Advertising

Spherical-BlogFeature-220506

Benefits of Video Marketing

Lisa Trevelyan , , , ,
Video marketing has been the talk of the town recently. It has dominated the online world, which is why marketers focus on making it a priority when creating new marketing strategies. Video marketing is not something that is new; it has been around for a while. However, the use of video marketing by large businesses is relatively new. In recent times, videos have gained popularity so much that they are being used by everyone, from large corporations to individual influencers. Video marketing is the new big thing. Videos are still a progressing area and are expected to evolve sooner than we think. Furthermore, this trend is powered by 83% of firms being convinced that using video marketing will result in good ROIs.
Without any doubt, video marketing is the newly added tool in your promotion toolbox. You might still be having doubts about whether video marketing is right for promoting your business. Also, questions like “do you have enough budget and resources to add video marketing in your tool list?” are things that need to be addressed. The answer to this is a simple YES. If you’re a business owner (large or small), you need to adopt video marketing as a promotion tool, not only because everyone is using it, but because it has become one of the most practical and versatile digital marketing tools out there.

Benefits of Video Marketing

Video marketing achieves all kinds of goals that traditional marketing does, but the impact is more significant. Video marketing provides countless benefits to a business, particularly the ones that include potential customers. Video has become such an important part of the digital era that one in four customers will lose interest in your campaign if there is no video used. Even if your business has not yet taken advantage of this remarkable tool, it’s never too late to use video to grow your business. Following are some benefits that video marketing has to offer:
1.     Exposure
Videos account for around 74% of online traffic, making it necessary for your business to have an online presence. If your company wishes to initiate online activity, using video marketing is the best way to grab your user’s attention. It has been found that Facebook videos are shared 1200% more than the posts that include links and text. Video marketing can help your business get exposure to a broader target audience. Around 50% of marketers believe that video marketing leads to brand awareness. It is a strategic action to reach out to your potential customers. The more platforms through which your potential customers can find out about your business, the better your chances are of converting them into paying customers.
2.     Building Trust
Establishing better exposure was just the initial step to reaping the advantages of video marketing. Improving your online presence with the help of video marketing can be a way that leads to building trust with your customers. With videos, you can make a connection with your target audience. Videos can become a conversation starter in any case. It can motivate potential customers to ask questions about your service or product. This is how they can become more familiar with your brand. According to research, users will most likely respond to video content compared to any other form of content such as text, images, etc.
3.Increased Social Media Engagement
Videos have taken over a larger share of social media content. There are Facebook Videos, Twitter Periscope, Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and more. Why should your business care? You should care because videos are the most shared content on social media. Videos are what users want to see; that’s why Facebook focuses more on video content. Everyone likes to share interesting content that would entertain the audience, and there’s nothing better than a video that can do so. Videos are most likely to be shared by people. They also increase the chances of social media engagement.
4.Boost Sales and Conversions
Videos can bring in a lot of money to your business. Adding a video on your landing page can result in increasing conversions by 80%. Furthermore, it has been found that videos can lead to an increase in sales. There are examples where individuals watched an explainer video and ended up buying the product. Videos are a great tool to grab your user’s attention and keep him hooked. It’s one of the best ways to showcase your product to your potential customers. You cannot demonstrate your product in such a way with only text or images. You can also add an effective call to action in your videos by asking your customers to follow you. Video marketing not only creates awareness and understanding about your product, but it also makes the potential customers comfortable with your brand and leads them to make a purchase. Videos can also make visitors stay on your page a little longer.
As a business owner or marketer, investing in video marketing will lead to a prosperous future. Elevation in sales, exposure, building trust, increasing awareness, and increasing engagement are ways video marketing can help your business. If you wish to create compelling videos to meet your marketing goals, hire a video marketing agency.
If you haven’t started using video marketing in your marketing strategy, now is the time. Contact us and discover more about how you can reap the benefits of video marketing. Your video and business goals are worth a discussion.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
Spherical-BlogFeature-220507

Creating A Buyer Persona

Lisa Trevelyan , ,
You will not be able to plan workable business strategies if you do not know about your targeted audience. To understand your customers and to meet their needs, you need to create a buyer persona. A buyer persona helps you make the right business strategies, including planning product production, business campaigns, services, offers, and website content.
Create a detailed buyer persona to fully understand the interests and needs of your ideal buyers. There are several ways to get insight into your targeted customer’s mind, but nothing is possible without market research. To get some valuable information you need to conduct interviews, surveys, etc., to know the demands and interests of the targeted customer base. The number of buyer personas depends on your business; you can have more than one business persona, but make sure that it represents your ideal customer. Be careful about negative personas because it will attract the audience that you do not want as customers.

What is Buyer Persona?

A buyer persona is a model made after in-depth market research to represent the ideal customer from a wide audience range. If you think your brand can serve different people who can use your products for various reasons, it will help you design more than one or two personas. Make sure that each of your buyer personas includes buying patterns, demographics details, goals, and behaviors. The sole purpose of a buyer persona is to craft marketing messages for targeted customers by making an ideal buyer’s profile. The tone of your marketing messages should be appropriate to address customers’ desires and needs. Keep in mind your buyer persona, think of the customers as real people, and plan your business strategy according to your hypothetical customer’s wants. There are several steps that you need to follow in order to create a buyer persona. These steps are listed below.

