This week, our team joined Meta in San Francisco for a day of insightful product changes and actionable strategies focused on driving ongoing and efficient growth through performance marketing. As we’ve mentioned previously, the adoption of AI is more crucial than ever in the industry to allow marketers to be more effective and efficient based on the capabilities and opportunities available in these media platforms. Similar to Google, Meta is prioritizing the exploration of possibilities and innovation enabled by AI, with strategic focuses on AI and automation, engaging experiences, friction reduction, and vertical-specific development. So without further ado, let’s dive into this year’s Meta Performance Marketing Summit recap:

An Inside Look: Performance Product Roadmap

Below are a few product changes Meta will be releasing starting Q3 to align with their strategic priorities. Their focus on these advantage+ improvements are simple – 

• Quickly upgrade to advantage+ from sales campaigns
• Input-driven AI recommendations to maintain control of your campaigns
• View and measure performance through the Campaign Performance Report

One of the most enticing releases that we’re excited about is Advantage+ Audiences. Expected to be released in Q3 and similar to Google’s optimized targeting, Advantage+ audiences will target consumers that are outside of your set targeting parameters but similar in attributions. This product will allow marketers to get one step closer to closing the gap of “similar to” audiences that will be sunsetting alongside cookies within the next year. 

Additional product releases & updates slotted for Q3 include: 

• Advantage+ catalog: Allows marketers to upload a product-level video to your catalogs/ product feeds
• Advantage+ catalog ads: New and improved local inventory capabilities focusing on local brand delivery, local restaurant delivery, local inventory 
• Reels Enhancements (Although these enhancements are currently available on Facebook, enhancements will soon be available on Instagram): Enhancements currently in the works include music optimization, a larger call-to-action button, creative enhancements for text, watch and browse feature allowing pausing and skipping without leaving the ad, and multi-destination product ads

Unlocking Growth With Measurement & Performance 5 Framework

“Measurement has always been complex, but it’s becoming more challenging.”

In 2022, Meta, in collaboration with Deloitte, introduced Measurement 360. Measurement 360 helps advertisers utilize measurement solutions in a connected framework to track all components of your marketing strategy. Meta’s 2023 goal – use Measurement 360 as a holistic view of your consumers across their entire journey and close the gap of inconsistencies across other channel and platform measurement frameworks. 

A Quick Note on Gen Z

It wouldn’t be a 2023 summit without a Gen Z panel highlighting the generational shifts on the horizon. Below we highlight a few top-level tips on how to reach your Gen Z consumers, but before we cover those, like Meta, we’d like to reiterate that your strategy and planning should be “Gen Next” focused. In the next five years, Millennials and Gen Z will be the dominant generations both economically and statistically – making them the majority of your primary and secondary core audience. To continue to resonate with these audiences, consumer segmentation will be key, as well as prioritizing the differences in generational perception of time, value, and loyalty. Below are some themes that Gen Z values:

• Authenticity & uniqueness
• Niche branding & consumerism 
• Usage & collaborations of creators and brands that are trusted and valued
• Nostalgia
• Social corporate responsibility  

AI and the Future of Performance Marketing

No marketing summit would be complete without mentions of AI, and Meta did not disappoint on this front. Currently, Meta utilizes AI to suggest audiences, assist marketers in their campaign setup, and be their overall ad assistant (hint hint: advantage+). Meta outlined three important pillars for their investment in this new technology. These pillars include Infrastructure, modeling, and experiences. Infrastructure is essentially just the technological foundation for Meta’s big plans regarding AI innovations. Modeling allows AI to understand consumers and their journey to conversion more efficiently. Below we’ve included a little presentation of Meta Lattice – Meta’s new ad targeting system introduced earlier this year to prioritize this strategic pillar.

And last but not least, Experiences – a tool that will allow for many enhancements and optimizations using AI within the advantage+ ecosystem to boost performance and limit time spent on manual edits and tasks.

Summit Wrap Up

As always, our team is thankful to be a premier partner with Meta and to be able to attend Meta’s 2023 Performance Marketing Summit LIVE. We look forward to testing Meta’s product releases and strategy recommendations to boost our partner’s performance and stay up to date in media collaboration with AI. We’ll be back in September during Meta Connect with more updates to the platform and their cutting-edge changes to the industry.

The post Meta’s 2023 Performance Marketing Summit appeared first on Net Conversion.

Title: Senior Media Analyst

How long have you been a camper here at Net Conversion?

