Apex Digital Consultants https://apexdigitalconsultants.com Specialists in Digital Marketing Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:58:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cropped-Web-Logo-2b-NEWW-1-32x32.png Apex Digital Consultants https://apexdigitalconsultants.com 32 32 Is Web Development a Good Career in 2023? https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/is-web-development-a-good-career-in-2023/ Sat, 09 Sep 2023 21:22:07 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2371

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the demand for skilled web developers continues to soar. As we step into 2023, the question arises: Is web development still a promising career choice? Let’s delve into the intricacies of this dynamic field and explore why web development remains a robust career option.

The Digital Revolution Unfolds

In an era dominated by digital presence, businesses across industries are racing to establish and enhance their online footprint. This has led to an unprecedented surge in the demand for web developers. From e-commerce giants to local boutiques, every business requires a well-crafted website to engage with its audience effectively.

Diverse Specializations for Every Aspiration

Web development is a multifaceted discipline, offering a plethora of specializations to suit various preferences and skill sets. Front-end development focuses on user interfaces and experiences, while back-end development deals with server-side operations and databases. Additionally, full-stack development encompasses proficiency in both front-end and back-end technologies, providing a comprehensive skill set highly sought after in the industry.

Adaptability in a Rapidly Changing Landscape

One of the most remarkable aspects of web development is its adaptability. Technologies, frameworks, and languages evolve at a rapid pace. In 2023, staying updated with the latest trends and tools is paramount. Keywords such as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), Jamstack, and serverless architecture are essential to keep in mind.

Remote Work and Freelancing Opportunities

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote work, and the trend is here to stay. Web development is particularly conducive to remote arrangements, offering developers the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world. Moreover, the gig economy has witnessed a surge, opening up abundant freelancing opportunities for web developers looking to explore diverse projects and clients.

Sustainable Income Potential

The income potential for web developers is promising. According to recent surveys, the average salary for web developers is competitive, with ample room for growth as one gains experience and expertise. Freelancers and consultants often have the potential to earn even more, especially with specialized skills or in high-demand niches.

SEO Optimization for Visibility

In the realm of online content, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is paramount. Integrating relevant keywords and optimizing content structure ensures better visibility on search engines like Google. Keywords such as “web development career 2023,” “in-demand web development skills,” and “future of web development” can significantly enhance the discoverability of this article.

Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Web Development

As we step into 2023, the prospects for a career in web development remain exceptionally bright. The digital transformation of businesses, coupled with the adaptability and diverse specializations within the field, make it an attractive choice for aspiring developers. Whether you’re looking for stability, flexibility, or the thrill of continuous learning, web development stands as a steadfast career option in the dynamic landscape of technology.

In a world where online presence is the linchpin of success, web developers play a pivotal role in shaping the digital frontier. With the right skills and a commitment to staying updated, embarking on a web development career in 2023 is a decision that promises growth, fulfillment, and boundless opportunities.

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Improve Your SEO in 7 simple steps https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/improve-your-seo-in-7-simple-steps/ Tue, 04 Oct 2022 03:44:26 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2297 Survival in the online world is not an easy task. A strong digital presence requires cutting-edge techniques to convert prospective leads into customers. This is because it doesn’t matter whether you have an interactive website or very low prices if the customers cannot even find you. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) fits in the picture, which allows businesses to make profits and reach more customers with organic search results—wondering how you can attain these benefits too? Below, we will take you through 7 easy steps for improving your SEO strategy. Let’s dig in.

1. Enhance Your Page Loading Time

Improving your Google Core Web Vitals (GCWV) is very important. If your page is not up to par with GCWV, not only will your visitors quickly abandon your site, but it will affect how Google indexes and ranks your site on search results. Google recognizes your sites performance using GCWV. It is vital that you test the speed of your website and fix it if it’s running slow.

2. Be Smart With Keywords

Organic keywords are an integral component of an effective SEO strategy, as Google can match them with customers’ searches and increase the visibility of your website. While there’s no single formula on how to you use the keywords, you should employ efficient keyword planning tools, like Google AdWords. You should then use these keywords in your content, metadata, URLs, web pages, page titles, emails, and image descriptions.

