5 hot digital marketing trends you should use in 2018

Micro-moments, influencers, video marketing, and more – discover which digital marketing trends your business needs to focus on in 2018. With the New Year just around the corner, it’s time to look at the hottest digital marketing trends 2018 will bring. Looking at the performance of online marketing channels over the past year is a start. Combining that information with experts’ best guesses on what’s ahead can help you plan a winning digital marketing strategy for the coming year. Keep reading for the scoop on the five top digital marketing trends of 2018 and why you should jump on them now!

Digital marketing trend #1: Mastering mobile search ‘micro-moments’

With the rise in smartphone use, we’ve all gotten used to having instant access to information anytime and anywhere we want it. Where we once used to turn to the Internet to research larger purchases, we’ve become so accustomed to easy access to information that we reach for our phones before making any purchase, even smaller ones such as groceries or makeup.

When considering a purchase, life choice, or other decision, the majority of us (96%, according to Google) turn to our smartphones and search for advice.

At these ‘micro-moments,’ businesses that provide accurate answers and meet customers’ needs can score a major marketing win. Each micro-moment of search presents brands with the opportunity to build customer trust and develop a new loyal following.

Making the most of marketing micro-moments is a digital marketing trend that is expected to continue growing in 2018. Look for brands to develop mobile-centric search strategies, with heavy investment in SEO optimized content that is rich in the keywords and phrases used by customers searching on smartphones and mobile devices.

Why you should jump on this digital marketing trend: Mastering voice search ‘micro-moments’ will help you grow your customer base in 2018.

Digital marketing trend #2: Video marketing

Video marketing is on track to increase exponentially in 2018. There was an incredible upsurge in the number of businesses successfully using video marketing in 2017. Now that those businesses have achieved such impressive results, more companies will embrace video in the coming year.

The latest figures from HubSpot show that video is one of the strongest online marketing trends 2018 will see. 81% of businesses who used video marketing linked it to a direct increase in sales, and 83% believed that video marketing gave them a good ROI.

Given these results, it’s not surprising that almost all businesses (an incredible 97%!) that used video marketing in 2017 plan to invest in the marketing strategy in 2018. Video marketing on YouTube and Facebook in particular is expected to see big gains in the coming year.

Why you should jump on this digital marketing trend: Adding video to your online marketing strategies can increase your sales in the coming year.

Digital marketing trend #3: Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is poised to be one of the hottest social media marketing trends in the coming year. In 2017, as traditional marketing channels such as television and print ads became significantly less effective, influencer marketing stepped in to take a prominent role. The marketing value of influencers is expected to continue increasing in the coming year.

Influencers are individuals with a large social reach that gives them the power to influence (or encourage) the purchasing decisions of their audience. Influencers can range from celebrities with millions of followers on social media to micro-influencers followed by just a few thousand fans.

Converting customers into influencers is a cost-effective way to improve your social marketing reach.

A recent report from Linqia found that 86% of marketers used influencer marketing in 2017, and that 92% of those who used it found the marketing strategy to be effective. An early report from Bust Media found that influencer marketing realized an impressive ROI, generating $6.85 in earned media value for every $1 spent.

Why you should jump on this 2018 digital marketing trend: Converting a social follower to an influencer can dramatically increase your social media marketing reach.

Digital marketing trend #4: Investing in content creation and distribution

Content marketing has proven to be highly effective marketing tool – so effective, in fact, that competition for readership has become fierce. Content marketing tops the list of online marketing strategies that businesses will use in 2018, so the need to produce and effectively distribute engaging content will certainly increase in the coming year.

According to MarketingProfs’ latest content marketing report, 38% of respondents will increase their investment in content creation in 2018. While larger brands can support in-house content development teams, many small businesses will find it more productive to work with agencies that provide professional content creation services.

Using the right distribution channels can mean the difference between reaching your target audience and having your content overlooked. Professional content creation teams are experienced at connecting with customers. They know how to present your brand story so it resonates with customers and reaches them on a personal level.

