Social Media

Explore expert insights into social media trends with Croydon’s leading web design and digital marketing company. Tailored for SME business owners in South London and Surrey, our category page is the go-to resource for enhancing your digital presence and engagement

Inbound marketing in 2019

Digital marketing trends 2019

by

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

by

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

Make up

Avon sharing

by

Perhaps the phrase ‘Avon calling’ is something for a certain generation here at the Smart Cow office, but with a quick google of the term then you’ll see a raft of adverts from the iconic Mad Men era of the 1950’s. The company itself is over 130 years old and now pitting itself against the big players to keep its place in the beauty market. The Drum magazine has recently interviewed the company to find out how it is rebranding itself for the Instagram generation to compete for its market share.

So, how has a brand synonymous with door to door selling entered the digital age? An app for starters. Potential customers can connect with a representative via the app.  Avon is taking on the Instagram influencers and creating its own bank through its representatives. Take a look at the full article in The Drum.

We certainly think this is a genius move and makes absolute sense. The door to door salesman is now our social media networks.

If you’re looking for some help with your digital marketing strategy and using social media, then get in touch with us to chat through your idea.

Digital marketing tips for the construction sector

by

Digital marketing can help raise awareness about your construction business through timely and newsworthy content, social media and email marketing.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO is a collection of different ways to boost your website to be found easier on a search engine. It means creating fresh content full of key words relating to your sector, from ‘construction’, ‘contracting’, ‘contractor’ #constructionsite’ through to specialism such as ‘scaffolding’, ‘mechanical”, “electrical’ etc. It is also important for small businesses to create a catchment area, this is key to being recognised on a search engine in relation to the location, so be sure to add in areas such as Surrey and Croydon and share images and case studies of the work you have completed in the area. As an inbound marketing agency, SEO is something we’re proficient in so for more details get in touch.

Pay Per Click (PPC)

The online construction market is very competitive so what often comes with SEO is investment in a Pay Per Click campaign. This means you pay to have tailored campaigns which appear as ads on a search engine or social media platform of your choice when you have used specific keywords that your potential customers are using. What this does is allow a wider audience to visit your website which in time helps with SEO and improvement in search rankings. We can make these campaigns specific to your construction business in Surrey, Croydon and the surrounding areas.

Social Media Marketing

There are many social media channels out there all with millions of users, so it is important to start engaging on some of these platforms. Having a social media account allows you to engage with potential clients. For a construction firm we would suggest a focus on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Email Marketing

Email marketing can help keep your customer base informed of services. Email marketing is looked at as being out dated and inefficient, however it seems to be the leading source of revenue for companies, so be sure to consider its benefits for your business. At Smart Cow we use Constant Contact as a way of distributing email marketing.

Digital Marketing in Construction Industry 

For more insight and guidance into digital marketing in the construction industry get in contact with Smart Cow via our website and find out what we can do for you construction business

Facebook Linkedin Instagram Youtube Envelope X-twitter