5 Fascinating Digital Marketing Stats So Far in 2017

2017 has been an interesting year so far in the digital marketing world, with some surprising stats and trends. Some of the stats listed are from Christopher Heine’s article in Adweek that caught our attention.

1. Yelp ahead of Snapchat in Ad Revenue:
According to eMarketer, “Yelp will make close to $720 million this year in digital ad sales in the U.S. compared to Snapchat’s $640 million.” This statistic was surprising at first considering the social media giant that Snapchat has become in recent years. Not to say $640 million a year in ad revenue is a bad thing, but it will be interesting to see if Snapchat makes any adjustments for advertisers before the end of the year.

2. Google and Facebook Dominate:
This one didn’t come as much of a surprise compared to the other stats listed. eMarketer also projected that “63% of all digital ad sales by the end of the year will come from Google and Facebook. In numbers that is equivalent to $35 billion for Google and $17.4 billion for Facebook.” This shows the dominance of Google and Facebook in the advertising world and we would expect this trend to continue if companies are experiencing positive returns on investments.

3. Pinterest Making Improvements:
Pinterest has been making some massive improvements as of late regarding their advertising options. According to Heine’s article, “Pinterest advertisers now have access to 5,000 interest categories that will roll out in the next couple of weeks.” With this upgrade from Pinterest, engagement rates are expected to increase by a significant amount and cost-per-clicks are projected to decrease.

4. Uber Lawsuit:
It’s been recently reported that Uber is pursuing a lawsuit against a mobile advertising company called Fetch Media. Heine’s article states that “Uber is suing Fetch Media for at least $40 million accusing the company of improper billing for fraudulent ads falsely taking credit for app downloads.” We’ll see how the lawsuit plays out, but this is significant because it could potentially ruin the reputations of other mobile ad companies.

5. Trouble Tracking Ad Spend:
Digital marketers losing track of ad spend may come off as a surprise, but an article from Marketing Week found this to be evident. Apparently “only 36% of digital marketers are confident that their campaigns are targeting the appropriate audiences.” They also found that “nearly a quarter of digital marketers don’t consistently track their campaigns whatsoever.” These two statistics really jumped out to us because monitoring digital marketing campaigns is essential to making sure ad dollar is used efficiently.

Contact Us:
For more information regarding digital marketing expertise, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

What Google’s Algorithm Adjustment Means for Digital Marketing

Nearly every digital marketer in today’s society utilizes Google as a primary form of advertisement. With more than 6.5 billion searches being made each day, the need to rank well on Google’s search results page is imperative.

Whether you are optimizing a website to rank well on its own, or spending a few dollars through Google AdWords, the changes coming to Google’s algorithm will have a significant effect on those advertising efforts.

Most Recent Update

Google continually updates its algorithm to show the most relevant results to users as possible. The latest update arrived on August 19th.

There is never one single cause of an algorithm adjustment. Instead, the adjustment is meant to target many different areas in order to improve overall quality of the search results displayed by Google.

Glenn Gabe, columnist for Search Engine Land and Search Engine Watch, investigated the algorithm change and gave his opinions on how he thought it would affect marketers. According to Gabe, Google advertisers should avoid:

  • Use of Deceptive Advertising: deploying deceptive, aggressive, or disruptive advertising can be detrimental to a site’s quality. Instead, gear your site toward the user and their needs. Do not bombard them with full-screen ads and site redirects.
  • Broken User Interface Elements: We have all had an experience where we click on a link and receive some sort of “404 error: Page Not Found” message. Make sure that your site works properly and does not contain any of these pesky UI flaws.
  • Low Query-Based Relevance: This element should be obvious. If a search term does not apply to your site, then it should not be ranking well for that term. Google’s goal is to provide the user with exactly what they are looking for. If your site isn’t helpful to the user, then it’s as good as gone from the top search results list.

