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Tag: Digital Marketing Strategy

  • How to Plan Your Q1 Marketing Strategy | Entrepreneur

    How to Plan Your Q1 Marketing Strategy | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Whew! Another (hopefully) successful year is in the bag. But don’t rest too easy because the best time to set yourself up for success in 2024 is right now. The beginning of the year is a perfect opportunity to reflect on last year’s wins and losses and use them to refresh your strategy heading into Q1.

    Read on as I reveal how you can develop a cohesive plan that focuses on your audience, goals and budget.

    1. Nail your quarter-one marketing plan

    Every new year brings new opportunities for brands to grow their profits and keep those customers smiling. Now is the perfect time to conduct an annual reflection on your marketing and deeply dive into how your strategy performed.

    The year’s busiest season is over; now it’s time to plan for an even better coming year. That said, here’s how to develop a cohesive plan focusing on your audience, goals and budget.

    Related: How to Create a Successful Marketing Plan: 5 Steps

    2. Reflect on the previous year

    Now isn’t the time for business as usual. The goals you set for this quarter will set the pace for the entire year, so it’s the perfect time to reevaluate what you think you know about your brand and audience. If you want to see success this year, it’s time to question everything.

    That means taking stock of your past achievements and mistakes (key word there). Analyze your previous years’ KPIs and metrics. How did last year compare to the years before it? The answers to these questions hold the secrets of success and should be the light that guides you throughout the new year.

    Start by gathering these key things: your annual website traffic, engagement rates, conversion rates and customer acquisition costs. Identify the patterns of your consumers’ behavior by studying the social media engagement flow, website behavior and sales data to use for your next batch of creative ideas.

    3. Audit and optimize your online presence

    Every business strives for a strong online presence, and while some of you may have seen that come to life, others may not. Regardless of your performance last year, it’s time for a full online brand audit. Pull together all the metrics from every community you are a part of and determine whether critical elements such as brand message, social content, ad campaigns and website visits are working or need adjusting.

    Remember, you should always go into your audit with a plan in mind, so here’s how you can work your magic:

    Firstly, take a look at your website design and content. Is it making you want to explore what’s on the page or click away immediately? Is it user-friendly and easy to navigate where the customer needs to be? Can your website be easily viewed on mobile? If not, it needs a refresh.

    Additionally, take a quick look through your social media profiles. Update your bio, banner and profile picture to reflect your current brand and target audience. Keep your profiles consistent with one visual aesthetic, and optimize using keywords in every content posted.

    These small steps make the most significant difference in the world when it comes to attracting a new audience and keeping your current one.

    Related: How to Grow Your Brand’s Digital Presence from 0 to 100,000 Followers in Just 6 Months

    4. Clean up your communities

    If you want to stay in your audience’s good graces, you need a solid plan to tell them about your products and provide something valuable that keeps them coming back. This includes everything you post online, including blogs, social media, emails, networking groups, etc.

    The answer to this? It’s simple: every quarter, you should be going through and cleaning up all of the communities your brand has been involved in within the last year. Identify your messaging, content types and aesthetics across all platforms to be sure your brand is represented consistently and cleanly.

    Online communities are vital for any brand, but too many communities can often lead to slip-ups.

    Most importantly, remember your email community. Take a look at your subscriber lists, as they’ve likely changed a lot in the last year. Reevaluate your content, and make sure it’s written to speak to your audience as it is today, and not the audience you had a year ago. Remember, it’s not about you.

    5. Adjust your paid advertising plan

    Advertising is truly an art form and with each campaign comes new insights into how you can continue to improve. The beginning of the year is the perfect opportunity to look at the annual overview of how your ads performed over each month or quarter. So, to refine your ads, here are the top things you should be looking for when analyzing the previous year’s results:

    First, take a close look at how your ad campaigns over the full year performed individually. Look at each campaign’s numbers and analyze the specifics. Looking at details such as ad spend, engagement, and ROI, you can figure out which campaigns did well and which ones didn’t, determine why, and going forward you won’t waste time and resources on things that don’t work.

    Next, make some changes to how you fund your ads. This could mean moving money around to the campaigns that did the best or making small adjustments to how much you’re willing to pay for certain demographics or geographic areas.

