So, What’s a Nascar Slide?

Essentially, a Nascar slide is the part of the sales deck or webpage that showcases all the companies that have worked with you. These are typically displayed as a series of logos, much like a Nascar vehicle is embellished with sponsorship logos. It’s part brand pride and part trust with current opportunities during the buying process. More importantly, there is a right way to demonstrate which brand you are working with and the wrong way. This blog is designed to help you navigate building out your own Nascar Slide and which companies should be featured during your sales process and on your website.

When deciding which companies make the cut, ask yourself – Who visits my website? Surely, its qualified leads, 100% of the time right? Realistically, you will get current clients, family & friends, referrals, leads and let’s not forget to mention competitors perusing your site. For that reason, we need to take care of the types of clients you present to the world.

There is always the argument that if you’re doing a great job for your clients you should not have to worry about them leaving for your competitors – even though as marketers, we like to think conservatively with the information we give to competition. By mitigating risk, we think protecting your company from losing key accounts is ideal – Yup, we have a little competitor paranoia in us.

What are some key features to think about when building your Nascar Slide? Below, read some helpful rules that should go into consideration before sharing your Nascar slides with the public:

Customize for the client you want to serve

Start by segmenting your clients. Some of the ways we do this is by separating clients based on Industry type, employee size, or revenue size. Present clients that are similar to prospects you’re presenting to. For example, if you are presenting to a small plumber in Phoenix, showcase plumbers you’re currently working with across the country that are the same size in your Nascar Slide. This will build trust and assure the client you understand their niche industry and size.

Need Help Building Out Your Nascar Slide?

Present the information, but don’t share it permanently

Present your clients to potentials in a way that your competitors can’t get a hand on it. Use Zoom or Google Meets to present your sales deck, but don’t share your client list to your opportunity to hold onto, as that may eventually find its way to someone who shouldn’t have it.

Forming relationships with prospects is an exercise in trust – ideally, you want to establish a mutually beneficial partnership that accounts for potential leakages. This will obviously be different on the layout of a web page – keep your most loyal accounts here for immediate reference.

Look to show off size in the public places

Clients like Microsoft or Oracle are great to have on your slide because they have several thousand employees and it becomes hard to pinpoint who at the organization is the buyer that is working with your company. Also, it may show the enterprise work you’re looking for.

However, this can work against you if your pitching to a small business and telling them you work with giant companies. Use giants on the website and other places that are more public but ensure it’s a good fit for your organization. If you serve smaller companies and are showing off much larger ones you might send the wrong message to the clients you are trying to attract.  

Share for Quality, Not Quantity

It’s nice to showcase how you work with thousands of clients –there are clear advantages for doing this for several types of industries like SaaS. However, we prefer to see a more intimate group of high authority companies. For example, if you are serving hospitality, it may be enough to say you work with Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt, rather than listing off hundreds of smaller clients with less brand recognition.

Positive Referrals Only

Lastly, only put clients on your site that will advocate for your company. Expect that in some cases, prospects might ask for referrals, or they may know several people at a company you say you’re working with and they may reach out to find out how the relationship is working out. There’s no faster way to lose confidence in a brand than by reaching out to someone who claims to have given a positive referral, only to find that they think otherwise.

We are a firm believer that in B2B ,prospects want to work with companies they trust and know. Your Nascar slide will help them build the trust in your organization by showing that you have the experience in working with other clients.

What are some simple ways that your company can begin implementing Nascar slides immediately? 120/80 can help. We are a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in a broad range of solutions that have proven to drive leads and conversions in B2B. For proof of our success, look no further than our Nascar slides!

Software as a Service (SaaS) companies provide an invaluable offering. Clients can access beneficial internet applications without the complexity and bandwidth limitations of having to download and manage expensive software. It’s becoming such a popular tool that SaaS applications make up over 70% of total company software use. Of course, the only way for these businesses to thrive is to ensure that acquisition numbers exceed B2B SaaS churn rates.

Every subscription-based company must be aware of B2B SaaS churn rates to secure their overall success and longevity. Keeping an eye on how many people terminate their subscriptions gives marketers important insight into current performance and revenue growth forecasting. SaaS churn rates tell a powerful story about what aspect of the customer experience is failing and what changes you need to make to attract new prospects and retain current customers. As a result, it’s an effective tool for enhancing your digital marketing efforts.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of B2B SaaS churn rates, how to calculate them, and how they impact acquisition and market positioning for continued success.

SaaS churn rates tell a powerful story about what aspect of the customer experience is failing and what changes you need to make to attract new prospects and retain current customers.

What Exactly is SaaS Churn Rate?

SaaS churn rate (also known as attrition) is the rate at which customers cancel their subscriptions during a certain amount of time. While an occasional loss may not seem impactful in the big picture of your business plan, if left unchecked, B2B SaaS churn rates can ultimately destroy your business. After all, if you’re not doing anything to retain the customers you acquire, there’s no way for you to stay afloat, let alone grow and expand.

