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August 12, 2014

Embracing the Mobile Wallet: 3 Key Benefits

Mobile wallets are a tricky innovation of digital commerce. We’ve had the technology to deploy mobile wallets for years, and many consumers have mobile wallet solutions installed onto their smartphones and tablets. At the same time, those consumers are still reluctant to use mobile wallets on a regular basis. Whether for security reasons, the limited opportunities to pay with a mobile wallet, or simply a resistance to change, shoppers still prefer to pay with plastic and even cash whenever possible.

Consequently, businesses are none too interested in driving this innovation. The task of accepting mobile wallets requires an upgrade of payment processing technology, and this cost is one many companies would like to avoid. This broad resistance to mobile wallet technology presents a great opportunity for businesses that choose to move ahead of the curve. If mobile wallet technology truly is inevitable–and many think it is–then becoming an early adopter could have a huge payoff. Here’s why.

1. Tech-savvy consumers want businesses to adapt

Perhaps the majority of U.S. consumers are slow to embrace mobile wallet technology, but the payment solution is slowly gaining traction and building its adoption base. There are already a group of dedicated consumers that prefer mobile payment solutions over any form of payment processing, businesses can get in the good graces of those consumers by adopting the technology with their own business.

It’s important to keep in mind that when you adopt mobile wallet processing, you don’t automatically stop accepting other payment methods. The process of adopting mobile wallets across all retailers and businesses will take quite some time, so consumers who aren’t ready for this technology can continue being served just as always. It only requires a little adaptation on the part of businesses, and this adaptation will set them up for future.

2. Cheaper processing fees could save you money in the long run

Credit card payment processing is extremely costly to businesses, which is why many smaller companies sometimes refuse credit cards entirely. But by refusing credit card payments, businesses also risk alienating their consumer base. In short, there’s no easy solution that avoids complications entirely.

Mobile wallets may not solve all of those problems, but they can give consumers an extra option that offers cheaper processing costs for the business and the customer. Services like Google Wallet, PayPal Here and others can connect to bank accounts easily and offer a non-cash solution that businesses might prefer. Over time, businesses could encourage their customers to make payments through mobile wallets, helping them manage their money on a smartphone or tablet while cutting out costly credit card charges–and making payment processing cheaper for all.

3. Information integrated with mobile wallet solutions could assist your marketing efforts

Mobile wallets are uniquely linked to a consumer’s information–or at least they can be, in most cases. This is a huge opportunity for businesses looking to integrate mobile wallets with their digital marketing efforts. By accepting mobile wallet payments, businesses could gain access to the user profiles of consumers with registered mobile wallet accounts.

Even when a consumer makes a simple purchase in-store or online, the business could automatically receive contact info, including email addresses and phone numbers, all of which can be used to target those consumers through various digital campaigns. This is a fantastic option for acquiring highly qualified leads–in this case, those leads are past customers, making them very likely to repeat.

Mobile walleting technology can be intimidating for businesses that aren’t familiar with how it works. If you’re ready to embrace mobile wallets but don’t know how to get started, let DBC Digital help you build toward a better future.

Greg Sherwood is CEO of DBC Digital, a marketing agency based in Denver, Colorado. With over 30 years of marketing experience with traditional and inbound (internet) marketing, Greg helps mid-sized businesses get a better return on their marketing dollars.

You can reach Greg at (303) 357-5757 or at dbc@dbcdigital.com

Categories : SEO, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Posted by DBC Digital on

July 17, 2014

Analyze Your Inbound Marketing with These Tools

If If you aren’t using data to analyze your inbound marketing campaigns, you aren’t taking advantage of marketing on the Internet. Plenty of campaigns bear similarities to traditional forms of marketing–display networks are akin to billboards, video advertising has parallels with TV commercials, and so on. But billboards and TV commercials can’t touch what makes their online counterparts so incredibly valuable.

That’s right, it’s data. Everything is trackable online, from the clicks a consumer makes online to the user profiles of those online consumers, even to the length of time those consumers spend on a single web page–everything can be documented in data. These troves of information can offer incredible insights to marketers when they are properly analyzed.

