Rockbridge Growth Equity Makes Significant Growth Investment in Vici Media

Investment Marks the Formation of Rockbridge’s New Digital Media Platform

DETROIT, MI, June 5, 2024 – Rockbridge Growth Equity (“Rockbridge” or “the Firm”), a partnership-oriented middle market private equity firm with a differentiated approach to building and growing companies, today announced that it has made a majority investment in Vici Media Inc. (“Vici” or the “Company”), a provider of white label digital marketing and advertising solutions. The investment marks the formation of a new Rockbridge digital media platform, as the Firm looks to make additional investments in the industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Vici’s founder and Managing Partner Todd Schumacher, founder and Chief Operating Officer Megan Malone, and founding partner Leslye Schumacher will remain minority equity holders in the Company and will continue to actively lead the business.

“Rockbridge plans to enhance Vici’s strong reputation for product excellence and customer service by continuing to invest behind product innovation and platform expansion,” said Steve Linden, Partner at Rockbridge. “At the same time, Rockbridge sees an exciting opportunity to pursue inorganic growth in an effort to create a scaled and distinctive platform for current and future partners. We look forward to partnering with the entire Vici team as we work together to expand the Company.”

Vici partners with traditional local media companies and independent agencies nationwide, enabling them to provide a broad suite of digital marketing products and services to their small and mid-sized local business customers. Founded in 2014, Vici offers white-labeled solutions including sales training, digital media planning, online ad buying, reporting, and campaign optimization through a multi-platform approach.

“Since founding Vici a decade ago, we’re proud to have built a company that has helped hundreds of media and agency partners offer digital advertising services that benefit their local business customers,” said Mr. Schumacher, founder and Managing Partner at Vici. “As we embark upon this next stage in our Company’s growth, we’re confident that Rockbridge will be an excellent partner to enhance our existing business and identify new avenues for expansion.”

Vici was represented by Bailey Glasser, while Rockbridge was represented by Honigman.

About Rockbridge Growth Equity

Founded in 2007, Rockbridge Growth Equity is a middle market private equity firm committed to helping both founder-operated and established companies accelerate growth and build long-term, sustainable value. Rockbridge combines the flexibility of a financial sponsor with the benefits of strategic partnership by leveraging the firm’s relationship with the Rock Family of Companies, which provides access to industry and functional expertise. As of year-end 2023, Rockbridge has regulatory assets under management of over $1.7 billion across its target sectors: e-Commerce and Marketing Services, Financial Services and Fintech, Tech-Enabled Products and Services, and Digital Media. For more information, please visit www.rbequity.com.

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How Can You Advertise Through Amazon?

We all know it. The boxes, the bags, the trucks, the smile logo. I know I’m not only one that has ever seen an Amazon truck pull up to their house and think “well what the heck did I order now?!” What started out as an online store for textbooks has grown into an empire. You can now get (almost) literally anything delivered to your house within a few days, you can watch free movies and TV shows, listen to music and podcasts, get groceries, and even have a virtual call with a doctor all through Amazon.

Amazon has become such an everyday staple in most households which has made life a lot easier for consumers, but it has also tapped into a whole different market that can benefit businesses- the advertising market. Amazon has so many different touchpoints where it is consuming data about its users and subscribers, and those data points are then used to advertise to consumers in various ways. Just a few ways that Amazon is gathering data about its users is looking at what they are searching for, browsing, or buying directly on Amazon.com. They are also looking at what users are watching on FreeVee or Prime Video, which are OTT streaming platforms owned by Amazon. IMDB.com is website that is owned by Amazon and it’s the world’s most popular searchable database for info on movies, TV, and celebrities with 83 million users. If you have a Fire Tablet, or an Alexa, or stream Amazon music, Amazon is also gathering data from all those various sources, and those are just a few examples of how Amazon gathers first-party data about its users, and notice how they are all owned by Amazon.

Back in 2022, about 3% of local advertisers were spending on Amazon, and then in January of 2023 there was a 22% increase in average spending on Amazon’s ad platform, while spending on Facebook declined 7% and Google dropped 19%. Amazon’s advertising platform consists of a lot of national advertisers, but it will eventually get to the point where they are maxed out and will start to take on more local advertisers. Now is the time to get ahead of the parade and stand out for competitors. For example, when watching the Super Bowl, it is filled with national advertisers, but there are some local advertisements sprinkled in there as well, and those stand out! People make comments like “I wonder how much they had to pay to get an ad during the Super Bowl”, and they remember that. Imagine seeing your local ad in the mix with a bunch of national brands through Amazon; that carries a lot of weight with consumers.

When it comes to who uses Amazon, millennials are the biggest users. They outpace Baby Boomers by a ratio of two to one for using Amazon as a shopping tool. I am a perfect example of this statistic. As a millennial, I use Amazon far more than I should (to the point where my 5-year-old sees an Amazon box on the front porch and says “Jeff came today!”). At my parents’ house, my mom (64) uses Amazon, but not nearly as much as I do, and my dad (78) doesn’t know anything about it, except that my mom uses it.

When you think of digital advertising, two of the biggest names that are thrown around are Facebook and Google, as they should be. Google’s share of the U.S. net digital ad revenue is expected to be 25% in 2024, Facebook is expected to be at 20%, and Amazon at 14%. When you are talking about billions of dollars, those are some large percentages. Also, Amazon started it’s DSP in 2012, while Google and Facebook started a version of their DSPs back in the early 2000s, so in a short amount of time, Amazon has been able to capture a decent sized piece of the advertising pie.

As I mentioned before, Amazon accumulates all this data about its users and for an advertiser, this is the advertising jackpot because you can use that data and target people while they are on Amazon.com, but more importantly, while they are off Amazon. If you think about how consumers use Amazon.com, they go to Amazon looking for something, they put it in their cart, and then they leave, so they aren’t spending a great deal of time on Amazon.com itself, but that whole time they are searching, browsing, and purchasing, data is being collected about them. Now, all that data that was collected, we can use that and target that same person while they are NOT on Amazon.com, but instead are on Amazon owned properties like FreeVee, Twitch, IMDB.com, and across thousands of other websites and apps that Amazon has partnered with, called Amazon Publishers. Consumers are spending more time with these apps, websites, and programs, so they are now seeing the ads while consuming content on those sites. For example, if I am watching Bosch: Legacy through FreeVee, that’s a 42:00 program where I can see multiple OTT ads and those ads could be targeted to me based on all the information Amazon has about me.