    Finally, something we marketers know all too well: adjust your campaigns based on changing trends. There are always new places to show ads and new ways to make them. So, be on the lookout for new opportunities, like trying out video ads instead of carousels.

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    Christopher Tompkins

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  • How to Grow Your Brand’s Digital Presence in Just 6 Months | Entrepreneur

    How to Grow Your Brand’s Digital Presence in Just 6 Months | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In a digital-first era, where 64.6% of the global population is online, having a robust digital presence has become the cornerstone for brands to thrive in 2023. Whether it’s a startup laying its first digital brick or an established entity aspiring to capture more online real estate, there’s no overstating the impact of a potent digital identity.

    Yet, how does a brand transition from being a mere whisper in the vast online space to a roaring name recognized by thousands, if not millions?

    The promise is enticing – taking your business from obscurity to the limelight in a mere six months. Let’s dive in as we chart the trajectory.

    Related: 8 Ways to Improve Your Online Presence in 2023

    1. Understanding your starting point

    Before you can amplify your brand’s digital footprint, knowing where you stand is crucial. Imagine setting off on a journey without a starting point on your map. Wouldn’t make much sense, right? The same principle applies here.

    Begin with a comprehensive audit of your digital assets. Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor your website’s daily visitors. Is it 50, 500 or 5,000? Next, hop onto platforms like Instagram or Twitter. Note down your current follower count.

    Services like SocialBlade offer real-time insights into your growth rate and engagement. By understanding these initial figures, you anchor your strategy, giving it direction and purpose. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about setting a clear foundation for the massive growth journey ahead.

    2. Mapping out your digital goals

    Jumping online without clear goals is like heading out to sea with no map. That “100,000” isn’t just a shiny number; it’s what this figure represents for your brand.

    Is it 100,000 monthly website visitors, social media followers or perhaps brand mentions in various online forums? Specifying this is paramount.

    Once you’re clear on what your 100,000 looks like, it’s time to break it down using the SMART goals methodology:

    • Specific: Is it Twitter fans or blog hits? Nail that down.
    • Measurable: Get the right tools. For website peeks, Google Analytics is your pal. For social, think Hootsuite.
    • Achievable: Dream big but stay grounded. Aiming for 100,000 on Instagram? Check today’s growth. Can you get there?
    • Relevant: Align goals with your brand. If you’re a tech firm, maybe Pinterest isn’t your arena. Choose wisely.
    • Time-bound: You’ve got half a year. Break it down. Maybe aim for a steady 20% bump monthly.

    Each step you take with this roadmap is laser-focused on that big win.

    Related: Building A Social Media Strategy That Can Bolster Your Brand’s Online Presence: The How-To

    3. Empower your brand with content

    Content is more than king; it’s your brand’s heartbeat. It connects you with your audience, starting chats and keeping them going.

    Want to hit the mark? Understand your audience’s content love. Look at the data. Which blogs hold their attention? Which social posts do they rave about? This info shapes content they’ll love.

    Now, for the secret sauce. Certain content types tend to generate waves online:

    • Infographics: Turn big data into eye-catching, share-worthy visuals.
    • Listicles: Lists like “Top 10 tips…” or “5 must-have tools…” give quick, handy information.
    • How-to guides: Teach them something. They’ll thank you for your time.
    • Personal tales: Share real stories of ups, downs and in-betweens. They’ll remember your brand.

    Creating killer content isn’t just smart; it’s honoring and serving your audience.

    Related: Why All Entrepreneurs Need a Content Strategist For Their Business

    4. Leverage social media for rapid growth

    Social media is your brand’s fast track to the spotlight. Picking the right platform is crucial. Is your audience professional? Dive into LinkedIn. More youthful? TikTok or Instagram might be more fruitful.

    Collaborate with influencers, but choose wisely. It’s not about follower count but engagement. An influencer with 10,000 active fans might outdo one with 100,000 casual viewers.

    Finally, let’s optimize for organic growth:

    • Post Timing: Be regular. Know when your audience tunes in
    • Engage: Use polls or Q&As for interaction. They’re engaging and fun.
    • Community: Respond to comments, use brand hashtags and nurture a community vibe. Turn followers into fans.

    With a smart social strategy, you’re gearing up for impressive, lasting growth.

