advertising Archives

FTC Announces Final Rule to Deter Fake Reviews/Testimonials

info on October 31, 2024

AI’s ever-evolving capabilities has led the Federal Trade Commission to place more harsh rules on fake reviews posted to public platforms such as Google and Yelp. There final rule on this topic also prohibits the sale or purchase of fake reviews/testimonials and allows the agency to seek civil penalties against knowing violators.

Read the FTC’s Official Statement

This Rule was finalized on August 14, 2024 with an expectation to go into effect 60 days later around early to mid October 2024.

To protect honest businesses and small businesses, the Rule prohibits:

Fake or False Reviews/Testimonials- The primary goal of the Rule is to dissuade and punish the false reviews generated by AI or individuals that did not have real experiences with the products or services of the business, misrepresent the reviewer’s identity, or misrepresent real customer experiences.

The Purchase of Positive and Negative Reviews- Businesses cannot pay for or provide other incentives to elicit positive or negative reviews from a consumer. However, reviews can be left under the condition that compensative or incentives are expressly conveyed in the review.

Insider Reviews and Testimonials- The rule prohibits written reviews from company insiders, such as officers, managers, etc. that do not disclose said information. There are also requirements and restrictions in place regarding soliciting reviews from immediate relatives of employees.

Company-Controlled Review Websites- Businesses cannot claim that a website that they manage provides impartial reviews or opinions on their own products or services.

Review Suppression- Businesses or persons within the business cannot use unfounded or groundless intimidation, including legal action or physical violence, to prevent or remove negative customer reviews.

False Social Media Indicators- The last category of the final rule prohibits the purchase of false key indicators on social media, such as followers and views.

Read the Full Final Rule for Specifics

Key Takeaways
The goal of the Final Rule is to protect honest businesses and customers. Fake negative reviews can be a major deterrent for customers to make purchases from an otherwise reputable businesses. Fake positive reviews can lead customers to purchase faulty, defective, or even dangerous products that are not properly advertised or regulated.

Businesses that have been subject to fake negative reviews will start seeing a stronger enforcement of these prohibitions in the coming days.

Marketing Budget Planning: Tips for Maximum Media ROI

info on October 14, 2024

Effective marketing is essential for any business looking to grow and succeed in today’s competitive landscape. However, allocating your marketing budget wisely is just as crucial as the strategies you employ. To achieve the maximum return on investment (ROI) from your marketing efforts, careful budget planning is essential. Find tips below for planning your marketing budget to optimize media ROI.

The Importance of a Well-Planned Marketing Budget

A well-planned marketing budget is central for strategic alignment with your business goals while maintaining profit over deficit. To achieve this, you should focus on resource allocation, measurement and accountability, and cost control. Resource allocation ensures that your budget is going to various marketing channels and campaigns efficiently and effectively. You should also have clear objectives for your budget and pay close attention to metrics for measuring the success of your marketing initiatives. Finally, monitoring cost control will help you with effective budgeting as campaigns progress. This can prevent overspending on underperforming campaigns or channels with funds that can be reallocated to successful campaigns.

Tips for Maximizing Media ROI Through Budget Planning

1. Set Clear Goals and Objectives

Begin your budget planning by defining clear, measurable marketing goals and objectives. Determine what you aim to achieve, whether it’s increased brand awareness, lead generation, sales growth, or customer retention. Each goal should have associated key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress.

2. Know Your Audience

Understanding your target audience is fundamental to budget planning. Research their preferences, behaviors, and demographics to identify the most effective channels and strategies for reaching them. Tailor your budget allocation accordingly.

3. Allocate Based on ROI Potential

Not all marketing channels and campaigns deliver the same ROI. Analyze past performance data and industry benchmarks to identify high-ROI opportunities. Allocate a significant portion of your budget to these areas.

4. Balance Between Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies

While short-term strategies like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can generate quick results, don’t neglect long-term strategies like content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). Allocate a portion of your budget to both to ensure sustainable growth.

5. Implement Marketing Attribution

Marketing attribution helps you understand the contribution of each channel to conversions. Use attribution models to allocate budget based on the channels that have the most significant impact on your bottom line.

6. Regularly Review and Adjust

A budget is not set in stone. Regularly review your marketing budget and performance metrics. If a campaign or channel is underperforming, be prepared to reallocate funds to more promising opportunities.

