Let’s look at what SEO and SEM are, their similarities and differences, and how the two can complement your overall marketing efforts.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a common digital marketing strategy that is focused on organic search results. Using a number of different tactics, companies can try to push their website to the top of Google’s search results. This takes a lot of time, dedication, great content, and a knowledgeable team.

SEO is generally broken up into three different categories: on-site SEO, off-site SEO, and technical SEO.

On-Site SEO

On-site SEO refers to the work you do on your site so Google can “read” it. This might include adding keywords into your website copy, adding copy on the back end of your site (such as with alt tags and meta descriptions) and making UX changes to deliver a better experience when people land on your site.

Off-Site SEO

With off-site SEO, the goal is to get quality backlinks from other sites as referring domains. Off-site SEO is an important SEO strategy because it can help send signals to Google that your website is healthy and helpful for users. This process should happen organically if you have good content on your site that people want to link back to, but you can also use services to grow your number of backlinks (especially if you have a newer site that doesn’t have a lot of content to link back to). But be careful to only use reputable sources because Google can tell if you use black hat SEO sites and will penalize you.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO refers to the backend of your site and includes a number of fixes you can do to help your site run smoother and faster. Not only will these fixes help the health of your site, but they may also increase your rankings because Google will see that your site is technically sound.

Some of the many technical SEO tasks you might tackle include:

• Using an SSL/renewing your SSL certificate
• Creating an XML sitemap
• Adding structured data markup to your site
• Registering your site with Google Search Console
• Enabling AMP
• Identifying site crawl errors

SEO is especially tricky because Google is always changing its algorithms to provide users with the best, most helpful content. We most recently saw this with the 2021 Google Core update. Luckily, SEO can work with other marketing departments to help boost their results. Enter: SEM.

What is SEM?

Now that you understand a bit more about SEO, let’s look at it in comparison to SEM, or search engine marketing. In short, SEM is a blanket term that refers to both organic and paid traffic from search engines. Whenever you search for something on Google, you will see both paid results and organic results. SEM covers both of these tactics.

Because SEM also includes paid efforts, you have to consider PPC, or pay-per-click, under this service. To build a PPC strategy, you bid on certain keywords that you want to show up for. For example, if sell white sneakers, you may bid on keywords that are similar to your product. The cost per keyword depends on how competitive the searches are and how much search volume there is for each keyword. When someone clicks on your ad, you pay for what you bid.

One way that SEO and SEM work together is through Google’s Quality Score, which refers to how relevant your landing page or website is to your ads. In order to increase your Quality Score, you should add relevant copy and organic keywords (similar to on-site SEO).

SEO vs SEM: Similarities and Differences

As you can see, both SEO and SEM operate under similar strategies, including keyword research, quality content, and strategic targeting. But while they share many similarities, they are also different in some important ways. Here are some of the similarities and differences between the two strategies:

• Time – One of the main differences between SEM/PPC and SEO is time. Because SEO focuses on organic growth, it can take 6+ months to see results from your efforts. In fact, it takes an average of 2 years to rank on the first page of Google, according to Ahrefs. With PPC, you can rank on the first page of Google almost instantly once you get your campaigns set up. While that doesn’t mean you will instantly get conversions, you will at least have your campaigns ready to go.
• Content – One similarity between SEO and PPC is that both reward quality content. Even if you have the most targeted PPC campaign, you will likely see a high bounce rate if the content on your site or landing page isn’t aligned with your target market. The same is true for SEO – you won’t rank organically if you don’t have quality content on your site.
• Keyword research – For both SEO and SEM, you need to have quality keywords and do extensive keyword research to know who to target. That being said, your PPC keywords may differ from your SEO keywords because people will be searching for different things. For example, someone might search “what are the best white sneakers” for an organic search and “white sneakers” as a paid search.
• Cost – Both marketing strategies will cost money, but PPC will cost actual dollars right away, while the cost of SEO efforts will be more spread out. While you can write a blog for free and hope that it generates traffic, you will likely need to put time and money into your content efforts for them to be worthwhile. If you have a limited budget, you can start with organic SEO efforts until you have a dedicated ad budget for PPC.

How do SEO and SEM Work Together?

In a best case scenario, you have the resources and talent to manage both SEO and SEM simultaneously. They both complement each other by boosting your site traffic and (hopefully) generating conversions. The traffic you gain with your PPC efforts can help your site organically, but you can’t get started with PPC until you have great on-site content and understand your audience using SEO principles.

