Category: Marketing

5 Reasons Why Great Imagery is Key

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Graphic Design, Marketing

When we browse through an Instagram profile, whether it’s Architectural Digest or Condé Nast Traveller, we suddenly long for the coziness of home or encounter wanderlust scrolling through images of Italian vineyards. Without a doubt, the beautiful, crisp, clean imagery evokes a good feeling and has an undeniable impact on our brain. Images are a powerful tool to build your brand. And when great imagery is combined with digital marketing, that’s when the magic happens. Why is that? What is the science behind it? It’s simple. Research shows images are processed 600,000 times faster than text! Without imagery, digital marketing won’t strike an emotional chord among your audience. Visual imagery resonates, connects, and inspires. Let’s explore the reasons why great imagery is the key in your marketing efforts:

1. The right imagery will attract an audience. It’s true. In an age of visual culture, if you want to create the biggest impact from the get-go, imagery is king. Written content will only take you halfway. If your goal is to stop your audience in its tracks when scrolling through hundreds of posts on their Instagram feed, focus on your visuals. The right tone, resolution, and even subject matter are things that should be at the forefront of your marketing strategy. In fact, imagery is 10 times more likely to generate audience engagement than content without images.

Build Your Brand

2. Imagery boosts engagement and connects. Research shows posts with imagery cultivate more engagement than links, videos, or text-based updates. And more engagement means more leads. On Facebook, posts featuring imagery account for 93% of the most engaging posts. That’s a pretty big deal! If your engagement is dropping and you’re scratching your head at what you’re doing wrong, take a look at your visuals. It may be time to rethink what you’re posting on Instagram and break your visuals down to even color science.

3. Your imagery reflects your brand. Do you want your brand to stand out and be memorable? Focus on your visual strategy. It’s not just about the brand logo. New companies and brands struggle to build your brand identity through imagery. Being mindful of the color tone and how it flows through your digital efforts, is something that should be considered. Use visuals that reflect the mood of the content. Pro tip: Lean on color theory and psychology.If you’re trying to convey happiness, use imagery that evokes joy: bright colors. Remember, you’re aiming for emotional impact. Connecting with your audience is key and the formula is simple: great imagery.

Build Your Brand

4. Your audience will remember your message. Text-based content is inefficient on its own. You can write a paragraph of content on your skincare brand, but users will struggle to connect if it’s just that. However, if you include a great on-brand image with your material, people are more likely to remember you and refer back to your product. According to the Social Science Research Network, 65% of people are visual learners, including myself. Want to captivate me? Tell me a story through a passionate image!

5. The digital world’s platforms are image-centric. It’s not rocket science to figure out why Instagram and Pinterest are taking the world by storm. What do they both have in common? That’s right. It’s Images. Image focused platforms are becoming increasingly popular. I think we can all agree pictures have become the universal language of the world. If you haven’t considered Instagram or Pinterest vital in the health of your brand, hopefully, you learned an important lesson today: a picture is worth a thousand words.

Great imagery comes with great responsibility. If done right, a picture inspires, evokes emotion, and engages people. Most importantly, it tells a compelling story when text may otherwise fail to personally resonate. Humans are wired to need visuals. How often have you become distracted or bored? Imagery is your chance to grab someone’s attention! It’s time to harness the power of visual imagery.

If you’re struggling to tell a compelling story and feel your brand is not performing to its full potential, hey, it happens. It’s natural to feel frustrated because you’re not getting any or enough engagement on your content. You’ve worked hard to introduce your business to the world and sometimes a little more push is just needed to unlock your brand’s full potential.

At The AD Leaf ®, we’re here to help study and build your brand, strategize, and offer solutions for your digital media portfolio. Feel free to give us a call at 321-255-0900 or you can email us to info@theadleaf.com. Let’s make great things happen together.

Content Writing Strategies

Three Ways to Improve Your Website Content Writing

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Content Writing, Marketing, Podcasting

Writing engaging website copy can be a bit difficult for even the most seasoned professionals. However, it does not have to be this way. Here are some great content writing strategies & tips to get you started on writing professional copy that will catch the eye of any client.