Gabe suggests using the following methods to improve advertisements in the wake of the algorithm update:

  • Category (Tag-like) Pages: WordPress sites often include the option of adding a category and various tag to each page. Gabe noticed that even some sites that showed an overall downward trend since the algorithm update still had positive numbers to report for these category pages.
  • Full, Quality Content: Try to fill your site with all of the best information possible. This does not mean that you need to write pages and pages of content, it just means that you need to clearly state what you can do for the consumer and why you can do it best.
  • Open User Experience: Allowing users to add their own comments to content on your site is a great way to add value. This may be in the form of a review or an actual comment on a certain post or news article.

Location Improvements

Google has also shown an increased interest in the prominence of local businesses on their search results page. After all, a restaurant located in New York City will prove of little use to a young woman in Seattle looking for a bit to eat after work.

As Google begins to favor local establishments, it becomes more and more important for all kinds of businesses to make sure that their location is conveniently and correctly displayed across various platforms. For example, you will want to make sure that the address you have listed on Facebook perfectly matches the one listed on Yelp.

Evaluate Your Business Today!

Interested in getting this information about your business for free? Run a free scan of your business with Onimod Global today to see your locations listed across over 50 online directories! This scan will also provide you with several other measurements to see how well your company site performs. To run a free scan please CLICK HERE.

Google Partners Launches Digital Sales Certification Exam

Google has announced that the Google Partners program has launched a new certification exam – Digital Sales. Google Partners is a program that provides agencies access to free training and exclusive tools, as well as the guidance and support to help businesses successfully advertise on Google. Advertising agencies that are members of the Google Partners program like us at Onimod Global contain certified employees and are companies trusted by Google.

According to Google, the “Digital Sales Certification Exam has been created to assess and increase partner sales representatives’ effectiveness in selling Google digital solutions to businesses.” There are a total of five parts to the exam which include planning, the open, identifying, recommendations, and the close.

The planning section involves networking, prospecting potential clients, and preparing for the pitch. The open is about delivering an effective pitch, positioning, and setting up meetings. The identification part is just about asking questions and discovering what potential clients need. Recommendations consist of delivering solutions and how to solve client problems. Lastly, the close section is about handling objections, closing the sale, and how to generate referrals.

Contact Us: Here at Onimod Global, we are a member of the Google Partners Program and all of our employees are Google certified in many areas. If you’re a business seeking an upgrade in brand awareness, website development, or any other digital marketing service feel free to reach out to us at Onimod Global on our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

5 Simple Ways to See if Your AdWords Account is in Trouble

Google AdWords is the most common form of digital advertising. The use of its search, display, and shopping networks have an incredible impact on consumers who are conducting daily searches online.

Unfortunately, even the best digital marketing tools can come with potential problems and limitations. Keep reading to find out which pitfalls are most important to avoid inside of Google AdWords.

AdWords Audit

The following are key areas inside of AdWords that, when left unchecked, can create serious problems:

  • Wasted Money: In the case of effective ad spend, less is more. Although it may seem smart to have a campaign filled with keywords and 10 slightly different ads, this can actually lead to huge losses. Entrepreneur reports that on average, only 12% of keywords in any given AdWords account are responsible for all conversions produced. That means that 88% of those keywords are a total waste of money.
  • Bad Landing Page: More than half of all Google ads redirect the user to the site’s homepage. This is not necessarily a bad strategy, especially if you are only concerned about brand awareness and simply driving people to your site so that they can get a feel for your business. However, if the primary objective is to produce conversions or leads, then the homepage isn’t going to be enough. For this type of ad, you should use a specific landing page that clearly states the message you wish to deliver to consumers, and a simplified way for them to actually convert.
  • Disorganization and Poor Management: The structure of your AdWords account is also incredibly important. If you don’t properly title and organize campaigns, then it is going to be incredibly difficult for you to keep track of what ads are running and why. Also, if no one is regularly updating the account, then errors are sure to follow. The more time spent inside of the Google AdWords platform, the better.

