From its onset, the great pandemic of 2020 has not only gone after humans–it has also gone after businesses all around the world. Almost everyone and every business has taken a hit due to Covid. But, to paraphrase John Adams, with every challenge comes an opportunity.

With the decrease of physical proximity and required social distancing comes all manner of online opportunities. People are spending a lot more time on the internet than ever before.  The catch is in identifying these opportunities and how to take advantage of them. One proven way to revive your business online is through link building.

Link building means getting websites to add hyperlinks to your site in their content. This article will provide 7 excellent link building strategies you can use to recover from the pandemic. 

1. Identify relevant linkable content

The internet is a very dynamic place. What works now almost definitely won’t work five years down the road. Surviving in this world requires the ability to adapt to change.

During the crisis, identify what content is relevant to the pandemic. This can earn links on websites that provide support to people affected by the crisis. Asking these questions will help make your content in-depth and helpful::

• Will your content grab the attention of your target audience? For example, if you guest post for a medical website, COVID-19 info will make for a great blog post.
• Are you bombarding your readers with information? Work out a posting schedule to pace yourself and your readers.
• Does your content address relevant problems in today’s society, such as the pandemic?
• Is your content accurate and up-to-date? Review older content and see what might still be relevant. Depending on your needs, create new content to complement what you already have.

Here are some proven ways to create linkable content:

1. Create how-to blog posts
2. Use eye-catching visuals
3. Make ultimate guides

Of course, great content deserves a great home. A good site architecture will go a long way. Interweave your content with good web design.

2. Create SEO friendly webinars

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A webinar is an online seminar or presentation. Webinars are great for attracting links because they allow a lot of interaction with your audience. There are many ways in which you can leverage webinars to take advantage of the latest trends in SEO:

• Distribute a post-webinar survey to determine whether your audience benefited from this webinar. These testimonials provide valuable reviews for your website. 
• Repackage your webinars in different ways. Then distribute them to other social sharing websites like Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram. By doing this, you are more likely to gain more exposure – meaning more likes, shares, and comments. This increases the number of inbound links from high-quality websites.
• Upload short video clips of your webinar to YouTube. Use specific keywords to describe the content to improve your ranking for particular queries from users.

3. Guest blog to build relationships

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Guest blogging means writing and publishing on someone else’s website or blog. This is the easiest way to get backlinks to your site. 

The idea behind this blogger outreach campaign is to build more credibility and visibility for your brand. The more you guest write on a site, the more you create a connection with the site owner. Most bloggers and influencers will respond by liking your content and sharing it. In this way, you can increase traffic and backlinks to your site, and build new relationships as well.

4. Increase your social media presence

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People are spending more time on social media than ever before. In fact, emarketer.com surveyed consumers who follow influencers in the US and UK. Since May 2020, 72% of these followers are currently spending more time on social media. After the lockdown, 64% of these followers are likely to continue using social media at the same level. These statistics make social media a great place to earn quality links and increase natural traffic to your blog.

5. Adjusting outreach emails with current events

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According to Hubspot, 80% of marketers have increased email engagement this year.

With the news surrounding the pandemic, you need to update your email template. This makes you appear informed and authoritative. You can use the following tactics to do this:

• Greeting targets with a message that acknowledges the strange time in which we’re living.

• Being specific about the resources you are offering. Give good reasons on why it could be useful and timely. This kind of information is good for the site’s visitors, especially in the current pandemic.

• Gently nudging your targets to share the resources you are providing.

• Signing off your emails in a tone more appropriate with the times. Trade in your enthusiasm for a more sober message wishing them good health.

• Being patient and considerate with those you’re contacting in your outreach emails.

6. Link reclamation and unlinked mentions

Unlinked mentions is when someone mentions your brand or product in a post but doesn’t link it back to your site. It is possible to reclaim the link by requesting a link on a brand mention. This is what they call link reclamation. This increases your backlinks and your traffic as well. Keep a log of the sources of your unlinked mentions to share any new content with in the future. There’s plenty of resources online on how to convert mentions into links.