3. Employ Outbound Links

To increase more credibility in your content, you can use outbound links to support your claims. These links can direct your visitors to other pages on your website or affiliated ones. But, you should ensure that all your links belong to reliable resources, so your customers can be assured of visiting those pages.

4. Produce Value-Rich Content

Quality content is the difference between a good SEO strategy and a selling one. To optimize your SEO content, not only are the keywords vital, but the nature of your content matters too. In other words, it should be digestible, informative, and visually appealing for your visitors.

5. Improve Your Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO is also essential to generate traffic. Strategies like social network sharing, blogging, reviewing, video promotions, online answers, press releases, and directory submission are also viable in getting more backlinks.

6. Focus On Mobile Responsiveness

As the number of mobile users is increasing across the globe, your website should be mobile friendly as well. The majority of Google searches come from smartphones. Therefore, when focusing on website optimization, you should also cater to the mobile user experience.

7. Adjust Your Strategy

Digital marketing is a complex, ever-changing landscape. What worked a few years ago doesn’t work today. And the same phenomenon will continue in the future. Therefore, adaptability is the key to stay on top. Make sure to analyze web traffic, test various strategies, measure your performance, and work on the weaknesses periodically.

To Conclude

SEO tools can take your website to the front page of Google without any hassle. But it takes hard work, ongoing effort, and investment to ensure you can attain SEO success.

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The Importance of Effective Web Design in Digital Marketing https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/the-importance-of-effective-web-design-in-digital-marketing/ Tue, 04 Oct 2022 00:52:16 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2291 Digital marketing is the process of using technology to promote and sell products or services. It can be done through various online channels such as social media, email, and websites. Yet, to be successful in digital marketing, it is crucial to have an effective web design. 

Effective web design can help you in various ways. It can help you to attract more visitors to your website and even convert those visitors into customers. In addition, an effective web design can help you to build trust and credibility with your customers.

What Components of Digital Marketing Are Affected by Effective Web Design?

1. Advertising

Advertising is one of the most critical aspects of marketing, and its effectiveness is greatly affected by web design. The layout, colours, and overall look of a website can all influence how well users receive an ad.

For example, if a website is cluttered and difficult to navigate, users will likely quickly click away from any ads they see, rendering them ineffective. On the other hand, if a website is well-designed and user-friendly, users are more likely to take the time to engage with the ads, increasing their effectiveness.

2. Search Engine Optimisation

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is another important aspect of digital marketing, and web design can significantly impact it. The structure and code of a website can influence how well it ranks on search engine results pages (SERPs), and a well-designed website is more likely to rank higher than a poorly-designed one.

In addition, the design of a website can influence how users interact with it and how likely they are to stay on the site and click through to other pages. All of these factors can impact SEO and, as a result, the visibility and reach of a website.

3. Conversion Rate Optimisation

Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) maximises the percentage of users who take the desired action on a website, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. CRO is heavily influenced by web design, as the design of a website can impact how easy it is for users to find the information they need and take the desired action.

For example, if a website is challenging to navigate, users will likely give up and go to a competitor’s site that is easier to use. On the other hand, if a website is well-designed and user-friendly, users are more likely to stay on the site and convert.

4. Great User Experience

A well-designed website should be easy to use and provide a great user experience. A website that is difficult to use or navigate can frustrate users and lead them to click away. On the other hand, a well-designed website that is easy to use and navigate can keep users engaged and more likely to take the desired action.

5. Consistent Branding

Your website is often the first interaction potential customers have with your brand. It’s essential to make sure that your website reflects your brand in a positive light. Consistent branding across your website, including your logo, colour scheme, and overall style, can help create a positive impression of your brand.

Final Thoughts

Effective web design is a critical element in digital marketing. A well-designed website can help a business to stand out from the competition, attract more visitors, and generate more leads and sales. On the other hand, a poorly designed website will only harm a company’s reputation and turn potential customers away!

