Three Main Things You Avoid When You Hire a Digital Marketing Agency

by admin | Jun 9, 2018 | Business

One of the main reasons why businesses moved into digital is that necessary marketing tools can be low-cost and accessible. In fact, when entrepreneurs started exploring the platform, many were told that, when equipped with basic knowledge of SEO and content marketing, digital marketing campaigns can easily be a one man’s job.

That, in all honesty, is not untrue. Digital marketing campaigns can indeed be done by entrepreneurs themselves, but there are risks. And we believe these risks are far greater than the time and resources they save from not extending their need and hiring a team of experts.

Here are four main things that entrepreneurs avoid when they hire a digital marketing agency:

• 1. Unintended Deprioritizing Operations

As most entrepreneurs can attest to, managing a business can already be a struggle. When they attempt to put more on their plates and start managing their own promotions and marketing campaigns, eventually, the priority and focus will shift: should they be investing more time on marketing since they are emerging, or should they be focusing on operating the business more? There is a reason why huge corporations have different vice presidents for marketing and operations. Both are equally important, and both tasks cannot be effectively and efficiently done by the same person.

• 2. Wasting Time Testing Waters

Without prior knowledge and experience, entrepreneurs tend to actually spend more time and resources testing every tool promoted in different forums or by industry colleagues; in order to learn the most fitting tool for their business needs.
An experienced and capable digital marketing agency with a good track record would know the most apt and effective tools and processes to utilize. This not only saves time, but it straightforwardly lays down expectations and a working timeline that ultimately benefits the business, and leaves the entrepreneur only in the role of a decision-maker.

• 3. Producing and Reading Useless Analytics

This is probably the biggest risk of all. If an entrepreneur, without the necessary understanding of marketing ins-and-outs, heedlessly formulated his own metrics to measure a campaign’s effectiveness, it is safe to assume that his analysis of results would not be sound as well.More concerning than that is its eventual impact: he will then reference his analysis in finalizing decisions in human resources, branding, and product and service development. This unknowingly might bring the business on the opposite path to growth.

Regardless of what others say in the industry, it is, therefore, more effective and (cost-) efficient to hire a digital marketing agency. The best choice of digital marketing agency should not only follow-through with their deliverables, but also be able to commit to their clients’ needs, and intelligently forecast trends and produce materials that will help the business in the long run.

We, at Annelle Digital, are confident in our capabilities in helping your business grow now and in the near future. Get in touch with us to see if we are the right fit for your digital marketing needs. Say hello at info@annelledigital.com.

Just investing in digital today? Here’s what to expect–and enjoy

by admin | Jun 9, 2018 | Business

If you have taken the first step in going digital today, congratulations! Some may think that you are already late to the game, but remember the saying, “The best time to start was years ago, but the next best time is today”? What matters most is you have taken the first step in taking your business to a more modern (and exciting) platform.

As we are very excited for you, we have compiled basic things to expect and look forward to now you are going into digital:

1. Depending on your market, you should still invest in traditional marketing

   First and foremost, you have to remember that in marketing and advertising, there is no one-size-fits-all. Different objectives warrant different strategies. Different strategies need different tools.While most users today, regardless of age and class, tend to have access and consciously look into online reviews or peer recommendation, there may be segments of your market that opt to not be active in digital. If your market involves mothers of toddlers who allot time for social media yet are avid audience members of a show, digital marketing strategies and traditional marketing strategies should go hand in hand.

2. It can actually be cheaper than traditional marketing

   One myth that surrounds digital marketing strategies is that it extremely costs less than traditional media. Digital platforms are cheaper to organize campaigns on, compared to the tedious process of media buying and placements on television, radio, and film. Small entrepreneurs, even high school kids, are able to start a campaign using Facebook Ads for just $5 USD. However, producing content can be of similar cost. For example, if you need a poster, similar to traditional, you need to outsource a graphic designer. With videos, you need to outsource a production house. But with tweaks and utilization of different tools available, these can be cheaper.
   

3. It is ultimately faster (and you can schedule releases, too!)

   With the instantaneous nature of internet-based platforms and tools comes the instantaneous feature of marketing platforms as well. Once your content is set, you can immediately post in order to reach your audience as soon as possible. In addition, you can seamlessly plan for future releases, as there are various tools available that allow you to schedule (and even backdate!) releases across these platforms.