    5. Paid strategies: Making every penny count

    Imagine PPC like a digital billboard. You only pay when someone shows interest by clicking. Social ads? Think of them as tailored posters in a community center, shown only to those interested.

    Here’s how to get the most out of your ad spend:

    • Niche down: Be picky. Selling handmade candles? Aim your ads at ‘handmade craft lovers’ or ‘home decor enthusiasts,’ not everyone.
    • Test and learn: Try two ads — one with a family picture and another with just candles. See which gets more love, then use that style more.
    • Set a spending cap: Decide your daily spending. Maybe start with $10. See what happens, then decide if you want to spend more.
    • Keep an eye on numbers: Platforms give you numbers – like how many clicked and how long they stayed. Watch them. Change your strategy if numbers aren’t good.

    Simply put: spend wisely, watch results, tweak and repeat. Every penny should earn its keep.

    Related: 5 Steps to Creating a Content Marketing Strategy That Actually Works

    6. Monitoring, measuring and adapting

    Why Track? Imagine you’ve planted a seed. Without checking, how’d you know it’s growing? Same with your brand. Tracking tells you what’s working.

    Your Toolbox: There are free tools like Google Analytics. It’s like a magnifying glass for your website. See where visitors come from and what they do. For social media? Tools like Hootsuite help.

    When to Change? Maybe you notice fewer clicks at 3 p.m. Maybe a post got tons of likes on Tuesday. See these patterns? Act on them. Shift your strategy. It’s like watering your plant when the soil’s dry. Simple, right?

    Brands should remember to be always audience-centric, constantly evolving in response to feedback and analytics. Embrace the journey from obscurity to prominence, and watch your brand soar in just six months.

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    Mohamed Elhawary

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  • The Hidden Risks of AI and AI-Powered Digitization — and How to Navigate Them | Entrepreneur

    The Hidden Risks of AI and AI-Powered Digitization — and How to Navigate Them | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the continuously-evolving digital landscape of today, efficiency is everything, and businesses must strive to optimize wherever possible to remain competitive. It stands to reason that enterprises worldwide strive to engage in data-driven decision-making wherever possible. In a world where 90% of all data is unstructured, however, this can be more challenging than it sounds.

    To gain maximal value from the information they already possess, a growing contingent of enterprises is attempting to leverage AI-powered digitization to streamline operations and drive growth and development. However, this brings with it a range of potential risks and challenges.

    As a CMO, I’m well attuned to the potential pitfalls of AI adoption, and my experiences have taught me the importance of having the right strategy in place to deal with digitization issues as they occur. I will outline the benefits that digitization can bring to a business and offer strategies to help enterprises maximize the potential of AI-powered digitization while minimizing potential risks.

    Related: Businesses are Struggling. This Technology is Set to Spark a Revolution for Business

    The benefits of digitization

    In this day and age, the case for digitization is an easy one to make.

    First and foremost, the digitization of resources enables a greater degree of flexibility within an organization. When information has been successfully digitized, it can be viewed from anywhere, at any time, on any supported device. At a time when remote working arrangements are on the uptick, making resources accessible in this way can be a huge boon from a productivity standpoint. Moreover, since digital resources are easily searchable, employees can find what they need more quickly than ever before, thus boosting efficiency.

    A digitized database also allows for better decision-making. By enabling more effective data gathering and analysis, digitization can empower management to gain deeper insights into company performance. From there, they can focus on specific processes to optimize and allocate resources more accurately to fit the priorities of the enterprise and achieve its goals more effectively. Finally, digitization also helps to dissolve organizational silos. Enterprises can ensure that teams can share information easily by converting informational resources into a centralized digital database. The result is better organization alignment, improved collaboration between teams and a better, more coherent customer experience.

    Overcoming the challenges of AI-powered digitization

    AI-driven digitization is a worthwhile endeavor for enterprises that can pull it off successfully. However, doing so is no easy task, and many businesses encounter certain dangers along the way. Let’s outline those dangers and how enterprises can overcome them to gain maximal benefit from AI.

    1. Data governance

    To use AI-powered digitization to drive success, an enterprise must have a strong data governance foundation in place, as those lacking a strong data governance framework can quickly run into issues.

