Linking advertising channels

Enabling more advertising channels can greatly develop any online store. If your business has a limited advertising budget, then you need to focus – at least in the initial stages – on the most effective channel. Then, successively, you can turn on new ones, when the investment begins to bring the first profits. This is a standard operating methodology, because most entities do not have the resources or the courage to invest large amounts of money in advertising, including multi-channel advertising. However, the example below shows that courage, supported by our experience and knowledge, pays off.

The discussed example shows that a quick and decisive investment of the advertising budget in even a new online store brings the expected results. It is also important to combine individual channels into one coherent communication vision.

Why is consistent, high-frequency display across multiple channels so important?

Because we buy impulsively. Some channels inspire us, in others we look for answers or recommendations, and still others find us at this “perfect moment” to buy. You need to be a brand at each of these stages. Otherwise the opportunity will escape to another company.

The presented data comes from an online store operating in the DOM and GARDEN industry. In January 2020, this store was not on the market yet.

SEO

Search engine optimization was the first service chosen by said client. Keep in mind that positioning takes time, and therefore attracting customers through only organic results in the initial stages of the store’s operation may be unsatisfactory. This is for two reasons.

First of all, we compete with other companies that have been on the market for longer and, after all, also invest in website optimization. The effectiveness and time horizon of taking over customer data also depends on the adopted strategy and budget allocated to activities.

Secondly, you can’t be aggressive when it comes to SEO. Creating a website on a step-by-step basis, not spread out over time, is an “unnatural” action for the Google search engine (or actually the indexing robots responsible for evalsuating the page), and therefore will not be as effective as consistency in action. It can also be dangerous and result in a filter being applied to the page.

As a rule, therefore, entrepreneurs who initially invest in positioning immediately add another channel to it (e.g. Google or Facebook ads), which will quickly prove that a given store is prospective, and treat positioning as an investment in the future.

Let’s go back to positioning, however. In March 2020, when we started our cooperation.

SEO March 2020

Due to the infancy, it was therefore very fragile – the store simply did not exist in the consciousness. After 9 months of cooperation – in January 2021 – we gained visibility, which generated 60,000 dollars in revenue and, of course, will only grow in the coming months. There were a dozen or so phrases in top3, over 50 for top10 and over 300 for further positions, which heralds the arrival of even better results with the same commitment.

SEO January 2021

From the beginning of cooperation, the budget for SEO activities, in this case, was $ 3,500 per month

We have already written dozens of articles on our blog about Google Ads. Measurable, budget flexible and great for optimization. In addition, you only pay when a potential customer clicks on your ad.

In the case of Google Ads, there is no one-size-fits-all budget that will guarantee your success. Too small amount in your industry may prevent you from generating enough traffic to start converting and bring not only profits, but also specific data that allows you to optimize your campaign. On the other hand, there are industries where there is no point in spending more, because we will start to burn money into groups that convert less well.

Google Ads May 2020

At the beginning of the cooperation, the budget was $ 12,000. It generated $ 98,000 in revenues. Sounds good, but as it turned out, it could get even better.

Google Ads October 2020

Spending at $ 17,000, revenues grew to nearly $ 180,000 per month. Compared to May, the marketing budget in October increased by ~ 30%. Interestingly, however, revenues increased by as much as 47% compared to May. This happened for two reasons.

First of all, May 2020 was the second month of our cooperation in the field of running Google Ads advertising. The result was already satisfactory, but we knew that the “learning” campaign in the coming months would produce even better results. Our self-learning algorithms usually take 3 months to obtain repeatable and the best possible results from the right amount of data.

Secondly, we saw after the first weeks of the campaign that we had room to increase the budget. The client was open to this, which allowed us to more meaningfully divide the funds between the different channels.

The combination of an increased budget, a fully optimized campaign, but also the customer’s trust in our competences (sometimes this is the key) – all this allowed us to stabilize the campaign at a very satisfactory level.

Facebook Ads

Ultimately – to have everything under one umbrella of Paraphrase-Online.com and seeing that we can make it – the client transferred to us activities related to Facebook Ads and running a fanpage. In this case, it is best to see how the “learning” of the campaign pays off in the case of algorithms. The budget has remained the same, and there is no significant seasonality of sales in this particular assortment.

