Category: Web and App

An Amazing Guide to Optimizing Emails for Mobile

Email marketing has one of the best-known ROIs in the eCommerce world, with the possibilities going up to even 4400%. To put that in perspective, it’s a return of $44 on every dollar invested. Now that you know just how important this field is, let’s take a shallow dive into how you can optimize these emails for mobile phones and their small displays. We’ll briefly discuss some important structural points.

Layout

First and foremost, let’s talk about layout and design. On a mobile device, the screen is smaller, and therefore, less content is visible at a time. To combat this, it’s essential to use a single-column layout and to stack elements vertically rather than horizontally. This will make it easier for the reader to scroll through and digest the content. It’s also a good idea to use a responsive design, which means that the email will automatically adjust to fit the size and orientation of the device it’s being viewed on.

Body

In addition to the layout, it’s essential to focus on the size of your text. Make sure that your font size is large enough to be easily readable on a mobile device. It’s also a good idea to use bold and/or italicized text to highlight important information and make it stand out. When it comes to choosing a font, it’s important to consider readability as well as aesthetics. Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Helvetica tend to be more legible on a small screen, while serif fonts like Times New Roman and Georgia may be more difficult to read.

Now let’s talk about the content of your emails. Keep the messaging clear and concise, and avoid long text blocks. Use bullet points or numbered lists to break up the content and make it easier to scan. It’s also a good idea to use images, but be mindful of the file size. Large images can slow down the loading time of your email, which can be frustrating for the reader. Consider using compressed image files or smaller, thumbnail-sized images to strike a balance between aesthetics and speed.

Preheader

Apart from layout, design, and content, it’s important to focus on the subject line and preheader text of your emails. These are the first things that a reader will see, so it’s important to make them attention-grabbing and informative. Consider using emojis or power words to make your subject line stand out in the crowded inbox. The preheader text is the snippet of text that appears below or next to the subject line in the inbox, so it’s important to make it descriptive and compelling.

Call to action

Finally, don’t forget to include calls to action in your emails. Make it easy for the reader to take the next step, whether it’s purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter. Use buttons or links with clear and descriptive text to guide the reader to the desired action. It’s also a good idea to use personalized language and address the reader by name to make the email feel more targeted and relevant.

By following these few tips and testing different variations, you can create effective and compelling CTAs that guide the reader to take the desired action. Whether it’s purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or visiting a website, well-crafted CTAs can be a powerful tool in your email marketing arsenal. So, it’s always important to pay special attention to them and make sure they are effective and well-placed in your emails.

Conclusion

Optimizing your emails for mobile and smaller device screens is essential for the success of any digital marketing campaign. Any part of the audience shouldn’t be left unattended and mobile devices make up the biggest share of the email marketing audience. By considering the layout, design, content, subject line, and calls to action, you can craft emails that not only look great but also function seamlessly on a variety of devices. 

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5 Tips to Retain Web Visitors

Have you ever heard of the rule of seven? This is the rule in which people see your name, your company brand, and your product or service seven times, and then they are more likely to buy. This rule exists because marketers all over the world have noticed that the more people see your product or brand, the more likely they are to convert and buy. 

What to do if you have zero website visitors?

• Identify keywords and topics that you can win today. Once you find suitable keywords, filter them based on intent. 
• Learn from your competitor’s strategy and spot opportunities. Look at the top pages. 
• Create in-depth content around the main topics you want to focus on. 

How to get more returning visitors?

•  Remarket your visitors using Google AdWords or Facebook.

Every time someone’s on Google or Facebook or YouTube they will see an ad that brings them back to your website. If you are selling a product or service, this is one of the best things you can do because the people who are more likely to buy aren’t just random people who haven’t been to your website. It is people who have already been there once, they already know you, and you have already built trust. So when they come back to your site they are much more likely to convert. If you are selling a paid product or service, or you are collecting leads, remarketing is worth it. 

• Start collecting emails.

It is up to you to decide what method you want to use to collect emails. But once you collect them, you can keep emailing those people back on new content that you have, offers, or promos, so that way they keep coming back to your website. 

• Push notifications

If someone is browsing your website, the system will ask if they want to subscribe through the browser. If they click yes, then when they are browsing any website on the web, they will get a notification that asks them to go back to the previous website. 

• Let your content match the headline

Make sure the content that you are uploading on your website matches the tagline that you’re giving. Let your content live up to the headline that you are using. 

