The Rise of the Side Hustle

The side hustle has become a defining feature of the modern workforce. The gig economy, online marketplaces, and the accessibility of technology have made it easier than ever for individuals to monetize their skills, interests, and passions. Whether it’s freelancing, selling handmade crafts, blogging, or providing services online, the opportunities are endless.

According to a study by Upwork and Freelancers Union, 36% of the U.S. workforce is engaged in freelance work, contributing over $1.2 trillion to the economy. These numbers are a testament to the potential of side hustles and the power of turning passion into profit.

Identifying Your Passion

Before you can turn your passion into a profitable side hustle, you need to identify what that passion is. It’s essential to choose something you genuinely enjoy and have a strong interest in. Here are some steps to help you discover your passion:

1. Self-Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your interests and hobbies. What activities do you look forward to? What makes you feel most alive and engaged? Think about the things you do in your free time and consider how you can translate them into a side hustle.

2. Explore Different Avenues

Don’t limit yourself to just one idea. Try out various activities and explore different avenues. Attend workshops, take online courses, or participate in events related to your interests. This will help you discover your true passion and explore various opportunities.

3. Identify Marketable Skills

Evaluate your skills and talents. What are you good at? What unique abilities or knowledge do you possess? These skills can become the foundation of your side hustle. Remember, many side hustles are born from combining passion with marketable skills.

Passion vs. Profit: Finding the Balance

When turning your passion into profit, it’s crucial to find the right balance between doing what you love and making money. While the ultimate goal is to generate income, the passion you have for your side hustle should remain at the forefront. Here are some tips on striking that balance:

1. Set Realistic Expectations

Understand that it may take time to start earning a substantial income from your side hustle. It’s important to set realistic financial goals and gradually build your business. Don’t let the pursuit of profit overshadow your passion.

2. Market Research

Before diving headfirst into your side hustle, conduct thorough market research. Identify your target audience, assess your competition, and understand the demand for your product or service. This information will help you position your passion in a profitable way.

3. Monetize Strategically

Consider different monetization strategies for your side hustle. You can offer free content or products to attract customers, and then charge for premium services or products. Diversifying your income streams can help you maintain your passion while ensuring profitability.

4. Time Management

Balancing a full-time job and a side hustle can be challenging. Effective time management is essential. Create a schedule that allows you to allocate time to your side hustle without neglecting your primary job or personal life.

Building Your Brand and Online Presence

In the digital age, establishing a strong online presence is critical for the success of your side hustle. Your online brand is a reflection of your passion and expertise. Here’s how you can build it effectively:

1. Create a Website or Blog

A professional website or blog can be the hub of your online presence. Use it to showcase your work, share your passion, and connect with your audience. Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace make it easy to create your own site.

2. Social Media

Leverage social media platforms to reach a wider audience. Choose the platforms that align with your niche and be consistent with your content. Engage with your followers, share your passion, and build a community around your brand.

3. Content Creation

Produce high-quality content that demonstrates your expertise and passion. This can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, or social media posts. Share valuable information, tell your story, and connect with your audience on a personal level.

4. Email Marketing

Building an email list is a powerful way to maintain a direct connection with your audience. Offer incentives like free guides or newsletters in exchange for email subscriptions. Email marketing allows you to promote your products or services and keep your audience engaged.

Marketing and Promotion

Effective marketing and promotion are key to turning your passion into profit. You need to reach your target audience and convince them of the value you provide. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Optimize your online content for search engines. This will help your website and blog rank higher in search results, increasing your visibility to potential customers. Research relevant keywords and use them strategically in your content.

2. Social Media Advertising

Consider investing in social media advertising to target specific demographics. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer tools for creating targeted ad campaigns that can be highly effective.

3. Networking

Build connections within your niche. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and collaborate with others in your field. Networking can help you gain exposure and learn from others’ experiences.

4. Testimonials and Reviews

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and testimonials. Positive feedback from others can significantly influence potential customers’ decisions and build trust in your brand.

Financial Management

Turning your passion into profit doesn’t just involve earning money; it also requires effective financial management. Here are some financial tips to keep in mind:

1. Separate Business and Personal Finances

Open a separate bank account for your side hustle to track income and expenses accurately. This will make tax season less complicated and help you manage your finances more efficiently.

2. Budgeting

Create a budget for your side hustle, outlining your expected income and expenses. Having a clear financial plan will help you stay on track and avoid financial stress.

3. Save and Invest

Set aside a portion of your side hustle earnings for savings and investments. Building an emergency fund and investing in your business’s growth are essential steps in ensuring financial stability.

4. Tax Considerations

Understand the tax implications of your side hustle. Depending on your location and the nature of your business, you may need to pay taxes or collect sales tax. Consult with a tax professional to navigate the complexities of taxation.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation

The business landscape is constantly evolving, and so should your side hustle. Continuous learning and adaptation are crucial for long-term success. Here’s how to keep your passion profitable:

1. Stay Informed

Keep up with industry trends and changes. Subscribe to relevant publications, follow thought leaders in your niche, and attend webinars or conferences to stay informed.