Since November of 2021 – the 30th, to be exact. Emily, our HR Manager, reached out to me on Linkedin.

Best NC story?

At Wekiva Island last year for our summer event, we all got in kayaks and went far down the river. It was probably about 20 minutes, and we almost tipped over multiple times. There was a casualty – my wallet. I saved it, but it was soaked. Someone (who shall remain unnamed) somehow tipped us into the water, but it is unsure whether this was unintentional.

What is on your bucket list?

1. Married and have kids
2. Visit Germany (I went when I was little but I don’t remember it)
3. Visit Italy
4. Be fluent in Spanish (I studied from 7th-12th grade)

I wouldn’t want to go skydiving or anything crazy…

If you could live anywhere, where would that be/why?

Is money an object? (No) Somewhere in the Alps, like Switzerland or in northern Italy, with really good mountain views, weather, and food. 

No Context – Alligators or Horses?

Horses. I would rather meet a horse out of nowhere than an alligator. 

If you could star in any movie, which one would you pick?

Frodo in Lord of the Rings. The whole movie trilogy.

How would you describe yourself in 30 seconds?

I’m a pretty low-key guy, I’m mellow, and don’t get annoyed easily. I like giving people the benefit of the doubt. It takes a lot to upset me. I used to run a lot, and I love cooking, reading, and hiking.

Fun Facts about you?

I grew up in a house with four dogs and three cats, all at once. The house was normal-sized; it was a very packed house. Luckily they all got along with each other.

What is your favorite spot to eat?

On a trip – Chickfila

Here in Charlotte – There’s a really good Indian restaurant, Copper. There’s also a really good Thai restaurant, Thai Taste.

Would you rather have telekinesis or invisibility as a superpower?

Telekinesis. Imagine if you could move a house with your mind. Couldn’t you technically move yourself to make you fly?

What is the worst food you’ve ever tried?

That’s a really good question. There was one time when I ate this really good cookie, but I didn’t know it had expired. So I got food poisoning from it. It didn’t taste bad, but I felt bad. Not very fun.

Are you reading any good books?

I’m currently reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It’s a very interesting perspective. 

What’s your current workout split?

I used to do Push Pull Legs, but now I switched to full body, working out 3-4 days a week.

What is your lucky number?

*No hesitation* 13. Everyone thinks it’s unlucky, but I beg to differ. 23 is also cool… It’s kind of a math-nerd thing though lol. 

Anything else you want readers to know?

Never underestimate yourself.

The post Meet the Analyst – Allen Severson appeared first on Net Conversion.

The realm of marketing is experiencing a revolutionary shift with the advent of AI technology. At Google Marketing Live 2023, it became evident that this is an optimal time to be in the market, as understanding and leveraging AI will be able to boost success in ways we have never seen before. Google is taking the lead by providing actionable AI recommendations that can be immediately implemented to enhance your business strategies. The theme of this event was right on point when they stated, “Your marketing multiplied by Google AI”.

Conversational Experience In Google Ads

The first of many enticing product releases at Google Marketing Live was the conversational experience integrated within Google Ads. This in-platform feature is taking a leap forward in creating a more natural and engaging experience for marketers. By leveraging natural language conversations, marketers can develop keywords and ad copy seamlessly. Think of it as ChatGPT, but specific to data-driven marketing recommendations. This exciting feature will become available in July. Additionally, later this year, generative AI will be utilized to create assets by extracting text from landing pages and other account data. With your expertise combined with Google AI, you can achieve the best results for your campaigns. Just remember, “AI output is only as good as human input”.

Product Studio

For retailers, Google introduced Product Studio, an innovative tool that simplifies the creation, management, and uploading of products to their feed. Harnessing the power of AI, Product Studio enables dynamic backgrounds for product photos, allowing for easy customization for seasonal changes and other relevant updates. This feature can even sharpen low resolution product images, getting them ready for the eyes of the consumer. The results speak for themselves, with an impressive increase of 76% in impressions and 32% in clicks when leveraging this feature.

Performance Max Features

Performance Max has continuously evolved to deliver remarkable results for marketers. Since its release three years ago, it has achieved a 13% increase in conversions. Now, Performance Max has raised the bar even higher, boasting an 18% increase in conversions. Additionally, the introduction of high-value new customer acquisition through value-based bidding further enhances its capabilities. In the near future, Performance Max will also suggest new images, while still giving you full control of your brand story. Furthermore, it will offer insights on asset performance and recommend new assets, enabling you to stay ahead of the game.