• Keep it simple

Avoid using more colors and complex designs on your website. Let it be simple and up to mark.

What is retargeting and how to leverage it?

When someone first comes to your website, they are probably not going to buy. On the high end, you are lucky if five out of a hundred people who come to your website buy. Realistically, one to three out of a hundred are going to buy, the rest aren’t. Targetting or remarketing is that, when someone comes to your website you can pixel them. These are interchangeable. There are a few ad companies that do retarget, and the main ones are Facebook ads, and the second one is Google AdWords. It’s a friendly way of stalking on the web. It is not about collecting sensitive information on the customers. These ad companies are smart and sophisticated in that, they are protecting people’s privacy. What happens is that you are following them around and showing them your product or service and trying to get them back to your website to buy. 

How to optimize your website for more organic traffic?

When it comes to getting more traffic to your website the options are pretty much endless. You can pay for advertising and buy clicks through pay-per-click advertising or PPC. Anything can and often does work when it comes to generating more traffic and getting more visitors to your website. 

1. Keyword Research

This is all about making sure that your website shows up in the right place at the right time for the right people. It is the most crucial step when it comes to optimising a website and doing any kind of Search engine optimisation or SEO on your website or your content in general. Make sure that the keywords are things that people search for. 

2. Competitor research

New website owners think that they need to completely reinvent the wheel, and go where no website has gone before. Take some time to dive into your competitor’s websites to see what they are doing, and what you can learn from them. See what keywords they are using, what kind of content they have on their website, what kind of structure, design and layout are they using, and what kind of backlinks they have on their website. 

3. Website Checklist 

This helps to work through things systematically from top to bottom. Without using a proper and well-structured SEO checklist you may miss something which could completely demolish your chance of getting any traffic or any visitors to your website. 

4. Provide a great user experience to the visitor. This is very important in retaining visitors to your website

5. Make your website is more engaging

Most people prefer watching videos to reading long texts. So try to add videos for better communication. This will be a game-changer.

How do you optimize your website for you business?

This Member Spotlight article summarizes one DMI member’s experience with successful websites. It’s all yours to play, so if you want to be in the digital marketing game and make a difference, submit your work for publication on our community review site! 

 Have you ever created a website  and been disappointed with its performance? Or maybe you had a website that once worked pretty well, but  no longer brings in sales? 

 If your website is not  used as one of the important factors in selling your business, you may be in a trap. 

 After working on hundreds of websites and consulting with many business owners over the past 10 years, I have found that most  business owners who need help with their website tend to fall into one of  two traps: 

1.  Knowledge Trap

In my experience, many new entrepreneurs do not understand the importance of  quality web design and marketing. They often underestimate the power of a professionally designed website, often mistaking the low price for value and choosing the cheapest web designer available. 

 Many new entrepreneurs don’t realize  that  all websites are not created equal. Think of it this way:  Ferrari and  Fiat Punto are both cars, but which one performs better? It’s the same with a website.

2. The Stagnation Trap

 What worked for your site a few years ago may not  work today. As more and more businesses are  just beginning to understand the importance of successfully competing  online, the competition for online visibility  has intensified. Those who invest heavily in the continuous improvement of their websites and digital marketing will benefit, while those who stand still and stagnate will die. 

 So whether you’ve built a website that’s doing nothing for your business, or you’ve noticed a significant decline in  your website’s performance, there’s hope. Below I will highlight some  key areas that you need to focus on and improve if necessary. 

3. Results

Everything we do online should  facilitate conversion optimization. Conversion optimization is how we convert website visitors into buyers, effectively turning the website into a sales machine. There are four things you need to do to achieve this  and if you do them right, you will see a big difference in sales; 

•   digital strategy 
•   quality website 
•   quality traffic 
•   ability to analyze  and improve data

Here are four ways to make it more detailed:

1. Digital Strategy

Let’s be honest, did you have a digital strategy when you started your business and  built your website? If the answer is no, don’t worry, many people don’t start  with a digital strategy. But for the good of your business, it is very important that you do your homework first. 

 When you started your business, you would have had a business plan that gave you  direction, a plan of action on how you plan to grow your business in the short to medium term. A digital strategy is very similar and  also gives you an idea of ​​what the competition is like online and what you need to do online to achieve your goals.

