2023 Upcoming Trends in Marketing

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Buckle up, businesses – 2023 is set to be an absolute roller-coaster ride for marketing efforts! From digital marketing breakthroughs that will surprise and delight customers, to their ever-evolving expectations – the only way for companies to stay ahead of the game? Nail those loops with confidence. If you want to stay ahead of the competition in 2023, it’s time to think creatively and strategically! Harnessing AI technologies and machine learning can help set your brand up for success – but don’t forget about personalization. It’s all part of a winning recipe that keeps customers coming back. Now get out there: it’s showtime!

Why Marketing Matters

Without marketing, business success is like a racecar without fuel – you’re just not going to get very far! Marketing helps brands move ahead of the competition by building relationships with customers and boosting visibility. But most importantly, it drives those delightful revenue numbers sky-high! 2023 is gearing up to be the year of fierce competition in marketing. Every company needs to get savvy and quick if they want to stay relevant – it’s not enough just keep abreast of trends, you need to be one step ahead by anticipating changes across all digital channels!

Consumer Trends in Marketing

It seems that the younger crowd is tapping out of research and turning to their trusted social media platforms. With over half relying on TikTok or Instagram, strategizing a purchase journey has never been easier…for those who don’t need all the details! Who needs Google Search when you have your friends giving recommendations? And with 8% fewer people doing background checks before buying an item, it’s safe to say folks are just keeping up with trends rather than fact-checking every decision these days.

2023 Marketing Trends

Get ready to kiss traditional marketing goodbye in 2023! It’s time for the world of digital marketing to take center stage with a wide range of strategies and tech trends that will revolutionize your business. Get ahead of the competition now and sharpen up, because these future-forward initiatives are set to hit all industries hard. Don’t get left behind – it’s go-time!

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AI and Machine Learning

As we move into 2023, it’s becoming clear that companies who don’t embrace AI for their marketing strategy will be left behind. With the help of machine learning and artificial intelligence, you can quickly identify your ideal customer segment to deliver personalized content designed specifically to engage them – plus save time while doing so! Now that’s something worth ‘AI-pplauding’!

Personalization

Customers today are more savvy than ever, expecting unparalleled experiences tailored just for them. To stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in this new landscape, companies must embrace personalized techniques like email campaigns customized to each user’s needs, hyper-targeted advertisements based on their interests – all backed by dynamic website content that speaks directly to individuals. After all, it’s all about knowing what your customers want – And they know it! Not to make their heads big or anything.

Social Media Marketing

Social media isn’t just about throwing stuff out there and hoping it finds an audience. You’ve got to be smart, savvy, and strategic if you want your brand to stand apart from the crowd. Thankfully we make staying current with social trends easy because our experienced team will take care of all those pesky daily tasks for you! With our help, standing out in a competitive digital world has never been easier – so click here now to see what kind of magical marketing strategies we can spin up on your behalf.

Video Content

Forget about playing it safe with text-based messaging—give digital audiences the star treatment by moving into video! Dazzle them with viral social experiences,  captivating explainer videos and other creative content that grabs their attention. If you’re ready to capture your target audience’s interest in a whole new way, check out our experts’ must-have video services today! Lights. Camera. ACTION!

Voice Search Optimization

2023 is fast approaching, and it looks like speaking to devices will be second nature – so buckle up for conversational SEO! Brands better get their content in gear because Alexa’s listening – she could become a company’s best friend or worst foe. What was that again? “Alexa, show me the top 2023 marketing strategies by Curiosity!”

Augmented Reality

These days, the universe is expanding further than ever before – no longer confined to our reality but venturing into uncharted waters of augmented realities. If businesses want to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape and make an impact on their customers’ lives, they should definitely invest in AR technology now! Metaverse? We’re all over it like white on rice!

Don’t get left behind – it’s essential to stay ahead of the competition in 2023! Make sure you’re armed with all the latest marketing trends and ready for any opportunity that presents itself. You’ll be glad you kept your finger on the pulse when success knocks!