Google Ads Additions

Google Marketing Live 2023 introduced a handful of new features and campaign types to Google Ads, enhancing the advertising experience for marketers. To list a few:

• Brand Restrictions in Broad Match: Gain better control over brand messaging by guiding Google’s understanding of brand-related terms within the broad match keyword setting.
• AI in Smart Bidding: Leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to automate bidding strategies, optimize performance, and gain valuable insights.
• Video View Campaigns: Combine skippable in-stream ads, in-feed ads, and Shorts ads to maximize video views on YouTube.
• Demand Generation Campaigns: Display ads across various Google platforms to drive conversions, utilizing a lookalike segment builder to expand audience reach.

These additions offer marketers more diverse advertising options and improved campaign performance insights. Google Ads continues to provide valuable tools and features, ensuring advertisers can optimize their strategies and achieve exceptional results.

AI Essentials

To establish a strong basis for AI implementation, Google emphasized the importance of several key aspects:

• Foundation: Begin by establishing site-wide tagging with the Google tag and set up enhanced conversions. Assign values to your conversions to enable better tracking and analysis. Upgrade to GA4 (Google Analytics 4) to provide deeper insights into user behavior and performance.
• Customer Connections: Uncover new pockets of demand by marketing at the speed of unpredictable consumers. Harness the power of AI to identify emerging trends and adapt your strategies accordingly.
• Creative: With AI, you can create high-quality ads in an instant. Leverage AI-powered tools to streamline the ad creation process and deliver compelling content to your audience. Use these tools to deliver dynamic creatives of all orientations.
• Confidence: Under the pressure to make quick decisions, it is essential to spend every dollar effectively. Google’s AI-powered solutions equip you with the confidence to optimize your campaigns and ensure efficient resource allocation.

Til Next Year!

There were so many impactful releases, product updates, and strategy recommendations, that we couldn’t even fit all the details into our blog (such as Merchant Center Next and Search Ad Integration). Bottom line is that Google Marketing Live 2023 showcased the immense potential of AI in revolutionizing the marketing landscape. By embracing AI-driven tools and strategies, marketers can unlock new possibilities, enhance campaign performance, and deliver exceptional results. With Google’s actionable AI recommendations, marketers now have the opportunity to leverage their expertise in conjunction with AI capabilities to create impactful campaigns and thrive in the dynamic world of marketing.

Google is testing out additional AI tools, which you can check out at g.co/labs.

The post Google Marketing Live 2023 Recap appeared first on Net Conversion.

The adoption of AI has more than doubled since 2017. Companies seeing the highest financial returns from AI are investing more in AI, engaging in advanced practices, and doing better in the tight AI talent market. Especially in a consumer climate where 76% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations and 62% of consumers are willing to use AI for a better buying experience – using AI sounds to us like a no-brainer… literally. So what is the state of AI today you may ask?

Where NC Empowers AI

To start, let’s cover some of the basic functions and platforms where Net Conversion empowers AI in our strategy.

Data Aggregation with Conversionomics: Net Conversion’s proprietary data extraction and transformation platform, allowing us to connect to any data source, process complex data sets and export for near real-time reporting.

Media Partner Platforms: Media Partners such as Google and Meta have been leveraging AI for years whether through machine learning or automated real-time bidding optimization.

Dashboards: With the help of Converisonmics, our analysts are able to flatten data sets to create various visualization tools to uncover insights more efficiently and more segmented than ever before.

Dynamic Creative & Creative Optimization: AI technology has allowed us to automate all sorts of creatives (native, display, video, audio, etc.) for our campaigns. AI’s creative power to automate images and video is something marketers are increasingly leveraging in their content and campaigns.

Alerts, Scripts & Anomaly Detection: Our team prioritizes what is important for our partners’ business which means we try to set up processes that can decrease the time our analyst spends on monitoring performance allowing them to spend more time improving it.

Performance Forecasts: As part of our media planning, our team uses multiple tools to help create performance forecasts (such as Keyword Planner) to generate detailed reports of KPIs. Using these forecasts allows us to make strategic shifts as needed to ensure we are reaching our partners goals within each phase of the funnel.

The extent of our AI utilization does not end there, and neither should yours! Now we are going to get into all the different ways that Google, in specific, uses AI as a tool within its platforms, and how you can take advantage of it.