Facebook turned out to be a great sales channel in this case.

The Facebook Ads marketing budget was $ 2,000 and generated $ 12,000 in revenue. This result had to improve a bit and we worked hard on it. The real revolution came after the holidays.

Facebook Ads October 2020

In October, ad spend did not increase and remained at $ 2,000. However, revenues soared to over $ 90,000.

In addition, the client entrusted us with the issue of running a corporate Fanpage, which was faced with softer goals, such as strengthening brand recognition, working on the reputation and supporting the store’s users. This is of paramount importance for customers who, when buying, need more time and factors to finally decide on a given store.

Joining advertising channels – benefits

At the time of writing, the client’s cumulative budget for all advertising efforts is approximately $ 20,000 per month, which generates approximately $ 500,000 in revenue. Every dollar spent on marketing therefore generates $ 25.

Of course, it is not the case that every industry and every product will provide such a good return on investment. All this is a component of many factors – from the store’s UX, through well-optimized campaigns in each advertising channel and seasonality, ending with the store’s complaint policy or such nuances as the cost of delivery or the company’s tons of answers to users’ questions on the fanpage. We are also convinced of the exceptional need to combine advertising channels. Of course, when financial resources are modest, then you cannot divide them and focus on the most effective one. Overall, however, if you can invest more, you should be present on many levels. Connected channels work better together than each of them separately.

As there are many factors of success, cooperation between the client and the agency is also crucial. For our part, we always provide hints about the customer’s experience, the solutions he prefers on the websites, but also about advertising investments for a given industry. By running several thousand campaigns, we already have excellent insight into what works and what does not necessarily bring good results. We take full responsibility for this know-how.

On the other side of the room in the corner sits a mysterious person. Nobody exchanged a word with her and has no idea where she came from. The mysterious guest holds the cards in his hands and performs magic tricks. After a few minutes, someone finally pays attention to him and begins to comment loudly on the show. Gradually, more interested parties appear, and finally half of the participants gather. Many viewers eagerly cheer on the magician and assist him in performing tricks. Guerrilla marketing works in a similar way.

In the described situation, both people finally draw the attention of other participants to the event. The difference is how much they have invested and how they have communicated to achieve the goal. The main assumption of guerrilla marketing is to achieve the best effect, bearing absolutely minimal costs. How to do it?

You can’t enter through the door? Try out the window! Insane guerrilla marketing.

Consumers have become accustomed to being bombarded with advertising messages at every turn. No one is able to process all these stimuli, and above all, they do not have the slightest desire. Defense mechanisms allow the separation of grain from chaff. Recipients only pay attention to messages consistent with their interests, meeting the needs or being so interesting and unconventional that you can not pass by indifferently.

Advertisers using guerrilla techniques strive to surprise the recipient and evoke emotions. The safest option is to create a playful creation. After all, laughter is a positive reaction that will consolidate positive associations with the brand. Many daredevils are also trying to use elements of the environment to form brilliant conclusions. The finished composition makes the audience reflect and stays in their consciousness, even if they are not aware of it. Bolder marketers go all the way and try to shock the recipients by breaking taboos. Sometimes such attempts end in a media scandal, but this does not necessarily mean failure. The seed has been sown, and soaring sales results prove that it’s worth taking the risk.

Guerrilla marketing rules

In guerrilla marketing, you do not need to present in detail the distinguishing features of your offer. It would be inadvisable, because it soothes the message, which must be simple and volatile. The campaign is to generate the widest reach and expand brand awareness. This is the first stage of the sales funnel. Importantly, if you skillfully formulate a message, the recipients will do the rest of the work for you. After all, if you managed to arouse their curiosesity and do not know much about you, then they will want to get to know you better. Then you can also gradually reveal more cards. Remember, however, to increase the tension and not to reveal everything you have to offer too quickly. As a result, the interest will be self-driving, and with it you will get the involvement of users.