Churn rate doesn’t just reflect lost revenue. It also means you’re spending more on customer acquisition, which can cost up to five times more than customer retention. Keep a close eye on high SaaS churn rates because they can be detrimental to your bottom line.

Types of SaaS Churn Rates

There are essentially two main types of SaaS churn rates:

  • Customer level: A customer completely ends their relationship with your brand.
  • Subscription level: A customer remains with you but changes the level of their subscription.

Factors that Affect B2B SaaS Churn Rates

With either type, several factors can impact SaaS churn rates, including:

  • Seasonality: Churn rates may increase or decrease at certain times of the year.
  • Growth initiatives: If you launch an acquisition campaign, new members could skew data.
  • Demographics: Some people may simply be a better fit for your services than others.
  • Subscription level: Lower-tier services tend to have a higher churn rate than higher tiers.
  • Contract type: Short-term contracts may have higher termination rates than long-term subscriptions.

You can track factors to look for trends and patterns that enable you to plan your marketing efforts accordingly. Meanwhile, other factors that impact churn rates are customer-based and often unpredictable, including:

  • Financial issues: Customers can no longer afford their subscriptions.
  • Changed needs: Your product no longer meets the customer’s needs.
  • Poor customer experience: If someone has a negative experience, they’re likely to terminate their subscription.

Track all of these factors to identify areas of improvement that are in your control and what changes to make to attract new prospects, maintain happy customers, and reduce SaaS churn rates.

“Churn rate doesn’t just reflect lost revenue; it also means you’re spending more on customer acquisition, which can cost up to five times more than customer retention.”

How to Calculate Churn Rate for SaaS

Because there are so many variables that can affect its outcome, B2B SaaS churn rates can be a complex concept. However, it’s a fairly easy figure to calculate. First, you’ll need to determine the amount of time you want to evaluate (monthly or annually). Then, you’ll need to identify the total number of customers you had at the beginning of that time and the total number of customers you lost in that amount of time. Those numbers will then work into the SaaS churn rate formula as follows:

(Lost Customers / Total Customers at the Start of Time Period) x 100 = Churn Rate

Let’s say you’re wanting to determine your monthly churn rate. If your business had 300 customers at the start of the month and you lost 20 by the end, you would divide 20 by 300. Then, you would multiply that answer (.07) by 100, for a total of a 7% monthly churn rate.

(20 / 300) x 100 = 7%

To keep track of your churn rates, you can maintain a spreadsheet with these figures, or you could simplify the calculating and tracking of your SaaS churn rates with a tool like ProfitWell. This cloud-based app delivers your subscription and financial metrics on one dashboard and can help optimize your pricing and reduce cancellations for lower churn rate.

The goal, of course, is to have the lowest churn rate possible. An acceptable average SaaS churn rate is typically anywhere from 2% to 8%. Anything higher than that could have a significant impact on your monthly recurring revenue.

Churn rate calculations are most beneficial when conducted over a longer timeframe. Short-term results on a daily or weekly basis won’t reveal much insight. But quarterly or annual churn can reveal far-reaching trends and yearly performance. You can see whether your marketing strategy is working and the efficacy of customer retention efforts.

Churn Rate Visibility Improves Acquisition Efforts

SaaS churn rates impact every aspect of your business. They provide the information you need to:

  • Improve customer service: If customers are leaving due to a negative experience, you can re-evaluate your customer service efforts.
  • Rethink customer onboarding: Create a new, smoother, more user-friendly onboarding process that makes customers excited to be new subscribers.
  • Provide better training: When teams don’t silo information and sales and support staff are on the same page, your company can provide a better experience for customers.
  • Seek feedback: At key points along the customer journey, you can check in and see what you could do better to satisfy your current customers.
  • Build deeper relationships: Connect with your customers on a more personal level and build relationships that last.
  • Incentivize current customers: Discount offers and giveaways can entice customers to stay.

Churn rates allow you to learn critical information about ways to improve your approach and current systems to better serve your customers, provide a more personalized experience, and encourage customer loyalty. This is important because 65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers.

B2B SaaS churn rates are especially important to marketers. By tracking churn rates and understanding customer behavior, you can adjust your business processes and marketing approach to improve the acquisition of qualified deals with higher customer lifetime value (CLV). A KPI for every SaaS company, CLV is the average amount of money you can expect to earn from one customer throughout the duration of their relationship with your brand. The greater the CLV, the more profitable the customer.

Knowing CLV helps you assess your marketing efforts and provides insight into important KPIs that help you plan current and future marketing strategies for optimal results. It gives you a better idea about your company’s overall profitability and can help you discover ways to increase ROI while decreasing customer acquisition costs. Even just knowing customer lifetime (how long a customer will be with your company) can be an asset. Use churn rate to calculate your customer lifetime as follows:

Customer Lifetime = 1 / Churn Rate

If your churn rate is 7%, then your customer lifetime is 1 / .07 = 14.28 months (or a little over one year). Understanding how long you have with your customer helps you plan an effective marketing strategy to not only make the most of the time you have with them, but to also create a retention strategy that entices them to maintain their subscription even longer.