Smart Bidding Tools: Smart Bidding uses machine learning algorithms to optimize bids in real-time for each ad auction based on factors like the likelihood of conversion, value of conversion, and target cost per acquisition (CPA). 

AI-First Search: Google redesigned its search interface, prioritizing AI to enhance user experience. This feature is still in the process of rolling out across all devices, in the meantime you can opt-in for the new layout that places AI results front and center.

Performance Max: Google Performance Max uses AI to optimize ad campaigns in real-time by analyzing vast amounts of data and predicting which ad combinations will perform best for each individual user. The AI system uses machine learning algorithms to continuously learn from past performance data and adapt to changing user behavior, ultimately delivering more effective advertising results. We’re not done yet! But I promise, we are close. Meta has several AI features of their own that are worth leveraging in your campaigns if you find your business utilizing their platform.

We’re not done yet! But I promise, we are close. Meta has several AI features of their own that are worth leveraging in your campaigns if you find your business utilizing their platform.

Meta’s Advantage+: Meta’s proprietary platform uses AI to automatically generate multiple ads based on the marketer’s specific KPIs or goals. It can test different versions of potential ads to identify the most effective and includes the option to automatically alter text and images. Sound a lot like PMax? You’re not wrong.

Creative Focus: A big draw of Advantage+ is its Creative option, which eliminates the manual steps of ad creation and can automate up to 150 creative combinations at once, automatically adjusting the assets for each person who views your ad. You can even target specific KPIs using the traffic, leads, engagement, sales and app promotion objectives.

Your knowledge of your customers and your business are key factors in guiding AI to success and improving your cross-channel bid strategy. AI utilization within Net Conversion can be optimized further if analysts add conversion values and use value-based bidding, provide audience signals, consolidate their campaign structure, provide a range of high-quality creative assets, switch to data-driven attribution, and share more advanced inputs (such as new customer acquisition value). By providing your AI tools with comprehensive resources, it will in turn provide you with the best results.

NC Guardrails For AI

This section will cover all the different ways that NC remains in control of the AI that we utilize, but first, let’s talk about why AI is important for your omni-channel strategy. First of all, using AI can help reduce the time it takes to compile data and gather insights by as much as 30%, and campaigns which are powered by AI data perform 20% better on average. If that’s not enough for you, there is more in store.

Not only does AI generate an increased return for the companies that leverage it, but it does so in a more seamless way than the traditional method. AI integration helps to tie together insights across several different channels, and uniquely recommend holistic optimizations based on recorded data, rather than being broken up by channel. Furthermore, when advertising on multiple channels, AI and machine learning can also help with ad placement, getting your ad on the channel and context that fits it best, in turn generating more return on the same assets.

The reality is that AI is not as daunting or as “new” as most of our partners think. AI has been growing with us since we’ve been working in the industry, allowing the solution that we need most in today’s evolving world – the gift of time to analyze and work on what actually matters to our partners.

Key Takeaways on How NC will work with AI and not rely on it.

• AI Marketing: Enhanced Audience-First strategy with dynamic creative, performance forecasts & planning and audience recommendations 
• NC Guardrail: Creative and Ad continuous testing, Campaign & Audience Performance Deep Dives and Media Platform Testing

• AI Analytics: Budget Alert Detection, Conversionomics, Bid Automation, Automated Dashboards & Slides
• NC Guardrail: Proactive Internal Home Bases with Budgets, Testing and Automation logs to ensure continuous improvements based on historical data and learnings.  

The post NC AI Guide appeared first on Net Conversion.

Title: Marketing Lead

How long have you been a camper here at Net Conversion? 

I’m going on five years this summer. I started as an intern when I was in college and started full-time after I graduated.

What is your favorite thing about working here?

That’s a hard one; I like a lot of things about working here. I would say the people I work with. We all get to hang out and do great work together. Everyone is really comfortable around each other here, which I feel isn’t normal at every job.

What is the wildest Net Con moment you’ve witnessed?

When everyone brought their dogs in at the same time. One time in our old office, there were about ten dogs at the same time with the zoomies, and no one could control them.

What is a weird fact that you know?

I don’t know why this came to mind, but did you know that the wasabi you get in sushi packs – It’s not actual wasabi? It’s horseradish and mustard with green food coloring….

What drives you every day?

My Toyota Corolla (lol)

Which of your fellow campers would you trust the most to have you back in a tough situation?

