According to a recent survey by Statista shopping cart abandonment in the Retail industry for the second quarter of 2017 has reached 77.3%. This means that a very large number of users add desirable products to their virtual shopping cart but shortly afterward they leave the website without making a purchase.

 

Looking at the graph above, it seems pretty clear that this is the case across multiple industries. The matter of the fact is that the majority of your website visitors are simply looking around and are not going to make an order. However, obviously, your products and services have triggered their initial interest. So, why lose those potential customers? There is a way to attract them back and increase your successful conversions. It’s called remarketing.

 

What is Google Remarketing?

First of all, let’s make a distinction between the terms “Remarketing” and “Retargeting“.

Historically speaking, when talking about remarketing, we mean collecting information about certain people and reaching to them later via mail or email, offering them a specific product or service.

Retargeting is used to display paid ads to people who have already visited your website. This is done by using information about the visitors’ actions that have been stored in their browser as “cookies”. The ad reaches targeted people using 3rd parties such as the Google Display Network.

Over time these two concepts have become interchangeable and marketers often put them on a par. Google even “borrowed” the concept of Remarketing and used it to name its retargeting campaigns.

So…

Google remarketing is an important part of digital marketing, also known among marketers as a retargeting. This method allows you to advertise your products and services to those visitors who have already viewed your website or have used your mobile app but have not purchased or ordered anything from it.

 

How does it work?

Once the user leaves your site, they will continue seeing your ads in different places all over the web – in their Google search results, in other websites or apps*, and the Display Network. Remarketing lets you run ad campaigns that meet your prospects’ needs. It encourages them to visit your web page again, and again, and again… Therefore, increasing their chances of successful conversions, such as purchasing a product from an online shop.

*Only if they have been registered in AdSense, they will have the permission to display ads.

 

Remarketing is a very successful and effective advertising method. Why? Because it is directly targeted at those users who have already shown some interest in your products and services. By reminding them of your online presence through a specifically targeted advertising campaign, you will earn a place on top of their mind.

Google AdWords allows you to run a wide range of remarketing campaigns and target visitors based on what they’ve done on your website. Therefore, the platform offers you several different types of remarketing – standard, dynamic, mobile applications, video, email, and search ads. For example, video remarketing allows you to show products or services to people who have watched your videos or browsed through your YouTube channel.

The benefits of Google Remarketing

Google remarketing will help your business. This is how:

• Successful Targeting – Google Remarketing allows you to eliminate target groups that are unlikely to convert. In addition, you can target specific audiences depending on their history of website activity. Implement this information in your next ad creative. For example, if a user has looked at a specific shoe model, you can show him/her a banner with the exact same shoes, while he/she is visiting another website.
• Higher CTR – Remarketing ads have a higher click-through-rate (CTR) compared to standard display ads.
• More successful conversions – As we have already explained, the purpose of remarketing is to remind users about your products and services. This will make them finish an otherwise unfinished action on your website. When do users need extra stimulation? When they hesitate, overthink a difficult decision and find it hard to make a choice. If you are operating in the field of consulting, software development and digital solutions, you most likely have noticed this indecisiveness in your customers. However, by running strictly targeted advertising campaigns you will catch their attention and make them convert.
• Less Cost – Remarketing campaigns are known for their cost-effectiveness. Just like PPC advertising on Google AdWords, you only pay when a user actually clicks on your ad.
• Higher return on investment (ROI) – a Higher return on investment in remarketing happens because of the narrow and concrete targeting it is based upon. First, you have collected additional information about your target audience. Second, you can send individually tailored ads to specific target groups.
• Brand recognition – When your potential customers come across your ad multiple times online, this greatly increases their chances of recognizing your brand more quickly. It will sink into their mind more easily.

 

Have you ever done a remarketing campaign? If so, we will be happy to hear about the results you got from it in the comment section below. If not, contact us to help you with a successful start.

I am pretty sure you have had a conversation with a customer service representative at least ones in your life – to get more information about the shipment status of your parcel. To check shoe size in-store availability. Or to simply order food online.  For sure, these customer support representatives have passed several training sessions. They have reread the customer service guides and regulations and have mastered their company business ethics.

However, the customer service process cannot be optimized completely.  Still, the speed and quality of service do not depend solely on the human factor. Exactly the opposite! In most cases, it highly depends on the CRM system and the methodology used by the employee in their work. The answers you are looking for as a client can be 10 clicks away. May require a few minutes of loading the right information or the filling in of some data inside a form.

Is there a solution to these problems? Yes, there is! It is called a Chatbot.

 

What is a Chatbot?

 

A Chatbot is a computer program that automatically responds to customer questions. Simulating the feeling of having a conversation with a real person. This communication can be done through text, audio, or other visual elements like images or emoticons. There is no need of having a specific person dedicated solely to replying customer inquiries or redirecting their requests. To get a better idea of what exactly a conversation with a bot looks like, check out the image below.

 

 

Currently, most Chatbots communicate with end users through the biggest messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Viber, and Skype. Their main purpose is to take the place of applications. What does this mean? Instead of closing Facebook Messenger and opening a particular restaurant app to order food, you can just message the restaurant directly in Facebook Messenger. Quite useful and practical, right? It saves you time, as well as space on your smartphone.