7. Embrace Testing and Experimentation

Allocate a portion of your budget to testing and experimentation. A/B testing different ad creatives, targeting options, and landing page variations can help you optimize campaigns for better ROI.

8. Consider Seasonality and Trends

Factor in seasonality and industry trends when planning your budget. Certain times of the year may require increased spending, while others may offer cost-saving opportunities.

9. Diversify Your Media Mix

Don’t put all your budget into a single channel. Diversify your media mix to reduce risk and reach a wider audience. Consider a mix of digital and traditional channels that align with your target audience’s preferences.

10. Monitor and Adapt

Use marketing analytics and reporting tools to monitor the performance of your campaigns in real time. Be prepared to adapt your budget allocation based on the data and results you gather.

Effective marketing budget planning is a dynamic process that requires continuous evaluation and adjustment. By setting clear goals, understanding your audience, and allocating resources strategically, you can maximize media ROI and achieve your marketing objectives. Remember that optimizing your budget isn’t a one-time task; it’s an ongoing effort that evolves as your business, industry, and marketing landscape change. With a well-planned budget, you’ll be better equipped to make data-driven decisions and achieve greater marketing success.

Sustainability in Advertising: Strategies for a Greener Future

info on April 1, 2024

In a world increasingly concerned about climate change and environmental impact, sustainability has become a top priority for businesses across industries. As consumers seek eco-friendly products and ethical practices, it’s no surprise that sustainability is making its way into the world of advertising.

The Sustainability Imperative

The call for sustainability in advertising is not just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in consumer expectations. People want to support brands that align with their values, and sustainability is a value that resonates with a growing audience.

1. Authenticity Matters

To successfully incorporate sustainability into your advertising efforts, authenticity is key. Today’s consumers can spot greenwashing from a mile away. Greenwashing refers to misleading or false environmental claims made by businesses. To avoid this pitfall, ensure your sustainability efforts are genuine, measurable, and transparent. Even if your efforts can only be small at first, a step in the right direction is always appreciated.

2. Educate and Raise Awareness

Use your advertising platforms to educate consumers about sustainability issues. Share information about your sustainable practices, the environmental benefits of your products, and tips for leading a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Educated consumers are more likely to make sustainable choices. However, remember authenticity. Pushing too hard to educate people may turn them away.

3. Highlight Sustainability Initiatives

If your brand is actively involved in sustainability initiatives, make it a central part of your advertising campaigns. Showcase your efforts to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, or support eco-friendly causes. This not only attracts eco-conscious customers but also encourages other businesses to follow suit.

Strategies for a Greener Future

Now, let’s delve into specific strategies for incorporating sustainability into your advertising:

1. Eco-Friendly Packaging

If your products come in packaging, consider using sustainable materials and designs. Highlight your commitment to eco-friendly packaging in your advertising materials. Customers appreciate brands that reduce unnecessary waste.

2. Carbon Neutrality

Pledge to become carbon neutral or offset your carbon emissions. Share your progress and achievements in this regard through your advertising campaigns. This demonstrates your dedication to reducing your environmental impact.

3. Green Product Features

If your products have green features, such as energy efficiency, recyclability, or reduced water usage, emphasize these in your advertising. Show how your products contribute to a sustainable lifestyle. Also make these features clear on packaging, especially regarding the recyclability of it so customers know how to dispose of packaging properly. This is it’s own kind of advertising for people who weren’t aware of your sustainable practices but made a purchase anyway.

4. Collaborate with Eco-Friendly Influencers

Partner with influencers who are passionate about sustainability. They can authentically promote your brand’s eco-friendly initiatives to their engaged followers, expanding your reach in a meaningful way.

5. Eco-Conscious Ad Campaigns

Design ad campaigns that promote sustainable behaviors. Encourage consumers to recycle, reduce energy consumption, or support environmentally friendly practices in their daily lives.

Sustainability in advertising is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. By embracing sustainability and integrating it into your advertising strategies, you not only align your brand with societal values but also cater to an ever-growing market of environmentally conscious consumers. Remember that sustainability is not a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable future for all. By incorporating these strategies, you can make a positive impact while also strengthening your brand’s reputation and bottom line.

