What defines a successful email marketing campaign? Most people would answer with ‘a high return on investment’. While that answer isn’t necessarily incorrect, it’s more so incomplete. The end result is always going to be to make money, but what about acquiring new leads or achieving a low unsubscribe rate? Those are items that also determine whether or not your email marketing campaign has been successful. Achieving any of these successes is dependent on a few factors.
The art behind email marketing is finding the balance between reaching out and touching your customers enough that they know you’re out there, but not so much that they are tired of hearing from you. That balance is going to vary based on your market and the info that you are sending out.
Take a guess at how many email blasts you receive on a daily basis and now guess how many of those you actually read….the answer is the first number you guessed is going to be a lot higher than the second one. How can you make your email blast better than the one that hit that inbox before yours? Send info that your customers asked for! On your opt-in form on your website, see what you’re customers are interested in and then send them info on it, it’s simple. Another great way, always offer a promotion, people love discounts!
Now for some visuals, let’s keep content to a minimum that is of course unless you’re sending a newsletter. People are way too busy to read an entire page of something. Make your email brief and to the point, and then link it to your website. Include images to showcase your property or images that are relevant to your message. Use a font size and color to flow with your message, not stand out from it. And include clear calls-to-action to make it easy for your reader to find things.
These items combined are going to help you achieve new leads and keep your unsubscribe rate low, and of course bring in the money! Ok, to recap, don’t annoy your customers, keep your customers interested with relevant content, keep the message looking pretty, make them an offer they can’t refuse, and most importantly, keep them away from the dreaded unsubscribe link!
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Measuring Success
Thursday, April 3, 2008
What is PPC?
As a paid search analyst I am frequently asked two questions. “What is PPC?” and “That sounds simple, can’t any caveman do it?” While the definition of paid search is quite simple (advertising on search engines based on action, not views), the success of a pay-per-click campaign is not.
Pay-per-Click (known as PPC) is a type of advertising on search engines. Unlike banner ads that anyone can see, paid search ads are only viewed by qualified searchers and you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Similar to SEO, a paid search campaign begins by choosing keywords that relate to your website. After you determine your keywords you must assign a value to them, giving each keyword a bid. When a searcher types in your keyword phrase, your ad will appear under the Sponsored Search results based in part on how much you are willing to pay (higher bids usually receive top placement).
SEO and PPC are similar in that they both revolve around the keywords your clients use to search for your website. The main benefit of SEO is that there is not a cost involved when searchers click on your link. Although PPC does have a cost (your ad spend) the main difference is that you control the message the client sees. When you rank on seo/natural search, the search engine decides what text is displayed, but when your PPC ad is displayed, the message you created will show. While there is a constant feud over which is better, the clear answer is that it requires both to have a successful website. Clients are more likely to visit your website and believe you are reliable if your domain is shown both in the natural and paid search listings. Although algorithms change daily, possibly making you lose page rank, your paid search ad will continue to be displayed for as long as your budget will allow.
While many think PPC is simply bidding on keywords, it does take more than that to receive a return on your investment. The first thing that will make or break your campaign is your keyword choice. A solid campaign has both broad and specific terms that a client in all aspects of the buying cycle will search for. The second important aspect is your bid. While you do not want your ads to only be visible to clients who search on the third page of results, top placement is also not always your best choice. A good analyst will find a balance between a keyword bid and the amount of revenue it can generate. After your ad is listed, the next step to success is compelling the searcher to click on it. This requires an ad message that appeals to their needs and stands out from your competitors. Lastly, you must ensure that when they land on your website they find the information relevant to the search they performed. If they cannot find the information they need, they will quickly click back and find your competitor instead.
Once you have created messages that stand out with content that is relevant, you should quickly start to see conversions. As with any industry, you must follow trends and stay ahead of your competitors. But if your paid search analyst is doing a good job you’ll quickly begin to think receiving a high ROI is so easy, a caveman could do it.
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Wednesday, April 2, 2008
What is SEO?
With the ever-growing Internet marketplace, it is important that your website can be found by consumers. How you ask? The answer can be answered simply with 3 letters SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Now you may be asking yourself what is so special about SEO and why your website would need this type of service. Allow Vizergy to help you answer those two questions.