Get ahead with our marketing services

Partnering With a Professional Marketing Company

Don’t get left behind in 2023! Jump onto the trend train and hop aboard with a professional marketing company. Staying informed about next year’s seismic shifts is key to staying competitive – not just that, but you’ll also be able to identify new opportunities for deeper customer engagement and maximize your returns on any investments made into promotional activities. Make sure you don’t miss out this coming year! Put it this way: the companies prepared for success will be the ones able to capitalize on disruptions caused by 2023’s new and exciting marketing trends.

Contact us today for your free 2023 marketing consultation!

The Growth of Video Marketing and Why Your Business Needs It

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As a business owner, you know the importance of staying up to date with evolving trends. Sigh, we know. Trends come and go quicker than ever, but video marketing is one trend that can no longer be overlooked — it’s quickly becoming a cornerstone for successful businesses and it’s here to stay. Whether you share dynamic social videos, interactive explainers or maybe even some TikTok dances that show off your business in a fun, casual way – there are endless possibilities when it comes to building relationships and connecting with customers using this versatile medium. Don’t sleep on this incredible opportunity for growth, dive into the awesome world of video marketing now!

New to video-sharing platforms like TikTok? Check out of Review of TikTok for Businesses.

What Is Video Content Marketing

Nowadays, the growth of video content marketing is obviously hard to ignore. But what exactly is video content marketing? (We won’t tell anyone you had to ask.) Put simply, video marketing is the art of using videos to show people a product or service and get them interested in it. Seems simple right?! Hold on there cowboy, there’s more here than meets the eye. True, it’s an effective way to boost brand awareness, build trust in a company’s products and services, and increase consumer engagement, but video marketing needs a rock solid strategy behind it. Businesses can use videos to introduce their products or services as well as educate their customers and prospects on how to use them. If you’re looking for something that’ll really take your business to new heights, maybe it’s time to climb aboard the video content marketing express! All aboard!

Check out our video marketing process

The Growth of Video Marketing

Video marketing is skyrocketing in popularity and is set to become the internet’s dominant form of content. We’ll soon be living in a 90% video-dominated world, so start prepping for your close up! Must we really go on? We’re like a train that just can’t be stopped! Our success is growing exponentially in both the consumer and business-to-business sectors, making it clear there’s no shortage of enthusiasm for video marketing. Getting on the train now? But wait, there’s more! Video marketing has become a major player in a host of campaigns, from small startups to large companies, proving that video marketing isn’t just hype – It’s here to stay.

Video marketing growth in the U.S. is serious business – and it’s only getting bigger as the industry inches closer to a whopping $135 billion. That’s some serious dough! Businesses everywhere are getting creative and cashing in on the stellar success of online videos. With a surge in growth, companies want to get their hands on this golden opportunity – but how? While some companies opt for strategies that include interactive content or short-form narrative spots, others rely on strategies using low-cost stock footage and sophisticated animation software to reach massive online audiences. Whatever your budget is, Curiosity Marketing Group is here to help you capitalize and ride that wave!

Dive deep into our video marketing services

What Are the Benefits of Video Marketing

Video content marketing can produce awesome results for your business! If you invest in this strategy, be prepared to see some major benefits. Increased web traffic? Check. Customers more engaged with your brand? Double check!

Increased Visibility

Get ready for the spotlight! Unleash your inner celebrity when you share video content on social media and related articles. Not only will it get more eyes on your site, but who knows? You might just become an internet sensation, all thanks to a few well-crafted videos!

Increased Conversions

Customers are more likely to buy when they don’t have to strain too hard – and what could be easier than vegging out in front of a promotional video? Video content is your secret weapon for maximizing those all-important conversions!

Increased Engagement

Engagement skyrocketed when we started using videos to communicate with our customers. Turns out, most people would rather watch a cool video than read something on their computer screen – who knew? We quickly saw results as those passive viewers turned into active buyers and the sales really took off!

Improved Brand Recognition

Let your brand out of the gate – show potential customers some personality! Videos are a great, creative way to get people invested in what you have to offer. Make sure those values and mission statements breathe new life into the conversation by incorporating them in visuals.