Churn rates allow you to learn critical information about ways to improve your approach and current systems to better serve your customers, provide a more personalized experience, and encourage customer loyalty.

Implement a CRM for Marketing Insights

One of the best ways to combat high B2B SaaS churn rates is to focus on retention through customer relationship management (CRM). A growing industry valued at $69.31 billion, CRM is software that helps you manage all relationships and engagement with prospective and current customers. CRM systems like HubSpot can help you make deeper connections with your audience, streamline operations and processes, and improve revenue generation.

Ultimately, CRM systems help you track your customer’s experience throughout their journey. CRM provides invaluable data that helps you identify areas of high churn and gives clues as to what caused it. Through CRM, you can:

  • Maintain open communication: Customers can give you invaluable feedback to shape your marketing efforts.
  • Understand your customers: Learn the needs, expectations, and preferences of your audience.
  • Channel people through the sales funnel: A better experience helps convert customers.

You also gain access to original advertising sources and can review messaging, channels, and placement to see what about your message didn’t resonate with your audience. You can review bounce rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement to determine which ads yielded high conversions and which ones fell flat.

Conversely, you can compare high churn ads with low churn ads to determine what aspects of your campaign are performing well and what edits you can make to improve overall performance. All of this gives you the information you need to make necessary adjustments and course corrections to ensure your marketing efforts are effective, impactful, and successful.

How Churn Rates Help You Understand Market Positioning

Churn accounts help you understand a lot about market positioning and messaging. Looking at lost accounts can show you why customers canceled their subscriptions and, even more, whether they left you for a competitor. If customers are choosing competing brands over yours, you know you need to take action to secure better market positioning.

Exit surveys can tell you why people left your company, providing you with an opportunity to make intentional and purposeful changes that help set you apart from your competition. You may need to review your price point, assess your customer service, or come up with innovative ideas to reimagine your products and services to better meet evolving consumer needs.

This data can also let you know whether your messaging is resonating with your audience. Wording, tone of voice, and technical explanations may not be connecting with your customers. You might not be adequately presenting the benefits of your services, so customers aren’t seeing the full value of your offerings. In this way, churn rates can help you educate clients about best use cases, so they have the confidence they need to subscribe to your services.

Churn rate also helps you gain an understanding of your customer base. You can learn purchase behavior, habits, and see common reasons for purchases and terminations. All of this helps you qualify potential clients and target the people most likely to benefit from your offerings. Targeting the right audience ensures higher success rates and lower churn rates, resulting in more revenue and continued growth.

“Churn rates can help you qualify potential clients and target the people most likely to benefit from your offerings.”

Reduce Your B2B SaaS Churn Rates

Churn rates provide invaluable metrics that can shape your business operations and marketing strategies for better customer acquisition, higher retention, and greater revenue generation. Behind the Work provides digital marketing solutions for B2B SaaS clients that attract quality leads and help grow your organization. Enhance your digital marketing strategy with data from B2B SaaS churn rates to boost your overall performance.

Visit Behind the Work today to learn more about how we can help SaaS churn rates.

There was a time when all a manufacturer had to do was focus on innovation and sell quality products at affordable prices. However, to stand out in today’s competitive online marketplace, companies need to focus on digital marketing in the manufacturing industry. After all, it’s likely that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales will take place using digital channels. Not only is a digital manufacturing marketing strategy essential, but marketing for manufacturers must include technical expertise.

The manufacturing industry targets a niche audience with very specific products and services. As a result, technical expertise is key to communicating not only to prospective buyers but also to designers and engineers. Companies have to be able to explain features and functions of (sometimes) highly complex products and processes so buyers understand what they’re purchasing, so technical teams can design and build them. For this reason, a successful manufacturing marketing strategy relies on a complete understanding of the technical aspects of the business and the products they sell.

Learn how technical expertise impacts marketing for manufacturers and helps in attracting, retaining, and growing current accounts for continued success.

“The manufacturing industry targets a niche audience with very specific products and services.”

What is the Role of Marketing in the Manufacturing Industry?

Marketing for manufacturers is all about communicating the benefits of a company’s product to its prospective buyers. It’s one thing to create the best widget in the industry, but if it doesn’t provide value to your audience, it won’t sell. A successful marketing plan for manufacturing companies helps to connect with consumers, remove barriers surrounding understanding, and provide useful solutions to buyers for higher conversions and business growth.

