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Top Advert Types To Up Website Conversion in 2024

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Published: Monday, 29 April 2024 05:46

Are you looking to up your website conversion and sales in 2024? Are you struggling to identify which advert types can help you to meet that goal?

Advertising and marketing are two seemingly forever evolving parts of having an online brand, and it can be frustrating to know which option is best for your company, to help get organic traffic to your website.

However, there are some notable trends appearing in 2024 in relation to the most successful advert types, which will be explored here to help you make the best choices going forward for your marketing efforts.

Video Advertising

In 2024, the majority of online marketing is done via videos. It seems that the majority of consumers have a lower tolerance than they used to have for lengthy video ads! 

So, if you are looking to engage in video advertisements, you need to keep them short. With the help of a marketing team such as Click Intelligence, you will be able to cram as much information as needed into any video advertisement or pay-per-click link.

Shoppable Adverts

A shoppable advert allows customers or website users to browse and buy products directly from the advertisement.

By adding a short, shoppable video to your website or as part of an advert, you are likely to notice a huge engagement from site visitors. The well-known brand Fresh Market used on-site shoppable videos and increased engagement rate by over 110% in 2 days! So, with the help of the marketing team, this is worth looking into!

Sound-Off Videos

It was a marketing tactic for quite some time. An advert would start playing and would be louder than the TV show that was on before it. This did grab the attention of potential customers, but it seemed to annoy them more than anything! So, it can be worth looking into advertising your business with sound-off video adverts. This means that if somebody is scrolling through a webpage page and comes across your company video, they will not jump out of their skin and will be more likely to have a positive association with your brand!

Influencer-Backed Adverts

The last few months have been a bit of a mixed bag for influencer-backed adverts.

However, if you are a sports brand, having a sports influencer to back your advert will be more affordable and easier to arrange than a professional sports player. There are many reasons why this kind of advertisement can work. If you are in a set area, such as sports, the people who buy your brand or engage with your services will be likely to know the influencer. Secondly, it 

also helps to boost the influencer's platform, making it an appealing option for everyone involved.

Native Adverts

Have you ever seen an advert that looks out of place on a social media page or other similar platform? 

This can be unappealing to look at and has led to a rise in the popularity of native advertising. This is a type of paid advertisement in which the advert matches the look and function of the media format where it appears. This could be an advert on Facebook looking to have a blue and white color scheme or a moving segment on Instagram. Native ads seamlessly promote a brand to a new audience without interrupting how they are interacting with the website. And it works! Jewellery manufacturer Pandora adopted native adverts and saw a 130% increase in conversion rate in a week, so customers seem to prefer this format to awkwardly positioned adverts.

How to scale an eCommerce business: tips and advice from the marketing pros

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Published: Friday, 26 April 2024 10:02

The eCommerce industry has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer preferences, and the global shift towards online shopping. According to Statista, global eCommerce sales are projected to surpass $ 8 trillion by 2027, highlighting the immense potential of this sector.

In this article, we discuss how an e-commerce business can scale to catch up with market growth without any further investment. Before diving deep, let us understand the difference between scale and growth.

Scaling vs Growing a Business

Scaling means expanding business operations and increasing its revenue significantly without a proportional increase in costs. It's about achieving exponential growth while maintaining or improving efficiency and profitability. Scaling requires implementing systems, processes, and strategies that enable the business to handle increased demand and maintain quality standards. This may involve automating workflows, leveraging technology, expanding into new markets, or diversifying product offerings.

On the other hand, growing a business means increasing its revenue by investing in its infrastructure and resources. It can be achieved through various means, such as expanding product lines, entering new markets, increasing marketing efforts, or investing in human resources to improve service availability in the existing market.