Amanda Sumner, my manager. She always has and always will.

If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sushi or sandwiches – they’re so versatile. Probably sandwiches if I had to pick one.

Tacos or Pizza?

Tacos – Birria Tacos

What’s your all-time favorite NC event?

The team outing to Wekiva Springs was the best. It was really nice having a full day outside in the sun (until it rained) and hanging out with everyone.

What’s your favorite smell?

Eucalyptus – I don’t like “sweet” smells. I like clean smells, calming, and nothing too strong.

Who is your role model at Net Conversion?

My role model – Carli Moreno. I love her resilience and her jokes.

What’s your biggest claim to fame?

I really like interior design. So in a perfect world, I would be famous on Youtube and Tiktok for designing and doing home makeovers.

Would you rather be always cold or always hot?

Cold. I normally run hot, so it would even out.

What is your ultimate life goal?

To be happy – wherever that comes from.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Some advice: Fail Fast + Fail Often

The post Meet the Analyst – Kayla Lawicki appeared first on Net Conversion.

Google I/O is Google’s annual developer conference, and it is always a great opportunity to learn about the latest innovations from the company. This year’s conference was no exception, with a number of exciting announcements about how Google plans to incorporate generative AI features into new and existing products. Google will be utilizing advanced language models, including PaLM2 and the Multitask Unified Model (MuM) to power their AI-first approach.

Duet AI

One of the biggest announcements from Google I/O was the launch of Duet AI, a new AI-powered tool that is designed to help users create better content. Duet AI is integrated into a number of Google Workspace apps, including Docs, Sheets, and Slides. For example, the new “Help me write” feature, which seems to be a renamed and improved version of the Smart Compose feature in Gmail, will assist users by offering content suggestions for use in Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Gmail. In addition to this feature, these new tools can help users with a variety of tasks, such as generating ideas, finding relevant information, and improving grammar and spelling – all without having to leave the Google Workspace.

AI-First Search

Another major announcement from Google I/O was the new look and feel for Google Search. The new search interface is designed to be more visually appealing and easier to use. Rather than relying solely on chatbots or redesigning its homepage, Google aims to place AI at the forefront of its search experience. With Google accounting for over 92% of the global search market share, this shift towards AI will likely be the new precedent for curating impactful search results. Despite this launch of an AI-first search experience, Google has doubled down on its commitment to responsible AI, omitting financial or medical queries from the new search model.

This revamped search page also includes a number of new features, such as a new “Perspectives” option that allows users to get opinionated results from other (real) people, pulling from sources such as Reddit , Youtube, and personal blogs.

Note: Users currently have to opt-in for this new AI-first search layout. We will keep you posted with how this change affects Paid Search and SEO, once the feature is fully deployed.

Bard + Project Tailwinds

Towards the end of the conference, Google announced the availability of Bard, a new AI language model that is designed to help users with a variety of tasks, such as writing, coding, and translating. Bard is powered by PaLM 2, Google’s latest AI language model. PaLM 2 is a massive language model that has been trained on an extensive dataset of text and code. This allows Bard to generate text that is both accurate and creative.

Google also took the stand and teased a new initiative that uses machine learning in a whole new way. This initiative is known as ‘Project Tailwinds’, and rather than learning from sources far and wide, it bases responses off of documents that you provide. One way of thinking of this is a personal AI notebook that can search through the entirety of its contents at any time to give you the information that you need, when you need it. Not only is this an extremely convenient tool for student’s and businesses alike, but it serves as a way to vet information provided by generative AI models.

Conclusion

Google I/O unveiled exciting advancements in generative AI, with Duet AI offering enhanced content creation in Google Workspace apps. The new AI-driven search interface and the introduction of Bard demonstrates Google’s commitment to an AI-first approach. The launch of the new search model, focused on visual appeal and user-friendliness, marks a significant shift in curating impactful search results. Additionally, “Project Tailwinds” showcases a personalized AI ‘notebook’. With these innovations, Google is leading the way in AI-powered productivity and search experiences, promising a bright future for users.

Logan Didier, Marketing Intern

The post Google I/O Conference Recap appeared first on Net Conversion.

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has become one of the most influential platforms globally, with more than 3.8 billion people visiting every month, including users of WhatsApp. That means one out of every two people on the planet is on the platform. At the exclusive Newfronts Webinar, Meta discussed several new features and enhancements that will help businesses to improve their advertising campaigns and better engage with their audiences.