More Variety

What do customers want? Variety! Having a variety of video content is like throwing a bunch of spaghetti at the wall (not literally, though) to see what sticks. This way your business can reach various audiences with different needs and interests – who knows which one will resonate best with them?!

Explore the endless content possibilities with our video marketing services

Partnering With a Professional Video Marketing Company

The importance of working with a professional video marketing company cannot be understated. Yep, we’re going to wear that one into the ground – But for good reason! Our video marketing agency can help to create effective videos tailored specifically to your company’s needs, ensuring that your message is delivered in the most impactful way possible. Forget the hassle of creating your own video ads – let our expert team make it easy! Partner with us and you’ll get more time to focus on rocking your business, plus save money in the process. Win-win!

Contact us today for your free video marketing consultation!

How Consumers Govern Brands Through Online Reputation

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Consumers now have a greater ability to influence the reputation of a brand than ever before. Yuck right?! This power is often referred to as “consumer governance” and refers to how customers can use their collective opinion and voice to drive the success or failure of a business.

The main source of this consumer governance is online reputation. Customers can write reviews and post comments on social media or to a company’s website, which are then seen by potential customers who may decide whether to purchase the product based on what they see. But wait, there’s more! This power of consumer opinion has become so influential that companies must now pay attention to their online reputations to remain competitive in the digital world. Add that to your daily to do list!

What is online reputation management and how does it work?

Have you ever wondered what people are saying about your business behind your back? Well, if you have an online presence, then chances are there are plenty of people talking about your services or products online, and take it from us, what they’re saying could be good or bad. That’s why it’s important to manage your online reputation. For times when you can’t be a fly on the wall, turn to reputation management!

So, what is online reputation management? Put simply, it’s the process of controlling what people see when they Google your company name. Seems pretty powerful, huh!?  It’s about making sure that the search results for your company reflect what you want people to know about your business.

There are a few different ways to do this. One way is to create lots of content – blog posts, articles, and social media updates with keywords that you want to be associated with. This will help push down any negative content that might be appearing in the search results. We like to call this the great cover up!

Another way to manage your online reputation is to monitor what’s being said about you online and respond accordingly. Just to be clear, that doesn’t mean jumping to Twitter to justify your side of things. If there’s negative content out there, (SINCERELY) reach out to the person who wrote it and try to resolve the issue. If there are positive things being said about you, make sure to thank the person who left the positive feedback.

Get a better perspective of the reputation management process

Why do brands need to worry about their online reputation?

In today’s digital world, your online reputation is more important than ever. More and more people are using the internet to research brands before making a purchase, and if your online reputation is damaged, it can have a major impact on your bottom line. There are several reasons why online reputation management is important for brands. First, negative reviews and articles can deter potential customers from doing business with you. Yikes! Second, they can lead to a loss of trust among current and future customers. Third, they can damage your relationships with other businesses.

 In short, online reputation management is essential for any brand that wants to stay competitive in today’s market. By monitoring your online presence and taking steps to address negative content, you can protect your brand’s reputation and ensure that you continue to attract new customers.

The different ways that consumers can interact with brands online

In today’s digital world, there are a myriad of ways for consumers to interact with brands online. Through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, consumers can follow their favorite brands, receive updates on new products and share their opinions with others. Additionally, many brands now offer online chat features, which allow consumers to ask questions and receive help in real time. We love a good chat bot! And of course, there are also plenty of opportunities for consumer feedback through online reviews and survey sites. Ultimately, the wealth of online resources available to consumers makes it easier than ever before to connect with brands and voice their opinion.