3 Essential Steps to Scale E-commerce Business - 

To effectively implement a marketing strategy to scale your e-commerce business, you need to have the following steps before starting it -

1) Define your audience segment 

2) Streamline your marketing strategy

3) Do the market survey of your customers

1) Define your audience segment -

Defining your audience segments is an essential step to scaling your business. It involves breaking down your target market into different groups based on shared characteristics, behaviors, and preferences. These segments are defined to help businesses better understand and cater to the diverse needs of their customers. Audience segmentation typically involves analyzing demographic factors such as age, gender, income, and geographic location, as well as psychographic variables such as interests, values, and lifestyle choices. By identifying different audience segments, businesses can develop targeted marketing strategies, create personalized products or services, and deliver relevant content that resonates with each group. This approach allows companies to optimize their resources, improve customer engagement, and ultimately drive growth and success.

2) Streamline your marketing strategy

Streamlining your marketing strategy involves optimizing your efforts to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency, especially when scaling your business. One key decision in this process is determining the balance between inbound and outbound marketing tactics. It will help you find a suitable strategy for your organization that can be implemented with low or no investment. 

SEO, Content, social media, and email marketing are part of inbound marketing, whereas paid advertising, direct outreach, and event marketing are part of outbound marketing strategy. Inbound and outbound marketing strategies differ from organization to organization. One can be perfect but not for others, so you must analyze which are suitable for you and how you can implement them. For example, if event marketing is suitable for scaling your business but with no further investment, you can organize your event rather than join others. It will help you scale your business and generate revenue from the attendees as event participant fees.

3) Do the market survey of your customers

Conducting a market survey of your customers is crucial in scaling up your business effectively. By gathering insights directly from your customers, you can better understand their needs, preferences, and pain points, enabling you to tailor your products, services, and marketing strategies accordingly. Customer surveys are paramount to scaling your business as they give your customer satisfaction level, show how your products are suitable for them, and show how you can make them more affordable and reachable to every segment level in terms of quality, needs, and value.

Tips and advice from the marketing pros to scale e-commerce business - 

Here are some valuable tips and advice from marketing professionals to help scale your e-commerce business. These tips are valuable because they are practically proven while scaling the business of their own customers.

“Get Customer feedback continually and work promptly on reports,” Bobin D’silva, CMO at SAASTalkies

In the rapidly evolving landscape of e-commerce, success hinges not just on your product offering or marketing strategies but also on your ability to adapt and improve based on customer feedback. While acquiring new customers is crucial, retaining and satisfying existing ones is equally important. Continually gathering and leveraging customer feedback is the cornerstone of scaling your e-commerce business effectively.

Sometimes, it becomes too late to respond, but having a real-time feedback loop gives a chance for concurrent improvement and no excuses later. Whether it's refining product offerings, optimizing website usability, or enhancing customer service protocols, actionable insights gleaned from customer feedback enable businesses to iterate and innovate iteratively. 

To effectively harness the power of customer feedback for scaling your e-commerce business, consider implementing the following strategies:

• Collect feedback at multiple touchpoints: Utilize surveys, reviews, social media interactions, and customer support interactions to gather feedback from various sources. There are many survey software like NPS Survey Software, SurveyMonkey, and Google Forms that provide feedback services along with analytical reports.

• Actively listen and respond: Demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction by promptly addressing feedback, resolving issues, and implementing constructive suggestions.

• Analyze data systematically: Use data analytics tools to analyze and interpret customer feedback systematically, identifying patterns, trends, and actionable insights.

Customer feedback is not just a valuable asset—it's the lifeblood of the e-commerce business's growth and success. By prioritizing continual feedback collection, active listening, and responsive action, you can cultivate a customer-centric approach that fuels sustainable scalability and differentiation in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

“Make Use of Retargeting of PPC ads” Ted Parry, Digital Marketer at Amore Digital

Retargeting PPC ads is a pivotal strategy for scaling an e-commerce business by maximizing the potential of existing website visitors. By strategically targeting individuals who have already engaged with your website, such as those who have viewed products, added items to their cart, or visited specific pages, retargeting ensures that your brand stays top-of-mind and encourages users to complete their purchase journey. Through dynamic product ads (DPAs), personalized messaging, and segmentation based on user behavior, retargeting campaigns can deliver highly relevant content to potential customers, significantly increasing the likelihood of conversion. 