2.  Quality Website

If you want a  quality website that will have a significant positive impact on your business, you need to hire a  quality website designer, and it doesn’t come cheap. A professional web designer just doesn’t work on the cheap, they don’t have to. 

 In my own experience  it can be difficult to find the right designer in Ireland and the  quality can vary. Many of my clients have had to use multiple designers after bad experiences.

3.  Quality Traffic

There are many ways to generate quality traffic to your website, such as Google Ads, SEO, Social Media, but to make it simple, I like  traffic  either paid or free (or organic) Traffic. 

Analyze and Improve

 Without the ability to understand where our customers come from and how they interact with our website, we are in the dark. It’s not enough to install Google Analytics  and just know how many visitors we get; we need to know where the valuable visitors or results are coming from. 

 Example: Imagine your website received 20 hits/visitors yesterday and three people contacted your business. How do you know which three of those 20 converted? Let’s say you discovered and realized that one channel or keyword generated 3 paying customers and the other 17 were useless. You  want to focus on increasing the number of visitors through that channel or keyword and thus significantly increase your sales. This is achieved through tracking technology. 

 Results Tracking  

 Website tracking technology works best  with PPC advertising campaigns. In the past, Google Analytics provided more detailed information to let us know which free keywords produced results, but unfortunately since 2011, Google has hidden this data for privacy reasons, making it difficult for us to understand how our free traffic is converting. However, when used in conjunction with paid advertising, we can see which ads work best. This maximizes the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and reduces our advertising costs. 

 Social Media Performance Tracking 

 All social media advertising accounts like LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Facebook now offer a tracking code like the Facebook Pixel. By adding this tracking code to your website code, you can set up conversion tracking in your ad account. Depending on the platform you use, you will receive detailed instructions for tracking certain events such as button clicks,  cart additions, etc. 

 Google Ads Conversion Tracking 

  Google Ads Conversion Tracking is best done by setting goals in  Google Analytics. Finally, connect your Google Analytics account to your Google Ads account and import the goals back into Google Ads. It unifies your tracking between Google Analytics and Google Ads, giving you a single source of truth about conversions. 

 Top tip: After about 6 months of advertising you should see a pattern, for example you might have 2 campaigns  with 5 ads in each campaign. You may find that only 2 out of  10 of these ads convert. With this information, you can make an informed decision and eliminate ads that are costing you money, but not for you, and redirect your entire budget to what really works. This can have a dramatic effect on sales.

Conclusion 

 If your website is not working for your business, the main areas to focus on are; digital strategy,  high quality website, high quality traffic and the ability to analyze data and make improvements. With a digital strategy, we have a plan  on how to achieve our goals. On premium websites, we are willing to collect customer contact information. When we drive quality traffic  to our business, we have a much better chance of getting leads and making sales, and when we understand exactly where that  quality traffic is coming from, we can laser-focus on what really works best for your business.

Creating Mobile-Friendly Content #101

In today’s digital world, it is increasingly important for businesses to have mobile-friendly websites to reach the maximum number of potential customers. With over half of all internet traffic now coming from mobile devices, eCommerce sites must be optimized for mobile use. In this article, we will discuss the various ways to create mobile-friendly content and provide best practices for ensuring that your site is easily navigable and enjoyable for mobile users.

Typography

One of the most important aspects of creating mobile-friendly content is optimizing the way text is displayed on the screen. Mobile users tend to scan content rather than read it word for word, so it is crucial to structure your text in a way that is easy to scan. 

Use shorter paragraphs and bullet points to break up large blocks of text, and use headings and subheadings to help users understand the main points of your content. It is also a good idea to use font sizes that are easily readable on a mobile device, typically around 14-16 point font.

Conveyance

In addition to formatting your text for easy reading on a mobile device, it is also essential to consider the language and tone of your copywriting. Mobile users are often looking for quick and easy-to-understand information, so use clear and concise language to get your message across. 

Avoid using industry jargon or complex vocabulary, and focus on writing in a friendly and approachable tone. It is also a good idea to use actionable language and include a call to action to encourage users to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

Conciseness

Another key element of mobile-friendly copywriting is the use of shorter words whenever possible. Mobile screens are small, so it is important to use language that is easy to read and understand at a glance. 

Avoid using long words or phrases when shorter alternatives are available and try to keep your sentences as concise as possible. It is also a good idea to use active voice instead of passive voice, as this can make your writing more direct and engaging for readers.