  1. Check Out These Content Marketing Podcasts
  2. Review Your Competitor’s Websites and Build a Strategy
  3. Take the Time to Understand Who Your Target Audience Is

One: Check Out These Content Marketing Podcasts

Over the past couple of years, podcasts have taken the world by storm. There are podcasts for virtually every topic and every industry. The content marketing world is no exception, as there are a number of different marketing podcasts on the Internet. Want to begin listening to some content marketing podcasts but do not know where to start? The AD Leaf ® has compiled a list of some of the best podcasts on the market. These podcasts can help you with a number of different content marketing roadblocks, such as breaking out of your creative rut and learning about new industry tools.

  • Marketing Over Coffee
    • If you are interested in listening to a content marketing podcast but prefer a more conversational and relaxed tone, check out Marketing Over Coffee. Hosted by John Wall and Christopher Penn, current topics and events are discussed in simple terms that are easy to understand.
  • The Copyblogger Podcast
    • Copyblogger is one of the best content marketing resources in the industry, so it is no surprise that their podcast is just as informative. Hosted by Tim Stoddart and Darrell Versterfelt, this podcast gives professionals the best tips and tricks to succeed in all forms of marketing.
  • Marketing School – Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips
    • Eric Siu and Neil Patel are some of the most well-known names in the content marketing industry, so you do not want to miss this podcast. The two discuss the current trends and tools.
  • Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Portfield
    • Perhaps one of the most knowledgable podcasts currently airing, Amy Portfield’s weekly podcast gives essential information on how to succeed in the content marketing industry. This podcast is one of the best to listen to if you are just entering the industry, as well.

Two: Review Your Competitor’s Websites and Build a Strategy

Who said that imitation was not the highest form of flattery? It should obviously be said that plagiarism is highly frowned upon and can land you and your business in some hot legal trouble. That being said, that does not mean that you cannot do your research.

The marketing industry is extremely flexible and constantly introducing new methods to engage clients. It is important to keep up with these developments because they might significantly help you with potential client outreach and customer engagement. Take notice of the strategies your competitors are utilizing for their own outreach. Do they appear to be working? 

Three: Take the Time to Understand Who Your Target Audience Is

The last tip when it comes to content writing strategies is to understand your target audience by analyzing your client list. Are there any patterns that you see? These simple patterns in age and gender can help you determine a very general understanding of your target audience. 

That being said, it is important to develop your understanding of your target audience further than just the bare minimum of demographics. One way to determine your more specific demographics is to send out a survey to current or prospective customers on your email lists. Once you have collected most if not all of the surveys then you can analyze your target audience in a more analytical way.

Contact Us

We know that it takes a lot to stay on top of the different ways you can improve your website content and content marketing in general. That is why The AD Leaf ® Marketing LLC is here to help. Our team of expert content marketers will help you determine the best course of action for your marketing strategies. Call us at 321-255-0900 for more information.

Content Marketing

Making Creative Content with Results

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Content Writing, Email Marketing, Graphic Design, Marketing, Social Media

Content marketing is a tried and true method of grabbing your audience’s attention. However, this has its downfalls because you have to compete against your peers. You want your content and blogging to stand out. This is why giving your content a creative spin is so important. There are a number of ways you can help your content give an extra twist.

Decide What You Want To Market

Before you get into the nitty-gritty of making your content, you first need to decide what exactly you want to market. Perhaps you have a new service you want to announce to your customers, or maybe you just want to amplify a service most of your customers did not know you offered. Whatever it is that you want to market, make sure that your marketing focuses on this product or service. You want to make sure that its usefulness and benefits are still the main focus.

Define Your Audience

You want to make sure that both the concept you are marketing and the marketing you plan to execute revolves around your target audience. Who do you believe will benefit the most from this product or service? 

For example, if you are a roofing company that wants to market your shingle repair services, you want to market yourself towards homeowners. If you want to go further, you may want to research online search trends to see further demographics who might be interested in your services, such as gender and age.

Types of Creative Content

Now that you have decided what to market and who to market to, here is the fun part: deciding how to creatively market your product or service. There are some different methods and mediums you and your business can utilize. Here are just a few:

We will be walking through the benefits of using these types of creative content for your marketing, as well as why you should choose The AD Leaf ® for whatever creative content production you decide upon. 

Videos For Content Marketing

Videos are great for easygoing and quick bites of information. Your customers can use these videos to gain a basic knowledge of your service or product. Furthermore, videos can be easily accessible to your consumers, as they are easy to share onto multiple platforms. The AD Leaf ® can help you create the perfect marketing videos using the best equipment and software on the market.