Amazon also has unique opportunities to reach users on and off their site through various targeting strategies:

Behavioral Targeting- Showing a display, video, or OTT ads to specific consumers based on their Amazon purchase history, searches, and browsing, across Amazon.com (only display ads), Amazon owned properties and on Amazon publishers.

This data is gathered from:

What people have searched on Amazon
What people have viewed on Amazon
What people are ‘in-market” for (uses 3rd party and Amazon data)
What people have streamed on Amazon Prime Video
What people have done online to indicate their demographic and economic attributes

Product Targeting- We build an audience of people who have searched, browsed or purchased specific products on Amazon, and show them display, video, or OTT ads on Amazon.com (only display ads), Amazon owned properties and on Amazon publishers.

This targeting strategy is a little bit more precise than behavioral targeting because we are targeting by certain products that can be purchased on Amazon.

This audience is gathered from people who have:

Searched those products keywords on Amazon
Viewed those products on Amazon
Purchased those products on Amazon
Similar characteristics to those who have purchased or viewed those products on Amazon

Custom Audience Matching/Lookalike Audience- We take a list of customer emails or addresses, match them to Amazon users and show them display, video, or OTT ads across Amazon.com (only display ads), Amazon owned properties and on Amazon publishers.

The final targeting strategy that can run in combination with those listed above is retargeting. This is where we follow people after they leave a website and continue to show them a display, video or OTT ads across Amazon.com (only display ads), Amazon owned properties and on Amazon publishers.

Amazon publishers is a collection of comScore 100 websites and apps that have a direct partner relationship with Amazon on and the ads can appear on desktops, mobile devices, and connected TV devices. Some of those publishers consist of:

Pluto TV Fire TV
TubiTV Fire TV
Twitch CTV
com
IMDbTV
Discovery Plus Prime Video Channel
Amazon Video News
Philo Fire TV
Sling Fire TV
History Fire TV
Fubo TV Fire TV
Lifetime Fire TV
Investigation Discovery Fire TV
NBCU_1
Discovery +
Fox News Fire TV
Food Network Fire TV
NBCU_4
A&E Fire TV
THE CW Fire TV
HGTV Fire TV
HBO Max Fire TV
Fubo TV Roku
Discovery Fire TV
FilmRise Roku TV
Paramount Channel Fire TV
CBS News Fire TV
Travel Channel Fire TV
Adult Swim Fire TV
VH1 Fire TV
TBS Fire TV
Hallmark Channel Everywhere Fire TV
NFL OTT
Discovery Life Fire TV

Travel Channel Android TV

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How Can Political Candidates Use Digital for the 2024 Election?

It’s hard to believe that in just six months we will be voting for the 47th president of the United States, along with several other positions. It’s also hard to believe that the political ads have already started. It feels like we just got over them, and I’m already seeing and hearing political ads for everything from local school board elections to county elections. Gone are the days when political campaigns relied solely on traditional methods like billboards, yard signs, and TV ads to reach voters. In today’s world, where almost everyone is constantly connected to the internet, digital advertising has emerged as a formidable tool for political candidates to engage with voters, spread their message, and ultimately win elections.

Now is the time to start talking to political candidates about their campaigning plans for the 2024 election year because political ad spending is projected to be up 30% from 2020, and this projection has digital media getting 28% of the 2024 political season spend, which is nearly triple what candidates were spending on digital in 2020. Breaking it down even further, a large portion of digital budgets are projected to be spent with Over-the-Top (OTT) ads, second to traditional TV. The reach of digital advertising extends far beyond traditional boundaries. Unlike TV ads or billboards, which are limited by geography, digital ads can reach voters wherever they are, whether they’re at home, at work, or on the go. This omnipresence opportunity ensures that candidates can maintain a constant presence in voters’ lives, keeping their message top of mind throughout the campaign.

Another leg up that OTT has over regular TV ads is that the targeting options allow you to really drill down and target the ideal voter, like serving OTT ads to certain political categories through Behavioral Targeting like Political Donor: Democrat, Democratic Party Affiliation, Democrat, Democrat Voters, Super Democrats, Very Liberal/Hard Democrat, Somewhat Liberal/Leaning Democrat, Political Donor Propensity > Republican, Republican Party Affiliation, Very Conservative Political Outlook, Somewhat Conservative Political Outlook, Republican, Republican Voters, or Independent Voters, to name a few. You could also use some type of list to target voters. A list could be made up of past voters, an opponent’s voters list, or donor lists. You can even take those lists and create a lookalike audience so that now you are serving ads to people like those on the original list in order to broaden that reach.

I don’t think anyone will argue with me when I say that political candidates love using video. Outside of OTT ads, there are even more ways to use video ads with products like Video Pre-Roll/Mid-Roll Ads, Native Video, Facebook and Instagram, Mobile Conquesting (has limited inventory for video, but you could add on cross-platform targeting for more video impressions), Social Mirror, and Social Mirror OTT. These are all great products to talk about with candidates because they each offer different looks and components, but they are all using video elements. For example, a Social Mirror ad has the ability to run video ads in a carousel format, or in a story format. Both of those are going to resonate with a younger audience because they are quick short videos that that demographic is used to engaging with. Those ads are also going to look different than a Native video ad, for example, where that looks like it is part of the content that the user is reading.