    Poor data quality and inefficient data integration, for instance, can result in inaccurate or incomplete data, which can compromise the utility and effectiveness of AI-based systems within an organization. Additionally, AI models may seek access to sensitive data, which can bring about privacy concerns.

    To prevent such issues, enterprises must establish clear policies and processes for managing data quality, privacy and security before embarking on their digitization journeys. By doing so, they can establish a clearly-defined framework that enables them to gain refined, actionable insights from their data assets.

    Similarly, it is imperative to establish mechanisms and procedures for monitoring and auditing data governance practices. Those that do this can ensure that their data governance remains congruent with the evolving needs of the enterprise, thereby preserving the effectiveness of AI systems/

    2. Ethics

    When attempting to leverage AI for the digitization of data assets, there are several ethical considerations that enterprises must contend with.

    Aside from concerns about privacy and consent when collecting data, there is also the question of data biases to consider. AI can unintentionally bring about unfair or discriminatory outcomes when specific elements of a dataset are weighted disproportionately. Suffice it to say this is counterproductive, so it is essential to set up a framework for identifying and mitigating biases in data. Enterprises can ensure that their AI systems draw accurate, unbiased conclusions through bias assessment and regular auditing.

    Additionally, it is important to remember that AI tools are just that — tools — and humans should take accountability for their use. By clearly outlining where accountability lies, enterprises can ensure that AI-power tools supplement human capabilities and judgment rather than supplant them. Furthermore, by creating a comprehensive human review framework, it’s possible to minimize human errors and prevent AI from arriving at unethical decisions.

    Related: 7 Digital-Transformation Trends to Watch

    3. Workforce adaptability

    When implementing AI-power digitization, workforce adaptability should be a serious concern. After all, for an organization to get maximal benefit from AI applications, each of its members needs to understand its role and use fully.

    In preparation for digitization, enterprises should seek to invest in AI training for employees. This will allow them to gain insights into the technology’s purpose and develop the competencies necessary to leverage it in the workplace.

    By conducting a thorough performance analysis, management should be able to identify relevant skill gaps in employees and provide them with the tools and resources they need for proper onboarding. Additionally, it’s advisable to set up clear communication channels for employees to air any issues. This will not only enable smoother onboarding with AI technologies but also ensure that there is a framework in place should the organization need to investigate potential issues down the line.

    4. Cybersecurity

    Introducing AI-driven digitization to an enterprise also brings several security concerns to the fore. Chiefly, the increased dependency on AI-powered systems may make an enterprise a more likely target for a data breach. Additionally, AI models may have inherent weaknesses that can be exploited for nefarious purposes.

    As such, having the right security measures in place is key. Implementing strong encryption, access controls, and multi-factor authentication on company systems can help to mitigate some of the risks associated with AI-powered digitization. In addition, enterprises can train employees to maintain data handling best practices to create a security-conscious culture. Lastly, organizations should confer with cybersecurity experts and perform adversarial testing to identify potential weaknesses.

    Related: How AI Is Shaping the Cybersecurity Landscape — Exploring the Advantages and Limitations

    Conclusion

    AI-powered digitization presents modern enterprises with enormous opportunities for optimization and growth. To fully reap the rewards of this digitization, however, these businesses must mitigate the risks of relying on AI-powered data systems. That means establishing strong data governance, addressing ethical considerations, empowering workforce adaptability and implementing comprehensive cybersecurity measures. By taking these steps, enterprises can use AI-driven digitization to unlock their latent potential, enabling them to achieve new levels of success.

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    Alon Ghelber

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  • Avoid These 5 Pitfalls In Your Digital Marketing | Entrepreneur

    Avoid These 5 Pitfalls In Your Digital Marketing | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Digital marketing is an excellent avenue for startups to increase their visibility and attract new audiences and customers. A third of customers discover new brands via social media – the younger, the higher the share. Data by Google shows that 49% of consumers use the search engine to look for new products.

    Consequently, it’s unsurprising that social networks and business websites are the two most important marketing channels in 2023 — with over 80% of marketers harnessing these avenues to reach potential customers. That’s closely followed by email marketing – unsurprisingly, given that, on average, email packs $36 of return on every $1 spent on it.

    The bottom line? Startups must have a solid digital marketing strategy to stay competitive.