Search Engine Optimization by definition is the practice of modifying a website by manipulating onsite and offsite elements in order to improve the traffic a site receives from a search engine. To apply this to your website, ask yourself the question "Where does my site show up when I perform a search for my markets top keyword phrases?" Do you show up on the first page of the top 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo and MSN)? Do you show up anywhere in the first 3 pages? These top 3 pages are essential for any website owner to show up in as it is only a very small percentage of Internet users that go past page 3.
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as selecting certain keywords and your website will rank for them, due to the many additional factors that have to occur before you show up for the more competitive keywords on your site. One thing to keep in mind is whether you have ever had a company perform this type of service before. The SEO techniques used may be outdated or they may have used undesirable techniques that could now have a negative impact on your website. Some of those techniques include: hidden text, keyword overuse in any element of your site (one version of "spamming"), or doorway pages. If any bad techniques were used they must be removed, then the search engines have to come back to your site to verify that the changes have been made so they can determine if they should include your site back within their result listings. Once your site is "cleaned up," your websites content needs to be updated to support the appropriate keyword phrases. Relevancy to your market is one of the biggest determining factors to whether a search engine will position your site as a result of your selected, targeted keywords. Once the hard part is out of the way, a successful link building campaign needs to be started for your site. Minimally, this should focus on the most competitive phrases on your website. Consider links to your site like this, every time another site adds a good keyword rich link back to your site, it's like receiving a vote for relevancy to that term, although this is a simple explanation to the importance but helps describe what it can do for your site.
As to the other important question, "Why does my site need SEO," the simplest answer is that your competitors are using SEO to help improve their online market share and the traffic they receive from search engines. Your website can also be your top sales channel, as it can reach a broader marketplace than a traditional brick and mortar business. If your website is optimized properly, individuals all over the world can find your website if they need your service. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of SEO, as the majority of web traffic is driven by search? If your site cannot be found, then you are missing out on the incredible opportunities that would be available to you through search.
Lastly here is a checklist to determine if your current site is not search engine friendly.
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
"Rev Up Revenue" Workshop Sponsored by Vizergy
Join the VIZERGY™ Speaker's Bureau on April 8, 2008 to find out how to maximize your brand visibility and implement effective Internet Marketing tools to increase your revenue and maximize ROI on your most profitable sales channel.
Jacksonville, FL (March 11, 2008)- Hoteliers and property management groups will have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of Internet marketing for the hospitality industry in a series of comprehensive, seminars being offered April 8, 2008, in Chicago- sponsored by the VIZERGY™ Speakers Bureau.
The workshop series, "Rev Up Revenue" will demonstrate best practices for hoteliers and the use of Web 2.0, taking an in depth look at the importance of pay per click and search engine optimization campaigns as they relate to maximizing ROI.
"With a softening demand market, it is imperative that hotels fight for every percent of Market Share available. These workshops will focus on moving share in a cost effective way; from their most profitable sales channel, the Internet." says Joel Carver, VIZERGY™ Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing and speaker for the Blast Off portion of these dynamic workshops. Carver was recently named one of HSMAI's Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing for 2007 and is touted for his captivating presence and knack for increasing Market Share, Maximizing Revenue and ROI.
"Rev Up Revenue" is open to the public and will be held on April 8, 2008, at the Ambassador East Hotel, in Chicago, IL, 1301 N. State Parkway. The workshop series will cover:
For more information on the Rev Up Revenue workshop series visit VIZERGY™, or please call Amakeda Sekou at 904.389.1130 Ext. 179 or email Amakeda.s@vizergy.com.
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
Vizergy Newsletter 2-14-2008
Being an SEO for Vizergy, I get a number of emails discussing the state of the hospitality industry, and how it relates to online marketing. I was recently sent our newsletter that was of particular interest to me, and I thought it would be nice to share it with our readers.
Pay close attention to some of the number of people online, the number of searches conducted and the amount of growth over the last couple of years. I would go on to explain how important online vizability is (we use a lot of 'Z's' around here at Vizergy), but the numbers really speak for themselves. Why use Sponsored Search?
Sponsored Search is a great way for you to connect with the ideal customers-the ones already interested in what your business offers. With text ads that appear in search results, you promote your business to people who are actively searching online for your products or services. And you pay only when your ad is clicked.
Unlike other marketing options, a Sponsored Search account offers measurable results and lets you test different ads. Sponsored Search can achieve multiple objectives, including acquiring new customers, increasing brand awareness or influencing purchasing decisions.