Additionally, frequency capping and cross-device retargeting help maintain a balanced ad experience across platforms and devices, avoiding ad fatigue while ensuring broad reach. Being an e-commerce PPC Agency, we always focus on cross-device targeting to make PPC campaigns successful. By leveraging dynamic retargeting to showcase previously viewed products and optimizing landing pages for seamless conversions, e-commerce businesses can capitalize on the intent signaled by users and drive higher ROI from their advertising efforts. 

Through diligent monitoring of campaign performance and iterative adjustments, retargeting PPC ads can be a scalable and cost-effective solution for expanding the customer base and driving revenue growth in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

Final thoughts

Scaling an eCommerce business requires strategic precision and a deep understanding of market dynamics. Businesses can navigate the competitive landscape and achieve sustainable growth by implementing targeted marketing strategies, leveraging customer feedback, and harnessing the power of digital tools like email marketing and retargeting ads. With these insights from industry experts, eCommerce ventures are poised to seize the vast opportunities presented by the digital marketplace and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

5 Types of Cybercrimes and How to Prevent Them?

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Published: Friday, 29 March 2024 07:18

In 2023, there was a 15% increase in the global average cost of a data breach, reaching USD 4.45 million. It’s also unfortunate to find out that only 51% of organizations are planning to ramp up cybersecurity investments. Malicious actors are always on their hunt to find and pin down new targets, and we wonder for how long businesses with no cybersecurity prevention methods in place can survive. 

We believe it’s never too late to start. So, here we are sharing 5 common types of cybercrimes and methods to prevent them in 2024.

5 Cybercrimes to Be Wary of

Cybercrime is evolving, and the relatively less-secured remote work culture and insider threats have added to the misery. It’s becoming easier for hackers to bypass weak security systems, access devices, steal or intercept details, send phishing emails, etc. 

So, here’s what you need to be worrisome of-

Phishing 

In phishing, threat actors try to deceive targets into sharing sensitive information like login credentials, financial details, medical reports, etc., that hackers either themselves exploit to make money or sell them on the dark web or to competitors and rivals. 

Phishers use social engineering skills to manipulate the trust that users have in familiar people. They may pose as colleagues, friends, or authority figures to gain credibility and increase the likelihood of a successful attack. Phishing communication can take place through emails, phone -calls, SMS, social media chats, etc. These days, the trend of WhatsApp-based phishing calls and messages is on the rise. Fake employers, pretending to be from the US, communicate on the pretext of fake job offers to deceive users into sharing personal details.

Moreover, cyber actors have also started leveraging Generative AI’s capabilities to produce convincing emails and documents, without grammatical, spelling, or translation errors, that are actually considered red flags or signs of phishing attacks.

Prevention From Phishing

• Use email filtering and anti-phishing tools to analyze incoming emails for malicious content and links and block them.

• Enable multi-factor authentication for all accounts, especially those containing sensitive information to add a layer of security by necessitating users to provide multiple forms of identification.

• Keep all software and devices updated and patched, as outdated technology is one of the easily exploitable vulnerabilities.

• Practice yourself and encourage your employees to confirm unusual or unexpected requests before proceeding.

• Use email filtering solutions to identify and block malicious emails, reducing the likelihood of users falling victim to phishing attacks.

• Implement DMARC: DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that helps protect your domain from unauthorized use in email spoofing attacks. By implementing DMARC with the help of a DMARC MSP (Managed Service Provider), you can receive reports on how well your emails are authenticated and take steps to improve your email security posture.

Ransomware

In a ransomware attack, malicious actors gain unauthorized access to a victim’s system to encrypt data or devices and demand a ransom payment in exchange for restoring access. They threaten victims to permanently delete data or make it public if they don’t pay the demanded amount within time.

These days, they have started demanding ransom in cryptocurrency to avoid the chances of getting tracked down. They instruct victims on how to transfer the funds to their digital wallets.

