Case Studies
Case Studies
There’s so much you can build with us and our use cases will help in growth
Docs
Docs
Our detailed Docs will help you and your business to get quick start like rocket
About
About Us
Get to know the people behind the code and the mission behind the work
how we handle data
Privacy
Security
Legal

Gary Vaynerchuk with arms folded in black long sleeve in front of a red backdropWho is Gary Vaynerchuk?

Starting as a born entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk has been a part of many businesses throughout his career. He started as most kids do selling lemonade and then brought his business skills to the schoolyard. Through his high school career, he managed to sell tens of thousands worth of baseball cards. If you are suddenly thinking you spent your high school days wrong, you’re not the only one! Finally, as he moves from high school business, he starts to build his father’s local wine business into an electronic empire. With this expansion of the business, he decided to expand in the video industry and did a long series on youtube, the WineLibraryTV. As he spoke more he became more well known. He moved up in his career, focusing his books on media, communication, and marketing. Obviously what he was doing was working, he started another business with his younger brother. Making VaynerMedia a flourishing business today with over 800 employees. Not only is Mr. Vaynerchuk an exceptional businessman, but he also is known for his writing and public speaking skills. He has written 5 best selling books about business and can give valuable advice on the internet marketing industry.

3 Tips on Social Media Marketing

1) Have Quality Content

When you find the right platform/platforms to start internet marketing, you also have to provide the right content. Make sure it fits the platform and gets the message you want to send across. Giving the right content will have your target market interacting more frequently with your business.

2) Know Your Market

Knowing your market goes across all business criteria. However, you have to know your target demographic when marketing online. You should know which social media platform they are spending most of their time on. This way you can create the perfect stories that match this platform.

3) Give More

No matter which platform you are using, you should give quality information and content to your viewers. Give them what they are asking for because they will want to spend time interacting with your site. Once they feel comfortable with your brand and company this is when it is acceptable to ask for their business. Know since you are giving your customers a lot, there is no need to feel guilty about asking for customers.

Internet Marketing

To learn more about internet marketing techniques, read about other internet marketing experts that OCG Creative has provided.

You can have the best product ever - even better than existing competition - but if no one knows about it because you didn’t market it correctly, it might as well not even exist.

Who is Amy Landino?

Amy Landino is an award-winning YouTube creator, best-selling author, and international public speaker. Her enthusiastic and transformative content has changed the ways marketers are tackling vlogging and video. Landino has also been traveling as a professional keynote speaker to share her insights with new markets. She has an innovative approach to leverage digital attention to drive traffic.

Why Vlog?

Video + blogging = vlogging! Video marketing has become a very popular trend in the marketing field within the last few years. As a way to convert more leads to sales, companies are deciding to invest in video to increase their reach. Not only does she work with vlogs, but Landino is also a best selling author of the book, Vlog Like a Boss. However, she dives into the idea that vlogs can create so much more than just a video but a brand. With research and real-life examples, Landino confirms her insight. A company can be successful if they kill it online and invest in the right resources. Her book is perfect for go-getters and creators of internet marketing, whose goal is to communicate in an innovative way.

Vlogging Tips

There are many key takeaways from Landino’s book that can transform your video marketing tactics from a fixer-upper to can’t-stop-watching content. One tactic she writes about is narrowing the market and finding a niche for your vlogs. Specialization is very important. It will help you reach more people in less time. In addition, planning your content out prior and creating a schedule can work wonders. Most importantly, Landino emphasizes that you can not let your fears of video stand in your way of creating amazing content in your industry. Check out how to start making and editing videos below!

Internet Marketing Experts

#VlogLikeABoss with Amy Landino. Be sure to check out her website, Twitter, and Youtube.  If you would like to learn other internet marketing tips, read up on other top internet marketers.

Who Is Ian Cleary?

These days, a marketing strategy without technology is virtually nonexistent. Luckily, internet marketing experts like Ian Cleary teach us how to utilize technology so we are seeing real results from our marketing efforts. Our internet marketer of the week is the founder of RazorSocial, a company that helps businesses drive traffic and sales through inbound and outbound marketing. Ian is also passionate about speaking to audiences and passing on his knowledge of internet marketing. Although acquired in October 2018, Ian helped launched a software product called OutreachPlus. The software helps speed up the process of sending personalized emails in order to generate more leads and increase traffic.