Blogs For Content Marketing

Blogs are perfect for customers who want a more in-depth and intimate explanation of your services and products. They are also a great way for your audience to get to know your business on a personal level through blog posts on your employees and your company’s culture. The AD Leaf ®’s team of content marketers will be able to guide you through the blog-writing process in an easy and efficient way.

Electronic Media For Content Marketing

Electronic media marketing can apply to anything from television advertisements to email marketing. This can result in new customers finding out about your services or products and older customers coming back to you for repeat results. Whatever your electronic media marketing needs are, The AD Leaf ®’s team of experts will help you decide what is the best course of action for your company.

Print Media For Content Marketing

Even in an environment populated by digital media, print media marketing is far from dead. Print advertisements are more flexible to promote, as you are able to choose where you want to publish your advertisements. The AD Leaf ® will help you determine the right course of action for your print media to make sure you are reached to as many potential customers as possible. 

Infographics For Content Marketing

For people who want the basics of your business and products, infographics are a great way to share your information. The effectiveness of infographics has been scientifically tested, with researchers at Thermopylae Sciences and Technology discovering that people “[process] images 60,000 times faster than text”. With this in mind, let The AD Leaf ® help you condense your important information into an easy-to-digest infographic with our graphic design

Social Media For Content Marketing

Finally, social media is perhaps the biggest source of creative content marketing on the market at the moment. It is so effective because you can create your own campaigns centered around your service or product while also promoting your other campaigns; for example, linking your blog post on a social media site can increase traffic towards that blog post. The AD Leaf ® can help you create the perfect social media strategy for you and your business.

Contact Us

Here at The AD Leaf ®, we are committed to providing you with the best and highest quality services possible for your business. We specialize in various different types of marketing, from video production to social media. Call us at 321-255-0900 or visit our website to schedule an appointment today.

Content Marketing Strategy

How Content Marketing Makes Your Website Look Better

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Content Writing, Marketing

Imagine you are a customer looking for an HVAC service. Your AC is starting to make weird noises and when you walk over to it you notice an odd smell. Previous experiences with AC units tells you that water is trapped somewhere beneath creating mildew and potentially bigger issues. You want to fix the problem but you have no idea how to do it yourself so you seek out someone more qualified to do this.

Thanks to your general knowledge of HVAC you feel that you have a pretty good idea of what a good HVAC company will look like. So you go on Google and look up “AC Repair” and begin to browse. You find two in your area with positive reviews and need to pick between the two. One of the websites is extremely busy. There is a lot going on throughout it and finding information is kind of a chore. On top of this, the information you can find is scarce.

On the other hand, you have a second website that is not only far easier to navigate but has plenty of info about their HVAC services. In fact, every single web page they have is full of content telling you how great their service is. They even have an entire page dedicated to the exact problem you are dealing with right now.

Of these two websites which company are you more likely to seek out the service of? More than likely it is going to be the services of the website that is full of content and even managed to address the exact problem you are having. This is an example of the edge that having great content marketing on your website can do for you. The better your content marketing, the better your website looks.

How To Achieve A Great Content Marketing Strategy

The path to a great content marketing strategy is something that sounds far more simple than it is and it is to make sure your website has as much content as possible and be sure that content is at high quality. When someone is seeking out a service they are going to look for someone that not only sounds qualified but plays the look of it as well.

Consider your website to be the first impression that you ever give a customer. If that first impression is related to having a difficult time finding the information they are seeking, a lack of information from what they do find, and a complete disregard for the user experience then that is going to put you at an immediate disadvantage. You want a website that will draw the user into your website not push them away from you.

One way to draw them in is to feature plenty of information for them to consume. Let’s go back to the HVAC example. If someone is seeking out an HVAC service then they are going to want plenty of information on what services you provide for your HVAC services such as AC Repair and AC Maintenance, but if you live somewhere that has harsh winters then you will want pages that also showcase Furnace repair, installation, and maintenance.

Identify who you are trying to appeal to. Most HVAC companies apply their services to both residential properties and commercial properties, but if you are a company that focuses in only one area then you will want to showcase that. Especially if you are a business that provides a service meant to sell to other businesses.

So make your website show this from the start through your content. If you are someone that specializes in working with other businesses then the user should be able to see this as soon as they start looking through your service pages. Alternatively, if you are someone that really wants to focus on residential customers then that is who your content should be driven towards. If you want to have both then do your best to show that you offer an even amount of services for both.

