Dani Barnes | Learn with Bigg

Digital Marketing

Climb to the Top: Why Omnichannel Marketing Is the Key

As many as 86% of shoppers regularly switch between multiple different channels at once while shopping. Some may place an online order when shopping in a physical store, while others will explore a brand’s social media channels whilst also browsing their online store.

It goes without saying, then, that an omnichannel approach is something you ought to consider when creating your marketing strategy. This informative article will help you get to grips with the basics of omnichannel marketing and how it can help you climb to the top of your industry.

What Is Omnichannel Marketing?

Put simply, omnichannel marketing is a strategy that uses data and analytics to create a cohesive, seamless shopping experience across all possible touch points or channels – i.e. wherever shoppers encounter your brand. Channels can include social media, emails, apps, eCommerce websites, physical stores, and even in-person events.

Modern audiences want to consume media constantly, which includes your business communications. By catering to this demand and reflecting customers’ preferences in your communications, you can improve buyer experience and customer retention, which can subsequently benefit your business.

Omnichannel vs. multichannel

At this point, you may be thinking that omnichannel marketing sounds an awful lot like multichannel marketing. However, there are several differences between the two, which we have summarised below:

Omnichannel marketing

All available channels are utilised
Communications are streamlined and all channels work together
The customer is at the centre of the marketing strategy
Messaging adapts to customer behaviours using data and analytics

Multichannel marketing

Uses more than one channel to communicate with customers
Communications are not streamlined and channels operate individually
The product, service and/or brand is at the centre of the marketing strategy
Messaging mostly remains static and unchanging

Why Does It Matter?

Omnichannel marketing helps brands create a positive customer experience at every step of the buying process. It can also reduce churn rate, boost customer loyalty, and build a positive reputation for your brand.

Omnichannel matters

- Earn and keep customer trust. Reduce churn with personalised messaging and support

- The best sales data available. Use the customer’s interactions to inform your sales and marketing

- Conversational marketing. Increase engagement and conversations with two-way communication across channels

Not only that, but an omnichannel strategy responds directly to customer behaviours and attitudes, as reflected in these statistics:

Omnichannel marketing customer retention rate 89% Vs 33%

73% of consumers shop on more than one channel
Companies taking an omnichannel approach have an average customer retention rate of 89%, compared to 33% for companies taking other approaches
25% of buyers have made an online purchase whilst in a physical store
87% of customers think brands should prioritise providing a seamless experience
90% of customers expect consistent communications across channels

Omnichannel strategies benefit brands by...

It’s clear that there is a real demand for an omnichannel approach among modern consumers. Therefore, it’s vital that you don’t underestimate the importance of omnichannel marketing or its role in the future success of your business.

Key Benefits of Omnichannel Marketing

When done properly, an omnichannel strategy can offer numerous benefits to businesses of all kinds, including:

Better user experience

Omnichannel marketing uses customer data to tailor messaging and reach the right customers, on the right channels, at the right time. By focusing on customers’ specific needs, you can improve user experience, drive sales, and increase retention rates.

More cohesive brand identity

An omnichannel strategy will require you to develop a single, identifiable brand identity that addresses your target audience’s needs, values, and pain points. Doing this will enable you to improve customer experience, increase brand loyalty, and make your communications more targeted and strategic.

Increased revenue

An omnichannel approach increases and diversifies engagement at each stage of the buyer journey, which can help to increase revenue. Customers that engage with multiple touchpoints tend to spend around 13% more online than single-channel customers. Targeted messaging also builds customer loyalty, leading to repeat purchases – which, in fact, account for 40% of a company’s revenue, on average.

Prominent omnichannel marketing statistics

Greater customer insights

Data is essential for effective omnichannel marketing. By tracking interactions across multiple channels, you can better understand buyer journeys, their preferred engagement times and places, and which campaigns have been most effective. These insights can then be used to improve new and existing communications and avoid wasting advertising spend on ineffective ones.

Eye-opening omnichannel marketing statistics

Potential Challenges of Omnichannel Marketing

Recognising the importance of omnichannel marketing is one thing, but achieving the desired results is another. Many face challenges when implementing a seamless omnichannel experience for their customers, including:

Failing to understand customers

Don’t just hope for the best when it comes to creating your strategy. Make sure you fully understand your buyer persona(s) and their shopping behaviours in order to present target communications for every customer and channel.

Not utilising data

Embracing data is key when implementing omnichannel marketing solutions, so it’s important that your strategy utilises the available data to its fullest extent.

