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So, you’ve got killer ideas, a fire in your belly, and dreams as big as the sky. You’re ready to take on the world with your own business. But hold your horses, my ambitious friend! Before you start ordering those “CEO” business cards, let’s talk about the cost to start a business and make those dreams a reality.
The beginning
First up, let’s talk about setting up shop (or buying an existing business). Whether you’re opening a cozy coffee shop or launching the next big tech startup, there are some basic costs you can’t escape. Think business licenses, permits (they can take their sweet time), and all that fun legal stuff. Due diligence can’t be skimped on so be prepared to shell out some dough for a good lawyer. Writing an business plan is also a good idea. It’ll help you gain clarity of your vision and goals as well as help you identify potential opportunities and challenges.
Housing it all
You’ll need a location for your business whether you need a store front or a backroom warehouse. One of the key decisions you’ll need to make is whether to lease or purchase a commercial space for your operations. Leasing can be a cost-effective option, especially for new businesses, as it typically requires a lower upfront investment compared to buying property. It also offers flexibility, allowing you to relocate or renegotiate terms as your business grows or circumstances change. However, it’s essential to carefully review the lease agreement, paying close attention to factors such as the lease term, rent escalations, renewal options, and any restrictions on the use of the space. Engaging a real estate professional or an lawyer can help you navigate the leasing process and ensure you secure favourable terms that align with your business needs and long-term goals.
The next step
Now, let’s talk about the fun stuff – plant and stock. Depending on your business, this could mean anything from a warehouse full of gadgets to a garden full of organic kale. Either way, it’s gonna cost ya. And don’t forget about marketing! You’ll need a killer logo that screams “I’m awesome!”, a website that doesn’t look like it was built in the ’90s, signage that makes people stop and stare, and print materials that make you look like a million bucks (even if your bank account says otherwise).
It doesn’t stop there. Don’t forget about the little things that add up fast like office supplies, insurance, and let’s not forget about everyone’s favourite – taxes! Yep, Uncle Chris wants his cut, even if your business is just a twinkle in your eye.
Whats the damage?
So, how much is all this gonna cost you? The truth is, it varies. But here’s a tip: take whatever number you have in your head, and then double it. And just for good measure, add a little extra on top. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
But hey, don’t let all this talk of money scare you off. Starting a business is like riding a roller coaster – it’s scary, it’s exhilarating, and sometimes you’ll want to throw up. But in the end, it’s one heck of a ride. So, strap in, hold on tight, and get ready to chase those dreams – cash in hand!
The main advice – don’t skimp on the marketing when you start a business
Starting a business is no walk in the park, especially when it comes to money. But with a little humour, a lot of hard work, and maybe a few extra dollars in your pocket, you can turn those dreams into reality.
So, go ahead, take the plunge – just don’t forget to leave enough in the piggy bank to market your great venture. There is no point in putting in all the time and effort to start a business but not being able to effectively tell anyone about it.
In the world of digital advertising, CPM (Cost Per Mille or Cost Per Thousand Impressions) is a popular pricing model used by publishers and advertisers alike. CPM advertising involves paying a fixed rate for every 1,000 impressions (an impression is when someone views or interacts with your ad) of an advertisement. While this model has its advantages, it also comes with its fair share of drawbacks. Let’s explore the pros and cons of CPM advertising.
Pros of CPM Advertising:
Guaranteed Exposure:
With CPM advertising, advertisers are assured that their ads will be displayed a specific number of times, regardless of whether the ads are clicked on or not. This guaranteed exposure can be beneficial for brand awareness campaigns and reaching a broad audience.
Cost Control:
CPM pricing allows advertisers to set a fixed budget for their campaigns. Since the cost is based on impressions, advertisers can predict their expenses more accurately, making it easier to manage their advertising budgets.
Audience Targeting:
Publishers often offer various targeting options, such as demographic, geographic, and contextual targeting, which can help advertisers reach their desired audience more effectively.