Should My Content For Commercial And Residential Be Separate?

Absolutely, yes. Even if the service you are providing is similar, let’s use HVAC as an example again, there are going to be major differences in how you approach your potential customer base. If you are offering an HVAC service then residential customers may be more comfortable knowing that you are someone that is very clean and timely. You show up at the times requested and they do not need to call you back once the service has been complete. They want confirmation you are friendly and someone that can be trusted. This is their home you are working on after all.

A commercial business on the other hand you will be working with completely different HVAC units. Likely larger, more complicated, and in need of maintenance more often. They want to know that you are qualified to get the job done, can do so quickly, and offer a rate that the commercial business considers fair. There are similarities to the residential job, such as being able to perform the job in a timely manner, but the key points that may make them take on your service will be different

Keeping the two separated is a good way of making sure you show your best self to each potential customer base. Showing this through your content is a great way for the user to see that you understand the different needs of different people.

Need Help To Come Up With A Content Marketing Strategy? Contact The AD Leaf ®

Does all of this sound like a lot of work that you don’t have time for? Yes, you want your website to be better but you are a busy person that does not know the first thing about content marketing as well as coming up with an effective content marketing strategy. Well those of us at The AD Leaf ® would be happy to help you.

We love turning websites into the best they can be with the best content possible. Call us at 321-255-0900, email us to @info@theadleaf.com, or use our contact page and set up a consultation. We will be happy to explain to you how we can give you the best possible content marketing and take your website from good to great. 

Social Listening- Take Your Social Media to the Next Level

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Marketing, Social Media

“The customer is always right” has been the rule of thumb for as long as businesses have existed. Return business depends on the customer feeling valued. Being valued begins with listening.  Listening to the customer means not only hearing them but understanding what they want.

This concept is put into practice by a business by listening to the customer and what they want. This practice is no different on social media when it comes to your company’s brand and what you are putting out into the world for the customer to see. A practice and example of this that I was taught early on in my career, paraphrasing, “My favorite color is blue but that doesn’t mean I can put blue everywhere and use it in every campaign. I am catering to the customer and their desire. Just because my favorite color is blue does not mean that it is everyone else’s favorite color.” 

As humans, we are visual beings when it comes to consumerism. We make a judgment based on the first thing we see. If what we are seeing is not desirable, we move onto something else that does catch our eye. Listen to your new followers and most importantly, returning customers on social media to what they want to see. They are your audience, connect with them.

By ignoring what our audience wants we are disconnected from them. When we are disconnected from our audience, we cannot service or leave an impact on them. Companies often guess at what an audience wants to see versus listening to what they want. If any of this applies to your company, make a plan of action and ask yourself questions: “Who is the audience? What do they want to see? What could be a more effective way of connecting with them? What performs the best and gets the most engagement?”

Companies monitor their social media, which is a necessary part of a social media campaign, but it is taking bits and pieces of information versus looking at the whole picture. Engaging with your customers and assuring them that their comment has been seen is great, but did you listen to that person when they made a comment? Proper social listening means looking at the industry your company belongs to as a whole versus your one small piece of it. What is working for other companies that might be more successful than yours? How could you use it as inspiration and do something similar, but more importantly, better? 

Let’s look at social listening and social monitoring from a business performance perspective. Imagine you are a business owner with more than one location. If one of your locations was performing better than another with the same location to customer ratios you would listen to the customers leaving poor reviews and initiate some type of change as a result. This change would be put into motion with an investigation as to why one store is getting better reviews than the other. For example, if a review was left saying “Business- Location A is much more attentive when I come in to shop than Business-Location B, it takes ten minutes for someone to ask if I need help at Location B and at Location A someone is ready to help me as soon as I walk through the door.” As a business owner, you want both locations to be equally successful, so you would address the customer and acknowledge their complaint. Next, you might put a standard in place to greet customers and ask if they need help when they come into the store versus waiting until they look like they might need help after a period of time. By addressing the customer, you are monitoring the issue and bringing awareness to it but taking it that one step further to make a change in your store locations you are listening.

With that example in mind, look at your social media campaign the same way. If a specific type of post is performing better than another, listen to what your audience is saying and make a change. Research other companies in your industry and see if their top-performing posts are similar or different from your top-performing posts. If they are different see how you can change a type of post that is not performing as well as you want to align closer to what your audience is responding positively to. Making a change to a low engagement post has no negative outcome. If the post responds equally or worse than the original, you can always go back to the original style of the post but if it performs better than you’ve created more brand awareness and listened to what your audience wants.