There are many types of Internet marketing, but one thing sets Sponsored Search apart: you don't go looking for customers, they find you.
Check out the research
Did you know over 38 million people use search engines daily? Or that 67% of U.S. adults who research online before making a purchase decision use search engines as a research tool? Research indicates that search marketing is one of the best performing Internet marketing tactics. Key Statistics
When you consider that more and more consumers are using search to find the products and services they want, it just makes sense for your business to be featured prominently in search results.
Consumers who use search are actively seeking what businesses like yours sell-which means they are highly targeted and motivated to buy. The Popularity of Search
How many people are utilizing search each day? Findings by PEW Internet and American Life Project indicate that on an average day, nearly 60 million people use a search engine.
Also for the first time in three years, paid search has outperformed other online marketing tactics in click-through and conversion rates, according to a survey conducted by MarketingSherpa. The Importance of Search
A study by iCrossing reveals that most adults who buy online rely on search engines to research their purchases.
88% of adults who purchase items online conduct some sort of online research at least sometimes prior to completing their purchase. 67% of U.S. adults who research online before making a purchase decision use search engines as a research tool.
40% of those conducting online research go to search engines first. Nearly equal percentages of respondents who use search engines to research products online use them to find a web site from which to buy (54%) or investigate where to purchase their desired product (53%).
Research by iProspect, further explores user behavior, revealing that 62% of search engine users click on a search result within the first page of results, and 90% of search engine users click on a result within the first three pages of search results. Statistics like these indicate that in order to be seen by the most searchers, marketers need to try to get their listings onto the first few pages of the search results. The Future of Search
Search engine marketing was a $5.75 billion industry in 2005 and it will nearly double to $11.1 billion in 2010, according to SEMPO's (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization) latest industry survey. In 2006, search marketing spending will total about $7.2 billion and increase by 15.3% to $8.3 billion in 2007.
(Editor's Note: We are talking billions here...with a 'B')
Couple this information with the trends in search use and it's clear that advertisers utilizing search only have one place to go: up.
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Friday, January 11, 2008
The Heads In Beds Mentality
As an SEO (Search Engine Optimizer), I don't get to delve into the ideas and methodologies of hotel management too often. I run a report, check on a site, compare it to it's own history, and adjust accordingly (I know this sounds really boring to a lot of people, but I love this nerdy stuff). Well, as a first part initiative to get the Vizergy Blog rolling, I thought it best to learn a little more about the hospitality industry as a business, and not just as a website.
After listening to a lot of terms and jargon thrown around this place between the execs and former hotel managers, who are now account managers, one term stuck to my brain. Heads in Beds. Hmm...that sounds interesting. What does it mean?
I got to pull Stacy Kimbrough (Vizergy's Director of Client Marketing Services) aside for a little brain-picking to understand more about this idea.
Basically speaking, the "heads in beds" idea is that there are times to consider offering reduced rates to raise the occupancy level of a hotel. There are a number of situations in which a hotel may want to take on this mentality. To me this sounded like taking a hit, but Stacy soon cleared that up for me as well."Let me paint a picture for you. Sunday through Thursday you're consistently hitting your 90% occupancy. You get a steady stream of business travelers throughout the week. However, when Friday rolls around, your occupancy level drops to 30%. No more business travelers on the weekends. You may want to consider reduced rates to fill those rooms. ‘Heads in beds,’ as it were."
Staying Competitive
She also pointed out the idea of area competition. If you are surrounded by other hotels offering a lower price point, it may be beneficial to reconsider your rates to compare to theirs. If you're able to lock in some rooms at a reduced rate, you're not taking the real hit of a $0 sale, which is actually a negative impact due to the cost of keeping that room (electricity, water, etc.).
Improving Overall Occupancy
Stacy informed me of a report offered to the hotel industry known as the Star Report. This allows hotel managers to keep up with a few competitors' occupancy level, allowing you to adjust your strategy to compare. Let's say you have those 90% occupancy numbers on a regular basis. You never want to stop improving. So, once you hit that number, you could begin to offer a reduced rate to increase your occupancy further, bringing your numbers up over a period of time.