Get it Right, The First Time

Try to avoid all of the aforementioned problems by starting your AdWords account off on the right foot with these strategies:

  • Keyword Research: Since you want to choose your keywords carefully, make sure that there is some logic behind your choices. The best way to do this is to look at old data. Find out what worked well, and what did not in previous campaigns. If you are starting from scratch, you may want to use a trial-and-error approach. Experiment with different keywords until you can clearly identify which are the most successful.
  • Extensions: Adding short sitelink and callout extensions to your ad can greatly increase its value to a consumer. Providing users with easy access to popular pages, or your business’ phone number makes the process much more efficient. Such efficiency and convenience is a huge concern of consumers today, so give them what they want with a simple extension.

Updates From Onimod

Our team of experts is constantly watching current events in digital marketing. We produce several blog posts each and every week to keep our readers up to speed on the latest in the industry.

CLICK HERE to take a look at the Onimod Global blog today!

New Client Website Launch: West Suburban Garage Doors in the Chicagoland

West Suburban Garage Doors (westsuburbangaragedoors.com) is a garage door services company serving areas of the Chicagoland including Oak Park, Hinsdale, Elmhurst, Downers Grove, and other cities. In need of a new website and better SEO presence, our website development expertise at Onimod Global has taken West Suburban Garage Doors to the next level.

Objective:
To build West Suburban Garage Doors a highly functional website from scratch with engaging content and an enhanced SEO presence. At the same time we wanted to ensure device accessibility through Responsive Web Design. West Suburban didn’t just need an appealing website, they needed to showcase their garage door expertise and generate as many new business leads as possible.

Onimod Global’s Strategy:
We implemented an effective Website Development SEO strategy and API Integration to develop a highly responsive website. We built a robustly designed and developed website that empowers West Suburban Garage Doors to attract clients and enable them to become consistent conversions.

Old Website:
West Suburban Garage Doors

Current Website:


Massive Upgrades
:

  • Enhanced on-page Call to Action Tools
  • Parralex Effect backgrounds
  • Enhanced SEO Presence
  • Mobile Responsive Upgrade
  • Custom Design
  • Enhanced on-page Menus
  • Advanced Firewall
  • Custom Back-end for easy client-side updates. 
  • Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
  • Full-width Image Headers
  • Increased Security
  • Job Application Portal
  • Clear Navigation
  • Redesigned News section
  • 2 Color Transparent Header


Contact Us
: If you’re a ROI driven business like West Suburban Garage Doors seeking an upgrade in website development or any other digital marketing services, feel free to reach out to us at Onimod Global on our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you!

Mobile Search Traffic has Taken Over Desktop

It’s no surprise that the quantity of mobile searches has eclipsed desktop searches in the past 2-3 years. The rate of mobile/tablet searches compared to desktop will continue to rise in the future as well. According to Brightedge, it’s reported now that “57% of all search traffic is coming through smartphones and tablets. Compared to 43% from desktop searches.” Listed below are some factors as to why mobile search traffic will continue to surpass desktop.

One of the reasons this remains the case is simplicity and convenience. Smartphones are typically on us at all times and that allows for convenient search engine access at the “tip of our fingers.” Literally in the click of 2-3 buttons, a Google search can be conducted on any smartphone or tablet. This trend isn’t going anywhere in the near future as well. According to the Pew Research Center “Approximately three quarters (77%) of all adults in America today own a smartphone.”

Evolution of Mobile Users

Image from the Pew Research Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “always on the go” mentality of society today is another reason for increased mobile search traffic. Everyone’s got something going on and people are always on the move. Moreover, the direct result of this mindset is a large volume of search traffic coming from mobile devices. Lets say you’re out and about trying to find a place to eat for instance. What’s the first instinct that comes to mind – mobile searching on Google. “Best restaurant in the area” or “best places to eat in the city” are common searches that would be used in these scenarios. In the end, mobile search traffic will continue to flourish and it’s up to advertisers to know how to adapt to this trend.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing expertise, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

New Client Website Launch: Woodfield Garage Doors

Woodfield Garage Doors (woodfieldgaragedoors.com) is a garage door services company serving areas of Chicago including Elgin, Mt. Prospect, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, and other cities. In need of a new website and better SEO presence, our website development expertise at Onimod Global has taken Woodfield Garage Doors to new heights.