Social listening can improve the health of your brand, give an insight into what works versus what doesn’t, and analyzes the competition versus your company’s campaign. Take advantage of your social media analytics to get further insight and start listening to your audience engagement. It is important to let your audience know they are seen, but it is even more important to let your audience know they are heard. An audience member on social media who feels heard but is not an existing customer could potentially be your next biggest and most loyal customer to date.

At The AD Leaf ® we understand that not every business has the extra time to invest their full efforts into social media. We are here to listen to your needs so that your customers can feel heard on social media, contact us via our phone number, 321.255.0900, or set up a consultation at TheAdLeaf.com, or you can email us to info@theadleaf.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

website content

When Was The Last Time You Reviewed Your Website Content?

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Content Writing, Marketing

The Power of Fresh Website Content & Why It Matters for Your Brand

Your website serves as your digital storefront, and just like a physical store, it needs regular upkeep to remain appealing and relevant. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, routinely refreshing your website’s copy can improve your search engine rankings, attract new customers, and stay ahead of the competition.

With so many sources for intriguing, informative, and entertaining content online, keeping your website fresh and updated is no longer optional. If visitors land on outdated pages with stale content, they may assume your business is inactive or that your information is unreliable. More importantly, search engines like Google reward websites that consistently update their content, helping you climb the rankings and reach more potential customers.

Fresh is Best for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a fundamental part of digital marketing, and content freshness plays a crucial role in how search engines assess and rank your website. Here’s why fresh content is so critical for SEO:

1. Frequent Indexing by Search Engines

Search engines constantly crawl websites to determine their relevance and authority. When you update your content regularly, search engine bots revisit your site more often, increasing the chances of better indexing and improved rankings.

2. Higher Search Rankings

Google’s algorithm values relevance and freshness. Websites that consistently publish new blog posts update service pages and refresh product descriptions are more likely to rank higher in search results than static, rarely updated sites.

3. More Keyword Opportunities

Each time you create new content, you can include valuable keywords and long-tail search phrases that potential customers are searching for. These keywords on your website can attract a broader audience over time just by staying current on content.

4. Increased Organic Traffic

Fresh content encourages repeat visits from both users and search engines. When you regularly publish informative and engaging material, users are likelier to share it, boosting organic traffic and brand visibility.

Evergreen & Trending Content Matters

Did you know that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine and that Google owns 91.61% of the search engine market share? Source: (https://aioseo.com/seo-statistics/) This illustrates how important your brand is to rank well on Google and other search engines.

Keeping your website’s content updated isn’t just about satisfying search engines. 

Utilizing a mix of evergreen content that will remain relevant for years and the recent trending copy can deliver value to your audience and keep them engaged. Here’s why refreshing your content should be a priority:

  • Establishes Industry Authority: Regularly publishing high-quality content like blog posts, case studies, and expert insights can position your brand as a thought leader.
  • Enhances User Experience: Visitors are more likely to stay on your site and explore further when they find up-to-date and relevant information. Outdated content can lead to frustration and higher bounce rates.
  • Keeps Your Brand Competitive: If your competitors consistently publish new content while your site remains stagnant, they’ll gain an edge in search rankings and audience engagement. Staying competitive requires maintaining fresh, compelling content that resonates with your target market.
  • Aligns with Business Growth: Your website should reflect those changes as your business evolves. Whether launching new products, updating services, or rebranding, your content should communicate these developments clearly to your audience.

Stay Current in Today’s Evolving Digital Environment

At The AD Leaf, we understand the importance of maintaining a dynamic and engaging online presence. Our team of experienced content creators, SEO strategists, and digital marketers is here to help your business thrive by providing fresh, high-quality website content tailored to your unique needs.

Our Content Marketing Services Include:

  • Custom Content Strategy: We develop a personalized content plan that aligns with your business goals and target audience.
  • SEO-Optimized Blog Writing: Regular blog posts crafted with relevant keywords to improve your search engine rankings.
  • Website Copy Updates: We refresh outdated website pages, ensuring your brand messaging is current and compelling.
  • Landing Page Optimization: Conversion-focused content that drives leads and sales.
  • Social Media and Email Marketing Content: Engaging copy for multi-channel marketing strategies to expand your reach.

