Keep your audience engaged. Engage with your customers. Track engagement.

I’m sure you’ve heard all of this before, but what does it actually mean? It’s impossible for marketers to create engaging content without fully understanding what it is.

Clicks. Shares. Comments. Traffic. Conversions.

What counts as engagement? Well, for starters, it will depend on a few different factors. There are multiple actions that can fall within the engagement definition.

There’s a difference between the type of engagement you’ll see on your website and on your social media pages. These numbers will look different for your email campaigns as well.

It all boils down to this. Engagement isn’t just one thing or one number. It’s a combination of factors.

That said, marketing experts agree that creating more engaging content is a high priority for their businesses.

You need to prioritize this as well.

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. I can provide you with the tips, tools, and resources you need to achieve your engagement goals.

In this guide, I’ll explain different types of engagement and ways to measure them. Once you learn how to track and manage your engagement, it will be easier for you to influence your customers.

Let’s dive in.  [click to continue…]

It’s a common misconception that you need to always focus on customer acquisition to drive sales and increase profits.

I hear this all the time when I’m consulting business owners. You can generate sales in many other ways.

Sometimes, all you need to do is make subtle changes to your existing process. That way, you can improve the experience of your current customers and get them to spend more money.

You should set goals that help you increase the average purchase order and buying frequency.

One of the best ways to do this is by encouraging mobile spending.

Mobile trends are on the rise. In fact, over the past six months, 62% of consumers with a smartphone have completed an online purchase from their mobile devices.

In 2017, mobile commerce held a 34.5% share of total ecommerce sales in the United States. At this growth rate, experts predict this number is to rise to 54% by the year 2021.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. That’s because seemingly everyone has a mobile device glued to their hands at all times.

Smartphones. Tablets. That’s where people are browsing and consuming. Recognize these trends, and accommodate the needs of mobile users.

Here’s the bottom line. If you can encourage customers to buy from their mobile devices, you’ll be able to make more money. I’ll explain everything you need to know in order to make this happen.  [click to continue…]

Your business doesn’t operate in a vacuum.

There are countless outside factors that influence whether or not you’ll turn a profit. Your competition plays a huge role in the success of your business.

That’s why it’s so important for you to take the proper steps to gain a competitive edge on other brands in your industry. But, as I’m sure you’ve quickly realized, this is much easier said than done.

The ease of access to the Internet has amplified your competition at an exponential rate.

You’re no longer just competing with a few other local or regional businesses. You’ve got to worry about national and global brands as well.

What makes your company unique? What differentiating factors help you stand out? Why would a customer buy from you over your competitors?

These questions are difficult to answer, especially if you aren’t constantly researching the competition. But with so many other brands to keep an eye on, this can seem like a daunting task.

Not to worry. There are plenty of online tools to help you keep tabs on your competitors. I’ve narrowed down this list to the top 10 I found to be the most helpful.

If you try these out, it will be much easier for you to brand and market your business, taking into account what your competitors are doing.  [click to continue…]

Social media is evolving. Brands need to do more today than just have active profiles on different marketing channels.

Successful businesses are increasing their presence by leveraging relationships with social influencers to create brand awareness.

We’re seeing an increase in the use of micro influencers, which made my list of the top marketing trends to look for in 2018. So for those of you who haven’t implemented this strategy yet, it’s time to get your feet wet.

You may be surprised to hear how big of an impact influencer marketing campaigns can have on your company. In fact, 30% of people say they are more likely to buy a product if a non-celebrity influencer recommends it to them.

The results will vary by generation.

For example, if you are marketing to Generation Z, you’ll need to know that 70% of this group say they can relate to YouTube creators more than to traditional celebrities.

This means you don’t have to find pop culture icons like Kanye West or Shaquille O’Neal to promote your brand. It’s great news because this will obviously be more cost-effective for your marketing budget.

But since influencer marketing at this scale is relatively new for most businesses, it can feel as if you’re entering uncharted waters.

Where do you find social influencers? How much should they be paid? Do they have enough followers to have an impact on your business?

Fortunately, there are online platforms to help you get connected with social influencers. I’ve narrowed down the top 10 platforms for managing these relationships.

Review my list to see which ones fit the needs of your brand before you decide.  [click to continue…]

Content marketing is an absolute necessity for brand survival in 2018.

You’re on the right track if you are currently creating and distributing content. But for those of you not seeing results from these marketing campaigns, it can be frustrating.

If you’re putting so much time and effort into this, why aren’t you seeing results? What’s the issue?

I see this problem a lot when I’m consulting businesses. They don’t have a clearly defined content strategy. If this sounds like you, it’s important you read this post carefully.

It’s great that you are continuing to publish new content. But this isn’t effective if your sales aren’t increasing.

Sure, content marketing can be used for many different things. Primarily, businesses use content marketing to:

• generate leads
• acquire new customers
• increase brand awareness
• establish credibility
• engage with an audience

All of these are great and critical for success. However, you need to learn how to create content that directly drives sales.

That’s why you got into business in the first place, right? You wanted to make money. I can sum up one of the best ways to create content that drives sales in just one word.

Relevancy.

If your content isn’t relevant, you won’t see high conversions. It’s that simple. Follow this guide to find out how to drive sales with highly relevant content. Here’s what you need to know.  [click to continue…]