One of the most powerful aspects of digital advertising is its ability to foster engagement and interaction. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow candidates to not only broadcast their message, but also to interact directly with voters in real-time whether it’s responding to comments, hosting live Q&A sessions, or soliciting feedback. That being said, the average political campaign spent combined on Facebook and Google in the 2022 election cycle was $21,428 which made up only 10% of the total digital ad spend. Part of the reason that causes them to have such a small piece of the political pie is because there are so many restrictions when it comes to political advertising. Facebook has limited ad placement for political ads to only show them in the Facebook and Instagram Feeds, and Instagram stories. We can no longer place political ads within Marketplace, Facebook Stories, Messenger, or the Facebook Audience Network, so that cuts down on the reach for political candidates within those products. The other problem is that many voters don’t want to see political content on their social media platform. A great alternative to running on Facebook and Instagram is to use Social Mirror ads. They will be able to use the same content they are using on their own Facebook and Instagram pages, but now it will reach voters on thousands of other websites and apps, targeted to the exact audience they want to reach, and there aren’t any restrictions.

Another popular advertising product or technique with political candidates is direct mail. Direct mail has a time and a place, but it also has its challenges. The direct mail pieces are expensive to create, print, and mail, and most of the time they end up in the recycling bin. A good opportunity to supplement that campaign, or replace it all together, and reach those same households but with digital ads instead, is to talk about Mobile Conquesting Address Targeting and Address Retargeting. This is a great way to capture those direct mail budgets because this product and targeting strategy is basically direct mail for the internet, but instead of reaching that household one time, we are reaching them multiple times on their mobile devices, and then continuing to show them that candidate’s ad after they leave that address.

In an increasingly digital world, the power of digital advertising for political candidates cannot be overstated. From its unparalleled reach and engagement potential to its data-driven decision-making capabilities, digital advertising offers campaigns a myriad of advantages that can make the difference between victory and defeat. By embracing digital tools and techniques, candidates can connect with voters, mobilize supporters, and ultimately, win elections in the 2024 election year, and beyond.

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The Power Of User-Generated Video Content

Gone are the days of needing professionally made videos for 100% of your video marketing needs.  User-Generated Video Content is becoming a hot commodity and becoming an absolute game-changer for local businesses looking to make their mark.

Unveiling the Magic of User-Generated Video Content

Picture this: real people, real experiences, and real stories—all captured on camera and shared with the world. That’s the essence of user-generated video content, a powerhouse tactic that’s reshaping the digital marketing landscape one authentic clip at a time. From heartfelt testimonials to behind-the-scenes peeks, this type of content isn’t just about selling—it’s about connecting on a human level and forging genuine bonds with your audience.

Riding the Video Wave

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that video is the undisputed king of content. With viewers gobbling up video content like it’s going out of style, there’s never been a better time to ride the video wave straight to the top. According to the experts, video traffic is set to dominate a whopping 82% of all consumer internet traffic.  In addition, 82% of digital video marketers generated leads through video content. And guess what? User-Generated Video Content is leading the charge, captivating audiences with its raw authenticity and unfiltered charm.

The Power of Authenticity

In a world where filters and photo editing reign supreme, authenticity is the golden ticket to winning over hearts and minds. User-generated video content is the secret sauce that adds that extra sprinkle of authenticity to your marketing efforts. When real people share their real experiences with your brand, it creates a ripple effect of trust and credibility that money can’t buy. It’s like having your own personal cheer squad, rallying behind your brand with unwavering enthusiasm.

Taking Brene Brown’s quote above, as a business owner, our business is really what our customers say our business is.

Building a Tribe, Not Just a Following

The days of one-way communication and passive consumption are behind us. Today’s consumers crave connection and community, and User-Generated Video Content is the bridge that brings them together. By inviting your audience to be active participants in your brand story, you’re not just building a following—you’re building a tribe of loyal fans who live and breathe your brand values.

Harnessing the Power of Social Proof

In the age of social media, peer recommendations are worth their weight in gold. User-Generated Video Content is the ultimate form of social proof, showcasing real people using and loving your products or services. It’s like having an army of brand ambassadors spreading the word far and wide, singing your praises to anyone who will listen. And when potential customers see their peers raving about your brand, it’s game over—they’re hooked.

Think about when Coca-Cola launched their name on a bottle campaign in 2011.  “This seemingly simple idea of replacing iconic logos with personalized names transformed Coca-Cola into a cultural phenomenon.” Every time someone picked up a bottle with their name on it, they shared it everywhere they could, helping create a bigger brand for Coca-Cola.

Putting It into Practice: Tips for Success

Now that you’re armed with the power of User-Generated Video Content, it’s time to put it into action. Here are a few tips to help you hit the ground running:

Encourage Participation: Invite your customers to share their stories and experiences with your brand through video. Offer incentives like discounts or exclusive offers to sweeten the deal and get them excited to participate.
Showcase User-Generated Content: Once you start receiving User-Generated Videos, don’t keep them hidden away. Showcase them proudly on your website, social media channels, and email newsletters for all to see.
Engage with Your Community: Building a thriving community around your brand requires ongoing engagement and interaction. Take the time to respond to comments, acknowledge User-Generated Content, and show your appreciation for your loyal fans.
Measure and Learn: As with any marketing strategy, it’s essential to track your results and learn from your successes and failures. Pay attention to metrics like engagement rates and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of your User-Generated Video Content.

User-Generated Video Content isn’t just a trend—it’s a revolution that’s transforming the way businesses connect with their audience. By harnessing the power of authenticity, engagement, and social proof, local businesses can level up their marketing game and leave a lasting impression on their customers. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to unleash the power of User-Generated Video Content and take your brand to new heights.

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How Can You Increase Your Website Conversion Rate?

Digital has a leg up compared to other forms of media because it is more trackable. You can get an idea on what consumers are doing after they see the ad or after they click the ad through what is called a conversion. A conversion is the action someone takes on the advertiser’s website after they have seen the ad or click to a website. Ultimately, it’s the goal that the advertisers want for the visitor to do on their website. Some examples of conversions are:

Making a purchase or clicking “add to cart” on a website
Clicking to a certain page of a website that the advertiser wants to track (products/services page, info page, etc.)
Downloading info or discount offer from a website
Filling out a “contact us” form
Registering for a newsletter or offer
Watching a video
Creating an account
Clicking on a specific button on a page
Clicks on the Live Chat box to initiate a chat
Clicking on the menu/header pages on a website

By tracking conversions, you are able to see more of the customer’s journey and what they are interested in. When tracking conversions, there are several things you want to pay attention to because the consumers actual journey is going to be much different than what the business owner expects that journey to look like.

