Invest in the Mobile Experience

Heading into 2023, users are tied to their smartphones more than ever, and your e-commerce site needs to be easy to find and intuitive to use on a phone, wherever your customers happen to be when they search. Visual search is increasingly popular, especially among younger users, with many customers likely to use the images results on search to find the product that they want – and increasingly likely to make their purchases from their phones. High-quality, attractive product images with accurate alt-text and content with great SEO will help your site rise to the top of the rankings. Once customers have found your business, it’s important to ensure your site has quick load times and a smooth user experience (UX) on mobile.

Use Customer Feedback to Develop Content

You may not realize it, but when it comes to content creation, you already have a wealth of information available to inform your digital marketing strategy. Look to product reviews, customer feedback, and email campaigns to discover what information your current customers wish they had about your product and business and develop thoughtful, search engine-optimized answers to those questions. Your current customers will thank you and your prospective ones will find you more easily as your content helps your business rise to the top of search results.

Create Content for Multichannel

As you plan your content strategy for 2023, keep in mind the many channels with which your potential customers engage. Whether they find your brand through a search for a specific product, through a post or ad on social media, through reading a review, or directly on your site, customers are likely to research across channels to inform their decision to purchase a product. As they circle through exploration and evaluation (also known to marketers as the “messy middle” of the typical sales funnel), relevant content for every point in the funnel, with actionable next steps, will keep customers moving toward conversion. 

This doesn’t mean you need to create unique content for each phase. With Google’s August 2022 Helpful Content Update, search is becoming more focused on prioritizing human-first content over search-engine-first content. Use the same core content idea and adapt it for different media, from blog posts to videos to infographics, that work well for various channels. Exploring the same key topic from different angles can offer meaningful information for your target audience. 

Enhance Your Social Media Strategy

The social media landscape – and social media advertising – may be undergoing changes, but it’s as important as ever to meet your customers where they are by creating an engaging and seamless social commerce experience that makes it easy for users to convert to a sale. What does that mean for your business?

• Prioritize short-form video. Whether we’re talking TikTok or Reels on Instagram and Facebook, audiences are turning to short-form video not only for entertainment but also for information – and that includes organic and paid ads. Users spend five times longer looking at a video ad than a static one, and Facebook video ads on average have a lower CPC at $1.86. 
• Create engaging, native-feeling ads. It’s not enough to just put out a quick video and hope for the best. Users prefer native ads that don’t break the flow of their experience of their feeds and instead seem like organic content. Your business can take this one step further by creating authentic, immersive, and interactive augmented reality ads. These ads instruct users who click on them on how to interact with the ad and offer users an opportunity to experience your product or service. 
• Optimize for AI recommendations. TikTok has created user expectations for relevant AI-selected content based on their in-app habits. In 2023, we expect that AI-recommended posts will infiltrate Facebook feeds, and the push for more content from Pages and people that you don’t follow will give Facebook a much-needed boost. 
• Engage with customers via DMs. Brand engagement via direct messages continues to rise, and Meta is looking to feature more tools to help brands tap into this shift. Meta recently highlighted the growth in Click-To-Message ads across Messenger and WhatsApp. In 2023, marketers should expect additional ad options that align with this new form of engagement.

Take Advantage of Trends…. 

NetElixir’s trend researchers have a few ideas of what design trends we can expect in 2023:

• The retro trend will continue strong, so if it suits your brand, consider using subtle cues to the 90s and other relevant decades in your designs, including colors and fonts. 
• We’re seeing more use of realistic-looking photography that doesn’t look overproduced, as it helps brands connect with their customers on a human level. 
• Gradients will still be big in 2023, with liquid-looking gradients adding another level to this visually appealing style.
• Tap into the coming metaverse by adopting or creating the sci-fi-augmented, futuristic reality feel that comes with avatars.
• Grab attention with cinemagraphs, still photographs stitched together as a video clip or animated GIF to show very subtle movement.

…But Stay True to Your Brand

From design to strategy, brand authenticity is important to your customers. If your brand tone relates to a current trend, do make the most of it – but don’t force it. Your brand will draw attention by presenting a consistent identity that customers connect with and remember.