To do that, you need an analytics solution. Many are available online, and some of the best ones come at a low-cost, or even for free. You need at least one of these solutions to help guide your strategy going forward, as you make small strategy shifts that optimize each campaign. Here’s an overview of the best options.

1. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is the obvious go-to for most businesses. It’s simple to use, offers in-depth data, and is geared toward small business owners. Even if you do struggle to understand the platform, there are a number of tutorials that walk you through the basic processes you will need to know in order to maximize the value of Google Analytics.

And there’s incredible value: not just because it’s a great data tool, but also because it’s free when you integrate it with Google AdWords. If you’re doing paid search campaigns, AdWords is a no-brainer, even before you through in Google Analytics for free.

2. Moz Analytics

If you’re focused on analytics for search marketing purposes, Moz Analytics is a great solution. It specializes in using data to improve SEO performance for various campaigns, and it offers a wide range of data to help you track your results. Moz Analytics also accommodates social media marketing and content marketing efforts, too, but if your primary focus is search marketing, this could be the right tool for you.

Moz Analytics costs $99 per month, which isn’t cheap for small businesses. But if you make an earnest effort to use the data when improving your campaigns, it’s a great option.

3. KISSmetrics

The great thing about KISSmetrics: its platform is beautiful. Users can navigate the solution easily, and it offers great data analysis that offers some insights and perspectives you won’t find with other solutions.

The biggest barrier for most businesses is going to be the cost. KISSmetrics packages start at $150 per month and go up. Additionally, the data isn’t comprehensive when it comes to traffic analysis, so you will probably need to complement KISSmetrics with another analytics tool that gives great Web traffic insights.

4. Clicky

Straddling the line between free and subscription-based, Clicky has a lot to offer small businesses. It has comprehensive analytics tools that rival what Google Analytics has to offer, and there’s no delay in receiving that data–results can be monitored in real-time.

The biggest challenge of Clicky is that it isn’t the easiest platform to use. If you’re averse to technology already, it may be more of a headache than it’s worth. But keep in mind that Clicky is completely free until you surpass 3,000 page views. In other words, you get some time to get the hang of things–and to start driving traffic to your website–before you’re asked to put money down.

If you’re ready to start analyzing data and building your digital strategy, contact DBC Digital today.

Categories : SEO, STRATEGY, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Posted by DBC Digital on

April 24, 2014

Social Media: 4 Keys to Succeeding with LinkedIn

No More “Tip-toeing” for B2B

Over the last few weeks, we have had a number of our Denver-based B2B clients ask us about how to succeed with LinkedIn. They say they are done “tip-toeing around” and really want to know what to do in order to succeed with this social media tool designed for business.

LinkedIn is the Largest Social Networking Site for Businesses

With over 100 million members worldwide, LinkedIn is the premier social networking site for business. The best part of LinkedIn is that it offers features that allow businesses to make meaningful connections with colleagues, customers, suppliers, potential hires and many others in related fields.

For many, the distinction between LinkedIn and sites such as Facebook lies in the quality of the connections. Making friends is great, but when it comes to marketing your Denver business you want networking opportunities that can really grow your business.

5 Important Features

If you are going to use LinkedIn for this goal, it helps to first understand some of its features:

You can set up a business page that is separate from your individual LinkedIn page
LinkedIn will automatically group individuals by company
The Recommendation feature allows members to give and receive recommendations from colleagues that will then show up on the profile page
Your work and experience history is on your profile page for easy access
You can’t make a connection until you indicate how you know someone, and you can’t contact anyone outside your network unless you sign up for a paid service

LinkedIn is a “Must-do” for B2B Companies

LinkedIn was specifically designed for workplace professionals. Think of it as the online version of the classifieds, water cooler, job board, trade show/convention and board meeting all rolled into one. If your company provides professional services, engages in B2B sales, or is looking to hire; if you are a consultant in need of an agile and convenient way to drum up business, LinkedIn is a must-do.

Success with this business networking site means sticking to a few fundamental practices.