Know Your Audience

As we've learned from many marketing experts in the past, engaging content is the key to getting more eyes on your material. In order to develop content that targets a very specific audience, Ian explains that we need to figure out the personas of who we're targeting. Once you have a clear understanding of who your audience is, the rest falls into place organically.

Personalize Your Material

Once we get qualified eyes on our content, Ian sees that this can help build up an email subscriber list. As we collect individuals who are genuinely interested in the product or service, you can start to target them in a much more personalized way. We, here at OCG Creative, can certainly attest to Ian's theory. The more personalized an email, the higher the open rates and the response rates. Keeping your audience constantly engaged with your material is the best way to keep them coming back for more. Leave something in their inbox that dazzles them and makes it easy for them to access, but difficult for them to refuse.

Don't Fall Behind

In today's age, internet marketing is changing constantly. In order to keep up, Ian spends four or five hours a week not producing, but learning. Ian is always reading and testing out new things to see what works and what doesn't. In the internet marketing world, there is no one "panacea" or "miracle drug." Internet marketing is all about trial and error, and putting in the time and effort to develop material that is truly engaging for your audience. And, of course, staying up to date with the latest trends. According to Ian, the best way to do this is to follow influencers and to listen to what others are discovering on a daily basis. In order to learn more about Ian and what he's creating, visit RazorSocial and follow him on social media.

Who is Jay Baer?

A tequila collector, proud alumni from The University of Arizona, and an internet marketing genius scratches the surface of who Jay Baer is. Though we're all probably curious what types of delicious tequila Jay has stored away, there is much more to be interested in rather than his stash of booze and Wildcats foam finger. Jay Baer is the current owner of his fifth multi-million dollar company, Convince and Convert, which builds some of the best digital marketing strategies. He has also written multiple books including Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help not Hype which landed #3 on the New York Times business best seller list and was placed as a #1 Amazon bestseller. To top this all off, Baer is a member of the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame due to his inspiration and expertise in marketing, word of mouth, and customer service.

Baer's Brand of Digital Marketing

Jay Baer has an innovative take on how to strategize digital marketing plans. His two-step process is used by his colleagues at Convince and Convert to double the performance of a company's marketing within a year. Sounds pretty enticing if you ask me. Here's the process:

Phase One: Strategic Priorities

Analyze the entire business. They review social media, content, word of mouth, website, reviews, and more since they are all tied to one another in the eyes of the consumer. After this, they interview members of the company, the stakeholders, and the customers to find where gaps are in perceptions and actualities. They'll even interview your competitors. At the end of this phase, they give the client an overview of what they found with the research conducted and information gathered. The overview is always tailored with spirit for the process moving forward.

Phase Two: Strategic Plan

This area is designed to finish with a full digital marketing operating plan to leave your company with. All the way from what you need to do, when you need to do it, and how to measure it. Also in the plan is complete guidance on how to staff and the technology you'll need to fulfill the plan's destiny. Jay Baer continues to find innovative ways to market online. Like Convince and Convert, our team at OCG Creative aims to develop modernized ways to effectively meet our clients' goals. For more information on Jay Baer, check out his personal website or his company website.

Who is Hana Abaza

Hana Abaza is the head of Marketing for Shopify Plus, Shopify’s eCommerce platform for big-name online stores and brands. Hana has had years of experience in a variety of leadership roles, including being both the Head of Strategy and VP of Marketing for Uberflip, a content marketing software that aggregates a business’s content into one powerful user experience.

The Truth of the Marketing Funnel

With her years of experience marketing to both individual customers and businesses alike, Hana has developed some valuable insights about the marketing funnel and the true buyer’s journey. She has found that a person’s journey is not so linear. In reality, people will switch back and forth between stages, drop out entirely only to re-enter later, or simply sit stagnant in a stage. With this in mind, how you engage with customers can (and probably should) be different than how you are currently. Basically, rather than have the customers conform to your sales process, consider your customer’s process and adapt to them.