Tell us: which do you prefer, SEO or SEM? We’d love to hear from you! Shoot us a note to discuss the differences between these two strategies more.

The post SEO vs SEM Marketing: What You Need to Know About These Important Strategies appeared first on Fullfunnelservices.

Social media marketing spend increases each year in the United States. Compared to the mere $15.6 billion spent on paid ads in 2016, businesses in 2020 spent about $40 billion, and we’re expecting a steady incline through 2022. The nationwide adoption of social media marketing comes in response to more and more active social media users and better market research that comes from it. 

Social media is unique compared to other forms of advertising, primarily because it’s extremely personal. We use social media to connect with friends, families, and colleagues, but we also use it to follow our favorite brands and stay up-to-date on trends and influencer culture. Compared to air time on television and radio, some forms of social media marketing are entirely free, and if done well, it isn’t really seen as advertising at all. Instead, it’s seen as connection. 

Facebook launched its ad platform back in 2007, and social media has changed a lot since then. We’ve been introduced to the concept of career influencers and giveaway marketing that businesses were forced to adjust to. 

Even streaming has affected traditional marketing. Television viewership has steadily declined because consumers would prefer to watch ad-free television or listen to ad-free music on streaming platforms. With so many changes, where are advertisers supposed to go? 

Lucky for us, businesses still have an impactful place on social media. So how exactly does it work? Well, first, you’ll need to understand the difference between organic and paid social and determine what combination works best for your business. 

What Is Organic Social Media? 

Think grassroots, but on Instagram. Organic social attempts to create a unique brand image that draws consumers to buy your product or service. It refers to free content such as posts, photos, videos, memes, and stories that you add to your profile. Your content can be liked, shared, quoted, and reposted on any other user’s feed from here. 

Organic social media appeals to a company’s existing following, mutual followers, and interested third parties. Your followers see your content on their feed and share it with their friends, and your hashtags, location tags, and replies are seen by pretty much anyone else who seeks them out. One of the hardest tasks as a social media marketer is convincing people to press the follow button. Once that’s done, you have an impressionable audience (a marketer’s favorite thing). 

Organic social media is meant to establish an authentic connection between a business and its followers at its core. You aren’t necessarily pushing a product but adding to your company’s brand image by creating more content surrounding it. Businesses use organic social to do the following: 

• Create and foster a brand personality
• Interact with followers and customers
• Customer service
• Share informative, inspiring, and entertaining content
• Build relationships
• Omnichannel marketing

What Is Paid Social Media?

If you haven’t already guessed it, paid social is advertising that costs money. It’s when a brand pays a social media platform to have its content shared with new social media users. Promoted posts and advertisements would fit into this category. While you will gather some valuable data from your organic posts on a Facebook or Instag

ram business account, paid social gives you more. Paid ads are the best way to convert new audiences to customers. 

When you use paid ads, your target market includes existing followers, but it’s aimed at people who don’t already follow you or engage with your content. Because social media platforms are constantly collecting information

 about their users (i.e., interests, hobbies, location, age, etc.), they can promote your ads to individuals who are likely to be interested. 

For example, if you decide to promote an ad for a camping stove on Facebook, it’ll probably pop up on the news feeds of people who post about camping and follow other camping accounts. As long as you provide some information about your business and your product in your ad campaign, Facebook can help blast it. 

Paid ads are usually shared in the form of full advertisements or promoted posts. These

 posts will be marked as “Sponsored” to create transparency. Paid social also gives you access to features meant to increase your CTR, like the “Scroll up” and “Learn More” buttons. Here are a few reasons to use paid social:

• Reach a larger audience and attract new followers and customers
• Promotion of a sale or event
• Target ideal customers
• Drive leads and conversions
• Omnichannel marketing (again)

What about influencer marketing?

When a brand pays an influencer to promote a product (either by sending it for free or paying per post), that’s influencer marketing. Though it seems like a form of paid social, we don’t really think it fits into either category. It’s grassroots in the way that you’re using reviews and an influencer network to promote sales, but it’s paid because you’re probably paying for it in some way or another. 

If you’re thinking about incorporating influencer marketing into your marketing strategy, remember to stay consistent with your brand. Work with influencers who reflect your company’s values and be specific about how you want them to post. Though it can be tricky to navigate, influencer marketing is a great way to attract genuinely interested and engaged followers. 

What’s Better: Organic or Paid?