2. Seek Feedback

Ask for feedback from your customers and followers. Understanding their needs and preferences can help you tailor your products or services to better meet their expectations.

3. Be Adaptable

Don’t be afraid to pivot if necessary. As you gain experience and gather data, be willing to adjust your approach, change your offerings, or explore new opportunities that align with your passion and your audience’s demands.

4. Invest in Skill Development

Continuously improve your skills and knowledge. Invest in courses, workshops, and training that can enhance your abilities and set you apart in your niche.

Overcoming Challenges

While pursuing your passion is incredibly rewarding, it’s not without challenges. It’s essential to be aware of potential obstacles and have strategies in place to overcome them:

1. Time Constraints

Balancing your side hustle with a full-time job and other responsibilities can be challenging. Prioritize your tasks and use time management techniques to make the most of your available time.

2. Financial Uncertainty

The income from your side hustle may not always be stable, especially in the early stages. Building an emergency fund and having a financial safety net in place can help you weather uncertain times.

3. Competition

Your niche may have intense competition. To stand out, focus on what makes your passion and offerings unique. Emphasize your story, values, and the personal touch you bring to your side hustle.

4. Burnout

Balancing multiple responsibilities can lead to burnout. Be mindful of your well-being, and don’t be afraid to take breaks when needed. Your mental and physical health are essential for your side hustle’s success.

Celebrating Side Hustle Success

Ultimately, the journey from turning your passion into profit through a side hustle can be incredibly rewarding. As you navigate the challenges, build your brand, and see your income grow, it’s important to celebrate your achievements. Here are some ways to recognize and appreciate your side hustle success:

1. Milestone Markers

Set goals and milestones for your side hustle. When you achieve them, take a moment to celebrate your progress. This can provide motivation and a sense of accomplishment.

2. Customer Appreciation

Express your gratitude to your customers and clients. Offer special discounts, exclusive content, or personalized messages to show your appreciation for their support.

3. Reflect on Your Journey

Take time to reflect on your journey from the beginning to your current success. Recognize the hard work, dedication, and passion that got you to this point.

4. Pay It Forward

If your side hustle has been successful, consider giving back. Mentor others who are looking to turn their passions into profit, or support causes that align with your values and interests.

In conclusion, turning your passion into profit through a side hustle is a journey filled with opportunities for personal growth and financial success. It requires dedication, continuous learning, and a commitment to maintaining the balance between passion and profit. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can embark on your side hustle journey with confidence and work towards achieving your goals. Remember, the most successful side hustles are driven by passion and sustained by hard work.

The post Side Hustle Success: Turning Your Passion into Profit appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

Understanding Geo-Fencing

Geo-fencing is a location-based marketing technique that involves creating a virtual boundary or “fence” around a specific geographical area. This boundary can be as large as an entire city or as small as a single building. When a user with a mobile device enters or exits this predefined area, they trigger a pre-programmed action, such as receiving a notification, a discount offer, or an advertisement on their device.

Advantages of Geo-Fencing

1. Hyper-Personalization: Geo-fencing allows for highly personalized marketing messages. When users enter a geo-fenced area, businesses can send them targeted offers or content based on their location, making the message more relevant and engaging.
2. Real-Time Engagement: It enables real-time engagement with potential customers. When someone is physically near your business location, you can send them timely offers or incentives to encourage them to visit your store or make a purchase online.
3. Competitive Advantage: Geo-fencing can provide a competitive advantage by allowing you to target users near your competitors’ locations. You can send special offers or promotions to attract customers away from rival businesses.
4. Increased Foot Traffic: For brick-and-mortar stores, geo-fencing can help drive foot traffic by enticing nearby consumers with exclusive deals or promotions. This can ultimately lead to higher sales and brand visibility.

Use Cases for Geo-Fencing

1. Retail Stores: Retailers can use geo-fencing to send special offers and discounts to shoppers when they are in close proximity to their stores. This encourages impromptu visits and increases the likelihood of making a purchase.
2. Restaurants: Restaurants can use geo-fencing to push notifications of daily specials or happy hour deals to people nearby during meal times, attracting more diners.
3. Events and Conferences: Event organizers can set up geo-fences around venues to provide attendees with event-related information, schedules, and promotions.
4. Real Estate: Real estate agents can use geo-fencing to alert potential homebuyers to available properties in specific neighborhoods when they enter those areas.

Understanding Geo-Targeting

Geo-targeting, on the other hand, is a broader approach to location-based marketing. Instead of creating virtual boundaries, geo-targeting relies on users’ geographic data, such as their city, zip code, or GPS coordinates, to deliver relevant content or advertisements. This technique doesn’t require users to enter or exit a specific area to trigger actions; it simply targets individuals based on their location data.