To clearly communicate how a manufacturer’s products deliver value, marketers have to understand how they work. Marketing for manufacturers is interesting because, in this industry, marketers must be able to explain technical concepts to people who are also technically minded, as well as laymen who may not fully understand what products do or how they function. By having a thorough understanding of the technicality of the products they promote, marketers can bridge the gap and appeal to all levels of the audience.

Tracking the buyer’s journey will tell you where your clients came from before they signed up for your trial. Those previous touchpoints will be key channels for displaying your PPC ads to increase the number of buyers ready to sign up.

However, the attribution model you use for tracking your buyers and their touchpoints will impact how you view your channels. An attribution model is how you distribute value from a sale among each contributing channel.

If you use a last-click attribution model, you only attribute the trial signup to the last channel the buyer visited. This model doesn’t consider other stops they made leading up to the trial signup. For example, that same buyer might have spent significant time on social media earlier in their sales journey, making that channel another valuable location for ads.

Seeing the entire journey in your attribution model is the most effective way to choose the best channels for your PPC ads.

By having a thorough understanding of the technicality of the products they promote, marketers can bridge the gap and appeal to all levels of the audience.”

Ultimately, a marketer’s job is to attract, retain, and grow current accounts for sustainability and longevity. Ways to do this effectively include:

  • Know your audience: marketers must know the demographics, background, and level of technical experience their audience has to create custom content that resonates and delivers value
  • Build an online presence: remain active on digital channels and consistently publish informative, useful information that educates, explains, and informs
  • Post authoritative content: position yourself as an industry leader with expert content that shares trends, forecasts, and findings

Manufacturing marketers who incorporate technical expertise help to earn credibility, build consumer trust, and develop customer loyalty. All of this helps to drive more business to the company and convert more prospects to customers.

How to Leverage Technical Expertise in Marketing for Manufacturers

One of the most effective ways to attract new prospects and retain current customers is to create a positive user experience. Typically this means delivering value and solving problems in a way that reduces friction and results in happy customers. In manufacturing, the buying process lends itself to several opportunities for consumer frustration.

Making sense of confusing technical drawings and complex industrial design while trying to purchase expensive industrial equipment can be an aggravating process. Luckily, a B2B marketing strategy provides several ways to eliminate those frustrations and earn loyal customers. Here are two ways a manufacturing marketing agency can leverage technical expertise for customer satisfaction.

1. Whitepapers

Whitepapers are educational, objective, long-form reports that focus not on selling a product but on providing solutions. They’re a terrific way to leverage your technical knowledge, as their expert-level data helps explain confusing technical data in a way that audience members can understand. Whitepapers help to:

  • Identify your customer’s problem and its greater impact
  • Recommend a solution
  • Provide research and credible statistics to support the solution

Readers can download your whitepapers from your website (often in exchange for customer contact information). Although not specifically a sales tool, whitepapers can be a powerful aspect of a sales strategy for manufacturing companies. They can help you create a contact list of prospective customers and serve as a resource that builds customer trust and loyalty.

Whitepapers that describe advanced capability and technical processes are especially beneficial as a marketing tool because they:

  • Build your reputation: position yourself as an industry expert and thought leader in your field
  • Gain consumer confidence: authority content helps people feel more certain in their purchase decision
  • Drive website traffic: people will visit your site to seek out your expert-level content
  • Generate revenue: buyers can see why your solutions are superior and will choose you over your competitor

Well-written whitepapers that explain technical concepts in a way your audience can understand help to deliver value while reducing friction.

2. Video Tutorials

One of the greatest drawbacks to a digital marketplace is the inability of buyers to test a product before they make a purchase. This is especially detrimental in the manufacturing industry, where features and functionality can be difficult to envision from a photograph or technical description. Video content can be instrumental in converting customers because it allows people to see firsthand the mechanics of how something works. There are currently more than 244 billion digital video viewers in America. Videos are engaging, entertaining, and demonstrative.

“Video content can be instrumental in converting customers because it allows people to see firsthand the mechanics of how something works.”

In manufacturing, video tutorials can do everything from show how a product works to how to submit files for processing. Seeing an actual demonstration gives buyers the confidence they need to commit to a purchase. In fact, video convinces 77% of consumers to buy. As a marketing tool, video tutorials can:

  • Help you connect with your customer
  • Provide invaluable information that converts
  • Set you apart from the competition
  • Boost SEO for greater visibility
  • Generate revenue

Videos are highly shareable, so they’re an effective tool to boost manufacturing marketing. They’re effective for the manufacturing industry because they can present information in three different, yet equally powerful, ways:

  • Explainer video: short videos that express how your company or products solve problems
  • How-to video: step-by-step instructions that teach viewers technical processes or ideas that are too complex for text descriptions
  • Demo video: shows people how to use a product or complete a task

Through video content, you can connect with consumers on a more personal level and give a face and personality to your brand. This helps build trust and earn credibility, leading to strong customer relationships that last.

How Do You Market an Industrial Company?