Mental shortcuts have sprouted around the described phenomenon that would be worth correcting. The articles state that guerrilla marketing is a great solution for companies that have a limited budget but want to generate a large reach and stand out on the market. We are not going to undermine this, but this is not the only solution. It is worth slightly broadening the perspective. Guerrilla activities are also great as a diversification of marketing strategy in wealthier enterprises. Then they will complement the conventional methods and allow paving new routes to reach customers.

It also happens that guerrilla marketing is often seen in the context of offline campaigns. In fact, many outdoor creations have been created because urban space is great in this role. This does not mean, however, that you cannot operate suddenly on the network. Social media, mobiles applications and websites are also a great environment to surprise users.

Guerrilla marketing in practice

Netflix has been setting trends in a diverse approach to marketing for years. The American company uses the image of actors, but also does not shun unconventional actions. An example is the installation that stood on the main market in Cracow (Poland). Next to “Erosa bendato”, i.e. the head carved by Igor Mitoraj, a second head was placed, in this case depicting the image of Salvador Dali, who promoted the series “Money Heist / La casa de papel”. According to accounts, the creators only paid $ 69 for 2 weeks of exposure.

In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone repeats like a mantra so as not to leave the house unnecessarily. Streaming platforms turned out to be a blessing at a time when sitting in front of a computer or TV is one of the few forms of entertainment available. What if an almost unlimited database of movies and series is not enough to keep people in check? Netflix has placed posters depicting spoilers from his most popular productions in cities. If you can’t adapt to the rules, you’ll learn what will happen in the next episode.

Noteworthy is the series “The Walking Dead” presents the story of people who are fighting for survival in a world dominated by bloodthirsty zombies. During the promotion of the next season, the creators did not change their clothes and decided to shake the recipients. The promotional campaign used a truck that was splashed with blood and cut off human limbs protruding from the open shed. The whole composition was complemented by the visual identity of the series and information about the release date of new episodes.

Guerrilla marketing in online channels often comes down to responding quickly to user statements. This was the case with the British Virgin Trains line, where Dante’s stages took place. One of the passengers used the toilet but was out of toilet paper. In a gesture of despair he called for help on Twitter. The carrier fished his appeal out of the jungle of fasts and sent a rescue mission. This inconspicuous situation captivated other users who eagerly distributed the publication. As a result, the company could significantly expand its brand awareness while creating a positive image.

When should you use guerrilla marketing?

Guerrilla advertising seems to be interesting and effective. Under the influence of emotions, one can get the illusory impression that this is the only right approach to marketing, and more conventional methods are a melody of the past. However, this is only an illusion resulting from the specifics of the target group. The goal of guerrilla marketing is to create a message that will spread virally. Thus, the most valuable recipients will be active users of social media, eager to flood the internet with an avalanche of comments about original creations. It should be borne in mind, however, that this group includes mainly younger users who love new products and unconventional practices.

On the other hand, there are more conservative consumers who prefer the classic approach to presenting the offer. They want to have black and white what you can offer them and what they will have from it. Fireworks and weirdness don’t matter to them. Therefore, you can not get carried away. The analysis of the target group plays a significant role and will determine the success or failure of the entire campaign. You must have at least a pre-emptive feeling that your concept will appeal to someone besides you, your friends and colleagues.

The characteristics of guerrilla marketing mean that it will not always suit brands for which a professional image is a fundamental value. In this case, you need to design the campaign very skillfully so as not to shoot yourself in the knee. After all, we expect from doctors and lawyers that everything will go smoothly and painlessly. As long as the creation does not contradict these assets, it will be successful.

Representatives of professions with significantly lower social responsibility have much more room to show off. Restaurant and club owners, artists, clothing manufacturers – they can indulge. The success of products and services in these categories depends on whether they are fashionable or not. As a consequence, guerrilla activities are a great way to create a unique brand image.

Guerrilla marketing is an attractive and effective formula for brands planning to enter the market firmly and create a lot of noise around them. It can also be used by companies that have become slaves of mediocrity and want to finally break through the glass ceiling. Established enterprises may also be tempted to unconventional actions. In this way, they will make standard communication more attractive and remind the world of their existence. In other words, you can take partisan actions at any stage of the company’s operation. However, you have to understand your recipients perfectly and meet them.