7. Newsjacking

“Newsjacking” is the process of hijacking the news. This can happen through producing and promoting particular content at particular times. The aim is to take advantage of trending news stories. 

It helps blog posts and social media posts reach followers faster. It is most effective in social real-time communities such as Twitter. In 2014, Content Marketing Institute named 5 brands that improved reputations through newsjacking. 

Newsjacking helps to give your brand popularity. The more popular your brand gets, the more mentions you get. And we’ve already seen how that can translate to links to your site.

Conclusion

Link building is the most excellent way to build relationships with other experts. Through it, you can build trust. This will increase your referral traffic and establish you as an authority in your niche. 

Link building provides support from other professionals and businesses. This support will help your business recover from this challenging, history-making time.

Let’s stay connected! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Linkedin.

In this newsletter we have discussed the importance of quantity when it comes to content and its role in finding that sweet spot that keeps an audience coming back for more, maintains and encourages loyalty to a brand, and generates leads that feed the sales funnel. However, quantity must go hand in hand with quality.

There is an old saying that the perfect place to hide a dead body is on page three of the Google search engine results since no one ever goes there. In today’s world where more and more people are skeptical of online content, companies need to make sure they speak with authority and only post content that can be trusted. In other words, companies need to be producing quality content.  

But what exactly are the criteria that indicates whether content meets the definition of ‘quality’?

The Rule of Three

What is quality content? In short, quality content is anything that adds value to the reader experience. The easiest way to know if what your organization is creating meets the definition is to answer three simple questions: “Is it relevant?” “Is it educational?” “Does it add value?”

Overcoming Hurdles

The Internet is a crowded place, and readers are faced with an infinite amount of information. Much of the information is supplied by companies in the organization’s competitive space, making it difficult for consumers to focus on the company’s key messages. This often leads to buyer inertia, apathy and indifference. However, if the content directly addresses an urgent need or concern, then the company is well on its way to leveraging the power of content to create a deeper customer engagement and loyal existing customer base.

There is also another important component to creating quality content and that’s appealing to emotion. Content that can reach into the psyche of the reader and elicit an emotional response can be tremendously powerful. Marketers have capitalized on this for decades. Similarly, creating entertaining content can be tremendously powerful and increase reader interest.

Be Transparent

Audiences today are more educated and savvier than ever before and can quickly spot a veiled attempt to generate a transaction. Make sure the content your organization produces is transparent and honest. Quality content also adds value to the reader. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can get away with a hidden agenda. Understand what your customer values and realize that often times it’s not the same as what your business cares about.

Know Your Audience

Quality content relies on research. Segment your audience and speak to their needs and desires. It takes time and effort to get to know your potential customers, but it will pay tremendous dividends in the long run. Resist the urge to ‘spray and pray’, hoping whatever content you deliver will resonate with your audience.

Don’t underestimate the influence of culture on your customers. Culture orders our thinking, and incorporates the ideas, convictions, beliefs and theories about the world we live in. Culture drives us and influences the decision-making process.

Measurement

Peter Drucker, often viewed as the father of modern business management wrote, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” That is one of the key considerations when developing content. Content must provide actual business value. Using KPI’s such as sales, brand lift, marketing efficiency, increased leads, shorter time to conversion and others will indicate whether a content strategy is adding real business value or whether the content needs tweaking. The development of quality content is an ongoing process, and measurement is the key to continual improvement. As we said before, quality content relies on quality research. Let iNA’s writers create expert content for your business. To learn more or to place an order, click here.

If you live in the Southern United States, the hum of cicadas is a nightly phenomenon. But, did you know that there are two kinds of cicadas? The first are called Periodical Cicadas and only emerge at 13- and 17-year intervals. Periodical Cicadas are found mainly in the Eastern United States, and they’re hardwired to emerge in the sunlight to avoid predators. The second kind of cicadas are called Desert Locusts and are mainly found in Africa.

Both kinds of cicadas use a swarm mechanism: the more Periodical Cicadas that emerge, the more that will reproduce, and the Desert Locusts use swarms to devastate large swaths of territory. The one dies off in a regular order, while the other is the product of atmospheric chaos—weather conditions and rainfall.

