelashes on the tube in London. When the underground got close to the platform they had a mascara brush that combed the lashes back as it came to a stop. To read more about the ad or view it visit the Evening Standard.

Technical Marketing

The devil is in the details…. That’s exactly what technical marketing is all about. It focuses on the specifications features of a product and/or service. It comes in useful for a number of industries but especially software, manufacturing, healthcare, and electronics. They can be marketing efforts in the way of instruction manuals, help articles, user manuals, etc. Technical marketing appeals to new customers who may not know about a certain product or service that you offer. Typically, advertising stays away from being overly explicit to appeal to people but technical marketing is the opposite so people will become interested and develop and interest in the product. Technical marketers should possess certain skills, such as:

1.     Content marketing

2.     Problem solving

3.     Writing

4.     Creativity

5.     R&D

6.     Community development

7.     Collaboration

8.     Branding

9.     Adaptability

10.  Public speaking

Technical marketing will be an important marketing strategy for any brand so it’s important to create a clear strategy that delivers the message clearly. It’s time to get people excited about what your product/service has to offer!