Video Continues to Dominate

Meta revealed that over 50% of time spent on Facebook and Instagram is dedicated to watching videos. Additionally, Reels, a feature similar to TikTok, has more than doubled its user base compared to last year and is expected to continue to grow. Meta’s Reels Ads have been shown to drive ad recall and engagement, further enhancing the platform’s capabilities. To capitalize on this trend, Meta is introducing three new Reels ad products designed specifically for businesses. The features include AR ads for Facebook and Instagram Reels, testing multi-destination product ads for Reels, and bringing the “watch and browse” ad feature from Facebook to Instagram. AR ads will let users visualize products in real life, while multi-destination product ads for Reels will allow users to swipe through product images and click out to different links. Lastly, the “watch and browse” ad feature will enable users to preview the website or app they would visit if they clicked the link.

Diving further into the possibilities within the platform, Meta Moment Maker was introduced as a tool that maximizes reach in a 3-day flight and utilizes all of Meta’s video services. By using this tool, businesses can create content that entertains and engages their audiences while optimizing ad spend.

Improving Performance With AI

Meta is leveraging machine learning and AI to create a transformative platform for advertisers. The Meta Advantage, as it’s called, will enable advertisers to test and optimize campaigns faster and more efficiently. It will also help businesses to acquire and grow their customer base by surfacing relevant content, improving ads ranking, and driving efficiency.

Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping is a feature launched last year that enables businesses to upload product catalogs, promote products to relevant users, and drive more conversions. It uses machine learning to personalize content and advertising and provides early registration access to Instagram’s creator marketplace. Overall, it’s a powerful tool for businesses to increase online sales and expand their reach. The feature has led to a +20% increase in YoY conversions for Q4 2022.

Personalization is Key

According to Ipsos, Instagram is the top place where people follow creators. Meta offers a more personalized experience than any other platform, with businesses having access to personalized content for their audiences. Furthermore, Meta’s Creator Marketplace allows businesses to connect with influencers and creators to create sponsored posts, reach more people, and drive engagement.

The combination of all these intuitive ad-delivery features have consistently driven positive results within the campaigns of advertisers. On average, each ad dollar spent with Meta drives $3.31 in revenue for advertisers.

Til Next Year

Interactive Advertising Bureau 2023 Newfronts featuring Meta highlighted the platform’s continued dominance in the social media space. With more than 3.8 billion monthly users, businesses have a massive audience to target. The platform’s emphasis on video and personalization, along with its innovative tools and AI capabilities, make it an excellent platform for businesses looking to improve their advertising campaigns. Here at Net Conversion we like to stay on the forefront of the digital marketing landscape, and it is evident that Meta will be right there with us.

Logan Didier, Marketing Intern

The post Interactive Advertising Bureau 2023 Newfronts Featuring Meta appeared first on Net Conversion.

Welcome to Net Conversion’s blog on SEO, a critical component of any successful digital marketing strategy. In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential, and SEO can help you improve your website’s visibility and attract more targeted traffic to your site. In this blog, we’ll explore the world of SEO and provide you with insights and best practices for improving your search engine rankings and attracting more customers. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this blog will provide you with the information and tools you need to succeed in the competitive online landscape. Get ready to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level with the power of SEO. This article will be written with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.

Why is SEO Important For Digital Marketing?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for digital marketing because it helps businesses to improve their online visibility and attract more targeted traffic to their websites. Here are some of the reasons why SEO is important for digital marketing:

1. Increased visibility: SEO helps businesses to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for potential customers to find them when they search for relevant keywords.
2. Targeted traffic: SEO can help businesses attract more targeted traffic to their websites, as they can optimize their content for specific keywords that their target audience is searching for.
3. Brand credibility: Ranking higher in search engine results can also help to build brand credibility and trust, as customers often perceive higher-ranked websites as more trustworthy and authoritative.
4. Cost-effective: SEO can be a cost-effective way to attract new customers, as businesses can rank higher in search engine results without paying for advertising.
5. Long-term benefits: SEO is a long-term strategy that can provide lasting benefits for businesses, as it can help to establish their online presence and attract more traffic over time.

Overall, SEO is an essential component of digital marketing that can help businesses to achieve their marketing goals and reach more potential customers online.

Diving Deeper

Search Engine Optimization goes much further than those few basic points when regarding how it can help expand your business’ reach.