Now, what do cicadas have to do with corporate communication? They can teach us about how a business structures its communication, and how its messaging needs to suit specific conditions and challenges. Let’s take a closer look at content and how the idea of the swarm is important when it comes to just how much content your business creates.

Quantity vs Quality

Both the Cicada and the Desert Locust carve their evolutionary niche by sheer numbers—they simply overwhelm their predators. Classic communication theory would have it that quality will win over quantity every time. Quality messaging is what is rewarded by Search Engines. But there is a competing (or perhaps complimentary) theory and that is that the business cannot use quality communication without quantity.

There are those who say that quality communication is an art. It relies of intuition and other intangibles. The truth of the matter is that the success of a single piece of communication content cannot be foreseen. Markets today change at the speed of light, and so do the needs of consumers. You simply cannot predict how successful a piece of content will be, although experience does count for a lot.

A Numbers Game

Some think that organizations should take more time to produce less content, but what if there’s a sweet spot between quality and quantity?

The key might be to reuse content across a variety of different channels. If it works well on social media then use it as a hook for blog content, and if the content works well on a single blog then write about the same topic on a different blog. Also, use the same content to create images or video.

In other words, play the numbers game. The more quality content an organization has, the more successful they will be in achieving these seven magic results:

1. Increase audience retention

2. Obtain better social media traction

3. Establish trust with your audience

4. Generate leads

5. Improve conversions

6. Enhance SEO efforts

7. Build authority

Every company would be well-served to look to the lessons that Mother Nature teaches us, namely the lessons of the swarm. At iNA we have a team of dedicated specialist writers who create quality content across a variety of busines sectors. If your organization wants to dominate your market space, iNA has the assets to make that happen through content creation that is quick and offers exceptional value for money.

In an age where business is regarded as a trusted source of information, how does an organization ensure that the content they provide positions their brand in a manner that meets the expectations of their current and potential customer base?

The need for quality content is more important now than ever before, as more people are using the Internet to research and buy products and services. Consumers, however, are not only turning to online resources to fulfil their requirements, but they’re looking for companies whose brand reflects their own core values. This shift means many companies must now take the extra step towards being a good corporate citizen.

The desire to be a good corporate citizen should guide the content that the company publishes. The guidelines issues by Google, for example, suggest that content should reflect an organization’s expertise, authority and trustworthiness. Blog entries that demonstrate the organization’s standing in terms of these criteria are rewarded by higher rankings in SERP’s (Search Engine Results Pages).

While all three criteria are good, trustworthiness is now more important than ever. Trustworthiness is not only defined by a company’s offerings in terms of their products and services, but also the extent to which a customer sees the company as a trusted partner. Companies must promote key messages that demonstrate a commitment to wider social issues, and be seen as a good corporate citizen with the local and national community.

You Are What You EAT

The principles of demonstrating expertise, authority and trustworthiness remain the same, but a generous helping of awareness about social issues and a commitment to making a real difference are extremely important. Let’s take a closer look at the three factors that contribute towards communication success—the so-called E.A.T. principles.

First, expertise. In order to get a first page ranking in a search engine, the company must position itself as an expert in its field and provide information the competition cannot match in terms of usefulness. This is especially important in fields where specialized knowledge is required, including medical, legal and financial services. A good rule of thumb is that if your organization uses specialized terminology it must be regarded as an expert to stand out from the competitive crowd. However, the definition of ‘expert’ can be extended to organizations that affect the wellbeing of the reader. Under the broader definition, service providers such as plumbers and electricians would be included and must also position themselves as experts in their given fields. 

The second part of achieving that high page ranking is just how authoritative your content is. This may require that your organization is backed up by reviews, its membership in professional organizations or others who cite your content.

Third, trustworthiness—again. The late, great Carl Sagan (who is often remembered as hosting the Cosmos TV series) is often quoted as saying, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” This has become known as The Sagan Standard. In terms of website content, those who use your company as a source of information must believe that you can be trusted. Once again, the requirements for building trust have changed and your content must reflect this shift. 

