Four States Small Business Blog

In today's digital economy, online marketing has become the main source of new customers in nearly every industry. Modern buyers prefer to make purchasing decisions online, and they discover new businesses through online search. Therefore, achieving prominent search engine visibility is the key to attracting customers in the current information environment.

Direct mail is a tried and true advertising tactic that continues to generate a strong return on investment. When combined with geofencing, direct mail advertising can have an even higher rate of success. This strategic method of advertising allows businesses a better opportunity to get their brand in front of their ideal consumer directly. Are you ready to start enhancing your direct mail marketing strategy with geofencing? Here's what you need to know. 

OTT, or "over-the-top television," services allow viewers to stream content directly to their devices. The first streaming devices went "over-the-top" of traditional cable devices, earning the nickname OTT in the process. This service allows viewers to be pickier about what they watch, when they watch it, and how they want to view their content. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+ and Peacock have become increasingly popular. Twenty-eight percent of Americans are OTT-only viewers, and the average American household subscribes to at least three streaming platforms. 

Across the United States, only around 65% of households subscribed to cable or satellite in 2018--a number that has continued to decline in recent years. As many as 74% of households subscribe to at least one streaming service, and the average household subscribes to three or more. Many cable TV subscribers spend more time streaming content than they do actually watching cable. OTT is taking over a space that was traditionally filled by primary television advertising--and it's becoming increasingly important for advertisers to consider the importance of this medium. 

Digital advertising includes a variety of different methods and techniques, including display advertising, video advertising, and social media. Targeting techniques may include geotargeting, keyword targeting, or retargeting. In short, there's a lot to learn about digital advertising. Business owners, however, should not be daunted by the wide range of opportunities available, but rather appreciative of the benefits. Effective digital advertising can help many businesses reach a wider audience and experience a higher overall return on their investments. Consider these tips to expand your digital advertising capability. 

It's no secret that digital marketing continues to gain market share, especially as new, data-driven methods of bringing traffic to your website are developed all the time.

This view holds that traditional marketing is noted for its focus on product, price, place, and promotion -- the 4Ps.  These 4Ps were designed to guide marketers as they developed strategies for growth.  Some marketers are suggesting that the 4Ps be expanded to include other factors such as process and people to make the traditional 4Ps fit into a digital marketing strategy.

If it seems your marketing job description is changing faster than trending videos on YouTube, you're right.  Every change in consumer behavior (think, for example, of the 900% increase in "near me" searches in Google over the past two years) means you need to adjust your strategy. 

When calculating a brand's value, one of the most important metrics is awareness. While most businesses are concerned about raising brand awareness, not everyone realizes that there are different levels of awareness. The most important distinction is between top of mind (or unaided) vs. aided awareness. In order to identify these differences in awareness, you need to ask certain questions. There can be dramatic differences in the results produced from different types of awareness. In one study of car purchasing behavior, a Nielsen study found that top-of-mind awareness drives 90% of purchasing intent. 

Do you know how to reliably get traffic?