Analysing touchpoints individually

Measuring the success of different touchpoints in isolation will not produce accurate or holistic insight into how your omnichannel strategy is performing. Consider all touchpoints as part of a cohesive whole and measure them as such.

Not acting on new findings

Failing to take actionable steps based on new findings or insights can derail your entire strategy. The best way to fix this is by enlisting the help of skilled marketers who know how to interpret the data and adapt the strategy accordingly.

Failing to measure KPIs effectively

Many measure the overall effectiveness of their campaign but fail to measure the KPIs at each and every stage of the buyer journey. Instead of measuring the results for the entire campaign, break it down into stages that reflect your typical customer journey.

Working with the marketing specialists here at Bigg is the best way to achieve your marketing goals and ensure the success of your omnichannel strategy. We have the expertise and experience necessary to overcome the challenges outlined above and help you reap the rewards you’d expect from an omnichannel approach.

Best Practices for Omnichannel Marketing

Not only is the Bigg team well-equipped to deal with challenges, but we also know precisely what best practices to follow to ensure your strategy yields results. These best practices include but are not limited to:

Understand your customers

No two customers behave the same way, so it’s vital that you take the time to understand your audience, map out their journeys and create a strategy that reflects these insights.

Utilise the right channels

You don’t have to utilise all available channels. Determine which ones your customers frequently use to interact with your brand and go from there.

Avoid harassing your customers

While understanding your customers is key, avoid invading their privacy or bombarding them with communications. Remember – right message, right person, right time, right channels.

Prioritise consistency

Always ensure that your messaging is consistent across all channels. This means streamlining everything from staff training to the content throughout the buyer journey.

Measure, measure, measure

Continually measure the effectiveness of your campaign. This will enable you to identify its strengths and any pain points that need resolving.

Climb to the Top with Expert Marketing Services from Bigg

Here at Bigg, we take a scientific approach to marketing that is all about results. With a whole host of marketing services available, from content writing and branding to paid advertising and social media management, we are well-placed to help you implement an omnichannel strategy that is sure to succeed. Using a variety of data collection and analysis tools, our teams will be able to ensure that your messaging remains relevant and consistent across every channel and continually benefits your business.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive marketing package that promises growth and profitability, you needn’t look any further than Bigg. To discuss your business goals and get your omnichannel marketing journey underway, book your one-to-one strategy call with one of our performance experts now. Alternatively, if you’d like to learn more about our specialist marketing services, simply contact us – our friendly team will be more than happy to answer your questions.

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Social Marketing

Breaking Free from Twitter: Exploring the Top Alternatives

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Vine, Reddit, Tumblr. The list of social media platforms goes on and on, offering helpful websites and apps that allow for the creation and sharing of information. Some, like Facebook, have stood the test of time and remain popular to this day. Others, such as Vine, had their moment in the sun before fading out of the cultural zeitgeist.

One that many thought would stand the test of time was Twitter, but in 2022 and 2023, we have seen the mighty fall as many migrate away from Twitter to other channels. But what happened?

Read on to find out a little more about the history and current state of Twitter, then explore a few of the top alternatives people are using instead, and how digital marketing works on them.

A Brief History Of Twitter: 2006-2023

Twitter is an American social media platform that first launched in July 2006. Its unique selling point was the style of messaging, known as tweets. When it first launched, a tweet could only be 140 characters long, which was upped to 280 characters in 2017. This was due to it originally being a text-based SMS service, where a short character count was used and you couldn’t go over this.

Twitter quickly rose in popularity, with more than 100 million users by 2012 and over 300 million by the start of 2023. So you may be thinking, why are people migrating from a platform that 300 million users actively use?

2022 Takeover

Twitter became a public company in November 2013 and for years just seemed to keep growing, opening new headquarters around the globe and becoming increasingly popular as other social media platforms became less prominent. In 2022, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla, revealed he had brought 9.1% of Twitter for $2.64 billion and was appointed to Twitter’s board of directors.

Soon after this, he made an unsolicited offer to acquire Twitter for $43 billion, concerned about what he regarded as too much censorship and a lack of free speech allowed on the platform. After some back and forth, in October 2022, it was reported that the deal was going through, and Musk took control of the company.

So Why Are People Leaving The Platform?

