Is Email Marketing Worth It?

Are you on the fence about using email marketing for your business? You're not alone. Many companies have so many moving pieces to their marketing mix, that they're unsure of adding anything else to their to-do list. Many believe that blogging and social media are better alternatives to an email marketing strategy. However, we know full-well how challenging the Facebook algorithms can be, and we know the sheer volume of tweets that are sent on Twitter each minute (over 100,000), which can quickly hide your messages. While social media is a crucial piece to the marketing pie, email marketing should not be shunned.

In fact, e-mail marketing should be viewed in the same vein as social media. They are all tools in the inbound marketing arsenal. You should house all content on your blog or news section of your website, and then push that content out through as many channels as possible - Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and yes email. Your goal is to pull these readers back into your website or blog where they'll find all of the content you've worked so hard to create and ultimately learn more about your business.

The key to email marketing is to be realistic. Having open rates of over 80% are not normal. In fact, the average open rate for an email campaign is close to 20%. Why are the statistics so low? Well, think about how your inbox operates. How often do you delete messages to get to the core messages that need your attention? Have you ever looked at your spam folder? How often have you abandoned email accounts? Have you ever blocked an email from contacting you? The list goes on.
Once you dial into your evangelist base of email subscribers, and provide them the content and information they yearn for, you can expect to see the interactions and hopeful deep ROI of your investment.

RELATED ARTICLE: IS YOUR EMAIL CONSIDERED SPAM?

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you evaluate email marketing for your business...

Keep the content engaging
Don't just send out an email campaign to 'touch' your email subscribers. Consumers are well conditioned and can tell when content is forced. Care for your email subscribers as you would your sales contacts and take the time to create lists within your subscriber base, so you can best 'speak' to your segmented audiences. Also, remember that nearly 75% of the over 140 billion emails that are sent each and every day are viewed as spam. Craft email campaigns that do not mislead your subscribers, but rather ask for their engagement, whether that is a sales touch point or the like. Make the email subjects catchy or clear and save the email fluff. Most people skim through their emails and asking a subscriber to invest their time into a detailed email is not feasible. Instead, invite a user to click to learn more or engage further in a trackable way.

Watch how often you send emails campaigns
In some business industries, it is acceptable to send an email campaign 3 or more times per week (news outlets and subscription based platforms), whereas for a B2B businesses, bi-monthly email campaigns are quite sufficient. There is a fine line between not 'touching' your email contacts enough and doing so too much.

'Earn' your email subscribers
Though it can tempting to buy a list to boost your subscribers or trade lists with another company, it's not an ethical practice. Please, please, please consider not doing so. As a business, I'd rather have 250 email subscribers who truly engage with my email campaigns than have an email list of 5,000 who barely eek a 10% open rate.

Email Marketing meets Social Media Marketing
Many of the top email platforms, like MailChimp, offer the ability to share your email campaigns as they're sent to your social media platforms. You may notice some users unsubscribe from your email list because they follow you on social media, but do not let this alarm you. Consider sharing your emails to your social media accounts as another touch point. HOWEVER, make sure that when your emails are auto-shared to your social media accounts, that they're translating well and include copy that speaks to your connections about what they'll expect in your email communication.

Track, track, track
What's great about many email platforms is that they offer extensive tracking and avenues to truly dial into and diagnose your email lists. Take the time to weekly, or however often you send emails, dig into your email tracking to see what your consumers click on in your email campaigns, and what gets ignored. You can learn a lot by email subscriber and consumer email traffic patterns. Let their behavior guide your content marketing strategy. If certain topics resonate well with your audience, then produce similar content for future emails.

Comment below and tell us what your thoughts and experiences are with email marketing? Have you enjoyed great successes or found that email marketing does not bode well into your business? As always, feel free to contact us here at CC Communications if you need help with setting up or managing your enewsletter strategy.