    However, many new contenders make basic mistakes when drawing up their strategies. Here are the five worst pitfalls — and how to avoid them.

    Related: Why a Proper Digital Marketing Strategy Is a Financial Advisor’s Secret Weapon

    1. Not identifying target audiences and their pain points

    One of the most common mistakes startups make in their digital marketing strategies is to dive in without a clear idea of their target audience or what the pain points of this audience are. This is especially true for freshly launched startups, as it is tempting to cast the net wide to target as many potential customers as possible.

    However, digital marketing strategies are more successful when they have a clearer focus and a narrow audience. One of the best ways to outline this audience is by creating customer personas and a custom-tailored strategy to address each.

    2. Neglecting the basics: websites, blogs, and SEO

    In 2023, digital marketing offers many avenues for startups to engage their audience — with an increasingly heavy focus on social media.

    As a result, many startups focus exclusively on social channels at the expense of less flashy but equally important components of digital marketing: their business website, blog content and SEO. Many startups’ websites are light on information and heavy on the design. They’re anything but the SEO-optimized, content-rich powerhouses they need to be to rank in Google and boost visibility.

    Blogs, especially, tend to be sidelined. Faced with flashy trends such as influencer marketing, article writing might seem outdated in 2023. However, blogs are still a cornerstone of content marketing and have large potential in terms of search engine optimization.

    Related: No Money, No Problem: 17 Free Ways to Boost Your Website’s SEO

    3. Leaving automation and personalization potential untapped

    Another common mistake many startups make in drawing up their digital marketing strategy is neglecting automation and personalization. Modern marketing platforms offer a huge potential here. Nowadays, technology enables marketers to adjust content and messaging strategy to every customer’s preferences. Research by McKinsey shows that 71% of customers now expect to receive personalized messages from companies.

    Automation tools can help marketers streamline their workflows and reach results more efficiently. However, to derive the maximum benefit from these options, they must be planned initially; otherwise, data is siloed. By integrating personalization and automation into their digital marketing strategy from day one, startups can build a comprehensive data basis.

    Related: How to Use Automation (and Avoid the Pitfalls) as an Entrepreneur

    4. Ignoring social proof

    Why should customers trust a startup? By definition, these businesses are brand new and so have no reliable track record of being judged. That’s why startups must integrate social proof into their digital marketing strategy from the start.

    When purchasing an unfamiliar brand online, 95% of people read customer reviews before. This is why showing testimonials, ratings and links to review sites like Trustpilot on business websites can significantly boost conversions.

    Another way to go is to harness the growing creator economy by working with influencers who can access an audience that trusts them.

    A Statista’s Research Department survey showed that 45% of consumers between 18 and 34 had tried products recommended by micro-influencers. 27% even said they’d made purchases directly after seeing a post.

    Related: Need to Establish Trust With Your Audience? Leverage Social Proof.

    5. Failing to review and improve their digital marketing strategy

    A final mistake all too many startups make in their digital marketing strategies is to draw them up once and leave it at that. Instead, every digital marketing strategy should include provisions for making revisions and improvements. Regularly.

    No matter how thorough a startup’s initial research on its target customers is, even the best strategies must be tweaked when new insights become available. Periodic reviews should be part of every startup’s digital marketing strategy – alongside S.M.A.R.T. goals. By defining marketing targets that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based, startups can outline concrete issues to revisit in every iteration of their digital marketing strategy.

    Final Thoughts

    Developing a digital marketing strategy is a must for every startup. Doing it right, though, is a challenge.

    By avoiding the common pitfalls outlined above, startups can craft a custom-tailored and efficient strategy for their digital marketing efforts.

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    Hasan Saleem

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  • 3 PR Myths Hurting Your Business

    3 PR Myths Hurting Your Business

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you’re building a brand and trying to get recognized as a thought leader in your industry, chances are, you know what it’s like to feel as though you’re talking to a brick wall. There’s no denying that every brand, new or established, is looking to boost its exposure and reach a wider audience.

    While organic and paid media have their time and place, there’s definitely something about leveraging trusted media platforms through Public Relations (PR) that changes the game.