Musk’s management of the company seemed quite questionable to outsiders as he dissolved the board of directors and laid off about half of the 7,500 employees. Many large advertisers began to pause or stop their advertising on the site, while Musk began to change how the platform worked in ways that confused or angered users, such as changing the character limit to 4000 for Twitter Blue users, a 3720 character increase from the previous 280. He allowed controversial figures to return to the platform and the site saw an overall rise in hate speech and technical problems.

So for many people, it was time to leave.

Alternative Social Media Platforms

Luckily when getting rid of one social media, another can easily take its place. Here are some alternatives to Twitter that can be used.

Mastodon

Soon after Twitter was taken over, Mastodon began to experience a surge in popularity. It is a social network that contains a range of different servers run by various groups and individuals. Instead of signing up to one centralised platform, you sign up to separate servers, such as your local area or something you’re interested in. Mastodon is being described as a combination of Twitter and Tumblr and many are choosing it due to the strict content moderation that Twitter is now lacking.

Mastodon has not implemented any monetization strategies into its software, so there are no ads, no paid accounts and no algorithm built to keep users engaged. While some may enjoy this, it makes it harder for businesses to use the social network, as there are no quick and easy ways to advertise products and services. Servers having their own rules can complicate reaching audiences without individually tailoring posts to each server, which can take time.

Hive Social

Hive Social is a Twitter-like social media app that uses a chronological feed instead of one that is algorithm based. You can heart and repost content, as well as use hashtags to find the content you enjoy. It is much more customisable than Twitter, able to add things like star signs, pronouns and different background colours to your profile. You can even sync your Spotify or Apple Music account and play your favourite songs for those who visit your profile.

Hive Social does not use advertisements and there is no way to verify accounts, but marketers can still use it by linking back to their own site. It promotes more natural and genuine connections, which can be hard for marketers to do successfully.

Tumblr

Tumblr has been around for a while, reaching peak popularity in the early 2010s as a place for millennials to post text, videos, photos, music and more in an infinitely scrolling blog format. While popularity has dwindled recently, it began seeing a surge in users following the Twitter takeover.

Tumblr allows sponsored posts and advertisements, so as long as you fit the engaging visual nature of the site, it can be used to boost your engagement and drive leads to you.

Digital Marketing That Works For You

Here at Bigg, we offer dynamic marketing across a range of social media platforms that will help you to engage audiences and lead to positive results. We do this by targeting specific networks to help connect with the right audience, creating engaging content that will grab the attention of those you want and tracking everything to ensure you know exactly how well you’re performing.

We can work with you to create a custom strategy built around your needs, as well as generate all the text, images and animations you may need so you don’t have to worry about anything. Finally, we’ll use a range of analytics tools that will help you review and revise your campaign based on real data, including interactions and conversions.
We can help out across a range of platforms, including Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and even Twitter. If you’re interested in social media that improves results, contact us today to find out more.

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Uncategorised

Gen Z: The Game-Changing Market You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Establishing brand awareness within different markets can really set you apart from competitors. Be it a growing reputation within one particular demographic, or successfully targeting a location-specific audience – identifying relevant groups and honing in on their interests is increasingly important.

Generation Z is one such age demographic worth a second glance at and catering to this uniquely internet-savvy group could be vital for your brand’s success in 2023. A scattergun approach rarely yields genuinely impressive results, so let Bigg take you through the essentials when it comes to engaging this pool of potential customers and clients.

Who Are Generation Z?

Broadly defined, Generation Z (also known as ‘Gen Z’, ‘Zoomers’, or ‘Digital Natives’) includes anyone born between the late 1990s and early 2010s. This ultimately means that an individual within Gen Z will almost certainly be aged anywhere from 13 to 26, likely to have grown up with access to the Internet, and familiar with portable digital technology. This inherent relationship with tech and internet access makes the generation one of the very first to consume viral content, instant messaging and streamable media on a daily basis – with immediate access to information and entertainment at their very fingertips.

As you may imagine, this is both advantageous and problematic in equal measure, giving companies a greater incentive to establish a presence online, but requiring a specific understanding of this demographic’s needs and wants. Members of Generation Z make up a significant portion of buyers in every industry, and will soon become the largest group of consumers on the planet. For these reasons, becoming well-acquainted with hobbies and interests can place you ahead of competitors. Though appearing authentic and transparent in how you appeal to this audience can be the trickiest part, adopting values of equity and purpose in how you advertise will serve you well.