1.  Gather your Customers Information.

The basic thing you need to do is collect all the relevant information from your targeted customer base. Collect information about your customers’ buying behavior, age, gender, income, location, activities, and interests. As mentioned above, this information can be collected through online surveys, customer interviews, or asking key questions over the phone. It will help you to develop some descriptive buzzwords for your buyer persona.

2.  Use Online Analytic Tools.

Another way to gain insight into your customer’s details is to use online web analytic tools, e.g., Google Analytics. Google Analytics provides valuable and detailed customer information, including who visited your website and from which region of the world. In addition to this, it reveals if the person has found the desired product or not. Google Analytics will help you a lot in developing your buyer persona.

3.  Recognize Customer Goals.

Try to find the source of motivation for your customers. Know what they want to achieve, and what their aspirations are. Knowing your customers’ goals will help you change products to give customers what they want. Create a buyer persona that seeks the same goals and aspirations. 

4.  Recognize Customer Pain Points.

You have taken information about your customers’ goals, now find out what is holding them back. What are the problems that your customers are trying to solve? To get an idea of this, engage yourself in social listening by conducting sentiment analysis. Learn what is going right, and what needs improvement according to the customers.

5.  Provide Help to the Customers.

Since you know your customer goals and pain points, think about how you can help your customers or what benefits you can offer them. This stage of thinking is the buyer’s point of view, where you start to think about your customers and stop thinking about your product features. The question of how your services will benefit your customers will help you realize an important point for your marketing message.
 

6.  Narrow down the Information.

It is time to narrow down the data that you have collected through research. Go through your research and find out the vital details that will help you know how to deal with the audience’s demands. Identify the most common answers given by the customers.

7.  Develop a Buyer Persona. 

Create different buyer personas that will represent customers with a variety of goals and demands. For example, if you are a nutritionist, you will probably have clients who want your guidance on enhancing their skin glow; on the other hand, you might have customers who want to stabilize their sugar level through a healthy diet. So, create personas accordingly.

8.  Name Your Personas.

To give life to your buyer persona, provide them with a name. This will remind you that you are thinking about and talking to a real person. Furthermore, it will help you to create personalized content while writing an email. Besides giving a name to your personas, find pictures for them to represent your real customers. Doing so will allow you to think about your personas humanly rather than considering them just research points.

9.  Create Marketing Messages.

This is the last step in creating business personas. You have already developed your persona with a name, face, and identity, but now is the time to use them for marketing purposes. Start crafting marketing messages by keeping in mind the buyer personas you have just made. Construct marketing messages that show you are willing to help your customers with their goals and interests. You will write this while creating content for each buyer persona.
Above all, creating a buyer persona gives you a chance to know whether or not your brand is capable of meeting the demands of your customers. A significant part of your business success depends on your targeted audience, so it is important to think about the buyer persona while deciding your company’s business strategy.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
the Benefits of SEO for a Business

The Benefits of SEO for a Business

Lisa Trevelyan , ,
As an owner of a business, investing in suitable search engine optimization (SEO) strategies can distinguish between a successful, well-known business and the one that is stumbling.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a technique used by businesses to enhance the position/ranking of a website on search engine result pages (SERPs), including Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Working on an SEO strategy can help your business by increasing traffic to your website, increasing revenue and sales, and attracting potential customers. It allows you to become more visible to your target audience.
In this modern and digital era, SEO is a skill that is vital for any business. Whether you’re operating in the retail industry or any other industry, SEO will help you achieve your goals faster. If you wish to get started with SEO, you don’t necessarily need an expensive SEO agency for that. There are various tools to help you in the initial phase. However, if you’re a leading brand and wish to reach higher targets, bringing in an SEO agency and digital marketing consultants might be the right choice. Considering that you are new to the business and lack knowledge about search engine optimization, getting help from a professional such as an SEO agency would be great.
Before we move forward with the benefits that search engine optimization offer to a business, let’s understand how search engines work. The main aim of a search engine is to provide users with the information they are looking for quickly and unbiased. In order to give quality information, search engines rank information in terms of their relevance and quality. Have you ever searched for a topic on Google? How many results did you get? Among the list of thousands of results that Google provides us with, which one do you go for? The majority of the users take information only from the first page of Google.
125,000,000 results in 0.61 seconds. The search engine can analyze billions of fragments of data in less than .5 seconds.
Which website do you opt for?
Do you go beyond the first page?
The first page is basically where the most relevant and quality information is present. The actions that a business takes to optimize its website will have a direct impact on SEO ranking. Some factors that impact your SEO ranking are keywords and content density, backlinks, content used in your site’s meta-description, and more.
What are paid rankings?
If your business is earning expendable revenue, spending money to get the first spot on Google rankings will be worthwhile. The picture below portrays the placement of paid and unpaid/organic results on Google.

