Tag / digital marketer

by caitlyncallahan14

why I still use a typewriter

My writing career started on a typewriter when I was just six or seven years old.

Whenever I’d go visit my grandparents, one of the first things I’d ask is for Pappy to bring out the heavy “ancient” machine and put it on the coffee table in the family room so I could “work.” I typed out letters, poems, stories, notes, and anything else I could think of that needed recording.

Now, that typewriter sits on a small table next to my desk in my home office, a constant reminder of my humble beginnings as a writer, and a daily inspiration for my passions.

And it serves not just as a reminder and inspiration, but I still actively use it.

When I founded Callahan Communication, I thought for a long time about what I wanted my value proposition to be. There are a lot of people out there who can do what I do, many charging less money… so how did I stand out?

I’ve written about why I chose a typewriter for my logo and it comes down to this – with today’s technology, anyone can be a “writer,” “social media specialist,” “marketer.” But not everyone can be an expert.

Social media marketing, content marketing, digital marketing, etc. all stem from the basic knowledge and understanding of marketing and people. And without that foundation of knowledge, it can be a challenge to be truly strategic, agile and successful.

That’s how I’m different. I have that foundation. I’ve been building it professionally for nearly 15 years, and on my own for more than two decades. I’ve lived it, breathed it, studied it, and put in my 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert.

And once you have that foundation built, it can be applied across the board for marketing and digital marketing. And I built my business to provide that expert consultation and delivery for my clients. While the tactics may change and adjust, the basics do not.

The typewriter, other than a pen and paper (which I still use as well), represents the basics of writing. Using a typewriter forces you to slow down and think about what you type. You can’t go back and make edits or additions. Once something is typed, there’s no delete or backspace. You have to have the foundation of what you’re writing, and it must be thought through and designed before starting.

Which is why I still use my typewriter. While my laptop allows me speed and flexibility, I like to go back to the basics. To challenge myself and feel the energy and motion of the keys as I type. And it’s the same as how I approach work with my clients – go back to the basics, challenge them, and apply it to today’s world. Build the foundation.

If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, I encourage you to think through your value proposition. What makes you different? Why are you the one the client should hire? Do you have the foundation necessary to be successful?

And if you’re already a successful freelancer, I challenge you to go back to the basics. What’s your foundation that you’re building upon? Is it stable? Do you need to revisit that foundation, those basics, to continue to be successful? I

Today, go back to your typewriter. Whatever that may be. And remember why you do what you do, and why you’re the best. Use that energy to push on, and continue providing your clients with the best.

by caitlyncallahan14

it’s a digital world (part 3: digital)

Welcome to part three of my “it’s a digital world” blog series, briefly highlighting the importance of social media, content and digital marketing and why you should implement these tactics in your marketing plan, no matter how small your business.

Today, I want to talk about some more general digital marketing tactics you should consider, including email, SEO, SEM, display and pay-per-click (PPC) ads.

This list is not by any means all encompassing of digital marketing tactics out there, and is not inclusive of everything you should know about them. But, they are ones you are more likely to come across or wonder about, and the stats supporting them are pretty compelling.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways for you to connect and engage with both existing and prospective customers. Email allows you to provide helpful tips, promote your business/products/service, give inside information and more through text, images, videos and links.

  • About 80% of marketers have reported an increase in email engagement over the past year.
  • There are nearly 4 billion email users worldwide.
  • Consumers open emails with personalized subject lines at a 50% higher rate than emails without.
  • A series of three emails performs better than a single email: 90% more orders for welcome emails, 63% more for abandoned cart emails, and 75% more for customer reactivation.
  • Emails segmented by user interest see nearly 75% higher click rates.
  • Email is ranked as the second most effective medium for building brand awareness, and has the highest return on investment.
  • Almost 50% of all marketing emails are opened on a mobile device.

Whether you already have an email marketing strategy or you’re looking to improve it, more than 20% of marketers report email design improves their email engagement rate. Focusing on your design, especially making it mobile-friendly, can help increase your click-through-rates.

Also take into consideration an A/B testing strategy. Litmus reports that companies who A/B test see email marketing returns nearly 40% higher than brands that don’t test their emails. You can test subject lines, images, calls to action and placement of CTA buttons, types of copy, etc.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

When we Google something, most of us will stick to the first page of search results, or even just the first few websites, to find our answers. Appearing at the top of that list has to do with your SEO strategy. SEO helps you to understand how your customers and prospects are both searching for and finding you online. Optimizing your SEO strategy can help ensure the maximum number of visitors come to your website by ranking it high on the search engine page.

  • About 64% of marketers actively invest time and energy into search engine optimization.
  • 49% of users say Google is their primary search engine for finding a new item or product.
  • More than 50% of searches on Google end without actually clicking on a result (which is why your meta title and description are so important).
  • Nearly 95% of all internet searches happen on a Google property.
  • There has been a more than 900% growth in mobile searches for “___ near me today/tonight.”
  • 60% of smartphone users have contacted a business directly using the search results.

There are a few ways you can help optimize your website for SEO and high search ranking:

  1. Be sure to include title tags and a meta description to help the search engine know what your website/page is about.
  2. The body content should be unique, educational and engaging. Answer questions users are searching for, and make the content sharable. Use relevant keywords and phrases with good search traffic potential.
  3. Mark your images with alt attributes, which provides alternative information for an image if it can’t be viewed.
  4. Be sure your website is accessible.
  5. Build relevant links from other high-quality, high-trafficked sites.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Also known as paid search, SEM is promoting your website (with budget dollars) and increasing its visibility in search engine results.