Why you should jump on this 2018 digital marketing trend: Investing in professional content creation and distribution services can enhance your ability to reach your desired audience.

Digital marketing trend #5: Analyzing ‘big data’

Digital marketing strategies produce incredible amounts of information on customers, their interests, and their online behavior. Businesses that put this information to use can refine their marketing strategies and make them more effective.

Marketing analytics software can track customers’ online behavior and apply the insights to formulate effective marketing strategies. These programs are becoming more sophisticated and better able to anticipate the best approach to achieve desired marketing goals.

In 2018, expect more businesses to use big data to formulate and refine their marketing strategies. Applying the insights gleaned from ongoing marketing efforts will result in campaigns that are more tightly focused and relevant to the desired audience.

Why you should jump on this 2018 digital marketing trend: Analyzing what big data reveals about your customers will make your digital marketing strategies more effective.

Is your business ready to take advantage of the hottest digital marketing trends of 2018? The marketing team at Blue Interactive Agency can help your business thrive with expert content creation and distribution services. We offer packages that include SEO optimized blog writing, video production and optimization, social media marketing packages, and more, along with web analytic tools to refine and ensure the success of your marketing strategies.

Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-613-2347 if you would like help putting the digital marketing trends of 2018 to work for you!

How to Increase Website Traffic Fast: 5 (Realistic) Ways

5 ways to increase website traffic fast

Once you launch a new website for your business, you get faced with the real challenge: finding ways to increase website traffic fast so your website can start making an appreciable impact on your bottom line. Content marketing and SEO strategies are the best ways to build long-term, sustainable traffic for your website, but these strategies can take months or even years to generate the type of positive ROI you ‘re looking for. Fortunately, while the dishonest “black hat” traffic-building strategies of the past have been shut down, there are still some legitimate, realistic ways you can increase website traffic fast, if you are willing to put the necessary time, effort, or money into the attempt.

1. Build your social media audience

Any discussion of how to get traffic to your website fast should start with social media. Social media has a marketing reach that is hard to beat, because it allows you to engage with a wide audience in a very public and direct way. As you interact with social users in your circle, by sending out interesting content, sharing posts, or engaging in discussions, you introduce your brand everyone in the users’ followers and social circles. With careful curation and monitoring, social media can help you send thousands of potential customers to your website, all of them engaged and already interested in your brand.

2. Start guest blogging

Guest blogging can increase website traffic in a hurry if you manage to connect with the right industry authorities. A single guest post on one of the top industry sites can position you to reach millions of readers who fit directly in your target audience; when your guest post features well-written, interesting content it can generate a continuous, steady stream of visitors to your website. Competition to get a post on the top sites is fierce, but guest blogging on smaller sites that have industry authority is much easier to achieve and can still generate thousands of visitors.

3. Leverage influencers

We’ve all seen the incredible reach of the top influencers, who can drive millions of website visits to check out the latest fashion or sports drink brand with a single Tweet. Influencers exist in every industry, with varying levels of reach. Find and begin engaging with influencers in your industry through social media, and build a relationship by sharing their work and engaging their interest. Leveraging influencers takes some finesse, but if you don’t ask for free publicity and build a reciprocal relationship for visibility, it can be a great way to build website traffic quickly.

4. Invest in paid ads

If you are simply trying to figure out how to increase traffic to your website fast and are not concerned about building sustainable traffic, investing in paid ads (also known as PPC or pay per click ads) may be your best solution. Paid ads position your site in front of customers who are looking for your product or service at that exact moment, so they can provide a fast, profitable bump in the number of visitors to your website.

5. Get the help of professionals

Finally, if you want to concentrate on building your business rather than trying to figure out how to generate traffic to your website, hiring a professional internet marketing company is the most effective, affordable, and reliable method to build internet traffic in a hurry. Seeking help from an internet marketing company is more effective than hiring an in-house marketing person, because you gain access to the expertise of all the marketing professionals at the agency, at a cost that is less than you would have to spend to hire a single Internet Marketing Director.