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9 Ways to Optimize Your Website to Increase Your Search Engine Rankings https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/9-ways-to-optimize-your-website-to-increase-your-search-engine-rankings/ Fri, 30 Sep 2022 19:00:56 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2267 Improving your search engine rankings on search engines like Google and Bing involves very specific Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies — and there are a lot of SEO strategies that can be utilized on a website to help a site rank higher on the search engines.

The great thing about Search Engine Optimization is that it delivers long-term results by improving your search engine rankings but doesn’t require you to pay for every single click like Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads — like Google Ads or Facebook Ads — would.

Here are a few techniques to optimize your small business’ site to improve your online search engine rankings:

1. Research Your Keywords

An important part of Search Engine Optimization is using the right keywords so the search engines know what each web page is about. One of the best ways to discover the best keywords is to figure out what your potential customers or clients use to search for your products or services. That involves doing keyword research.

Start by typing a few words into Google’s search bar and then look at the suggestions from Google’s autocomplete. You should also use keyword research tools to help you find the best keywords to target. There are both free and paid SEO tool options available, so you can easily find an SEO tool or keyword research tool that meets your budget.

2. Consider Long-tail Keywords

As you try to find the right keywords, don’t forget to think about long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords will have a higher possibility of conversion because they are more specific. This helps increase the chances of selling the product that the searcher searched for and (hopefully) wants to buy. As a bonus, it is much easier to rank for long-tail keywords because there is less competition for long-tail keywords due to their specificity. When thinking about long-tail keywords, don’t forget to consider the search intent of the user. What are they looking to do? What answers are they trying to find?

3. Optimize On-Page SEO

Your on-page SEO efforts focus on ensuring that all of the headings and titles on your website have been optimized. You basically want to structure your individual page’s content to have a better chance of appearing in search engine result pages (SERPs).

Think about the following suggestions as starting points:

  • Create catchy titles that also include keywords that are about 60 characters
  • Create meta descriptions
  • Use header tags
  • Use keywords in the file names of pictures you upload

4. Look at Technical SEO

While you need to absolutely create great content for your website, you don’t want to do that while neglecting technical SEO. Technical SEO refers to optimizing your website’s structure to make sure that Google’s crawlers index your website properly.

Essentially, you want your website to load quickly, be well-organized and secure, and have working links.

Some of the ways you can incorporate technical SEO include the following:

  • Update encryption and security protocols.
  • Optimize the page speed.
  • Structure your website data.
  • Create a sitemap and submit it to Google and Bing.
  • Optimize images to include “alt text.”
  • Prune down old pages that don’t get much traffic
  • Check for broken or old links and fix them.
  • Make sure the site is optimized for mobile.

5. Prioritize Local SEO

As a small business, you likely don’t have the resources to compete on a national or international level. That’s fine because nearly a third of mobile searches include the keyword phrase ” near me” or something else to make it local. By concentrating on local searches, you will have less competition and are better able to target the people who are most likely to become your customers.

Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Your first step for local SEO should be to set up your Google Business Profile if you haven’t already. You want to fill out as much information as possible and ensure it is accurate. When you get alerts for online reviews, respond to those reviews. You can also fill out the Question and Answer section ahead of time and then add to it when customers have more questions.

Look at Other Online Business Listings and Citations

While Google Business Profile should be the first and most important local business listing you have, it should not be the last. You want to get your company information on as many relevant online business directories as possible. This lets Google know that your information is accurate because it matches on several websites.

Encourage Customers To Leave Online Reviews For Your Business

Online reviews directly impact rankings, in addition to helping with your overall brand name image. Be sure to ask happy customers for reviews|evaluations.

6. Create More Quality Content

Content marketing is the process of creating quality content for a blog or adding pages to your website to attract more people to your site. It is your chance to easily include keywords on your website while also helping customers by providing useful content and showing your credibility and authority.

If the idea of writing enough content is overwhelming, create a template that you can follow or hire a digital marketing agency to help with your content marketing. For example, you might do an extensive look at various products and follow the same format for each piece of content. Or you could do a buying guide for products and follow a specific format that you can duplicate.