The iNA Competitive Advantage

iNA has subject-matter experts at its disposal, including some who are recognized authorities in specific fields. This is one of the reasons that companies across the globe use iNA’s services. If your organization is in search of a subject-matter expert, iNA can help. You can select your favorite writer, and with the new Premium Article Service you can request edits and interact with the writer. Our writers will provide the insight to fulfil the requirements of the EAT principle, and will save your company time, money and effort. 

Late January 2020 saw the release of the 20th Edelman TRUST BAROMETER™. Edelman is an American public relations and marketing consultancy firm, and the TRUST BAROMETER™ is the firm’s annual trust and credibility survey. What began as a survey of 1,300 people in five countries, has grown into a global measurement of trust across the world. The TRUST BAROMETER™ is produced by Edelman Intelligence—the organization’s integrated research, analytics and measurement division.

The results of the survey aren’t necessarily startling: people are shifting their trust to relationships within their control—such as with their employers. However, the findings also indicate the truism that ‘the past is another country.’ The survey took place in January 2020, long before the Coronavirus was a household name. Not surprisingly, opinions have changed dramatically in the wake of the pandemic.  

It is apparent that trust in four key institutions — business, government, NGOs, and the media — has drastically declined, a result not seen since 2017, according to the respondents of the survey.

However, it is the decline of trust in the media that has taken an unprecedented hit, as consumers can’t tell the difference between fake and real news, and the idea of a reputable media outlet seems as outlandish as unicorns and fairies. This has also led to a distrust of social media, as consumers no longer see those they follow as being “people like us.”

The Rise of the Trusted Corporate Source

Two years ago, the Edelman survey of 2018 made a genuinely interesting finding: the voices of expertise are regaining credibility. “Journalists have risen 12 points and CEOs recorded a seven-percentage point gain, since 2017. Technical experts, financial industry analysts, and successful entrepreneurs now register credibility levels of 50 percent or higher.”

Given the decline of trust in the media, it may be tempting to think this trend would not continue post-COVID. However, there are several factors that mitigate against this conclusion. First, the messaging of news organizations has become even more polarized, in part due to what has become a transparent political agenda. Party politics has also become even more divided, and it is apparent that politics is no longer “for the people, by the people,” but rather an exercise in retaining or gaining a power base. The same can be said for many NGOs, who seem to be more concerned with funding for internal use, rather than serving the “greater good.”  

What Does This Mean for Business Communication?

In short, business is faced with an unprecedented opportunity in a world that provides the promise and possibility of uncharted waters when it comes to issues of expertise and trust. Businesses should take into account that consumers will almost certainly face the worst recession in a generation, as the effects of the virus continue wreaking havoc not only on global financial systems, but also with personal finances. Those organizations that can reassure consumers they speak with authority and expertise, are guardians of products and services that are high quality, and have brands that focus on wider social issues of justice and community, will get the competitive advantage.

So, how does a business defending the castle walls from the invading hordes of consumers pleading for competing products and services? This is an existential question as we head towards the end of 2020.

Any business that does not realize that the Barbarians are at the gates and howling for their place in the throngs of those who make up market share, is one that will see their walls of competitive advantage torn down.

In this issue of the iNA newsletter, we’ll take a closer look at how businesses can leverage the power of messaging to ensure that those Barbarians are not kept from the gates, but welcomed in to a place where brands truly deliver.

“He who’s not busy being born is busy dying.”
― Bryan Burrough, Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco

It comes as no surprise that industry pundits have concluded that the services industry will have changed beyond recognition once the pall of the Coronavirus has lifted. The major differentiating factor between the services industry and manufacturing (where supply of a physical object is the end result of the customer interaction), is that the services sector has traditionally relied on direct interaction with customers in order to deliver on their brand promise.

The services industry accounts for nearly 85% of private sector employment in the U.S. At the beginning of the pandemic, 94% of jobs lost were from the services industry. Needless to say, the challenges brought about by self-isolation during the age of the pandemic have caused those companies active in the service industry to drastically rethink how they do business.

It becomes extremely difficult to provide services to gym members or services related to airlines, banks, computer service bureaus, movie theaters, law firms, dental care practitioners, childcare, plumbing repair companies and management consulting firms in an age where human interaction is basically verboten.