The truth is, you want to adopt a combination of both organic and paid advertising. Cultivate an organic brand on social media that draws engagement from your followers and repeat purchases. Try to encourage followers to share your content and make good use of hashtags and location tags. 

At the same time, create paid ad campaigns that are aimed at bringing in new followers. Your paid strategy will bring in new customers, and your organic strategy will keep them with you. 

If you’d like to learn more about the perfect mix of paid and organic social and how it can increase your sales, fullfunnelservices is here to help. Send us a message!

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The new pop-up intends to protect iPhone users from the unwanted, and perhaps covert, collection and sale of their data through apps like Facebook, Snapchat, and more. It does so by alerting users that certain apps may track user data on different apps. This feature is part of the iOS 14 update, which features a new look and layout for iPhone and iPad home screens and default app icons, better-optimized organization, compact calls, and more. 

To read about all of the newest features, take a look at Apple’s marketing graphic. 

A Brief History of Apple’s Data Collection

Apple has become somewhat of a crusader for data privacy advocates. In 2016, they famously denied the FBI access to a suspect’s iPhone, with Apple CEO Tim Cook referring to that decision as part of a “civil liberties issue.” A similar controversy arose after the launch of Apple’s Siri, leading users to wonder when their iPhones were actually listening. 

Over the years, Apple has shown continued commitment to ensuring the safety and security of user data, so the new transparency pop-up comes as no surprise to many. 

However, it has caused quite an uproar over at Facebook, a social media platform that has profited off of user data for years. In 2015, Facebook’s CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg even admitted to giving data away to dozens of companies. 

Facebook launched its Ad sector back in 2007, and one can only guess how long they’ve been involved in user data collection. It wasn’t until December 2015 – in another famous case involving Cambridge Analytica – that most people were even made aware of the accusations against Facebook regarding the sale of data. Before that, and even today, Facebook’s data collection activities have been carried out mostly behind the scenes. 

This blog will discuss what the newest Apple feature means for Facebook, and how the feud between two tech giants can, and likely will, affect you as a consumer or a business owner. 

Why Did Apple Do This?

As previously stated, the Apple brand has committed itself to the protection of user data. 

When you buy an iPhone, you’re also getting ultra-secure, total device encryption and data sharing settings, and Apple is constantly coming up with new ways to keep its user information safe. 

However, there are still roughly 1.96 million third-party applications in the App Store with data collection and privacy standards of their own. This means that users can download an app and unknowingly agree to have their activities tracked across different iPhone apps and sent back for use. 

The Pros of Data Collection

Of course, there are many benefits to data collection. First and foremost, many third-party apps collect data to improve their user experience. 

Advertising companies mine that data to create personalized ad experiences instead of generalized ads that seem totally irrelevant to certain individuals. Overall, data tracking does improve an individual’s experience on the World Wide Web by making it more personalized

The Cons of Data Collection

The biggest problem with data tracking? We, the users, don’t have much choice when it comes to sharing our data. A recent study revealed that 72% of surveyed consumers don’t trust other companies with their information, which is why Apple wanted to give its users a choice: to allow data tracking across apps or to refuse. 

What does the Update Look Like?

If you haven’t seen Apple’s recent ad about App Tracking Transparency, picture this: when you first open an app after updating to iOS 14, you’ll be prompted by a pop-up that reads, “Allow [App] to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites? Your data will be used to deliver personalized ads to you.” 

You’ll then have the choice between “Ask App Not to Track” and “Allow”. Once you make a selection, Apple changes your data collection settings for that specific application. If you opt-out of tracking, the app only has permission to track activity that happens while on the app. If you allow for tracking, you’re permitting the app to track your activity while on other apps as well. 

Facebook’s Response

This year, Apple estimates there are over 1 billion active iPhones worldwide. If the new Tracking Transparency feature reduces the amount of app tracking, it could have a massive effect on Facebook’s profits. As a result, Facebook is urging its users to allow activity tracking, reminding us that it improves the personalized experience. 

Zuckerberg has also warned that the update will affect “millions of businesses around the world,” and responded with a matching feature in hopes of combatting the effects of Tracking Transparency. Now, when users open Facebook, they’ll see a pop-up screen containing information about tracking and why it’s important to tap the “Allow” option when prompted. 

How Does This Affect Me?

This iOS 14 update is a pretty big deal when it comes to data privacy in 2021. As a consumer, your privacy is now being highlighted anytime you download a new app – you no longer need to jump through hoops to change your data tracking settings. 