    Whether through published articles on traditional media outlets, or interviews on independent media such as podcasts, PR has built a reputation as a useful tool for brands to establish credibility and increase visibility. But I’ve been around the industry long enough to know that it also tends to get a bad rep

    So, to ensure you’re not misled, keep reading to discover a few misconceptions about PR that could be limiting your brand’s success — and the truth about how PR really works.

    Related: The 3 Wrong Perceptions That Every Business has About PR

    Misconception #1: “You need to be famous to get featured as an expert.”

    One common misconception about PR is that you need to be famous to get featured as an expert. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth? It’s not all about fame.

    In fact, journalists and editors are constantly in need of qualified experts to quote in their articles. A journalist cannot claim anything without proof or an expert opinion. For example, if they’re writing about a Vitamin B supplement for eye care, they would reference an expert, such as an Optometrist, and the professional body they’re associated with instead of claiming it is good for eyes.

    It doesn’t matter if you’re a well-known celebrity or a little-known industry insider — as long as you have the right qualifications and expertise on the topic at hand, you have a chance to be featured as an expert.

    There are also times when journalists and editors prefer to find one go-to expert for a specific topic, so there’s a possibility of becoming that go-to expert. I’ve seen it happen with some of my PR clients! That said, many experienced journalists and editors will demand a diverse range of experts, highlighting the ongoing need for fresh featured experts.

    The key to getting featured is to find a writer or editor in need of your expertise, build a relationship with them, and be there at the right time and place.

    Misconception #2: “PR requires a big investment”

    Another misconception about PR is that it costs a ton of money. While this can be true sometimes, it’s not a hard and fast rule. The cost of PR can be influenced by various factors, including the business model of the PR agency you’re working with and the media coverage you seek.

    For example, some PR agencies operate on a retainer model where you pay a set amount each month with no guarantees — which I believe to be outdated. This can be problematic, costing tens of thousands of dollars monthly without guaranteed results. In my opinion, this needs to be revolutionized in the industry.

    Pay-to-play is another model that’s rising in popularity. In contrast to earned media, where a PR agency secures publication placements for free by acting as your representative, this model is used by PR agencies who, instead, act as a reseller of the advertisement space. This can be more expensive, as you pay for each piece of media coverage you receive. The public also doesn’t know about the nature of this paid model, which presents undisclosed advertisements often delivered as editorial articles — and a little gray area if you ask me.

    A better alternative is the earned media model, which my agency mostly operates with. Instead of paying for the publication, the focus is on building relationships with journalists and other media professionals.

    The key to this is approaching publications still in the business of attracting visitors and readers, disclosing advertisements and not making money from their contributors. This model is the most affordable as you can either do it yourself at no cost or pay a PR agency for the sole service of making the connection.

    Related: 5 Inexpensive Ways to Do PR for Your Company

    Misconception #3: “You need to be well connected to get started”

    Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be well-connected to get started in PR. While it certainly helps to have connections in the industry, it’s not a requirement for success.

    Building relationships with journalists and other media professionals is a key part of the PR process. So, even if you don’t have existing connections, you can still succeed in PR by building relationships and finding the right match from scratch.

    And remember, journalists need media experts! With the trust of their audience on the line, they can’t miss a day. If you know the hustle of creating content, you can imagine the effort it takes to create several fact-checked articles consistently every day. Good news for you: they are searching for good content and people providing this. The same goes for podcast hosts that release regularly.

    Many online tools for connecting with them, including social media, email, and private channels. Many journalists and podcast hosts publicly share an email where they want to receive pitches. You don’t need to know people beforehand to make the right match. All the resources you need are at your fingertips.

    Related: Why Your Marketing Team Should Be Journalists

    Whether it’s traditional or independent media, local industry-specific or national media coverage, getting featured can be accessible and benefit every brand — no matter the budget, existing connections, or fame.

    Don’t let the myths about PR hold you back. Consider PR to help you exponentially grow your brand by boosting your exposure, establishing credibility, and expanding your audience reach.

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    Natasha Zo

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  • 3 Digital Marketing Strategies That Will Save You 20 Hours Every Week

    3 Digital Marketing Strategies That Will Save You 20 Hours Every Week

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Are you struggling to keep up with the demands of digital marketing? You’re not alone. Small businesses and entrepreneurs are often so busy that they don’t have time to focus on their marketing efforts.