If you are serious about wanting to increase website traffic fast, call the professional internet marketers at Blue Interactive Agency. Our experienced, highly qualified team of internet marketers will employ social media marketing, expert guest blog writing services, and more to help you build a high volume of website traffic in a hurry. Call today for a free consultation to discuss how we can work together to achieve your online marketing goals.

Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-406-4149 and let us show you our affordable, effective strategies for increasing your website traffic in a hurry!

5 Effective Marketing Strategies

How to figure out the most effective marketing strategies for your small business

Trying to figure out which marketing strategies are the most effective ones for your small business? We have some advice that can help! When you have a small business and a limited budget, figuring out which marketing strategies to choose can be difficult. Of course, the most effecivt full range of online marketing strategies. But if you don’t have an unlimited marketing budget, you may be limited to one or two choices. If that sounds familiar, start by figuring out your goals.  Once you are clear on the marketing objectives you want to achieve, it makes it easier to choose the most effective marketing strategies to accomplish those goals. Let’s get started!

Want to attract more customers, increase repeat business, or establish your business? A responsive, mobile-friendly web design is your best marketing choice.

There’s no question that mobile web design tops the list of the most effective marketing strategies for small business. It doesn’t matter what type of business you have, consumers today turn to the Internet first when looking for businesses and services. Your business website establishes your company’s presence and serves as the hub for all your online marketing efforts.   An attractive, mobile-friendly website that performs perfectly on every device, gives you a prominent presence, and showcases what your business has to offer in an engaging way is the best marketing strategy your company can have.

Do you want to help new customers find your business? SEO marketing is the most effective marketing strategy to get your small business found.

A well-managed search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is the most effective way to market to new customers so they can find your business. More than 90 percent of consumers find the companies they patronize through a search engine, so you need an effective SEO strategy to make sure your business gets found. Updating all the pages of your website with the latest trending keywords and mobile search phrases can help your website rank higher when new customers search online for companies in your industry.

Would you like to increase repeat visits from existing customers? An email marketing strategy can accomplish that.

Sending out a targeted email newsletters is an effective way to get your existing customers to come back in to your businesses. To make this marketing strategy more effective, create several versions of your email newsletters and include special discounts or offers specifically designed to align with your customers’ past purchases.

Are you looking for a way to establish a wider marketing reach for your business? Blogging is an efficient strategy when you want to widen your marketing reach. 

A daily or weekly blog can give your small business a considerably wider marketing reach – which can give you a real edge over the competition. Blogging is one of the most effective marketing strategies because it accomplishes several marketing goals at once. Every blog you post gives you the opportunity to incorporate the keywords and phrases that interest  visitors, so your business can get found by more new customers.  Each blog provides new and interesting content that may lead visitors back to your website to introduce them to your company. And every time you publish a new blog, you add a page of relevant content to your website, which builds your domain authority with Google and the search engines so you rank higher in customer searches.

Are you trying to keep your business top of mind with customers? Social media marketing is the ideal marketing strategy to engage with current customers.

If you want a marketing strategy that will help you engage with your customers in an ongoing, personal way, social media marketing is perfect. When done properly, social marketing for small businesses will help you stay in touch with customers without overwhelming them or driving them away. Once you find the social marketing strategy that is the best fit for your business and customers,  you will be able to keep the right amount of contact with customers to keep them a loyal and engaged customer for the long haul.

If you would like help putting these effective marketing strategies to work for your small business, Blue Interactive Agency can help. Our dedicated marketers can provide you with a responsive mobile-friendly web design, SEO services, blog writing services, email marketing, monthly social marketing packages, and more to make sure your small business accomplishes all the marketing goals you need to succeed.

Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-715-5436 for a full range of effective marketing strategies to accomplish your small business marketing goals!

Top Intelligent Building Technologies

What are the top intelligent building technologies shaping the future?