Objective:
To construct a highly functional website from scratch with engaging content and an enhanced SEO presence for Woodfield Garage Doors. At the same time we wanted to ensure device accessibility through Responsive Web Design. Woodfield didn’t just need an appealing website, they needed to showcase their garage door expertise and generate as many new business leads as possible.

Onimod Global’s Strategy:
We implemented an effective Website Development SEO strategy and API Integration to develop a highly responsive website. We built a robustly designed and developed website that empowers Woodfield Garage Doors to attract clients and enable them to become consistent conversions.

Old Website:

Current Website:


Massive Upgrades
:

  • Enhanced SEO Presence
  • Enhanced on-page Call to Action Tools
  • Parralex Effect backgrounds
  • Mobile Responsive Upgrade
  • Advanced Firewall
  • Custom Design
  • Custom Back-end for easy client-side updates. 
  • Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
  • Full-width Image Headers
  • Increased Security
  • Enhanced on-page Menus
  • Job Application Portal
  • Clear Navigation
  • Redesigned News section
  • 2 Color Transparent Header


Contact Us
: If you’re a ROI driven business like Woodfield Garage Doors seeking an upgrade in website development or any other digital marketing services, feel free to reach out to us at Onimod Global on our Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you!

3 Digital Strategies for Local Businesses to Drive more Foot Traffic

As foot traffic for local businesses continues to decline due to online shopping preferences, it’s essential for companies to pursue an effective digital marketing strategy. Through the use of digital marketing there are numerous strategies that businesses can implement that will help increase foot traffic. Three simple and cost effective strategies include using local business directories, advertising locally through Google AdWords, and prioritizing social media efforts.

1. Utilize Local Business Directories:
Failing to use local business directories will already put your organization at a disadvantage. Sites like Yelp, Manta, Yellow Pages, Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, and others simply can’t be ignored. Not only are listings free to create for your business, they will help increase search visibility (SEO) and overall brand awareness. It’s worth pointing out that from our current SEO work we have been noticing that local business directories are dominating the organic results. Interested to see how well your business ranks online? Run a free scan on the Onimod Global website by CLICKING HERE.

2. Local advertising with Google AdWords:
In addition to local business directories, advertising locally through Google AdWords can be another effective digital strategy for driving foot traffic. According to the Search Engine Journal, “1 out of every 3 online searches now has local intent.” Some benefits of running local search ads include: increasing local visibility, generating phone calls from customers, and an overall enhancement in local awareness. Ultimately, advertising locally with Google AdWords will ensure your business with a competitive advantage if used efficiently.

3. Prioritize Social Media:
Using social media as a local business seems like an obvious and easy way to increase foot traffic, yet there’s more to social media than just posting once or twice per week. According to DMN “over half of consumers say they’re influenced to think highly of a business after seeing positive praise online.” Now in order for a local business to get plenty of recognition through social media, it starts with connecting with customers and making them feel important. All local businesses should focus on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus as social media starting points. When local presence increases other platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Snapchat can come into play. Essentially, being consistent and visible on multiple social media channels will only help increase local foot traffic.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

Why Digital Marketing is a Major Career Opportunity

With Digital Marketing being the heaviest advertising route used by most organizations today, the career opportunities are flourishing. Whether through digital marketing agencies or companies hiring “in house,” there are plenty of jobs to be filled. Many individuals from the older generations are unfamiliar with concepts like SEO, SEM, Social Media Marketing, Website Development, and other parts of the digital world. Listed below are some reasons as to why digital marketing continues to be a “hot” field for many years to come.

1. Heavy Demand:
It’s no surprise that the demand for digital marketing experts is increasing at a rapid rate. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, “It is anticipated that there would be around 150,000 digital marketing jobs at the end of 2020 and not enough professionals to fulfill them. there will also be a rise in demand for digital marketing professionals by about 38% this year.” Therefore, learning the appropriate digital marketing skills will provide you with a huge competitive advantage in the job hunt.