The Beginner's Guide to SEO - Part 1

5 Tips to Aid Your On-Page SEO Campaign. 

By now, most people have a basic understanding of what SEO is or at least know how crucial it is to implement a strong SEO campaign to expand and maintain your online presence. If you're a new kid in town or need a refresher, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essentially the strategy and techniques that are used help a website achieve high rankings in the search engines, like Google and Bing. The better your website ranks for relevant keyword terms that one would use to find your business online, the better optimized your website has become or is becoming. You can reasonably assume you'll have more website traffic and more potential clients exploring your products or services.

Truly, if your website is not ranking well in the search engines, your competitors websites are...

Website Content 
While engaging in an SEO campaign or correctly conveying your services to your website visitors, content is king...Hands down. What content you have on your website truly is of utmost consideration for your SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Be mindful; just because you have a lot of content on your website, it doesn't mean it is always helpful. Make sure to infuse keywords or keyword terms (common terms that one would use to describe and find your website) into your content as you're able. For example, it's no secret that 'Charlotte web design' is obviously a keyword term that we'd like to rank well for and through our content, we take the consideration to implement that term as we're able.

Also consider hyper-linking specific keywords to internal (hosted on your website) and external (outside of your website) destinations, which is of huge benefit, too. Make sure that the keywords that you link to are relevant to what one would find on the linked page. Avoid using phrases like "click here" as you're missing out on an opportunity to fully optimize the phrase. An example of this practice would be adding a link here for our webpage on SEO services.

Side Note: Save the flowery writing, or what I call 'puppies and kittens' writing for somewhere else. I'm an admitted 'puppies and kittens' writer, but when it comes to SEO and keyword driven content, there is no room for that. Make your content as focused and meaty as possible.

Blog 
Blogging has multiple benefits for your business. When you create relevant, keyword-rich, original content, not only does your website benefit, your business savvy spreads by positioning yourself top-of-mind to your audience. If you create posts that are useful, interesting, and original, you add value and take the steps to earn your spot as an industry expert. I must caution that haphazardly posting a few blog entries will not cut the mustard; you need to be consistent with blogging and keep posts coming at a steady pace.

Name Your Website Images
When you save a document or image to your desktop or server, how are you labeling the image? Search engines do not read images as we do; they read images by the title. Take this for example. Your business is in the food & beverage industry, specializing in creating sweet treats. You're adding a new image to your website via your CMS and you title it Pic1948459.jpg. How does that benefit your SEO? It definitely doesn't. Take the extra few seconds to correctly title the image:  Charlotte-MiniCupcakes-CCBakingCompany.jpg. Not only does your image include your region, what the picture entails, it also includes your business. Much less, fully and correctly labeling your images will go a long way to ensuring that you're able to stay organized, without flipping through hundreds of pictures.

Leave Out the Meta Keywords 
In the past several years, Google has publicly noted that they do not take keyword meta tags into consideration for an SEO campaign. Check out what Matt Cutts of Google had to say about this fact. In the past, search engines 'read' the keywords that were embedded websites.  However, some websites began an unethical approach called 'keyword stuffing', where they would input dozens of keywords into their website meta data that they wished to rank for, whether it was relative to their to their business or not.  Put your focus into filling out your Title Tags and Meta Descriptions instead, which are of great consideration to your On-Page SEO.

Don't Forget the ALT Tags 
Similar to labeling images copiously, ensure that you also fill in the ALT tag associated with your images. An ALT tag is the text that is associated or alternative to viewing your image. You don't need to write a novel about your image; instead, just a few words that describe what a picture entails. For example, if you have a puppy training business and you're looking to create an ALT tag for a picture of puppy training, consider having the ALT tag read, 'German Shepard Puppy Training Charlotte NC.

There are obviously more than five things that need to be done for a strong SEO campaign, so please consider this blog post one in a series. Take a second to follow the CC Communications blog to ensure that you don't miss a beat!

Can we help you in the meantime? If you're interested in the comprehensive SEO and Internet Marketing services that CC Communications offers, or would like more information, please contact Marketing@CCCom.com or call us at 704-543-1171.

Project Spotlight: Wellness Coalition America

CC Communications Launches Redesigned Website For Wellness Coalition.

