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Digital Marketing – Is it worth it?. Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association. Research Online, Buy Offline. 70% of U.S. online consumers already have researched products online and then bought them offline. 54% of people start their search at a search engine.
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Digital Marketing – Is it worth it? Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association
Research Online, Buy Offline • 70% of U.S. online consumers already have researched products online and then bought them offline. • 54% of people start their search at a search engine. • The web accounted for or influenced 42% of in-storel sales • Study predicts the web will influence 53% of all U.S. retail sales by 2014 • a study from research firm Gartner has discovered that a majority of today's consumers rely to some extent on social networks to help guide them in purchase decisions
Conversation Topics • Internet Marketing –First step • Website • Search Engine Optimization • Search Engine Marketing • Social Media • E-mail Marketing • Defining the audience
Websites The answer to the consumer's question of who, what, when, where, why and how
Are websites necessary? • Its your sign on the information superhighway. A place for people to find you. • A 24 hour, 7-day a week information source.
Websites don't exist for their own sake, but to fulfill a specific purpose and to satisfy a specific consumer need. Define – Measure – Refine to target your audience
Top 11 things ANY website should have… 1. Good Visual Design 2. Organization of website information that matches end users EXPECTATIONS. 3. Navigation above the fold and in the footer 4. Meaningful Content 5. Descriptive "About Us" page 6. Contact Information 7. Search 8. Sitemap 9. Accessible through any internet browser 10. Pictures that download quickly 11. Statistics, Tracking and Analytics
Good Visual Design • First Impressions are Key • Less is more • Movement is fancy but not necessary • Pictures are worth a thousand words – but make sure they don't compete with each other
Website Organization • Research says you have 8 seconds from the time a user comes to your site to take another step in your site. • Identify what you want your customers to do on your site • Make the information easily accessible
Meaningful Content • Information should be communicated in a way the customer will understand and what they want to know. • The information has to be correct • The information has to be updated • Establish credibility: the more knowledge about services that are shared on the site represents the professionalism that consumers will experience with you.
About Us page • Establish an emotional connection by describing your company. • Have a personality. • Provide information on history, employees, community involvement
Contact Information • Make sure your contact information is easily accessible from any part of the site. • Be clear on what kind of contacts: phone number, free consultation, e-mail. • Follow-up!!!
Sign-up/Subscribe • Customer is giving you permission to contact them. • Capture information • Create a non sales contact to remain top-of-mind for the customer – like e-mail newsletter • Inexpensive marketing tools
Search • 8 second rule • Search function must work! • Content must be consistent to common searches by end users
Sitemap • Outline of how your site is organized • Strictly for the search engines to look for and find your information. • Affects organic search (search engine optimization) • No need for it to be a prominent part of your site
Not everyone accesses the internet the same way • End consumers all have different versions of browsers • Your website should work on multiple browsers • Internet Explorer – version 6, 7 • FireFox • Safari • Google Chrome
Graphics, Pictures and Video • 8 second rule • Graphics/pictures must: • Download quickly • Relate to the content • Look professional • Video is a great communication tool • Short videos are perfect • Make sure the person in front of the camera represents you well. • No need to over-produce – doesn't have to look like a commercial – but still needs to be professional.
Statistics, Tracking and Analytics • Great information on how people are finding your site • Adapt information and design to the audience you are trying to reach.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) What is it and Why does it matter, How does it work?
121 billion web pages have been indexed by search engines. (but only 7-8% are reached via search engine results pages)
Search engines are like detectiveslooking for clues… • What is the content the user is looking for? • What content is available? • What content will best satisfy the user?
Website optimization • Targeted keywords • Technical support • Competitive Analysis • Customer content • Site map • Website Content • Regular updates
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) How is it different from SEO, how do they work together?
What is Search Engine Marketing? • Keywords • Textual advertising • Dominant Vs. Standard positions • Cost per click • How to determine a budget • Best uses
Is Social Media a foreign language you don’t speak? • The culture • Customer expectations • The language
E-Mail Marketing • Consumers who engage in opt in email marketing, spend more online, buy impulsively, pay for convenience and tell others about ads and emails they value maximizing ROI. • 67% of US internet users say the motivation behind giving their email address to a company is to receive discounts and promotions. • 57% of internet users worldwide said they are more apt to buy a product or service in a store after getting a marketing email. • Email Marketing is extremely cost efficient, targeted and measurable.
Defining the Audience Right customer Right message Right time
There is no big red EASY button Research says it takes 8-10 touch points before a consumer is at a point of making a buying decision.
Consumers research online when making product selection decisions: • 92%+ use the web when making buying decisions (research, reviews, retailer location, price comparison, etc.) • 70% of U.S. online consumers already have researched products/services online and then bought them offline. • 54% start their research at a search engine • 28% said that social media influenced their buying decision. ( comscore study, December 2009) • After product selected, most important criteria when choosing where to buy are PRICE (38%) and SITE REPUTATION (38%)
Recommendations • Understand you don’t have to do it ALL. • Create a strategy that defines and measures what Interbank considers success. • Get help so that you can focus on your expertise. • Keep in mind that technology is not going away. • Technology will never replace good customer service. • Technology can enhance the customer experience
For more information, contact: • Michelle Kelley • michelle@genesisnetdevelopment.com • 405.990.5213 • JenniShrum • jenni@genesisnetdevelopment.com • 405.204.7088