For example, if I own a dental practice and I want people to come in for a whitening service and I run an ad for $100 off, as a business owner I might expect to see a lot of form fill outs since that is a decent sized cost savings. As a consumer, I might see that ad and it might pique my interest, but I don’t take action that first time I see the ad because I want to get more information about the service. Maybe I want to know how long the procedure takes, or how long the results last, if there are payment plans available, or do I need to be a current patient to get this offer? Maybe a few days after seeing the ad I remember the name of the dental practice and I call the office to get my questions answered. That phone call was initiated because of the ad that I was served, but the digital campaign won’t get credit for that on the monthly reports. This is one reason why adding a business’ Google Business Profile to the monthly reports can help tell a story.   Here’s an example of the report we can add that shows the advertiser’s Google Business Profile analytics:

A zero-click search refers to a search engine result page (SERP) feature in which the search query is answered directly on the search results page itself, without requiring the user to click on any specific search result links to obtain the information they’re looking for. Zero-click searches are designed to provide users with quick and concise answers to their queries and are often displayed at the top of the search results. The information is extracted from websites that the search engine deems as authoritative sources. While this feature can be convenient for users, it can also impact website traffic as users may not need to click through to any specific website if they find the answer they need directly in the search results. Forty nine percent of all Google searches are zero click searches, but through the Google Business Profile report, you are able to see a lift in calls, directions, or maps and compare that to a time when the business wasn’t advertising to when they were.

When looking at getting conversions with a campaign, you want to make sure you are tracking conversions that are easily accessible for a consumer. For example, if getting phone calls is the key performance indicator (KPI) of the campaign, make sure the phone number is listed at the top of the screen on a mobile device. If getting form fills is the main KPI, what kind of form are they asking people to fill out? How many fields are there? Reducing the number of required fields will help create a cleaner form and keeps from overwhelming the user. In a study by QuickSprout, a form with only three fields saw a conversation rate of 25%. That percentage was reduced to 20% with up to five fields and to 15% with more than six fields. Also, if the main KPI is form fills, don’t base the success of the campaign on JUST form fills as the only conversion. The average contact page converts a measly 1% of visitors. This goes back to the business owner wanting the consumer to act in the way that they want them to, not the realty of how the consumer will act.

In addition to tracking form fills, the business should utilize a Live Chat feature. By offering that, it is another way that the consumer can interact with the business. They are able to reach out the way that they want to. Also, consumers are more comfortable giving their information to a live chat agent compared to submitting a form and not being sure where that information ends up. Almost half of consumers say that they prefer to use a live chat feature as their preferred method of giving out their contact information.

The call-to-action button can also play a part in the number of conversions. Optimize the submit button by choosing the best words. QuickSprout also showed that certain words and phrases get more clicks than others. The word ‘Submit’ saw a 3% decrease in clicks. Instead, consider using action words that inform the user of what’s happening or what to expect. For example, phrases such as “Request Information” or “Request Price” or remind the user of what’s happening.

You also want to see if the website is loading in a timely manner. A one-second delay in load speed can reduce your conversions by 7%. According to Google, anything over three seconds and you could lose up to 50% of your traffic.

A quick way to see how fast (or slow) a website is loading is to use this tool: https://pagespeed.web.dev/

This website can help web developers optimize the performance of their websites. It analyzes web pages and provides recommendations to improve various aspects of their performance, such as loading speed, accessibility, and best practices for web development. Some of the key features and functionalities of the PageSpeed Insights tool include:

Performance Score: provides an overall performance score for the webpage based on various performance metrics.
Opportunities: identifies specific opportunities for improvement, such as optimizing images, leveraging browser caching, or reducing server response times.
Diagnostics: highlights potential issues that may affect the webpage’s performance, such as render-blocking resources or unused CSS/JavaScript.

Overall, the PageSpeed Insights tool helps web developers identify areas where their websites can be optimized for better performance, user experience, and search engine rankings.

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What are You Tube Video Action Ads?

Ready, set action! This always makes me think of the game growing up, “Red Light, Green Light!”. You hurry up and go when you hear “Green light” headed to base and run and then hear “red light”, and you pump your brakes, and hope the caller does not see you move. And in the world of fastest growing type of marketing which is  video advertising, that is kind of like what YouTube Action Ads are. They stop you in your tracks.

Let’s set the stage first. Picture this: you’re scrolling through your YouTube feed, searching for a solution to a problem or simply seeking some entertainment. Suddenly, amidst the sea of content, a video ad catches your eye. It’s not just any ad – it’s dynamic, engaging, and prompts you to take action. That, my friends, is the essence of a video action ad.

So, what exactly sets these ads apart from the rest? It’s all about interactivity and engagement. Video action ads on YouTube are designed to encourage viewers to do more than just watch passively. They prompt users to engage with the content in meaningful ways, whether it’s by clicking a link, subscribing to a channel, or even making a purchase or learning more about what they are seeing then and there.

One of the key advantages of video action ads is their ability to drive immediate action. Unlike traditional video ads that might simply raise brand awareness, these ads are engineered to prompt users to take the next step in the customer journey. And with YouTube being the second largest search engine next to Google and the second most popular social channel behind Facebook, it is certainly a place to be!

The way they look is very simple really, the video ad includes a button overlay banner that includes a Call-To-Action button, your logo, a headline and your website URL and links to your website when clicked!

With Video action campaigns, you can tell your brand’s story with longer headlines and have access to top-performing places like YouTube’s home feed, watch page, watch next feed, YouTube search results and Google video partners — all within one campaign. Targeting for these ads includes behavior targeting and retargeting. Google Video Partners are high-quality publishers, DoubleVerify filtered, websites and mobile apps where you can show your video ads to viewers beyond YouTube. Partner sites and apps consist of leading publishers in games, sports, entertainment and news.