1. Voice search optimization: With the growing popularity of voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, optimizing your website for voice search queries can help you attract more traffic and stay ahead of the competition. Voice search optimization involves optimizing your website for natural language queries and long-tail keywords, as people tend to use more conversational language when they use voice search.
2. Local SEO: If you have a brick-and-mortar business with a physical location, local SEO can help you attract more local customers and increase foot traffic to your store. Local SEO involves optimizing your website for local search queries, such as “bakery near me” or “coffee shop in [your city]”. You can also create a Google My Business listing to improve your visibility in local search results and provide customers with important information about your business.
3. Mobile optimization: With more people using smartphones to browse the web than ever before, optimizing your website for mobile devices can help you attract more mobile traffic and improve your search engine rankings. Mobile optimization involves ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly, loads quickly on mobile devices, and provides a good user experience for mobile users.
4. Content marketing: Creating high-quality, valuable content can help you attract more traffic to your website and improve your search engine rankings. By creating blog posts, videos, infographics, and other types of content that provide value to your target audience, you can establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry and attract more organic traffic to your website.
5. Link building: Building high-quality backlinks to your website can help you improve your search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your site. You can build backlinks by creating high-quality content that other websites are likely to link to, reaching out to other websites in your industry and asking for a link, or by guest blogging on other websites and including a link back to your site in your author bio.

How Does Paid Media and SEO Work Together?

Paid media and SEO can work well together because they serve different purposes and can complement each other in driving traffic and conversions to a website. 

Paid media, such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, allows businesses to bid on specific keywords and target audiences to appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). This can help drive immediate traffic to a website, particularly for new or low-ranking websites that may not have a high organic search presence yet. SEO, on the other hand, involves optimizing a website’s content and structure to improve its visibility and ranking in organic search results. SEO efforts may take longer to yield results, but can provide long-term benefits and help drive consistent, high-quality traffic to a website.

When used together, paid media and SEO can reinforce each other’s efforts. For example, PPC ads can help identify high-performing keywords and target audiences, which can then be incorporated into an SEO strategy to improve organic search ranking for those terms. Likewise, strong organic search rankings can help reduce reliance on paid media and improve the ROI of PPC campaigns.

Conclusion by AI

In conclusion, SEO is a powerful tool for any business looking to improve its online presence and attract more targeted traffic to its website. While some basic SEO techniques can be implemented by anyone, achieving sustainable results requires a deep understanding of the complex and ever-evolving world of search engines. That’s why it’s often best to seek the help of professional SEO experts who can provide you with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to create a successful digital marketing strategy.

By working with a professional SEO team, you can benefit from their years of experience and expertise, as well as access to the latest tools and technologies. They can help you identify your target audience, conduct in-depth keyword research, optimize your website’s technical structure, create high-quality content, and develop a comprehensive digital marketing strategy tailored to your specific business goals.

Ultimately, investing in professional SEO services can help you achieve higher search engine rankings, attract more targeted traffic to your website, improve your brand awareness, and increase your sales and revenue. Wanting to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level? Contact us today.

Logan Didier, Marketing Intern + ChatGPT

The post Search Engine Optimization: A Guide to Improving Your Online Visibility appeared first on Net Conversion.

Title: Senior Analyst, Advanced Analytics

How long have you been a camper here at Net Conversion? 

1,519 days, but who’s counting? (A little over four years.)

If someone wrote a book about you, what would it be called?

Walk Don’t Run by Matthew Walker

What’s your favorite memory at Net Conversion?

Within my first month, people started a betting pool and threw down money to see two fellow campers chug maple syrup. The stakes got up to $250. Both contestants went home an hour later because they felt sick.

(PSA: Don’t do this at home)

Mountains or beach?

What about mountains on the beach… North Carolina or California. Mountains, if I can only pick one.

If you were a ghost, how would you haunt people?

I don’t know if I would haunt anyone. I’ve had paranormal experiences myself and wouldn’t wanna do that to anyone. I don’t love the paranormal stuff. Maybe I’d tidy up their house for them to be nice.

Is cereal soup?

What makes soup, soup? It doesn’t have a broth, so no. Cereal is cereal.

What hobbies do you have outside of work?

Sports – Basketball, Golf, and Volleyball. I love hiking, there’s not much in Florida, but I enjoyed it in Tennessee. I really enjoy music and themed dinner parties with my wife and our friends.

Would you rather be without elbows or knees?

