Recently, a client approached me with a specific request to automate the segmentation of their newsletter subscriber list based on the choices they make in the subscribe form. This would then allow for targeted communications based on their interests and identity. Their process would flow like this: website visitors fill out a form and from the options they select on the form, get added to a list (or “Segment”) in Constant Contact. One checkbox list captured their identity (e.g., Farmer, Investor, Organization), while the other recorded their topics of interest (e.g., Water, Biodiversity, Forestry).

After some research and testing, I found a solution that worked perfectly. Here’s how I solved the issue and set it up:

Current Tools Weren’t Providing a Solution

Our current form tools we were using, Ninja Forms, and then a plugin we tried, Constant Contact for WordPress plugin, didn’t allow mapping of custom fields beyond standard fields like first name, last name, and email. We needed a more robust solution that could handle custom fields and automate segmentation.

Gravity Forms Pro Allows You To Map Custom Fields to Constant Contact

The paid version of Gravity Forms, paired with their Constant Contact Add-on, provided the functionality needed. Here’s a step-by-step guide for anyone facing a similar challenge:

Step 1: Set Up Custom Fields in Constant Contact

1. Log in to your Constant Contact account.
2. Navigate to Contacts > Manage Fields.
3. Create your custom fields (in my case I created):
   • Identity
   • Interests
4. Save the changes.

Step 2: Install and Configure Gravity Forms

1. Purchase the pro version of Gravity Forms.
2. Install and activate the Gravity Forms plugin on your WordPress site.
3. Install the Gravity Forms Constant Contact Add-On by:
   • Navigating to the Add-Ons section in Gravity Forms.
   • Searching for the Constant Contact integration download in Gravity Forms account downloads, and installing it on the WordPress site.
4. Connect Gravity Forms to Constant Contact using your API key (found in your Constant Contact account settings).

Step 3: Create and Design the Form

1. Go to Forms in your WordPress dashboard and create a new form.
2. Add standard fields like Name and Email.
3. Add you custom field (in my case I created a Checkbox List).
4. Customize the field labels and options as needed.

Step 4: Map Form Fields to Constant Contact

1. Once your form is ready, open the form’s Settings.
2. Go to the Constant Contact tab and click Add New Feed.
3. Choose the Constant Contact audience list where the data will be stored.
4. Map the form fields to Constant Contact fields:
   • Match the Name and Email fields as usual.
   • At the bottom, map the checkbox lists to the corresponding Constant Contact custom fields (e.g., Identity → Identity, Interests → Interests).

Step 5: Set Up Segments in Constant Contact

1. In Constant Contact, navigate to Contacts > Segments.
2. Create new segments using conditional logic:
   • Example 1: “If Identity is Farmer, add to the Farmer segment.”
   • Example 2: “If Interest is Biodiversity, add to the Biodiversity segment.”
3. Repeat this process for all identities and interests, creating targeted segments.

The Result

With this setup:

• Users are automatically added to relevant lists in Constant Contact based on their selections.
• Segments update dynamically, saving hours of manual sorting and list management.
• My client now has a streamlined system for targeting emails to specific groups, improving engagement and personalization.

Tips for Success

1. Plan Your Segments Ahead of Time: Identify how you want to group and target your contacts before setting up custom fields and segments.
2. Test Your Form: Submit test entries to ensure data flows correctly from the form to Constant Contact.
3. Use Clear Labels: Make sure checkbox options are clear and descriptive for users filling out the form.

This process might seem complex at first, but once set up, it’s incredibly efficient and scalable. If you’re using WordPress and Constant Contact and need custom segmentation, this solution is worth considering!

The post Automating Email Segmentation with Gravity Forms and Constant Contact appeared first on Advertise Online Made Simple | Ryan Milani.

In this blog post, I’ll dive into how Performance Max works, my own experience with it, and best practices for ensuring success. I’ll also share a video from Google that breaks down the core features of this campaign type.

What Is Performance Max?

While Performance Max isn’t new (it’s been around for about three years), it’s a powerful evolution in campaign management, emerging around the same time that AI-driven features started transforming the marketing landscape. Traditionally, if you wanted to run a display ad, search ad, or video campaign, you had to create separate, siloed campaigns for each. These formats didn’t communicate with each other and weren’t designed to address the multi-touchpoint customer journey.

But as customer journeys became more complex—often involving multiple interactions across different platforms—Google responded with Performance Max. This campaign type allows you to consolidate your ads across all Google channels, including YouTube, Search, Display, Discover, and Gmail. Using dynamic ad creation, you simply upload a set of assets—images, videos, headlines, logos—and Google rotates them automatically to generate optimized ads across its entire network.