Catered Content

With so many viral marketing efforts and trends to contend with, creating content which specifically appeals can be challenging to say the least. The key to engaging with this creative online audience is to write or produce genuinely entertaining and interactive content – unlike that which they see when scrolling through competitor sites or socials. Though visual media, short videos, polls, quizzes and competitions have become increasingly popular among Digital Natives, there’s still considerable value to be found from well-written and thoroughly-researched copy.

With strong opinions, significant buying power and unique tastes, Gen Z haven’t shunned traditional blogs and articles altogether, but they certainly won’t be as likely to click on any old block of generic text. Uniquely researched and readable content is the order of the day, highlighting your business as a thought leader and overlapping with the values of the reading public.

Going Social

Social media and influencer marketing may seem like buzzwords, but they’re certainly here to stay. Gen Z has embraced celebrity culture like no other, with TikTok stars, YouTubers and viral characters able to become household names with considerable pulling power. Endorsements and advertisements from these figures can act as a fantastic way to tap into an alternate audience, especially if the resulting idea is sharable or interactive.

Influencer marketing can include everything from endorsements and reviews to sponsored posts and short videos, though there are certain products and services which work notably better via an influencer marketing campaign. Clothing, skincare products, fitness supplements, food and drink are perhaps the first categories that come to mind, though with a sprinkle of creativity and know-how, almost any business campaign can benefit from social media exposure and influencer marketing.

Sustainability Goals

It’s difficult to touch upon Gen Z without highlighting the importance of social responsibility and sustainability in purchasing decisions. Research from The University of Pennsylvania suggests that this group cares more about sustainable buying decisions than brand name, meaning that you may become favourable simply by acting in an environmentally responsible manner. Putting on a facade simply won’t work, so highlighting your commitment to eco-friendly action with palpable evidence and an action plan will certainly make a difference.

Looking to cut down on single-use plastics? Invest in a fleet of electric vehicles? Or hold a charity event for a prominent cause? Press releases and corresponding content related to sustainability can help to pick up steam with a Gen Z audience.

Loyalty And Influence

Unlike many generations before them, Gen Z aren’t as accustomed to simply sticking beside a particular brand for the name alone – constantly looking to push the envelope, discover exciting innovators and support independent brands. In some ways, this makes a dedicated pool of customers and clients hard to nail down, but in another sense, it can garner trust if you continue to develop fascinating new products, services and ideas.

Superficial gimmicks are a big no-no, whereas personalised benefits, loyalty schemes and opportunities to provide feedback are valued. Another point of significance which separates Gen Z from others is a willingness to research and compare brands or offerings. Online shopping provides hundreds of thousands of options to those who click from page to page, so anything nondescript is unlikely to cut it.

The Bottom Line

A strong sense of individualism, independence and digital literacy can be used to separate Gen Z from those that have come before, and with an estimated 26% of the global population coming under this category, there’s a growing need to innovate and develop to appease modern sensibilities. By utilising content which is unique, easy to share and actively engaging with important topics, you can very quickly become a leader within your business area.

Looking to improve your online presence and increase your profitability month after month? Bigg is a dynamic Digital Marketing Agency, enabling our clients to achieve more. Contact us today with any enquiries – we would be delighted to help.

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Digital Marketing

The Future of Search: How AI is Revolutionising Information Discovery

Put simply, AI is a form of technology that enables computer systems to carry out tasks that would usually rely on human intelligence. We are now using artificial intelligence in so many avenues, from automated driving to natural language processing. Common occurrences of AI are; speech recognition, visual perception or decision-making.

This type of progress could result in huge changes for businesses, business owners and marketers, who must keep up with the ever-changing advancements.

Artificial Intelligence in Search

In terms of information discovery, AI is having a significant impact on search engines, making them easier to use, more accurate, and altering the metrics they use to find and rank entries, thus potentially changing the way Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) works. SEO-based AI models analyse the relationships between sites and content pages, detecting patterns and duplicate content to identify spam. These Machine Learning algorithms are able to recognise words, spot potential corrections, and identify the relevance of pages.

SEO is traditionally used to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. The application of Artificial Intelligence technology will help to automate these cognitive tasks. For businesses, using AI can be useful in increasing the overall efficiency and productivity across a range of tasks. Google, for example, is using AI to make its search features ‘smarter’ and more relevant.

The Future of Search: AI Chatbots

Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are all forms of AI Chatbots. Chatbots are becoming more prevalent now, with multiple purposes. For businesses, chatbots can save time and resources as they continuously learn by interacting with humans and adapting to our use of language and search habits. Is this what the future of search looks like?