Trends to Integrate Into Your 2023 Marketing Strategy

Morgan Moresco on December 12, 2022

Written by: Danielle Gazda

At the beginning of 2022, the digital marketing community prepared for the start of a massive digital expansion. This expansion was the true start of a more integrated and accessible metaverse. It includes the increasing use of AI/AR/VR and other new tools in social media and advertising. In social media specifically, video content would be king in 2022, which was proved to be true. We saw this with the rise in TikTok’s popularity as Meta and Twitter declined.

2023 presents opportunities for continued digital expansion across social media, marketing, and everyday life.

Here’s what we’re expecting to see in 2023.

Social Media Content

AI Algorithms

Social media platforms, especially Facebook and Instagram, will continue to push AI algorithms. These algorithms are supposed to show consumers content that relates to them. While individuals may not relish the idea of seeing fewer posts from family and friends, this opens up more opportunities for brands to reach a wider audience that is more likely to convert.

Digital Representations

Avatars, NFTs, and AI-generated art are all becoming more prominent across social media. While there is a juxtaposition between wanting more original content with NFTs and opportunities for digitally generated content with AI, both show that digital art is the future. More brands may find themselves generating NFTs as a form of revenue for themselves or as fundraisers. They will also likely begin using AI-generated art to create the promotional content they need.

E-Commerce

Livestream Shopping

Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are looking to livestream shopping as the next way for brands to sell on their platforms. While these platforms are testing and having success with this feature in other countries, it hasn’t quite made it to the U.S. yet. Expect to see more announcements about this from social media apps in 2023.

Customer Service

Mobile/in-app shopping and online shopping overall have continued to increase as Gen Z reaches an independent purchasing age. The key to happy (and repeat) customers is personalized customer service. There are many options across social media, in Messenger, DMs, WhatsApp, etc., that allow businesses to automate replies to common brand questions. This is a great way for customers to have an inquiry answered or resolve an issue quickly. However, it’s important still to have real people available on the back end to intervene with more complicated requests.

General Marketing

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing continues to be a superior way for brands to gain exposure and bring in revenue. Partnering with influencers whose audiences intersect with your own can boost sales. And influencers perform a variety of services, whether it’s posting on their own social media or creating video content for you to share on your own platforms.

Advertising

Social media advertising remains the best way to gain reach, conversions, and more for your business. As the space becomes more crowded with businesses, it can be hard to find your footing. The holiday season, a time when spending increases greatly, is the best example of this. Refined targeting to reach audiences that meet your business goals is the best way forward. SEO, tagging, and defining your audience will get you to your goals.

What are some of your digital marketing predictions for 2023?

The Evolution of Black Friday

Morgan Moresco on October 26, 2022

Written By: Danielle Gazda

While the phenomenon known as Black Friday has questionable origins, potentially going back to the 1800s, the retail holiday as we know it today started in Philadelphia in the 1950s. This is when people from the suburbs flooded the city for an annual Army-Navy football game and a round of discount shopping. However, the use of the term “Black Friday” for the post-Thanksgiving shopping spree didn’t become a nationwide trend until the 1980s. Read more about the history of Black Friday and the myths surrounding its origin on the History Channel website.

In its 40 years of being an official retail holiday, Black Friday has evolved greatly. A significant development was the first-ever e-commerce transaction, which happened in 1994. As e-commerce has taken off in the past two decades, first with websites and now through social media, how people purchase what they want and need has transitioned away from physical retail locations. Black Friday is no longer the physical fight it used to be (well, it usually isn’t), but brands are still finding ways to entice people to shop online and in stores.

Here are some Black Friday best practices all retail businesses should know:

Month-Long Sales

Black Friday is no longer confined to just a single day or even the following weekend, which includes Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. In the past few years, many brands have opted to create pockets of sales throughout the month of November. These sales sometimes even start in late October.

You don’t have to discount items during this entire time, but it’s good to get a leg up on holiday shoppers who don’t want to leave things to the last minute or hate feeling limited to a single day, especially if they need to go in person.

These discounts can start small — for example, with free shipping — and ramp up throughout the month as it gets closer to Black Friday.