Dive deep into managing your online reputation

How to manage your brand’s online reputation

Your brand’s online reputation is so important, we felt the need to say it again. It’s how people perceive you when they see you in their social media feeds, when they Google you, and when they read reviews about you. Here are a few things you can do to protect your reputation online:

  • Be proactive: Don’t wait for something bad to happen to your brand before you start managing your reputation. Think of it like a new obsession. Be proactive and monitor what people are saying about you online. Set up Google Alerts for your brand name, and check review sites regularly.
  • Be responsive: If something negative does come up about your brand, don’t ignore it. Respond quickly and professionally. Yes, even if the customer is wrong! Address the issue head-on and try to resolve it to the best of your ability.
  • Be transparent: People appreciate honesty, so if there is something negative going on with your brand, be upfront about it. Don’t try to hide it or spin it in a positive light – that will only make things worse. Think hiding clutter under the bed – never a good idea. Instead, own up to it and tell people what you’re doing to fix the problem.

Managing your brand’s online reputation takes effort, but it’s worth it. By following these tips, you can help ensure that your brand is perceived in a positive light by the people who matter most – your customers.

Check out our professional reputation management services

Partnering with a reputation management company

If you’re looking to take your online reputation to the next level, then partnering with a reputation management company is your best move. Not to toot our own horn, but at Curiosity, our reputation management team can help you build and maintain a positive image online, which is essential for attracting new customers and keeping existing ones happy. Plus, with the help of our reputation management gurus, you can proactively manage your online reputation so that negative reviews don’t have a chance to do damage in the first place. 

Contact us today for your free Reputation Management consultation!

2022 Holiday Marketing Trends: What Consumers Are Planning to Spend On

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The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and businesses are starting to prepare for the influx of shoppers. But what are consumers planning to spend their money on? How can your businesses capitalize on this information? Keep reading for our holiday marketing trends guide, where we’ll break down consumer spending by category and give you tips on how to reach these shoppers!

Holiday Shopping Trends & Statistics

As holiday shoppers begin to plan for the upcoming season, many are resolved to spending less this year. A recent holiday insights report found that Consumers are planning to cut back on holiday spending, with 41% saying they’ll spend less than last year. 

This holiday season, marketers will need to be more strategic in their advertising and holiday marketing campaigns. One way to do this is by focusing on value-based messages that highlight the quality of the product or service rather than its cost. Additionally, marketers can look for opportunities to partner with other brands to offer holiday discounts and deals. By thinking outside the box, marketers can still reach holiday shoppers who are looking to save this season.

As the holiday season approaches, retailers begin to ramp up their marketing efforts. And for good reason – according to recent studies, people are increasingly putting off their holiday shopping until later in the season. In fact, some people wait until the last minute to make their holiday purchases. This presents a challenge for retailers, who need to find ways to reach these procrastinators. One potential solution is to focus on holiday marketing ideas that emphasize convenience and ease of purchase. For example, retailers could offer holiday-themed click-and-collect options or create holiday marketing campaigns specifically targeted at last-minute shoppers. By understanding the behaviors of late shoppers, retailers can adapt their strategies and make the most of the holiday shopping season.

Online Holiday Shopping Trends

For many of us, the holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends, but it can also be a time of stress and anxiety, especially when it comes to holiday shopping. 32% of people say they plan to do more holiday shopping online this year to avoid the crowds and save time. And it’s not just about buying gifts for loved ones – many people are also using the internet to do their holiday shopping for groceries, decorations, and other holiday essentials.

With so many people shopping online, it’s important for businesses to have a strong online presence during the holiday season. Here are some holiday marketing ideas to help you get started:

  • Use social media to promote special holiday deals and discounts.
  • Create holiday-themed landing pages on your website.
  • Send out email newsletters with gift guides and latest product releases.
  • Run targeted online ads featuring holiday discounts and promotions.

Holiday In Store Shopping Trends

As the winter holidays approach, shoppers are weighing their options for how to get the best deals on gifts. For some, going into a brick-and-mortar store is still the preferred option, even though it may be more crowded than shopping online. There are a few reasons for this. First, shoppers can see and touch the merchandise in person, which can give them a better idea of whether it’s a good fit. Second, they can interact with salespeople and get help with finding the right gift. And finally, there’s something about the hustle and bustle of the holiday season that just can’t be replicated online. While online shopping is convenient and popular, some shoppers are ready to brave the crowds and enjoy the holiday atmosphere in store.

