Three ways you can use Google’s tools to dominate local search

Often, when companies think about search engine optimisation, it’s largely focused on determining where their business shows up on a search results page. While this is, of course, an important part of the equation, it also assumes that all search is the same. In truth, search results are not created equal — especially when it comes to those for local businesses.

Unlike companies that operate primarily online or have locations everywhere, local businesses tend to have...

9 October 2019 | Advertising

Zero likes given: Kahlua’s latest campaign was true to its roots – but portrayed a serious message

Last month, a curious exhibition took place in New York. The photographs showcased would have, by conventional standards, led to the exhibition being a complete dud.

Yet this pop-up showcase, put together by liqueur brand Kahlua and actress Jackie Cruz, proffered to showcase a different form of creativity. The pictures (below) had been uploaded to the ether of Instagram but had not received a single like between them.

For Kahlua, which has long portrayed itself as an...

2 August 2019 | Branding

A guide to campaign tracking for simple and stress-free analytics

Any business that wants to be successful needs to know which marketing techniques are effective to their customers, members and target audience. Without this knowledge, it’s impossible to know whether your marketing campaigns are effective or if they are simply wasting your time and money.

Which means that campaign tracking is a fundamental part of digital marketing reporting, and if you’re not doing it, or doing it incorrectly, then you may end up using your budgets for...

22 May 2019 | Campaigns

The 2019 data outlook sees spending rocket and multi-channel key amid regulatory concerns

Data spending continues to go up - but getting fresh, gleaming, actionable insights remains a challenge. According to a new survey published by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), organisations are looking to multi-channel to create those harmonious experiences users will love.

The study, which polled 105 professionals focused across marketing service providers, developers and publishers, found cross-channel campaign measurement and attribution - cited by 57.3% of those polled -...

12 March 2019 | Advertising

Yannic Pluymackers, CMO, Lastminute.com: On management and creating moments for users

You don’t have to be a data scientist to be a CMO these days, but it helps.

That might be stretching the idiom a bit – but a data-centric background certainly hasn’t hindered Yannic Pluymackers. The chief marketing officer of Lastminute.com for more than two years – while admitting he is no data scientist himself – studied economics and statistics at university, and feels being conversant in these disciplines is key.

“There is some truth...

6 December 2018 | Advertising Technology

Three key ways predictive analytics can improve social performance

AI is gaining significant readership. Businesses of all sizes, all over the world, are becoming conscious of the rise in AI in the marketing field. Why is this happening? Put simply, every single business needs the same thing: getting clients. Reach an audience, the right one, and sell. No tricks on that.

All executives know that to be profitable companies need to sell – but over the last few years they are facing a continual decrease in their ROI. Marketing and sales...

27 November 2018 | Automation

Pay attention: Why it’s time to rethink the meaning of engagement

Making an impression on consumers through standard display advertising has become incredibly difficult. Not only is the landscape becoming more and more cluttered as brands compete for attention online, but 40% of British consumers claim to dislike all types of online advertising, and ad blocking usage levels are remaining around 25%.

Similarly, according to data from Lumen’s eye-tracking panel only 12% of people actually look at online ads - let alone interact with them...

19 November 2018 | Advertising

Transforming customer experience into an actionable marketing strategy: A guide

The workforce as we know it is changing and companies must be ready to adapt to fast change as we become ever more tech-centric. However, despite the digital noise there is one element that will always remain a constant requirement for success; delivering an excellent customer experience (CX) and maintaining a well-received brand image.

In our highly connected 'always on' digital world, CX combined with word of mouth is potentially one of the most powerful marketing tools...

12 November 2018 | CRM

Why cheap traffic costs a lot more to your business than you think

Publishers are under immense pressure to provide high-volume traffic in order to meet demand, especially with prices reducing over time. Because of this, they will often reach out to third parties in order to increase their traffic volume, known as traffic-sourcing.

While there are reliable sources, there are also many fraud schemes in this arena, some of which are very difficult to stop and prevent. These smart fraud schemes look like other sourced traffic on the surface, enticing...

25 October 2018 | Advertising

Why it’s time to end our industry obsession with CTR

Brand awareness is an essential top-of-the-marketing-funnel activity for any advertiser and is one of the key strengths of B2B programmatic. Getting the brand known and recognised in front of the right audience helps to drive potential customers down the challenging path to a purchase or acquisition. With B2B buying cycles being much longer than the majority of B2C purchases, a gentle but ever-present ‘background noise’ is vital to getting the target audience to move down the...

25 September 2018 | Advertising