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What is Digital Advertising?

Posted on by Gus

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.

Source: https://dansapio.medium.com/snapchat-lenses-are-a-game-changing-marketing-tool-e7414b01d063

Video advertising

YouTube Ads

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.

Back9-Creative-Digital-Marketing-Roadmap-Advert

Staying out of the Spam Folder: Google’s Email Sender Requirements

Posted on by Gus

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.

Top-10-Email-marketing-platforms-for-your-business-CTA

What is the Google CMP Partnership program?

Posted on by Gus

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.

Europe has some of the strictest data protection laws already in place such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This came into effect in 2018. It established heavy data protection rules for companies operating in the European Union or handling data of EU citizens. Companies that fail to comply can face massive fines of up to €20 million or 4% of a company’s global annual revenue, whichever is higher.

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.

Padlock displaying google CMP partnership logo cupped by hands

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.

Expert Google Ads Management: Your Key to Efficient Ad Spend and Better Results

Posted on by Phil

Proper ad account management is key when it comes to navigating the complex world of Google Ads. Therefore at Back9 we believe enlisting the expertise of a certified Google Partner can be the game-changer your business needs. A reliable partner not only has the capability to optimise your ad spend efficiently. But also they can bring a wealth of experience to the table. In turn this allows for tailored and flexible campaign setups that can significantly enhance your results. In this article, we will delve into the undeniable advantages of partnering with a certified Google Ads expert. We will explore how a strategic alliance can elevate your advertising efforts and drive success for your business.

Understanding Google Ads

Brief Introduction to Google Ads

Google Ads is a powerful digital advertising platform where businesses pay to display brief advertisements. From service offerings, product listings, to video content within the Google ad network. The Google Ads platform operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model. This means advertisers only pay when a user actually clicks on their ad. Google Ads offers unparalleled reach as it allows you to show your ads to users who are actively searching for the keywords you’ve selected. This can drive targeted traffic to your website, increase phone calls, or even direct foot traffic to your physical location. It’s a flexible tool that can be customised for all types of businesses and budgets. As a result, this gives you control over your campaigns, ad spend, and audience targeting.

Google Ads as an Investment

Investing in Google Ads is akin to investing in the visibility and growth of your business. When you allocate funds to Google Ads, you’re not just spending money; you’re investing in your business. You’re also investing in the potential to reach a vast audience that’s already interested in what you have to offer. However, the key to making the most of this investment lies in strategic planning and ongoing management. It’s important to ensure that your ads reach the right people at the right time. A well-managed Google Ads campaign can yield a substantial return on investment (ROI). That return will come by driving increased traffic, generating leads, and converting prospects into customers. Remember, the success of your Google Ads investment is directly tied to how effectively you do the follwoing.

  • Target your audience,
  • Manage your bids, and;
  • Track the performance of your ads.

Check out this information on How much Google Advertising Costs. Or How much money you should spend on Google Ads!

Importance of Targeted Advertising

Targeted advertising is at the heart of Google Ads’ effectiveness. By focusing your ads on the specific demographics, interests, and behaviours of your ideal customer, you can significantly increase the chances of your ad resonating with the audience. This level of specificity prevents wasteful spending on broad, unfocused ad campaigns that don’t convert well. Google Ads provides a variety of targeting options. These include:

  • Location targeting
  • Keyword targeting
  • Device targeting
  • And more

All of which allows for precise placement of your ads in front of those most likely to convert. As a result, your ad budget is used more efficiently, potentially leading to a higher ROI. Moreover, with targeted advertising, the data collected through interactions can provide invaluable insights into customer behavior. And this can help with further refining your marketing strategies over time.

Benefits of a Certified Google Ads Partner

Efficiency in Ad Spend Management

There a many benefits of working with a certified Google Ads partner brings for efficient Google ad management. Firstly, these partners are trained to understand the nuances of Google Ads and to optimise campaigns for the best possible performance. And secondly, they employ advanced strategies like bid adjustment, keyword refinement, and A/B testing. These strategies ensure that every dollar of your ad budget is being used effectively.

Certified partners have access to powerful tools and insights that allow them to analyze data quickly. Therefore this means they can make informed decisions on where to allocate resources for maximum impact. They can identify underperforming ads and adjust or pause them to cut losses. And that ensures that your budget goes toward campaigns that are delivering results. This level of efficiency in managing your ad spend not only saves money but also improves campaign outcomes. Therefore making your investment work harder for you.

