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Inbound marketing in 2019

Digital marketing trends 2019

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With the new year fast approaching, here’s a round up of some of the top trends for digital marketing in 2019.

Video

As was the case in 2018, the year ahead will still see video content used prolifically for digital marketing. With the growth of Facebook and Instagram live and story functions, videos are the norm and a go to for all.

Marketing Automation

From business development tools through to automated tailored responses to specific emails, when used correctly, marketing automation can free up time, reduce certain admin tasks and highlight potential business opportunities. For an accounting practice it can monitor both outbound and inbound activity. By monitoring activity and aligning systems an overall view is presented thus enabling you to enhance engagement with clients and potential prospects. Ultimately marketing automation is here to stay, the tools available will grow so perhaps it’s time to explore the opportunities out there for your business.

Social Media

If you’re not on any social platform, then 2019 marks the year for your business to embark on the social media marketing journey. Why? Put simply, the channels will continue to grow. Statistics indicate that there’s over 3 billion social media users globally*, so we’ll say it again – join the conversation!

But, what will be the difference to entice you this year? Well, gone are the days of bulk following to get anyone to follow you back, it’s all about quality, not quantity. It’s also about the right content for your audience and each platform will have a different demographic. Audiences pick and choose which they prefer. So, start to target and tailor your content to get it right.
LinkedIn is also one to watch. If you’re working in B2B then you should really have a profile. Social media research has indicated that the biggest user increase in 2018 was LinkedIn, with 145% user growth.

Immersive

Getting potential customers to get really immersed in a brand will see augmented and virtual reality being in the digital marketing trends mix for 2019. We’ve certainly seen property developers using the VR headset to their full advantage with a trendy, yet practical, way to virtually visit properties at fit out stage to help push interest and potential sales through at earlier stages. VR can give additional product detail to customers.

Content is still king

We said it in our 2018 trends and we’ll say it again – keep your content fresh, relevant and engaging to not only aid Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) but importantly to attract and retain customers. Most blog content is suitable at up to 500 words, but long-from content will also become key. Why? When Search engines scour the internet, they value longer posts higher and see it is a trustworthy source. Don’t think you can write anything though. It still needs to be relevant, quality content. Think about developing a lengthier white paper or e-book for prospects to download. While this takes longer to create and will be more costly, you will then have a huge bank of information that you can then break down into smaller bitesize blogs thus repurposing content for your website.

Authenticity

And last, but no means least, be authentic so that your brand resonates with your true audience.

A London based inbound marketing agency, we’re happy to lend you a hand with your digital marketing strategy for 2019, get in touch.

Facebook Inspiration for Business

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Facebook has just announced the launch of a new resource which will help businesses create ads and videos as well as providing insight into ways to be more creative on the channel. The ‘Inspiration’ section on Facebook Business, offers guidelines and resources to help your business utilise the channels functions for getting creative with ads to promote your business.

The resource also gives examples of the best ads for sectors, so whatever industry you’re in, be it an inbound marketing agency in London or a business in a completely different industry, you can see an example of what your peers are posting.

However, it’s worth noting that when it comes to social media usage for business, it’s always worthwhile making sure you understand your target audience before investing in a particular social channel. While Facebook is still one of the most popular social networking apps, it doesn’t automatically make it the best to use for all businesses. Take time to review the channels you’re on, look at what your competitors are using and review your content and whether it’s relevant for your target audience.

Social media agency Croydon

If you need a hand setting up your social media channels or help with your digital marketing strategy for 2019, get in touch.

Source: The Drum

inbound marketing video

YouTube tips for your business

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We’re constantly driving home that content is key. Although, it’s not just about the written word and keeping your blog page up to date, it’s also about the visual content and ensuring you start to feed in video on your social channels and website. But it’s not about posting any old video, it’s so important that your video content is also targeted to your audience, with a relevant script, tagline and call to action.

A great way to host your video content which can be linked to from blogs and social is via YouTube. With over 1.8 billion users on YouTube every month, the business opportunities for using this channel should not be overlooked.

Hootsuite has a great 10-step marketing strategy if you’re new to YouTube. It covers tips on creating the channel through to the importance of researching your competition. As well as how to optimise your videos for SEO and tips on working with an influencer. You can take a look at the top tips here.

Talk to us ,your London based inbound marketing agency, about your digital marketing needs and we’ll advise of the best combination of social channels and tactics to utilise to make you stand out from the crowd.

Feeling festive with the John Lewis ad

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The much-anticipated annual John Lewis Christmas Ad has finally aired. The release of the much-loved advert is often used as an indicator to start getting into the festive spirit, and a reminder that Christmas is just around the corner with its release about six weeks prior to the big day.

This year, John Lewis follows the story of Sir Elton John, beginning with him nostalgically playing his big hit ‘Your Song’ on his piano. It traces back in time through his concerts, 80’s dressing rooms, hippy campervans, and school performances to the Christmas in which he received his first grand piano. With the message ‘some gifts are more than just a gift’.

Some reviews such as the Guardian and The Drum have raised concerns that the company’s use of a celebrity marks a shift from creative and heart felt Ad’s and towards the simplicity of ‘star-power’.

However, at Smart Cow, we admire the use of using a national treasurer singing his emotional song as it brings people together through engaging on social media platforms. It gets everyone in the festive mood. The John Lewis advert is always going to have people rushing to Twitter and other social media platforms to share their opinions. The #EltonJohnLewis hashtag has been trending, allowing people to be a part of the conversation whether that be their love for Christmas, music or for Elton John.

At Smart Cow we loved the advert and it has put us all in a very Christmassy mood! Thanks to the John Lewis Ad it’s got us all inspired to start unpacking the tinsel and getting the halls all decked ready for Christmas!

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