Chatbots are typically used in business to understand and respond to customer questions by simulating human conversation. Google is in the process of releasing its own AI Chatbot called ‘Bard’, following the huge success of ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing AI.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool. It allows you to have a personal conversation with an AI Bot, which will provide a detailed response. This is a serious expansion for industries such as healthcare, where automating tasks and using Artificial Intelligence is a productive way to benefit the field. In health care, for example, using chatbots for non-emergency queries, prescriptions or customer service issues can help make certain professions more efficient.

For industries such as marketing, using this type of technology could help to enhance a customer’s experience. While marketing content production can certainly be automated, the immediate future of AI in marketing will likely see marketers using chatbots like ChatGPT for content ideation rather than actual content generation.

Google’s AI bot ‘Bard’ will function similarly. You will be able to open the chat box, enter a question or query, and be met with an answer provided by Artificial Intelligence. By using an Artificial Intelligence system to deepen our consumption and understanding of knowledge, Google will be able to make it more convenient to help people find what they are looking for. Google’s chatbot will aim to emulate human conversation by:

Combining power, intelligence and creativity
Collecting information from user responses
Using feedback to improve the AI system for the future

So, is this what the future of search looks like?

Despite the huge potential created through the use of AI, there are still flaws with chatbots. There is still work to be done before bots are able to distinguish between fact and fiction. Because AI is using algorithms and consuming information to learn, biased responses are still a risk. Although they are programmed to resemble human language, there is still an inability to comprehend emotions which still creates a conversational barrier. For businesses, AI will optimise efficiency and remove the potential for ‘human error’. It’s also allowing businesses to reach larger audiences and build increased long-lasting customer relationships. That being said, as advancements continue, Artificial Intelligence does have the potential to drastically change our lives.

Everyday Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence has already been changing our everyday lives, from inside our homes to on the go. Face ID, Image recognition tools and Financial Fraud detection (in banking apps) are all ways that we are faced daily with AI, without even realising.

Voice Search and Recognition

Voice search and recognition are common forms of AI that many of us are using day-to-day due to their convenience and accessibility. Voice recognition technology has allowed Artificial Intelligence to be able to understand and respond to human speech. As this is developed further, algorithms and computer technology are able to learn, mimic and understand human speech. For consumers, this makes hands-free requests more accurate and will allow more apps and devices to be utilised with words alone.

While voice command isn’t the only instance of everyday Artificial Intelligence to take note of, it has certainly made one of the biggest differences in the lives of “normal” people. The ease of saying ‘Hey Siri’, ‘OK Google’ or ‘Alexa’ has completely changed the way we search for information, which ultimately means that the language of search is changing.

While Alexa will not give an answer unless it is 100% accurate, Google will report top results from the search engine results page, meaning that ranking highly is imperative. By getting your business up to the top of Google’s search page, the amount of organic traffic being sent to your website will increase. The role of Search Engine Optimisation is to target and prioritise quality original content, helping you rank better in searches.

What does that mean for me?

Overall, Artificial Intelligence is undeniably getting better at understanding human search intent and habits as the technology continues to develop. With this revolutionary feat of technology being able to simulate human responses, recognise patterns and consume large volumes of data, the potential power of Artificial Intelligence is unlimited. Both businesses and individuals can expect changes to the way our information is now delivered and consumed.

If you are looking to dominate Google’s search engine results pages or simply enhance your online presence, Bigg is the perfect place to start. We are a dynamic digital marketing agency specialising in all things digital marketing, from technical SEO and SEO-focused content to paid advertising campaigns.
No matter your business goals, we are committed to helping our clients to reach their full potential. If you have any queries or questions, feel free to contact us and speak to one of our specialists today.

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Paid Advertising

Performance Max Campaigns: The Hype vs. Reality

Constructing an effective ad campaign may well be the difference between a disappointing product launch or a successful marketing initiative, with plenty of platforms, providers and techniques to consider. Though this may be overwhelming at first, nobody said that managing a budget would be easy – though Google’s new Performance Max campaign options are here to try and simplify the process for all involved.

Promising plenty of engagement, seamless conversions and innovative machine learning processes, advertisers are being encouraged to try out this potentially groundbreaking campaign software, but is it really as fantastic as it seems? Let Bigg take you through the pros, cons and points of significance when considering tailored Google Performance Max campaigns in 2023.