Use these 4 Keys for growing your Denver business with LinkedIn:

1. Think quality, not quantity. With a platform such as FaceBook or Twitter, the focus is generally on creating as many Likes and followers as possible. With LinkedIn, you need to switch to a mindset of quality. Since you are using it to not only make business connections, but to generate qualified leads, you want to make sure that your connections are truly relevant.

Quick tip: Link to those you already know, and ask colleagues to make introductions.

2. Create a killer profile. This is your mini resume, the place where your company’s qualifications and experience appear to interested parties. Complete each field thoroughly and add details that showcase products, services and expertise. Add links to your company’s site and all other relevant web pages.

Quick tip: Don’t use the standard defaults for “Company Website,” etc. Use the “other” button when editing your website addresses and type in your actual company name next to the URL.

3. Join groups. These also appear on your profile page. They connect you to potentially hundreds or thousands of other professionals in related fields, and can be a rich resource for boosting your company’s growth.

Quick tip: Start and join discussions, introduce topics of interest and comment on others’ topics to showcase your expertise.

4. Use LinkedIn Answers. This feature is a handy way for members to get answers and advice from others in your field.

Quick tip: Provide useful answers on a regular basis, and others will start to judge your answers as the best. This boosts your authority and visibility on LinkedIn.

It’s up to You as a business leader

Can you grow your business with LinkedIn? Absolutely! Will you grow you business with LinkedIn? It depends on how well you use it.

Take advantage of the features to broaden your reach with those in your network. Maximize your company’s profile, be proactive in seeking out quality connections, follow through and get involved! And the answer will be a resounding yes!

Need help? Try a LinkedIn support service like DBCdigital that specializes in helping Denver area businesses make the most of their social media marketing efforts.

Have a best LinkedIn tip? Share it with our readers by using the Comments section below.

Categories : SEO

Posted by DBC Digital on

March 12, 2014

Is it Time to Invest in Apps?

Static Internet properties may have been of high value several years ago, but they’ve quickly fallen out of fashion. Google updates to its search algorithm, and even the evolving ways in which consumers use the Internet, have rapidly eroded the value of Internet pages built to live forever while producing an ever-running trickle of online traffic. Today’s online properties need to be relevant to modern-day Internet consumers, and new technology is changing those consumer habits faster than many businesses might expect.

For years, content has been lifted up as the undisputed king of digital marketing. Its relatively low cost, high-value lifespan, and organic traffic generation potential has enabled its use as the foundation of many digital marketing strategies. And while it’s still an extremely valuable and indispensable component of successful digital strategy, mobile apps are quickly gaining clout as a valuable marketing tool and as a means of increasing customer engagement. Even so, mobile apps aren’t right for every business.

For Search Visibility, Content is Still King

Despite the recent buzz about the importance of developing mobile apps, businesses shouldn’t overreact: Content remains an essential component of effective digital marketing. One key reason for small and medium-sized businesses is the cost: developing an app isn’t cheap, and the sheer cost can exceed the marketing budgets of some companies. Even if a mobile app might be within your budgetary limits, content marketing still provides plenty of bang-for-your-buck that needs to be considered when putting together a marketing strategy.

Online content helps drive up search engine optimization scores, and it provides a shareable item that can be distributed online through social platforms, thereby presenting the opportunity for free, organic distribution of your content and, through that, your brand. Businesses shouldn’t consider apps as a replacement to written content, but for some organizations it might be a useful complementary piece.

With Mobile Consumers, the Change is More Urgent

No one is going to say that a dentist needs his own app to sell himself to digital consumers. But any business that depends on mobile devices as a revenue stream should at least look into the benefits of developing a mobile app. Recent research shows that consumers spend 80 percent of their tablet and smartphone screen time using mobile apps, greatly reducing the reach and influence of a mobile browser.

Consumers are generally spending more time online, regardless of the platform they use, and that’s a good thing for content marketing as well as for mobile apps. But while the average user’s daily web browsing time increased by just 10 minutes over the past year, mobile app usage almost doubled from 43 minutes to 82.