Benefits of SEO for a Business

Being placed on the first page of a search engine will not happen overnight. The SEO strategy you follow should be a long-term and continuous process. As the world evolves and technology developments occur, search engines like Google also adapt to these changes. Your SEO strategy must be up to date. If your SEO strategy is appropriately maintained, you’ll not only be able to keep your current customers, but you’ll also be able to attract new customers towards your website. The following are some benefits of SEO for business.
1. Leads to an Enhanced User Experience
Among the various ways to enhance the user experience, SEO is one of the most significant ones. Providing your customers with relevant information, a mobile-friendly website configuration, related videos, or images that support your information and easy-to-navigate pages will result in more views, clicks, leads, and high conversions.
2. Increased Traffic
Being placed at the top positions on a search engine leads to more clicks and impressions. Therefore, if your ranking is at the top spot on the search results, it will cause a significant increase in traffic on your website. SEO emphasizes creating relevant and informative meta-descriptions and keywords in order to stay in the top position. Having optimized descriptions and tags will result in a high click-through rate, which also leads to qualified website traffic.
3. ROI
Whether you’re an ecommerce or regular website, SEO will provide quantifiable and traceable results to your business. SEO agencies can easily track every element of their strategy, such as conversions, an increase in traffic, and an increase in rankings. For ecommerce sites, the SEO agency will be able to track the entire path that the user takes to make the sale and the keyword they used to search before purchasing. For non-ecommerce sites, the SEO value can be calculated by attributing values to your lead conversions such as “contact us” fill a form, and so on.
4. Better Management of Cost
SEO is a cost-effective method that lowers your advertising costs. Considering that you’re already in the top-ranked results on Google, there will be no need to invest money in pay-per-click or advertising your page through any other method. Inbound lead generation activities (which have low costs) include social media management, referrals, blogging, and search engine optimization.
5. Builds Credibility and Awareness
If you appear in the top-ranked results on search engines, it might give the customer an idea that you’re one of the top leaders in the industry. It portrays that you’re sought-after and searched by many users. Furthermore, SEO also ensures that your product can be found easily on search engines. It increases the awareness of the brand and makes it more visible to the users.
In the end, relevant content should be the heart of your SEO tactics. We at Spherical Strategies provide the right marketing touch that your website needs in order to succeed.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
Spherical-Blog-link-your-google-ads-account

Why Should You Link Your Google Ads Account to Search Console?

Lisa Trevelyan , , ,
The internet did not only come as a source of entertainment for most of us but also as a source of income for many. Within the internet, many platforms work towards the well-being of online businesses. And when we talk about these, we cannot skip Google as it is a superhero for every business relying on the internet.
Google Ads has been of immense importance to everyone.
Back in 2013, Google dropped exciting news for all those interested in online marketing. The announcement was something like this:
“You can now link Google search console in Google Ads Account.”
It left many digital marketers amazed as it was a milestone and offered considerable opportunity to bloom their businesses by trying out something totally new. It was also great for their businesses to expand their reach and improve marketing and advertising processes.
However, it raised many questions for some, as they were clueless about its purpose and benefits. Today, new online business owners are also confused about why they should link Google search console and Google ads account.
But it’s all good as it’s never too late to learn about new stuff going around. If you don’t know about it yet, then you can learn it now.
We are here to talk about the entire Google Ads Account and Google Search Console matter!
First, the question is, what is a search console?
Google offers a free service that goes by the name of Google Search Console. Through this service, you get to maintain, monitor and troubleshoot your site’s presence in the search results. This very tool helps you get a better idea of how Google views your site.
Search Console helps with the following:
·       Confirming that Google can search and crawl your site.
·       Recover indexing problems
·       Checking google search traffic data
·       Get alerts for suspicious activities
·       Troubleshoot issues
The search console is generally used by:
·       Business owners
·       SEO specialists or marketers
·       Site administrators
·       Web developers
Now, let’s get to the real talk ‘Why should the Google Search Console and Google Ads be linked together?’
Linking the two is quite harmless and takes your business to another level. Which business owner wouldn’t want to see their business reaching new heights by using modern techniques?
Linking Google Ads and Google Search Console, you get a reflection of organic vs. paid keywords. You get the relevant information at the Search Query, allowing you to figure out the incremental value of organic vs. paid terms.
Without a doubt, this is news for all paid advertisers out there. Moreover, it is great for SEO campaigns that are commonly carried out by nearly all businesses with an online presence.
What would be better than seeing new, organic opportunities along with paid search opportunities? By understanding where you are performing great organically, you can then make adjustments or changes to drop paid search bids or even pause keywords if your budget is tight.
This is a massive step taken by Google for those who own businesses and even those who work with advertising agencies offering services to various clients. It is excellent for clients who are using PPC and SEO services simultaneously.
Unfortunately, not many are aware of how to actually go about it despite knowing the benefits of linking Google Ads and Google Search Console.
For your convenience, here is a step-by-step guide. Once you get the hang of it, we recommend you do it right away and don’t miss out on any further benefits.
Step 1: Sign up to your Google Ads account. Having a functional Google Ads Account is necessary if you plan on linking it with Google Search Console.
Step 2:  Click on the tool option available on the upper right corner of your Google Ads Account.
Step 3: Click on linked accounts
Step 4: You will see the option of search console when the drop-down menu appears. Click on the ‘details’ button to proceed further.
Step 5: You will be asked if you want to link Google Search Console and Google Ads Accounts. Click ‘link’ to continue.
Step 6: Add the URL of the website you want to link it with. Make sure to add the URL without ‘www’ and click continue.
And now you are good to go!
In case the process is unsuccessful, you will be notified immediately. You can click ‘claim’ to further look into and resolve this matter.
Google has revolutionized the domain of online marketing. It keeps giving businesses more opportunities to grow and reach audiences that are otherwise unreachable due to geographic distances.
The number of reporting features within Google is overwhelming, which has opened numerous avenues for business owners wherever they are in the world. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the linking of Google Search Console and Google Ads Accounts has made it super easy to run an e-commerce platform.
To us, it seems like Google really wants business owners to access new frontiers and add versatility to their marketing processes. It’s like a one-stop-shop that has all the solutions to your needs.
What a time to be an online business owner!
It would be hard to believe, at least for us, if you tell us you haven’t been using Google tools religiously to grow your online presence.
Our advice would be to do so now. Most importantly, link your Google Ads Account and Google Search Console to see the magic it is going to bring to your business.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
Ten Ad Networks to Consider