Just like any business, marketing is crucial to the current and future success of your company. You have to know your audience, their needs and pain points, preferences, and buying habits. Use that information to identify solutions you provide that benefit them and deliver value. Create custom content that is relevant to their needs and alleviates their concerns. Learn where they’re spending their time online and reach them with your messaging on those channels.

The digital age has made it easier than ever to connect with prospective buyers. The Thomas Register of Manufacturers is the leading comprehensive directory of American and Canadian manufacturers. Google adopted the registry (originally a set of bound books) and renamed it ThomasNet, now an online resource. As a result, companies can reach younger procurement officers and digital marketing can add enterprise clients where it was once not possible to do so.

Think about your unique traits that help you stand out from the competition. Highlight features, services, or technical expertise you have that nobody else can offer. Remember to always keep your customers in mind and deliver solutions that meet their needs. Building relationships will produce benefits that last beyond sales.

Building relationships will produce benefits that last beyond sales.

How Can Manufacturing Increase Revenue?

With 638,583 American manufacturing businesses currently in operation, you have to find ways to set yourself apart from the competition. Digital marketing and marketers with technical expertise are key to attracting more business to your manufacturing company. Here are three ways manufacturing can increase revenue.

1. Create a Positive Experience

One way to drive sales is to ensure your customers are satisfied with their experience with your brand. Customer relationship management (CRM) is critical in attracting new prospects and retaining current customers. CRM for manufacturers helps you manage all interactions with your audience, which yields the following benefits:

  • Improved sales performance: all conversations are located in one place so teams have access to all information and no sales opportunities fall through the cracks
  • Forecast future sales: seeing potential deals can help you plan for upcoming demand
  • Smoother supply chain: CRM provides visibility and insights about operations and processes

CRM systems help you ensure you’re providing a positive customer experience, which in turn sets you apart from the competition and drives business your way.

2. Innovation

Your manufacturing business should be constantly finding new and creative ways to solve your audience’s problems. Whether it’s a matter of improving the features of your current products or coming up with entirely new solutions, the company that stays ahead of the competition will attract the attention of the buyers in need.

Innovation can also revolve around your processes and operations. Find ways to streamline your efforts to make things run more smoothly and efficiently. These kinds of creative solutions can attract the attention of other industry leaders who want to learn from your ideas. They can also entice customers looking for a more effective way of doing business to give your brand a try.

Whether it’s new products or new processes, you have to be able to explain these new ideas to your audience. Use research to back up your claims and reputable resources to prove your findings. When you have the ideas, tools, and technical expertise, you’ll entice buyers to convert, thus generating more revenue for your business.

3. Strengthen Your Online Presence

With such a focus on digital interactions in today’s marketplace, if you want to generate more revenue, you have to strengthen your online presence. Use SEO to earn higher search engine ranking placement so you can increase visibility and drive more traffic to your site. Craft compelling content that includes high-performing keywords so your material aligns with online searches. Incorporate quality backlinks that offer valuable resources to your readers.

Engage your audience on social media platforms. Highly targetable and easy to share information, social media is a great way to build brand awareness and identity while learning more about your prospective customers. Chat threads and forums will reveal candid feedback about you and your competitors. Discover common industry concerns or problems and learn how you can develop a solution that would earn customers and generate more revenue.

Maximize Your Marketing for Manufacturers

An effective digital marketing strategy combined with technical expertise is a winning combination for attracting new prospects, retaining current customers, and growing current accounts. Behind The Work is a manufacturing marketing agency that can help position manufacturers to succeed with technical expertise. Enhance your digital marketing strategy and generate more revenue for your manufacturing business.

Ready to improve your performance? Visit Behind The Work today.

Search engine optimization and pay-per-click ads are two of the top strategies for getting your content in front of the right audience. They aren’t competing strategies but complementary solutions depending on your marketing goals and needs.

SEO is a long-term and cost-efficient strategy for overall growth, whereas PPC offers quick, short-term solutions for messages you want to spread immediately or strategically.

Explore these two strategies in more detail and how long you can expect before you see results to help you decide which solution is best for reaching your audience on your schedule.

SEO Timeline: Long-Term and Cost Efficient

SEO is the best source of high-quality leads, according to 60% of marketers. It’s an organic process of finding readers by ranking in search queries. Since 68% of online experiences start with a search engine, platforms like Google and Bing are powerful tools for reaching your audience.

Unfortunately, SEO isn’t a simple solution that yields immediate results. Instead, it takes careful planning and patience, but the long-term results are worth the wait.

How Long Does SEO Optimization Take?

On average, you can expect results from SEO after four to six months. After that, you will continue to see your traffic grow for months and years to come.

SEO is more cost-efficient than most other strategies. You will initially invest money to hire content creators and the tools for researching and publishing content. Then after you post the content, you have very few additional costs except for refreshing the piece to keep it relevant and well-ranking and the cost of new content creation.