Knees, I have bad knees – actually, no, without elbows. It would be harder without knees.

What are you interested in trying for the first time?

I want to get into woodworking and customizing furniture. That or write music.

What’s your favorite memory?

My favorite memory is getting married. We married in Sydonie Mansion in Mount Dora on December 11th, 2021. Kelly’s ice cream was catered, and everyone was slamming down ice cream cones.

What TV show do you turn on when you just want to zone out?

How I met your mother is a favorite. I’m working through New Girl before it goes off Netflix. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Office are both good ones too.

What is your most-used emoji?

The crying laughing emoji (😂), I have some really funny friends

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla – you can add more things to it. Not all chocolate tastes the same to me, and I don’t like rich chocolate.

What is your favorite food?

All types of Italian food. Anything my wife makes, especially her Peanut Thai Noodles. So either Italian or Thai.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Some advice, ask more questions than you answer. Do things without the expectation of receiving recognition or a reward. And in marriage, never stop dating your spouse.

The post Meet the Analyst – Matt Walker appeared first on Net Conversion.

Back in Q4 of 2022 as Netflix joined the Connected TV (CTV) landscape with its ad-supported tier, we shared our POV on the channel and its marketing implications as a whole (check out that blog here). Now, as streaming services continue to grow in popularity, CTV is becoming an increasingly important platform for advertisers. Due to this, we made it a priority to provide an update on where the industry is at. Overall, CTV offers a targeted and measurable way to reach consumers who are shifting away from traditional linear TV. This channel also provides a more engaging and interactive experience for viewers. As more consumers adopt CTV, it is likely to become a key part of any successful advertising strategy.

Disney Gets Connected

Disney Advertising has partnered with upstart company EDO to examine audience engagement across Disney’s streaming assets, starting with Hulu. The goal is to find new ways of measuring audiences who are increasingly consuming their favorite TV shows, dramas, and sporting events in a non-linear way. This move is part of Disney’s recent focus on streaming media, including moving flagship programs like “Dancing With The Stars” to broadband platforms and launching an ad-supported version of Disney+. Advertisers are expected to be interested in EDO’s outcome-based measurement metrics, which provide an alternative signal of ad performance that is simple and immediate.

So bottom line, how will this affect the CTV ad landscape – “this partnership helps build a solid foundation for industry adoption of new outcome based measurement metrics that allow us to understand Convergent TV ad performance”. – Michael Piner, executive vice president of Advanced Advertising

Numbers With CTV

The industry is ‘all-in’ on the CTV wave. Platforms such as Google’s Display & Video 360 have added new features like simplified reach and forecasting, cross-device conversion attribution, CTV audience features, and improved measurement, as a way to help them plan, buy, and measure CTV campaigns. These features make it easier for advertisers to discover new publishers and inventory, drive more efficient budget allocation decisions, and manage ad frequency across CTV apps.

CTV offers continuity to traditional TV while integrating the targeting capabilities of online advertising. Advertisers can reach their desired audience with programmatic technology and increased measurement capabilities. As a result, many advertisers and agencies are making connected TV a big part of their strategy this year.

New research finds that 59% of respondents who manage multimillion-dollar digital budgets say their upfront buying plans will either lead with CTV or balance linear and CTV buys equally. A full 29% of respondents say they’ll spend more on CTV. However, a balance must be struck between technological capabilities and viewer acceptability. 2023 is the time to experiment and discover the full potential of CTV.

Interested in how different platforms stack up against CTV competitors? Check out our little cheat sheet here with need to know facts of the CTV giants in the industry:

With the rise of connected devices and the increasing demand for a la carte content and digital subscription services, CTV is a data-driven channel that can effectively reach “cord cutters”. As growth persists, CTV platforms are improving their audience targeting and measurement capabilities to align with other channels used to reach qualified audiences.

Our approach to CTV includes:

• Utilizing our advanced measurement KPI, View-Influenced Site Visits, to allow for a better understanding of the impact CTV initiatives have on site performance. 
• Vetting and pushing CTV vendors for robust-level of data / segmentation. 
• Establishing and defining custom targeting segments by campaign for an audience-first data-driven strategy. 

As always, we will keep our eye out for updates in the CTV channel to ensure the best omni-channel strategy recommendations for our partners.

Alexia George, Lead Marketing Specialist + Logan Didier, Marketing Intern

The post NC’s POV on the CTV Ad Landscape appeared first on Net Conversion.