Think About Creating Videos

Many small business owners find it quicker and easier to create videos instead of writing blog posts or creating content for their websites. Try to create a mix of the two because this will attract customers with a variety of choices. Even if you don’t think videos are easier than writing content, you should create at least a few videos — consumers (and Google) love videos!

7. Create Landing Pages

Landing pages can be an extremely helpful part of an SEO strategy for companies of any size. You can use landing pages in various ways. More popular options include making landing pages for specific cities or towns in your local area or for certain products or item categories.

8. Share Your Content

As a bonus, landing pages give you a great chance to include keywords, especially geo-focused ones.

After you produce content, make sure to promote it without being too pushy. Some great options that don’t require any upfront costs include sharing on social media or question and answer online forums — just don’t be spammy about it.

9. Get Backlinks And Create a Link Building Strategy

Your SEO strategy should also include getting links back to your website. Google views sites with more relevant and high authority backlinks as having greater quality. Make sure that any backlinks you get are on websites that are relevant to your business and industry. Do NOT get links on PBNs (Private Blog Networks). They are worthless and Google sees them as spammy.

So if you have an “SEO” that’s getting you links monthly and they are on websites that have NO relevance to your company or industry, those backlinks are most likely HURTING your rankings more than they are helping.

Combine this with local SEO and talk with other local companies, bloggers, newspapers, and local event websites to see if they will give you with a backlink. One excellent option is to write a guest blog post on another local website.

It’s much better to have fewer more relevant quality backlinks than a higher volume of crappy, irrelevant backlinks.

NOTE: Getting backlinks is important, but don’t forget to add internal links to other pages on your site as well on each of your individual pages.

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The Importance of Marketing Analytics https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/the-importance-of-marketing-analytics/ Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:41:15 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2264 The value of marketing, like most processes, is limited if you are unable to report the results. Today, on the internet, the ability to trace activity is more developed than ever. Analytics monitors your website, inbound and outbound campaigns, social media and anywhere else you and your customers may interact online. Keeping a regular watch on visitors at every level is essential to understanding the customer journey and developing options that work and don’t work. Analytics can help you drive ideas, react to market changes, or help create new approaches.

Ultimately, marketing analytics will enable you to evaluate the return on investment (ROI) for your marketing dollars and ensure you are spending where there is the best return.

KPIs and Metrics are key measures of performance and of success, but analytics is the measurement of the response of actions on an ongoing basis and their unique results.

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Signs Your Website Needs A Redesign https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/signs-your-website-needs-a-redesign/ Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:32:28 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=2260

Whether your website is central to your business or just a necessary component in the mix of the many things you do to promote your small business and generate needs, it is important to make sure it represents you well.

As small businesses, we promote our integrity, reliability, honesty, quality work and similar characteristics that make our clients return to us or refer us to their friends. When your visitors look you up on the web, you need to make sure your website reflects those same traits.

If your website is not in good shape, the first impression you make on a new potential client may be damaged.

Content, Content, Content

It’s all about content – does the information provided on your website reflect what you do, how well you do it, that you are an expert at what you do, and how to get hold of you?

Here are some signs you have neglected your site and you need to spend some time updating the content and making sure you leave a good impression on visitors.

Homepage pictures and slogans outdated – does your homepage message wish your clients Happy Holidays in July? Or advertise your companies 20th anniversary from 4 years ago? Your home page is the most critical page – if the messages, services, and contact details our not correct, you are losing the majority of your visitors here. Update the messages regularly, post your latest news, change the client testimonial to a newer one – make sure your home page is relevant.

Outdated content and architecture – does your content match what you offer? Very often, we add new services, expand our area of operation and introduce new products. However, either you didn’t have time or you completely forgot your website. When that new client who heard you are the first person to introduce the service in the region goes to your website and cannot find it, they will move on to google searching someone who does supply that service. And while you’re at it, remove content that’s is outdated or irrelevant (like that article you found about your service from 1997!)