In-Store Exclusives

If you have physical locations and you’d prefer to have at least part of your customer base shop in person, then offering exclusive in-store discounts is a great option. It may be worth staggering your online and in-store deals, so you can draw more people into your stores. Start with limited discounts online and add further offerings in-store to reach that initial wave of holiday shoppers in your area.

It’s a great idea to advertise in-store deals in marketing newsletters or on paid social media ads with proximity location targeting.

Special Discounts for Loyal Customers

If your brand has a rewards program, VIP group, or even a newsletter, you can target loyal customers with exclusive deals just for them. Repeat customers are more likely to actually make a purchase and to purchase a large number of items. They may be interested in buying for themselves or giving gifts to loved ones and friends who may, in turn, also become loyal customers. People often have more trust in brands that are recommended to them by people they’re close to.

Holiday Marketing

Competitive holiday marketing is key to making Black Friday sales work for your company. As with most things, it takes money to make money. Investing in ads across social media and Google is your best bet for reaching a wider audience or an audience that is most likely to complete a purchase. Other brands will be doing the same thing, so bids for display space may be higher than you would usually be comfortable with. Finding the right balance of creative assets, copy, landing page, and other elements may be difficult, but in the end, it should be worth it.

Newsletters, as mentioned earlier, are a great way to reach already interested customers. If they’ve signed up for emails from your brand, then they have probably made a purchase in the past, or, with the right deal, are likely to make a purchase in the future. Utilize newsletters to share sales, exclusive discount codes, promote best-selling or low-selling items, and inform customers about restocks and product availability.

The last part of holiday marketing is promoting your business on social media. Aside from paid advertising, social media is how many people now find products and services they’re interested in buying. Don’t forget to keep up with your social media posting. Share your products, share online and in-store promotions, and run a few giveaways. Giveaways during the holiday season can get people excited about your products — and even if audience members don’t win, they may be more likely to look at your website and make a purchase anyway.

If you’re interested in stepping up your holiday marketing strategy, check out some of our other holiday marketing blogs. You can also contact us through our website, or email us at info@thisis270m.com, for help in working on your digital marketing strategy.

How to Utilize Google Analytics for Your Business

Morgan Moresco on August 24, 2022

By: Danielle Gazda

Google Analytics is a free website traffic tracking tool. It takes user information gathered from each page of your website and compiles it into reports that help you analyze it. You can discover demographic details, bounce rates for each page, and much more. Most importantly, this information allows you to make better-informed decisions about products and user experience.

You can also connect your Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts to combine user engagement ad campaign data with website data.

Get Started with Google Analytics

Here’s what you need to know:

Tracking Code

After you’ve created your account, Google Analytics will provide you with a piece of G4 tracking code that you’ll need to embed on each page type of your website. This is what enables Google Analytics to gather user data from your website.

The Hierarchy

Here are some primary terms to know after you’ve set up your Google Analytics account.

Account- Having an account is mandatory. You’ll provide some general information that relays what type of company you have.
Property- For each account, you can determine “Property,” which can either be a website or an app. If your company utilizes multiple websites or a website and an app, they will have to be set as separate properties. They will each receive their own unique G4 codes. You can combine data later in Reports.
View- Under each property, you’ll need to set up your “Views.” These determine what data Google Analytics looks at and pulls to process into reports. Limiting a View too much will result in missing information. Always keep a view of “Raw Data,” which contains no limiting factors, and another view that excludes internal company traffic and bots.

Once this hierarchy has been established and code embedded, you can run Real-Time reports to see the metrics coming in. However, you won’t be able to generate accurate reports until after a few days later — it takes some time to gather enough data to make meaningful reports.

Also Read: What is Social Commerce? What are Shoppable Posts on Social Media? How Can my Brand Implement These Strategies?

Dimensions and Metrics

Now we get into how to read the data you’re seeing in reports. Most of it is broken down into Dimensions and Metrics. These are the different user variables Google Analytics learns about and reports on.

Dimensions- Dimensions are categories of demographic information. This can include the browser and device being used, landing and exit pages, as well as specific user information, like location and customer type.
Metrics- Metrics are the quantifiable data that is collected. This includes information about sessions, session duration, page views, conversions, bounce rates, and numbers of new and returning users.

You also can make custom dimensions and metrics if there is specific data you want to see that are not standard options Google Analytics offers.