    Don’t worry, though! There are ways to automate your digital marketing so that it doesn’t take up all your time.

    As a digital entrepreneur and marketing coach, over the past ten years growing online businesses, I’ve learned precisely how to save 20 hours a week with automatic digital marketing processes, which I’m here to teach you. By implementing the three following automation strategies, you can free up valuable time to focus on other aspects of your business. Let’s get started!

    Related: How to Build on Your Digital Marketing Momentum in 2023

    1. Social media marketing automation

    Automating your social media marketing is one of the fastest and easiest ways to save time in digital marketing. There are many tools available that allow you to schedule posts, monitor engagement, and more.

    At the beginning of each month, create a calendar by planning 30 days worth of social media content ideas. For example, each day of the week, you should vary your content by type (i.e., educational, entertaining, inspiring, tips and tricks, behind-the-scenes, etc.). This will help keep your social media audiences engaged and interested in your posts while making it easier for you and your team to create the content.

    Similar to how manufacturing facilities streamline production processes by batching work, the same technique should be applied to your marketing efforts. Instead of creating marketing content from scratch and posting to social networks daily, batch your workload by producing content in one sitting and then schedule your posts for the rest of the week. This will make it easier for you and save you a lot of time so that you can move on to other areas of your business.

    When filming videos or shooting photos for social media, aim to capture a variety of content that can be reused and repurposed for various posts. This will cut down on the content creation time, as you’re utilizing one shoot for multiple pieces of content.

    You can also share UGC (user-generated content) featuring your company’s products or services (either by hired content creators or real customers), which shows social proof while giving you easy-to-post original content that doesn’t require extra work or effort on your part.

    In addition to these social media marketing tips to save time and energy, you can also reshare posts from several months ago. For example, if you had a popular post on Instagram from at least 3-months ago that got a lot of engagement, repost that with a slightly different caption now. This drastically cuts down on your content creation time, helping to attract a wider audience of potential new followers interested in your business.

    Related: Top 12 Questions About Facebook Ads That Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know

    2. Automating email marketing

    Automating your email marketing is a great way to save time and increase efficiency while staying in touch with your customers and prospects. You can use an email automation platform like Flodesk, Mailchimp or Constant Contact to create automated campaigns that send personalized emails to your subscribers based on their preferences and interests.

    For example, creating an email sequence workflow that automatically is scheduled to send to people who opt-in to your email list is the absolute best way to streamline your email marketing process. It’s also important to segment your audience lists so that you optimize your email workflows — this way, you know where each person is in the customer journey experience.

    For example, if someone opts into your email list by signing up for a lead magnet (such as a free ebook), then you’ll want to add them to a cold lead list (since they’re just learning about your business). That way, you start to warm them up through emails before selling them on your products or services.

    By comparison, if you set up an audience list of past customers, you can remarket to them by offering reward-based promotions (such as exclusive Thank You coupon codes) to encourage them to purchase again.

    As you can see, setting up audience lists makes it easier to create different types of automated emails that drive brand awareness, boost sales conversions and incentivize repeat purchases.

    Related: Why Email Marketing Is Better for Your Business Than Social Media

    3. Implementing content curation tools

    Content curation is another excellent way for entrepreneurs and small business owners to save time on digital marketing. Using a content curation tool, such as Buzzsumo or Curata, you can quickly find and share relevant content in your industry without spending hours researching articles and sources. Content curation tools allow you to easily search for the best content related to your target audience, save it for later use, and share it on social media.

    In addition to sharing industry-focused content, you can also share inspirational quotes that relate to your target audience’s mindset. For example, suppose you’re selling beauty products geared toward women. In that case, you might consider quickly creating a beauty image (even a stock photo will suffice) with a caption by an empowering female icon (such as Coco Chanel or Marilyn Monroe). Women are inspired by motivational messages from these figures and will often engage with this type of content on social media (by liking, commenting, and sharing it). This is an easy, effective way to create content that gets results quickly.

    These are just a few simple ways that automation will help you save time in digital marketing. Implementing these strategies will allow you to focus more energy on other important business areas while growing brand awareness for your company and acquiring new sales leads.