Media

In addition to optimizing text, it is also important to consider the way images and videos are displayed on your mobile site. Large, high-resolution images can take a long time to load on mobile devices, which can be frustrating for users. 

To optimize your images, consider using smaller, lower-resolution versions or using a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your images. It is also a good idea to use descriptive, relevant file names for your images and to properly size them before uploading them to your website.

Images

In addition to using smaller images, it is also essential to consider the overall load time of your mobile site. Mobile users are often on the go and may not have access to high-speed internet, so it is crucial to ensure that your site loads quickly. 

To improve your load times, consider optimizing your images and other media files, reducing the number of redirects, and minifying your CSS and JavaScript files. You can also consider using lazy loading, which only loads content as it is needed, to further improve load times for your mobile users.

Optimizing Videos

Videos can be an excellent way to engage mobile users, but it is important to consider the way they are displayed on your site. To optimize your videos for mobile, consider using a responsive video player that adjusts to the size of the user’s screen, and use a video hosting service that is optimized for mobile delivery. 

You should also consider the length of your videos and aim to keep them as short as possible, as mobile users may not have a lot of time to watch long videos. It is also a good idea to use descriptive, relevant titles and captions for your videos, as this can help users understand what the video is about before they start watching.

Optimize Design

In addition to optimizing your content, it is also important to consider the overall design of your mobile site. Mobile users often interact with websites in different ways than desktop users, so it is essential to ensure that your site is easy to navigate and use on a small screen. 

Consider using a responsive design that adjusts to the size of the user’s screen, and use large buttons and easy-to-read fonts to make it easy for users to interact with your site. It is also a good idea to use white space effectively to help break up content and make it easier to read.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating mobile-friendly content is crucial for businesses looking to reach the maximum number of potential customers. By optimizing text reading patterns, using best practices for mobile copywriting, optimizing images and videos, and optimizing design, you can ensure that your eCommerce site is enjoyable and easy to use for mobile users.

To stay up to date with the latest eCommerce strategies, consider subscribing to our newsletter. You can also follow us on social media Blustream Integrated for regular updates and tips. Thank you for reading!

User Experience – Why is it so important?

While Running your campaigns, have you ever noticed that the bounce rate is high and you are not converting, even though it seems like you have done everything perfectly? User experience design might be the culprit here. User experience is the way a user interacts with your website. User experience is also involved in helping evaluate and helping to test what is proposed, making sure that you are building the right thing. 

Your website needs to be designed in such a way that the user can find all the information required and all the steps required to be able to do their task. If the UX design of your website is bad, is not intuitive, and is confusing, the user will just leave your website and they will go to a competitor’s website. 

How to step up your website?

• Try to make your website as much easy to use as possible. The navigation should be easy and there should be consistency and the user should be able to follow the guidelines throughout the website. 

• The page speed of the website should be as good as possible. 

• Optimize for mobile

People are always on the run and their smartphones are their computers which are in their pockets. So it should provide the option to access your website, regardless of where they are. Design the mobile version of your website or landing page first, and then move on to the desktop. 

• Testing your UX design is very important. It is better to test a second or third time while running any campaigns. 

Importance of UX for digital marketing strategy

• Colors matter.

Guiding users to contact points through the use of color, shape, and custom icons.

• Keep pages simple

Choosing the right font can give a fresh touch, or a feeling of something new, and unexpected to your content. 

• Add videos

Videos are a great way to convey necessary information. This helps in bringing entertainment to a website. 

• Test out your designs

Get feedback from a user’s genuine first impressions. It is the most valid indicator of the UX. 

• Keep pages clutter-free

Make sure to give the eye’s attention with elements that are arranged effectively. Try to give a proper placement for all the elements added and allow for flow.

Importance of UX writing in digital marketing

• It leads us into the mind of the user. 

Giving attention to the words and actively reading the interface as a user, helps to effectively stay engaged easier, and know how the visitor will interact with the interface. 

• This gives context and direction to the flow.

Check if the button label is explicitly giving the details of what will happen when a user taps it.  Does the copy language provide the user context as to where they are in the flow? Is the following screen in the correct series, or have you missed a crucial step?

• It shows those design problems that may have been missed.

Reviewing your UX copy is the best way to check and identify the design issues that may have flown under the radar.

• It determines the spacing and size.

Without an understanding of copy size and spacing, you cannot design accurately. Having a stab at the copy helps in understanding the dimensions that you should work with. 