Cons of CPM Advertising:
Lack of Direct Response:
This type of advertising is not ideal for direct response campaigns where the primary goal is to generate immediate clicks, conversions, or sales. Since advertisers pay for impressions rather than actions, there is no guarantee that the ads will generate the desired level of engagement or conversions.
Ad Blindness:
As users become more accustomed to online advertising, they may develop “ad blindness”. This is where the viewer ignores or subconsciously filters out advertisements, reducing the effectiveness of CPM campaigns.
Viewability Issues:
Not all impressions are equal. Some impressions may occur when the ad is not visible to the user. Usually because it was loaded off-screen or because the user scrolled past it quickly. This can lead to wasted ad spend and ineffective campaigns.
Potential for Fraud:
CPM advertising is susceptible to impression fraud, where malicious actors generate fake impressions to inflate their revenue. This can result in advertisers paying for impressions that were never seen by real users.
CPM advertising can be an effective option for brand awareness campaigns and reaching a broad audience within a fixed budget. However, it may not be the best choice for campaigns focused on direct response or conversions. Advertisers should carefully evaluate their campaign goals, target audience, and budget when deciding whether to use CPM advertising or explore alternative pricing models such as CPC (Cost Per Click) or CPA (Cost Per Acquisition).
Digital Advertising is another name for Digital Marketing right? Not quite. Digital Marketing is the overall umbrella term covering many categories including strategy. So what is Digital Advertising then? In short, it is all the advertising avenues available to you within this Digital Marketing realm. In the ever changing landscape of marketing, digital advertising has emerged as a game-changer. It has revolutionised the way businesses connect with their target audiences. As consumers increasingly embrace digital platforms, savvy marketers are using the vast potential of this mode of advertising to reach, engage, and convert prospective customers like never before.
At the heart of digital advertising, lies the ability to precisely target and personalise advertising campaigns. Unlike traditional advertising methods, digital platforms offer a wealth of data and insights that allow businesses to tailor their messaging and delivery to specific demographics, interests, behaviours, and even geographic locations.
There are many elements to advertising in the digital world. We’ve broken them down into bite-sized chunks to help you understand each one.
Digital Advertising Areas:
SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
You might be thinking what the heck is search engine marketing? SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing. It is a form of digital marketing that focuses on promoting websites and increasing their visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and Duckduckgo.
SEM encompasses two main strategies:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO involves optimising athe content of a website, the structure, and other elements to improve its ranking in organic (non-paid) search engine results. This includes techniques like keyword research, on-page optimisation, technical SEO, content creation, and link building.
Paid Search Advertising (Pay-Per-Click or PPC)
Paid search advertising, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, involves placing ads on search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords or phrases. Advertisers bid on these keywords and pay a fee each time their ad is clicked by a user. Popular PPC platforms include Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads).
The primary goal of SEM is to increase a website’s visibility and drive more qualified traffic from search engines, ultimately leading to higher engagement, conversions, and revenue. By combining SEO and PPC strategies, businesses can achieve better search engine rankings, reach a wider audience, and target users at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising has also emerged as a potent force in the digital realm. With billions of active users across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, businesses can leverage technical targeting capabilities to serve highly relevant ads to their ideal customers. Social media advertising not only drives brand awareness and engagement but also offers valuable retargeting opportunities to nurture leads and convert prospects into loyal customers. Some examples of major brands nailing the social media game include Wendy’s, Netflix and Hell pizza.
Sponsored ads
Sponsored ads on social media platforms have emerged as a powerful advertising tool for businesses to reach and engage with their target audiences effectively. These ads are strategically placed within the news feeds or content streams of users. They blend seamlessly with organic content while taking advantage of advanced targeting capabilities.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer targeting options that allow advertisers to precisely define their ideal audience based on factors such as demographics, interests, behaviours, and geographic locations. Sponsored ads can take various formats, including image posts, video content, carousel ads, and even interactive experiences, designed to capture user attention and drive meaningful actions.