Flexibility in Campaign Setup

Certified Google Ads partners bring a level of flexibility to campaign setups that can be critical for businesses looking to adapt in a dynamic market environment. Their expertise allows for the creation of campaigns that can quickly pivot based on performance data, market trends, and changes in business objectives. This adaptive approach ensures that your advertising efforts are not static but are evolving to meet the needs of your target audience. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, testing different ad formats, or exploring new keyword opportunities, a Google Ads partner can adjust your strategy on-the-fly. This agility in campaign management is essential for staying competitive and can mean the difference between an underperforming campaign and one that captures and retains the attention of potential customers, leading to better engagement and increased sales.

Achieve Optimal Results with Expertise

The value of a certified Google Ads partner lies in their specialised knowledge and experience, which translates into achieving optimal results for your campaigns. These experts have a deep understanding of how Google Ads works and are up to date with the latest features and best practices. Their expertise enables them to craft strategies that align closely with your business goals, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving traffic, or boosting conversions. They can fine-tune targeting, craft compelling ad copy, and design landing pages that convert. Moreover, their ability to analyze and interpret complex data means that they can continuously improve your campaigns for better performance. By using their expert knowledge, you can expect not just incremental improvements, but significant gains in the effectiveness of your ad spend, leading to tangible business growth.

Our Google Ads Management Approach

Free Google Ads Account Audit

To kickstart your journey towards optimized Google Ads campaigns, we offer a free Google Ads account audit. This initial assessment is a comprehensive examination of your current campaign structure, ad spend, keyword performance, and overall strategy. Our expert team analyzes your account to identify areas of waste, pinpoint opportunities for improvement, and provide actionable insights. This audit serves as a roadmap for enhancing your campaigns and aligning them more closely with your business goals. It’s a no-obligation way for you to see the potential gaps in your current strategy and the benefits that professional management can bring to your Google Ads efforts. By understanding the current state of your account, we can set a clear path to more efficient spending and improved results.

Monitoring & Adjusting Campaigns

Once your Google Ads campaigns are up and running, our focus shifts to the continuous cycle of monitoring and adjusting. We keep a close eye on how your ads perform, tracking metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and overall return on ad spend. Our team responds promptly to shifts in campaign performance, analyzing and addressing any dips without delay. We make adjustments in real-time to seize trends, address competitive pressures, and take advantage of emerging opportunities. This meticulous attention to detail is essential for preserving the health of your campaigns and ensuring that your budget is allocated to high-performing ads. We don’t just set it and forget it; we actively manage your campaigns to drive consistent, quality traffic to your business.

Maximizing Return on Investment

At the core of our Google Ads management approach is a steadfast commitment to maximising your return on investment. We achieve this by constantly optimising your campaigns for high-quality leads and sales at the lowest possible cost per acquisition. At Back9, our expert team actively utilises sophisticated bidding strategies. We also optimise keywords, and implement conversion rate optimization techniques too. This is to ensure that your ads not only receive visibility but also prompt action. We focus on targeting users who are most likely to be interested in your products or services, making every click count. Additionally, we focus on reducing wasted ad spend by pausing underperforming keywords and ad groups, refining targeting, and improving quality scores. By meticulously managing and refining your campaigns, our goal is to deliver the best possible ROI, helping your business grow efficiently and effectively.

Win Online: Our Promise to You

Our promise to you is simple: we are committed to helping you win online. We believe that a successful Google Ads Management campaign is the backbone of a robust digital marketing strategy, and our mission is to ensure your business thrives in the competitive online landscape. By choosing us as your partner, you secure a dedicated team committed to your success, providing personalized attention and employing a results-driven approach. We hold ourselves accountable for your campaigns’ performance and take pride in our ability to drive measurable success for your business. Our expertise, combined with a genuine passion for digital marketing, means that we’re not just a service provider; we’re your trusted advisor and partner in growth. Let us help you navigate the complexities of Google Ads and turn your ad spend into tangible, profitable outcomes.

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Chat GPT: The Wagon Wheel Effect

Posted on by Phil

Chat GPT is all the rage these days. In fact, it seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants a piece of the AI content creation pie. Some are even touting themselves as “experts” Hard to claim when the technology is not only so new, but in terms of how rapidly its changing and evolving.

With the meteoric rise of ChatGPT, the world has gone gaga over AI-generated text. However, ChatGPT isn’t the only game in town. In fact, there’s a veritable smorgasbord of AI writing assistants out there, each with its own unique flavor.

Chat GPT

First off, let’s address the elephant in the room: yes, ChatGPT is undeniably popular. At Back9 we use it ourselves. But it’s the ‘Wagon Wheel’ of the AI content creation world. Nonetheless, before you hitch your wagon to that particular star, consider some alternatives.

Claude

For instance, there’s Anthropic’s Claude – a more reserved, yet highly capable AI assistant. Unlike the rambunctious ChatGPT, Claude is the strong, silent type. It won’t bombard you with unnecessary chatter; instead, it delivers concise, focused responses. A perfect choice for those seeking a no-nonsense AI companion.

Jasper

Then, we have Jasper – a versatile AI content creation platform tailored for marketers and copywriters. With its intuitive interface and specialised training, Jasper excels at crafting compelling ad copy, blog posts, and more. If you’re looking for an AI sidekick to boost your marketing efforts, Jasper could be your spirit animal.

Bard

Google’s Bard is another significant player, designed to enhance and complement human creativity. Leveraging the power of Google’s extensive search engine and AI capabilities, Bard can assist with generating ideas, drafting content, and even answering complex queries. Its integration with Google Workspace makes it a versatile tool for both personal and professional use.

Microsoft Co-Pilot

Microsoft’s Co-Pilot AI is a powerful addition to the AI landscape, seamlessly integrating with Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Co-Pilot enhances productivity by offering context-aware suggestions, automating repetitive tasks, and providing intelligent insights. This AI assistant aims to augment human capabilities, making everyday tasks more efficient and intuitive.

Palm2

Then, we have Google’s PaLM2. PaLM is capable of tackling everything from creative writing to coding. Moreover, Google’s offerings boast impressive multilingual capabilities – a real asset in our globalised world.

GPT-NeoX

Let’s not forget about the open-source options, either. EleutherAI’s GPT-NeoX is a prime example. Developed by a community of passionate AI enthusiasts, GPT-NeoX is constantly evolving. Admittedly, it may not be as polished as some commercial alternatives, but it’s a scrappy underdog worth considering.

Meta’s AI Tool

Meta has also entered the fray with its new AI tool, LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI). LLaMA is designed to help businesses and developers create more sophisticated AI applications. It excels in natural language understanding, enabling more human-like interactions and responses. Meta’s integration of LLaMA into its suite of products aims to enhance social and professional communications by providing advanced AI-driven insights and functionalities.

Is Chat GPT the best AI?

Of course, the above is merely a sample of the AI content creation buffet. Ultimately, the “best” option depends on your specific needs and preferences. Some prioritise raw power; others value finesse. Certain industries demand niche expertise.

The moral of the story?

Don’t get caught up in the Wagon Wheel hype alone. Explore the full menu of AI writing assistants. You might just find your perfect match – a sous-chef extraordinaire to elevate your content creation game.

Third-Party Email Software Charges

Posted on by Phil

Email is the proven and preferred method for many communications. A global study showed 83% of people prefer to receive communications from businesses over email. It’s also one of the most cost-effective channels for marketing. With a proven return on investment at $42 for every dollar spent. 

And it yields precise engagement metrics on opens, clicks, user device, geolocation, and browser.

As such we send a number of transactional emails from our client’s websites to their customers. These include mostly responses from forms and other automated replies.

Previously we sent these from a no-reply email on our Back9 Emails. However as of March 2024, Google has implemented new anti-spam policies. This means there are now more risks of either;

  • Your emails going into spam folders, or worse;
  • They get flagged as spam and are not delivered at all.

Therefore a third-party email software is the best choice for sending emails from your website for several reasons:

  1. Reliability and Scalability: A lost or delayed email can mean a lost customer. Third-party email providers offer leading deliverability, reliability, and scalability. Their infrastructure is designed to handle large volumes of emails efficiently, ensuring that your emails reach your customers’ inboxes promptly.
  2. Deliverability: Getting your emails to the inbox every time is crucial for successful communication with your customers. Third-party providers have optimised their mail transfer agents (MTAs) and developed tools to manage deliverability effectively. As a result, this minimises the risk of emails being caught in spam filters or not reaching their intended recipients.
  3. Expertise and Support: Third-party providers offer experienced support and strategic guidance to help you optimize your email program. From developer-focused APIs for seamless integration to intuitive user interfaces for easy management, they provide the tools and expertise necessary to exceed customer expectations and tailor the email experience to your business needs.
  4. Precise Metrics: Third-party email software offers precise engagement metrics, including opens, clicks, user device, geolocation, and browser information. This data allows you to analyze the effectiveness of your email campaigns. Furthermore, it helps make informed decisions to improve engagement and ROI.

In summary

using a third-party email software ensures;

  • Reliable delivery
  • Optimal inbox placement,
  • Comprehensive support, and;
  • Detailed analytics

Ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of your email communications and improving customer experience.

Whilst this comes at a small cost (just 3.50 NZD per month) it is a cost we need to at the very least pass on to you our client. Especially when we have 100 or more websites on our servers… Ultimately however when weighed up against the the value it adds in terms of peace of mind and reliability is priceless.