It’s a situation that is not simply going to resolve itself once masses of people are released from the lockdown the virus has caused. It seems almost certain that the Coronavirus will be responsible for changing the way the service industry does business for decades to come. In fact, it may never be business as usual, at least in terms of the pre-Coronavirus world.

The latest figures from the U.S. Department of Labor put the unemployment rate at 7.9%, down from nearly 15% in April. While the drop in the unemployment rate is a good sign, many companies are realizing that changing their business strategy is not only urgent, but necessary for long-term survival. Exactly how is the service industry changing to cope with the ongoing pandemic?

Online is at the Frontline

The pandemic is already changing the way people work, shop and socialize, perhaps permanently altering the way many service industries operate. Consumers will think harder about the health implications of going to a crowded restaurant, shopping mall or movie theatre. The result is that the move to online shopping will accelerate, and more businesses will accept the advantages of employees working from home.

The data suggests that those companies that are able to pivot to a more online-orientated business model are those that will weather the Coronavirus storm most effectively and be in a position to more effectively leverage online marketing and communications.  

Questions to Ask Before Moving Forward

Before getting to the tactical implications of a new business model, the services company needs to ask some searching questions. The answers to these questions will dictate how exactly they proceed with their communications efforts.

1. Do we fully understand our business?

A services business is different from a product-oriented business and the difference depends on the specific type of service business.

The traditional definition of the service business is that the service is “invariably and undeviatingly personal, as something performed by individuals for other individuals,” said economist Theodore Levitt. However, this is not necessarily true.  Think for example about automatic car washes, automated banking services, or even vending machines. These are just three examples of service businesses in which the service is provided by machines. The strategic requirements for these businesses are different from those in which people perform services for other individuals, although those types of business also need a carefully structured approach to communication.

2. How can the business defend itself from competitors? 

Service businesses often require different competitive strategies from those of product-oriented companies. If the service business is to stand the test of time, attention must be given to the management of economies of scale, proprietary technology, and reputation of the company. The last is of overwhelming importance when it comes to developing a strategically sound communications strategy where brand identity and positioning will be pivotal to the ongoing survival of the business

3. How can we obtain more cost-efficient operations? 

Manufacturing companies can improve operating leverage, often by purchasing faster or more reliable machinery, but most service businesses are different and other methods need to be explored. One of these methods is by leveraging the power of online marketing and communications to increase the reach of messaging, and make it more effective in maintaining customer loyalty and attracting new customers.

4. What is the rationale for our pricing strategy? 

Pricing services can be challenging. Cost-based pricing is often difficult to determine, and there are few formulas for effective value-based pricing. It is important to think about the economic and psychological effects of a change in pricing strategy and how best to communicate that change in a way that encourages the perception of ‘value-added’ service, not merely one that that is cheaper (or more expensive for that matter). What can a services company do online to ‘sweeten the pot?

5. What process are we using to develop and test new services? 

Every company depends on its ability to reinvent itself. In the age of the Coronavirus, the service-oriented company must pay particular attention to this area because the sheer competitiveness of the online environment can make it challenging to protect competitive positions. The process of new service development and testing becomes fundamental to the survival of the business entity, but how is this to be accomplished without alienating current stakeholders and customers?

Conclusion

At iNA, we recognize that the current business environment is more challenging and competitive than ever before. The articles in this series are designed to both provoke thought and provide an element of guidance to those who are aware that structured and thoughtful communication are the keys to thriving in a post pandemic world.

The current business environment is one that will reward careful communication planning and the establishment of strategic partnerships that will add value to ongoing operations. iNA provides world class content that is aligned to your business objectives—even in times which call for out-of-the-box thinking. “You can’t ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them,” said Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. “By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”

The current global business environment calls for bold thinking. iNA is committed to partnering with companies that realize that amidst the chaos, there is opportunity. To learn more about iNA and how we can help your business create content tailored to your specific needs

Many clients turn to the iNA Marketplace when they’re looking for top quality, ready-made content. The Marketplace is where the heavy hitters of the iNA writer pool post articles that are often the result of years of experience in a specific area. But, it’s also more than that. Writers who post in the Marketplace must meet certain criteria, including writing more than 500 articles for iNA, and scoring consistently high ratings on content they’ve written through the iNA Dashboard.