The latest addition to CC Communication's portfolio is a revamped website for the Charlotte-based health care management company Wellness Coalition America (WCA). The complex redesign completely changed the functionality of their existing website while maintaining a consistent look and feel of their online brand.

The site was crafted using DNN, and easy-to-use and secure content management system. This Microsoft based technology is our recommended platform of choice for website development. Our team integrated responsive design technology to make the site display correctly across all devices. We also added enhanced features including on-page video integration and a customized slide show on the home page to provide advanced storytelling for the WCA brand.

Prior to the redesign the WCA site structure was geared mainly to promote business services. To make the site more user friendly, we shifted the primary focus of the site navigation directly to the visitor experience. By adding persona-based menu selections to the navigation, the site now has clear and easy access to specific content for the multiple audiences accessing the site.

Is your website using outdated technology or in need of a face lift? Our trusted experts are providing free, no-obligation website reviews for a limited time.

CC Communications Wins 2015 Best Business of Charlotte

CHARLOTTE AWARD PROGRAM HONORS THE ACHIEVEMENT.

CC Communications has been selected for the 2015 Best Businesses of Charlotte Award in the Web Design category by the Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program.

Each year, the Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program identifies companies they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Charlotte area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2015 Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About the Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program

The Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Charlotte area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Best Businesses of Charlotte Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.

Is the Social in SOCIAL Media Silent?

In 2002-2003, the world as we knew it changed. We began succumbing to the powers of social media, via Friendster and Myspace, and chat rooms like ICQ and AOL. Yes, getting online was accompanied by THE most annoying sound in the world, but we had unlimited freedom. Our barriers to connecting the world began crumbling.

Currently in 2016, a large number of social media platforms have entered, commanded, and won the market. The power that lies between our keyboards and fingers goes largely unappreciated. The bounds and opportunities to communicate and connect are endless. Social media is how we get our news, how we engage with celebrities and icons, celebrate milestones and learn of the excitement of others, how we find jobs, how we find love, how trends begin, how movements are created, how injustices are spread, how tales of inspiration and triumph are shared, and how we stay connected with those we care about, and those we long to know. (However, thankfully, the dial-up sound is a thing of the past.)

Further, businesses and organizations have realized the opportunity social media affords to become further branded, to expand sales potential, and to have a direct avenue to interact with consumers, customers, and clients. Yet, many businesses select to take out the 'social' aspect out of social media and focus primarily on sales; eliminating the ability to achieve communication nirvana.

Said businesses focus on selling to their social media base, rather than creating and expanding relationships and EARNING trust. Look at 5 star brands on social media, like BareMinerals by Bare Escentuals on Facebook and Southwest Airlines on Twitter. Not only do they connect fluidly with their target market, they encourage and respond to interactions with their customers and clients like a champ. They don't need to hard sell themselves; how they act, engage, and communicate naturally does that for them.

Being social on social media doesn't mean you can't sell, but make it an ingredient in the mix... Not the main course. No one wants to engage with a company that is trying to sell you at every turn or a company that boasts about their superiority or greatness. Most social media savants want to engage with a company that shares good content, allows opportunities to communicate, shows some spunky humor, offers specials, and extends a direct communication line. Attempting to blatantly sell in a social space is the quickest way to get unliked, unfollowed, unconnected, or unfriended.

So how to do businesses thrive on Social Media? Here is the secret... Ready for it? 

It's SOCIAL media. Social. It's about assimilating yourself into the social communication sphere and providing an incentive for people to follow, like, or friend you. That incentive could be the content you share. It could be discounts you provide. It could be your wit and snarkiness... Consumers aren't going to willingly engage with a business just to be pushed to purchase products or services each day... Especially on platforms that are created to be personal and to cradle friendships, relationships, and connections.

Businesses thrive on social platforms by being authentic... By hearing out their customers and responding to their questions, compliments, and complaints. By being down-to-earth and likable. By gracefully establishing a role as an industry expert without being cocky. By exuding the confidence of a trusted, true, and reliable company voice. By being off-the-cuff. By knowing, understanding, and speaking the company voice... By knowing who they are, and who they are not.