Too much text – Take a look at your website. Is it mostly lines of texts and boxes of content? If so, it’s time for a change. While detailed content may be relevant if you are providing valuable content to visitors, most visitors need to be attracted by visual content. Users scan headlines, and take in the first paragraph then decide to read-on or click and go. Add pictures, infographics, charts and tables with useful information to draw visitors attention to your content and encourage them to read further.

Contact information is buried – How to contact you needs to be front and center – if it’s not – dig it up! Your website’s content should be user-focused. Understanding what site visitors are looking for and making it quick and easy for them to find will go a long way. But when they are hooked, make sure you have contact information on your site with several contact methods. Put it in a place where visitors can find it. (Hint: not hidden in the “About Us” section).

Blog is old and irrelevant – You should blog only if you can maintain it – Many companies start a blog and the never have time to go back and update it. This looks bad and reflects poorly on your ability to “keep current”. Three options:- Outsource your blog to a writer and make sure you have at least one update a month. Remove the dates, just make sure the content is relevant. Remove the blog, it’s not a requirement. It is better to not have anything than to have an outdated and irrelevant blog.

Slow page load times – technology has improved and so have internet speeds. If your site is working really slow it is worthwhile getting a professional developer to look at it and fix the issues so that visitors will not leave in frustration. It may be as simple as optimizing the images and updating some plugins to make sure you are working fast, and it may be worthwhile looking at better hosting sites that offer more performance. Try using the Google Page Speed Test to track your load time https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

Site not mobile friendly – Mobile REALLY matters. Upwards of 50% of internet traffic is on mobile phones AND search engines like Google will ignore you if your site is not mobile friendly. If your site and site content is not Responsive (mobile friendly) it is time to consider an upgrade. You can test your site with this Google tool https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

I understand that not everyone uses their website to attract and capture clients. However, when someone hears about you, the first thing they may do is look at your website and if it is a bad reflection of your business, you can lose clients because of it.

Take a look at your site and see if it needs some updates – don’t procrastinate – get it done now!

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How to Transition to a Digital Marketing Strategy During the COVID-19 Pandemic https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/how-to-transition-to-a-digital-marketing-strategy-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ Sun, 14 Mar 2021 19:51:17 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=1781 Contributed by LetNicBrandIt

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our daily routines in more ways than one. Our personal lives have been affected; families impacted. The business community has taken a tremendous hit financially and has forced marketing departments to get even more creative and cost effective with their marketing strategies.

This trigger reaction to pull back on marketing during this time, as logical as it may sound, may actually do more damage than good. On the other side of the fence however, those who have maintained a strong presence will reap the rewards of coming out ahead of their competitors.

Again, the operational landscape of businesses has changed. The marketplace is no longer limited to the traditional brick and mortar location. This means that we must maximize on the evolution of digital marketing. The world is our potential marketplace. Digital marketing is cost effective, can be tracked and analyzed and tends to be cheaper than traditional media. This means more ‘bang for your buck’. Talking your language now, aren’t I?

Do you have a digital marketing strategy? If not, now is the time to transition! Let’s discuss some points on how to leverage digital marketing.

How to Strategize During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Invest in a website

The first checklist item is a website. At some point during the past year, all of us have been forced to stay at home. Let’s evaluate and reflect on how we consumed goods and services. Without a doubt, we headed online! Those businesses which were able to pivot and increase their digital presence excelled at customer acquisition and retention.

You should therefore look into investing in an optimized e-commerce platform; it will only increase your return on investment (ROI).

With a website

  • Customers can find you 24/7
  • You will increase brand visibility
  • You will increase the credibility of your business.
  • You can collect data on your customers through analytics and re-market your products
  • You can advertise and do so in a cost effective way!

So if you haven’t already, this step is one to strongly consider. You can start by purchasing your domain, securing your web hosting and researching the ideal web developer/ designer to get you up and running.

Social Media Marketing

Social media has been an important tool for retaining customers during this pandemic. It has been used as an outlet to maintain mental health. We have retreated to social media for humour, to vent or just connect with loved ones. And last but certainly not least, we have turned to social media to research the reputation of businesses we want to patronize.