But let’s not forget the power of storytelling in these ads. Sure, they’re designed for action, but that doesn’t mean they should sacrifice creativity or narrative. In fact, the most effective video action ads often weave a compelling story that resonates with viewers on a deeper level. Whether it’s through humor, emotion, or suspense, a well-crafted narrative can turn a fleeting viewer into a loyal customer.

Now, let’s talk strategy. Crafting a successful video action ad requires careful planning and execution. From defining clear objectives to understanding your target audience and optimizing for mobile viewing, there are many factors to consider. It’s also crucial to experiment with different formats, CTAs, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience.

Of course, no discussion of video action ads would be complete without mentioning measurement and optimization. When testing these ads we saw a HUGE lift in clicks, almost 7 times higher than regular You Tube Video ads.

Video action ads on YouTube represent a powerful tool for marketers looking to engage audiences and drive action. By combining creativity, interactivity, and strategic planning, these ads have the potential to captivate viewers and convert them into loyal customers. So why wait? Green light your way to video action ads and take your marketing efforts to new heights!

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What Are the New Call to Action Buttons with Social Mirror Ads?

When most people heard that Beyonce was making a crossover country album, they went up in arms. Myself, as an avid country music fan, I was pumped! Beyonce is a queen and country music is my jam, so what’s not to love? It’s the best of both worlds! That is also how I feel about the new Social Mirror call to action opportunities and the ability to use click/scan to call, click/scan to email, and click/scan for directions. (Any chance to be able to show a picture of me with Luke Bryan, I am going to take it!)

Social Mirror ads are a great option for advertisers because creating the ads is almost effortless, they are versatile since you can use images, videos, or carousel formats, they can be customized, they have a social media component to them, and they come in different formats like OTT ads and story ads.

Up until recently, if a business’ main goal was phone calls or getting emails, their ad options were limited since most digital advertising, when users click on an ad, they are directed to a click through URL landing page. Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads are an exception because they offer the option to run Call Only Ads which are designed to encourage people to call a business instead of going to a website, and they only appear on mobile devices. When a potential customer clicks the ad, the ad places a call to the business from their device. Google does not allow an advertisers business phone number to be listed in the main ad text of a PPC ad, unless you do a Call Ad. Another option to have people call a business through a PPC ad is with a Call Extension with a regular PPC text ad. Call Extensions run during the days/hours that the advertiser’s business is open, and it displays a phone number that is clickable and opens the user’s phone dialer, if they are using a mobile device. If the user were to click anywhere else on the text ad, they would be brought to the click through URL landing page.

Facebook ads are another type of ad that will allow a user to make a phone call directly from the ad that they are served, but this option comes with some drawbacks. Facebook ads with “Call Now” as the call-to-action typically have low click through and engagement rates, and they are only effective during business hours. Also, the people that may have clicked “Call Now” on their phone may have not even meant to; they could have been scrolling down their News Feed and then tap the button by accident, resulting in inflated metrics.

Outside of those two ads, there wasn’t really an effective way to make phone calls with a digital advertising campaign, until now. Social Mirror ads now offer the ability to click to call, click to email, and click for directions for display, video, and carousel formats, and scan to call, scan to email, and scan for directions for the Social Mirror OTT format.

This is a great addition to ads that already have click through rates that tend to outperform other types of ads, and it also allows for consumers to take more of an action directly from the ad. Being able to tap or scan and make a phone call makes it incredibly easy for potential customers to connect with a business directly from the ad. With just one click or scan, customers and prospective customers can initiate a phone call, eliminating the need to manually dial a number or search for contact information.

Click to call buttons also encourage real-time interaction. When users click the call-to-action button, they’re expressing an immediate interest in your product or service, allowing for instant communication, and potentially leading to quicker conversions. Also, users who are interested in making a purchase or seeking more information can seamlessly transition from browsing the ad to engaging with your business directly. Phone calls also provide a more personal form of communication. This can lead to better engagement and a deeper connection with your brand, as users have the opportunity to ask questions and receive immediate responses. With the widespread use of smartphones, click to call call-to-action buttons are particularly effective on mobile devices, and with consumers spending 4 hours and 39 minutes on our mobile phones doing non-voice activities every day, that is a lot of opportunity for Social Mirror click to call ads to be served.

Click/scan to email is also another call to action button that is available. By encouraging users to email, you can capture leads directly into your inbox. This gives you the opportunity to follow up promptly and nurture leads through the sales funnel. With this format, you are also able to pre-populate the “To” field and can have multiple email addresses loaded in, and you can also pre-populate the “Subject” and “Body” fields within the email, making it quicker and easier for the consumer to reach out. Click to email call-to action buttons can serve various purposes, including requesting more information, scheduling appointments, providing feedback, or initiating a purchase. This versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of advertising campaigns and objectives.

The other option for a more personalized call-to-action is click/scan for directions. By offering directions directly from the ad, users can click on the call-to-action button to get directions to a physical location without having to manually enter addresses into their navigation apps. Providing directions also encourages users to visit your physical location, resulting in increased foot traffic. This is particularly beneficial for brick-and-mortar businesses such as retail stores and restaurants.

As I mentioned earlier, Social Mirror ads tend to get higher engagement rates than other ads because they have that social media element to them, with which people are used to interacting. They also have more of an organic and native feel within the user’s content and are less intrusive than traditional ads. They can be particularly effective at capturing the attention and driving engagement amongst those who are heavy users of social media.

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Unleash the Power of Forms to Amplify Your Strategy

Welcome to the ultimate guide on amplifying your marketing game! Today, we’re diving deep into a tool that might seem modest but packs a mighty punch: forms. Yep, you heard that right! We’re about to explore how forms can be your secret weapon in elevating engagement, gathering insights, and driving conversions like never before. So buckle up and get ready to supercharge your marketing efforts with the untapped potential of forms.