Unifying Marketing and Sales Objectives

Working with large brands at Shopify Plus means that Hana and her marketing team have spent plenty of time collaborating closely with sales teams. When working closely with a sales team, the most important key to being successful is to set shared goals. Hana’s sales and marketing teams share what’s called a “revenue playbook”. Essentially, a revenue playbook is a shared document that defines objectives, goals, and actions in response to both hitting and missing goals. Unlike a service-level agreement (SLA), a revenue playbook unites the sales and marketing teams into one unified team. As Hana puts it, acting as one team driven by the same goals leads to stronger communication and greater success. At OCG Creative, every day we are inspired by leaders in the marketing industry. For more information on Hana Abaza, visit her website to follow her work.

Image result for ross simmonds accomplishmentsWho is Ross Simmonds?

When selecting an internet marketer to be the subject of this weekly blog, we look for somebody who is making an impact in the IM industry. Ross is the perfect example of somebody who has become an IM and B2B thought leader. Ross is a B2B specialist with expertise is content marketing, social media, and storytelling. He has a passion for, in his own words,  "technology, the future, good people, good coffee, and storytelling". Along with this he is an experienced entrepreneur. Ross owns a variety of businesses and brands that aim to help his fellow marketers, strategists, and entrepreneurs.

The B2B and Content Marketing Specialist

Ross is accomplished in many facets of the business world. To start, he's a B2B and content marketing expert. Ross has worked with businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 brands to increase their brand awareness and ROI. As Ross puts it. "You can't add fans & followers to the balance sheet. That's a reality. But for many agencies & B2B professionals, that's where the goalpost are and it's exactly why many struggle to see ROI." Ross uses his knowledge of the marketing process to help brands reach their ROI goals using content marketing. Along with his hands on work with brands, Ross wrote Stand Out: The Content Guide for Entrepreneurs. This book is Ross's ultimate guide to understanding the 'Why' behind content marketing.

Ross as an EntrepreneurImage result for ross simmonds accomplishments

Ross works with other brands, but he also builds his own. As the founder of various companies, Ross has applied all of his B2B and content marketing knowledge to his own brands to build them into successes. He is the founder of Hustle & Grind, an eCommerce store specifically geared toward entrepreneurs, as well as other brands. Ross exemplifies the forward thinking content marketer that we, here at OCG, aim to bring onto our team. For more information on Ross Simmonds, you can visit his website and learn even more about what he's working on.

content marketingInternet Marketing Background:

With over 25 years of experience as a writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and best-selling author, Ann Handley knows what it takes to do incredible marketing, and is pioneering the way for marketing innovation. Ann focuses on "inspiring marketers to create marketing magic that gets real-world results." And she's really good at what she does. Her commitment to being an expert at content marketing is inspiring others to rethink their business to attract the right kind of customers.

About Ann Handley:

Ann is a Wall Street best-selling author of Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content and Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) that Engage Customers and Ignite Your business. She is also a keynote speaker as well as the Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs.

Content Marketing

Ann has strong opinions about what it takes to do great marketing. According to her, the first step of great marketing starts with a human marketer having honest empathy for an actual customer. It is easy to get lost in the business aspect of marketing, but taking a step back and recognizing that there are humans on both sides of the product is essential for ultimate success. After establishing the necessary human element of marketing, creating content that tells a story will leave your content consumers wanting more. As marketers, we must create content that engages and captivates audiences. We are all human- so marketers need to remember who they're marketing to. Dull content will create dull results. A huge part of content marketing through story telling is being able to concisely tell that story through writing. Being able to write is essential in many careers, but marketers must be able to effectively communicate with others and make those people care about what is being said. Ann is a thought leader who inspires all of us here at OCG Creative to create work that we're proud of. For us, marketing isn't just one aspect of our business, it's our whole business. Everything we do revolves around creating strong and effective marketing. Elevating the work that we do for clients is our top priority, and looking to marketers like Ann Handley for advice helps us do just that.

OCG Creative is excited to announce that our Partner/Vice President, Jill Rutherford has been awarded the 2017 Saleswoman of the Year Award by the Professional Saleswomen of Nevada (PSN). Each year, this award is presented to a woman in the Northern Nevada community that excels in her profession of sales and marketing. On May 9th 2017, PSN held their 30th Annual Awards Luncheon and Fundraiser to publicly recognize and honor women in sales and marketing for their professional accomplishments, achievements, and advancements. There were five wonderful nominations at this year's event including: Kimberly Wade, Jill Rutherford, Robyn Nichols, Shari Pheasant, Staci Nauman, and the Junior Saleswoman of the year, Laney Fix.2017 PSN

How is the Sales Woman of the Year Award Chosen?

