What is a Call to Action?

The Call to Action, also known as the “CTA” or “call-to-action,” directs your targeted audience, whether it consists of product users/customers, website visitors, or email recipients, to take an action of some kind. That action will vary depending on your marketing goals and the kind of campaign you are running (digital, email, etc). No matter what your Call to Action is, the ultimate goal of a CTA is to generate leads and eventually convert those leads into customers.

The Importance of the Call to Action

According to marketing guru and columnist for Marketing Land, Jeremy Smith, “There’s no such thing as a successful marketing campaign unless there is a successful CTA.”

So, why are CTAs so important? The short answer is, the Call-to-Action is how you get site visitors or recipients of your marketing emails to convert into leads. According to Business Matters, “It is estimated that 90 percent of people who look at your website will read your CTAs, and if they are embedded in your text then your conversion rate will increase by over 120 percent.”

So, a CTA is essential for lead generation, which is necessary for customer conversions, which is how a company generates revenue. In other words, CTAs are necessary for making money.
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Using SEO tactics will definitely benefit your business. But, not all SEO is created equal. Keep reading to learn why SEO is so important for your marketing efforts and why you need to be careful about what type of SEO you use.

What Is SEO?

First things first. What is SEO? Search engine optimization, or SEO, involves using tactics to improve the ranking of online content (website, landing page, blog post, etc.) in organic, non-paid search engine results in order to drive more traffic to that piece of content.

The Different Types Of SEO

There are three different types of SEO, all of which are not created equal:

• White Hat SEO
• Black Hat SEO
• Gray Hat SEO

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If you think branding is just about your logo, think again. Your brand is the message you send your customers about who you are as a business and what they can expect from you. While your visuals – such as your logo and the look and feel of your website – are a key part of communicating that message, your brand is bigger than that. Your brand attributes should extend to many other aspects of how you operate day-to-day, including:

• The types of products or services your provide
• How your customer service team answers the phone
• What your sales team wears on calls and at conferences
• The tone and voice of your written materials
• How you interact on social media
• The design of your storefront

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Surveys are a tried and true way to collect information about your customers: about their experience, about what they like, about how you can do better as a business. But more important than what you collect is what you build when you engage your customers: relationship. When you pause to ask their opinion, you customers will feel valued and more connected with you. The result? They’re more likely to do business with you in the future.

Today, inexpensive, easy-to-use online survey tools make conducting surveys easier than ever. If you’re not sure how to get started, try one of the following ideas geared towards helping you grow your business..

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A clear picture of your target audience lays the foundation for all of your marketing efforts. Most businesses – big or small – can’t afford to target everyone. Taking the time to define and get to know your ideal customer will help you build a more efficient, productive business by enabling you to:

• Target the people most likely to buy your product or service
• Identify which marketing strategies will be most effective
• Develop new products/services to meet their needs

If you’ve ever described your target audience as “anyone who will buy” your product, consider doing some research and narrowing your focus. Then, you can create buyer personas that represent your typical customers. These personas provide your entire team a clear understanding of your target audience and their needs – and how to best meet them.
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If you build it, they will come, or so the adage goes. But when it comes to converting your leads into paying customers, it’s not always that simple. Most buyers won’t make a purchasing decision the first time they learn about you. Like any good relationship, your relationship with your future clients needs time and attention to flourish.

Benefits of Lead Nurturing

That’s where lead nurturing comes in. Lead nurturing is the process of building relationships with your prospects through strategic, targeted communications at all stages of the buying process. The goal is to move your prospects through the sales funnel and make it more likely they’ll choose you when they’re ready to buy. Incorporating lead nurturing into your broader marketing strategy enables you to:

• Build relationships with prospects who may not be ready to buy yet
• Demonstrate your value
• Educate your prospects about what you offer
• Increase trust with future customers

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Your company’s website is often the first – and most frequent – way people engage with your company. From communicating your vision to educating your customers to selling your products, your company’s website is one of your most valuable marketing assets. But your website can also provide you a wealth of information about your visitors that can help you get the most out of your website – all thanks to Google Analytics.

Google Analytics provides detailed data about who’s visiting your website, how they’re finding you, and what they’re doing once they’re there. Those insights offer a clearer picture of your target market – and their behavior – that can help you hone your business strategies. But the volume of information available on Google Analytics can overwhelm even the most savvy user. That’s why we’ve put together this list of eight basic questions Google Analytics can answer that can help you improve your website, and ultimately, your business.
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Chances are that your business already has a social media presence. Whether you’re sharing your latest promotion or offering a behind-the-scenes look at your business, your social media content allows you to build a relationship with your customers and prospects. With 2.8 billion active users worldwide – that’s 37% of the entire population – social media has become a cornerstone of most digital marketing strategies.

But as the social world has grown more crowded, it’s gotten harder to stand out and grow your audience organically. That’s where social media advertising comes in. It offers an opportunity to make your social media content – content you’re already creating – work harder for you. Done well, social media advertising can help build your brand awareness, increase engagement, and ultimately, improve your bottom line. And done poorly? You risk wasting your money or alienating your prospects. So let’s take a look at what you need to know before you click the “Boost” button on your latest Facebook post.
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Have you ever visited a website and then noticed as ads for that business follow you after you leave? Coincidence, right? No. That’s remarketing, a simple and cost effective tool to help you connect with potential customers. Done correctly, remarketing can help you build brand recognition, drive repeat traffic to your website, and increase your sales. And if it’s not already a part of the digital marketing strategy for your business, it probably should be.

Let’s take a closer look at what remarketing is, how remarketing works, and how it can help your business grow.
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We live in a digital age, and that means that every business – regardless of size or industry – must have a website. Because most customers will visit your business online before ever setting foot in your brick and mortar shop or contacting you for services, your website is the first opportunity you have to make an impression. No matter what, your website needs to be a professional looking, authentic representation of your business and your brand.

Chances are, you spent a good deal of resources – likely both your time and money – on developing a website you are proud to be the face of your business online; don’t let it fall into disrepair! Regular website maintenance is an imperative part of running a successful business.
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