Creating Successful Holiday Marketing Campaigns

The holiday season is a key time for retailers and brands to connect with consumers and drive sales. According to holiday insights, holiday marketing starts as early as October, and holiday shopping peaks in November and December. Consumers are bombarded with holiday deals and promotions from retailers and brands. As a result, holiday shoppers are looking for brands and retailers that offer the best deals on quality products.

To maximize holiday profits, marketers need to create well-planned holiday marketing campaigns that take advantage of holiday spending trends. One effective holiday marketing strategy is to focus on gifting occasions such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. By creating holiday-specific marketing campaigns, businesses can tap into the increased spending that occurs during these times.

Additionally, to be successful during the holiday season, retailers and brands need to have a solid holiday marketing strategy. This includes understanding consumer behavior, knowing which holidays are most important to shoppers, and promoting the right deals at the right time. In addition, retailers and brands need to be prepared to meet the needs of holiday shoppers. This means having enough inventory on hand to meet demand, offering convenient shipping options, and providing excellent customer service. By understanding the needs of holiday shoppers and delivering on their expectations, retailers and brands can build strong relationships with consumers that last beyond the holiday season.

Contact the holiday marketing gurus at Curiosity Marketing Group to get started on a successful campaign this holiday season!

Using AI for Marketing

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Wondering if AI Marketing is really all it’s cracked up to be?

As a business, product, or service provider, you are always looking for ways to optimize efficiency and increase productivity. After all, time is money. And in the age of technology, there are more options than ever before to help you streamline your process and get ahead of the competition. Here at Curiosity Marketing Group, we are always on the lookout for new ways to use technology to our advantage. Whether it’s developing new software to automate repetitive tasks or investing in cutting-edge hardware to speed up our rendering times, we are constantly looking for ways to work smarter, not harder.

We all know that technology has drastically changed the way we live and work. In fact, it seems like there’s a new app or piece of software being released every day that promises to make our lives easier and more efficient. But with so many options out there, it can be tough to know which ones are worth our time and which ones are just a passing fad.

AI and Marketing

Designing and writing with AI is becoming more and more popular, as it promises to speed up the creative process and create better results. But is this really true? Is AI really that great? Let’s take a closer look.

We’re a curious bunch, and we think you’ll love what AI and upcoming technology can do for your business. It’s not just about making things look cool (although that’s a nice side effect). With the power of AI, you can create an assortment of marketing resources that are tailored to your specific audience with maximized efficiency.

AI Design

One recent example of how we’ve used technology to increase efficiency is with our latest week of social media images. Harnessing the power of AI allowed us to generate high-quality content at a fraction of the time and cost it would take to do manually. We are able to input a few key parameters and then the software takes care of the rest. This has been a game-changer for us because it has freed up our team to focus on other tasks while still being able to produce high-quality content on a regular basis.

New Advances in Marketing Technology

Technology is changing every day and there are always new ways to use it to your advantage. At Curiosity Marketing Group, we make it a priority to stay on top of the latest trends and invest in the best tools available so that we can provide our clients with the highest quality services possible. If you’re looking for a marketing partner that knows how to leverage technology for maximum efficiency, look no further than Curiosity Marketing Group!

Contact us today to learn more about how AI for Marketing can help take your business to the next level.

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Curiosity Reviews – TikTok

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UPDATE

When we first published this blog post, we recommended that businesses and individuals alike not use the increasingly popular social app, TikTok due to privacy and security concerns. Since the publication date, app developer ByteDance has seen more and more public pressure to address these concerns. With the new security measures in place, we are pleased to finally be able to recommend TikTok as a great tool for gaining online exposure for your business.

Believe it or not, TikTok has grown to surpass many other social platforms in terms of popularity. With over 698 million active users in any given month, the opportunities to grow your current audience and engage customers are endless!

What’s new?

Originally, one of the main concerns about using the app was the fact that TikTok pulls a variety of data from its users. This practice is no different than the data collection done by platforms such as Google and Facebook, however, the concern was how this data was being used. After multiple investigations, there is no concrete evidence that Chinese intelligence authorities are spying on users, and the platform now has fixed many bugs and implemented technical measures to encode app activity from external researchers such as hackers and other malicious actors.