2. Always Changing:
Digital marketing is an ever changing industry. Web, mobile, and other digital technologies are changing at an extremely fast pace. So why is this a reason to pursue a digital marketing career? Most people aren’t comfortable with or afraid of a field that always adapts, so they decide to stay away from it. It’s essential to understand and stay on top of the current trends in digital marketing to outsmart competitors. See how a client of ours (Theory) utilizes digital marketing to maintain a competitive advantage in the bar industry in Chicago. CLICK HERE to view the case study.

3. Field for Everyone:
The entire landscape of digital marketing consists of numerous skill sets, making it applicable for all sorts of jobs. Many digital marketing organizations not only consist of SEO/SEM strategists, they include graphic designers, business development executives, content writers, social media specialists, and other opportunities. Ultimately, digital marketing is a versatile industry, meaning it requires a mixture of these numerous skills. Passionate about social media, being creative, or writing? Then the digital marketing industry may be for you.

4. Great Opportunity for Advancement:
In addition to the great job outlook for digital marketing careers, the opportunity for advancement in the field is also promising. Entry level positions out of college typically consist of digital marketing strategists, social media specialists, SEO/SEM strategists, etc. If you’re able to catch on quick and continually learn more about the digital marketing world then advancement to an upper level position is highly feasible. Digital marketing managers, director of digital, or a VP of marketing for example are all respectable and reachable advancement opportunities.

Contact Us: For more information regarding digital marketing, visit the Onimod Global Website. We provide weekly news updates on the latest in the world of digital marketing. Enjoy!

How the Healthcare Industry is Utilizing Digital Marketing Strategies

Healthcare is something that is required by every individual. It is a universal need due to the fact that inevitably, everyone gets ill at some point. This need produces an enormous industry and marketplace, which is just beginning to scratch the surface of digital marketing.

While there is money to be made in such a large industry, the primary concern has always been to help people. So how do outsell others in the healthcare business? To answer this question, many organizations are turning to digital marketing.

Best Practices, LLC recently released an article on how pharmaceutical companies are investing more and more into digital marketing. Their goals are to use digital technologies to learn more about their customers and build solid relationships with them.

All of the major digital advertising platforms are equipped with advanced targeting options. The key is to streamline your ads to the perfect audience. Best Practices, LLC took it upon themselves to discover exactly who this audience contains in their report, “Digital Innovation Path: Trends in Healthcare Digital Marketing Innovation, Customer Engagement, Investment and Approvals.”

Key findings in the report conclude that non-branded websites repeatedly drive high ROIs for many businesses, and that implementing standardized templates and open communications with patients is vital.

Digital marketing teams are provided with a substantial amount of creativity when working with non-branded websites. This allows them to be incredibly innovative and successful when it comes to returns for the company.

It is not surprising to also find that simplistic continuity is preferred by consumers. It is essential to keep the process as smooth as possible for those working their way through it. If a problem does arise, it is also important that they can easily reach out for help. Using live chat messaging systems is a common solution to this issue, and is typically received positively by users.

Other general digital marketing strategies to implement in the healthcare field are:

  • Use of Engaging Visual Content: The more original and exceptional content you produce, the better. People want to see you engaging with others and talking about current issues. This helps potential customers see that you care about what is going on in the world, and that you also care about them.
  • Build a Credible Brand Identity: If you want to be taken seriously, then you need a credible brand. This goes hand-in-hand with delivering creative content. Build out your brand by establishing it on other platforms. Social media profiles are the easiest, and cheapest, way to show consumers that your company is legitimate.
  • Have a Quality Website: A good website is another sign of strong brand credibility. This aspect can also increase your visibility and conversion rates. Search engine optimization is what allows websites to rank higher on the first page of Google search results. If Google’s algorithm deems your website as being relevant to users, then it will automatically push it to a higher position. While SEO is a bit complicated and time consuming, it can produce great organic results for your business.