Tell us what you think 

What's your favorite business or brand on social media? What do you wish more businesses would or wouldn't do on social media?

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Would you like to talk to the CC Communications team about Social Media Marketing or Charlotte Internet marketing? We'd love to have a conversation with you and your business to see if our services, style, and methods are a strong match for you and your company. Connect with us at 704.761.4676 or drop us an email at Marketing@CCCom.com.

How to Correctly Brand Your Business Online

As you prepare for re-branding or a redesign of your website, consider evaluating your complete online identity to ensure your online presence is consistent across all platforms. This includes each social media account you have established, each directory listing, and any online ad campaigns you may be running through Google AdWords or Yahoo! Bing ads.

CONSISTENCY COUNTS
When it comes to your working business name, make sure that your business is listed uniformly in all of your directory listings, social media platforms, news articles, and blogs. Not only does this help your SEO campaign by remaining consistent with NAP Data (Name, Address, Phone), it provides users an easy path to find you. This also prevents browsers from assuming they're viewing conflicting or competing businesses.

CLAIM YOUR NAME
Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest, allow you the opportunity to personalize your web address. This is called a vanity url, and it's the unique link that will lead a visitor directly to your dedicated page on a social media network. Since many of the major social media platforms are well established, you may find that other businesses may have grabbed your username already, so take some time to research a username that will allow your business to stay consistent across all platforms. If your business name is already taken, consider using derivations with an action word in front of your business name. For instance, @GoXYZCompany or @HireXYZCompany.

Overall, make sure that your social media handles relate to your business. Before you commit to a particular url or handle, do your due diligence to make sure that handle is available on all platforms.

Looking for more insight? Allow CC Communications the opportunity to evaluate your digital marketing needs. We proudly serve the Charlotte, North Carolina area and the entire Southeast. Reach us today at 704.761.4676 or by emailing Marketing@CCCom.com.

5 Ways to Impress Your Website Visitors

You rock at search engine optimization. You can blog with the best of 'em. Your social media is on point. You notice that your website visits are growing... but don't celebrate, yet.

Building a website is much like maintaining your computer. You have to allow for system updates, edit what's hosted on your computer, and clean out unused space so your computer will run optimally. So what can you do to make an impact to keep your visitors coming back for more?

MIND YOUR DESIGN
Dated designs are easy to spot and could influence visitors to think that your website has not been updated in some time or that your company is not staying up-to-date. Think of your website design as the state of your home. If you were having a dinner party or inviting company over, would you want to present your home looking its best or when it's rather 'lived in'?

MINIMIZE ERRORS
Make sure to consistently check your website for dead links, formatting issues, and bad re-directs. Not only can these issues negatively impact your SEO, they can be a hub of frustration for your visitors.

MAKE IT EASY
Sometimes webmasters and marketers design websites for what looks best and not always what is most user-friendly. Take a moment to objectively look at your website from the eyes of a first time visitor to your website. Would you encounter navigation frustration attempting to find what you're seeking? It's easy for visitors attention to be pulled many different ways that they become frustrated and confused, leading them to navigate away from the page. Impress your visitors by keeping your website uncluttered and allows their attention to flow naturally.

SET YOURSELF APART
All businesses have a competitor in some form or fashion... Are you blending in with the pack or are you standing at the forefront of your industry? Want to really make a lasting impression with visitors and potential clients? Offer a service or amenity on your website that your competitors don't - This could be a complimentary consultation session or white paper, a complimentary gift, or extended customer service. Offer more and do more to show your web visitors and clients how much you care and appreciate their business and trust.

A GOOD REASON TO COME BACK
Aside from intensifying your SEO presence, updating your website on a consistent basis adds urgency to return to your website, as new content, products, or services, given your business line, are added regularly. This gives your visitors extra incentive to return and become a loyal visitor or client.

Is your website craving a web re-design? Are you in need of making tweaks to your website and need assistance? The CC Communications Team is always here to help!