So why not be smart about it and engage as your brand on these same platforms? During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hard sell has become less favorable and most have resorted to a more desirable and softer approach. Brands which use a social media marketing strategy of storytelling and relationship building are receiving more engagement over their competitors.

Consumers are clenching their pockets as much as your business is and that we must be mindful of. There are many social media platforms which exist and it is best to do a bit of research to determine which best suits your brand. For example Tik Tok tends to attract a younger audience (GenZ – 24 years and younger & some millennials – 25 – 40 years in 2021) while Facebook has a slightly older demographic using its platform.

So if you haven’t already, review your social media marketing strategy. Determine if you are in the right space and how you are engaging with your audience. You must also be mindful that if you take the route of building your page audience organically, especially on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram, you will have slower growth vs. using paid strategies.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is still very effective. Ever sat and scrolled through your inbox and surprisingly some interesting subject line catches your attention?

“The average email open rate for all industries we analyzed is 21.33%”

Mailchimp.com

The reality is we are spending more time at home; a lot of that time is spent on the internet. If I’m not scrolling on social media or on a messaging platform, I’m checking my emails to see if any good stuff has come through.

Majority of the time people subscribe to a mailing list because they are interested in a product. This gives a business the opportunity to promote its products through personalized communication.

You can build a list of subscribers through prompts on your website or even your social media platforms. To do this you will need an email marketing platform such as Mailchimp or Constant. This is where you will manage your audience, create communications and track the performance of your campaigns. Without having to step outside, you have now gained access to your customer who is sitting right in the comfort of their own home. Something to remember would be that subscribers most times open emails with subject lines that are relevant to their current needs.

Tipthe best subject headlines can be emotional, under 40 characters & should be unique or ask questions

letnicbrandit

App development

One word, accessibility! I have more than 30 apps right now on my cell phone. This is because I download apps so brands I want to patronize are literally one click away. I also download apps for the ‘exclusivity’ they create for me as a customer. Everyone likes a little special treatment, even if it’s just a façade. But here goes, this actually creates customer loyalty.

And since I’m on customer loyalty, this goes further in creating the perfect environment to target your reward programs and promos. What brand doesn’t want high engagement? Customer retention will positively affect your bottom line and that is golden in this pandemic. So stand out from your competition and transform the customer experience. You just need a competent app developer.

The Future of Marketing

So what does the future hold for marketing? Truth is, it will 100% continue on the digital trend. As an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of businesses have downsized their physical assets and pivoted to remote working conditions. This means more people will be at home.

I for one have been at home with my family. And while my crazy and bold toddler drives me crazy, I too, along with my A-team have gone through the process of leveraging our digital and social media marketing strategies. You would be amazed at the results we’ve seen.

I therefore encourage you to take the same step. Assess your current strategy and determine how you can make it more effective by shifting the focus to a digital marketing strategy.

So let’s recap.

Have a website? Look at creating a Google campaign or increasing your campaign spend rather than buying a print ad which is hardly ever measurable, unless you can use a discount or coupon code. No website? Consider your development options.

Utilize social media as a conversational tool. Get to know your customers and their wants.

Digital marketing is the way forward.

The marketplace has evolved along with marketing which is evolving. Join me along this journey and let’s not look back months down the line at missed opportunities.

All it takes is a change in perspective. Increase your digital footprint.

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Why Marketing is Important https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/why-marketing-is-important/ Sun, 14 Mar 2021 19:22:48 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=1773 Contributed by LetNicBrandIt

Why is marketing important? Uhmmm, why do you need a voice? It certainly helps with getting your message across. Well, think of marketing as the voice of your brand. How do I know about your brand if you don’t tell me about it!

Marketing – the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising”

Oxford languages

Marketing can take numerous forms, utilize various platforms and is made up of many elements. This is what makes it so effective when done right. Let’s discuss a few of them.

Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing refers to any method of promoting your brand which existed before the evolution of the internet. That being said, information was not as accessible as it is today. Brands therefore had to rely on outbound tactics such as print, radio, television ads, and billboards to promote their products or services. Although marketing methods have evolved over time, traditional marketing still has it place in today’s technological world.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing came about with the evolution of the internet and the ability to leverage it as a vessel of communication. This type of marketing covers marketing efforts that use the internet. Brands leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and other websites to connect with their audience and prospective customers. This type of marketing has allowed businesses to market beyond their brick and mortar locations. Further on, I will explain one or two of these methods.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is creating content to promote your brand and specific products on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and more recently, Tik Tok. This is a form of digital marketing. When using social media marketing we must carefully consider the users of each platform and determine if this is the intended audience for the brand or campaign message. Your content should be valuable, engaging and useful to catch and retain the attention of those using the platform. Most social media users tend to engage with brands that use this platform as a conversational tool.

When using this type of marketing there are many social media tools which exist to make this smoother, Canva is one of them.

Email Marketing

Email marketing involves scheduling content, whether promotional or educational to send off to individuals who have subscribed to receive your emails. The objective of this is to share personalized communication, thereby building a relationship with your database of clients. Email marketing is an effective way of gathering leads which can propel your sales funnel.

With this in mind, you will need to come up with a strategy to build your email list. How will you get individuals to sign up for your emails? This is called lead capture and is most times implemented via your website. Will you ask them to sign up for your newsletter which will be filled with informative and valuable content or will you get them to opt-in via requesting some form of information e.g., a quote.

Whatever your choice of lead capture, remember that the next important step will be to utilize one of the email marketing platforms available e.g. Mailchimp. Mailchimp’s platform will allow you to manage your audiences and track the performance of your campaigns. I must advise that in using this form of marketing, you must ensure that your customers have given permission to send them marketing communications, as locations such as the EU have recently enforced their GDPR regulations to protect the privacy of internet users.

Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing can be impromptu, it is usually irregular and anything but normal. It involves out of the box and bold ideas to catch the attention of audiences in high traffic areas. Guerrilla marketing is a good way to execute brand awareness and depending on your appetite can turn out to be quite cost effective. This method quite often gets people talking, which is the objective.

One of the best guerrilla marketing campaigns to date was seen back in 2005 where the manufacturing company, 3M set up a promotional stunt to push 3M’s security glass at a bus stop in Vancouver. They put 3 million dollars inside because they were so confident about the strength of this bullet proof glass. Guess what, numerous passersby engaged and tried to break it without success. This campaign went viral and really communicated the intended message. The strength of the product!

Influencer Marketing

Influencer – a person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media. “influencers can add serious credibility to your brand”

Oxford Languages

Influencer marketing has long been successful. As humans we identify with those who we can relate to, we idealize those we want to be like. This results in certain personalities or celebrities having an influence over our decisions and more specifically, our purchasing decisions. For example, we may be more likely to purchase a product if it is endorsed by Rihanna or maybe even Meghan Markle.

As a brand the psychology behind influencer marketing can arm you with the tools of success. When including influencer marketing in your strategy it is imperative that you choose the right fit for your brand and audience. The wrong choice here can result in a low return on investment. Is your goal to achieve brand awareness? Then go with an influencer with a large following, these are macro influencers. If you are targeting a niche group you can choose a micro influencer who has a small, niche target audience. Read a bit more about influencers and viral marketing.

“It’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away.”

Douglas Warner III, Former CEO, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co

Benefits of marketing

Now I could go on and on about the types of marketing but that would take forever. I will just reinforce the importance of marketing and how it creates many vessels for us to set the narrative of our business or brand. Marketing is important because this is how we communicate with our audience and connect with our customers . It results in brand awareness and aids in increasing sales. It helps us to retain customers while creating brand loyalty. It tells our customers how we can improve their daily lives, how we can offer solutions to their problems. It brings your brand to life and sparks the interest of potential customers!

Simply put, Marketing makes you money!

Let Nic Brand It

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The Importance of Good Web Hosting https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/the-importance-of-good-web-hosting/ Sun, 21 Feb 2021 02:09:43 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=1760 What exactly is web hosting?