Open a Google tab on your phone or computer. Search something, like “best dog food.” The first few results will say “ad” next to them – those are paid search results (SEM). Advertisers bid on keywords that users may enter when searching for specific products or services, and then you’d appear with those results.

SEM differs from SEO because you pay for search engine marketing traffic, but SEO helps you rank higher organically.

  • Nearly 93% of all web traffic comes through search engines.
  • Google processes 2 trillion searches each year.
  • For each $1 a business spends on Google Search and Google Ads, it makes an average $8 in profit.
  • The average click-through-rate (CTR) for the first position on a Google search query is 19.3%.
  • Approximately 63% of users will click on a paid search ad on Google.
  • 66% of search queries on Google lead to at least one click.

If you have dollars in your budget and want to help ensure you rank high on the search query page, therefore leading to more clicks to your website and increased brand awareness, consider implementing an SEM strategy.

Display and Pay-Per-Click Ads

Digital display and pay-per-click (PPC) ads can help take your marketing strategy to the next level by getting you in front of the right consumers at the right time, attracting customers, increasing brand awareness, and ultimately driving revenue.

  • In 2018, U.S. advertisers spent nearly $50 million on digital display advertising, and 68% of marketers state it’s “very important” or “extremely important” to their overall marketing strategy.
  • Google Display Network reaches 90% of internet users worldwide.
  • Mobile advertising spending is expected to reach more than $280 billion by 2022.
  • 65% of all clicks made by users who intend to make a purchase do so through paid ads.
  • Visitors from a PPC ad are 50% more likely to make a purchase than a visitor who came organically.
  • The average click-through-rate across all industries is nearly 3.2%, but can vary higher or lower based on industry.
  • The average cost-per-click across all industries is $2.69, but can vary higher or lower based on industry.
  • The average conversion rate across all industries is 3.75%, but can vary higher or lower based on industry.

The most effective PPC channels are text ads, remarking, and mobile display ads. Consider what you know about your customers and prospects – what do they like to do? What websites do they search? What products or services are they interested in? Using audience insights to place your ads is key, and can help lead to higher click-through and conversion rates.

by caitlyncallahan14

it’s a digital world (part 1: social)

Digital marketing is fascinating. While the concept remains consistent, the execution changes almost daily. Think about social media platforms, how you use the internet, when, how and why you consume content – it’s constantly changing. Google, Facebook and other sites update their terms and advertising policies on a regular basis. That’s why it’s so important to have a digital marketing person on your team, or to hire a consultant who knows what they are doing.

While you may have a personal Facebook page, you probably don’t have the knowledge, time and effort it takes to run a successful Facebook Business page. Perhaps you read blogs, or even have a personal blog, but you may not be an expert in creating content for your business website targeted to your primary audience with the intent of increasing traffic and sales.

Or maybe you still don’t understand how all of this is important to your business and marketing plan.

I’ve pulled together a few of my favorite statistics supporting social media, content and digital marketing in a three-part blog series to help share why it’s critical to consider these tactics, and how they can help your business thrive.

Today, let’s highlight Social Media Marketing.

  • 3.5 billion people use social media, which is nearly 50% of the world population. Instagram alone has more than 1 billion users monthly. You have unlimited potential in reaching your target audience.
  • Nearly 70% of U.S. adults use Facebook. It may be the most popular platform, and one of the best to reach your potential audience.
  • 90% of millennials, 77% of Gen X, and nearly 50% of baby boomers use social media. Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t reach all generations effectively on social.
  • People spend 3+ hours a day on social media platforms. You have three hours to catch their eye with your content.
  • 54% of social users take advantage of social media to research products. It’s like another Google, but more engaging and interactive. They are looking for reviews and recommendations, they want to learn about your brand and see how you interact with your customers.
  • 71% of consumers who have a positive experience with a brand on social are likely to recommend the brand to their friends and family. Use your social presence to build your business.
  • 83% of people who sent a Tweet to a company and received a response felt better about the company and were more likely to do business with them.
  • People are 26% more likely to view ads on Twitter than any other social platform.
  • Over 46% of all social media traffic to company websites comes from LinkedIn.
  • 90% of Instagram users follow a business on the platform, and are interested in hearing from and about brands. Instagram also has the highest engagement rate with businesses.

Now, re-read all of those bullets until they sink in…

These are just a few of many eye opening stats about social platforms and their positive effect on businesses, and companies are paying attention. Marketers spent nearly $90 billion in social media ad spend in 2019, and that number is expected to continue to rise.

Each platform has their own nuances. Each has different audiences – for example, you should advertise on Instagram if you want to reach a younger audience, Facebook for an older audience, and LinkedIn for a professional audience. Each has preferences for what types of ads work best – static image? Video? Link? It can be overwhelming, which is why it can be helpful to have the help of an expert.

Also remember, it’s not all about paid advertising. It’s also about organic content and what you post on your page. It’s how you interact with your audience. Social media gives you a prime opportunity to have two-way conversations with and learn from your customers and prospects. They can leave you reviews, interact with and comment on your posts, send you direct messages – and you can respond directly back to them. It’s a chance for you to share your brand, your story, information about your products/service, educational/informational/engaging content for your followers.

With social media, you essentially have unlimited potential to share your business and interact with your customers. Do it right, and you will see increased brand loyalty and consumer engagement, and even increase in sales. Do it wrong, or don’t do it at all, and you’ll be missing out on a huge and cost-effective opportunity.

I encourage you to do some research on your own if you aren’t familiar with all of the positive effects of being active on social media as a business. Comment some of your favorite stats below!

If you want to talk further about how social media marketing can help your business, need help getting started, or would like assistance with ongoing support, send me a message today.