Another concern was the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) violation the company faced. Many new features and privacy measures have improved the safety of users between the ages of 13 and 18. In fact, the company introduced the “Family Pairing” feature that allows parents to link their account to their children’s and have greater oversight on how their kids are using the app.

Is TikTok safe to use now?

With the recent privacy and security policy changes, we now recommend businesses leverage the social platform by creating interactive and engaging video clips to share with their audiences. If you need assistance with creating or editing videos that will surely go viral, check out our new video marketing services!

Wondering what the big deal is about video marketing? Find out in our blog on The Growth of Video Marketing and Why Your Business Needs It.

Sources

https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/is-tiktok-safe
https://techjury.net/blog/tiktok-statistics/#gref

Loyalty Programs: More Critical Now Than Ever

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Loyalty programs encourage customers to return where they frequently make purchases. Some of the incentives could include advanced access to new products, additional discounts, and free shipping perks. Customers register their personal information with the retailer and are provided a membership account. Some programs are free, while others with more quality bonuses have an annual fee. 

Customer Relationship Management

Retailers use these programs as a form of CRM, Customer Relationship Management systems. These systems help maintain a record of their sales process and market goods or services efficiently. The signup process of loyalty programs allows for insight on each customer. They provide information that helps the retailer make specific and strategic marketing plans for optimal results. According to a study presented by LoyaltyOne, loyalty program members contribute to 43% of companies’ annual sales. In addition to the increased sales, 95% of companies within their study reported that members spend more annually, with 60% reporting that members spend two to three times more.

Walmart’s Take on Loyalty Programs

Walmart recently released their newest loyalty program, Walmart+. According to the Walmart press release, “Along with the power of its online presence, Walmart+ has the reach of more than 4,700 stores, including 2,700 stores that offer delivery as fast as the same day.” Walmart+ members will receive unlimited free delivery from stores and fuel discounts. In-store shoppers will have access to a “Scan & Go” feature that allows them to scan items from their phones and pay for them using Walmart Pay, allowing them to avoid the checkout line. It will cost $98 a year or $12.95 a month and includes a 15-day free trial period.

Walmart has now put themselves at a higher advantage point than most retailers and created competition with other loyalty programs such as Amazon Prime. By releasing this new membership program, Walmart anticipates continuing its increasingly fast growth in e-commerce, where it’s already become the second-biggest online seller in the US.  Amazon being the number one. The fuel discount will bring in more customers just for the simple fact that gas is expensive, and it will never go on sale. 

Loyalty programs are more critical now than they ever have been. Due to the increasing demand for the perks of shopping online and in-store, retailers must keep up. Amazon and Walmart being just two of many, there is significant headway coming for customers and retailers with a simple loyalty program. 

Curiosity Marketing Group has the knowledge and expertise to keep you above and beyond your competitors. As more and more brands roll out loyalty plans, will you be able to keep up? Have you thought of starting your own Loyalty program with an integrated CRM. Curiosity has helped launch combinations of Loyalty programs as well as CRM integrations for better client service and happy customers. Contact us to help you give them a run for their money!

Custom or Pre-Built? Which WordPress Site is best for you?

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WordPress was designed to be a CMS (content management system) that can be used by everyone, from professional agencies to personal portfolios. Statistics show that 35% of the internet is powered by WordPress. That means that around 455,000,000 websites are using WordPress right now! While WordPress might be the best CMS in the market, it can also be vulnerable and unstable, causing your site to crash. In this article, I’m going to discuss those vulnerabilities and how to avoid them. For those not familiar, there are two ways to build a WordPress site: using a pre-built theme or building a custom theme.