Planning on starting your own website? Ever wondered what website hosting was? Every website that we browse online absolutely needs web hosting. This is essentially where all files, information and content that create your website are stored. These files are stored on a remote computer which is known as a host or the hosting server. This is where we get the term of web hosting.

When you visit a website the files that create it are shown within your web browser. So its vitally important that you choose a good reliable web host that suits the needs of your website.

Web hosting is essentially rented space on a remote computer, it is normally charged either monthly or annually.

There are various types of hosting

Cloud hosting

This is a virtual server which is made up of many physical web servers. If one fails, there is another to take its place which means it is more reliable than standalone servers and should have no down time. They also scale automatically to handle increased traffic.

Shared hosting

The majority of websites are on shared hosts or servers this means that other people’s websites files are also kept at this location.

Dedicated web hosting

Dedicated web hosting means you are renting the entire computer or server on which your website lives. No one else’s files are on that server. This is more flexible as you have complete control over the setup of the server. It can also be faster and more secure, it is most often used by larger companies or those with large websites.

Things to ask when looking for a good web host

What’s the down time like?

Downtime is what it sounds like a period of time when your website is not online or up. Downtime can be scheduled or unscheduled and can be for a number of reasons. When your site is down visitors to your website will not be able to see it, every minute your website is down could mean the potential loss of a customer. Choosing a reliable host with very little down time is essential.

Is email included?

Having an email address associated with your domain name looks more professional and is more marketable than having a Hotmail or other email address. Good web site hosting packages include email addresses.

What’s the support like?

It’s good to know what is covered by support and when it is available. A good hosting company will offer support at least during normal working hours if not 24 hours a day. It’s also worth looking at how this support is provided, is it just through email or tickets or can you actually give someone a call.

Are backups taken and if so how far back do they go?

If you have an issue with your website and need to roll it back, you will need to have been taking backups. Does the hosting company offer this service and if so how often do they take them? It’s also worth investigating if there is an additional charge for this service or if it is included. Most good web hosting companies include this in their hosting plans.

Ability to scale

If your website grows and you need more space or are experiencing more traffic you need to know if you web host can accommodate you. Your web host should be able to upgrade and scale to suit your needs.

How easy is it to switch supplier in the future?

You may find a better deal further down the line or move to a specialist web host, is it going to be easy to move, does the new provider offer a moving service, does the old provider have any get out charges?

Reputation

Find a web host that has a good reputation. Have a look at reviews on independent sites, can the web host provide you with testimonials, who are their clients and how long have they been in business?

Sign Up For Affordable Webhosting

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What is Digital Presence? https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/what-is-digital-presence/ Sat, 20 Feb 2021 23:42:04 +0000 https://apexdigitalconsultants.com/?p=1746 Contributed by LetNicBrandIt

The concept of digital presence as the name suggests are those practices that a particular business or user implements within the digital environment.


A strong digital presence is how your customer or audience will find you on the internet in their online search. Putting a particular focus on this marketing strategy allows you to set the narrative about your brand. These practices have been forced to evolve over time due to technological advancements and digital marketing trends.

Think about it, as a consumer you take to the internet to learn about a product when unfamiliar. Why wouldn’t think they would do the same when it come to your brand?

So how do you increase digital presence?

Website

The tried and true formula of having an optimal website has stood the true test of time. When faced with a level playing field, customers are more likely to trust the brand with a professionally built website over a brand without.

Social Media

A trendy way to improve digital presence is through a robust social media strategy. Having business accounts on various social platforms, such as Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram creates a footprint which should ultimately lead to a brand’s website.

Online Reviews

Although you will have less control over the narrative here, social proof -word of mouth- is the strongest form of marketing you can’t buy. Purchasers will take to Google, Bing and social networks for information. If your brand has made a positive impact, people will talk. This helps to improve your visibility; your presence.

You should always seek to improve your digital presence and increase your digital footprint as it will only prove as a benefit to your business.

Expand your digital footprint now!

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