Advantages of Geo-Targeting

1. Wide Reach: Geo-targeting can reach a broader audience since it doesn’t rely on users physically entering a specific location. It can be used to target users at various stages of their customer journey, from awareness to consideration and conversion.
2. Scalability: Businesses can easily scale their geo-targeting efforts to cover larger regions or even entire countries. This makes it suitable for both local and global marketing campaigns.
3. Persistent Targeting: Geo-targeting can continuously target users in a specific area, even if they don’t move in or out of a particular location. This is beneficial for businesses with long-term marketing goals.
4. Customization: It allows for customization based on user data beyond just their location. Businesses can combine location data with other demographic and behavioral information to create highly tailored marketing campaigns.

Use Cases for Geo-Targeting

1. E-commerce: Online retailers can use geo-targeting to display different products, promotions, or shipping options based on the user’s location. For example, showing winter clothing to users in colder regions and summer clothing to those in warmer areas.
2. Service-Based Businesses: Service providers like plumbers, electricians, and locksmiths can use geo-targeting to reach potential customers in need of immediate assistance in their vicinity.
3. National and International Brands: Large brands can employ geo-targeting to run nationwide or global marketing campaigns, tailoring content to different regions and languages.
4. Weather-Dependent Businesses: Businesses that rely on weather conditions, such as ski resorts or beachfront hotels, can use geo-targeting to promote their services when the weather is favorable in specific locations.

Comparing Geo-Fencing and Geo-Targeting

Now that we’ve explored the definitions, advantages, and use cases of both geo-fencing and geo-targeting, let’s compare these two location-based marketing strategies across various dimensions to help you make an informed decision for your business.

Precision and Specificity

Geo-Fencing: Geo-fencing offers higher precision and specificity because it relies on users entering or exiting predefined geographical areas. This means you can send highly targeted and contextually relevant messages to users when they are physically near your business location.

Geo-Targeting: While geo-targeting is precise in terms of delivering content based on users’ geographic data, it is not as specific as geo-fencing since it doesn’t require users to be in a particular location. Geo-targeting can be more versatile in terms of reaching a broader audience.

Real-Time Engagement

Geo-Fencing: Geo-fencing excels in real-time engagement. It allows you to capture users’ attention when they are physically nearby, increasing the chances of immediate action, such as visiting your store or making a purchase.

Geo-Targeting: Geo-targeting can provide timely content based on users’ location data, but it may not create the same sense of urgency as geo-fencing, as it doesn’t require users to be in a specific location at that moment.

Scalability

Geo-Fencing: While geo-fencing is highly effective for targeting users in specific areas, it may not be as scalable for large-scale national or global campaigns. Managing numerous virtual fences can become complex.

Geo-Targeting: Geo-targeting is more scalable, making it suitable for both local and large-scale marketing campaigns. It can efficiently cover entire regions, states, or even countries.

Customization

Geo-Fencing: Geo-fencing offers a high level of customization within the defined boundaries. You can tailor messages and offers based on the unique characteristics of each geo-fenced area.

Geo-Targeting: Geo-targeting allows for customization based on users’ location as well as other demographic and behavioral data. This versatility can lead to highly personalized marketing campaigns.

Persistence

Geo-Fencing: Geo-fencing is transient by nature, as it relies on users entering or exiting specific areas. Once a user leaves the geo-fenced location, the engagement ends.

Geo-Targeting: Geo-targeting can persistently target users in specific areas, making it suitable for long-term marketing goals. It can continually deliver relevant content to users based on their location data.

Which Is Right for Your Business?

The choice between geo-fencing and geo-targeting depends on your business goals, target audience, and the nature of your products or services. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:

Choose Geo-Fencing If:

1. You have a physical store: If you operate a brick-and-mortar business and want to drive foot traffic to your location, geo-fencing is an excellent choice. It can help you engage with nearby customers and encourage them to visit your store with real-time offers.
2. Competitive advantage matters: If you want to gain a competitive edge in your local market, geo-fencing around your competitors’ locations can be a strategic move. You can lure potential customers away by offering them better deals when they are close to your competitors.
3. Events and promotions: If you regularly host events or promotions at specific locations, geo-fencing can be highly effective in notifying attendees and participants about the details and incentives related to the event.

Choose Geo-Targeting If:

1. You have a diverse target audience: If your target audience spans across different regions or locations, geo-targeting provides the flexibility to reach a broader audience. You can tailor your marketing messages based on their geographic data.
2. Scalability is essential: If you plan to expand your marketing efforts beyond a single location or region, geo-targeting is a more scalable option. It allows you to cover larger areas without the need for numerous geo-fences.
3. Persistent engagement is required: For businesses with long-term marketing goals or those that want to maintain continuous engagement with specific areas, geo-targeting offers a persistent targeting solution.
4. Customization beyond location is needed: If you want to personalize your marketing campaigns based on multiple factors, including demographics, behavior, and location, geo-targeting provides a more comprehensive approach.