According the the PSN website, PSN seeks nominations throughout Northern Nevada of those women who:

Jill's dedication to her business, family, and community shine through in her everyday life. She's someone that always meets you with a smile and genuinely enjoys what she does. As the Vice President of OCG Creative and mom of two, active kids, Jill also knows first-hand what it means to cultivate and foster long-lasting relationships, both in business and life.  In fact, one of her favorite quotes highlights her life philosophy perfectly:

"One of my favorite sayings is, ‘it is a rare person who can take care of business while taking care of hearts,’ and that is exactly how I live my life. I truly believe that the more enriching your relationships, the more successful your business.”- Jill Rutherford

Professional Sales Woman in the Making

Jill merged with OCG Creative in 2008, fully immersing herself in the fast-paced landscape of digital marketing. Prior to that, she owned her own advertising agency for 15 years, serving a wide variety of clients throughout Northern Nevada. Today, OCG Creative is a full-service marketing company that specializes in web design, internet marketing, and print solutions. As a seasoned marketing professional, Jill prides herself on providing the best possible marketing services and support for her clients. When she’s not leading her team or jugging projects, Jill enjoys volunteering in the community with the Reno Rodeo Association, which she has done for 23 years, and donating time and marketing services to the Down Syndrome Network.

Thank You to Professional Saleswomen of Nevada!

After a wonderful lunch was served, the afternoon also included a speech from keynote speaker, Dr. Erin Oksol, who is an expert on cognitive-behavioral psychology. We all left with an important message of adapting a "growth" mindset. It was a great message for all of us, and something that Jill, as a marketing professional and leader, exhibits in all that she does. Read more about Jill Rutherford at the Northern Nevada Business Weekly.

 internet marketing
Optimize Your Content and Don't Get Lost in the Shuffle.

Imagine you’re in a library doing research for a college paper. All of the books are thrown into a pile on the floor. You basically have to swim through the books to find what you’re looking for. The best book ever might be buried in that pile. But, what are your chances of finding it? The same goes for content. Content visibility can be met through internet marketing efforts. You can write really great content, but without a solid strategy to back it up, it’s going to prove tough to compete with the big competitors. With more than 92,000 articles posted on the internet every day, the competition is tough. WordPress users alone produce over 35.8 million new posts a month. Digital media publishers, like Huffington Post, are known to publish anywhere up to 1,500 articles a day.  How does your small business stand a chance? You must develop a content strategy that positions your business as an expert and gets you noticed online. Here’s how you can increase your content visibility and get it noticed:

  1. Choose a Topic You Know Well: The best content is created by people who know the subject inside and out. If you feel like you could give someone advice on a subject, it’s a good indicator that you could turn it into a blog post or video. Uninspired or forced writing will show through to your readers. If you are bored writing it, your readers will be able to tell and it won’t perform as well.
  1. Perform Keyword Research: Key-wording is the way you get your content found online through popular search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Without it, you may not reach your readers. However, key-wording is not a style of writing. Key-wording simply means you use the relevant search terms that helps your content get found. If you key-word stuff a post, it will not rank well in search engines.
  1. Optimize Your Content: Before you hit publish, it’s important to make sure it meets all of the best SEO practices. Check that title, spruce up the key-word density (3-4% is per page is recommended), add an engaging photo, and don’t forget the alt-tags. There’s a lot of moving parts that go into optimizing page content. We won’t cover them all in this post, but make sure you’re aware of the importance when it comes to your overall content strategy.

Implementing a great content strategy increases the chances of your article or blog getting found online. Don’t let your business get buried under a pile of books. Get organized, get your key-words, in order and get in the card-catalogue of the internet.

writers-block-overcome     First off, if you’ve taken the dive to start blogging for your business,—congratulations! That’s a big step in creating content for your audience, while also improving SEO efforts for your website. However, the thing that most blogger’s struggle with is actually completing their writing assignments so keep on reading to gain knowledge on blogging tips and tricks. Here’s a funny story. A few months ago, I broke my finger in a garage door. Even though I was wearing a brace, I still kept writing blogs and meeting with clients. For 8 weeks, I managed to meet all of my writing deadlines WITH a broken finger. I tell this story because if I can do it, then you can too. Let’s just say, if anything, it was a good conversation starter….