The top intelligent building technologies of the future are anticipated to become increasingly self-aware and interconnected, in ways that will enhance building operations while improving owners’ bottom line.

The demand for intelligent building technologies is at an all-time high and constantly growing, as building owners and occupants recognize the benefits of structures that are more responsive. Research experts Markets and Markets estimate that the intelligent building technology market will grow 34% annually over the next five years, increasing to 24.73 billion by 2021. Let’s take a look at the top intelligent building technologies that will driving that market growth over the next five years.

As intelligent building technologies evolve over the next five years, the answer to the question, “What is an intelligent building” is going to change.  The Internet of Things is expected to shape the intelligent building technologies of the future, creating buildings that are increasingly able to incorporate information from structures across town and around the world. This collaboration is anticipated to help buildings to operate more efficiently, so repairs will become more predictive rather than reactive. The latest intelligent building technologies will enable buildings to be updated in an instant, without expensive retrofits. They could even enable building operators to see inside walls and into complex building systems.

Predictive maintenance

The focus of some top intelligent building technologies is shifting from helping buildings to respond more efficiently to condition-based, real-time problems to actively anticipating and providing what the building needs before problems develop. As a direct result of the Internet of Things, building operators have access to enormous amounts of data about historical performance of components in their specific building as well as in other similar buildings. They can leverage this information to anticipate potential problems and undertake corrective action before the systems in question fail. This should result in a significant reduction in downtime. By prioritizing predictive maintenance, intelligent building technologies will improve the profitability of buildings while making them more efficient.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual reality is poised to make a big change in the way that intelligent buildings are repaired and maintained. Increases in computing power combined with smart components that report their status now allow intelligent buildings to build increasingly realistic pictures of what is happening to all the different systems in the buildings as they operate in real time. Targeted applications of VR will allow building maintenance engineers to visually immerse themselves in the building systems to see how they are working and how they will responds to adjustments. Engineers will be able to see hidden wires and systems within walls to more accurately focus their efforts on building systems that need adjustments without disrupting working components.

Wireless Retrofits

When incorporated into buildings from the design phase, intelligent building technologies have vastly improved the efficient operation of building systems. The challenge for the future is how to bring intelligent building design to the millions of existing structures without the need for expensive retrofits. Wireless technology is providing the solution to this problem. Through the installation of key Wi-Fi enabled components, building operators can bring outdated structures the benefits of more modern technologies. Updating this infrastructure will become a simple matter of sending an update

As the answer to the question, ”What is an intelligent building” continues to evolve, you can count on Advanced Control Corporation to provide you with the latest intelligent building technologies. As the industry leader in building automation solutions in South Florida since 1987, Advanced Control Corporation has continually been at the forefront of the latest intelligent building automation trends. We can install a custom, web-based intelligent building automation solution in your facility that incorporates the latest technology to ensure the smooth operation of your building for 2015 and beyond.

Contact Advanced Control at 954-491-6660 to discover how the top intelligent building technologies can transform the way you manage your building’s operations.

Energy Conservation Techniques

Energy conservation techniques for commercial building owners

Using the latest energy management solutions, commercial building owners can implement energy conservation techniques that help their buildings run much more efficiently and affordably. As we head into 2017, energy costs remain the single largest operational expense that commercial building owners face. That moves energy conservation into top position as one of the key concerns that commercial building owners need to address in order to improve their bottom line. Owners need to find ways to implement energy conservation techniques that enhance energy efficiency and reduce the amount of energy wasted in their facilities. Through the development of an energy conservation plan, building owners can implement a wide range of energy conservation techniques that can significantly improve energy efficiency and lower energy costs by 30% or more.

Implement an energy conservation plan

Advanced Control Corporation can help you implement an energy conservation plan designed to reduce energy waste at your commercial building.  Installing an energy management control system is the first step to making your building more efficient.  Energy management control systems rely on a building automation system to integrate all the control systems in a facility. Once all these systems are integrated, the energy management solution can manage HVAC and lighting systems in an efficient manner that reduces energy waste. If you already have an energy management control system in place, Advanced Control can retrofit your system with more up to date components using open protocol software that allows easy compatibility.