Addressing the Multi-Touchpoint Customer Journey

Consumers today engage with brands in various ways before converting, and it’s rarely a one-and-done interaction. They might first see a display ad, then search for your brand, and later watch a YouTube video about your products before finally making a purchase. Performance Max is designed to optimize these varied touchpoints by using AI to predict which assets and formats will resonate with potential customers based on your conversion data.

With Performance Max, you can provide Google with audience signals like search themes, demographic data, interests, and first-party data (think: remarketing lists or customer lists). From there, Google’s AI goes to work, identifying potential customers, adjusting bids when conversions are most likely, and using your conversion data to optimize future campaigns.

The AI capabilities embedded in Performance Max are impressive, making it a great fit for e-commerce brands, especially when integrated with Google Merchant Center for shopping feeds.

The Importance of Asset Control and Final URL Monitoring

One of the features of Performance Max is Google’s ability to control asset creation and dynamically decide which landing page (final URL) to send users to based on their behavior and likelihood to convert. While this can work very well, it’s critical to keep an eye on which landing pages Google is directing traffic to.

If conversions are low for specific URLs, you can exclude those pages from your campaign. Regularly monitor the landing page performance and make adjustments to ensure that Google is sending traffic to the highest-converting pages on your site. This step is essential for making the most of your campaign’s AI-powered optimization.

The Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

As powerful as Performance Max can be, it’s not without its challenges. Without careful setup, you can waste a significant portion of your budget—particularly when it comes to location targeting. I recommend reviewing and excluding locations that aren’t relevant to your audience to avoid budget leaks.

It’s also worth noting that Performance Max campaigns take time to ramp up. You might need to fine-tune your audience targeting, especially in the early stages, to generate enough conversions. This is crucial for harnessing the full potential of AI-driven optimization.

Best Practices for Maximizing Performance

Here are some additional tips to help you make the most of Performance Max campaigns:

• Utilize Multiple Conversion Signals: If you’re not solely focused on e-commerce, use various signals like form completions or button clicks to provide richer data for optimization.
• Test Campaigns to Find Optimal ROAS: Experiment with different campaigns to determine which approach delivers the best return on ad spend (ROAS).
• Leverage Columns for Insights: Customize your Google Ads columns to track the metrics that matter most, and don’t undervalue impressions—they are key for understanding ad reach.
• Monitor Location Reports: Regularly check where your ads are appearing and exclude irrelevant regions to prevent budget wastage.
• Budget for Experimentation: Setting aside a portion of your budget to test new strategies is essential for long-term success.

Performance Max campaigns offer immense potential for businesses that have a clear understanding of their conversion goals. Whether you’re running an e-commerce store or tracking other conversion types, this campaign type leverages AI to create dynamic ads that resonate across Google’s entire network. Remember, it’s important to optimize regularly, experiment, control your asset creation, and monitor final URLs to drive the best results.

Here’s a great video from Google that breaks down how Performance Max can work for your business:

The post Unlocking the Power of Google Ads Using Performance Max for E-Commerce appeared first on Advertise Online Made Simple | Ryan Milani.

Why Focus on Well-being?

The foodservice industry thrives on its people, from bustling restaurant teams to the hardworking staff at distributors and manufacturers. However, the pace and pressure of the industry can lead to disengaged employees, increased absenteeism, and costly turnover. That’s where MH3 comes in.

The Power of SEO in Driving This Solution

As a digital marketing professional, one of my primary roles in the development of this platform has been ensuring that FoodserviceMood is not just visually appealing, but also optimized for search engines. Leveraging SEO is essential in driving traffic to the site and it will allowing us to reach more foodservice companies looking for actionable solutions to employee well-being. From the foodservice blog to expand out ranking to keyword research and on-page optimization, I’ve worked to make sure this site is a valuable resource for those in the industry.

Partnering for Success

Through The Food Connector’s deep knowledge of the foodservice industry and MH3’s expertise in mental wellness, we’ve created an all-in-one platform to empower employers. This partnership allows foodservice companies to measure, manage, and improve employee engagement using dynamic, data-driven insights. We believe that by focusing on employee well-being, we can foster healthier, more productive teams and, ultimately, more successful businesses.

If you work in the foodservice industry, I encourage you to explore how Foodservice Mood and MH3 can make a difference in your organization. With powerful tools, customized solutions, and real-time feedback mechanisms, it’s time to invest in your team’s well-being and see the benefits firsthand.

Check out Foodservice Mood to see how it can benefit your team.

The post Introducing Foodservice Mood: A New Solution for Employee Well-being in the Foodservice Industry appeared first on Advertise Online Made Simple | Ryan Milani.