SEO Timeline Template

Here is an average six-month SEO timeline:

Month 1

Planning Your SEO

  • Research high-traffic, low-competition keywords for your industry
  • Brainstorm content ideas
  • Review content that is currently ranking well in your industry
  • Examine the content on your website for pages and pieces you might optimize

Month 2

Prepare Your Website

  • Create a content calendar of your keywords and topics
  • Begin optimizing your website to help it rank well and be recognized as an authority

Month 3

Create Content

  • Start creating content for your website
  • Continue keyword research for future content
  • Gather data as you see results

Month 4

Start Seeing Results

  • Optimize your website and content from the reports you collect
  • Continue creating new content
  • Link to your past content and website pages to improve your ranking

Month 5

Expand Your SEO

  • Start expanding your SEO strategy to other channels like forums, social media, and industry websites.
  • Continue creating new content and using internal linking

Month 6

Analyze Your Results

  • Take time to analyze your results and adjust your strategy if necessary
  • Continue researching and creating new content

Year 1

Refresh Your Content

  • Analyze your SEO results and readjust if necessary
  • Update and refresh old content to keep it ranking high

How to Speed Up the Process

There are several factors influencing your timeline that can either speed it up or make it take longer, including:

  • How much content you already have online
  • What other channels you are using (social media, guest posting)
  • How much traffic and competition your keywords have
  • How high is the quality of your internal and external links are
  • The quality of your content

For example, if you create quality content for a keyword with high traffic but very little competition, you might immediately see a boost in traffic. However, if you are in a highly competitive industry, you would wait several months to build your online authority and grow your ranking before seeing a return from your strategy.

Websites that already have online authority will also see results faster than new websites with little or no online content, traffic, and authority.

PPC Timeline: Short-term and Targeted

PPC ads require a higher investment, but you can see results almost immediately. Even though PPC costs more, many businesses see a $2 return for every dollar they spend on Google Ads. Two of the most popular platforms for PPC are Google and Facebook, accounting for over 60% of ad spend.

How Long Does PPC Take to Work?

To maximize your return, you should plan for a three-month timeline for your PPC content. Giving time for research before posting your ads will increase the effectiveness and return of your ads.

PPC Timeline Template

Consider the following three-month timeline for your PPC strategy:

Month 1

Research Your Audience

  • Gather data insights about your market and audience
  • If you don’t have data, consider running a broad campaign for data collection purposes
  • Create an ideal customer profile
  • Find the best channels for reaching your audience

Month 2

Prepare Your Ads

  • Research keywords with high impressions and low competition
  • Create optimized ads that target your audience based on the data you gathered
  • Start bidding on your platforms of choice based on cost-per-click and keywords

Month 3

Publish Your Ads

  • Start publishing your ads and seeing results
  • Begin with a broad audience, then optimize your future ads as you see results
  • Gather data for future ad campaigns

How to Improve Your PPC Results

If you want to maximize your PPC results, you must take the time to research and understand your audience. Just because you are paying for an ad doesn’t guarantee results or that you will reach the right audience.

Data collection from past PPC ads will speed up future PPC timelines. For example, some businesses running their first PPC campaigns didn’t see results until after six months because they had very little data to use when creating their ads. However, you can see results in three or fewer months with the proper research and data.

Running more complex campaigns can also increase your timeline. For instance, how long does Google ads take to review? On average, they approve ads within one business day, but larger campaigns will take longer to create and get approval for.

PPC and SEO Working Together

PPC and SEO differences help them work together better. Your SEO strategy is an ongoing process on your website to continue attracting visitors. The longer you use SEO, the greater results you will see. Over time, you might see results within just a few days of publishing new content if you already spent the time and effort on previous content that helped your website rank well.

PPC campaigns work well for short-term goals or when you have SEO downtime. For instance, around holidays or special promotions, you can use a PPC campaign to attract a new wave of visitors. This new traffic will in return help boost your SEO rankings.

How Long Should You Run a PPC Campaign?

You will want to run your PPC campaigns for three to twelve months. This schedule gives your ad time to generate traffic and yield enough data to improve future ad campaigns. It also provides time for you to generate enough impressions for Google, Facebook, and other ad providers to rank your ad quality higher, improving your ad auction performance.

Improve the Performance of Your SEO and PPC Campaigns

Are your SEO and PPC timelines not meeting your expectations?

Finding the right balance between SEO and PPC for your marketing strategies takes time as you test and analyze the results of past campaigns and adjust your processes. Getting the right tools is essential for staying on top of search trends and maximizing the return from your SEO and PPC campaigns.

Contact us to learn about our SEO and PPC solutions to improve the performance of your marketing campaigns.

Even if you aren’t trying to reach a global audience, your online presence is vital for generating leads and attracting new customers. However, a local digital advertising strategy will differ from other digital marketing strategies because you have a narrower audience and target specific channels.

