The Daily Carnage

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Key Takeaways From the Google Marketing Livestream 2021

MAY 31, 2021

In the Google Marketing Livestream last week, Google announced new features and tools. There’s a large shift in focus on local search support, travel ad features, and insight upgrades. Search Engine Journal has given a thorough recap of the features and rollouts.

A Continued Focus on Privacy

Custom audiences rollout
Consent capabilities added to Google Tag Manager

Expanded Automation Solutions

Expanding target ROAS
Expanding Performance Max out of beta

Deeper Insights and Standing Out in the SERP

Image extensions included in search ads
Extending modeling capabilities to the Behavioral Report
Advertiser Report in Google Analytics
Incorporating YouTube & Display in attribution models

New Solutions for Retailers

New attribute tags to help consumers connect with like-minded businesses
Using AR to allow prospects to try on makeup and clothes
Google’s integration with loyalty programs
Surfacing deals for prospects with “deals results page”
Advertising options like available for store pickup, curbside pickup, and now later pickup
New “Shop Pay” buying option for Buy on Google listings
New eCommerce Integrations

New Solutions for the Travel Industry

Hotel booking extensions
Vacation rentals added to hotel results pages
Enhancing commissions (per stay) bidding

That’s a lot of stuff to keep on top of as an advertiser. See the full, detailed summary from Search Engine Journal.

Mobile App or Website?

MAY 26, 2021

We’re not just living in a digital world, we’re living in a mobile world. Sometimes it isn’t enough to have a website, you need a mobile app. It has a lot of benefits. So when a brand is deciding on the choice between mobile apps and websites, it all depends on their cost, usability, required features, and the audience they serve.

VWO gave a list of 10 benefits to having a mobile app over just having a mobile-friendly website. Let’s get into ‘em:

Better personalization: Apps make it easy to treat users with a personalized experience. Users can also set preferences in-app, customizing their experience from the start. Don’t forget about the amazing trackability for UX apps offer.
Easy notifications: Push and in-app notifications can be instant, interactive, and more relevant to users.
Access to mobile device features: Mobile apps, being on mobile devices an all, can utilize features like camera, contacts, GPS, phone calls, accelerometer, compass, etc. While some mobile websites can as well, apps have fewer technical constraints.
Use offline: While most features would likely still require internet connectivity, apps can offer basic content and functionality to users while offline.
Design freedom: Apps can be designed with more functions, based on device gestures as opposed to websites depending on browser navigation.
New branding experience: Companies can use apps to experiment with new looks or transition into a brand style for themselves with a more controlled platform.
Users spend more time on apps: In time spent on connected devices, mobile users spend 86% of their time on apps and 14% of the time on websites. Note: This includes gaming/social as well.
New stream of conversions: Apps can be great to push users down the conversion funnel in a much more targeted manner.
Brand presence: Your branding or logo is present on someone’s device any time they open it. Uh, winning!
Apps can work faster: Apps usually store their data locally on devices rather than use web servers. Meaning data retrieval happens swiftly and well-designed apps function better than a site overall.

If you can’t choose between both a mobile website and a mobile app, maybe this list helped you see the case for apps. See all the deets at VWO’s post.

Your CAPTCHA Crash Course

MAY 25, 2021

You have probably used them a million times or have implemented them on your own website – the good ol’ CAPTCHA.

Maybe you’re a web newbie. No judgment. Let’s review what CAPTCHAs are used for:

Maintaining poll accuracy
Limiting registration for services
Preventing ticket inflation/bulk buys
Preventing false comments

Basically, wherever a bot can lurk, you want a CAPTCHA to fend them off. Sounds good right? Sometimes they can get in the way of a beautiful user experience or become clunky. BUT there are plenty of options nowadays.

Let’s break ‘em down!

Text-based CAPTCHAs: The OG human verification methods. These CAPTCHAs can use known words or phrases, or random combinations of digits and letters. Different methods will distort or colorize them.

Image-based CAPTCHAs: These were developed to replace text-based by using recognizable graphical elements, such as photos of animals, shapes, or scenes. While easy for humans to understand, they can pose accessibility issues for visually impaired users.

Audio CAPTCHAs: The alternative for accessibility to visually impaired users. These are often used in combination with text or image-based CAPTCHAs. Audio CAPTCHAs give a userr an audio recording of a series of characters to enter.

