DaBrian Marketing Blog: News, Insights, and Digital Marketing

National and Local Companies That Excel on Social Media

January 24, 2017 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat. Your customers are on them, every day. Are you connecting with them? Don’t lose out on valuable interactions. Check out this list that we made of companies that exemplify social media marketing best practices.

Sharing (Cute) Stories on Social

Animal Rescue League of Berks County – @BerksARL

Stories that accompany images are always important for Facebook. Users have the privilege of extended text in posts on Facebook. The Animal Rescue League of Berks County uses this privilege, well. They know how to stop scrollers in their tracks (who doesn’t stop to look at adorable animals? ? ??). They emotionally attach users to their images with personal, stories about the animals in each photo.

Wendy Isn't a Girl to Mess With

Wendy’s – @Wendys

The best part of Wendy’s social media presence is that they’re actually present.. They consistently post relevant content that directly communicates with their target audience. And, they respond to users that mention them in posts or ask questions. This often results in hilarity for the rest of us. Take a look at this article about an interaction on Twitter for a perfect example. Wendy’s social media marketing emphasizes the power of relationships. It is as if Wendy, herself, talks to people. And, it gets people to come to their restaurants.

Protecting and Connecting

Exeter Police Department – @ExeterTownshipPD

This local police department expresses regular updates that lighten the mood of stigmatized work. Exeter P.D. makes positive impressions on users through jokes and creative photography. They also provide relevant information about the current activity of Exeter Township. Videos and imagery offer safety advice and comment on their own workplace culture. Exeter P.D.’s posts make people want to connect with them. Even in the serious business of law enforcement, we can always enjoy a good laugh!

Getting a Slice of the Social Pie

Mimmo’s – @Mimmosrestaurant

A focus on social media marketing gets people to Mimmo’s for popular events. Mimmo’s knows it’s own brand: a great place for lots of people to gather and celebrate the Super Bowl, New Year’s Eve, and family occasions. They capitalize on the changing seasons with posts about reservations for holidays like St. Valentine’s Day. They also sponsor posts through Facebook to expand their reach to the local community. This naturally gets more customers to the restaurant. It helps that their food and drinks are pretty good, too.?? ?

Spreading Smiles Physically and Digitally

Grove Dental – @GroveDentalWyomissingPA

You might not expect a dental practice to connect with users in a human way through their posts. But, Grove does. Highlights of employees’ achievements communicate their expertise. Posting articles about dental health captures the attention of users that need information. Grove also keeps their social media fun and entertaining. They make the dentist’s office social – not scary. Promotion of their social media through business cards and employee-referrals only brings in more customers. And, yes. We do Grove’s social media marketing. #shamelessplug

Getting Shredded on Snapchat ?

Shredz – Shredzsnap

This national company is the proud and only entry on this list that capitalizes on the power of Snapchat. Shredz specializes in fitness and workout supplements. For an active company, an active and mobile social medium is necessary. They use Snapchat to give momentary updates on relatable moments that their target audience experiences on a daily basis. They announce sales for their customers via the app to capture users at any time, anywhere.

Learn from these companies:

Tell stories to your audience – keep it relatable and relevant.
Capture users’ attention with videos and imagery.
Create consistent posts and always respond to comments and questions, ASAP.
Communicate your company’s culture with humor or professionalism.
Be relevant to the changing needs of your customers.
Promote your posts to expand reach across your region.
Connect with mobile users instantaneously with opportunities for interaction.

Have any questions? Ask the certified members of our team. Place your comment, below, and we’ll get right back to you. Let’s start a conversation!

Also, check out our own social media: @DaBrian Market on Twitter and DaBrian Marketing Group on Facebook.

We Now (Officially) Offer Digital Branding Services

January 19, 2017 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

We Now Offer Digital Branding Services!

Create a digital brand that represents your business and speaks to your customers with DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC.

18 January, 2017 (Reading, PA) – DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC formally adds digital branding as another service at its agency. The digital marketing firm based in Reading, PA has experience connecting its clients’ marketing material from traditional, to print, to their expertise in digital marketing – creating that cohesive brand image all companies need.

Smart Insights reports that 47% of businesses utilize digital marketing without any defined strategy. The DaBrian Marketing team works with a variety of industries such as financial and consumer services, hospitality, healthcare, non-profit, and Ecommerce. The overabundance of companies struggling with their strategic branding led the company to officially add the service.

The company offers four types of digital branding services.

Branding Development: DaBrian Marketing takes your brand from what it is to what you want it to be with data-based analysis and personal evaluations
Name & Tagline Development: Get your name recognized for the unique service you provide
Logo Development & Corporate Identity: Create an identity that fits your company and speaks to your audience.
Strategic Marketing Plan: DaBrian takes you through the process of improving your business’ visibility to achieve your personal marketing goals.