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”- Stephen King

Help! I Don’t Know What to Write

There’s no way around it. As the old cliché states: If you want to be a writer, you must write. If you’re feeling a little stuck, don’t worry, you’re in good hands. At OCG Creative, our content department has experience publishing hundreds of blogs over the years. We’ve learned a trick or two about how to create informative, engaging content while still meetings deadlines. Here’s a few of my blogging tips that I’ve turned to over again when I have a “OH MY GOSH, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE MOMENT.” Just kidding, that never happens (just incase my boss is reading this).

Step 1: Take a Coffee Break (because coffee solves everything)

This first of the blogging tips is a no-brainer. As a Content Strategist, breaks in my day are absolutely key. If I haven’t taken a break all day, it’s not a pretty sight. Just ask my co-workers. My hair usually starts to fall out at that point and I’m covered in post-it notes. How do I keep mental clarity? By simply scheduling regular 5-10 minute breaks in between completing writing assignments. Just getting up, stretching, talking with co-workers and getting a glass of water all help focus and get back to work.

Step 2: Done is Better than Perfect

After your break, if you’re still struggling to get through your writing, you may be struggling with a deeper problem...one called perfectionism. Stop right there. I have a quote on my desk that says, “Done is Better than Perfect” to help push through the mental barriers. Perfectionism is a writer’s enemy. Nothing will kill a project faster than overthinking it to death. Now, I’m not in any way condoning doing bad work. However, the only way to get better at something is to push through it, even when you think you're not good enough. If you never get started you do not have anything to improve on. A draft is better than a blank page. And a second draft is better than a first draft and so on… Getting started will always get you further than procrastination.

Step 3: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Once you break through the initial obstacles of procrastination and protectionism, now you can get some real work done. Sometimes we simply have to get out of our own way to move forward with writing. At this point, that’s why I suggest asking for help or feedback. Explaining your ideas to another team member or person can give you clarity and feedback. Getting stuck in your head does not yield great results. Much of the time, you will find that you’re on the right track and may just need a second pair of eyes. Asking for feedback and help is super important when it comes to moving projects along on a deadline.

Step 4: Ditch Your Computer and Run for The Hills

Mental fatigue is a real thing, and it sometimes even trumps physical fatigue. If you’re not getting anywhere with your writing, step away from the computer. I repeat…step away from the computer. Get out into nature for a long-hike or take a day to unplug from technology to brainstorm away from your desk. Studies improves that getting out into nature improves productivity and creativity. You’ll be shocked at how much more creative and productive you are when Monday morning rolls around.

Step 5: Change Up Your Work Style

Still stuck? Try these alternatives to writing at your computer: -Try taking notes on your phone as you go for a walk -Make an outline on a notepad -Hand-write your ideas -Voice record your thoughts -Talk out your thoughts with a team member These are all strategies to help get your ideas out of your head and into a tangible form to work with. Remember, writing is a tool to communicate. It does no good to keep your thoughts in your head (unless you’re telepathic, and that’s a different story entirely). I hope some of these blogging tips help you get through your next piece. Let me know your favorite ways to overcome writer’s block in the comments. If you can’t think of something to write, go back to step one and start there!

Blogging on a consistent basis for your business can help boost your overall marketing and SEO efforts. Not to mention—it can be fun! However, if you’re new to blogging, the process can seem daunting. Where do I start? What do you I write about? These are all questions that might run through your mind at the thought of blogging for your company. Aside from being great for SEO, I always look at blogging as a way to take information that's unique to your business and share it with the world. For example, Danielle Litoff, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Health Coach over at Battle Born Health, blogs monthly about physical therapy and various health related topics. Without the power of blogging, people wouldn’t have access to her years of experience and expertise on a large-scale. Think of it this way, you are the expert in your field, and now you’re able to share valuable information to educate and inform others. If you’re new to blogging, don’t worry—you can start small and build from there. Here’s some tips to help you get you started:

Brainstorm Topics with Your Team

One of the things that business owners get caught up on most is the question, “What am I going to write about?” You'd be surprised by how much information you can share on your blog. That’s why it's a great idea to grab your team and brainstorm topics together. Make a long list, and don't leave anything out. That way, you’ll always have fresh ideas to choose from. If you need inspiration, you can browse other blogs in your industry to see what they’re writing about.