Leading with your brand’s values and staying true to them will continue to position your business for success. In 2022, companies like United Airlines, Keystone Light, and Miller Lite tapped into their identities and values to promote on-topic messaging that draws attention to their brand: remember UA’s commitment to carbon neutrality and other environmentally-friendly stances, Keystone Light’s focus on their rural customers’ sense of community and self-sufficiency, and Miller Lite’s emphasis on Americana. In 2023, consider how your brand can explore its own values in ways that capture the interest of potential customers. 

Work with NetElixir

Whatever your plans for 2023, NetElixir can help your business develop a digital marketing strategy that will resonate with current customers and connect with new ones. From web development to prepare for the cookieless future and make your e-commerce site more mobile-friendly, to SEO and thoughtful content creation, to engagement with trends, NetElixir’s team of experts will work with you to frame a strategy for success in the new year and beyond.  

Additional Resources

• Crafting an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy
• How to Optimize Your Website With The Latest Digital Marketing Trends
• Recent Changes In Google Search Console

The post NetElixir’s Insights and Trends for 2023 appeared first on NetElixir.

Meet Demand for Tasty Treats and Scary Tricks

No one likes running out of candy on Halloween when there are trick-or-treaters at the door, and retailers are no different. With the return to pre-pandemic habits, demand for candy, costumes, decorations, and other Halloween items is likely to be high. Make sure you have enough stock on hand going into the pre-holiday rush (and some leftovers for the day-after sales). You don’t want to leave customers out in the cold by not ordering in time to avoid being affected by the Hershey candy shortage. Supply chain issues are ongoing, so plan ahead when purchasing. 

Stay On-Trend with Product Choices 

It’s not enough to be fully-stocked with any old Halloween products. Your business needs to carry the goodies your customers want for their Halloween festivities. When it comes to costumes, look to movies and TV! The upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is inspiring looks like pink bodysuits, leg warmers, and fanny packs. You’re certain to spot costumes for characters from Stranger Things season 4 when you’re out trick-or-treating, and the new movie, “Halloween Ends” and the remake of 1987’s “Hellraiser” are driving classic horror movie nostalgia. And you can’t go wrong with evergreen popular costumes like Spiderman and other superheroes, princesses, witches, and ghosts. 

When it comes to decorations, consumers are keeping it spooky with both DIY and store-bought products. TikTok is inspiring Halloween enthusiasts; the floating candles look is a popular trend. Those who go all-out for a spine-tingling lawn display might consider going big with 12-foot lawn skeletons or spiders, or pursuing a twist on traditional graveyard displays with animal skeletons. Party hosts will get into the action with serpent and skeleton-themed glassware when they’re serving popular candy corn-flavored treats like Jello shots, ice pops, and cake pops.

Create Spooky – and Up-to-Date – Content to Drive Traffic

Be sure to promote trending costumes and products on your e-commerce site and make sure your product descriptions for related items include language that connects to those trends. If you run out of stock for a popular item, or experience shipping delays, update your listings to reflect that and avoid customer frustration. To draw customers to your site, spark interest in your brand and products, and convert shoppers to buyers. Get creative with your content to feature thematic recipes, costume ideas, and home decor if it relates to your brand. Leverage user-generated content on your site and social media accounts that showcase your products in frightful action.

Work with NetElixir

Halloween doesn’t have to be terrifying when it comes to digital marketing! NetElixir is here to help you with everything from content creation, SEO, and analytics to ensure your business is ready for Halloween. Contact us today to get started on a digital marketing strategy that will set your e-commerce business up for success through spooky season and beyond.  

Further Reading

• Christmas in May: Your Holiday Strategy in the Cookieless World
• Less Tricks and More Treats This Halloween
• Optimize Your SEO Strategy for Valentine’s Day

The post Tricks, Treats, and Trends: Getting in the Halloween Spirit appeared first on NetElixir.