By opting out of app tracking, you’re agreeing to a less personalized ad experience (based on iPhone and iPad data), but for many, that’s a price worth paying to avoid non-stop targeted ads. 

If you’re a business owner who uses Facebook Ads, Tracking Transparency could have a much larger effect on you. Facebook relies on the data it collects from users to optimize ad services. Targeted ads are more effective than a standard approach, so the initial downfall for businesses could be huge. 

It may take time, but Facebook’s algorithm will need to readjust for the lost data. Lucky for you, Apple hasn’t implemented this update on laptops and computers and it’s unlikely they will. As long as a user’s cookies are turned on, you’ll still have access to some valuable user data that can be optimized for ads. 

What Can I Do?

First, assess your needs as a consumer. If you don’t care much about data tracking, allowing it can improve the user experience of various apps. Whenever possible, read through an app’s privacy settings before downloading. Decide what you’re comfortable with and make decisions there. If you’re running Facebook ads, optimize your data tracking to in-app activity and continue analyzing the iPhone and iPad data that comes in. Standardizing your ad strategy to some degree also can’t hurt! 

It’s no surprise that the largest operating system in the world and the largest social media platform in the world often butt heads. Apple and Facebook are at the mercy of one another when it comes to data privacy, and it’s impossible to say whether this feud will end soon. As the operating system, Apple holds a lot of power when it comes to decisions over data collection and consent from consumers. 

To learn more about Facebook Ads and how to adjust your marketing strategy in light of Apple’s recent update, send us a message. 

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How Does my Phone ‘Listen’ to Me?

When you sign up for a new social media platform like Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter, you provide some personal information to help them optimize your user experience. Sign-up information could include selecting interests like fashion, science, and travel, as well as providing your age and location or signing up for email marketing. 

Of course, marketers can use this information to drive personalized ads, but they can also improve your platform experience. Part of what makes social media so enjoyable is that it’s catered to you as an individual. For the most part, you can be sure that your phone is recording anything you say to Siri, but it’s probably not recording you otherwise since you’re providing tons of useful information in other ways. 

Another way these platforms keep you coming back is by using cookies. Websites use cookies to track behavior while on a company’s website (which products you click on, how much time you spend reading blogs, etc.). 

What you may not know is that cookies keep tracking you after you leave the site. Marketers are interested in all of your online behavior, so the longer they track you, the more they can learn. In January of 2020, Google announced it would remove third-party cookies from its platform by 2022, mostly in response to user outrage. Most people don’t realize that the time you spent on social media is also being tracked and that information is being used the same way – to get to know the consumer.

In 2018, The New York Times reported Facebook’s partnerships with different data companies, including Cambridge Analytica. It detailed the numerous ways in which Facebook sells user-data to various companies for marketing and other purposes, so how far does the tracking actually go? The advent of Voice-Activated Assistants like Siri and Alexa has led consumers to question how much Apple and Amazon are listening. 

In 2019 Apple admitted to listening to Siri conversations for grading and improvement purposes only; Google and Facebook have denied storing audio information when the assistants are not engaged. Not only would it end up being mostly ambient noise and insignificant audio to comb through, but the process of analysis would mostly be wasted time (when the companies have other, more efficient ways to collect data). 

So if your phone isn’t actually listening all the time, why does it feel that way? 

Believe it or not, it’s probably because your digital footprint can tell a company what you want before you even know you want it. Your footprint is a combination of everything you’ve ever done online and can help marketers discern your interests and behaviors, as well as predict future purchases. Every moment of your online behavior is tracked and logged, and that massive wealth of information makes it easy for tech companies and marketers to extrapolate actionable insights. 

If you’re going to be worried about your phone listening in, be wary of third-party apps that may secretly collect and sell audio, video, and photos without your knowledge. A 2018 study by Northeastern Professor David Choffnes found that 9,000 of 17,000 Android apps could take screenshots of a user’s phone without explicit permission, so your privacy concerns aren’t entirely unfounded.

The Types of Data the Internet Collects

Social and search platforms collect different types of data about you as an individual:

• Personal Data: Basic information used to define you like name, age, location, and gender.
• Engagement Data: Actionable interest and interaction with brands through clicks, shares, and social media mentions. 
• Behavioral Data: Includes your search history, purchase actions, and time spent on a page.
• Attitudinal Data: This type of data is qualitative and measures satisfaction, likelihood to buy, and purchase criteria.

How Do Advertisers Use My Data?

