Content Marketing Master Class Conference

Processed with VSCOcam with hb1 preset Content Marketing Institute (CMI) held their Content Marketing Master Class conference at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco on December 4. Prestige’s resident Content Specialist, Echo Quan, was in attendance to hear speaker and Chief Strategy Officer Robert Rose talk about Content Marketing in the context of the evolution of marketing.

Prestige’s Takeaways

1) Value over Information A great question that Rose presented was about the value we offer, and the value our customers are looking for. When we look at our homepage content, is what we see informational content or content of value to the customer? Since our site’s homepage is often the target audience’s first interaction with our company, or is their first online reference to us, that we should use it to show that we are of value of them. It is your first and possibly only chance to deliver an excellent experience. You could have featured webinars, videos or educational content. Rather, company homepages often center on information about who, what and why about ourselves rather than the customer, leaving it up to the visitor to draw their own connections. Focus your content to send a message: target upper management, present thought leadership, and remember: “Differentiate means telling a different story, not the same one incrementally better.”

2) Your Real Competition Rose suggests that our real competition is not our direct competition. In fact, he claims that our target audience doesn’t even see our direct competitors as our competition. If what we are competing for is our existing and future customer’s attention, then Rose is arguing that the context of attention isn’t just confined to marketing needs. Whatever people are giving their time and energy to is your competition. Even deeper, what people care about is your competition. Sure, when it comes down to choosing marketing services, of course your customer has to pick between you and other marketing firms. But contemporary consumers have different standards of loyalty and relationship. If you are only a product or service, that in itself is not a hold on your customers because what they care about is not a product or service. The underlying motivation is that they care about the success of their role or company. For example, if your ideal customer is management of medium or larger sized firms, they are looking to get ahead of the competition and CIOs are en route to a career as a CFO. To give specific value, you could create content like an e-book or webinar series such as “The New Voice of the CIO.” This is content that makes you valuable to your target audience and sets you apart.  

Why You Need Universal Analytics by Google

Google-Universal-Analytics

Several years ago, Google took the world by storm announcing that it would be making coveted web analytics data available to website owners free of charge. Of course, Google was not all too altruistic with its intent — gaining behind the scenes data on millions of websites. Website owners were able to use this data, equally, to make informed decisions about how to optimize websites to drive additional sales and revenue. Universal Analytics is the next step down the road to online success. You Need Universal Analytics Right Now because it offers the following value ads: Offline Analytics, Referral Exclusion, Expanded Custom Variables, Dimension Tracking and Anonymous IDs!

Using Big Data to Build Customer Relationships

Big data most likely to impact customer relationshipsBig data is no longer a marketing buzzword; it’s an industry mainstay. In today’s digital age, businesses are trying to leverage mass quantities of collected information to their advantage by identifying their customers’ behavioral and buying trends.

Big data most likely to impact customer relationships

In fact, creating stronger consumer partnerships is the area where big data could have the biggest impact this year! According to a recent Accenture study, “Big Success with Big Data“, 37 percent of executive respondents said big data would have the largest effect on positively driving customer relationships this year. Sixty-three percent reported believing big data impacting customer relationships was in the top three effects.

6 Common Landing Page Mistakes

Why are your visitors leaving your websiteAre your visitors leaving your website?

Here’s a scary thought: You’re driving traffic to your landing pages, but conversion rates are spookily low. The traffic is flowing in the right direction, but once the users reach your site, they’re fleeing as if; they just saw a ghost.

But why?

Businesses can drastically improve landing page conversion rates with relevant information, well-placed CTAs and outlining a clear, simple message to follow on their landing pages. According to a recent infographic compiled by software suite Marketizator, there are a few reasons why customers are spooked by landing pages:

Digital Outreach is Evolving – Prestige Marketing

Digital marketing has become an important aspect of lead generation among many advertisers, so it may not come as a surprise that spending on social and search advertising is increasing.

Search and social lead generation spending is increasing

According to a recent infographic compiled by software company Kenshoo, both social and paid search advertising spend increased 81 and 19 percent year over year, respectively. Even between the second and third quarter this year, firms increased their spend as search marketing in Q3 was up 3 percent from Q2, while social advertising expenditures increased 13 percent in the same time period.

5 Key Marketing Trends for This Holiday Shopping Season

The biggest holiday shopping season is fast approaching. With consumers searching for deals across a variety of screens (desktop, mobile, and tablets), here are five key marketing trends from the previous year that will help you achieve a successful retail season – both online and off. 

5 Key Marketing Trends For This Holiday Shopping Season

1) Mobile – Get Them On The Go

We already know that mobile plays an essential role in the shopper’s journey. Given last year’s holiday numbers, we expect this trend to grow, where mobile will influence the entire path from research to purchase.

2) Gray Friday is the new Black Friday

Retailers have began their promotions earlier and consumers have shown a positive response. Instead of just having a one day Black Friday deal in November, retailers are stretching deals and promotions across the entire month.

3) Savvy shoppers know exactly what they want

Shoppers are smarter than ever as they would spend hours researching and comparing a product before any purchase is made.

4) Smartphones affect in-store sales

Shoppers are using their mobile device to assist them with in-store purchases, from finding product information to pricing comparisons.

5) Give them a bargain

Every shopper loves a good deal. If the pricing and shipping is right, they will be reaching for their wallets.

Using Big Data Analytics to Measure Digital Marketing ROI

measuring digital ROIDigital marketing has entirely transformed the way businesses reach out to prospective clients. The Internet’s vast reach has enabled companies to not only connect with a higher number of prospects, but do so in a more engaging manner in real time. As a result, marketing spend on digital channels – social media, specifically – has increased significantly over the years.

Citing a Duke University study, The Wall Street Journal recently reported spending on social media advertising, currently represents 9 percent of advertising budgets. That figure is expected to increase to 13 percent by next year and will likely account for 21 percent of the pie in the next five years. Digital marketing spend in general is forecasted to increase 11 percent in the next 12 months, while traditional advertising budgets are expected to contract 3.6 percent.

Winners all Around: WhitecapsFC Suite Social Contest

DSC_0635 (2)The Vancouver WhitecapsFC ended their 2014 regular season and entered the playoffs with a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids this past Saturday night. Prestige Marketing and WhitecapsFC had teamed up to host a Twitter contest for top-tweeting fans to win a seat in Prestige’s hospitality suite for themselves and a guest, as well as a chance at a Whitecaps jersey signed by the players. We got to enjoy the exciting game together, and Murray Lynn amped up the luck at halftime by winning the draw for the signed jersey, presented here by our Business Development Manager, Daniel Whalen.

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How To Measure Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is no longer a trend; it’s an industry mainstay. According to a recent Social Media Examiner industry study, 92 percent of marketers feel social media is important for their business, a 6 percent increase from 86 percent in 2013. It’s clear that social marketing is beneficial to business growth, but the secret sauce that ties…

How To Generate More Leads For Your Business

Lead generation 101: Know what customers like Successful lead generation strategies start with understanding a target market and exploiting certain wants and desires. Businesses can’t expect to effectively interact with potential leads if they’re sending useless rhetoric during an outreach campaign, so it’s critical for marketers to not only communicate on channels where consumers are…