Best Practices for Geo-Fencing and Geo-Targeting

Regardless of whether you choose geo-fencing or geo-targeting, here are some best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your location-based marketing campaigns:

1. Respect Privacy

Always prioritize user privacy and ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations, such as GDPR or CCPA. Obtain explicit consent when collecting location data and provide users with options to opt out of location-based marketing.

2. Define Clear Objectives

Set specific goals and objectives for your location-based marketing campaigns. Whether it’s increasing store visits, boosting online sales, or raising brand awareness, having clear objectives will help you measure success accurately.

3. Segment Your Audience

Segment your audience based on location, demographics, behavior, and other relevant factors. This allows you to create highly targeted and relevant content for each group, increasing the chances of conversion.

4. Monitor and Analyze Performance

Regularly track and analyze the performance of your location-based campaigns. Use analytics tools to measure key metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI). Adjust your strategies based on the insights gained from the data.

5. Optimize Content for Mobile

Since location-based marketing often targets mobile users, ensure that your content and messages are optimized for mobile devices. Make it easy for users to engage with your offers on their smartphones.

6. Test and Iterate

A/B testing can help you fine-tune your location-based marketing campaigns. Experiment with different messages, offers, and timing to determine what resonates best with your audience.

7. Provide Value

Offer real value to users through your location-based campaigns. Whether it’s discounts, exclusive content, or helpful information, make sure your messages enhance the user experience.

Conclusion

Geo-fencing and geo-targeting are powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal, each with its own strengths and use cases. The decision to use one over the other depends on your business objectives, target audience, and the level of customization and precision you require. Whether you choose geo-fencing for real-time engagement or geo-targeting for broader reach, it’s essential to implement these strategies with careful planning, user privacy in mind, and a commitment to delivering value to your audience. By doing so, you can leverage the potential of location-based marketing to drive growth and enhance customer engagement for your business.

The post Geo-Fencing vs. Geo-Targeting: Which Is Right for Your Business? appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The Importance of Digital Marketing

Before delving into how to choose the right digital marketing agency, let’s first understand why digital marketing is so crucial for businesses today.

1. Wider Reach

Digital marketing allows you to reach a global audience, breaking down geographical barriers. With the internet, your potential customers are not limited to your local area; they can be anywhere in the world. This expanded reach opens up a world of opportunities for growth.

2. Cost-Effective

Compared to traditional marketing channels like print ads or TV commercials, digital marketing is often more cost-effective. You can tailor your campaigns to fit your budget and achieve a higher return on investment (ROI).

3. Targeted Marketing

Digital marketing enables you to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This means you can create personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with your ideal audience, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

4. Measurable Results

One of the significant advantages of digital marketing is the ability to track and measure your results in real-time. You can analyze data, adjust your strategies, and optimize your campaigns for better performance.

5. Adaptability

The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and digital marketing allows you to adapt quickly to changes. You can tweak your strategies to stay ahead of the competition and meet the changing needs of your audience.

Given these advantages, it’s clear that digital marketing is a must for businesses looking to thrive in the modern world. However, to make the most of digital marketing, you may need the expertise of a digital marketing agency.

The Role of a Digital Marketing Agency

A digital marketing agency is a specialized firm that offers a range of services to help businesses promote their products or services online. These agencies have the knowledge, tools, and experience to create and execute effective digital marketing strategies. Here are some of the key services provided by digital marketing agencies:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves keyword research, on-page optimization, backlink building, and more. A digital marketing agency can improve your website’s visibility and drive organic traffic.

2. Content Marketing: Content is king in the digital world. Agencies can create and distribute high-quality content, such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and more, to engage your audience and establish your authority in your industry.

3. Social Media Marketing: Social media platforms are powerful tools for reaching and engaging with your audience. Agencies can develop social media strategies, create content, and manage your social media profiles to increase brand awareness and engagement.

4. Paid Advertising: Digital marketing agencies can set up and manage paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads. This can help you reach a wider audience and drive immediate results.

5. Email Marketing: Email is a direct and cost-effective way to communicate with your audience. Agencies can design and execute email marketing campaigns to nurture leads and drive conversions.

6. Analytics and Reporting: Digital marketing agencies use data analytics tools to track the performance of your campaigns. They provide regular reports and insights to help you make data-driven decisions and refine your strategies.

The Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency

Now that we understand the role of a digital marketing agency, let’s explore the benefits of outsourcing your digital marketing efforts to a specialized firm:

1. Expertise and Experience: Digital marketing agencies have a team of experts with a deep understanding of the digital landscape. They stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices, ensuring that your campaigns are effective and compliant.

2. Time and Resource Savings: Managing digital marketing in-house can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. By outsourcing to an agency, you free up your team to focus on other core business activities.

3. Access to Advanced Tools: Digital marketing agencies have access to premium tools and software that may be too costly for individual businesses. These tools help in keyword research, competitor analysis, and performance tracking.