Ten Ad Networks to Consider

Lisa Trevelyan , ,
There is no doubt that opening new growth channels requires you to have some type of medium that serves your product in front of the world. You might be wondering what medium is capable of providing you with such a golden opportunity. You don’t have to worry since there are plenty of existing advertising mediums to serve this purpose. These advertising channels allow you to promote your brand, product, and services on their platforms.
These ad networks are essential monetization variables for the business world. They act as technical and marketable intermediaries between publishers and suppliers. On the marketing level, the ad networks encourage transactions and payments where the supply side provides their stock, and the demand side monitors the campaigns on a technical level. Both the supply and demand-side work in close collaboration to run the business through ad networks.

What is an ad network?

Before looking for the right publishing ad network, you first need to understand exactly what an ad network is? An ad network is no less than a broker between the publishers and suppliers. Ad networks help suppliers find and buy advertising slots in various publishers. The term ‘ad network’ basically refers to online advertisements where the unsold advertising slots from various publishers are collected by the ad network and provided to the supplier at an extremely low cost.
If you are a supplier and looking for reliable ad networks, listed below are the top steadfast ad networks. These networks are ideal for online advertisement for your products and services. They not only offer you the slot at low costs, but they also give you full control over the targeting and placement options.
1.    Airpush
This is a mobile advertising network that runs your offers over 15,000 mobile applications. This ad network allows the supplier to showcase their services and products to a wide range of customers. Airpush is known for its transparency and authentic content. The customers of this advertising network are more responsive to the ads than other ad networks’ customers.
2.     Yahoo
By using this advertising network, you can reach over one billion customers because Yahoo is considered the sixth most visited social site. If you endorse your brand here, your products are advertised through video and native ads. Moreover, Yahoo has promoted brands for years; therefore, it is a reliable and experienced ad networking site.
3.     YouTube
It is not a debatable fact that YouTube is the second biggest search engine and video sharing site since it is one of the most influential advertising networks. YouTube advertises products in videos that pop-out at the start or in between the videos. Investing in this online social and ad networking site will help you get targeted audiences from different countries.
4.     Instagram
Instagram is another social networking site that advertises products in between stories and posts. Here, your products will be promoted through videos and pictures to reach its 600 million monthly users. This advertising network is the best platform to engage customers by showing them visual content.
5.     SiteScout
It is the first media buying network that runs almost 31 billion advertisements on 70,000 online networking sites per day. SiteScout also enables suppliers to closely analyze the ad campaigns and optimize their ads to reach out to customers using different search engines, e.g., AdTech, Google, and Appnexus.
6.    Conversant Media
Conversant Media is a famous advertising network that gives suppliers a chance to advertise their offer using several available options. They have developed some publications (Vice and Foxtel) with slots that you can buy for ads. On the other hand, Conversant media also offers advertising services, such as Outbrain and Largetail.
7.   Advertising.com
As the name indicates, this network is specifically for advertising purposes. It is the oldest advertising network that offers modern features, including re-targeting, which is responsible for sending ads to every viewer. Besides this, it permits you to connect with a wide range of consumers on every device.
8.     LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an online networking site for professional business users; therefore, it is best suitable for business to business suppliers. The advertisement can be targeted through Industry, Job function, geography, and seniority on LinkedIn. One exciting benefit of advertising on LinkedIn is that it reports to you about your advertisements’ progress response. It is one of those social networking sites that permits suppliers to find the desired customers through their job titles and roles in an organization and industry.
9.     Taptica
Taptica is a mobile ad network that reaches out to 220 million mobile users. At this advertising site, you will find various options for your advertisements. Your offer can be advertised in the form of a banner, video, text, and interstitial. In addition to this, you will be given an option to target the audience yourself.  This ad network gains new users and gets benefits from their investments.
10.  Epom
It is an advertising network with many ad options. Using this networking site, you can advertise your offer at a low rate. The advertisements will be shown on different mobile apps, either in the form of videos or display. This site also offers its ad marketplace free for 30 days. During the 30 days’ trial, you can gain almost one billion expressions that will later help you gain more customers.
When it comes to online advertising networks, you have plenty of options other than those mentioned above. Before going for any of these advertising networks, consider asking yourself a few questions. You may want to know which ad network suits your business, which site has the most users, and which ad network provides ad slots at lower rates. Determine whether you want these networks to work for you as a publisher or an advertiser and then invest wisely.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
Spherical-Blog-GoogleAdsForNonProfits