Explore how local digital advertising can help your business and learn six local advertising ideas to get you started.

What Is Local Digital Advertising?

Local digital advertising is an online marketing strategy that targets local customers through paid content. It works well for small businesses or those with local services who don’t need to reach customers on the national or international level.

Paying for a general ad that will appear in someone’s search query on the other side of the country wastes time and resources. Instead, you can target those within your community through digital local advertising efforts that combine knowledge of local searches with popular channels in your community. This maximizes your returns by reaching quality leads most likely to purchase from you.

The Importance of Having a Local Online Presence

Your online presence is essential for providing information, attracting leads, and communicating with customers. About 85% of consumers perform online research before making a purchase. If your business doesn’t appear in those searches, you will miss out on potential new customers. You don’t need to have a broad audience group for digital advertising to be effective. Even small businesses or those with a niche audience can benefit from local digital ads.

Digital advertising is one way to spread brand awareness and guarantee you show up in more searches. It works best alongside other advertising methods. Direct mail is the most effective form of local advertising, making up 22.7% of ad revenue. Online local advertising comes in second at 17% of revenue but continues to grow in popularity.

6 Ways to Get Started with Local Digital Advertising

Use these six local advertising examples to start your business’s local area digital marketing efforts:

PPC Using Local Search Keywords

Over 76% of customers who search for a local business will visit that business within 24 hours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush will give local keyword that your potential customers often use. Google is on your side and will often prioritize local results in search queries but targeting your location through keywords will increase your rankings further.

Your location-specific keyword should include industry terms and synonyms, like your products or services. You can create a long-tail keyword with less competition by adding popular modifiers, like the terms “best,” “one-day delivery,” or a specific occasion. To make the search local, add a location to your keyword.

For example, a small bakery in Virginia could use the keyword “best cupcakes in Arlington” in their advertising to get their content in front of their community.

Once you find your keywords, you have several options for how you use these phrases. You can get free local advertising by using those keywords throughout your online content. Otherwise, you can invest in Google ads or other PPC options where you bid on keywords for your ads. When you set up your PPC ad on Google or other search engine, be sure to include location settings that focus on a specific zip code or region.

Google My Business Listing

About 46% of Google searches are looking for local results. Google pulls search results from online content and its own database called Google My Business. This is a collection of business listings that help consumers find information, including:

  • Hours of operation
  • Contact information
  • Reviews
  • Products
  • Special accommodations
  • Directions
  • Images

Your business profile is a way to update customers in real-time and connect with potential customers. You can also communicate directly with customers through your profile.

Local Directory Listings

While Google My Business is one of the most popular online business directories, it isn’t your only option. There are several other directory sites to consider for increasing your visibility. Nearly 88% of consumers shop locally once a week, and 90% of purchases occur within 15 miles from a consumer’s home or office.

The number of directories you are part of increases your chances of appearing in searches.

Improve your local advertising by claiming and promoting your listings on sites like:

  • Yelp
  • Apple Maps
  • LinkedIn Company Directory
  • Bing
  • HubSpot
  • Yellowbook
  • Moz
  • Angi
  • Foursquare
  • Yahoo
  • MapQuest
  • Better Business Bureau
  • Thumbtack
  • Nextdoor

Pay careful attention to all your business profile options and take advantage of every profile area. Anything you enter in your profile can be a local keyword search term and improves your rankings and relevance for users.

Local Influencer Advertising

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Social Media Ads

Over 4.48 billion people use social media. That is over half of the world’s population. Facebook is the most popular social media platform, with over 2.9 million users, followed by YouTube with 2.5 million users.

About 62% of businesses use Facebook for their marketing, with some reporting conversion rates of 9.2%. One of the reasons it is so successful for advertising is that about 15% of consumers use the platform for finding and purchasing products. Additionally, Instagram is also a popular channel for advertising as 70% of shoppers use it to discover new products.

If you advertise through a social media platform, use settings to target a specific location. Since users often enter an address when creating their profile, you have greater control over who sees your ad because of more available consumer data for targeted ad placement

Local Advertising Sites

What other digital platforms and local advertising apps are available in your community? Explore what your neighbors watch, listen to, and read to discover new places where you can purchase an advertising spot.

For example, podcasts offer opportunities to reach new audiences with little competition. One news report showed that only 15% of advertisers use streaming audio ads. However, this low number isn’t because it isn’t effective, but because most don’t understand how to purchase spots on channels like local podcasts.

Local podcasts offer more control than other audio advertisements, which can help with targeting local audiences. Because of the low awareness about this channel, you also have less competition.

Create a Local Advertising Strategy That Converts

Knowing where you will advertise is only half of the process. The next step is to create content that resonates with your audience and leads to conversions.

Contact our content specialists to create effective local advertisements for your business.

Selling online is a great way to increase your sales. It’s flexible, can be done from anywhere, and you don’t have to worry about significant investments. To make the most of your online sales, you need to find the best marketplace to sell online that fits your business and meets your needs.