The possibilities of implementing a Chatbot in your business are endless! Top brands have already developed their own customized Chatbots – from Uber and H&M to CNN news, Burger King, Skyscanner, and many others. Chatbots are an effective assistant to clients and help them with:

• shopping in online stores
• tracking orders
• booking cinema tickets
• booking a hotel room or a restaurant table
• providing information about the weather, health-related issues and what not

 

Chatbots and AI (Artificial Intelligence)

 

Some Chatbots have an AI (artificial intelligence) algorithm integrated into their software. Yes, that’s right – artificial intelligence. This means that they do not base their responses on the preset software template only. They have the “ability” to remember their customers’ questions, as well as the answers they have given them. What is spectacular here is the fact that they use the accumulated data and apply it next time when they have a conversation with the same client. These Chatbots can “evolve” without the need to be continuously updated as the other ones.

 

How will a Chatbot benefit your business?

 

Having read everything so far, I am sure you grasped the main business benefits of having a Chatbot, namely assisting clients on diverse matters and improving customer experiences. Anything else? Oh, yes! Below, explore the additional benefits of implementing Chatbots in your business:

 

Eventually, only the happy and satisfied customers will be motivated enough to repurchase your products and services. Chatbots play a significant role in this case. Helping you with improving your customer satisfaction, as well as with:

• Conducting targeted marketing campaigns
• Promoting new products and services
• Sharing popular products and recommending them to your customers
• Getting free feedback from your clients
• Collecting analytical data about customer behaviors, clicks analysis, as well as their Chat history
• It is easy to use
• Provides the user with quick access to the information needed
• Chatbots provide uninterrupted 24/7 service
• There is no need to hire a specific person dedicated to customer service 24/7
• An opportunity to attract and contact customers from all over the world, regardless of their location
• And much more

 

Many people say Chatbots are the future of communication and information technology. Search engines were a boom in the past, now applications are hype. But Chatbots are an investment that’s worth your attention.

If you want to learn more on the topic and are interested in developing your own customized Chatbot, do not hesitate to contact us. We will help you to improve your customers’ online experiences.

Digital marketing trends change constantly without following a specific course. The situation is so dynamic that the effective tactics of today may have the opposite effect tomorrow. That’s why we’ve prepared for you a list of those digital marketing trends that seem long-lasting and will help you define the successful strategy of your business.

 

Fewer words, more visual elements

 

Content marketing has been among the top digital marketing trends over the past few years, but recently its focus has shifted towards images and other visual stimuli. So forget about wordy statuses and lengthy blog posts unless necessary (for example, a thorough analysis of practical situations). 2017 is the year of visual content. Focus on infographics, photos, videos, digital guides, presentations, graphics, charts, and more. Tell your stories not only in words, illustrate them visually. Speaking of which, did you know that image posts on social media have 2.3 times higher engagement rates than those with text only?

 

Live Streaming

 

Live video is in an unprecedented boom right now. Following the success story of Snapchat, many social networks have also integrated a live video on their platforms – Facebook, Instagram Stories. News, personal stories, protests, concerts – everybody can become a reporter of their personal experiences and beliefs right here, right now. This presents brands with the opportunity to attract only people who are interested in a particular event happening at a specific moment in time.  Live Streaming does wonders for brand awareness, increases customer loyalty and creates a personal relationship between brands and followers. You offer exclusive information that is available only to those who are being active at a particular moment.

 

Influencer marketing

 

A worldwide study indicates that 84% of marketers are planning to make at least one Influencer marketing campaign in the next 12 months. Why? Because everyone has a favorite star, a role model or simply an inspirational persona. These Influencers are online and have profiles in almost all social media networks. Brands use them as models in ad campaigns to successfully promote products, and increase online sales. While still maintaining brand authenticity and deliver a unique message without it being a thorn in followers’ eyes. The best thing is that not only top brands can benefit from this marketing strategy. Small and medium-sized businesses already successfully implement this strategy on a local level. There are agencies that can connect you with popular influencers so you can also reach their large following.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

 

In 2017, the use of AI in digital marketing is gaining more and more attention. For example, search engines such as Google, social networks like Facebook, various video games, customer service platforms, and many other industries have an integrated AI algorithm to streamline their business model and to improve their customer experience. AI has also been successfully implemented in a number of high-tech e-solutions that provide businesses with in-depth analysis for predicting consumer behavior.

 

Small and medium-sized businesses may not be able (or need) to create complex and intelligent algorithms such as Google or Facebook, but this doesn’t mean they can not benefit from AI too. This is where Chatbots enter the stage. Chatbots are programs that respond to user questions automatically. By introducing Chatbots, companies not only save resources but also get a new and completely free ad channel. They communicate with users through the most popular messaging platforms – Facebook Messenger, Viber, Skype, Telegram. The future is bright for Chatbots!

 

Internet of Things (IoT)

 

Most of the technology we use in our daily lives are connected to the Internet. Mobile devices, tablets, TV remote control, heating, lighting, locking devices, and more – all of them are plugged into the net. By 2020, over 75 billion devices are expected to have an internet connection, which means that their number will be ten times the current population of Earth.

 

From a marketing perspective, they present businesses with real-time data – user preferences, client interaction with different devices, ways to improve customer service, better targeting for ad campaigns, and more.

 

Analyzing Big Data

 

The digital era brought along huge amounts of data and information. Nowadays, one of the main challenges for marketers is to find the best ways to arrange, analyze and apply qualitative data in their digital marketing strategy. This will help them get a better understanding of the current market situation, guide them in targeting their products, where to promote them, which channels to use, how to design or modify products, what are the user needs, what advertising campaign to implement next.

 

The sources of such data are infinite – social networks, websites, mobile and other devices, web and mobile applications, emails, and more. New information is thrown at us at any given moment, in real time, making its quantity even more baffling, and its proper organizing – even more challenging. So you can understand how vital it is to find the proper data analysis tools and implement them in your business.

 

All this information leave us wondering – what new digital marketing trends will 2018 bring along? Do you have any suggestions?