4. Scalability: Agencies can scale your marketing efforts up or down based on your business needs. Whether you’re launching a new product or going through a slow season, they can adjust your strategies accordingly.

5. Measurable Results: Agencies provide detailed reports on the performance of your campaigns. You can see exactly where your marketing budget is going and what kind of ROI you’re getting.

Given these advantages, it’s clear that partnering with a digital marketing agency can be a strategic move for your business. However, with so many agencies out there, how do you choose the right one? Let’s explore the steps to find the perfect fit for your business.

Steps to Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Agency

Selecting the right digital marketing agency is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s success. To ensure you make the best choice, follow these steps:

1. Define Your Goals and Budget

Before you start searching for an agency, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your digital marketing goals and budget. What do you want to achieve through digital marketing? Are you looking to increase website traffic, generate leads, boost sales, or improve brand awareness? Having specific goals will help you choose an agency with expertise in your desired areas.

Additionally, establish a realistic budget for your digital marketing efforts. While digital marketing can be cost-effective, it’s crucial to allocate sufficient resources to achieve your goals effectively. Your budget will also play a significant role in narrowing down your options when selecting an agency.

2. Research Potential Agencies

Once you have your goals and budget in mind, begin your search for potential digital marketing agencies. You can start by:

• Asking for recommendations from peers and business associates.
• Conducting online searches for agencies in your industry or location.
• Checking industry-specific directories and review websites.
• Attending industry events and conferences where agencies may be present.

Create a list of agencies that seem promising based on your initial research.

3. Evaluate Their Services and Expertise

Review the services offered by each agency on your list. Ensure that they provide the specific services you need to meet your digital marketing goals. Look for evidence of their expertise in those areas, such as case studies, client testimonials, or certifications from platforms like Google or HubSpot.

It’s important to choose an agency that specializes in the areas that align with your objectives. For example, if your primary goal is to improve your website’s search engine ranking, prioritize agencies with a strong SEO track record.

4. Examine Their Portfolio

An agency’s portfolio can provide valuable insights into their past work and capabilities. Request to see examples of their previous campaigns and projects, especially those related to your industry. Pay attention to the quality of their work, creativity, and the results they achieved for their clients.

A reputable agency should be transparent about their portfolio and eager to showcase their successes. If an agency hesitates to share their past work, consider it a red flag.

5. Ask About Their Process

Understanding an agency’s workflow and process is crucial in determining if they are a good fit for your business. Inquire about how they approach digital marketing campaigns, from strategy development to execution and monitoring. A well-defined process ensures that your marketing efforts are organized and consistent.

Ask questions about their communication practices. How often will they provide updates on campaign performance? What metrics do they track, and how do they use data to optimize campaigns? Clear communication is essential for a successful agency-client relationship.

6. Check Their Reputation and References

A reputable agency should have a positive reputation within the industry and among their clients. Look for online reviews and testimonials from their previous clients to gauge their credibility and reliability. Additionally, ask the agency for references or contact information for current or former clients you can speak to directly.

When speaking to references, ask about their overall experience with the agency, the results achieved, and any challenges they encountered. This firsthand feedback can provide valuable insights into what it’s like to work with the agency.

7. Discuss Pricing and Contracts

Transparent pricing and contract terms are essential when choosing a digital marketing agency. Request detailed pricing information that outlines the costs associated with their services, including any additional fees or expenses. Ensure that the pricing aligns with your budget and expectations.

Review the agency’s contract carefully, paying attention to the contract duration, termination clauses, and any commitments or guarantees. Be cautious of agencies that require long-term contracts with no room for flexibility.

8. Assess Cultural Fit

The cultural fit between your business and the digital marketing agency is often overlooked but crucial for a successful partnership. Consider the agency’s values, work culture, and communication style. A compatible culture can lead to better collaboration and a smoother working relationship.

During your discussions with the agency, assess how well they understand your business and industry. Are they genuinely interested in your goals and invested in your success? Trust your instincts when evaluating the agency’s cultural fit.

9. Request a Proposal

Once you’ve narrowed down your options and had initial discussions with agencies, request a detailed proposal from each finalist. The proposal should outline their recommended strategies, deliverables, timelines, and pricing specific to your business.

Carefully review each proposal to ensure it aligns with your goals and expectations. Compare the proposals side by side, considering factors like strategy, expertise, and cost-effectiveness.

10. Conduct a Final Interview

Before making your decision, schedule a final interview or meeting with the agency’s team members who will be directly involved in your campaign. This is an opportunity to ask any remaining questions, clarify expectations, and ensure that you feel comfortable working with them.

During the interview, assess their communication skills, professionalism, and enthusiasm for your project. Open and honest communication is crucial for a successful agency-client partnership.

11. Make Your Decision

After completing all the steps above, it’s time to make an informed decision and choose the digital marketing agency that best aligns with your business goals, budget, and cultural fit. Remember that the agency you select will play a significant role in shaping your digital marketing success, so take your time to evaluate all the factors.