Grasping the Significance of Forms

Forms are not just about data collection; they’re your golden ticket to direct interaction with your audience. Whether it’s a simple contact form or an in-depth survey, these nifty tools pave the way for meaningful conversations, building trust, and nurturing long-lasting relationships.

Think of data you’re collecting as little pieces of information about your customers, or potential customers.  What do they like?  What do they dislike?  Where are they from?  What are their names?  What’s their email address?  All of these pieces of information helps keep your business running.

Why is all of this first party data important?  Well, as 2024 progresses, we’re going to see a phase out of 3rd party cookies,  a part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative that’s coming in the 2nd half of this year.   These 3rd party cookies have been a fundamental part of the web for nearly 3 decades.  From tracking your website activities to helping you log in to a website by remembering your login info and showing you relevant ads on website you go to these will be gone later this year.

That means it’s going to be even more important for business owners to start collecting data from their clients or prospective customers.

Exploring Different Forms and Their Impact

Now, let’s take a look at the diverse world of forms and how each type can benefit your marketing strategy:

Contact Forms: Your digital calling card, these forms make it effortless for visitors to connect with you. By streamlining communication, you’re opening doors to potential collaborations, inquiries, and opportunities.

Lead Generation Forms: Say hello to your ultimate lead magnet! Offer something irresistible – like an exclusive ebook or webinar – in exchange for contact details, and watch your subscriber list skyrocket.

Feedback Forms: Valuable insights are just a form away! Whether it’s refining your products or enhancing your services, feedback forms are your ticket to understanding your audience on a deeper level.

Survey Forms: Dive into the minds of your audience with surveys. Uncover their preferences, pain points, and desires, and tailor your offerings to meet their needs.

Order Forms: Simplify the buying process with user-friendly order forms. From seamless transactions to satisfied customers, these forms are your go-to for boosting conversions.

Best Practices to Maximize Form Effectiveness

Ready to unleash the full potential of your forms? Here are some tried-and-true tactics to ensure they’re firing on all cylinders:

Keep It Snappy: Ain’t nobody got time for lengthy forms! Keep it short, sweet, and straightforward, asking only for essential information. Remember, clarity is key.

Mobile Optimization: Don’t leave your mobile users hanging! Ensure your forms are mobile-friendly for a seamless experience across all devices.

Incentivize Action: Who doesn’t love a good incentive? Offer rewards – like discounts or freebies – to encourage form submissions and boost engagement.

Instant Gratification: Show your appreciation with instant feedback. Whether it’s a thank-you message or a confirmation email, let your audience know their input is valued.

Continuous Improvement: Don’t rest on your laurels! Monitor form performance, gather feedback, and embrace A/B testing to fine-tune your approach for optimal results.

Here are some fun and important stats we’ve found to help you with the different forms you may implement in your marketing:

120% – Forms that feature images or video see a 120.62% increase in completion rates over forms that do not.
5% – lead magnets increase your form completion rate by almost 5% (lead magnet could be a discount, giveaway, free trial, gift card or something else in exchange for completing the form)
7% – Including a number at the beginning of your form can increase its completion rate by more than 7%.

You’ll get a gift card in 3-5 days
We only have 25 spots available
This will only take 40 seconds

25% – Forms with “exclusive” language have 25% higher completion rates. Meaning, make it worth their while.  Here are a few examples:

“Be the First”
“Get Early Access”
“Members Only”

Here are a few more visuals:

Real-Life Success Stories

Let’s take a peek behind the curtain and see how some savvy brands have harnessed the power of forms:

Airbnb: By listening to their users through feedback forms, Airbnb stays ahead of the curve, constantly improving the user experience for hosts and guests alike.

HubSpot: Lead generation forms are the backbone of HubSpot’s marketing strategy, offering valuable content in exchange for contact information and nurturing leads through the sales funnel.

SurveyMonkey: Practice what you preach! SurveyMonkey gathers feedback from users to enhance its own platform, ensuring it remains a top choice for survey enthusiasts.

As a local business owner, there are lots of advantages to having this first party data.  Imagine having a database of people that have done business with you.  You can sort that data any way you want.  Maybe you’ve got people that did business with you last year, but not yet this year?  Maybe you have people that have bought living room furniture but nothing for bedrooms?  Or, maybe they’ve gotten their oil changed, but haven’t serviced their transmission?

When you have this first party data, you could use Custom Audience Matching to specifically target these customers.  Custom Audience Matching takes the info in your database (names, phone numbers, emails) and uses that to find people in your database online.  Once we have matched them, we can then serve specific ads to that audience.

Forms may not be the flashiest tool in your marketing toolkit, but boy, do they deliver results! Whether it’s engaging your audience, gathering insights, or driving conversions, forms are your secret weapon for success. So don’t underestimate their power; embrace it, wield it, and watch your business soar to new heights!

Source

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Surfing the Waves of Change: Chrome’s Next Move in Phasing Out Third-Party Cookies 🌐🍪

Grab your virtual surfboards because we’re about to ride the waves of cookie-tracking technology. Chrome, our trusty browser companion, is gearing up for the next big move in its quest for online privacy. What’s the buzz, you ask? Well, it’s all about saying farewell to those sneaky third-party cookies that have been trailing us across the web.

On January 4, Google began testing Tracking Protection, a new feature that limits cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default. This affects 1% of Chrome users globally, and is a part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative to phase out third-party cookies for everyone in the second half of 2024, but that is subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority.

The Scoop on Third-Party Cookies

Now, if you’re not quite sure what third-party cookies are, think of them as the digital spies that follow you around the internet, collecting bits and pieces of your online journey. They’re the reason that pair of shoes you ogled at on one website seems to be haunting your dreams on every other site you visit. Creepy, right?