Proving Grounds
We work with a lot of clients that have resorts or full service hotels in fierce competition with surrounding hotels or properties across the street. At first, they think "Hey, we are so much better than them, of course we are going to charge more." If you think about it, if you never sell a room, then people don't get to see how much better your property really is. In some cases, it may be best to offer a comparable rate to get heads in the beds, so as to grow your initial customer base, and prove the value of your ADR (Average Daily Rate). A slow increase is better than no increase (I’m learning that wisdom in the business world always has to rhyme).
Heads In Beds To Sell the Future
In my world, everything is the Internet. This all started to make sense, but I need something I can use in an online form of marketing. Before I could put my SEO brain to the task of finding that form, Stacy posed another use for the 'heads in beds' mentality. Over the last few years, you've been keeping email addresses from your patrons, and using them to communicate. Now, let's say there is a time of year that you usually don't attain a high occupancy, especially if the hotel across the street does. You may be able to look at your reservation system, determine what the situation looks like a few months out, and consider an email blast that your property will be offering a reduced rate for previous customers during that time.
Use With Caution - Price Integrity
Stacy did warn of a very real reason that being too liberal with the 'heads in beds' mentality could prove to be counter-productive. For some properties, price integrity is important to the hotel's perception. Offering a too reduced rate could send the wrong message to a potential guest (Is there something wrong with the hotel? Is there new management? Are they having a mold problem?). Each property should consider their specific situation, and strategize accordingly.
So, if you're hitting a block in finding a resolution to raising your occupancy levels, the 'heads in beds' mentality could be just the thing you need.
To leave you something in closing, Stacy's first response to my email questioning the 'heads in beds' idea came with a few neat numbers (I'm a nerdy guy. Numbers I can relate to).
If you can sell: 100 rooms at $100 each = $10,000. However, if you can sell 100 rooms at $100 each and 25 more at $75 = $11,875. You just made the owner an extra $1875 in one night!! Let’s say you could do that every Friday and Saturday night. That’s an additional $195,000 in the owners pocket, because you sold some of your rooms at a discounted rate in order to place more heads in beds!!!
Stacy Kimbrough
To give you a little history on Stacy, as the Director of Client Marketing Services, her responsibilities include directing the account-management, customer-service, copywriting and design teams for Vizergy. Before joining Vizergy, Stacy spent twelve years in the hospitality-sales industry, working with leading clients such as Marriott, Hilton, Choice and Ramada.
You ever meet one of those people that make you wonder how they were in an industry for so long? Yeah? Well that's not Stacy. I whole heartedly believe she could manage a 4-cage kennel and turn it into a 5 star resort in under a year. Be sure to read more about her and the other Execs of Vizergy.
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
And the Sphinny Goes To . . . Social Media Needs Self-Adulation
From an outsider's perspective, the SEO subculture appears to be one that is possibly reaching a zenith of self-referential and self-aggrandizing platforms. Well, I'm not sure that a true zenith exists for the amount of praise any one person or trade likes to bestow upon itself, but I am an admitted outsider. I equate the type of self-adulation to the Grammys. Most of us at one time or another were mesmerized by this event and actually staked a caring claim into who that coveted shiny statue was awarded to. Then as the years passed, you realize that the music industry puts on the Grammys. So, the industry, along with a number of others is celebrating itself. Before you get angry and think I'm being derogatory ...
As arrogant as the aforementioned ceremonies and concepts appear, they are indeed a necessary and important tool. Forums such as Sphinn and Digital Point give experts and novices alike a chance to swap ideas, explore old and new concepts, and essentially evolve. Who better than experts on the subject to discuss these theories, beliefs and ideas? Social media in general is one of the true essences of the Internet and the SEO world has a huge hand in this emergence.
Searchable terms and phrases begetting successful searches begetting further search philosophy and in the end, usability. So what if it is at times a popularity contest or a chance to flaunt your mad skills? It is an indispensable part in the continued growth of the industry and truly a cornerstone in the viability and effectiveness of the World Wide Web as a comprehensive, yet easily usable social media medium.
Search Engine Marketing is a discipline found to be strangely abstract and formulaic at the same time, making it a complex practice for just anyone to understand. With the continued popularity and availability of self-editing software and the growing use of customer generated content, these forums are only going to grow in significance. It is possibly the very organic principles found at the heart of so many social media forums that will not only keep natural search alive and well, but enable it to thrive. So give yourself a pat on the back and more importantly, take the acclaim given from others who are getting better and maintaining relevance in large part because of the feedback and information you have provided.
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