However, there’s no guarantee that victims will get all the data back or that the threat actors will not make copies. That’s why law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity experts discourage paying ransoms, as it doesn’t guarantee the prevention of future attacks. 

Prevention From Ransomware

• Have automated backup processes in place.

• Periodically test data restoration to ensure the backup systems are working properly.

• Use network segmentation to hide key systems and data from the rest of the network.

• Use application allowlisting to permit only approved applications to run on your devices, disallowing unauthorized or malicious programs to crawl on your systems.

Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks

Hackers involve multiple machineries to attempt DDoS attacks to overwhelm a targeted system with internet traffic, causing it to crash down temporarily or permanently. Their aim is to make an online service inaccessible for a specific time. Ideology, political agendas, business feuds, cyber warfare, and extortion mainly drive DDoS attackers. 

Although, sometimes, hackers don’t attempt DDoS attacks with any of these agendas; we are talking about amateur or would-be hackers who use prewritten scripts for ‘learning.’ 

Three main types of DDoS attacks are;

• Volume-Based: Bad actors overwhelm the bandwidth of the targeted site, and its scale is quantified in terms of bits per second (Bps).

• Protocol Attacks: Protocol DDoS attacks consume server resources such as communication equipment, firewalls, load balancers, etc.

• Application Layer Attacks: In this type, the incoming requests look legitimate, but are actually sent to crash the web server.

NETSCOUT, a network performance and security company, revealed in its DDoS Threat Intelligence Report: Issue 11 that approximately 7.9 million DDoS attacks were launched in the first half of 2023, representing a 31% year-over-year increase. Global events like the Russia-Ukraine war and NATO bids triggered this growth, thus underlining the necessity of preventive methods in place.

Prevention From Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks

• Deploy a cloud-based DDoS protection service, firewall, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and load balancers that filter malicious traffic so that only legitimate traffic reaches your network.

• Use the Anycast DNS routing method to distribute requests across servers so that a single server is not overloaded.

• Implement rate-limiting and filtering mechanisms on your network devices to restrict the volume of incoming requests, mitigating the impact of DDoS attacks by controlling the rate at which traffic is processed and preventing the saturation of network resources.

Malware Injection

Undoubtedly, malware is one of the easiest and most common attack vectors to hit systems with. They are fast, efficient, and simple to manage for hackers. Malware injection means forcibly inserting malware into a software, device, program, website, or web browser for stealing or intercepting data, proxy cryptocurrency mining, remote access to cameras, microphones, etc., encrypting data for ransom, and disrupting operations.

Common malware attack vectors are virus, Trojan Horse, spyware, adware, worm, rootkit, ransomware, keylogger, botnet, and logic bomb.

Prevention From Malware Injection

• Ensure you have validated and sanitized all user inputs before you process them so that input fields accept only prespecified data types and lengths.

• Use parameterized statements or prepared statements in database queries so that the system manages the input details as just data and not executable codes.

• Use content security policy headers or CSPs in web applications to specify the sources from which the browser is limited to load content.

Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) Attacks

An MiTM attack occurs when an adversary virtually positions themselves in a conversation between two users or systems to eavesdrop on or impersonate one of the entities without tipping off anyone. They obtain or modify information for identity theft or approving illegitimate fund transfers. 

Common methods used in Man-in-the-Middle attacks include:

• Packet Sniffing: Intercepting and analyzing network traffic to capture sensitive information.

• DNS Spoofing: Redirecting domain name resolution requests to malicious servers, leading users to fake websites.

• Wi-Fi Eavesdropping: Monitoring and intercepting data transmitted over unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

• Session Hijacking: Taking control of an established session, often through session token theft or session fixation.

Prevention From MiTM Attacks

• Implement end-to-end encryption for data in transit.

• Use public key infrastructure or PKI to manage and protect digital keys as they verify the parties communicating.

• Use WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3) for Wi-Fi networks, as it provides stronger security compared to older protocols. Additionally, strong and unique passwords for Wi-Fi access points should be used to prevent unauthorized access.