Conclusion

In today’s competitive business landscape, digital marketing is not just an option; it’s a necessity for growth and success. Choosing the right digital marketing agency can be a game-changer for your business, as it provides expertise, resources, and strategies to navigate the complex digital world effectively.

By following the steps outlined in this guide—defining your goals, researching potential agencies, evaluating their services and expertise, examining their portfolio, checking their reputation and references, discussing pricing and contracts, assessing cultural fit, requesting a proposal, conducting a final interview, and making an informed decision—you can select an agency that meets your specific needs and helps your business thrive in the digital age.

Remember that the right digital marketing agency should be a true partner in your business’s journey, working collaboratively to achieve your goals and driving measurable results. With the right agency by your side, you can harness the power of digital marketing to reach new heights and stay ahead of the competition.

The post Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Agency: A Guide for Businesses appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The following is a guest contributed post from Andreas Hassellöf, founder of

The customer always knows best – or so people say. But do they? And do we really trust them? As marketers, we’re always interested in hearing our customers’ opinions, but we rarely do more than ask them to take part in simple customer satisfaction surveys designed to make us feel good about what we’re doing and confirm decisions we’ve already made on their behalf. The only thing we really want to hear from them is whether our performance is adequate in terms of inventory, delivery, customer service and so on. We hardly ever ask them to participate in anything that truly matters or take part in any serious decision-making that could have a major effect on business operations.

But what if we did get our customers to tell us what they actually want from us? What if we did ask for their input on literally everything we do? What could we learn from them?

To answer these questions, Swedish fashion company House of Dagmar has taken the radical step of inviting their customers to participate in every stage of their business via their new mobile app. They’re creating an innovative new community, going beyond the normal limits of customer feedback, and asking customers for their input and advice on everything from what colors to use on specific items of clothing to issues of business development. It establishes a whole new level of trust between customer and brand, giving them a unique insight into the working of the company and direct access to decision makers at the top level.

The app began life at the Fashion Hackathon Stockholm in June 2017, a one-day event to find new ways to use emerging technology in the fashion world. We were challenged to come up with and build a social concept that made use of the new Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics platforms. House of Dagmar loved our prototype and decided to go with it. After several months of testing and optimization, the app was launched in November, for both iOS and Android, enabling House of Dagmar to reach the widest possible number of customers.

CEO Karin Söderlind was supportive right from the beginning of the project. “For us, this means adjusting a business model that feels old and uncomfortable,” she explains. “Our company is relatively small and we have always wanted a personal relationship with the customer. A community seems fun, engaging and personal. The idea is, among other things, that we can educate our customers in sustainability and show what we actually do. Our customers are very important to us and we value their feedback, so an app that brought us closer to them was a no brainer for us.”

This level of close customer communication and trust will have three important effects on both House of Dagmar and their customers. First, it ensures that the customers’ values and the company’s values are always strongly aligned. Second, it means that House of Dagmar owns the channel by which they communicate with their customers, ensuring that they always have complete control over that relationship. And third, perhaps most importantly, it gives customers a sense of ownership over the company and its products, and a feeling of belonging. They know that House of Dagmar is listening to what they have to say, and they can be confident that the founders of the company will always have their customers’ best interests at heart.

Customer communication at this level of intensity certainly isn’t for all types of companies. Larger companies with huge customer bases will find it hard to establish a meaningful level of customer engagement, and there is a strong risk that those interactions will be driven by a tiny but vocal minority who don’t represent the majority of casual users. There simply isn’t enough time to listen to millions of users in detail and take their views into account.

But for premium brands with a devoted following, a customer-driven community can be a powerful influence on their direction. It can help shape every aspect of the company and ensure that they deliver a unique customer experience that is perfectly tailored to their very specific market. In a world where brands are desperate to find ways to fight back against low-cost retail behemoths like Amazon, this is a massive differentiator that can secure long-term customer loyalty.

The post Op-Ed: How to Build a Customer Community appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The accreditation follows TAG’s ‘Certified Against Fraud’ Guidelines, and was achieved via an audit by an independent third party approved by TAG, BPA Worldwide.

As required by the TAG guidelines, Exponential also works in compliance with The Media Rating Council’s Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Guidelines (MRC IVT Guidelines).

To achieve compliance, Exponential has demonstrated its methodology is in accordance with TAG’s guidelines for its certification against fraud. Exponential employs multiple tools and controls to protect advertisers from invalid traffic, including regularly updated whitelists and blacklists, proprietary activity-based detection checks and manual invalid traffic checks, partner qualification controls for publishers upon being accepted into the network and ongoing process and transaction auditing for publishers. Exponential also employs a thorough compliance process with dedicated compliance and data quality officers and strict processes for handling invalid traffic complaints.