4. It focuses on your market

   Compared to traditional marketing, digital marketing can segment your market up to your audience’s smallest characteristics. You can now segment per age, gender, political views, preferred films, and favorite restaurants. You may choose to have your content shown to your segmented audience. And this is not definite. You may set different audience for different campaigns.

5. It is data-driven

   Because everything in digital is instantaneous, audience reach and reception can also be measured, when you need and want it. With the existence of browser-based cookies, tools have been developed to take advantage of their function. You may now know the number of people reached by your ad, their geographic locations, their interests, and key people influencing their decision-making, to guide you to develop which strategies generate more leads.

6. It provides an accessible platform for feedback

   As your audience can be reached easily through digital, they can also easily reach out to you as well. Complaints, feedback, and suggestions can now be easily forwarded, with the existence of proper feedback system. While they are not without downsides (e.g., fake complaints can ruin brands and their reputations), it provides an accessible two-way communication system for complaints and concerns between you and your audience; which will eventually lead to the development of your product and services. Today, accessibility through community and social media management is one of the top considerations of consumers in selecting a service or product.

7. It is relatively new, so developments are on the way

   Everyday, more and more people are given access to the internet. Five years ago, tools that we commonly use now were still in-the-works; even considered sophisticated. With that trend, we can safely assume that more tools for more effective marketing will be developed continuously.

Digital is an exciting platform that needs perseverance, strategy, and consistency, which you will not regret taking on.

Congratulations again for taking the first step in going digital!

For questions and concerns, you are more than welcome to contact us at info@annelledigital.com.

Five Questions to Ask When Developing Your Brand Identity

by admin | Jun 8, 2018 | Business

As an emerging business, one of the the most important elements to develop is your brand identity. It carries the central message of your business to your audience–how they set you apart from other brands. It is your recognizable playbook which should manifest in everything involving your brand–from your style guide to the attitude of your frontlines.

This, however, cannot be easily determined. How your audience will perceive and associate your brand with any product and kind of service should be well-thought, and should be invested in regularly. With that, we have come up with several questions to ask to help you develop your brand identity:

1. Why are you here?

   Remember when you were excited to put up your business? You have determined your product, and the services that came with it. Your main rationale of establishing a business should be the first thing that should be guiding you in developing your identity. And it should guide you in sustaining the business in the years to come.

2. How different are you from the competition?

   After determining what prompted you to start the business, it should be easy to determine what sets you apart from others in the industry. You may be taking the risk to compete with a more well-known brand as you believe you are capable of filling in gaps in their customer service or product specifications. Determine what makes you stand out.

3. What is your brand personality?

   Imagine your brand as it was human. You may even give it a name. Is your brand cheerful? Serious? Patriotic? Neighborly? Consumers are more inclined to advocate for a brand if its personality is similar to his own. If your target market is sophisticated young professionals residing and working in business centers, your brand personality may be sophisticated, competent, and go-getter. Colors, shapes, and other visual elements that compose your brand identity can be derived from this.

4. How do you want customers to see your brand?

   Now that you have determined your brand personality, look at ways to implement. For instance, to manifest cheerfulness and approachability, it should be seen from your copies and the font of your ads to the personality and tone of your community manager. Consider a playful font and light colors for the font and structure of ads, and consider incorporating slang in how your community manager engages with users.

5. How do your customers see your brand?

   This is the most important thing to consider in finalizing your brand identity. Regardless of your developed brand personality and attempt to implement it, your customers have their own subjective perception of your brand. By organizing market research and putting up a feedback system, you will learn if there is a discrepancy between what you wanted to forward as a brand and how your audience receives it. How your audience will perceive your brand most likely depends on their experience: from inquiring about the product to their actual usage. There is a chance that you might discover that what you are trying to embody is not what your audience has been receiving in the first place.

Before conceptualizing your digital strategy, try to answer these questions. These will you firm up your ground in developing any marketing strategy in the future. In fact, these should continuously guide as you move towards your goal.

We would like to help set your brand apart from your competitors. Contact us at info@annelledigital.com.