• Avoid using public networks, especially for matters involving accessing and exchanging sensitive details. In case of emergencies, use a VPN to secure your connection when using public networks.

End Note

Cybercrimes are not expected to come down anytime soon; thus, a combination of cybersecurity strategies and a watchful or vigilant mindset is what you need on the floor. Consider implementing DMARC for comprehensive email security; services like PowerDMARC can simplify the process. Moreover, you can’t overlook the fact that humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity as they are susceptible to social engineering; it’s easier to fool and ‘hack’ people than technology. So, pay attention to employee training and conduct regular unannounced mock drills to keep them on their toes! 

Embracing Omnichannel Selling: The Future of Retail

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Published: Monday, 29 January 2024 13:23

In the ever-evolving landscape of retail, the concept of omnichannel selling has emerged as a beacon of progress, revolutionizing how businesses interact with their customers.

Omnichannel selling isn't just a buzzword; it's a strategic approach that integrates various sales channels to provide a seamless and cohesive customer experience. This blog post delves into the essence of omnichannel selling, its significance, and how businesses can effectively implement this strategy to stay ahead in the competitive retail market.

The Genesis of Omnichannel Selling

The journey towards omnichannel selling began with the advent of digitalization in the retail sector and birth of e-commerce financial model.

Initially, businesses operated through single channels, either physical stores or online platforms. However, with the proliferation of digital technologies and changing consumer behaviors, retailers recognized the need to be present across multiple channels. Omnichannel selling evolved from this need, merging in-store, online, and mobile shopping experiences into a unified brand experience.

Understanding Omnichannel Selling

At its core, omnichannel selling is about creating a consistent brand presence across various channels - brick-and-mortar stores, online marketplaces, social media platforms, and mobile apps. It's a holistic strategy that focuses on integrating these channels so that customers can move seamlessly between them. Whether a customer shops online from a mobile device, a laptop, or in a physical store, the experience should be consistent and complementary.

The Importance of Omnichannel Selling

The significance of omnichannel selling lies in its customer-centric approach. Today's consumers expect flexibility, convenience, and personalized experiences. They might start their journey on one channel and complete it on another. Omnichannel selling meets these expectations by providing a connected and seamless shopping experience, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, higher sales.

Implementing an Omnichannel Strategy

• Unified Customer Experience: Ensure that your brand message and customer experience are consistent across all channels. This includes the visual presentation, tone of communication, and customer service standards.

• Data Integration: Collect and analyze data from all channels to gain insights into customer preferences and behavior. This data should inform your inventory management, marketing strategies, and customer service approaches.

• Technology Investment: Invest in the right technology to integrate various channels. This could include CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and mobile apps that work together seamlessly.

• Personalization: Use the data collected to personalize the customer experience. Personalization can range from product recommendations based on past purchases to personalized marketing messages.

• Training and Culture: Cultivate a culture that embraces omnichannel selling within your organization. Train your staff to understand and support the omnichannel approach.

Challenges in Omnichannel Selling

While omnichannel selling presents numerous opportunities, it also comes with its challenges. These include managing inventory across multiple channels, ensuring data security and privacy, and maintaining a consistent brand experience. Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach, investment in the right technology, and an ongoing commitment to adapting and improving.

The Future of Omnichannel Selling

The future of omnichannel selling is bright, with advancements in technology paving the way for more innovative approaches. 

Emerging trends include the integration of artificial intelligence for better customer service, the use of augmented reality to enhance the shopping experience, and the continued growth of social commerce.

Conclusion

Omnichannel selling is more than just a trend; it's a fundamental shift in the retail industry, aligning with the modern consumer's demand for a seamless and integrated shopping experience. By embracing this approach, businesses can not only meet customer expectations but also drive growth and build a sustainable competitive advantage in the dynamic world of retail.

This post serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing omnichannel selling. As the retail landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable to such strategies is crucial for any business looking to thrive in today's market.