The importance of SEO has been established as pivotal to the success of any company that wants to score highly on the SERP’s (Search Engine Results Pages), and there are numerous SEO-rich articles in the Marketplace covering an incredibly diverse range of topics. However, the Marketplace also offers something more.

As previously mentioned, the Marketplace is where the cream of the crop of INA article writers come to express opinion and cover topics with which they are intimately familiar. The Marketplace offers in-depth articles and analysis into topics that not only capture the attention of readers, but that will position the client as an expert in a particular sector.  

These articles can be longer than the average—some are thousands of words long—and include long tail keywords. Long tail keywords are tremendously useful for organizations in niche markets, and attract more quality searches from pre-qualified search engine users than shorter SEO terms do.

However, there are other reasons using longer articles featuring long tail keywords can help your business. First, longer articles generate business leads for a longer timeframe. This is because they attract backlinks and organic traffic from Google over a long period of time, organically making it evergreen content.

Second, an expert article leads to the perception that the organization is an authority in a specific industry. Audiences appreciate comprehensive posts that delve into intricacies of their chosen interest areas.

The Marketplace also offers a large number of standard length articles, many of which are SEO-optimized in a way that will garner exceptional results as far as increased visits to a company website. The advantages of visiting the Marketplace to source quality pre-written articles are numerous. It allows organizations to instantly source material to bolster their online communication efforts.

For more information on how the Marketplace operates, and how it can benefit your organization, visit https://www.ineedarticles.com/marketplace/ and click on the video.

As much as it has become an almost knee-jerk reaction to ask people how they are faring during the increasingly stressful days of the global pandemic, there is another question gnawing at business owners and consumers worldwide: Will the world ever be the same again?   

Even as more states in the U.S. and countries around the world move to ease restrictions on businesses, an uncomfortable realization is dawning. We may never again see a business environment like we saw before COVID-19 swept the globe.   

Shaun Roache, Asia Pacific chief economist at S&P Global Ratings, said “lockdowns have a disproportional effect on small and medium-sized enterprises. These firms have less access to credit to help them ‘bridge to the recovery’ and can also struggle to meet the requirements for opening up.”

Roache said while manufacturing could recover reasonably quickly from the virus, service sectors would have a harder time bouncing back. “This is important because service industries are the largest employers in most economies,” she said.

Even as restrictions in many places are eased and schools and businesses open, there is also a worry about gathering in tight spaces where crowding and close proximity to others is normal, and social distancing is nearly impossible. This is especially concerning given the likelihood of a second wave.  

Not All Doom and Gloom

However, as worrying as the situation is for small and medium-sized businesses, these organizations likely have the scope to increase their market share amidst the daunting times they are facing. As Sun Tzu, in his seminal work ‘The Art of War,’ said, “In the midst of chaos, there is opportunity.”

For those businesses that can reinvent the way they reach consumers with effective messaging and are able to control inventory and manage the supply chain, the Coronavirus may not spell the end of the road for them. In fact, businesses that are nimble enough to cope with the crisis may emerge stronger and even more competitive than they were just a few months ago.

In this edition of the newsletter, we will examine the services sector and how this particular branch of the economy can both weather the Coronavirus storm and emerge from the tempest stronger. This will be the first in a series of articles that focus on best communication practices for a particular business sector in the age of COVID-19. Each article will focus on how effective and focused communication can provide a competitive edge, and how iNA can help by creating effective, focused and original content.

Let us know your comments below or shout it out and tag us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year for most. While the turkey dinner is more than enough to excite many, others love the day because it means they are that much closer to Black Friday shopping. Every business needs to try their best to market well on this day since everyone else will be doing the same. Here are some great ideas that will boost your business while helping you stand out from the crowd.