Employ energy scheduling

Scheduling features can be set so that HVAC and lighting is turned off whenever the facility is typically unused, such as weekends, evenings, and holidays. Scheduling can also be set automatically according to your GPS position, so that lights in outdoor access areas, parking lots, signage, and other areas on the exterior of your building follow sunrise and sunset times. Lights only come on when needed as the time of year and sunrise/set changes.

Start daylight harvesting

In areas of the building near exterior walls and windows, photocells can be used that detect natural light levels and automatically dim or shut off lighting as needed to maintain specified minimum levels. Motorized shades can be set to take advantage of natural light without compromising temperature control to maximize energy efficiency.

Use occupancy controls

Using information from RFID card scanners, motion sensors, elevator access controls, and other occupancy sensors, an energy management solution can turn lighting and HVAC off as soon as an area becomes unoccupied.

Perform performance auditing and analysis

Energy performance in buildings can suffer over time. Using intelligent building technology and web-based graphical interfaces, the latest energy management control systems provide owners with an easy way to perform energy audits from any location without having to go on-site. Owners can monitor and analyze performance to identify systems that are performing poorly. Using simple programming tools, owners can adjust performance parameters to optimize energy usage so the systems work at peak efficiency.

Are you ready to make your building more energy efficient? Advanced Control Corporation can help you implement an energy conservation plan that will help you achieve greater energy conservation. Whether you need small building energy management or an energy conservation solution for a multi-building facility, our expert energy management specialists can help you enact energy conservation techniques that will reduce energy waste at your commercial building.

Contact Advanced Control at 954-491-6660 so our experts can start you on the path to greater energy conservation today!

5 Ways to Increase Website Traffic

How to Increase Website Traffic and Sales: 5 Fast and Effective Ways to Increase Website Traffic 

Looking for some tips on how to attract more traffic to your website? Figuring out how to increase website traffic is an ongoing struggle that every business owner faces. It is not enough simply to have a great website design; in order to market your business successfully online, you need to generate a steady stream of traffic to your website. Our marketing team has put together 5 effective ways to increase website traffic. These methods should work for every business owner, and take just a modest financial outlay or simply an investment of time. Try them and prepare to watch your website traffic grow!

Overhaul your SEO

Websites that gain the top positions in search results receive the most traffic, so you need to make your website as search engine friendly as possible. The best way to do this is by performing an SEO overhaul on an ongoing basis. Upgrade to a responsive website design (mobile-friendliness is one of Google’s ranking factors). Make sure all page titles, content, image alt tags, etc. on your website are regularly updated with the latest trending keywords. And check your website links to make sure your backlinks are correctly pointed, with no 404 errors or dead links.

Invest in paid ads

It can take some time for your SEO overhaul to raise your search rank, so if your goal is to figure out how to increase website traffic fast, you should start investing in paid online ads. Paid online advertising, also known as PPC or pay-per-click ads, is available on search engines (Google AdWords, Bing Ads) and social media (Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, etc.). PPC ads are a great way to generate website traffic fast because they introduce your company to motivated customers who are searching for the exact products or services that you offer.

Write a weekly blog

Adding a weekly or bi-weekly blog to your website will increase traffic to your website in several ways. First, publishing a weekly blog gives you a convenient way to add fresh content and the latest keywords to your website, two factors that Google considers when assigning your website’s position in search results (and as you know, websites in the top few positions get the most traffic). Visitors who hunt for information online will find your blog through their search efforts.  And as you continue to publish well-written, interesting blogs, your website will become recognized as a reliable source of information, which will help draw more traffic to your website.

Expand into online video marketing

If your main online marketing concerns are figuring out how to increase website traffic and sales, you should give online video marketing a try.  Companies that provide services can create How-to videos with answers to common customer questions.  If you have an online store, you can shoot video guides that show your products in use.