The Cheaper Option: Pre-Built Themes

The easier and cheaper option is using a pre-built theme. This is the most popular option in building a WordPress site because it’s quick, easy, and cost-efficient. Users can have a personal website built within a couple of hours using a pre-built theme, but this is where the vulnerabilities come in. The reason a site can be built so quickly is because of page builders and other plugins. A page builder is basically a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to quickly add new content and adjust the page layout. The issue with page builders is that they’re not native to WordPress, meaning it’s a third-party plugin. These plugins will receive updates periodically to fix bugs and improve the plugin, but sometimes these updates can actually cause your site to break. There are many issues that can cause this, but most of the time it’s caused by the plugin not being compatible with the version of WordPress the site is running or there’s a conflict with another plugin. The more plugins a site has, the more vulnerable that site is to breaking and/or it being hacked. At the time of writing this, WordPress has suspended the Astra theme for violating terms that affected over 1 million users.

The Safest Option: Custom Themes

The best way to avoid these vulnerabilities is to build a custom theme. While a custom theme is more expensive and time-consuming, it will also be a lot more future proof and optimized than a pre-built theme. Custom themes don’t rely on plugins to build a site, instead, they’re built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP.  Custom themes will still use a few plugins, but these plugins aren’t critical for the site to work.  You might be thinking ‘I don’t know how to code, how will I make changes to my site?’. Developers can utilize custom fields in the WordPress admin for clients to easily make changes to their site.

With all that being said, pre-built themes will be sufficient for a majority of today’s websites. Everyone doesn’t have the same needs or wants which is why WordPress is such a great CMS.  It has the ability to cater to any budget or project. From my experience, a custom-built theme will last longer and be more stable, but it comes with a cost.

If you would like to discuss these different options in more detail please let us know. We have years of experience with both options and can share success and horror stories from the past. We look forward to working with you!

Click below to schedule a consultation.

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Reputation Matters

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The saying has always been, “A happy customer will tell ten people about their experience. An angry customer will tell 100.” With the availability of the internet and increasing ease of leaving reviews, it is vital that you have a handle on your reputation, especially online. Some years ago, Google introduced the notion of what they called the “Zero Moment of Truth.” This refers to when prospective clients, instead of going to stores and talking to an expert, started turning online for recommendations.  Now, if there is any question on a product, YouTube is your specialist. Locally, Google business listings are your expert, and in some cases, there are sites specifically created to handle reviews. For example, doctors should be paying close attention to Health Grades, Construction and Maintenance – Angie’s List. But what is the actual effect on your business if negative reviews exist? Short answer, there is a lot to lose.

According to recent studies, 67% of consumers make their purchasing decisions based on reviews. Of the people using reviews as a basis, 94% of consumers will avoid a business with bad reviews. Businesses with one 1.5 star rating report 33% less revenue than businesses with a 4-5 star rating. This does not mean that the company with the 4-5 star rating is that much better. They may have better customer service or a better product, but maybe not. It could just be that they are paying close attention to their online reputation. Don’t let reviews online spoil the excellent service and reputation you have built away from the internet for so many years.

The other vital part of watching your reputation online is the effect it has on your search rankings, most importantly with local search results. As Google and other search networks evolve, they continue to modify their results that are displayed. They do this to make sure that the viewer coming to their site for information, gets the most accurate and helpful info that they can. Google does not care about your business. They care about their user getting this accurate information. Negative reviews have a very strong effect on your rankings. You can have the best-looking, easy to navigate website with a ton of helpful information, but if your business has poor reviews, Google will push you down the list.

So what can you do to protect yourself from negative reviews? Below are a few things to do to plan and work to protect your reputation:

  • First and foremost, invest in an online reputation monitoring system, either internally or find a partner. We operate with numerous clients to help them keep reviews in check but also to help generate positive reviews. These systems include responding to negative reviews as well as integrating into CRM and ERP solutions to help facilitate positive reviews. 
  • Avoid negative reviews where possible, but know they will happen.  When you do receive a negative review, it does not go away. The best thing to do here is to provide a timely response to the review, offering more information on a subject, or offering to fix the problem. Apologies go a long way. 47% of users that see a quick response to a negative review will not skip a business due to a bad review if they are offering a solution. 
  • Encourage happy customers to give positive reviews. As we mentioned early on, positive reviews are hard to come by. If the service is good, the happiness is not shared as quickly as the bad experience. With integration into your check-out process, review requests can be easily facilitated. This should be a priority in your strategy listed above. 

Curious about what else you can do to gather 5-star reviews? Check out our guide on getting more Google reviews!

In the day of the internet, your online reputation will either drive customers to you or drive them to your competitors. Reviews will continue to convey the way customers have been treated at your business and what their experiences were. It is essential that businesses monitor their online reviews so that their brand and business are represented in the most positive way possible. Make sure you ensure your ideal customers see you in a positive way.

Templates vs. Custom Designed Websites

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The question we get all too often… “Can’t we just use a template for our website?” The short answer is sure you can. For our clients however there are a number of reasons we do not, and more often than not decline to use templates. Whether you are a new startup company, working to build a personal brand or a seasoned company looking to bring your digital marketing to a higher level, a custom designed site will always give you a more successful growth-driven tool for better marketing results for a number of reasons.

 

Stand Out From the Crowd

The world of web templates is a very crowded one. In most cases, templates are created with a general setup and are very cookie cutter style in design. When theme developers create themes you have to remember that they are focusing on a general market. They are focusing on getting their theme purchased by as many people as possible. That is how they make their money.  A theme developer is not taking your business goals and forming the site around them. This is where custom designed websites excel. Every business has a voice, a tone, language that they use to portray their brand messaging to clients or about their product. This same tone or theme needs to be presented within your website. A custom built site allows this to be the focus and the structure should be formed around your business goals. Websites today are more than an online presence. They are digital marketing tools. Make sure it is set up and positioned correctly.

 

Build Around Your Specific Business Needs

As stated above, templates are built with a more general approach in mind.  Without extensive code knowledge, they can be very hard to customize.  Even with our level of expertise, templates can be difficult to personalize and often times take more effort to adjust versus building a new custom designed website.  Before we start any web project we like to learn as much about the business we are designing and building for as possible. Every client gets a questionnaire to answer that helps us understand the items we need to know before there is the first click of the mouse or keystroke towards creating the site.  We do this to make sure the custom site design is focused on conversion for better lead generation and working for the client. Websites need to be a working part of your digital marketing strategy.

 

Avoid the CMS Clutter

Content Management Systems (CMS) are very big these days. One of the first questions we get while in a consultation is “Will I have access to my website to make content updates?”  Clients are looking to make sure they have access to control their content on updates, events and specials around their business. Our answer is yes. Whether the site is built on WordPress, Drupal or Hubspot’s COS, clients have access to update their websites. But like the general approach to design template developers have, they also have the same approach to the CMS control as well.  Template back ends often have a lot of extras or clutter that cannot be removed and only add to a user’s confusion but also slow the speed of your site. In a world where the attention span of a website viewer is approaching 7 seconds, speed is a big component of a well-built site.

With all of our sites, we remove the clutter and customize the CMS to only have what you need. Keeping things as simple and as fast as possible. This customization helps clients effectively manage sites in a timely manner.

 

Make Your Brand Stand Out

Templates are placed in many markets by developers. They want their template to be purchased as many times as possible to generate revenue.  In our industry the most popular ones surface quite often. For example, we can view a site and regularly name the template or link it to a developer group that specializes in templates.  The biggest downfall of templates is that they can be used over and over again by different people and instead of businesses standing out, they fall into the crowded web world not pushing your site to the front of the crowd.

Custom designed websites are built for you and only you. Once we build the site, the design and theming of the site are solely used for the client at hand. Just as the next business we help will have a custom look to their site as well.

And We’re Out!

We want to further stress that custom designed sites will always give your business a better web presence and be easier to manage in the long run. As the template world grows, and more people come online, standing out from the crowd will become increasingly important.  Giving your business the ability to speak your language and portray the business brand in the way you originally set out will always make for a more successful digital marketing strategy.
If you would like to receive a free consultation on how we can bring your brand to the web in a custom way, drop us a line and we’ll be in touch.