Offer Afternoon Deals

It will not be surprising to anyone if you decide to offer deals and discounts on this day since so many others will have the same thought process. One way for you to set yourself apart would be to offer deals that do not start until the afternoon. Waking up at the crack of dawn for deals is ideal for some, but others treasure the idea of sleeping late and shopping once they are well-rested.

This is also a great idea because it means you will not have to open any earlier than you typically do. As a result, you can save money since there will not be any need to pay your staff for extra hours.

Give Additional Deals On Social Media

There should always be Black Friday deals that everyone can take advantage of. With that said, you should do something additional to show appreciation to those who follow you on social media. For instance, offer an additional 5% off a purchase for people who post and leave your business name as a hashtag or those who check in to let others know where they are currently shopping. They will love the fact that you are showing them some appreciation for their loyalty and in return, you will have some free advertising.

Focus On What Makes You Unique

When you are creating marketing materials for your Black Friday campaign, be sure to focus on things that make your business unique. For instance, if you are a boutique that specializes in workout clothing for plus-size women, it would be great to use this as the core of your campaign. The goal is for people to hone in on this fact and see what you have to offer that the competition does not. Once this happens, they will be compelled to come to you for what they need.

Add A Countdown Timer

No one is going to forget when the big day comes, but this does not mean you should not offer them a bit of a reminder. Add a countdown timer to your website to let people know how long they will have to wait to take advantage of the deals you will have available. In addition, once the day arrives, reset the timer to reflect the amount of time they have left before the sale is officially over.

Send Personalized Messages

Everyone gets bombarded with emails around this time that promise to give them the best possible deals and discounts on everything under the sun. As a result, many people overlook them or send them to the trash folder without even reading them. One way to gain their attention is to create personalized messages that include information that would be relevant to them. Examples of this would be mentioning their name, mentioning a product that is similar to something they previously purchased or adding information that is tied to their demographic.

Adding this to the body of your messages is a good idea, but placing it in the subject line is even better. This will get their attention right away and make it more likely they will actually read what you have to say.

Throw Customers A Party

The idea of luring shoppers in and having them spend more money than usual is the goal of Black Friday, but you have to find a way to show them that you are about more than the bottom line. One way to do this would be to make the shopping experience an event in itself. Play some holiday music, offer them some food and beverages and have a few games and giveaways. They will be so excited at the thought of having a good time that they have no problem buying things in order to keep up the momentum and continue enjoying the party.

Add Upsell Options

This is a marketing tip for those who are having a Black Friday sale on the Web. When people are shopping online, the easiest way to make them spend more is to draw their attention to additional products. Instead of allowing them to aimlessly roam around your site with o direction, you can upsell them by offering some visual cues. For instance, you can add some “Similar Products” links. Many people view this as information that you are offering them as a way to be helpful, but the real reason behind it is to make sure that their shopping carts are as full as possible.

Offer Useful Incentives

Saving money is always a big draw for people, but you should really think about bringing some other incentives to the table. Many large retailers do this when they offer free holiday shipping and an extended period for people to make returns. When you offer this kind of perk, people appreciate it, even if it means that you will not be offering sale prices that are as low as others. Consider this: Knowing that they can buy anything they want and have it shipped without paying more is enough to make people buy more than they originally intended, which means more money in your pocket.

On Black Friday, many businesses make more than they do on any other day of the year. These ideas will help you grab more attention from the masses and compel them to head to your business instead of focusing on others. Using one or more of these ideas means that everyone will win. They will feel like they are important to you and in turn, they will buy more than they typically would.

Did you like our Black Friday marketing ideas? Well here’s another one we’re sure you’ll love: Successful Email Marketing For Amazon Business

Let us know through your comments below or shout it out and tag us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Whether you’re a retail shop owner or a freelance consultant, your company can benefit from these Thanksgiving marketing ideas no matter what industry they are in! Gobble them up and start applying these ideas to your marketing strategy so you can make the best out of this holiday!

Fun-Filled Thanksgiving Marketing Ideas for You To Try!

Thanksgiving is all about turkey dinners, family discussions, and fun-filled reunions that create lasting memories for many Americans. However, small businesses also need to look at this time of the year as a wonderful opportunity to build a great brand.