Blogger Tip: If you’re a beginner blogger, I recommend blogging once a week. If that intimidates you, start with a monthly or bi-monthly post and build momentum from there. The key is to pick a consistent schedule and stick to it!

Set a Publication Deadline

Now that you have your topics picked, it’s time to set a deadline for writing, editing and posting blogs. In the world of writing, it’s absolutely imperative to stay organized and set reasonable deadlines that you can communicate clearly with your team. I promise you that 90% of the battle with writing is staying organized! If your team knows what day their writing is due, it makes the process much less stressful for everyone.

Organization Tip: Keep a digital calendar that can be shared across your team. Writing your personal deadlines on paper also helps keep them sharp in your memory.

Make an Editorial Calendar

List of interesting and engaging topics? Check. Deadlines set? Check. Now, it’s on to making an editorial calendar. Depending on your preference, you can manage your calendar online using a number of tools. Some tools that I like include: Google Calendar and Trello. Or, you can keep it old-school with paper. The most important thing is to keep it up to date and share it with your team. Setting up a google alert on your calendar can help remind you when to start writing posts, so you won’t miss a deadline. Now… it’s off to get some coffee so you can start writing! Happy Blogging!

5 Call to Action Mistakes

I’m tired of dating analogies in Internet marketing. But, when we’re talking about call to action mistakes (CTA mistakes) it is hard to find a better one, so let me get it out of the way. Outside of Vegas, meeting and getting married all at once is a pretty rare thing. Business relationships need to progress too.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 5 call to action mistakes even professional Internet marketers make. In truth, marketers make a lot more than 5 CTA mistakes. The important thing is knowing how your customers progress through the buyer’s journey.

In general, expensive or complex purchases involve a lot of reinforcement. Impulse items, not so much. This list will help you create the perfect call to action.

The 5 Call to Action Mistakes

CTA Mistake Number 1: Too much too fast: Ditch the required fields.

I often tell clients, “nobody cares about you, or you company.” It’s a harsh statement, so I soften it a bit, but it’s true. Unless you’re Fabio, nobody is going to swoon over your “Click Here” button.

Imagine you’re a guy, and you’re in a bar with 250,000 other guys, and 3 girls, and your goal is to marry one of them. Get the picture? Those are tough odds even for Fabio. For you to reach your goal, the following has to happen.

  1. You have to get noticed over all the other guys
  2. If, by some miracle you do get noticed, the girl has to want to get married
  3. She has to choose you over all 250,000 other guys
  4. She has to be willing to risk a lot on a snap decision
  5. You’ve got to deliver the pick up line of a lifetime

The whole strategy is wrong. In reality, one of those 250,000 other dudes is probably going to kick your ass before you get anywhere near the girls. That’s the Internet.

Given the amount of work and planning it takes to get noticed online… Let me put it this way. Say you do get one of the girls to talk to you. It’s your big chance. All you need is a way to contact her later. So…

You hand her a page long form to fill out. It asks for her address, phone number, likes and dislikes, email address, where she works, and requires that she write in long form her favorite things about you.

When your position is weak, you can’t make demands. Keep your forms short and only require the information you absolutely need. Often, just an email address is enough to open the door to a second contact.

CTA Mistake Number 2: No conversion goal or plan for reaching it.

In business, we set goals all the time. Popular favorites include sales goals, revenue goals, cost reductions, walk-ins—it could be anything that’s important to a particular business. Most business owners are pretty good at keeping track of the big stuff, i.e. money in, money out.

Probably the most measurable part of any business is what happens online. Google Analytics, at the very least, will tell you all about where your visitors come from, what pages they visit, how much time they spend on them, what device they’re using to view your website and thousands of other details.

Virtually everything about your website is knowable, so it’s a pretty short leap to say, “Our conversion rate is 1%, so let’s get that up to 3%.” There are many ways to increase website conversions, but it starts with two things:

  1. Reach visitors that are interested in what you sell
  2. Convince them you are worth contacting

Yet, the vast majority of business owners pay almost no attention to what happens online. My next article is going to be about what online metrics are most important to business owners. Drop me an email (joe@ocgcreative.com) and I’ll send you a link when I publish it.

CTA Mistake Number 3: Wrong frequency and placement.