Bidding Adieu to Cookies with Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox

But fear not, cookies have a brand new package.  Chrome is here to the rescue with its Privacy Sandbox. Picture it as a secure haven where your personal data can kick back, relax, and enjoy a worry-free online existence. The Privacy Sandbox is Chrome’s way of reshaping the online landscape, creating a more private and secure internet experience for everyone. Great for us, but what about advertisers? Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox isn’t just about waving goodbye to third-party cookies; it’s also a game-changer for you. This innovative approach brings a breath of fresh air into the world of digital marketing, opening up new opportunities while respecting user privacy.

A Kaleidoscope of User-Centric Features

What’s in the Privacy Sandbox, you ask? Imagine a virtual kaleidoscope of user-centric features that enhance your browsing experience without compromising your privacy. From trusty APIs to innovative technologies, Chrome is unleashing a colorful array of tools to make your online adventures safer and more personalized.

Tracking Protection: Your Shield in the Online Battlefield

One of the key players in this grand scheme is Chrome’s Tracking Protection. It’s like a digital shield, deflecting unwanted tracking attempts and safeguarding your online identity. No more feeling like you’re being watched – Chrome’s got your back!

Transparency and Control: The Power to Choose

Chrome believes in giving you the power to control your online destiny. With increased transparency, you’ll have a clearer view of who’s tracking you and why. It’s all about putting the reins back in your hands, so you can choose what information you want to share and with whom. An eMarketer study found: More than three in five US digital shoppers (62%) believe digital ads are largely well targeted to their interests. Accurately targeted ads mean relevant ads, and relevant ads drive better response.  40% of US internet users said personal relevance motivated them to respond to ads.

What’s Next? Buckle Up for the Future of Browsing!

So, what does the future hold? Well, buckle up because we’re in for an exciting ride. Chrome’s commitment to privacy is paving the way for a new era of browsing, where your data remains yours and yours alone. Say goodbye to being haunted by retargeted ads and hello to a personalized web experience that respects your digital boundaries.

Here are some of the ways we, as an industry, have made significant progress since 2020 to combat cookie loss (to name a few):

The rise of first-party data: Direct collection of consented first-party data becomes invaluable in a post-third-party cookie world, as it provides direct knowledge of your users. Simple entry pages that gather an email address are becoming more commonplace, providing one much-needed starting point for targeting. Identity solutions, in turn, can connect a known digital profile across screens, helping to make targeting seamless without cookies.

Alternative identifiers: As cookies fade, alternative identifiers such as Unified ID 2.0 (UID2), RampID and others have been adopted. These identifiers are pseudonymous based on hashed or encrypted email addresses or phone numbers and are thus privacy-conscious while being interoperable across screens. We continue to see leaders on the buy and sell sides adopt these and similar solutions.

CTV/OTT: The scale continues to increase, and it is cookieless by design.  In the last three years, CTV has evolved tenfold.

Identity graphs: With the change in browser-based IDs and declining digital signals, the need for an identity graph is rising. You’re seeing more and more companies invest in graphs, with an emerging trend being the “graph-of-graph” approach. This combines a marketer or publisher’s rich first-party data with one or more licensed identity graphs, including both online and offline data.

In addition to these, in place of 3rd party cookies Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiatives focus on –

How to deliver ads to large groups of people without collecting identifying data from users’ browsers.
How to enable conversion measurements for advertisers without individual user tracking across the web.
How to detect and prevent fraud on ads, e.g. bots clicking on ads instead of real users.
How to let websites collect user data from browser API’s that maintain the anonymity of individual users.

One of those API’s includes Topics API, a “standardized taxonomy of interests” that limits the length of browsing history that’s considered when surfacing ads, and a more enhanced version that can take into account context.

Therefore, we have been replacing our segment tracking pixels which are an image tag that only works based on cookies, with a Universal Pixel which is based on a JavaScript code that can work with Interest Groups’ APIs, for our clients’ campaigns.  This means all of our Behavioral products won’t be impacted by Google’s cookie change.

In addition, the following products are not affected by Google 3rd party cookies:

Mobile Conquesting

Facebook & Instagram

Amazon

Keyword Targeting

Custom Audience and Lookalike Targeting

Join the Privacy Party – Chrome Style!

In conclusion, Chrome is throwing a privacy party, and you’re invited! Embrace the changes, surf the waves of progress, and revel in a more private and secure online existence. Many think this is the end of digital, but no need to panic. It means more security and ideal targets are still reachable.

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How does monthly SEO support my business?

In the ever-evolving digital melody, where websites compose the future’s ballad, the significance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can’t be overstated. It’s not a fleeting note but a continuous serenade that, when played consistently, orchestrates higher rankings, increased organic traffic, and sustained business growth. In this thorough guide, we’ll immerse ourselves in the multifaceted world of SEO and illuminate the myriad benefits that emerge from embracing a monthly SEO practice.

The SEO Overture: A Quick Reminder

SEO, the conductor of the digital orchestra, orchestrates the optimization of a website to elevate its visibility on search engines like Google. It involves an array of strategies and techniques aimed at fine-tuning a website’s relevance and authority, ultimately leading to higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). The SEO stage is dynamic, influenced by algorithmic compositions, user behavior algorithms, and technological harmonies. To stay ahead in this digital sonnet, a continuous commitment to SEO practices is essential.

The Ongoing Benefits of Monthly SEO Practices

Sustained Visibility and Rankings:

The digital realm is a concert hall teeming with competitors vying for the spotlight. Monthly SEO practices ensure your website maintains its presence and rankings amidst the ever-changing composition. Regular optimization helps you dance with algorithmic updates and adapt to evolving user search melodies, preventing your site from fading into the background.

Fresh and Relevant Content:

Content is the soulful rhythm of SEO. Regularly updating and adding new content to your website signals to search engines that your site is an active participant in the symphony, deserving of attention. A blog section, akin to a dynamic movement, provides a platform for regularly publishing content that addresses user queries and establishes your authority in your industry. (hence why we update our blogs on a regular basis)

Improved User Experience:

User experience is the melodious note that resonates in SEO rankings. Regularly fine-tuning your website’s user interface, navigation, and overall experience creates a seamless composition. This not only pleases search engines but also ensures that visitors experience a harmonious journey on your site, leading to higher engagement and conversions.