• It prompts early stakeholder input.

Your role as a UX writer is to start the conversations early. This is to get you started with the initial input. You will gain profit from this.  

• The unreliability that can happen in the product experience can be clarified.

When a new product is introduced in the market, the user needs specific guidelines for them. In such a situation, writing UX will take the role of a facilitator. It makes the product experience clear.

• UX writing humanizes your products.

For instance, if we take the example of slack, which is a company known for its voice or retable branding when a new user joins the workspace, required assistance is given by the chatbot, which acts as a live support agent. 

• It helps you drive more engagement. 

Engagement consists of user interaction and communication with the services and products offered by the company to its customers. UX writing helps in driving more engagement.

• During every stage of UX writing, identify users.

A well-designed strategy of UX writing in digital marketing shows the user’s intentions, feelings, and needs.

The Role & Value Of UX

• Help create a better understanding of users and customers and express the same

• Provides a framework & additional detail about how the strategy is translated into an experience

• Helps identify opportunities for creative ideas as well as what they need to address where & when

• Considers the wider context of devices, touchpoints & other aspects that might have an impact

The Ultimate Guide to building great Landing pages

A well-designed landing page can be the difference between a website visitor becoming a customer or bouncing off to a competitor. In today’s digital age, it’s crucial for businesses to optimize their landing pages to increase conversions and drive sales. 

An average user will take seconds to quit your site if it doesn’t seem relevant to them or fails to convey the user intent or even if it fails to load in time. All your SEO goes to the dump — but we won’t let that happen to you. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to optimizing your landing page for instant lead conversion with immediate effects!

Define your target audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial to creating a successful landing page. You should have a clear idea of who your customers are, including their age, gender, location, interests, and pain points. This will help you create messaging and a design that resonates with them and speaks to their specific needs. 

For example, if your target audience is young professionals, you might use language that speaks to their desire for convenience and efficiency, and include images that reflect their lifestyle. On the other hand, if your target audience is older and more established, you might use language that emphasizes security and reliability, and include images that are more traditional and conservative.

Choose a clear, compelling value proposition

The value proposition is the main promise you are making to your audience on your landing page. It should be clear, concise, and attention-grabbing, and should speak directly to your audience’s needs and how your product or service can solve their problems. 

For example, if your product is a time-saving tool, your value proposition might be something like “Save time and increase productivity with our tool.” Your value proposition should be prominently displayed on your landing page, ideally above the fold so that it’s the first thing visitors see.

Design for simplicity and usability

When it comes to landing page design, less is often more. Avoid clutter and keep the page layout clean and easy to navigate. Use clear and concise headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to break up the content and make it easier for visitors to scan. Be sure to include only the most essential information and calls to action, and use high-quality images and graphics to illustrate your points.

Include social proof

Social proof refers to the idea that people are more likely to take action if they see that others have already done so. This can include customer reviews, testimonials, and even media mentions. By showcasing social proof on your landing page, you can build trust and credibility with your audience and increase the chances of them converting.

A/B test your landing page

A/B testing involves creating two versions of your landing page and comparing their performance. This can help you identify what elements of your page are working and which ones might be hindering conversions. You can test things like the headline, call to action, layout, and even the color scheme to see which version performs better. 

A/B testing allows you to make data-driven decisions about your landing page, rather than relying on guesswork or assumptions. By continuously testing and optimizing your landing page, you can improve its performance over time.

Optimize for mobile

With more and more people accessing the internet on their smartphones, it’s important to make sure your landing page is optimized for mobile. This means ensuring that the page loads quickly, is easy to navigate on a small screen, and has a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes. 

To know more about optimizing your page for mobile devices, take a quick look at this article.

Use clear and specific calls to action

Your call to action (CTA) is what you want your audience to do once they’ve landed on your page. It could be to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or download a free guide. Whatever it is, be sure to make it clear and specific. Use actionable language and include a strong CTA button that stands out on the page.

Conclusion

Building a great landing page requires a combination of strategy and design. By defining your target audience, crafting a compelling value proposition, designing for simplicity and usability, and including social proof and clear CTAs, you can create landing pages that effectively convert website visitors into customers. 

This might seem like a lot to digest or work on, but once implemented, you’ll be surprised by the grandiose results these tweaks can instantly offer. That was it with this one, see you in the next one!

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