When it comes to Web Analytics, your time literally equals money. That’s why our chief web analyst made a comprehensive video guide outlining 4 ways you can save time in Google Analytics. Spend more time analyzing and less time gathering data!
Check out the guide below, and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more updates!
I’ve just finished taking the Bing Ads Accreditation exam , which is free until the end of September. Microsoft is graciously offering this exam for free as part of its rebranding promotion, which includes the renaming of adCenter to Bing Ads and Search Alliance to Yahoo! Bing Network. Offering something for free is always good at getting attention; in my opinion however, Microsoft did this a bit hastily.
Image courtesy of InlineVision.com
The first issue with offering the Bing Ads test for free is the lack of updated questions. Sure, there are a few questions on updates to adCenter/Bing Ads features. The problem is that throughout the test the questions constantly reference adCenter, not Bing Ads! This also holds true for the Yahoo! Bing Network, which is never mentioned in the test either. Microsoft, if you are offering the test free for rebranding purposes, it makes more sense to make sure you call your own advertising platform (Bing Ads) and Network (Yahoo! Bing Network) by the correct name.
On top of missing a great opportunity to drill the correct/new name of Bing Ads and the Yahoo! Bing Network into the accredited professionals’ heads (assuming they pass the exam), the substance of the test still seems to be mostly textbook definitions. The only exception is when Microsoft starts asking about how to navigate and use their desktop editor, which is still called adCenter desktop in the test. Although this tool is useful for agencies who manage multiple accounts, it is not a necessity for everyone that manages a PPC campaign on Bing Ads to download and use the desktop editor.
As a recently re-accredited Bing Ads professional, I would love to hear your feedback on the rebranding and renaming of Bing Ads and the Yahoo! Bing Network. Also, if you have taken the Bing Ads test, please share your thoughts about it in the comments section below.
In light of our latest announcement about our recent Partnership with HootSuite, we decided to put together a video showing off this powerful Social Media Management System.
Check it out below, and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more updates!
Social media is one of the biggest prospecting tools that companies and sales reps have. The days of solely relying on sales calls and follow ups are long gone. Today, there are a plethora of social media outlets to assist with prospecting leads, establishing contacts, and driving sales. When used properly, social media can be an extremely powerful and vital tool that can give companies an advantage over their competition. Below are my top 5 ways to drive sales using social media:
1) Create a Branded Social Media Channel. When visitors look at a company’s Facebook page they are looking to have three questions answered: Who are you? What do you do? How can you help me? If your page can answer those three questions for a visitor, there is a greater chance of generating a lead, identifying a contact, and ultimately closing a sale. In order to answer those three questions, companies must focus on creating a channel that is consistent with their brand, look, and feel and also create content that is relevant to what their target audience is looking for.
2) Have a Social Media Strategy. One mistake that many companies make is diving head first into the social media pool with no clear purpose or strategy. Do this….and you will surely drown! If you are going to use social media as a tool to grow your business, then it is important to have a strategy in place before hand. Companies need to know what they want to accomplish when using social media platforms. Selling is all about attracting leads, qualifying contacts, and building relationships while continuing to nurture the relationships that you already have. If you are engaging in social media just to gain a large number of followers, likes, or connections then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Focus on the people who fit your business goals and objectives and you will be more successful.
3) Expand Your Reach! Using social media outlets can be a great tool. However, in order to use social media effectively and efficiently, you must know exactly how to use each specific outlet. You should spend time researching all the tools and capabilities that are available with each social media platform you plan to use. For example, Facebook is different from Twitter and LinkedIn is different from YouTube. Therefore, knowing the differences and advantages of each platform is the key to success. Also, it is important to use as many social media platforms as possible. This will expand your reach and visibility, broaden your brand awareness, and drive sales.
4) Remember Social Networking is a Two-Way Street. If someone comments, responds, or wants to connect with you, it is vital to respond back to them. By doing so, you can engage and build upon relationships as well as build new ones. It also puts you back in the driver’s seat and leaves them with the opportunity to keep the dialogue open and ongoing. Also, when you respond back to a tweet or comment it is greatly appreciated and is more likely to create a business opportunity. So, just as you would follow up with calls….follow up with social media!
5) Track Your Results! There is a lot of great technology available to be able to track your social media campaigns. Tracking your social media platforms will help you to gain insights and grow your business. Be sure to keep track of your outreaches, responses, and close rates from social media interaction. By doing this, you will be able to make adjustments, evaluate your content, eliminate processes that aren’t working and embrace those that are.
Social media is a phenomenon that is and will continue to grow for years to come. In order to drive sales and experience the greatest success, it is vital that companies engage with social media platforms. Generation Y and beyond will be constantly involved and entrenched in the social media world. By adhering to the information that I have shared, companies are sure to drive sales. The rise of social media has provided businesses and sales professionals with many tools to attract new business and drive sales. I guess we can thank Mark Zuckerberg for that!
DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC is pleased to announce that they have been accepted as a certified HootSuite Pro Solution Partner. HootSuite is a leading social media management system and the self-proclaimed partner of choice for businesses looking to enhance their social media presence and return. DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC can now add the HootSuite solution to their list of exclusive partnerships and certifications in the field of Internet Marketing.
“This recent partnership offers us a great opportunity to both reach and educate our clients about the marketing possibilities that can come from utilizing social media,” said Daniel Laws, President & CEO of DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC.
DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC offers businesses both Social Media Marketing and Social Media Monitoring services as part of their extensive Internet Marketing offerings. Using these services, DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC’s clients can better engage with customers, improve their brand awareness, and gain a distinct competitive advantage in the area of digital marketing.
According to HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes, these types of partnerships allow its members to “demonstrate social leadership, drive reoccurring revenue, and offer customers a game changing solution for their business.” Currently, DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC works with a variety of companies, from financial services institutions to non-profit organizations. With the new resources available from HootSuite, the Reading, PA-based agency can demonstrate an even greater level of expertise to both current and future clients.
DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC is a search engine marketing & analytics agency that provides internet marketing solutions to businesses that want to obtain digital expertise, transparent customer service, innovative ideas, and strategies that lead to better customer insights and higher ROI. Company headquarters are centrally located at 500 Penn Street, Suite 201, Reading, Pennsylvania, 19602. For more information, check out the DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC website at https://dabrianmarketing.com, and blog at https://dabrianmarketing.com/blog, or contact us 610-743-5602.
There can be a lot of unknowns when it comes to marketing campaigns. Who’s seeing your ads or print pieces? Of those people, who are they resonating with? Are your strategies working? These are all very important questions, that if answered, can lead to valuable insights into improving these strategies. But how can you gain visibility into these in the first place? If these marketing initiatives are designed to drive traffic to your company’s website, you’re already headed in the right direction!
If you have advertisements on billboards, print, you likely already have a web analytics platform selected to measure your site. If not, what are you waiting for? If you are using a platform like Google Analytics, you can mark your campaigns for easy analysis via URL tagging. New to manual tagging? Here are a basic outline so you can get the most analysis out of your campaign data.
It is important to understand that this entire process can be time-consuming to start, but will serve to be a wise investment as the data comes rolling in. The insights that will be brought forth will be well worth it, as they’ll help you understand how well all of your advertising is performing, regardless of the medium.