Recent research shows that consumers want brands to help solve their problems. Additionally, long-term customers tend to describe their favorite brands with words like love, happiness, and adore. Brands are leveraging this push for an emotional connection — and successful ones are doing it without pandering. Many of the ads from this Super Bowl™ included hopeful and uplifting messages, while others showed off their brand’s helpful side.

Super Bowl™ Ads That Connected To The Right Customers Using Emotions

Both Chipotle and Toyota shared messages of hope for the future and the strength in all of us. Michelob Ultra highlighted the joy that comes from everyday living, and that happiness drives success. Even funny ads, like the one for Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade, were able to make viewers feel like the brand understood how its consumers felt in 2020 and make light of the situation — while still recognizing the hard times. Bud Light even connected this ad to internet conversations by bringing the ‘Dude with Sign’ to the game to further promote the ad and connect with their audience.

Other brands chose to illustrate how they help their customers. Hellman’s gave out recipe ideas for leftovers, TurboTax showed off their expertise for your personal tax situation, and Carmax guarantees you’ll love your new car with a 24-hour test drive and 30 day return policy. All three of these brands showed that they understand their customers’ problems and can personally solve them.

Super Bowl™ Ads Which Missed The Mark

On the flip side, many Super Bowl ads fell a little short of a clear emotional connection or discussion of values without controversy. M&Ms proposed that mansplaining, gender reveals gone wrong, and more could all be apologized for with a pack of their candy. In 2020, 8,600 acres of land were burned during a massive wildfire started in California from a gender reveal party which went very wrong — sadly one of only many tragic outcomes from similar events. Cure Auto Insurance went with an extended “Whip It Out” ‘joke,’ an at best tone-deaf and at worst offensive ad given ongoing #MeToo conversations. 

On the less offensive, but also not-quite-effective, side of Super Bowl™ ads were spots from Stella Artois and E*TRADE. Stella partnered with Lenny Kravitz to suggest that we are all billionaires due to the number of heartbeats we have. While emotional, for many who have lost loved ones this year or who are struggling with unemployment/financial hardship, the emotions provoked were surely not positive ones. The marketers at E*TRADE seemed aware that many folks have fallen ‘out of shape’ recently, and decided to remind everyone that physical health aside, you can at least have financial health. While frankly a somewhat cute ad, their team missed a chance to create strong positive and value-driven emotions for their brand.

Super Bowl™ Ads That Focused On Conversations 

Oatly oat milk deserves a hat tip for a well-executed plan. Their team was prepared with a successful ad, albeit a strange one. While we are not sure their jingle was all that impactful, we appreciate that they sparked so much conversation so fast. Love this ad or hate it, everyone is still talking about it!

Tide’s ad featured a Jason Alexander hoodie. While nostalgic, the ad seemed to resonate with one target demographic only. For a certain set of people, this sparked instant nostalgia-driven conversations. Millennial and younger audiences may know who Alexander is, but would not feel any positive connection to this spot. Given the cost and reach of a Super Bowl™ ad, Tide could have chosen a spot with a more mass-audience appeal. 

Strong Advertising Provokes Positive Emotions

As we have seen in this year’s Super Bowl™ ads, emotion is particularly critical to successful ads. Brands need to consider their intended audience, how they want to be addressed, and their values. Additionally, brands need to clearly communicate their own values. Advertisers should show empathy, focus on driving positive conversation, and connect with shoppers when it counts. 

About NetElixir

NetElixir is a digital marketing agency that empowers e-commerce growth through empathy, insights, and innovation. We offer complete growth solutions tailored to the needs of e-commerce businesses of all sizes. Our cutting-edge customer journey mapping technology gives brands the power to reach the right shoppers in the moments that matter. We approach content marketing following a proprietary process that considers brand voice/values, intended audience, how to best tell your story, and ongoing testing.

The post Emotions in Super Bowl Ads appeared first on NetElixir.

1. Strong, well-developed, and differentiated content is a key component of any digital marketing strategy — Content Is Queen. Content should follow NetElixir’s V.A.S.T. approach: consider brand voice, target your intended audience, tell a story, and test!
2. Emotions and values are critical for brands. However, don’t pander. Need a recap? Check out our last Content Is Queen newsletter. 
3. E-commerce is more important than ever. There are estimates of about five years of e-commerce growth in one year!