“Exponential is working alongside TAG to combat ad fraud. As an advertising intelligence company, we fully understand and recognize just how important it is to be vigilant about fraud,” said Tim Sleath, VP of product management, Exponential. “The industry is in a new era of digital transparency. It’s vital that companies work to prevent fraud and ensure brand safety. We are proud to play our part in making online advertising a safer, cleaner place and hope other companies follow suit.”

The post Exponential Receives New Accreditation by the Trustworthy Accountability Group appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

So, what’s going on here? Is it arrogance, weak leadership, corporate greed, human error, or bureaucracy? Or is it simply the newfound social media cautionary tale? Make no mistake: There is a connection among all of these communications crises.

The reality is that organizations and people haven’t changed; there has always been corporate dysfunction. While evolving technology has increased the number of brand touchpoints available for instantaneous distribution of damaging content to millions of people, technology is not the root cause of this dysfunction.

The very DNA of an organization is revealed through each and every touchpoint. When interactions reveal weakness, deeper problems within the organization are exposed. In an interconnected world where companies can fall from grace in hours, it has never been more important for leaders to address the common thread that creates corporate crises: a lack of  clarity — from the very core of the organization.

Clarity is what happens when leaders take a holistic view of their strategy, people and story — and ensure that there is alignment with each. An outcome of alignment is a sustainable, positive culture with strong leadership. With clarity, employees at every level know how to live out the vision, mission and purpose of the organization and understand the behaviors expected of them every day. This clarity guides the people who make up businesses and provides the reason for all to come together and serve. It is this DNA that is the soul of an organization and which drives decision-making, profits and improves performance.

Finding and leveraging that clarity is the difference between a passenger walking off an airplane and being dragged off. Clarity is the difference between a spokesperson communicating a difficult decision and creating an entirely new crisis. And it is the difference between being revered for your role as one of the leading technology disruptors in the world and being reviled for the way you treat your employees and customers.

The digital economy has forced leaders to prioritize trust, transparency and authenticity. It is no longer possible to explain our way out of crises or dysfunction. We must understand that the most contrite apology statements and countless refunds and discounts will not fix crises that reveal systemic dysfunction.

There are many examples of great companies that have successfully overcome public relations crises with openness, honesty, and empathy. Their names may not be at as memorable.  Thanks to the clarity within their organizations, their customers forgave them, and in many cases, the connection with those brands actually improved.

The key to successfully managing any public relations challenge today is to find organizational clarity before the crisis happens.

Have you?

The post Corporate Crises: A Lack of Clarity appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The following is a guest contributed post from Josh Lefkowitz, CEO of Flashpoint

Everyone remembers the social media boom of the mid-2000s. While social networks such as MySpace and Friendster already existed and had fledgling ad revenue models, it wasn’t until the emergence of Twitter, Facebook’s acquisition of FriendFeed, and the development of tools such as HubSpot and HootSuite that businesses began to take social media seriously as a digital channel.

Then, as is the case of all emerging technology use cases, market confusion began. Is social media really important in business? Is it digital marketing? Is it social media for business? Is it social marketing? Does it fit in lead generation or communications?

In the end it was rightly determined that social media is merely a tactical approach that is part of a bigger marketing and business strategy and wouldn’t be as valuable if that strategy were not developed first. And, as with most strategic development, sometimes research and more advanced tools are required to glean the information to put the right tactics in motion.

Fast forward to the mid-2010s and we’re in a similar dilemma with the crowded cyber threat intelligence (CTI) market, especially in the discussion around digital risk monitoring. According to Forrester, digital risk is assessing cyber risk, brand risk, and physical risk emanating from open web properties, social networks, and some computer and mobile applications. Much like tactical social media tools, a good intelligence-rich strategy needs to be developed in advance of any digital risk monitoring implementation in order to be most effective.

Business Risk Intelligence (BRI), on the other hand, provides strategic intelligence gleaned from the Deep & Dark Web that informs organizations what the actual threats are that are critical to their business. While many organizations do have digital risk monitoring in addition to BRI, many organizations end up adding BRI later on to address the intelligence gap that digital risk monitoring approaches leave open. Many concerns often stem from missed information around insider threats, fraud, anti-money laundering, geopolitical intelligence, supply chain, and a need for more sophisticated threat actor profiling or directed actor engagement.

For one, putting the tactical before the strategic is going to land most organizations in a corner where they are missing business critical information. Second, digital risk monitoring solutions, even if they offer data from the Deep & Dark Web, do not often have expertise beyond purely automated approaches to gain information, which can never be rich enough to be considered intelligence.

Just as strategy needs to come before tactics, BRI must come before digital risk monitoring. Digital risk solutions are good for setting and monitoring already known information, or as I’ve said before, “answering the questions companies already know to ask.” But BRI is what helps determine what needs to change in operations, policies, and protections across an organization.

Here’s an example based on the insider threat use case. In one incident, intelligence from an underground forum revealed that a rogue employee of a multinational technology company was preparing to profit from stolen source code from unreleased, enterprise-level software. With this intelligence, the company was able to be alerted and then supported in completing an internal investigation, work with law enforcement to support the employee’s arrest, prevent the illicit sale, and preserve the company’s intellectual property.