You should also give your customers incentives to post their own videos. If your products are available for delivery, reward customers for posting unboxing videos as these have proven to be surprisingly popular and effective at increasing sales. Run contests on social media with prizes for the best customer video submitted each week. Give the winning entry a prominent place on your website, and post enticing snippets of the videos with links to increase traffic to your website.

Start guest blogging

Guest blogging is a terrific way to attract more traffic to your website. There are many sites on the web that focus on bringing content from guest bloggers to a wider audience. The most reputable websites will require you to have a number of published blogs already up on the web, and you will need to submit an article that meets their editorial standards. Look for sites that publish high-quality content that relates to your industry. Make sure you scatter a few links to your website or blogs throughout your guest article, along with links to other reputable sources.

For more marketing tips on how to increase traffic to your website, call on Blue Interactive Agency. We can provide you with everything you need to generate more website traffic, including a responsive website design, SEO services, expert SEO blogging services, video marketing services, and more to help your business get the online notice it deserves.

Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-779-2801 for expert marketing services to help your business generate the high volume of website traffic it deserves!

Using a Monthly SEO Checklist to Rise in Ranking

How to improve organic search ranking in 6 easy steps

Looking for a way to raise your website’s organic search ranking? A monthly SEO checklist is a great way to start! Search engine optimization (SEO) is not a “set and forget” marketing strategy, because the factors that determine your website’s organic search ranking are constantly changing. Google and the other search engines continually tweak their algorithms to make them more effective. The phrases and words that customers use when they perform searches change over time. And the backlinks that search engines love can become out of date as companies redesign their websites and change their URLs. That means that if you want your website to gain and maintain a high position in organic search results, you need to update your website SEO on a regular basis. To make this process as simple as possible, Blue Interactive Agency has put together this easy 6-step monthly SEO checklist. It addresses all the key on-page and off-page SEO issues to help your site gain the rise in ranking you want to see.

1. Find the latest trending keywordsPerform keyword research and analysis to discover the latest trending keywords that your customers are using as they search for information, products, and services in your industry. Don’t forget your mobile customers! Remember to research the casual, long-tail phrases that mobile customers use in their verbal searches.
2. Analyze your competition’s SEOCompetitor SEO analysis is a critical step when you are trying to figure out how to improve organic search ranking. Find out which keywords, phrases, and backlinks are performing well for your competition. You may find some keywords and phrases that you completely overlooked when devising your search strategy. Search for tweaks that will make your search strategies more effective, and incorporate your findings to improve your SEO strategy.
3. Update your website with the new keywords and phrasesGo through your website page by page and incorporate the latest trending keywords and phrases. Make sure you update your keywords in all essential places:
   • Page titles
   • Meta Descriptions
   • Alt tags on images and videos
   • Copy / content
4. Strategic backlink analysisYou should analyze and create new links to reputable websites within and adjacent to your industry on a monthly basis. This is a key metric that search engines consider when assigning positions in organic search results.
5. Search engine submissionVerify that all the new pages on your website have been submitted to the major search engines. This is a critical step to ensure the search engines include your pages in their search results.
6. Run website diagnosisRun Google Webmaster Tools or another website analysis program to check the performance of your website. Be sure to check all areas of your website, looking for any performance errors that may have developed over the past month including:
   • Menu errors - incorrect or missing links
   • Navigation errors – 404 pages, redirection errors
   • blocked by robots.txt errors

If you would like some assistance putting this monthly SEO action plan into effect, Blue Interactive Agency is here to help. Our experienced SEO marketers can provide you with everything you need to help your website gain a higher organic search ranking. You can choose the exact level of SEO service you need, from a complete monthly SEO maintenance package to individual SEO services such as keyword analysis, strategic link building services, expert SEO copywriting services, and more.

Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-779-2801 for help implementing a monthly SEO plan of action to help your company achieve the high organic search rank it needs to succeed!