With detailed analytics and performance tracking, businesses can continually optimise their sponsored ad campaigns. This ensures maximum return on investment while nurturing brand awareness, generating leads, and driving conversions.
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing that involves partnering with influential people or creators who have a dedicated following within a specific niche or industry. The goal is to leverage the influence, credibility, and reach of these individuals to promote a brand’s products, services, or messaging to their audience.
Many celebrities are into influencer marketing (Mr Beast anyone?) but it can also work well for anyone with a decent following. If you are looking to try influencer marketing, carefully select influencers who align with your values, target audience, and marketing goals.
Display advertising
Not to be confused with Google display ads, display advertising involves placing visual ads on websites, apps, and other digital platforms. It is another invaluable component of digital marketing strategies. Through programmatic advertising and real-time bidding, businesses can efficiently place their ads on the most relevant and high-traffic websites, ensuring maximum visibility and reach.
Banner Ads
Display ads are visually striking graphic units strategically placed on digital platforms that command attention and drive action. They take advantage of programmatic targeting reaching defined audiences based on data, and real-time bidding for efficient placement.
Versatile assets for brand awareness or direct response, banner ads combine engaging visuals, compelling copy, and clear CTAs to capture interest and spur desired actions like site visits, leads, and conversions.
Despite new ad formats, banner ads’ ability to cut through noise and deliver measurable results solidifies their relevance. Well-executed banner campaigns are a good choice to maximise ROI and create impactful digital outreach.
Rich Media Ads
Rich media ads are advanced display advertisements that incorporate multimedia elements like video, audio, animations, or interactive features to create an engaging and immersive user experience. Unlike static banner ads, rich media ads use technologies like HTML5, JavaScript, and streaming video to deliver dynamic, visually striking content that can expand, float, or integrate seamlessly with a web page.
These ad units offer greater interactivity, allowing users to engage directly with the ad through features like games, quizzes, or product visualizers. Rich media ads capture user attention more effectively and drive higher engagement rates, making them a powerful tool for brand storytelling and digital advertising campaigns that make an impact
Native Advertising
Native advertising has emerged as a powerful and effective approach to reaching audiences in a non-intrusive manner. Unlike traditional display ads, which can often feel disruptive, native ads seamlessly blend into the surrounding content, providing a more organic advertising experience.
A great example of native advertising using content branding is brands using clever filters through social media apps. Videos are also great for native marketing as it can blend into an entertainment aspect rather than just an ad or other traditional media.
YouTube’s platform hosts a collection of ad slots spread throughout its video content. These advertising opportunities are made available to sponsors via an auction system. When a user watches a YouTube clip, a real-time bidding process commences behind the scenes. Advertisers bid to have their promotional material displayed during that specific ad slot.
Marketers can narrow their ad targeting based on criteria such as viewer demographics, topics of interest, video subject matter, geographic location, and more. This narrows down the likelihood of reaching their target audience.
YouTube’s ad ranking algorithm evaluates elements like an advertiser’s bid price and the anticipated value of the ad view or engagement to determine which promotional content will populate an ad slot. Once an advertiser secures the winning bid for a particular slot, their video advertisement shows before, during (mid-roll), and after the primary YouTube video.
The platform accommodates various ad formats, including skippable in-stream ads, non-skippable in-stream ads (can be very annoying), bumper ads, sponsored cards, and overlay ads. When users view or interact with an advertisement, YouTube generates revenue Then, a predetermined portion of this is given to the content creator.
Example of non-skippable ad on YouTube.
Over-The-Top (OTT) Ads:
Over-the-top (OTT) ads are video advertisements that are displayed on streaming platforms and services that deliver content over the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite TV providers.
OTT platforms refer to services like TVNZ+, YouTube or ThreeNow etc. that allow users to stream video content directly over the internet on connected devices like smart TVs, phones, tablets and more.
Since these platforms distribute content through the open internet instead of closed cable/satellite systems, they have the ability to show video ads in a variety of ways during or around the streaming content.
Some common examples of OTT video ads include:
Pre-roll ads that play before the main content
Mid-roll ads that are inserted during content breaks
Overlay ads that appear as static or video banners on the player screen
Sponsored content integrations within the streaming shows and movies
OTT ads allow advertisers to reach the growing number of cord-cutter and cord-never audiences who consume content primarily through internet streaming. Targeting can be enhanced using data about users’ viewing habits, demographics and interests.
The rise of OTT viewing has created new advertising opportunities for brands to connect with audiences through advanced digital video ad experiences.
Mobile Advertising:
In-App Ads:
In-app ads are advertisements that are displayed within mobile applications (apps) on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. These ads are served to users while they are using or engaged with an app.
Mobile Web Ads:
Ads optimised for mobile web browsers. Mobile web ads are advertisements that are displayed on websites and web pages when accessed from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. These ads are designed specifically for the mobile web browsing experience.
Some common types of mobile web ads include:
Display Ads
These are basic banner ads that appear on mobile websites, typically at the top or bottom of the page.
Interstitial Ads
Full-screen ads that cover the interface of the website/page for a brief period of time.
An interstitial ad for Air New Zealand taken from www.stuff.co.nz.
Native Ads
Ads that match the look and feel of the mobile website content, blending into the page seamlessly.
Video Ads
Video advertisements that can auto-play or require user interaction before playing.Rich Media Ads Engaging ad formats that incorporate multimedia like audio, video, animations, and user interactions.
Mobile web ads allow advertisers to reach users browsing the mobile web and can be targeted based on factors like geo-location, browsing behaviour, and mobile device characteristics.
The ads are typically served through mobile ad networks or supplied by the publisher of the mobile website itself. Common pricing models include CPC (cost-per-click), CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions), and CPA (cost-per-acquisition).
Effective mobile web ad strategies require optimising ad creatives and placements for smaller mobile screens and potentially slower network connections compared to desktop web browsing.
Location-Based Ads:
This style of mobile web ads are advertisements that are targeted and delivered to users based on their real-time geographic location data obtained from their mobile device. These ads leverage location tracking capabilities like GPS, WiFi positioning or cell tower triangulation.
There are a few key aspects of location-based mobile web ads:
Geo-Targeting/Geo-Fencing:
Advertisers can set geographic boundaries or areas around specific locations to serve ads only to users within those defined areas. For example, promoting a restaurant to people within a 1.5km radius.
Contextual Relevance:
Location data allows ads to be highly contextualised and relevant based on where the user currently is. For instance, showing ads for nearby stores/services when someone is out shopping.
Proximity Marketing:
Ads can trigger when a user is in close proximity to a particular place of interest like a retail store, offering timely promotions to drive foot traffic.
Location-Aware Creative:
The ad messaging and creative can be dynamically updated based on the user’s location for a personalised experience.
Accurate location data enables powerful audience segmentation and real-time marketing opportunities for brands and businesses with local/geographic relevance.
However, user privacy is an important consideration with location tracking. Ad platforms must comply with regulations and allow users to control location data sharing permissions.
Location-based mobile web ads bring a valuable layer of real-world context to mobile advertising. This is achieved by reaching audiences at relevant times and places.
Email Marketing:
Building an email list is a valuable tool to reach your customers and clients directly. If you’ve been building your social handles and believe this is how you are best to keep connected with your audience, you may want to reconsider.
Meta and other social media platform providers are known to disable your page overnight with either no recourse of action to get it back. That can be thousands of followers you lost contact with – instantly. On the flipside, email marketing lists are much more difficult to be stolen or shut down. Definitely a point worth considering when thinking about how to keep up communications with your audience.
Promotional Emails:
Promotional emails, also known as marketing emails or email advertisements, are email messages sent by companies, brands, or advertisers. The primary goal can be promoting a product, service, offer, or content.
Some key aspects of promotional emails in digital advertising:
Advertisers build email lists by collecting email addresses from customers, website visitors who opt-in, or through list purchases/rentals. Having a quality email list is crucial.
Promotional emails can take various forms like newsletters, dedicated promotional blasts, abandoned cart reminders, re-engagement campaigns, etc.
They typically contain promotional messaging, product/service information, visuals, calls-to-action (CTAs) encouraging clicks/conversions, and special offers or discounts.
Email lists can be segmented based on behaviours, interests, demographics etc. to make promotional emails more personalised and relevant.
Email platforms provide metrics like open rates, click-through rates, conversion tracking to measure campaign effectiveness.
There are laws like CAN-SPAM in the United States that regulate commercial email practices regarding consent, opt-outs, and transparency.
When executed properly, promotional email campaigns enable advertisers to reach current/prospective customers directly in their inboxes. It uses tailored messaging to drive engagement, website traffic, leads and sales cost-effectively.
However, irrelevant or excessive promotional emails can be perceived as spam. Balancing promotion with value is important in email marketing strategies.
Sponsored Emails:
Sponsored emails are promotional email messages that advertisers pay to have delivered directly to the inboxes of an email publisher’s opt-in subscriber list.
The key aspects of sponsored emails include:
Paid Placement:
Advertisers pay email publishers/providers a fee to send their promotional content to the publisher’s email list. This is usually on a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) basis.
Third-Party Lists:
The advertiser does not use their own email list, but instead pays to access the publisher’s rented or sponsored email list.
List Segmentation:
Email publishers often allow targeting options so advertisers can segment sponsored emails based on the list subscribers’ interests, demographics, etc.
Content Control:
Advertisers provide the creative email content and have control over the messaging, offers, calls-to-action promoting their products/services.
Disclosure:
Sponsored emails should be clearly labelled as such to distinguish them from normal editorial emails from the publisher.
Performance Tracking:
Typical metrics like open rates, clicks, conversions are tracked and reported.
Example of sponsored emails from a Gmail inbox.
The benefits of sponsored emails include the ability to reach very targeted, opt-in audiences at scale that advertisers may not have access to otherwise. However, being overly promotional in sponsored emails to rented lists can impact engagement and deliverability.
Overall, sponsored emails allow advertisers to extend their email marketing reach through publisher partners in an advertising-supported model.
Affiliate Marketing:
Advertisers reward affiliates (publishers or influencers) for driving traffic or sales to their products or services.
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based advertising model where a company (the advertiser) pays commission to third-party publishers (affiliates) for generating trackable customer leads or sales from their marketing efforts.
Here are some key points about affiliate marketing:
Affiliate Network:
Advertisers work with affiliate networks that provide a platform connecting them with potential affiliate publishers to promote their products/services.
Publisher Promotion:
Affiliates (bloggers, influencers, niche websites etc.) market the advertiser’s offerings on their platforms through links, banners, product reviews etc.
Tracking the Cookies: 🍪
When a consumer clicks on an affiliate link/ad and completes a desired action like a purchase, the unique affiliate is tracked via cookies or IDs.
Commission Structure:
Advertisers pay affiliates a pre-agreed commission. It’s usually a percentage of the sale or a fixed fee per lead/sale generated by that affiliate.
Performance-Based:
Affiliates only earn commission when they actually drive a concrete result, not just for displaying ads.
Transparency:
There should be disclosure that content contains affiliate links as a paid promotion.
For advertisers, affiliate marketing provides a low-risk way to drive measurable results and scale their reach via trusted third-party influencers and publishers. For affiliates, it’s an additional revenue stream by monetizing web traffic they drive to merchants.
Popular examples of affiliate marketing include product review blogs, influencer promotions, loyalty/rewards sites and various other content-driven affiliate models.
Content Marketing:
Sponsored Content:
Branded content created and distributed on third-party websites or platforms. Sponsored content refers to promotional or marketing materials that are created and paid for by advertisers, but are published and distributed through third-party content platforms or publishers.
Some key aspects of sponsored content include:
Native Integration:
Sponsored content is designed to seamlessly blend in with the normal editorial content on the publishing platform in both format and subject matter relevance.
Content Types:
It can take various forms like articles, videos, social media posts, infographics, interactive experiences etc. matching the publisher’s content style.
Paid Placement:
Brands pay publishers a sponsorship fee to create and distribute this promotional content within their content channels/feeds.
Labelling:
Sponsored content must be clearly labelled or identified as such for transparency about the paid promotion.
Valuable Content:
While promotional, sponsored content aims to provide value and insights relevant to the publisher’s audience.
Audience Targeting:
The goal of sponsored content is for brands to associate with trusted, popular content platforms. It leverages native advertising to engage audiences with promotional messages in a contextual, non-intrusive way.
Some other examples include sponsored articles on major media sites (Stuff have quite a bit of this type of content), influencer posts labelled as paid partnerships, branded content hubs and other content-driven marketing on publishing platforms.
Native Content:
Native content refers to promotional content that is designed to match the form, style, and overall user experience of the platform or publisher’s editorial content where it appears.
Some key aspects of native content include:
Integrating into the platform:
Native content seamlessly blends into the normal user experience and content feed of a particular website, social media platform, app, etc. It matches the look and feel.
Native content is non-intrusive:
Unlike disruptive banner ads, native content aims to be additive to the user experience by providing relevant information or entertainment.
Differing content types:
It can take various forms like articles, videos, images, user-generated posts, etc. fitting the specific content formats of the platform.
Requires full-disclosure:
Native content carries labels like ‘sponsored’ or ‘promoted’ to clearly mark it as paid promotional material.
Native advertising is relevant in context:
The content topic, tone, and style aim to align with the interests and context of the platform’s main editorial content and audience.
Targeting your audience:
Advertisers target native content based on user demographics, interests, behaviours, and more across various content platforms.
The main goal is for brands to engage users with promotional content in a contextually relevant way without interrupting their normal content consumption experience.
Examples include sponsored stories on news feeds, branded videos on platforms like YouTube, promoted posts/tweets on social media, and other seamlessly integrated paid content placements.
Digital advertising is here for the long game
Beyond targeting and personalisation, digital advertising also offers good measurability and data-driven insights. With advanced analytics and tracking capabilities, businesses can monitor the performance of their campaigns in real-time, optimising for better results and maximising their return on investment (ROI). This data-driven approach allows for continuous improvement and refinement, ensuring that advertising budgets are utilised effectively.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses that embrace the power of digital advertising will gain a significant competitive advantage. By leveraging the targeting, personalisation, measurability, and versatility of digital advertising, companies can effectively reach and connect with their audiences, drive conversions, and ultimately achieve sustainable growth in an increasingly digital world.
Late last year (in 2023), Google announced an incoming tune-up of email sender requirements in email land. This is to shield the masses from what nobody wants flooding their inboxes – email spam.
One of the areas of focus in Google’s crack down is deceptive subject lines and content. This means no more clickbait or misleading promises (no, those shakes won’t really make you lose 24kg in 24 hours). Your subject lines must accurately reflect the content of your emails and your messaging needs to be transparent and honest. No more misleading or deceiving recipients or you’ll be up against a swift and merciless spam filter.
Let’s not forget about consent either. Google wants to see explicit opt-in from your recipients. No more adding addresses to your list willy-nilly or buying email lists (never a good idea). If you can’t prove that someone actively signed up for your emails, you could be in violation of Google’s policies.
Spam – The Ongoing Enemy
First things first, let’s define what spam is in Google’s eyes. Spam isn’t just those annoying emails from Nigerian princes or sketchy pharma companies. It’s any unsolicited, bulk email that recipients haven’t explicitly opted-in to receive. Playing fast and loose with your email lists will leave you jacketless and out in the cold.
Or, you could keep warm, by adhering to Email Sender Requirements. This will ensure that your emails are seen as coming from legitimate sources. Fail these checks, and they’ll be flagged as spam and sent to the “Spam Abyss” – a bottomless pit where spam messages go to die, never to be seen or heard from again.
Authenticate your emails
Google’s new regulations require all senders to implement robust authentication measures, including DKIM and SPF (Sender Policy Framework). What do all these crazy acronyms mean though? We break it down into basic terms:
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM works by adding a digital signature to outgoing emails. This signature contains encrypted authentication information. This allows the recipient’s email provider to verify an email is legitimate and actually came from the stated sender’s domain.
The main purpose of DKIM is to prevent email spoofing and forgery, where spam or phishing emails might appear to come from a legitimate organisation when they don’t. With DKIM authentication in place, it becomes much harder for spam artists to send malicious emails while impersonating real companies or people.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
SPF prevents scammers from being able to send emails from a domain that belongs to a company or brand. It does this by creating a record of which mail servers have permission to send from that domain.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)
To be authenticated for DMARC, messages need to meet the DKIM or SPF requirements (or both). It essentially allows domain owners to declare their authentication practices and give instructions to receiving servers on how to handle unauthorised emails claiming to be from their domain.
Make it Easy to Unsubscribe
Part of the new Gmail email sender requirements was for senders of commercial emails to include a single click unsubscribe button. New Zealand email laws aren’t optional either you legally must include an unsubscribe button at the bottom of every newsletter.
To coincide with the new sending requirements, Google made it easier to unsubscribe from mail on web and phone. For web, they added an ‘unsubscribe’ button that comes up when you hover over an email on web.
Spam rates
Google tracks spam user reports, complaints, bulk unsubscribe rates and other signals from Gmail users themselves. A sender with high spam rate – where recipients frequently mark their emails as junk – are waving a massive red flag 🚩.
Google enforced clear spam rate thresholds for all senders and then for those that sent more than 5000 emails per day. Ensure your spam rates tracked in Postmaster Tools remain under 0.10% and never let them skyrocket past 0.30%.
A consistently low spam rate acts as a safety buffer, making your email reputation more durable and less prone to collapsing if user complaints temporarily spike higher than usual.
Back on April 1st, Google began rejecting a portion of emails that don’t meet their compliance standards. For companies that depend on email as a primary communication channel with customers, failure to implement proper email authentication protocols will therefore mean your emails won’t make it into the inbox.
The bottom line is this: Google means business. They’re tired of spammers cluttering up Gmail inboxes, and they’re not afraid to throw the book at anyone who doesn’t fall in line. When it comes to email sender requirements and you know the boundaries, much of what was covered in this article will fall into the best practice norm.
When done right, there are many benefits to email marketing and if you haven’t been respecting the rules already, get yourself in order, follow the guidelines, and value your recipients’ inboxes. Failure to do so could result in your emails being blocked, your reputation tarnished, and your email marketing efforts rendered useless as they slide into the Spam Abyss.
Data privacy is an ongoing concern for many web users and there’s still that uneasy feeling that Big Brother’s watching. We’ll explain what the Google CMP Partnership is all about, but first, we’ll discuss the reason behind its arrival.
GDPR rules require websites to obtain explicit consent from a user before using gathered data for things like targeted advertising. Tech giants like Google have implemented initiatives to help website publishers remain compliant. One such initiative is Google’s Consent Management Platform (CMP) partnership program.
What the program involves
Google’s CMP partnership allows approved Consent Management Platforms to integrate user consent solutions into Google’s ad tech programs. This enables publishers to collect GDPR-compliant consent from users for using cookies and personal data across Google’s advertising services. Mainly through those somewhat annoying website pop-ups.
Those approved as CMP partners provide a user-friendly interface where website visitors can customise their privacy preferences regarding data processing and targeted advertising. The collected consent signals are shared with Google’s ad platforms e.g. Google Ads and Ad Manager.
Protecting User Privacy
Beyond legal compliance, Google’s CMP partnership underscores the company’s commitment to user privacy in the digital advertising landscape. Requiring transparent consent gives users more control over how companies use their data for ad personalisation and targeting purposes. This can foster trust between digital platforms and their users, contributing to a more ethical data ecosystem.
As data privacy continues to be a top priority for both users and regulators, initiatives like Google’s CMP partnership play a crucial role in balancing the needs of the digital advertising industry with the fundamental rights of internet users.
From January this year, Google required certified CMP’s for serving ads to the EEA (European Economic Area) and the UK regions. If you are not a certified CMP partner, you can’t deliver personalised, targeted Google Ads.
What about New Zealand and the Google CMP Partnership?
There’s no knowing how long it’ll take for the program to be implemented in New Zealand. Here at Back9, we’re already a certified Google Partner. And being a proactive bunch, we’re already taking steps to become a Google CMP partner – staying ahead of the eight ball and up to date with everything Google.
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, one strategy that continues to stand the test of time is email marketing. But what exactly is it? And furthermore how can businesses leverage its potential for growth?
What is Email Marketing?
Simply put, it’s a targeted communication strategy that involves sending messages to a group of people via email. Unlike random email blasts, effective emails are personalised, relevant, and strategically timed to engage recipients. It serves as a direct line of communication between businesses and their audience.
The Anatomy of Email Marketing
At its core, email marketing involves building and maintaining a list (or lists) of subscribers who have opted in to receive communications from a business. This list is a valuable asset, allowing businesses to firstly, nurture leads, secondly cultivate customer relationships, and thirdly drive conversions.
Building Lists
The first step in email marketing is building a subscriber list – or database. To do this you’ll need a decent Email Platform or Software. A CRM like SharpSpring or Hubspot are among the top 10 Email platforms available. With a CRM in place to capture the information, businesses can gather email addresses through various means, such as website sign-up forms, social media promotions, or incentives like exclusive content or discounts. The quality of the subscriber list is crucial, emphasising the importance of obtaining permission and ensuring that content aligns with the subscribers’ interests.
Segmentation and Personalisation
Successful email marketing goes beyond mass communication. It involves segmenting the subscriber list based on buyer personas. For instance, this includes things like demographics, behaviours, or preferences. Segmentation allows businesses to tailor content, ensuring that each message resonates with specific audience segments. Personalisation, such as addressing recipients by name, enhances engagement and fosters a sense of connection.
Email Campaigns and Automation
Email marketing campaigns can take various forms, including, for example, newsletters, promotional offers, and product announcements. Marketing Automation tools enable businesses to schedule emails, trigger responses based on subscriber actions, and deliver a seamless and personalized experience.
Measuring Success with Analytics
To gauge the effectiveness of your efforts, businesses analyze key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. These insights help refine future campaigns, ensuring continuous improvement and increased return on investment.
Ultimately You Own you Email Marketing Channel
In essence, email marketing is a powerful tool that allows businesses to connect with their audience on a personal level, driving engagement and fostering brand loyalty. Moreover, the database (or audience) is yours… Not Googles. Not Facebooks’ And not anyone else’s. This means that you control your messaing and exactly who gets that messaging. Whilst rules and processes around Email markeitng will likely change and evolve – like all things in the Digital space, you will always own your own database.
By understanding the fundamentals and employing best practices, businesses can unlock the full potential of email marketing as a dynamic and cost-effective strategy for sustained growth.