What Are Performance Max Campaigns?

A relatively new addition to Google’s ever-growing pool of online advertising campaign types, Performance Max joins the likes of Display Campaigns, Search Campaigns, Local Campaigns and Smart Campaigns, with each variant appealing to a distinct demographic, merchant type or business goal.

Performance Max was initially launched to the public in November 2021, following a year of beta testing. Labelled initially as a brand new way to control your ads, Performance Max even works simultaneously with keyword-based search campaigns across all of Google’s channels. From Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail and Discover, a Performance Max initiative promises to advertise across all of these apps and sites, to your specified audience.

Is Performance Max For Me?

Despite the hype and understandable excitement concerning these dynamic and highly-individual campaigns, they certainly won’t be for everyone. In theory, Performance Max Campaigns should be the best option to use for when you have specific advertising and conversion goals in mind, for example, increasing online sales or lead generation. These campaigns may not be as suitable for advertisers looking to target just a couple of Google’s channels however – with video assets, images, copy and more all advised if you’re looking towards YouTube, Display and other Google platforms.

There’s a reason Google’s other campaign types remain in place as standalone options, and you may want to consider these alternatives if they better-serve the audience or goal you have in mind. We’re results-driven, and look to continually optimise ad campaigns, ensuring maximum conversions, and the very best return on your investment. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more contentious aspects of setting up a Performance Max Campaign.

Lack Of Control

Want to have the final say on targeting and bidding in relation to your campaign? If so, perhaps Performance Max isn’t for you. One of the main criticisms of this campaign type is that they offer advertisers very little control over the targeting and bidding process. This lack of control can lead to wasted ad spend and poor performance if not organised correctly – exactly what you don’t need if you’re on a tight budget and want to make every penny count.

Limited Transparency And Support

If you’re investing a large sum of money into a campaign, another issue with Performance Max campaigns is the limited transparency into how the system actually works. Advertisers don’t have access to the same level of data and insights as they do with other Google Ads campaigns, making it difficult to optimise performance and alter the campaign specifically. As these campaigns are also still relatively new, and many advertisers have reported that the support from Google is lacking, it can even be difficult for advertisers to troubleshoot issues and optimise their campaigns for success.

Performance Consistency

Despite the promises of better performance, many advertisers have found that Performance Max campaigns actually perform worse than other types of Google Ad campaign. This can be extremely frustrating for marketers who are trying to drive results and justify their ad spend, with the potential for stakeholders to revert to other, more reliable campaigns should performance consistency dwindle. Though there’s certainly the potential for a wider audience to view your product or service through a multi-channel campaign, there may be fewer assurances.

Assessing Costs

In terms of cost, Performance Max Campaigns can be more expensive than other types of Google Ad campaign, and this is predominantly because the bidding process is automated, therefore advertisers don’t have as much control over how much they’re willing to pay for clicks or conversions. Diversifying a budget and funding a more individualised campaign may offer greater value for money, allowing enhanced flexibility and freedom.

Achieving a Successful Performance Max Campaign

A successful campaign can be measured by a number of metrics and measurable factors, be it a set figure you’re looking to meet in terms of engagement and conversions, a demographic you’re hoping to tap into or even an increased retention of customers and clients. Google promises that “Performance Max asset reporting can help you understand which creatives are impacting performance”, but is this an organic process? Are there other actions you can take to ensure your campaign prospers?

Set Clear Goals

Before starting a Performance Max campaign, it’s important to define clear goals and KPIs for what you want to achieve. This will help you measure the success of the campaign and make data-driven decisions to optimise performance. Entering into a campaign without targets in mind is rarely wise, and the results may be unpredictable even with machine learning in play.

Use A Diverse Range Of Assets

As previously mentioned, Performance Max campaigns rely on machine learning algorithms to optimise performance, so it’s important to provide a diverse range of high-quality ad assets, including images, videos, and headlines, for the algorithms to work with. If your campaign isn’t suitable for these different media types and creative placements, perhaps you should consider a different Google Campaign rollout which is better-suited to your needs.

Optimise Landing Pages

To improve the effectiveness of your Performance Max campaign, it’s important to ensure that your website landing pages are optimised for conversions. Steps you can take to encourage conversions include improving your page load speed and making pages visually interesting with images, videos and graphics. A February 2023 report highlighted that over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, therefore ensuring the landing page in question is mobile-friendly should also be a priority.