Don’t Let Your Website Go Stale

Investing in fresh website content isn’t just a one-time task but an ongoing process yielding long-term benefits. Regular updates improve your SEO and enhance your brand’s credibility and user engagement. At the same time, it may seem like drops of water in a bucket, but over time, those drops will add up to a library of solid and relevant content that will make you an authority on search engines.

Why The AD Leaf?

Trust The AD Leaf to help you stay ahead of the curve with professionally written, search-engine-friendly content that keeps your audience coming back for more. By partnering with The AD Leaf, you can focus on growing your business while we care for your content needs. 

Our team ensures your website remains fresh, informative, and optimized for search engines and visitors. Learn how we can revamp your website, social media, and blogs to drive measurable results for your business!

 The AD Leaf ® can help

If all of this sounds overwhelming then don’t worry, because at The AD Leaf ® we have an expert team of SEO specialists and Content Marketers that understand exactly how to fill out a service page with great original content. Our team understands this better than anyone because we dive ourselves into it so our clients don’t have to.

If you need help preparing your website for re-opening, update it, or just need help understanding where to get started then give us a call at 321-255-0900, set up a consultation appointment at TheAdLeaf.com or email us at info@theadleaf.com and we can help you understand why updating your website with content is the key to success. We look forward to helping you!

SEO services

How SEO Services Can Help Boost Your Sales and Revenue

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Are you a brick and mortar company that’s looking to establish an online marketing presence? Interested in marketing your products or services online, but you just don’t have additional time to learn digital marketing techniques? If you want to promote your product or services online in the most effective manner, you cannot overlook the importance of SEO services for your business. If you’re not aware, the purpose of SEO is to make sure that your website gets optimized so that you can get maximum revenue through increased traffic in the least possible time. When a team of qualified SEO professionals comes up with an effective strategy – in partnership with you – to increase traffic to your website,  it is a correlation to help increase your revenue. Essentially, the more traffic you can direct to your website, the greater the chances that you can convert them to paying customers. It doesn’t matter if you are a startup or an established firm. Quality, professional SEO services are necessary to make an impact to help boost your sales and revenue.

How SEO Services Can Help Your Business

Although we believe content is king to help you rank on top of Google and other search engines, simply loading your website with well-written content is not enough. Also, building an attractive website wouldn’t simply bring in more traffic and conversions. Understand that having a beautiful website without any marketing is basically a business card online. There is so much competition out there and so many challenges in the world of digital marketing, that it will take tremendous manpower to optimize your website and have it successful for the long term. Search engine optimization is not something you do part-time or with minimal effort. You need a team that’s familiar with SEO best practices, who understands your business goals and come up with a long-term strategy to help you achieve them. We believe this is what it takes to become competitive in 2020 and beyond.

In the end, effective SEO services are designed to bring the right visitors to your site, hold their attention, and convert them to customers. Entrusting the right SEO company with your digital marketing campaign allows you to do what you do best and focus on your core competencies, which is your business. A good team of SEO professionals will work you as a partner of your company to employ the latest and most ethical tactics to make your website rank high on leading search engines.

Here are the SEO services and techniques they can provide for you below:

SEO professionals work to implement these different strategies while keeping your business goals in mind. Their tactics allow your website to maintain its position even in the face of Google’s ever-changing search engine algorithms. A reliable firm will provide you with timely reports to let you know where your website stands and the progress that it is gradually making.

Now that you understand the importance of  SEO services, it is time to choose a high-class SEO service to optimize and improve your website’s ranking. If you are looking for a reputable SEO Company in Melbourne FL to improve your website’s ranking, please don’t hesitate to contact The AD Leaf ® Marketing Firm at 321-255-0900. We’d love to help you.

 

Your Brand and Pinterest

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Marketing, Social Media

For many years, companies have shied away from utilizing the incredibly visual platform, Pinterest. We believe this is because from early on, Pinterest began to brand themselves to speak specifically to and address the needs of a younger female demographic.

But the tides are changing.

Now, more than ever, 40% of new sign-ups are actually men, says Pinterest. Pinterest is a massive platform, though not as large as say Instagram or Facebook. But it’s growing. Pinterest has 322 million global active users, which has 200 billion pins saved.

Pinterest, according to some of these analytics, means that this platform is nothing to shy away from when it comes to your brand. 