Daniel B. Laws, Jr. understands the importance of connecting all marketing efforts and is ready to start 2017 with his agency’s new service offering. “For years, DaBrian Marketing has been providing clients with these services as part of a digital marketing plan. We’ve noticed clients [current and potential] consistently running into challenges such as conveying a clear plan, providing marketing materials in the appropriate format, establishing a brand identity, and measuring success. So, we have expanded our offerings to those companies that need help. ”

For more information on digital branding, request to speak with Daniel B. Laws, Jr. by visiting DaBrian Marketing Group’s website and filling out the “contact us” form.

About DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC
Founded in 2008, DaBrian Marketing Group, LLC is a full-service digital marketing agency, focused on providing original and strategic digital marketing solutions for businesses, that want to create digital awareness, increase return on investment (ROI), and identify insights that not only will help achieve goals but will also help to increase your business’s efficiencies. DaBrian Marketing Group’s services include email marketing, digital branding, search engine optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click Advertising, web design, web analytics, social media marketing and more. Company headquarters is centrally located at 500 Penn Street, Suite 201, Reading, Pennsylvania 19602. For more information about DaBrian Marketing Group, visit dabrianmarketing.com or call 610.743.5602.

Gk Elite Case Study – Conversion Tracking Using Google Adwords

January 17, 2017 by Justin Miller Leave a Comment

You Can't Improve What You Can't Measure (Accurately)

Recently, DaBrian Marketing Group wrote a case study on one of our Pay Per Click (PPC) clients. When we first reviewed their Google Adwords accounts, it appeared they were receiving several conversions. However on further review, their conversion configuration did not align with actual online transactions. After establishing new conversions that lead to and track online sales, DaBrian Marketing was able to measure return on ad spend (ROAS) and optimize our client’s PPC to increase transactions and their bottom line.

To learn more about this case study, watch the video below and download the full case study. If you have any questions, or would like DaBrian Marketing Group to take a look at your PPC, give us a call at 610 743 5602.

What problems are you having with your Pay Per Click advertising? Tell us in the comments below!

Top 5 SEO Trends for 2017

January 9, 2017 by Dabrian Marketing Group 7 Comments

The world of SEO has continuously changed over the years, and 2017 is no different. In order for your business to perform well, it’s imperative that you adapt and stay ahead of the curve, or risk being left in the dust (of your competitors). Below are the top 5 SEO trends for 2017.

1. The Never Ending Year of Mobile

We’ve all heard about the importance of mobile. Within the past few years, mobile traffic has surpassed desktop traffic and the gap continues to increase. On top of that, Google recently rolled out mobile-first indexing. Knowing this, it is essential that your site is designed and developed with mobile top-of-mind

Along with the actual design, the functionality comes into play as well. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs), appear that they are here to stay. AMPs increase your page load speed (which is a ranking factor), and ultimately enhance the user’s experience. Speed (or lack thereof) kills. According to Think with Google, forty percent of people abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load. That’s an enormous amount of potential loss.

2. Voice Search Trends Speak Volumes

Voice search is the fastest growing type search. According to Google, 55% of teens and 41% of adults use voice search on a daily basis. That’s not surprising seeing that most of our devices (laptops, phones, and tablets) all have voice search built-in, and the emergence of voice assistant devices (like Amazon Echo and Google Home). Combine this with our fast-paced living, and perceived need to multi-task, one can predict that voice search will continue to grow.

Voice searches are very different than typed. The intent of typed searches vary, whereas voice searches tend to be either a command, or question. To optimize for better voice searches, your content should clearly answer the 5 W’s of who, what, when, where and why.

Along with adapting your content, you should also partially shift your focus when it comes to platforms. I’m willing to wager that your primary, if not only, focus (when it comes to your digital presence) is on Google. While Google certainly has the lion’s share of the market, don’t forget about Bing. Bing is set as the default search engine for Apple (Siri), Amazon, and Window’s Cortona (surprise).

3. Virtual Reality is Really Real

Contrary to popular belief, virtual reality (VR) is not just for gaming. VR is currently changing the way we search, and digital media as a whole. The biggest attraction surrounding VR is that it allows users to experience what’s in front (and around) them, as opposed to sitting back and watching. The user experience of your site is already extremely important, and I foresee it continuing to gain importance as more people adapt to VR.

VR will change the way we create content, specifically video. 360 degree videos have been catching the eyes of many on the internet. This will only increase with VR. Your content will need to actually create an experience for your users. Check out this awesome promotional 360 video for the movie Warcraft. Talk about creating an experience!

4. New (But Similar) Faces For Local SEO

A consistent trend we’ve seen over the years is the importance of local SEO. With that being said, the hierarchy of local listings seems to have shifted. Years ago, the top players seemed to be Google, Bing, AOL (lol), and Yahoo. Now, with the increased importance of social, the emergence of alternative digital maps, and the importance of customer reviews, the primary local platforms are the following:

– Google My Business

It appears atop the Google search results for local service/product related searches.

– Facebook

Facebook search is not only for finding friends, but for businesses as well. Google also displays Facebook business pages and their reviews within their search results.

– Bing Places

Similar to Google, it appears atop Bing search results. Also, assuming you didn’t skip ahead, Bing has the potential to grow tremendously (See #2).

– Apple Maps

It’s the default map used on all Apple devices (Yes, iPhones).