Reports

There are five different categories of reports: Real-Time, Audience, Acquisition, Behavior, and Conversions. Each report has an overview and then provides various breakdowns of the information.

Real-Time Reports provide you with insight into what’s happening on your website at that exact moment. This report won’t be used often. It’s good for checking performance when you implement new filters to ensure everything is running properly.
Audience Reports allow you to go deeper into the difference between new and returning users. It digs into demographic, geographic, and behavioral information. These can help inform your ad campaigns as you learn what your audiences are interested in.
Acquisition Reports break down traffic by the source. A source is what brought your user to your website. It includes organic, direct, referral, email, social, paid search, display, affiliate, and (Other).
Behavior Reports provide you with information about how users interact with your website. Some basics are Landing Pages, Exiting Pages, Page Speeds, Search Terms, as well as sessions and events.
Conversions Reports share user behavior as it relates to e-commerce business goals. First, you’ll have to establish goals in Google Analytics. These goals can include newsletter subscriptions, adding products to cart, completing an order, or making an account. If your website is for e-commerce, this will be important to set up.

Previous Post: Five Ways TikTok Can Help Grow Your Business

Conclusion

Google Analytics is a great tool for any business with a website, whether it’s a company site, e-commerce site, blog, or any combination of these. If you have goals for how users will interact with your website, Google Analytics provides detailed reports about users and their behavior to help you optimize your website and ad campaigns.

Would you prefer to have a team manage Google Analytics setup and reports for you? 270M can handle all of your digital marketing needs. Contact us on our website, or email us at info@thisis270m.com.

Five Ways TikTok Can Help Grow Your Business

Morgan Moresco on July 21, 2022

By: Danielle Gazda

The use of video content is a proven method of advertisement. Commercials have enticed audiences to try new products, visit new places, and make countless purchases in the decades since they first appeared on television. Now, video has become the best way to market products, services, and yourself on social media platforms, as well. Static visuals can be well crafted and beautiful, but short video content is what younger generations want to see more and more.

At the moment, no one does this better than TikTok. As Instagram, Facebook, and the rest try to catch up, TikTok has quite the monopoly on enticing, shareable, bite-sized video content. Vine, for those who remember it, was essentially an early version of this. However, it was rarely used for marketing purposes, yet it showed what kind of communities could be built. If your product or service is geared toward a younger audience, then TikTok is where you want to be.

Here Are Five Ways to Make TikTok Work for Your Business:

1. Post Genuine, Less Commercialized Content

Obviously, the goal is advertising and getting your business out there, but you shouldn’t be doing that in your company’s everyday posts. Audiences don’t want to feel like a product is being forced on them. Content should be fun and laid-back, and not always focused on a product or service. Show the people who work for your company. Show behind-the-scenes glimpses of how your product is made. And show your workspace and office — audiences want to know that there are real people behind companies nowadays.

2. Stay On Top of Trends

A great way to get TikTok to organically boost your content is by creating content that has the potential to go viral. Participating in popular trends can be a great way to do this. But you certainly don’t want to go viral for the wrong reasons, so know when to skip a trend and leave it to the influencers.

3. Posting Product/Service Content

Of course, you’ll need to post some product/service content so your audience knows what they’re buying. Videos can be a great tool to show off a product, answer frequently asked customer questions, do demonstrations, provide tips, and more. The goal is not only to make your product stand out but for the video to be interesting. It’s very easy for audiences to simply keep scrolling and move on, so think carefully about your opening visuals and audio.

4. Partner With Influencers

Working with influencers can seem almost necessary to get your business better known, and in a lot of cases, it’s true. Influencers can have enormous reach. If even a small percentage of their audience follows up and views your brand, that can mean hundreds of people with their eyes on your product. Working with influencers can be expensive, though, so if you’re a small business, you can initially reach out to smaller influencers who may be willing to post in return for free products instead of an actual fee. You can find creators to work with at TikTok Creator Marketplace.

5. Let’s Talk About Advertising

Now, down to advertising on TikTok. TikTok offers six forms of advertising: In-Feed Ads, Spark Ads, TopView Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenge Ads, and Branded Effect Ads. Learn more about each of these ad types from this article at the Later blog. Each advertising option offers unique opportunities to engage with your audience and expand it. Some may work better than others for your brand depending on how you think you can best reach your audience.