You see, Pinterest is unique in that it’s  a place where users go to do primarily two things:

  1. They are going to make a purchase, and Pinterest helps users discover this.
  2. Pinterest users may be trying to decide what they want, and go to Pinterest to discover what that actually is.

Pinterest has a whopping 83% of its weekly Pinners actually made purchases based on the content they saw while scrolling! Seventy-seven percent of weekly Pinners discovered a new brand. The bottom line here to note is that Pinterest is a place all about the user, and a place to create something for themselves.

However…

With all of these incredible metrics, did you know that an alarming 97% of the top pins are actually unbranded? When we talk about a brand, what we are meaning is a company identity as seen through their content. Almost all of the top-pins have no identity if you will. Do you know what this means? It means there is a massive void, and dare we say opportunity, for your brand to stand out in this vast space? We believe so. This factor, along with a few other points we will mention here in a minute, show us that Pinterest may just be the secret weapon your brand needs.

So here are some helpful tips on branding from Pinterest themselves

  1. Brand Your Pins: As we stated earlier, 97% of top-searched pins are actually identity-less. They have no brand. This means that when you see a pin that may be performing well but may not be converting as well as it could because it’s not branded. According to Pinterest, when companies branded their pins and ensured there was a cross-platform brand continuity, they saw a 13% conversion rate increase! So before you go to post that pin, ask yourself if your image has a logo? What about the image itself; is it visually striking and clear? Is it vertically oriented? What about the text? Do you have a text overlay that is clear and to the point, along with clear titles, captions, and hashtags? These are just a few quick questions to ask yourself to help take your brand to the next level!
  2. Think “mobile”: What we mean by this one, and we thought it was a brilliant point, is to design for the user’s cellphone, not necessarily a desktop. According to Pinterest, 85% of their users are accessing their platform through their phones. It’s important to use your content and the pages you are sending people to are mobile-friendly. This means ensuring the font is screen readable and content is optimized for a cellphone.
  3. Brand Continuity: We touched on this a moment ago, but ensure that not only your pins but also the pages you are linking your pins to all have the same branding will help your users not feel as disjointed and create a more pleasant user experience. A simple audit of your accounts can help alleviate this with the same logos, banners, and color schemes being implemented. 
  4. Set-Up Shop: You can also create an online shopping experience through Pinterest! And with their catalog feature, you can link your brand’s page to your Pinterest page to make shopping a breeze. And if you are worried that you will have to adjust your Pinterest every time you add an item to your eCommerce store, don’t worry! Their catalog updates your Pinterest automatically though the data link so updating is not a hassle across platforms. 

Some Freebies for you on your Brand’s Journey to harnessing Pinterest

  • Pick and eye-catching image.
  • Reference Pinterest’s incredible amount of free information such as their yearly calendar that shows trends to help you research and strategize with monthly and yearly data.
  • Use video, and forget the audio (but don’t forget the text overlay).
  • Think like your audience when curating content. Pinterest is a place where people go to discover what they want, or make purchases. 
  • For more resources, check out their blog: https://business.pinterest.com/en/resources-and-guides

The more we at The AD Leaf ® research and utilize Pinterest, along with the shifting marketing landscape, the more we see Pinterest as becoming a heavy-hitter, especially for all of your visually strong brands and those who are selling items or services. If your brand is wanting to harness the power of Pinterest, or simply looking for some marketing help, The AD Leaf ® is ready to take your business to the next level today. For questions on who we can help, please visit us online at www.theadleaf.com. 

 

Google Ads Update

Google Ads Requiring All Advertisers To Identify Verification

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Marketing, Pay Per Click

Google had announced a recent important Google Ads update. They are requiring all advertisers on their platform “to complete a verification program in order to buy ads” on the Google Ads network. This idea was brought up previously. However, the program is now being activated for all advertisers now. As Google explains here, certain advertisers will be required to submit some form of verification that will prove the legitimacy of their legal business or their individual name. This, of course, will be done through providing supporting documentation.

The verification program will first begin in the United States and will apply to Search, Display and YouTube advertisements. However, over time, it will be rolled out globally. Other details include that advertisers that are required to complete the verification program will be notified and given 30 days to complete and submit the verification form. Once the advertiser submits it, it will take about three to five days for Google to verify the information given. However, failure to fully complete the given program within the 30 days may result in not only ad restrictions, but Google may also stop your ads all together.