– Yelp

Apple Maps pulls data from Yelp. In addition, consumers’ reviews have become a huge importance to users, and Yelp is one of the most popular review platforms.

Make sure you business is listed consistently and accurately across these platforms to help enhance your search visibility. It’s best to have ownership of all your accounts that way you can monitor and respond to what is said about your business online.

5. The Importance of Schema Markup is Growing

As Google and other search engines continue to develop their algorithms to determine a searcher’s intent, the importance of schema markup continues to grow. Schema markup makes it easier for search engines to categorize your site and better understand its relevance to a search. Since search engines have began using artificial intelligence systems, such as Google’s Rankbrain, it is imperative that you provide them with as much information possible.

Schema markup also allows for you to display quick answers. Quick answers can be snippets of things such as reviews, recipes, or other how-to instructions.

With a new year comes new and exciting opportunities. Make 2017 your business’ year by running a successful SEO campaign!

Ready to conquer the digital world in 2017? Contact us today!

By: David McDowell

DaBrian Marketing’s New Year’s Resolution For 2017

January 3, 2017 by Dabrian Marketing Group Leave a Comment

With a new year comes new and exciting opportunities. At DaBrian Marketing, we’re committed to constantly improving our internal efficiencies, as well as your business’ digital marketing efforts. This year we asked members of our team (including the furry ones ?):

What’s your professional New Year’s resolution?

“Get my certification in Quickbooks. Help contribute to the efficiency overall at DaBrian Marketing Group.”

“Simplify and improve the efficiency of meetings to allocate more time to take actions!”

“Learn basic Java Script for PPC Automated Scripting and achieve Bing Partners status for DaBrian Marketing Group”

“Dominate the local market through various Local SEO methods, especially local link building/earning. Improve both our’s and our client’s video marketing efforts. Continue to obtain certifications and accomplishments related to SEO.”

“Earn three or more additional social media/inbound marketing certifications. Stay knowledgeable with the latest trends for social media, email, and video marketing. Find the best possible opportunities for each of our clients and DaBrian Marketing to get the most exposure on their social media platforms. I want to see our efforts go viral!”

“Explore new possible methods and strategies to help further improve our efficiencies as an agency, and the communication amongst clients.”

“Continue to develop my skills in graphic design and web coding.”

“Expand my education in HTML, HTML5, PHP, Javascript and responsive web design as a whole. Help our team become more efficient with client & internal processes. Also, being more involved in blogging and social media.”

“Finally catch my tail.”

“Be a better boy.”

“Expand the reach and visibility of the company & service offering while consistently differentiating us from the competition.”

What’s your New Year’s resolution for 2017? Tell us in the comments below!

Bank Marketing: Creating Your Bank’s Brand

December 27, 2016 by Daniel Laws Leave a Comment

If you are not careful, a bank can easily become a faceless organization—making one virtually indistinguishable from another financial institution. That is why even though a bank is offering a service which is considered a NEED, not a want, a branding message is vital. Banks have print, digital, and branches that need a consistent message and look. This message is something that should carry across mediums, devices, and generations. To improve your bank’s marketing and financial success, utilize these bank branding guidelines.

Effective Bank Marketing Starts with Your Employees

External branding is visible to each and every customer, or potential customer, who walks into your bank or researches your firm online. However, without internal branding, it is easy to let this message slip away. Your employees must carry the message, value proposition, differentiation and “live” the brand that you have clearly defined. Your slogans and taglines should be more than just statements; they can be shown through actions and customer interactions. Every employee should understand the bank’s branding. These employees will become ambassadors for the firm and may be responsible for carrying the message to both existing and potential customers.

Guidelines for Branding Your Bank

You need to put together a list of guidelines for your brand so that it appears consistent across all mediums. What font or typography will you use? How will the logo be placed? What color(s) will be utilized? Keeping these consistent is vital. Think about how the brand will be delivered, both in person and digitally, to ensure there are no mistakes. The smallest inconsistency can be magnified when published. As far as for use in your physical locations, you may need to hold training sessions with your employees on how to display any brand elements, too. Finally, don’t forget to cover yourself from a legal standpoint. Protect your logo and other branding elements and make sure you are not stepping on other toes.

Creating Your Bank’s Brand

When your bank is branded, it becomes more and more necessary to take advantage of your digital assets. Even if you don’t plan to use them today. Claim social media platforms when they become available. Get listed in the major directories. Additionally, you may wish to research reputation management and how it can benefit your bank. In certain cases, this can be necessary to give your company the right look and feel.

What the bank’s unique value proposition?
What differentiates them from other banks?
What’s the voice, style, and tone of the bank?

The answers to these questions will help you as you work to create your brand and make it “live” in the hearts of your customers.

Humanizing Your Brand

Your brand doesn’t just exist on paper, so it is important to “make it human.” Continuously reinforce the brand with your staff, customers, vendors and outside firms. This extra effort will go a long way in reinforcing what you stand for and creating something that will not only serve you well today but grow with your bank and become the core of what you are and how you serve those around you.