Creating a website can be a daunting task. There are so many things to consider, like how you want it to look and what features it should have. But the most important thing you need to consider before designing your site is why you're creating one in the first place. What do you want people who visit your site to do there?

Search engine optimization is the stepping stone to reaching your target audience. How search engines grade your content revolves primarily around the user experience. Simply creating a website will not get the job done today when curating content for your consumers. It truly is a race to who can optimize their content and have a further reach in the search engine. While there are many things that can be overlooked, I have two issues for you today that can improve your search engine ranking if you catch them quickly enough.

As previously covered in our blog on email marketing’s vitality, email marketing isn’t going anywhere, and in fact, it can contribute to some serious ROI. However, in order to tap into email’s true potential, several best practices must be followed. This week’s blog will serve as a stepping stone to launching targeted, valuable content to your current subscribers.

Over the past decade, I’ve spoken with hundreds of business owners and decision-makers who do not trust marketing agencies. We explore the top five reasons why and address other major issues in the digital marketing world.

Top reasons why businesses do not trust agencies:
1. You don’t understand the cost structure

“Content is King,” the first commandment of the marketing bible and the very foundation on which brands are built. Sure, it sounds simple enough, but we as consumers all know there is a vast difference between quality and poor content. Not all content is created equal and as technology has progressed, so has the number of channels and formats in which content can be created and disseminated.

From pouring your Kelloggs in the morning to lacing up your Nikes for a run to driving your Toyota while listening to your favorite Pandora station, brands are ever-present in our life. Seriously, try and think of one product that you use on a daily basis that isn’t specifically branded. 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been asked, “Can you please explain what it is you are doing? How long does it take? What tools do you need?” and my personal favorite, “How much does it cost?” 

“A landing page is a website page with a specific purpose — the objective of a landing page is to convert visitors into leads.

In the past, when newspaper ads, mailers, magazine ads, massive billboards, and other traditional marketing mediums were the only channels to advertise. Measuring the marketing return on investment (ROI) was difficult and typically created tensions between the sales and marketing departments because each believed they should receive recognition for the increase in revenue.

Most business owners, sales managers, and sales professionals strongly believe they have a firm grasp on their ideal buyer. In most cases, they are correct. But, this knowledge was obtained over years, if not decades of experience working in the industry, market, selling to prospects, managing customer accounts, and held in their brain. Now, we both know that everyone in your company does not have all this information at their disposal. This is why developing a buyer persona is extremely important to the overall success of your sales and marketing.