Math or Word Problems: Ew. Math. Luckily these keep it basic like “3+4.” Another variant is a word problem, asking the user to complete a sentence.

Not CAPTCHAs, but like, kinda:

Social Media Sign In: This requires users to sign in using a social profile such as Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn. Details will automatically fill in using single sign-on (SSO) functionality provided by the social media website.

No CAPTCHA ReCAPTCHA: These usually provide a checkbox saying “I am not a robot” which users need to select – and that’s it. If the test fails, reCAPTCHA provides a traditional image selection CAPTCHA as a fallback. Google is a huge fan of these (so are we) and has a variety of fast and “invisible” reCAPTCHA options.

Imperva, a cybersecurity company, gives the full scoop on CAPTCHAs in their article (no human verification needed).

Beyond the Basics of Reviews

MAY 24, 2021

We all know reviews are important. Are you collecting them as effectively as possible? Putting together a review collection strategy is absolutely the first step in using reviews in your user-generated content strategy, and, of course, your reputation management.

G2’s Learn Hub gives us insights of how any business model can be collecting reviews, but especially how B2B businesses should be paying attention to B2C.

Where to collect your reviews:

Real-time review solicitation: The best time to collect the best possible snapshot of what your clients and customers are thinking is while they are using your services. In-app review solicitation is one way to strike while the iron’s hot.
Build a Community: Discussion boards and forums for troubleshooting are your chance to directly engage with your users and gather their feedback. Managing online communities for your users is a great way to maintain transparency while controlling the conversation.

Now what? You have valuable feedback for your team. That’s great. Now take your clients’ words and use them to your advantage as user-generated content.

Where to take your reviews:

Testimonials and Case Studies: Share those reviews out with prospective clients!
Engagement Boosts: Wherever you are hosting your reviews, make sure you can reply to them. Dialogue can only build your brand’s engagement and your users will appreciate it.
Video Content: Encourage your customers to leave video reviews on your product profile. Boom. The most valuable content type made for you, supporting you.

Even if your reputation is looking good, take advantage of collecting fresh stuff to build up your brand in user-generated content. Rather than passively waiting for customers to volunteer feedback, meet customers where they already are and ripe to provide feedback.

See the full article by clicking below.

The Need for ‘Evolved Phygital’: Ramping Up the Experience

MAY 23, 2021

Phygital is one of those words that make you go “why didn’t I think of that?” Phygital is meshing online and offline tactics. It has especially hit retail experiences hard by being the new standard for shopping.

Some simple phygital solutions:

Social media: Instagram and Facebook can be great outlets for offering incentives to users who perform an action in-store. You can also do the reverse, inviting in-store customers to subscribe or tag to get a special offer in return.
Pop-up and temporary stores: A company that operates exclusively online might open a pop-up store or improvised booth. Sometimes physical is the way to go, sometimes virtual.

But let’s put this baby into MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE. What does an evolved phygital experience look like?

The Usual Suspects: More and more restaurants, retail environments, and any instance for contactless customer service are using digital displays and touch screens. QR codes have been reborn as the standard gateway to most in-person transactions nowadays.
The Hybrids: International retailers are innovating when it comes to combining their social media and physical shopping environments. “Smart hangers” showing reviews, likes, and real-time online purchasing are creating a more in-tune buying experience for customers.

There are a lot of things to think about when considering options in phygital tactics. This past year, online shopping was the only retail experience for most consumers. Digital integrations are now the expected nuances in a shopping experience. This is especially true as smart displays become less of a financial investment and social media stays an integral part of integrated strategies.

Get more insight on phygital examples and trends by checking out the rest of the Marketing Tech News article.

Apple and Google Privacy Updates: the Impact on Influencer and Affiliate Marketing

MAY 19, 2021

When marketing today is so immersive with data, you have to be on top of what the big poppas of data are up to. User privacy, cookies, app tracking, it’s some important stuff. Luckily PerformanceIN is helping us out by breaking down the latest updates from Google and Apple.