Google Ads For Non Profits

Lisa Trevelyan , ,
Running a nonprofit organization brings just as much responsibility as a business relying on profits. As an owner of a nonprofit organization, you are required to work rigorously to attract donors to keep the system up and running.
Doing so is certainly not possible without aggressive marketing and drives, to get the funds needed. In today’s world, most nonprofit organizations are working through the internet. Such organizations are taking full advantage of tools offered by Google and Google Ads to ensure the success of their business.
Google Ad Grants is a very helpful initiative by Google to help a nonprofit organization thrive. Not only does it help businesses operate successfully, but it also boosts welfare as such organizations work towards improving this world.
The Google Ad Grants Program is designed to give an opportunity to nonprofit organizations to successfully advertise on Google Ads. There is absolutely no cost for it if your organization is a nonprofit. The grant equals $10,000 per month which must be used to promote the organization’s agenda on one of the biggest platforms – Google.
To secure the grant, Google has set criteria and companies must go through a mandatory application process. Google reserves all the rights to accept or deny the grant requests.
Here are all the factors that make an organization eligible for Google Ad Grants:
  • Company must have current and valid charity status.
  • Must agree to Google Grant’s certifications on how to get and use donations from the grant.
  • Must be a fully functional website with enough information about the company.
  • Google has also mentioned the types of companies and organizations that are not eligible for Google Ad Grants.
  • Government organizations.
  • Medical organizations such as hospitals.
  • Educational institutes including childcare centers.
Are you worried about losing the eligibility for Google ad Grants for your organizations? Justifiable! But you can always take steps to keep your organization eligible. Below we have discussed some points to help maintain eligibility.
This is important because Google can disqualify you even after you have scored the grant, therefore, you should keep a close watch on your business activities to remain eligible throughout. Here is what you need to do:
  • Every ad must link to the URL you submitted while applying for the grant. It must be approved by Google.
  • Log in to your Google Ads accounts at least once a month. Not doing so may lead to disqualification. Your participation matters!
  • Your ads must send out the right message and it should be aligned with the mission and goals of your nonprofit organization. If you are selling products, then you are to make sure that all the proceeds are going towards charity purposes.
  • Your ads should not send visitors to other pages or websites.
  • Google does not cater to ads that offer financial products ( e.g. you cannot promote mortgages and credit cards).
  • You should not ask for donations in the form of valuable goods such as cars and property.
  • Do not display ads from Google AdSense or other related links when using Google Ad Grants
The slightest degree of violation can take away the Google Ad Grants opportunity. Once you abide by all the rules laid out by Google, you don’t have to fear any disqualification.
As a Google Ad Grant applicant, you must also be aware of the fact that you have to spend the $10,000 given to you by Google, on the Google platform. You do not have the option to save it or spend it somewhere else.
Spending $10,000 a month does seem beyond the bounds of possibilities, but it is certainly not impossible. Experts say that there are ways to optimize and you can eventually spend such a huge amount. Discussed below are a few ways.
Firstly, most of us make the mistake going over-the-top with negative keyword usage. DON’T DO THAT! You need to keep a balance in order to make a smooth sailing. Try to add keywords looking for donors and volunteers and of course, to make people as aware as possible. Stick to keywords that give greater returns and attract donors quickly.
Moreover, keyword selection matters a lot. Even one wrong keyword can affect your business and its image. Every keyword must depict a true picture of your business and must match the idea of what you are trying to achieve. For example, if you are trying to raise donations, then it must be relevant to raising money and donations.
Irrelevant keywords defeat the purpose of your campaign and this is the last thing you would want to happen. You may go a little out of the box to find spectacular keywords, but then again don’t go so overboard with it that it loses the purpose.
In addition to this, do not make the mistake of restricting keywords match to an unhealthy extent. Go for broad match types as it will help you in spending the stipend you received through Google Ad Grants. Broad match types tend to bring more impressions and clicks, so it is always a wiser idea to follow this approach.
Here is a step-by-step guide of how you can apply for the Google Ad Grants.
Step 1: Check out the requirements and make sure your organization is eligible. You may scroll up and check out the criteria.
Step 2: Apply for a Google for Nonprofits account if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Step 3: In the Ads Grant enrollment guide on Google, you will find a pre-qualification form. Fill and submit it.
Step 4: Wait for approval and once you have received it, complete the steps to finally set up the account.
Step 5: Now is the time to set up your campaign and to submit your account for approval and review.
We hope you have an idea of how Google Ad Grants work. It’s a great initiative by Google that has encouraged many nonprofits to work towards the betterment of society. If you plan on operating a nonprofit organization, do take advantage of this opportunity.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re interested in discovering more, take a look at our website and connect with us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Visit https://sphericalstrategies.com today.
what is account based marketing

What is Account-Based Marketing

Lisa Trevelyan ,

What is Account-based Marketing?

Account-based marketing (ABM) is a strategy enhanced by technology and a detailed process to create hyper-personalized and relevant content that reaches a specific target at the right time and place. ABM involves account-based advertising (ABA) and account-based sales (ABS), in combination with the inbound methodology to increase brand engagement and success.

Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is a business methodology that involves strategically presenting personally-tailored content to specific target groups at the ideal time; as opposed to outbound marketing that is presented to the general public with broad timeframes and strategies. The outbound methodology can interrupt customers with information they don’t necessarily need or want.

Why is the Inbound Methodology Important?

An account-based strategy without inbound marketing can become disrupted by irrelevant information, making your marketing strategy and sales much less effective. The inbound methodology solves this problem by putting personalized, attractive content in front of your customers, when they are most likely engaged as well as disengaged.

Creating content that revolves around your customers’ needs, pain points and behaviors, allows your brand to continually and effectively attract potential and existing customers.

Rather than being interrupted and losing interest, they are engaging with your brand because what they are seeing applies to them. This method serves to better the relationship with the target consumer by replacing disruption with relevancy.

Building meaningful relationships with your consumers is crucial for brand success and making them feel valued and empowered, account-based marketing will do just that. Each individual account is its own target market with a strategy that is custom-made for them.

Why Account-Based Marketing?