2021 content should build on the lessons learned last year:

1. Speak directly to consumers. Content should be a conversation and used in multiple places. For example, your business should have a blog — each blog should be shared on social media and via email as part of a conversation. 
2. Think beyond the keyword for content. Don’t just write for SEO; use that content creatively across other channels. Can it be made into a quick TikTok? Shared on social? 
3. Brands should continue to highlight and express their values. Listen to what matters to your audience. As customers deal with uncertainty in their daily lives, it becomes even more necessary to focus on values like integrity and transparency. Shoppers in 2021 also will shop based on environmentalism, social justice, and more. 
4. Ask how your brand can help. Beyond expressing brand values, remember that shoppers had a tough year too! In your content, highlight offers like free shipping, free trials, easy returns, BOPIS, and large discounts and sales, which are all sure to be well received this year. 

As e-commerce continues to grow, content will keep playing an important role across all channels. Please reach out to our team at info@netelixir.com if you would like a quick meeting to discuss your 2021 content strategy.

The post Content Remains Queen As E-Commerce Grows For 2021 appeared first on NetElixir.

Develop Your Brand’s Personality

A blog gives you the chance to show off your brand’s personality in ways you might not otherwise be able to. The Content Marketing Institute says that the best way to hone your voice is to define it in three words. Whether your tone is “friendly, casual, and helpful,” or “business-like, succinct, and straightforward,” find three words that best describe your brand and use them as you create content. Developing and using a specific tone will make your brand feel more personable and approachable. 

Build Trust And Expertise

Blogs demonstrate expertise and build trust with customers — both key to driving online sales. By advising shoppers about ways to use your products and producing thoughtful and reputable content, both of these needs are met. Studies have shown that the majority of US shoppers have purchased a product based on a blog recommendation. Use your blog to make those recommendations and capitalize on this trend.

Highlight Key Products

According to Think With Google 2019, 49% of users say they use Google to discover or find a new item or product. By highlighting your products in a blog, they will be more easily searchable for these users. Blogs show off products in an easily digestible format, as opposed to simply browsing product listings. Product highlight blogs are a great way to feature your best-sellers, spotlight high-margin products, and get users to notice products you need to move. 

Capitalize On Trends

Blogging regularly gives your business a way to capitalize on current trends. You must be nimble and react quickly, but the result will be a hyper-relevant blog that can drive traffic. You can also take advantage of monthly or annual trends with timely blogs. For example, if your company sells bathing suits, you know interest grows as summer approaches. You can plan a blog post for Memorial Day Weekend with your top swimsuit picks for that year. 

Build SEO Organically

Blogging leads to more text on your website, which means more chance of matching searchers’ keywords and leading more users to your site. Blogging about a product effectively doubles your search value. According to research by HubSpot, blogging leads to 55% more visitors than companies without blogs.

In addition, blogs help you capitalize on informational queries on search engines, such as “best high heels” or “what to wear with skinny jeans.” They also help build internal and external links, which are key for SEO. If you create strong content with your blog, others are likely to share it and link to it, generating organic and valuable backlinks.

Develop Long-Tail Content Whose Value Lasts For Years

Search engine ranking takes a long time to develop. In fact, most top-ranked pages are over two years old. Creating evergreen blogging content that will remain relevant for years to come gives your page more time to build backlinks and develop authority. A blog created now will only generate more value as it ages!

It is, however, important to keep your blogs up to date. If your blog includes statistics, prices, or other variables, verify and update them regularly. Updated and optimized blogs also boost your SEO. Hubspot studied the return on their optimized versions of older blog posts and saw organic traffic to these posts more than double.

Need Blogging Services?

Looking to add a blog but don’t have the time or expertise? Most businesses outsource their blogging services. As a leading online content provider, NetElixir can help you create blogs that will work for your business and drive visitors to your site. Reach out to content@netelixir.com to learn more.

The post 6 Reasons To Have A Blog For Your Business appeared first on NetElixir.