There’s a common misconception that you need to place calls to action all over your website. It isn’t true. While you absolutely should make it clear how to contact you from anywhere on the site, CTAs are intrusive and expect too much from the visitor.

Look, if the big red “click here” button didn’t work at the top of the page, it won’t work placed 30 more times down the page.

If your landing page strategy requires more than one CTA on a webpage, that’s fine as long as your page was well planned. In general, if your call to action is supported with factual, believable, relevant content that is bathed in sincerity, you’ll convert at least some visitors.

Ultimately, CTA placement should be tested. Until it is proven that one CTA location outperforms another, place a simple form near your most compelling content—usually near the top of the page. Leave it there and count conversions for the first thousand or so visits before testing another location.

It’s a very unscientific test, but it will help you get your brain into a testing and measuring mode. It also starts to lay a foundation for developing good habits as you begin to develop more reliable experiments.

CTA Mistake Number 4: No way to track conversions, and no long term follow through.

If you read #2, and thought to yourself, “how would I know?” there are two essential tracking tools; Google Analytics and your CRM. Let’s look at Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is by far the most popular web analytics tool available. It’s free for all but the largest (by that I mean HUGE) companies, and is simple to set up and use. Chances are you’re using Google Analytics already if you have a website.

You may not know there are conversion tracking tools built in. Essentially, these work by identifying a checkout page or “thank you” page as your “conversion goal.” Every time that page is served, it counts as a conversion. You can track many different conversion points in Google Analytics.

Most of the time, your should use a different page for each conversion path. That way, you’ll better distinguish which results in what. There are many, many sources on the web that provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up conversion tracking in Google Analytics. In the interest of brevity, I won’t go into it here.

The second essential conversion tracking tool is your CRM. What, you don’t have or use a CRM? Client relationship management (or is it customer retention management?) should be the center of your universe. By linking all of your online conversions to your CRM, you’ll be able to recall critical details through every stage in the buyer’s journey.

Your business depends on attracting and keeping business. Yet, business owners everywhere store critical client history in their email inboxes. Don’t be one of them!

CRM is so important that it is included in all of our Internet marketing plans. Unfortunately, very few companies use CRM as effectively as they could, but that’s a topic for another day.

CTA Mistake Number 5: All or nothing CTA. Build trust first.

Business owners are often mislead into thinking website visitors behave differently than people. As it turns out, most website visitors ARE people. People use the Internet for lots of reasons, but topping the list is to learn things and solve problems.

At the beginning of this article, I said coldly that nobody cares about you or your website. Actually, they don’t trust you either. It should be your burning imperative to build trust. You do that by providing information people believe and can use.

Too often, the call to action is the focal point. Marketing jackasses tell clients, “you need CTAs. It’s all CTAs these days.” WRONG! Your goal should be to make yourself essential by being the trusted source of information.

Prove what you know. Prove that you deliver. If it takes a thousand words, write them. If you suck at writing, have someone write for you.

The key point is if you want people to take an interest in your business, they have to take an interest in you. For that, you have to be interesting and make the extra effort your competitors won’t.

Final Thoughts on Call to Action Mistakes

This is hardly an exhaustive list. In truth, the most common CTA mistake is not taking a serious interest in your own conversions. Too often, web related duties are assigned to a nephew or the girl who answers the phone.

As a business owner, the opportunity cost of not having experts manage your online marketing is immense. It’s intangible, though, so you don’t feel it the same as if you are writing checks.

You wouldn’t dream of having a teenage daughter handle your accounting, yet it happens all the time in marketing. Just because Sally Sue likes Facebook doesn’t make her an Internet marketing expert.

Internet marketing (which includes calls to action) is a complex, statistical exercise. Most “marketing” agencies have no clue about how to run a statistically valid test on a CTA. Guessing doesn’t really cut it.

On the other hand, it can be fun, especially when you start getting results. The bottom line is you should embrace the call to action component of your website like you would any important business function. You’ll be surprised how much business your website can generate when you apply effort in the right areas.

CTAs are overall beneficial for a business and are typically associated with landing pages that are intended for your website visitors to perform a specific action. Learn more about the importance of landing pages here.

OCG Creative © 2024 - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy
homepencilflagcameralaptop-phoneheart-pulsedinnerbriefcasecrossmenulist
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram