Three paths to digital marketing optimisation

Today, many companies are working on conversion improvement, but without an overall strategy which joins the different approaches together as part of an overall conversion strategy. The tools available in our toolbox break down into three, often used individually, but increasingly used together: Classic site analytics - Uses web analytics tools, site feedback tools and analysis of behaviour to find problems and suggest fixes A/B and MV Testing - AB and multivariate testing which test multiple experiences including both pages and paths to see which is best Personalisation - Providing relevant recommendations through targeting rules or algorithms (overlaps with email sequences) I see these three approaches as paths on the journey to site optimisation often intersect and are complementary.   Each can facilitate the more effective use of the others. But while these three paths to optimization should be complementary, they are mostly deployed in a siloed manner that…

Lo primero es lo primero…

La planificación de marketing digital no es diferente a ningún otro plan de marketing, de hecho es sumamente extraño tener planes separados para “digital” y “off-line” debido a que no es así como los clientes perciben tu negocio. Sin embargo, a menudo se nos requiere separar los planes para “digital” solo en cuanto a la estructura de los equipos y los informes y para ayudar a la transición a digital antes de que se vuelva algo habitual (“Business as usual”). Un formato común ayuda a alinear tu plan a otros planes de marketing! Nota: Esto (download - free for Basic members) es un documento de Word sin formatear de SmartInsights.com, traducido al español por Mabisy.com, crea tu tienda online y paga solo si vendes, que tiene la intención de ayudarte a crear rápidamente tu propia plantilla eliminando las notas de guía en cursiva. This is a…

Our framework for marketing success

You may remember our strategic RACE framework which we created to provide a means to contextualise digital marketing tactics. We've developed this with a new visual to show a planning and management process to use on marketing projects. Our new Growth Wheel infographic developed in collaboration with First 10 Digital, aims to provide a visual way to think about your marketing planning focused on creating commercial growth by integrating digital channels. 

About the Marketing Growth Wheel

Our Growth Wheel uses a standard SOSTAC® approach to planning, but applied to using digital technologies and channels to create growth for a company. It's based on our experience in planning and implementation for many projects we've been involved with over the…

5 ideas to start your brand revolution in 2012

We're still in the midst of 2012 predictions, they're everywhere at the moment, mostly describing what's already out there. I'm not a futurologist, and if I am honest, I prefer to plan for the less predictable since that's what usually happens. One trend I do observe, is how much marketing is changing (again, and faster). This is leaving a chasm of opportunity for the right organisations to step up. It has serious implications though... are you and your brand the revolutionary, or destined to be the cast-off of someone else's revolution? We've built our Marketing Manifesto of some of the changes that we think will help you falling into the chasm, but here I expand on some of these ideas.

So what's wrong with marketing?

It's one word: management, or lack of it. I believe that digital marketing…

5 reasons why you don't and 10 reasons why you could

Surely it's obvious, with today's digital marketing platforms like search and social networks, desktop and mobile web applications that you need a digital marketing strategy? I don't think so, the obvious isn't always obvious, or practical to make happen, or even considered necessary. So, a couple of weeks ago we asked readers of SmartInsights.com whether their company, or if they work for an agency or are a consultant, their typical clients have one. These are the shocking? results... Thank you if you voted or shared this post, we had around 110 responses, so a fair number, although we have no sample frame of who since it's just an informal poll. As I suspected, there has been little change since we asked the exact same question back in 2010 as the chart below shows. This suggests that…

12 digital marketing fundamentals to get right in 2012

At the turn of the year, it’s always worth reflecting on the opportunities and challenges ahead to help shape priorities for marketing. In a recent talk for AdTech London, I identified 12 marketing trends, available in the Slideshare embed at the end of the post. In this post I’ll highlight some of the main opportunities and I've added links to our posts and guides to help you think through your strategy. We've kept this post available on the blog for historical reference, for the most up-to-date marketing trends see our 2015 Digital Marketing trends predictions.

Most important marketing trend for 2012 : creating a cross-channel engagement strategy

We can be sure that there will be will be lots of announcements of exciting innovations and marketing trends in all of the search and social networks within in 2012. We look forward to covering them within our alerts, but they can…

Infographics to give you ideas for managing the new marketing

Infographics seem to be a popular way to learn and share statistics and marketing approaches. We've been selective in sharing 1 or 2 infographics a month during 2011, focusing on those with a clear learning about the impact of a new marketing technique or how to approach it.

1. The content marketing grid from Eloqua

An excellent way of thinking through how and prioritising content marketing for B2B or B2C markets.

2. A whole world of word-of-mouth

This really shows the power of WOM and that favourite social media buzzword of 2011, "amplification".

3. Building a successful brand in the social space - 9 tips from Weber Shandwick

It's the 9 drivers of "world class sociability" that attracted us to this one.

4. Measuring social media ROI - ensure…

8 questions to review your acquisition strategy in 2012

This is a new deck with some new examples for a keynote presentation at the Fusion Marketing Experience in Belgium on 2nd December 2011 programmed by the excellent J-P De Clerck. I talk about how to find new customers, especially at a time when there's pressure on budgets. As always, my ideas are informed by the latest data and show practical examples of implementing the ideas. It's structured around these questions to ask about acquisition: Q1. Does your brand have personality + OVP? Q2. Mix = are you investing your time/money wisely? Q3. Is our publishing process effective? Q4. How do we make online campaigns moreengaging? Q5. Is your business “social by design? Q6. Are your practicing “deep SEO”? Q7. Are we siloed or multichannel? Q8. Are you “competing on analytics?” Attracting quality traffic…

Adapting PR Smith's SOSTAC® to review what's working, what's not and create a plan of improvement

I was recently asked if I use any frameworks or processes when auditing a web site (or any digital marketing activity). To be honest, I hadn’t given it much thought until now. On the whole, I just got on with it, so I couldn’t give an answer straight away. Nonetheless, after considering it for a while, I realized that I was subconsciously utilizing a process that I had become familiar with over the past couple of years: PR Smith's SOSTAC® model. Now, I’m going to presume that you know all about SOSTAC® (if you don’t, then simply check out this superb post that explains the SOSTAC® planning model) and will concentrate on how I adapt it for use as web auditing process. I should point out that I have used SOSTAC® as a process for many tasks as I…

Are you a Creator, Critic, Collector, Joiner or Spectator?

If you've not seen Forrester Technographics tool before you are missing a treat. Showcased in the book Groundswell, Technographics is Forrester Research's methodology for surveying customers. Its similar to segmenting by demographics or psychographics but segments based on degree of engagement with social media - so it's a behavioural segmentation for social media and related technology. Many reading will know this, but I thought it was worth flagging-up for those who don't, it's new to many in my classes. The tool can be really useful for setting realistic expectations of what social media can deliver amongst your non-marketing colleagues also  since it shows how degree of engagement with social media and blogs varies. Forrester divide people's online behaviour into six categories. You can see these below.

Its important for organisations to know…