Monitor Performance Closely

Although Performance Max campaigns are largely automated, it is still important to monitor performance closely to ensure that the algorithms are delivering the expected results. This can include reviewing campaign data regularly, adjusting bidding strategies as needed, and making tweaks to ad assets to improve performance. Keep a close eye on varying monthly metrics, and alter components of the campaign as you go.

The Final Word

Though Performance Max Campaigns are an interesting idea, with plenty of potential for advertisers to experiment with, we wouldn’t advise placing all of your eggs into one basket just yet. As you’re surely aware, no two campaigns are the same, therefore the somewhat restrictive conditions of Google’s latest offering mean that other, more reliable and long-established campaign types could be more applicable to your conditions – not to mention more cost-effective and consistent.

Ultimately, at Bigg our paid ads team have many years of experience in creating effective and results-driven campaigns across both Google and Microsoft ad networks, focusing on intent, quality and action to drive growth for our clients. This means that we can cater a campaign to the absolute specifics of what you’re looking to achieve, accounting for much more than budget and intended targets.

Bigg: Work With Google Ads Experts

We understand that many of our clients are new to Performance Max campaigns, therefore it can be helpful to work with Google ads experts – who retain plenty of valuable experience. This can help you get up to speed quickly, and ensure that you’re getting the most out of your budget. Familiar with the latest trends, developments and significant updates, we use a scientific approach to paid advertising that leverages visitor and conversion data to improve results and increase your profitability month after month.

Our paid ads team can even help your business reach your segment of the over 80% of users Google’s network has access to. Any queries? Or looking to discuss options with our digital marketing experts? Simply contact us at your earliest convenience!

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Digital Marketing

Getting started with email marketing

Email marketing campaigns are a great way to reach your customers and keep them engaged with your brand. Whether you’re launching a new product, promoting a sale, or just sharing information, email marketing is an effective way to stay in touch with your customers. So, let’s explore the steps to create an effective email marketing campaign and some top tips to increase the number of people opening the email.

Step 1: Define your goal

The first step in creating an email marketing campaign is to define your goal. What do you want to achieve with this campaign? Do you want to increase sales, promote a new product, or simply provide information to your customers? Defining your goal will help you create an effective campaign that resonates with your customers.

Step 2: Build your email list

The next step is to build your email list. There are many ways to do this, including collecting email addresses from customers who make a purchase, offering a free resource in exchange for an email address, or simply asking customers to sign up for your newsletter. It’s important to make sure that you have permission to send emails to the people on your list, so be sure to follow all relevant laws and regulations.

Step 3: Choose your email marketing platform

Once you have your email list, you’ll need to choose an email marketing platform. There are many options available, including Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor. Look for a platform that offers the features you need, such as the ability to create beautiful email templates, automation tools, and detailed analytics.

Step 4: Create your email campaign

Now it’s time to create your email campaign. Start by choosing a template that reflects your brand and the message you want to convey. Keep your design simple and focused on your call-to-action. Make sure your email is easy to read and that the content is relevant to your customers.

Step 5: Write your email content

Once you have your design in place, it’s time to write your email content. Your email should be clear, concise, and to the point. Use a catchy subject line to entice your customers to open your email. Make sure your message is focused on your goal and that you provide value to your customers.

Step 6: Test and optimise

Before you send your email, it’s important to test and optimise it. Send a test email to yourself and a few colleagues to make sure everything looks and works as intended. Use A/B testing to experiment with different subject lines, designs, and content to see what resonates with your customers.

Top 5 tips for increasing the number of people opening your email

Craft a compelling subject line that is attention-grabbing and clearly communicates the content of the email.
Use a recognisable sender name and email address to build trust and familiarity with your audience.
Personalise the email by using the recipient’s name and other relevant information to make the email feel more relevant to them.
Keep the email content concise and to the point, with a clear call-to-action that encourages the recipient to engage with the email.
Optimise the email for different devices and email clients, and ensure it is visually appealing and easy to read with proper formatting, colours, and images.

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Digital Marketing

How to generate new content ideas

In today’s digital age, it’s not enough to just have a website and a social media presence. To stand out in a crowded market, businesses must produce high-quality and engaging content that grabs their target audience’s attention. But, coming up with fresh content ideas for marketing a business online can be a daunting task. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks for generating creative content ideas that we use on a daily basis.