Experts are starting to understand the reason for this gravitation toward mobile apps. Functionality and convenience may play a small role, but the greater influence comes from the unique experience provided by an app.

Apps and the Power of Creation

Mobile web browsers offer access to the whole Internet, but the experience is limited: websites are constrained to the limitations of the browser, both in terms of technology and the space. Mobile web browsers offer a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t always encourage the best user experience possible.

That’s exactly where mobile apps flex their power. With a mobile app, developers and businesses can work together to create a seamless, intelligent user experience that mixes media with ease to create a new digital experience. Consumers respond well to these innovative experiences and use mobile apps to seek them out. The quality and aesthetic of a mobile app, in contrast with a website, can dramatically increase the extent of a company’s engagement with users, and, by extension, their brand’s relationship with its consumer base.

The more a company depends on mobile consumerism to pad its bottom-line, the more valuable a mobile app may be. But before you pull the trigger on mobile app development, make sure you have the best information and a concrete plan for your future. Contact DBC Digital today and see how we can prime your business for the digital future.

Categories : BLOGGING, MESSAGING AND DESIGN, SEO, STRATEGY

Posted by DBC Digital on

June 27, 2012

Inbound Marketing: SEO and Your Business Blog

Our clients at DBC Digital in Denver occasionally ask us what they can do to attract more people to their business blogs. First, we congratulate them for understanding the importance of business blogging as part of their inbound marketing strategy.

We usually discover that problems occur in two primary areas. Their blogs tend to be either too SEO-heavy or else they’re devoid of any SEO cognizance whatsoever. Let’s take a look at these issues after first defining what SEO means to the business blogger.

SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Its purpose is to increase your blog’s visibility to the various search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.). In its simplest form, the basis of SEO is through your choice of keywords. Those are identifiers which establish your blog as a possible solution to someone’s search. There are 3 basic forms of keyword structure:

1. Primary keyword: Usually, this is only one word that broadly conveys the area of interest being covered in a blog. In this article for example, SEO would be a good choice as a primary keyword.

2. Secondary keywords: These are two or three words that are more specific to the topic being covered. Someone searching for SEO might find thousands of articles about the subject. In our article, we might want to use “SEO business blog” as a way to narrow the search, to make this blog more relevant to the searcher’s question.

3. Long Tail Keywords: These are longer descriptions which are not so commonly used in a typical search. However, when they are, it’s a gold mine. That means the searcher is looking for exactly what you’re offering. Think you can take it from there? In the example again of this article, we might use something like “in Denver attract more people to business blog.”

All of these are vital to the success of your business blog’s reach. However, some bloggers become obsessed with them. They forget the fact that they are trying to generate leads from potential customers. What they remember is that the optimization of their websites through keywords will rank them higher in a search engine. The people factor is neglected. They may as well be writing only for the “bots” that comb the Internet seeking keywords.

Remember, if your blog isn’t eminently readable and relatable to a prospect, they’re going to be turned off quickly.

Don’t Obsess

On the other hand, sometimes a blogger can be so enthusiastic about his business that the essential SEO strategy is neglected. Unless you have absolutely no business competition, you can be assured that there are others practicing the sound inbound marketing technique of Search Engine Optimization.

No matter how incredible your products and services may be, no one is really going to know unless you get extraordinarily lucky. When was the last time you won Powerball?

It’s a balancing act

Optimizing your business blog with keywords is a bit of a balancing act. It’s important to write valuable content for the people you would like to serve. It’s also critical that you research and utilize the keyword structures that will drive readers to your site. There are a variety of services that can help (including DBCdigital) if you don’t have the expertise yourself.

Here at DBC Digital, we encourage you to take an objective look at your business blog. How is it successful? Where does it require some authoritative tweaking? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Upcoming Workshop July 17, 2012

Do you live or work in the south Metro-Denver area?

Register for our upcoming live workshop on how to improve your marketing “mojo” and leverage your current marketing activities with inbound marketing’s advantages.

Categories : BLOGGING, SEO

2899 S Santa Fe Drive, Unit 2
Englewood, CO 80110

(303) 357-5757

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