ABM focusses on highly targeted prospects rather than a higher number of leads, presenting your brand and content only to very specific companies or individuals that are most likely to engage. With a defined set of best practices, thorough target market research and attractive brand content, account-based marketing maximizes the impact of your strategy.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

If you’re interested in discovering more about account-based marketing, take a look at our website and connect with us at https://sphericalstrategies.com. Team up with us and allow us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Let’s discuss it!

benefits-of-a-brand-audit

The Benefits of a Brand Audit

Lisa Trevelyan ,

Benefits of Brand Audit for a Business

As described by Forbes, a brand is the most precious and valuable asset that any business can own. As time passes, the world is continually evolving, and so is our audience. Keeping track of all the latest trends in marketing and communication can seem like a daunting task. However, it is vital to do so if you wish not to get stuck in a brand standstill. The ultimate goal of any business is to stay relevant at all times. It takes a lot more than having a good service or product to run a successful business, one way to boost your business is to utilize the benefits that come with a brand audit.
Your business might not be going through a positive phase at all times, and there will be ups and downs. Is your business struggling at the moment? Is there a dip in revenue and sales? Are you losing customers? If this is the case, be prepared for a brand audit of your business right away. In today’s business world, competition is cutthroat. Differentiation is the only way a company can survive this competition and stand out from others.

Why is there a need for a Brand Audit?

The aim of a brand audit is to track the performance of your business from the view of your customers. A brand audit will help you identify the positioning of your business and take corrective measures if needed. Furthermore, a brand audit will help you assess the weaknesses and strengths of your business. It helps you with aligning your offering with the expectations of your customers.

What is included?

1. Brand Summary
A brand summary will assess the current performance of your brand. For instance, how do the customers perceive the brand? What are the strengths and weaknesses? Is your business able to create a lasting image? Are you positioned to drive traffic and engage customers with your product? These are the questions that will be addressed in a brand summary. It is an overview of your brand’s current performance.
2. Surveys
To help find answers to the questions mentioned above, a business can develop a survey to understand the customers’ needs, habits, and preferences. Understanding your customer is the most important job of any business owner. You won’t be able to achieve your goal if you’re not able to understand what your customer needs.
3. Compelling Positioning Statement
Branding is all about keeping and winning customers. A brand without customers is unsuccessful. To establish a clear vision for your brand, you need a positioning statement. A positioning statement will describe how your service or product fills the needs of your customers. A good positioning statement is memorable, simple, and tailored to your target market.
4.  Recommending Changes to Brand Elements
During auditing, there might be certain brand elements that will not fit with the buyer’s persona. A brand audit will help you recommend changes to these elements and develop better and enhanced versions. You can come up with these changes with the help of research, competitive analysis, brand positioning, and the audit itself.
5. Creating a 6-month Production Calendar
If you wish to develop effective marketing strategies for your target audience, you need a production calendar aligned with your budget. By having an alignment, you’ll be able to follow an organized structure and meet deadlines.

What are the Benefits?

A powerful brand is capable of captivating, inspiring, and engaging a broad target audience. It not only grabs the attention of premium customers but also encourages social engagement and referrals. To become successful in achieving your branding goals, you need a branding plan and an audit. Following are some benefits of brand audit:
1.  Reality Check
A brand audit is like a reality check for your business – where does your company currently stand in the market? It enables you to identify your brand’s weaknesses and strengths and look for opportunities for innovation and growth. Therefore, if you’re experiencing a decline in sales and revenue, a brand audit will provide you with insights into your brand’s performance and impact in the marketplace.
2. Bring Improvements
A brand audit provides the business with an understanding of how they can bring improvements in their business. It is significant to ensure that the message and purpose of your brand remain strong and clearly communicated. This is important for the profitability of your business. A brand audit will help the company identify areas of concern and then come up with recommendations on how to improve. By evaluating your brand’s performance and ensuring that your business connects with the right audience, a brand audit will provide you with relevant information regarding your brand’s current position.
Throughout the brand audit, you can determine your business’s right actions and what you can do to boost the weaker factors. For most companies, getting a brand audit done every year sounds like a good plan.

When should you do a brand audit?

  • When you are new in the market
  • You have seen tremendous growth in recent times
  • Your business is struggling
  • You are unsure of how to proceed with your business
  • You want to rebrand your business
  • You think that your business is not strong enough.
A brand audit will thoroughly examine your business’s current standing and help you move forward. It will help you find opportunities to innovate and also identify your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. A brand audit and branding plan are two critical areas of branding.

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

If you’re interested in discovering more about the benefits of a brand audit, take a look at our website and connect with us at https://sphericalstrategies.com. Team up with us and allow us to help you fulfill your branding goals. Let’s discuss it!

SphericalBlogPostFeaturedImage-001

10 Strategies for Applying Conversational Advertising to Your Marketing Campaign

Lisa Trevelyan , ,

A relatively new form of marketing that is growing in popularity and doing great things for businesses: conversational advertising! What is conversational advertising? Just from its name, I’m sure you can take a pretty good guess.

In this blog post, we will discuss what conversational advertising is, why it is good for your business, and 10 strategies for applying it to your marketing campaign!

What is Conversational Advertising?

Conversational advertising is a kind of marketing in which businesses typically use chatbots to interact with customers. The goal of conversational advertising is to provide an experience for the customer that feels personal and natural. With the help of chatbots, businesses can simulate real conversations with their customers. This allows prospective and current customers to ask questions, make orders, and even make complaints while giving business owners the ability to immediately respond to their customers’ concerns.