Keyword Evolution and Adaptation:

Keywords are the lyrical poetry of SEO, and user search behavior evolves over time. Monthly SEO practices enable you to stay attuned to keyword trends, identifying new opportunities and adjusting your content to align with changing user intent. This ensures that your content remains a resonant melody, striking a chord with your target audience.

Strategic Link Building:

Backlinks, the harmonic echoes of SEO, are crucial for digital resonance. Monthly efforts in link building help you acquire high-quality, authoritative backlinks, enhancing your website’s credibility in the symphony of search engines. A strategic approach to link building forms a symphonic network, amplifying your online reputation.

Responsive Website Design:

With the crescendo of mobile device usage, having a responsive website is not just good practice; it’s a necessity for SEO harmony. Monthly SEO practices include ensuring that your website is an adaptable composition, providing a positive experience for users on various devices. This responsiveness is a key note in search engine algorithms.

Analytics and Performance Monitoring:

SEO is not a standalone melody. Regularly monitoring website analytics allows you to track the performance of your SEO composition. By analyzing metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rates, you can identify the sweet spots in your symphony and fine-tune areas that need harmonious improvement.

The Monthly SEO Composition: Tips for Success

Content Calendar Crescendo:

Develop a content calendar that orchestrates the themes, keywords, and publication schedule for your content. This not only keeps your team in tune but also ensures a harmonious flow of fresh content that aligns with your SEO composition.

Keyword Research Rhapsody:

Embrace a monthly melody of keyword research. Identify new keyword harmonies, assess the performance of existing keywords, and adjust your content strategy accordingly. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can be instrumental in this symphony.

Link Building Harmonies:

Dedicate time each month to create symphonies through link building. Cultivate relationships with influencers and industry virtuosos, seek guest solo opportunities, and ensure that your backlink composition is a harmonious melody. Quality always trumps quantity in the symphony of link building.

Technical SEO Concerto:

Conduct regular technical SEO audits to identify and fix dissonant issues that might hinder your website’s performance. This includes optimizing site speed, fixing broken notes, and ensuring proper indexing of your pages by search engines.

Social Media Sonata:

Integrate your SEO symphony with your social media composition. Social signals, like likes, shares, and comments, can indirectly impact SEO resonance. Regularly share your content on social platforms, creating a harmonious resonance and driving traffic back to your website.

Algorithmic Adaptation:

Stay in tune with search engine algorithmic compositions. Search engines continuously refine their algorithms to deliver the most resonant results to users. By adapting your SEO composition to these updates, you ensure that your website remains in harmony with the latest ranking notes.

Competitor Analysis Symphony:

Keep an ear tuned to your competitors’ symphonies. Regularly analyze their SEO compositions, identify areas where you can add your unique notes, and seize opportunities to differentiate your brand in the digital harmony.

The Whole Picture

When we take a look at SEO campaigns, we take a look at everything mentioned above, along with everything else that’s both ON the website, as well as OFF the website:

In addition to SEO, we also recommend and implement Online Reputation Management.   Being able to monitor and improve all of the publicly held information about your business is vital.  Being able to monitor that through an online portal, solicit reviews (which helps SEO), review competition, and see all kinds of mentions of your business will allow you to see how your customers are viewing you.  Knowing this information allows you to adjust as you see fit.

Realizing the Symphony: A Case Study Crescendo

Case Study 1: B2B for HR/Employment

Background:

Our client was in need of gaining market share in the highly competitive recruiting industry, with their main competitor offering three Business to Customer products with price points between $20-$100.  Our client, competing in the same industry but in the Business to Business space, had products worth thousands of dollars.  Since both B2B and B2C companies were bidding on the same search terms to find their respective customers, AdWords was not a profitable endeavor.

Strategy:

We decided to focus solely on SEO to boost their listing organically.  It included optimizing all keywords, meta descriptions, meta tags, alt tags, inbound link building, as well as optimizing ranking keyword reporting across Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Results:

Our starting point was 321 organic visits.  Within two months, the website traffic doubled to 696, and continued to triple the next month until hitting 10K visits less than a year later, then website topped at 14K monthly visits.  In addition to website traffic, the company’s revenues have increased enormously  since the implementation of SEO.

Case Study 2: Law Firm

Background:

The client wanted to focus on increasing the law firm’s search rankings, especially for people in need of a domestic violence or assault lawyer.  The law firm also received a bad review on Google that was not from a former client and therefore needed to be disputed and resolved.

Strategy:

Our SEO team focused on improving the client’s ranking in the Google Local search algorithm, and in the larger organic algorithm.  The project began with an audit where we found several different parts of the site that were not optimized.  Title tags on articles were sub par, which we went in and fixed.  Also, looking beyond traditional SEO, our team found that the site design was increasing bounce rate and hurting conversions. Our team was able to make changes that improved the bounce rate and the SEO of the clients’ site.  In addition to the SEO work, reputation management is included in SEO campaigns, so we were able to alert the client to some negative reviews.  The client was then able to use the information to seek more positive reviews, which boosted overall reputation.

Results:

After the first month of the campaign organic and overall traffic gained 25% and 33% respectively, and 81% of traffic was new traffic.  The next month organic and overall traffic jumped to 57% and 56% respectively.  Year over year traffic went up 50%.  The client reported an average of 250 site views per day.  Other completed tasks include a listing on Yelp, changes to home page title tags, reducing the number of tags in the creation of blog posts, making points of conversion easier to locate on client’s site and updating broken Google Plus and Facebook links.

In the grand symphony of digital marketing, SEO plays a pivotal role, and the benefits of continuing SEO practices on a monthly basis are undeniable. It’s not just about reaching the top of the search results; it’s about staying there, adapting to change, and consistently providing a harmonious melody to your audience. As the digital landscape evolves, the symphony created by monthly SEO practices will resonate, ensuring that your brand remains not just visible but influential in the ever-expanding online realm. So, tune your website to the SEO symphony, and let the ongoing benefits unfold as your online presence crescendos to new heights.

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