But first – what exactly is an online marketplace, and how do you know if it’s the right option for your business?

What is an Online Marketplace?

To put it simply, an online marketplace is an online platform that helps to connect buyers and sellers of a particular product or service. Users can browse through different products and services through the marketplace and then communicate with the seller to arrange a deal and make a purchase.

Marketplaces range from large-scale operations with thousands of sellers to small niche websites with a handful of vendors, though most marketplaces are a blend of the two.

How Do You Choose Where to Sell?

As you’re weighing your options for where to sell online, it’s essential to consider several factors.
First, you’ll want to determine which marketplace will work best for your business. There are several different options to choose from, so it’s essential to do your research and find the right fit.

These include:

  • Open Marketplaces: Open marketplaces are the most common marketplace, featuring a large network of buyers and sellers worldwide. They’re great for those who want to increase their sales volume and reach, but don’t have the time or resources to manage a more complex marketplace. Open marketplaces also make up the vast majority of marketplaces today.
  • Private Marketplaces: Private marketplaces are similar to open marketplaces, but feature a smaller network of buyers and sellers. They’re an excellent option for those who want to focus on sales but don’t want to be overwhelmed with the additional volume from an open marketplace.
  • Hybrid Marketplaces: A blend of open and private marketplaces, hybrid marketplaces are an excellent middle ground between the two. They feature an extensive network of buyers and sellers, but are still relatively easy to manage.

Once you’ve decided on the marketplace that best fits your business, the next step is to narrow your options even further by looking at specific features and benefits offered by different marketplaces.

For example, some marketplaces offer additional services like shipping, payment processing, and advertising. Others focus on a specific industry, making it easier for sellers in that industry to connect. It all depends on your needs as a seller and where you see your business going in the future.

10 Best Marketplaces to Sell Online

Selling online can be a challenge, but these top eCommerce marketplaces can help you reach a larger audience. Below, in no particular order, are 10 of the best marketplaces to sell online:

  1. Etsy is an online marketplace for handcrafted, vintage, and unique goods. It’s an excellent option for those who want to sell small-batch and handmade items or vintage finds. The large community of sellers on Etsy makes it a great platform to grow your brand – and the vast selection of customers makes it a great place to find new buyers.
  2. Amazon is an online marketplace that sells a vast assortment of products. With more than 100 million products to choose from, it’s a great place to build your brand and reach a broad audience. The Amazon community is engaged and loyal, making it a great place to build a profitable business.
  3. Walmart: The retail giant, Walmart, has its own online marketplace! The Walmart Marketplace features a large selection of products, which can be sold and fulfilled by Walmart. This makes it a great option for those looking to increase their sales volume while also having many
  4. Hudson’s Bay is a Canadian online marketplace featuring a large selection of high-quality products at great prices. It’s considered a more private marketplace and currently hosts roughly 500 third-party sellers with a wide selection of fashion, gadgets, and home goods.
  5. eBay is a global platform that connects buyers and sellers of everything, from antiques to apparel. It’s a great option for sellers who want to expand their reach, as the eBay community is passionate and engaged. The eBay platform is also one of the most trusted, making it a great place to build your brand and reach new customers.
  6. Facebook Marketplace is a section of Facebook that enables users to buy and sell locally. The Marketplace features a wide range of products for sale, which can be set as private or public. It’s an excellent option for those looking to build a community of loyal buyers and sellers while focusing their attention on the local market.
  7. Handshake is considered a wholesale marketplace that helps bring together brands and sellers to fulfill orders. The platform is still in its early stages and is only available in the U.S. market. The team at Handshake handpicks each brand that sells on the platform to ensure quality products and service.
  8. Swappa is an online marketplace for used smartphones, tablets, and other tech devices. The Marketplace features a wide selection of pre-owned devices, which can be sold and shipped directly from the Swappa platform.
  9. Rakuten is a Japanese online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of products, services, and digital items. It’s an excellent option for those looking to reach a new audience, as the Rakuten marketplace reaches approximately 87% of the country’s population. The large selection of products, which can be found on the marketplace, and the large selection of sellers, make it a great place to build your brand and reach a large audience.
  10. Wish is a marketplace that sells a wide selection of products at affordable prices. The platform is known for its wide selection of products, offering everything from apparel to home goods. The Wish Marketplace is also an excellent place for new sellers, as the platform offers tools and resources to help sellers grow their business.

Choose the Marketplace that’s Right for You

While there are a variety of marketplaces that can be used to sell products online, it’s important to choose the right one that will work best for your business. By researching marketplaces and learning how they work, you can find the right platform to help you reach your sales goals.

Finding the right marketplace that works best for your business may take time, but the effort will be worth it in the end. By choosing the right marketplace, you can increase your sales volume, build a loyal customer base, and expand your reach.