What Are the Big Trends in Local SEO Marketing?

Local marketers continue to be optimistic – 26% believe that it will be easier to achieve local SEO¹ success, up from 22% last year. Following are key findings from a recent study, where marketers and businesses weigh in on local marketing strategies. TRENDS Marketers who specialize in SEO evaluate trends that impact local marketing: Almost…

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Consumer Mindsets Matter: Understanding the Why Behind the Buy

It’s important to consider consumer mindsets on a consistent basis.  Along with price and quality, people also care about convenience, comfort, ethics, sustainability and shared values.¹ Following are steps to identify what connects with customers: Perform consumer research: Know your target audience – focus groups offer insights into how consumers act, think, and feel. Big…

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Valuable Marketing Statistics and Trends

Various statistics often offer valuable insights into what it takes to effectively market a product or service. Following are some current illuminating and useful marketing trends. 1. Social Media Social media plays a key role in acquiring new consumers and keeping existing ones happy: Virtually all small businesses use social media as a marketing tool….

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Creating a Strong Brand Positioning in Your Market  

Brand positioning is the process of placing your business in the minds of your customers.  The goal is to create a unique impression so that consumers associate something specific and desirable with your brand that differs from the rest of the marketplace. 1. Two-Step Brand Positioning Strategy Process Determine how your business and competitors are…

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The Changing Digital Landscape

A recent study has shown consumer perception of ads and brands is influenced by the quality of an environment. Following are key findings about how context and sentiment are impacting the digital advertising landscape: 1) Context is important to consumers: More than 70% say that content impacts their perception of ads. The majority find it…

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Why Brand Consistency Is So Important

“Successful small business owners … commit to consistent, ongoing marketing … [they] view marketing as an investment, not an expense – because that’s exactly what it is!” — Joy Gendusa, sbmarketingtools.com When it comes to branding, “consistency is key”: It takes time and repetition for customers to become aware, remember, trust and consider you. Showing…

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Consumers Seek Relationships That Go Beyond Just Selling

A recent study shows that consumers want businesses to reach them emotionally — 46% prefer brands where there’s a relationship beyond “just selling me something”. Driven by different levels of loyalty, including value, trust, quality and customer service, when customers feel emotionally connected to a business, their sense of loyalty increases: 1. Deep loyalty is…

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How to Analyze, Redesign, Rebuild Brands

To earn consumer trust, it’s important that businesses review and evaluate their brand design, perception and values.  Following are three steps to help stay creatively connected with consumers: 1) Re-evaluate your foundation: Identify the brand story, images and logos associated with your business. Ensure your message is positive, sensitive and meaningful. Pinpoint areas of growth…

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Five Small Business Marketing Strategies

Business owners always want to stand out from the competition. Following are five key marketing strategies that can help accomplish that goal. 1) Use Video to Stay Connected Video is an effective way to maintain a connection with clients. Adding/sharing videos will likely lead to positive engagement with your content. Five billion videos are watched…

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