Start with the basics

Before diving into creating content, it’s important to have a solid understanding of your target audience, their interests, pain points, and the kind of content they engage with. Understanding your target audience is the foundation for any successful marketing campaign. You can start by conducting surveys, interviews, and analysing data from social media analytics, Google Analytics, and email marketing campaigns to get a better idea of who your target audience is and what they respond to.

Keep an eye on industry trends

Keeping up with industry trends is key to creating relevant and engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Industry publications, social media, and online forums are great sources for staying up to date on the latest trends and topics. Google Alerts can also be a useful tool for keeping up with relevant news and topics in your industry.

Leverage user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is any form of content created by customers or users of a product or service. Leveraging UGC is a great way to create authentic and engaging content while also building trust and loyalty with your audience. You can encourage UGC by running contests, creating branded hashtags, and showcasing customer reviews and testimonials on your website and social media channels.

Repurpose existing content

Repurposing existing content is a great way to breathe new life into old ideas and keep your content fresh. For example, you can turn a blog post into an infographic, or create a video tutorial based on a popular blog post. You can also create social media posts based on a blog post or use blog content to create an email marketing campaign.

Use keyword research to identify new topics

Keyword research is a powerful tool for generating new content ideas that are relevant to your target audience. By researching the keywords your audience is searching for, you can identify topics that are in demand and create content that aligns with their interests. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to find popular keywords and analyse search volumes.

Embrace multimedia formats

Different people consume content in different ways, so it’s important to create content in a variety of formats to reach a wider audience. This can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and social media posts. By embracing multimedia formats, you can create content that is more engaging and memorable.

Use social media listening to identify new topics

Social media listening involves monitoring social media channels for mentions of your brand or industry. This can be a great way to identify topics that are resonating with your audience or to spot emerging trends. You can use tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Brandwatch to monitor social media mentions and identify new content ideas.

Create content around your products or services

Creating content around your products or services is a great way to showcase their features and benefits while also providing value to your audience. This can include how-to guides, product reviews, and case studies. By creating content that showcases the value of your products or services, you can attract new customers and build trust and credibility with your existing audience.

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Digital Marketing

Are you asking for reviews?

In today’s competitive business environment, it’s no secret that customer reviews play an essential role in driving success. They help build trust, attract new customers, and provide valuable feedback that can improve a business. So let’s delve deeper into the importance of asking customers for reviews, the role of social proof in businesses, and when the best time to ask for a review is.

The Importance of Asking for Reviews

Customer reviews are a powerful marketing tool that can benefit businesses of all sizes. Here are some reasons why asking for reviews is essential for businesses:

Build Trust and Credibility

One of the primary reasons for asking customers for reviews is to build trust and credibility. Potential customers are more likely to trust a business that has positive reviews from real customers. According to a survey conducted by BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 72% of consumers won’t take action until they have read reviews. Therefore, having a high number of positive reviews can significantly improve a business’s reputation and increase the likelihood of new customers doing business with them.

Provide Valuable Feedback

Customer reviews also provide businesses with valuable feedback that can help them improve their products or services. By asking for reviews, businesses can gain insight into what their customers like, dislike, and what improvements they would like to see. This information can then be used to make changes to the business to better meet the needs of its customers.

Boost Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Reviews can also help with a business’s search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Search engines like Google consider reviews to be an important factor in their ranking algorithms. The more positive reviews a business has, the higher it will rank in search engine results. This, in turn, can increase the visibility of the business and attract more traffic to its website, resulting in more leads and sales.

Stand Out from the Competition

In today’s crowded marketplace, businesses need to find ways to stand out from the competition. By showcasing positive reviews and testimonials from previous customers, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors. This can help attract more customers and increase brand awareness.

Why Social Proof is Important for Businesses

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behaviour in a given situation. In the context of businesses, social proof is essential in building trust and credibility with potential customers. Here are some reasons why social proof is important for businesses:

Build Trust and Credibility

Social proof can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. By showcasing positive reviews and testimonials from previous customers, businesses can demonstrate that they have a track record of delivering high-quality products or services. This can help ease potential customers’ fears and concerns about doing business with a new company.

Increase Conversions

Social proof can also help increase conversions. When customers see that others have had a positive experience with a business, they are more likely to trust that business and make a purchase. By using social proof on their website and other marketing materials, businesses can increase their conversion rates and generate more sales.

Differentiate from Competitors

Social proof can help businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors. By showcasing positive reviews and testimonials from previous customers, businesses can demonstrate that they offer a superior product or service compared to their competitors. This can help attract more customers and increase brand awareness.

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