Digital risk monitoring could not have been used to detect or mitigate this insider threat. BRI, on the other hand, found the threat in its relevant context, enabling the company to take the appropriate steps to minimize its risk.

According to The Forrester Wave: Digital Risk Monitoring, Q3 2016: “Generic online or social media monitoring provides a false sense of security. Many security and risk] and marketing pros remain naïve about serious risks in their organization’s digital presence, because they believe their existing social media monitoring or cyber threat intelligence (CTI) tools will detect them. That notion, however, is increasingly misguided.”

It’s misguided, of course, because these basic tools are tactical and do not provide the intelligence alone that is needed. The challenge of digital risk is that it rests somewhere between basic social media and brand monitoring, sprinkled with traditional cyber threat intelligence. Digital risk doesn’t have the scalable technology and human power behind it to produce BRI that helps all departments in an organisation determine the best strategies for protecting their digital, human, and physical assets.

Digital risk monitoring is a helpful tool for organizations that already have rich intelligence and not just data. Failing to distinguish between the two can be problematic. It is nearly impossible to form relevant context without first considering how the data relates to the entire risk profile of an organization not just a tactical report. Observing digital risk through the open web is not enough to develop necessary context and thus cannot enable organizations to apply and operationalize the data to address their challenges effectively. BRI must come first.

The post Why Business Risk Intelligence Comes Before Digital Risk Monitoring appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

“About two-thirds of the nearly 900 small business owners surveyed said they are optimistic about their business over the next 12 months, and 55% felt the same way about their industry,” reads the provided report summary.

However, only 49% were optimistic about their local economy and 42% about the national economy. Both of those have dropped in each of the past two surveys.

Hispanic business owners appear to be even more optimistic, with 87% expecting revenue and sales to rise and 81% expect profits to rise in the next 12 months, the report authors tell us.

“Most small business owners are still bullish about their own growth, just as they were in our spring survey,” said Laura Miller, president of U.S. Small Business for Chase Commerce Solutions. “With the holidays approaching, most predict increases in online sales, and almost half predict their customers will spend more this year.”

The post Survey Shows Small Businesses Still Optimistic appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

This week, the non-profit organization with the mission “to enhance online trust,” shared the report’s findings with MMW.

The guide, in a nutshell, provides prescriptive advice to help businesses optimize online privacy and security practices, and detect, contain and remediate the risk and impact of data loss incidents.

As part of the report, OTA analyzed key cybersecurity and online privacy trends.

“Much like surge pricing for taxis, cybercriminals now target and calculate their ransomware pricing based on company size, market value and much more,” says Craig Spiezle, Executive Director and President of OTA. “Cyber-surge pricing of corporate data is becoming widespread, increasing the impact and costs for businesses and their employees worldwide.”

Astonishingly, OTA found 91 percent of data breaches that occurred from January to August of 2015 could have “easily been prevented” by, for example, patching a server, encrypting data or ensuring employees do not lose their laptops.

OTA also announced that when analyzing over a thousand breaches involving the loss of personally identifiable information (PII) in 2015, it found actual hacks accounted for 34 percent of all incidents, while 30 percent were caused by employees—accidentally or maliciously—due to a lack of internal controls. The balance of incidents can be primarily attributed to lost or stolen devices (7 percent) and social engineering/fraud (8 percent). Lost, stolen or misplaced documents accounted for 9 percent of all incidents.

“As companies amass larger quantities of diversified data and increase their reliance on third party service providers, every business must have safeguards in place and be prepared to react strategically in the event of a breach,” said Neil Daswani, Chief Information Security Officer at LifeLock. “Cybercriminals aren’t just targeting companies that collect consumer data, they are going after confidential high-value data from legal, accounting, architecture and engineering firms.”

To learn more, check out the  2016 Data Protection and Breach Readiness Guide.

The post Online Trust Alliance Exposes How Rash of Ransomware Could Have Been Avoided appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

However, notwithstanding the “overall federal pessimism,” the nation’s small businesses are more optimistic about the November presidential election.

39 percent of them believe a Republican win would have a positive impact on their business’ growth, while 34 percent said the same about a Democratic win.

Thirty percent believe a Democratic win would have a negative impact, while only 22 percent said the same about a Republican win.

With regard to hope for growth, survey results show that hope is “tempered” by business challenges.

“While most small businesses (71 percent) anticipate revenue growth, the bulk of them (32 percent) expect that growth to be modest at 1 to 4 percent,” the report summary shared with MMW reads. “Their optimism is tempered by major challenges for 2016; the top three being hiring (50 percent), profit (45 percent) and employee healthcare (43 percent). For small businesses with more than 100 employees, hiring and employee healthcare costs tied as their number one challenge.”

Want to know more? Check out the complete results here.

The post Survey: Mixed Feelings Dominate Small Business Landscape appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.