Let’s take a look at some of the top Thanksgiving marketing ideas for small businesses and why they’re essential moving forward.

1) Thank Your Loyal Customers

Loyalty should be rewarded and is a big part of running a small business.

Imagine having a customer that continues to buy products/services from your business on a regular basis. This loyalty is what makes them unique and they should be honored for their commitment to the brand. One of the best ways to pursue something of this nature is to send out a themed email using an email automation platform (i.e. MailChimp). By doing this, you will notice a positive uptick in how loyal these customers remain. When a person is thanked for their contribution, they will enjoy coming to the small business and buying from them. The same applies here and you will want to make the most of Thanksgiving by taking advantage of it for your needs.

The best way to do this is to make sure there is a reward for their loyalty along with the “thank you” message. For example, you may give them a set of discounts for their loyalty. This can be done for the week before Thanksgiving or on the day itself depending on your desired approach. Regardless, this is one of the top ways of maximizing what Thanksgiving is all about!

2) Donate to the Community

You should show your love for the community by donating.

The reason is to ensure customers understand you are a part of the community and want to see it flourish. With so many people showing their love during this beautiful time of the year, it’s always a good idea to get involved in the form of a charitable contribution.

Donating can be done in a number of ways including sending money to a reputable charity in the region. It’s up to you and can be a good way to get people involved. In fact, one of the strategies that are used by businesses around the world would be doing a “dollar for dollar” campaign. In essence, you pledge to donate at least $1 for every $1 donated by customers. This can be a great way to raise funds and get people to enjoy the holiday for all that it has to offer.

It is these little things on Thanksgiving that are going to push your business to the top of its niche. Yes, there is an investment but this is a positive one and should carry weight as you hope to build a reputable brand.

3) Put Together a Set of Discounted Products/Services

Sales are a part of Thanksgiving and you will want to jump in with both feet!

The premise of this is to make sure there is a themed sales drive that includes some of the top products on your site/store. By doing this, you will get people to take a look as they will already want to find the best deals on the market as soon as they can find them.

You should continue to put in the time to push the best possible sales on your website.

As soon as you do this, make sure to send out an email to your subscribers list so they are able to take advantage of the discounted products/services. This is how you are able to bring in a boatload of sales and spread the word about what your small business is offering to customers. They are going to enjoy this kind of sales and will want to spend money.

4) Offer Gifts

Gifts are always going to work at this time of the year and this is a wonderful opportunity to maximize Thanksgiving. The gift doesn’t have to be an expensive one but it should be enough to get people to look twice and appreciate the brand.

In some cases, you will be able to help provide the gift and have people purchase other items on your website.

This always works and is one of the best ways to bring in new people and raise awareness for your business. Over time, people are going to remember the brand and will want to buy from you! This is why Thanksgiving is your best friend and is one of the top holidays for giving away gifts leading into the Christmas season.

Keep the gifts simple and make sure to send out an email about your giveaway to your subscribers list.

5) Create a Goodwill Video for Thanksgiving

This is a wonderful way to bring people together and truly show your holiday spirit as a small business. You have to create a goodwill video that’s going to grow over the long-run. Too many people want to find something fun to do and it’s never a bad idea to use this as a way to bolster your business. For example, you can create a fun-loving video that is about Thanksgiving and what your business stands for. This is going to entertain people and is a wonderful way to showcase why your business is special.

In this day and age, small businesses have a number of platforms to work with including social media platforms. Therefore, you want to leverage all of them and make sure the goodwill video spreads like wildfire. There have been numerous examples where something as simple as a video is able to win the hearts of your customers.

These marketing ideas will help push your small business to the next level on Thanksgiving. With so many people in the holiday spirit, it’s never a bad idea to tap into the holiday fever and make it a part of your marketing campaign. Using these ideas, you’ll be well on your way to a well-developed strategy that brings in new leads!

Did you like our Thanksgiving Marketing Ideas? Well here’s another article we’re sure you’ll love!

What are you thankful for this year? Were you able to achieve any milestone for your business? What marketing strategies worked out for you best?

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