Here are some summarized updates to keep in mind when planning your ad campaigns:

Are you in or out? The Apple privacy update introduces new requirements where users will have to Opt IN to allow data collection, rather than Opting OUT like before. Most advertising will be impacted less than social media advertising.
C is for cookie. In early 2022, Google Chrome will phase out support for third-party cookies affecting two main areas: audience targeting and conversion tracking. We are expecting some measurement changes across all advertising, but big changes in how we strategize display ads.
Ain’t no party like a first-party party. Luckily influencer or affiliate marketing platforms are all good if built on first-party tracking and measurement. Not only is first-party tracking privacy compliant, but you can also create best-in-class attribution for brand and performance marketers.

To get a better understanding of these Apple and Google updates in regards to future marketing, check out the full article.

8 Ways To Ensure Gated Content Reaches The Right Audiences

MAY 18, 2021

We know gated content is a great lead-gen tactic. Not only can users become potential prospects, qualified leads, and, hopefully, converted sales from it, they help identify your effective content. But maybe you need some help to make sure your gated content is giving you the best performance.

Forbes Agency Council weighed in on how to get the right gated content in front of the right peeps to get into your marketing funnel:

Mix It! Link your gated content in with your ungated content.
Optimize It! As with all content, make sure your gated stuff has the right keywords to support it.
Visualize It! Yes, people got to your gated content somehow, but you’ll still need creative messages and visuals to attract them sign up for it.
Advocate It! Utilizing an advocacy platform will enable you to distribute individual links with tracking.
Offer It! (Later) Never make gated content your first touch. Offer it up at later stages of a user’s content journey.
Bot It! Use an intelligent chatbot instead of a traditional form to engage with your user directly.
Send It! Offering to send gated content via email or text sets up a fair exchange between you and the consumer.
Repurpose It! Break your content up into a series of blog posts on your website with your CTA to download the full, gated piece.

See the full article for breakdowns on each gated content tip.

How To Incorporate Conversational AI To Improve Customer Experiences

MAY 17, 2021

Automation has entered the chat. Delivering real-time personalization or help has become the new standard in our ever-expanding world of instant responses and artificial intelligence.

Conversational marketing as a strategy is about taking real-time conversations and two-way dialogue to engage customers and move them through your funnels. This provides efficiency for your team and (even better) improves your customer experience.

Let’s bring in the bots. Conversational AI takes those automated customer-facing experiences a step further. It’s not just about using the latest technologies. It requires an understanding of your consumer behavior with your existing business model.

If you are thinking of using AI in your organization, here are five factors are to consider about effective conversational AI:

Content transformation: As mentioned, you gotta know how your customers are currently interacting with you to find where AI can fulfill your needs better. Organizations will have to structure their data with intelligent document processing platforms before they can integrate automation platforms.
Advanced RPA: Finding robust robotic process automation (RPA) is essential to converge content and for process awareness. Basically, it’s making your bots have a better understanding and learning.
Hybrid approach: This is the most important factor when considering AI in your conversational marketing strategy. We got pretty technical here, meaning that whatever platform you use is going to have to play nice and integrate across your other business tools.

For the other two factors and a thorough explanation of conversational AI, check out the full article.

Conversion Rate Optimization: Top 10 Strategies for Success

MAY 12, 2021

Remember how painful cliffhangers were when your favorite show was only on the air once per week? Even when we have entire seasons at our fingertips on Netflix, cliffhangers prompt us to watch just one more episode. How else would you sleep if you don’t get to find what happens next? But who needs sleep when you have 4 more seasons to binge? 🤷‍♀️

Cliffhangers prompt you to do just what show creators want – tune in for more. It’s the same strategy we use to move people through the sales funnel. While you optimize your conversion rates for continued success, keep in mind these 10 strategies from G2.

The power of persuasion: creating a sense of urgency. Urgency drives action. People understand scarcity and try to avoid it when they can. Convey to your potential customers that your sale is ending soon or your stock is dropping to prompt action now rather than later. Fewer people will be willing to wait.
Making the most out of page elements. When someone lands on your site, it’s time to shine. A well-timed popup delivering a discount can help boost your conversion rate as will carefully placed CTAs. Try inserting your CTA in different places to see if people prefer it at the bottom or even closer to the middle of your page. Testing is the key, so test away.
Pictures speak a thousand words, videos – a million. A wall of text might intimidate visitors to your site. Include beautiful and purposeful images to break up the copy and deliver a pleasant experience. Stick to quality original videos. Videos go a few steps further than photos. They allow people to hear from real people and see people interacting with products they may be interested in.

Find 7 more strategies in the full article.