Why is Conversational Advertising Good for Your Business?

Conversational advertising allows you to communicate with your customers in real-time and at any hour of the day. Meaning your business will always be available to answer questions, provide advice, make orders, or complete sales.

Conversational advertising provides an opportunity for businesses of all kinds to improve customer service by giving people a way to access information whenever they need it. One of the greatest benefits of this type of marketing strategy is that once it is set up correctly, there isn’t much work to be done because everything happens automatically. This doesn’t mean that monitoring isn’t important. You still want to make sure nothing goes wrong. We all know stuff happens.

The most significant way businesses can benefit from conversational advertising is that it can improve customer retention rates. By providing an excellent customer experience, you are much more likely to keep customers coming back to your business again and again.

Now that we know why it is good for your business, here are 10 strategies for applying conversational advertising to your marketing campaigns.

  1. Customer-Timed Conversations

The first strategy on our list comes with a major reminder: conversational marketing is an inbound type of advertising, meaning the conversations happen on the customers’ time. They happen only when the customer chooses to engage with your company, and that can be at any time. This is why it’s important to make sure your conversational advertising campaigns are prepared for customer interaction at any time of day, any day of the week. That is simply the nature of this customer-timed marketing.

  1. Conversation Starters

With so much information on the web and most likely on your website, your customers will find “conversation starters” helpful. Conversation starters are usually small boxes that pop up in the corner of a page and ask questions like, “How May I Help You?” or “Have a Question? I’m here to help!” These usually show up after a user has remained on the page for a specified period.

Conversation starters give customers easy access to help if they are struggling to find what they’re looking for. The conversations that ensue are typically assisted by artificial intelligence in the form of chatbots.

  1. Use Helpful Chatbots to Answer Questions

As we’ve mentioned already, the goal of conversational advertising is to provide a natural experience for customers, and you can do this by using chatbots. Bots are a type of software that mimics human conversation. They take many different forms, but more often than not, they appear as small chat icons.

The major purposes of chatbots are to communicate with and guide users through their customer journey and answer any questions or concerns. By providing your customers a place to ask their questions, you are also helping yourself build a database of frequently asked questions (FAQs) which you can then use to enhance your website or product manuals.

Your bots should also be polite and engaging and should include information such as product/service features (strategy 7), social proof (strategy 8), and feedback surveys (strategy 10).

  1. Use Lead-Capture Tools

After someone clicks on a conversation starter, a chatbot can proceed to ask them a series of qualifying questions. These questions steer bots in the right direction to better understand the customer’s needs and act as lead-capturing tools. The buyer’s information captured by the customer’s answers can then be used to contact them in the future with more details about what they are interested in.

  1. Use Personalized Messaging

Personalize messages by using the data collected from your customers, such as their name, location, or previous purchases. This allows you to provide the most relevant content based on who’s viewing it. It gives you an opportunity to show off what makes your brand unique – which will help your business stand out from its competitors.

This ability to perfectly tailor communications toward any given target audience member is why conversational advertising offers so many opportunities for marketers today.

  1. A/B Test Different Messages and Greetings

When setting up your chatbots, it’s important to test different messages and greetings. You can also A/B test your chatbot responses by using data from previous campaigns (those FAQs you collected) to see which ones worked best with customers in the past. Testing different messages and comparing their effectiveness against each other allows you to optimize your strategy by focussing on the ones that are producing the best effect.

  1. Highlight Product Features and Benefits

When developing the conversations your chatbots will engage in, it is a good idea to include a list of the features and benefits that each of your products offers. If there’s one thing consumers love more than anything else in this world, it’s a good deal. So when they’re shopping online with their hard-earned money, there is a good chance they may inquire about the features of one of your products. People want to know what makes your product better than others which is why including this information as possible chatbot responses will prove to be beneficial.

  1. Use Social Proof

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when people are influenced by the actions of others. In essence, it’s a way of proving that something is worth taking notice of. You can use social proof on your website, in your ads, and of course, in your chatbots!

There are a few different types of social proof you can use for your business, including testimonials from customers, case studies about how others have benefited from using your services, or endorsements made by influencers and celebrities.

  1. Provide Customer Support

The biggest benefit of conversational marketing is that it allows you to provide your clientele with 24/7 customer support through live chat. This feature can be especially helpful when potential customers have questions during their decision-making process because if not resolved immediately, it could result in lost revenue.

Immediate responses make your business look good! So even if it is an artificial bot that is always ready with an answer, an immediate response to a customer’s inquiry makes your business look prompt, professional, and knowledgeable.

  1. Ask for Feedback

When a customer has had a satisfactory interaction with your brand, you can apply conversational advertising and ask them what they liked about their experience. This feedback will help you improve future interactions and build trust among clients who may not have been satisfied by another brand.

The Takeaway

The personalized experience customers feel when interacting directly through text messaging, or phone calls is why conversational marketing is such an effective tool. Not only does conversational marketing make it easier for customers to find the information they need, but it also makes your business appear more professional and knowledgeable, and it’s a great way to show off your customer service skills.

 

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use digital marketing and nonfungible tokens for your business in 2022, be sure to check out our website! Not only do we have information about new digital trends and NFTs, but we also offer free consultations to see how Spherical Strategies can help you achieve your digital marketing goals in 2022!