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    Christina-Lauren Pollack

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  • 5 Reasons Why You Need to Make Emojis Part of Your Marketing Strategy

    5 Reasons Why You Need to Make Emojis Part of Your Marketing Strategy

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    So many messages get lost in translation when typed or written down. How can you convey your tone of voice or feelings in just 280 characters or less?

    According to a report, adding emojis to your social media posts increases engagement and lowers advertising costs. While the marketers of yesteryear would scoff at the thought of emojis, these little smileys can add a ton of personality to an otherwise dull message. And they’re not just for style too.

    Why use emojis?

    Emojis add real value to your messages. Intercom found that messages sent by a business that contains emojis are four times more likely to get a response from a customer. Adding an emoji to the end of your sentence can soften up an otherwise sales-forward message. Here are more data to convince you:

    • Emojis on your email subject line can increase your open rate by 3-4%.
    • The more emojis you use on your Instagram captions, the higher number of interactions.
    • Adding emojis to your ads can increase your click-through rates and improve overall performance.
    • Humans are naturally visual people, meaning they can process emojis faster than they can read and understand your sentences.

    Related: What Can Emojis Tell Us About Diversity and Inclusion?

    How to use emojis in marketing?

    Veering away from the data and adding a smile at the end of your message can also add context and avoid misinterpretation. Emojis can help you say more with less effort and characters. Here are 5 creative ways how to use emojis in marketing.

    1. Choose signature emojis for branding

    There are over three thousand emojis available. While there’s no harm in using whatever emoji matches your messaging, using too many can make your brand look too casual and unprofessional.

    It’s a good idea to rotate between a handful of emojis and use them as branding elements. Think about how McDonald’s has taken ownership of the french fries emoji while Taco Bell petitioned for the taco emoji — which emojis can you make your own?

    Using emojis as part of your branding can help your customers remember you better. It’s also a simple and effective way to stand out from the competition.

    2. Humanize your tone of voice

    Any messages from brands may be received with some skepticism. Don’t let your audience think you’re only reaching out to sell them something (even if you are). Emojis are a great tool to make your brand seem more human and relatable.

    While instant messaging and social media cannot replicate the intimacy of face-to-face communication, emojis can fill in essential aspects of communication, such as facial expressions and body language.

    Emojis are often associated with happiness, so adding an emoji at the end of your message will show that you’re happy to help and can also make your audience happy.

    3. When words aren’t enough

    Emojis have a way of driving a point forward when words are not enough to express your message. According to psychologists, emojis can help reinforce a message’s meaning. Adding emojis can help set the tone of your messages, like your manner of speaking.

    For example, a simple “see you” can sound so different from a “see you” (smiley emoji). The former sounds like a forced formality, while the latter conveys excitement.

    4. Create your emojis

    While not many brands have the power and pull of Taco Bell, which officially got the Unicode Consortium to add the taco emoji in 2015, there’s no stopping you from designing your emojis.

    Brands like Sephora have created their own emoji keyboard filled with emojis that are patterned after their products. The emoji keyboard allows users to customize emojis, making the experience more exciting and personalized.

    Having your own emojis is a great way to strengthen your brand presence and turn your customers into brand advocates.

    5. Emoji polls

    You already know that emojis can boost your engagement. On top of adding emojis to your captions and in-image text, another great way to integrate them into your marketing strategy is through Interactive stickers on Instagram.

    Use emojis to differentiate a “this or that” vote on your Instagram Stories and find out how your audience feels about your products. Combining interactive stickers and emojis can effectively grab your audience’s attention and gather valuable insight in a fun and interactive way.

    Related: 5 Etiquette Rules for Using Emojis at Work

    But is the emoji for you?

    While data may convince you that all those smileys are worth the chances of being off-brand, it’s still important to understand the playing field. If you’re part of a more traditional industry, such as banking, you may want to keep things emoji free. Otherwise, you run the risk of seeming unprofessional.

    Like anything, moderation is key. Adding too many emojis can make your brand seem spammy. Consider A/B testing your ads to discover how your audience responds to the change. Emojis shouldn’t be added haphazardly just for engagement’s sake. Always consider context and content, and remember that some emojis may have double meanings.

    Now that emojis have become ingrained in our daily communication, it’s about time that brands catch up. Use these tips to guide you and create an emoji marketing strategy that works.

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    Nick Brogden

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