Google will also be adding new ad disclosures to each advertisement. Such disclosures will display the advertiser’s name and country. Overall, the verification program will involve the following:

  • Business incorporation documents
  • Personal identification methods
  • Operating geography (country, etc.)
  • Possibly other forms of proof to verify who they are

 

Why Google Ads Is Rolling Out This Program

According to the announcement from Jack Canfield, Director of Product Management, Ads Integrity, Google is trying to “provide greater transparency and equip users with more information about who is advertising to them”. He also further explains the following:

“This change will make it easier for people to understand who the advertiser is behind the ads they see from Google and help them make more informed decisions when using our advertising controls. It will also help support the health of the digital advertising ecosystem by detecting bad actors and limiting their attempts to misrepresent themselves.”

 

What Changes Users Will Experience in Ads

As mentioned earlier, Google is planning to add disclosures to all ads that are verified. This disclosure will simply give details on the identity of the advertiser. A small downwards arrow will be added to such ads, and when pressed, it will show a “Why this Ad?” option. Upon pressing this option, the following option will appear:

  • Advertiser name
  • Country location
  • A toggle option to stop receiving ads from them

For Display ads, the following information will be available on the Ad Choices icon, or the “x” that is on the following banner. For YouTube ads, the disclosure information can be viewed by clicking the “i” icon, as well as the three dot icon in the ad.

 

What Does This Change Mean?

Some would argue that there are both some positives, but also some downsides to the Google Ads update. The security aspect is a great improvement, as this would help keep out illegitimate advertisers from using Google Ads and competing against real users. However, a possible downside is that there could be an influx of accidental clicks. This is due to the fact the disclosure arrow is being added to each advertisement is actually very small, and some people may accidentally click the ad rather than the small arrow symbol.

SEO Content Writing

SEO Isn’t Just About Quality Content

Posted on | by Brian J Wallace
Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Over time, those who are unfamiliar to advanced search engine optimization (SEO) strategies have the perception that the quality of written SEO content is the most important factor to being top ranked on search engines. This perception isn’t entirely incorrect. However, it is misleading and can cause a casual SEO strategist to focus the wrong factors.

When you search a keyword on Google, or another search engine, and click onto a specific result, you’re most likely going to judge the page you land on based on different needs. Does the web page give you the content you were specifically looking for? Is the page easy enough to navigate and view? Does the content actually peak your interest, and does it seem accurate? In terms of quality content, many of these questions are very important to answer. They overall impact the experience of a website’s visitor and how search engines can measure the worth of the page.These elements are important for writing quality, but don’t do much for the actual optimization robots are looking for when indexing websites.

What Is SEO Actually About?

Other than writing quality SEO content, optimization done both on-page and off-page largely factors into what can rank a website greatly on a search engine. Here are the other factors that truly determine SEO success:

Time

SEO is all about time. It is not a process that is completed within a simple couple hours. It can take months, and almost years to gradually build ranking for multiple keywords. It can take a long time to build links externally, that are meant to support your website overall. Gradually and slowly, search engines will discover all connections you are trying to build within your website (from possible internal links), or even links you may have created on other websites that connect back to your site.

Link Building

Search engines could care less about content either being the best or worst if the content itself is not being found through a proper link. If your audience cannot link to it, search engines are very unlikely to even rank it and this will result to no traffic being driven to your website. Think of it this way: The more people can link back to a certain piece of content, the better its chances are of actually ranking for a specific related keyword. Quality links truly do matter, and they can sometimes push a link that has been stuck at position 5 to position 1 on search engines.

HTML Tags

Meta tags, such as title tags, meta descriptions, and keywords, are extremely important. Title tags and meta descriptions are the first impression a possible visitor could have on a specific web page you have ranked. What is displayed in the SERP can make or break whether a person clicks on your website or not.

Source of Content

Link building can play a big factor in giving a website high domain authority. But why is domain authority important? Google will give priority in ranking to those websites that have built such authority and credibility over time. When optimizing a new page, if the website already has high domain authority, they already have a huge head-start in SEO.

Other Factors

Other factors that could affect search engine ranking involve simply having more spend on using better SEO tools, or having a bigger ream of people working on the factors listed above. Another factor is also simple luck. Despite a lack of optimization of SEO strategies, some websites have specific pages ranked up well.

 

Writing the best SEO content may not be the only way to get your web page top ranked. Overall, SEO is a competition of strategy ‒ strategies that are achieved by multiple levels of optimization. However, perseverance and patience are important and are almost key to such a competition.