SphericalBlogPostFeaturedImage-003

Video Marketing and Advertising for Higher Education Institutions in 2022: Tactics & Analytics

Lisa Trevelyan , , ,
In recent years, video marketing and advertising have been an increasingly successful way of connecting with a targeted audience and have been a go-to strategy for many different industries. In 2022, the higher education industry will be no exception.
With so much competition out there, it’s no longer enough just to have an online presence – higher education institutions need to do everything they can to ensure that their organization’s brand and message are marketed effectively.
A recent survey showed that 65% of people are more likely to watch a video about a college or university than read an article. Videos are also more likely to be shared and engaged with on social media than any other type of content.
Video content has the potential to highlight what makes your institute unique, teach students more about the programs they’re interested in attending, and give prospective applicants an inside look at life on campus. Video marketing is cost-effective, so video marketing is definitely the way to go if budget is a concern.
If your digital marketing strategy isn’t already taking advantage of the benefits of video, now is the time to get creative if you want to compete with other schools in your area. This blog post highlights some of the beneficial tactics to consider when applying video marketing and advertising for higher education institutions in 2022!
Create videos that showcase your school and its programs
What differentiates your college or university from others? This is a great place to start when you are working to develop video content. Showcase the unique aspects of your school and its programs. This will help potential students get excited about what your establishment has to offer that others may not.
Produce videos that highlight student experiences
Students are naturally one of the best assets when it comes to marketing a school. A great way to show off what life is like as a student at your institution is to showcase their experiences in videos. Videos help potential students connect with current students and get an idea of what they can realistically expect if they enroll at your school.
Create video content for social media platforms
Most colleges and universities have already discovered the benefits of having a strong social media presence, which is why it is so important to apply video content on these platforms to stand out. Video marketing strategies are a great way to engage prospective students and keep your school fresh in their minds when they are deciding where they want to attend. Higher education institutions need their brand to be where their potential students are spending time online, which means utilizing platforms like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
Produce video testimonials from current students and alumni
Potential students want to know what it will be like to attend your school, and producing videos featuring current students or alumni testimonials are a great way to give them a peer review. These videos help you connect with potential students who may be on the fence about attending your school by adding a personal touch.
Host webinars or virtual tours
Many students want to know what it’s like to attend a particular school before they commit to enrollment. Hosting a webinar or virtual tour is a great way to give them the information they are seeking. When making a decision as important as where to receive the next level of their education, it can be especially helpful for prospective students that are unable to be physically present on campus to learn more about your school. This can be especially helpful if they have a busy lifestyle, cannot visit during certain times of the year, or just live a great distance away.
Use video content in email marketing campaigns and recruitment tools
Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach potential students. Why not use video content in your email marketing campaigns? It’s a great way to grab their attention and show them what they could expect if they enrolled at your school.
Make use of multi- and cross-channel strategies to share your videos
As we’ve already discussed, social media platforms are a great way to reach potential students where they are on the Internet. Repurposing video content across multiple platforms simply by editing their format or length will save you time and money. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different platforms to see which ones work best for your organization.
Use video content to create brand awareness for your school
Video is a great way to create a strong brand image for your school. You can increase brand awareness of your school by sharing high-quality videos that reflect its values and potentially attract students who did not know about your institution before.
Partner with other higher education institutions or businesses in your area
Collaborating with other schools or businesses in your area can help get your video content in front of more people. It also helps to build relationships with other organizations and people in your industry. This can come in handy when you are looking for partnerships down the road.
Invest in quality video production
If you want to attract the attention of your specific target market, you need to produce high-quality videos. It requires a bit of research on your part, but investing in good quality video production services ensures that your institution’s videos are attractive and portray a message that ultimately encourages more enrollment.
Be consistent with your video content
When it comes to producing video content, consistency is key. As you plan out the video content you want to share over time, it’s important to make sure there is consistency throughout the campaign and across all channels. You can keep things a little more loose with timing if you want to take advantage of timely events, but overall, video content should have a cohesive feel. This helps build trust with potential students as they see an establishment that is confident in who they are and what they have to offer.
Include a strong call to action in your videos to encourage prospective students to visit your website or contact you for more information
You can produce the best video out there, but without a strong call to action, your viewers will never know what you want them to do, and this means no conversions. Make sure to include your call to action in your plans for each piece of video content you release to ensure the end result is an enrolled student.
Make use of analytics tools like YouTube Analytics or Facebook Insights
By making use of analytics tools, such as YouTube Analytics and Facebook Insights, you can get a better idea about which types of videos work best for both attracting new students and retaining current ones. By measuring the success of your video marketing and advertising campaigns, you can see what’s working well and what could use some improvement. This information will help you make better decisions about future campaigns.
Think outside the box and get creative with your video marketing strategies! The possibilities are endless. By using video marketing and advertising for higher education institutions in 2022, you can set yourself apart from the competition and attract more students to your school. Good luck!

About Lisa | Spherical Strategies Content Creator & Copywriter

Lisa works with Spherical Strategies as a content creator and copywriter. She brings a deep understanding of human motivation to her mastery of writing by utilizing her education in market psychology. She has worked over the past several years as a private contractor, providing industry-specific content and editing for companies of all sizes.

Outside of her work as a content creator, Lisa is passionate about caring for her young son and is only slightly obsessed with gardening.

 

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use digital marketing and nonfungible tokens for your business in 2022, be sure to check out our website! Not only do we have information about new digital trends and NFTs, but we also offer free consultations to see how Spherical Strategies can help you achieve your digital marketing goals in 2022!

 

1 2 3