Advertisers are using your data in a variety of ways. Of course, it helps make your experience as a consumer better. TV ads cater to what they think viewers were most interested in (i.e., toy commercials on kids’ channels, weight loss pills during reality TV show breaks, etc.), but most viewers don’t care. 

Online ads can be perfectly tailored to you, targeting specific ads to things in which you’ve shown interest. By using targeted ads, businesses are sure to increase profits because they market their products and services to the most likely buyers. 

Big data, AI and algorithms

One of the reasons online ads are so effective is that they pull from billions of user data pieces. Combined, we can learn a lot about how people shop online and even predict some of their behaviors. 

By developing machine learning and artificial intelligence software, platforms that collect user data can use algorithms to extract meaningful, actionable data points. Instagram’s algorithm, for example, boosts posts that feature seminude content because it regularly gains the most interaction from users. In theory, bikini and lingerie companies should then post photos of models wearing their products rather than showing them on hangers.  

Response From Advertisers and Tech Companies

Tech companies have been understandably hesitant to admit to selling and purchasing user data for ads. Facebook and Google have vehemently denied their analysis and use of ambient noise to send targeted ads and claim the data isn’t being stored in the first place (unless prompted by the help of a Voice-Activated Assistant). 

How to Stop My Phone From ‘Listening’

If you’d prefer to opt-out of being susceptible to unwanted recordings once and for all, change your smartphone’s privacy settings. 

How to Change Your Privacy Settings on iPhones

1. Go to Settings > Siri & Search.
2. Toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri”, Press Side Button for Siri, and Allow Siri When Locked.
3. Tap on Turn Off Siri in the pop-up.

How to Change Your Privacy Settings on Android Phones

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Google > Account Services > Search, Assistant & Voice > Voice.
3. Select Voice Match and toggle off “Hey Google”.

Protecting Your Data Privacy On A Smartphone

Don’t let yourself get fooled. These companies want you to agree to their terms before realizing they might infringe on your privacy. It’s why they make signing up with Facebook so easy – it gives the data companies access to your behavior on each account as well as your page. If you’re concerned about protecting your data, read through the permissions granted on your apps and pay special attention to those with access to your camera or microphone. 

Do yourself a favor and check what permissions you’ve given to each of your apps. Go to your phone’s Settings > Privacy > Camera/Microphone and take a look at which ones have access to your phone. If you have an Android, go to Settings > Apps > and check each specific app. 

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Artificial intelligence is finding its way into nearly every marketing strategy, from content marketing to SEO to PPC. When it comes to delivering smarter ads, AI is the golden ticket.

There are many reasons why artificial intelligence lends itself well to PPC management. From smarter bids to instantaneous campaign optimizations, let’s look at why AI is the future of PPC and some of the benefits of implementing this technology into your strategy.

PPC & AI: A Match Made in Heaven

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing PPC management, and for good reason. Today, the market is fiercely competitive and marketers are looking for more sales and more leads for less investment. AI is the smart answer.

There are a few reasons why these technologies lend themselves to each other so nicely. The first is that an AI-powered PPC tool is always on, always learning, and always reacting to market changes. Traditionally, PPC management was limited by human resources. With AI, you can limit the amount of human interaction that’s needed and instead let the data do all the work.

How do AI-Powered PPC Tools Work?

AI-powered PPC tools work by taking both the data you provide and its own ever-evolving market data to analyze it all and make strategic recommendations. It takes existing key phrases to find every competitor that is bidding and ranking on them to provide opportunities you might not have previously considered. These tools can analyze copy and content to find search terms that competitors are using and utilize them in your campaigns.

Next, an AI-powered PPC tool takes these unlimited key phrases and runs them against Google’s algorithms, including search trends and search volumes. From this information, it can take what it learns and make further suggestions. It is able to continually optimize your PPC strategy hour by hour and day by day. It can manage unlimited ads in real time without the need for manual adjustments.

Benefits of Using an AI-Powered PPC Tool

There are many benefits of using an AI-powered PPC tool. Here are a few:

Geographic Campaigns & Different Languages

If you run campaigns in different countries, an AI-powered PPC tool will make your campaign management much easier. These tools can optimize your campaigns to focus on geographical areas that need the most spend. In addition, they can translate your ads into a number of different languages quickly and effectively.

Write Ad Copy in Real Time & Test Thousands of Additional Variants

AI-powered PPC tools can also write ad copy in real time based on continuous keyword research. You can add thousands of variants to your campaigns, which is much more than a human could do. Continuously try new copy variations because the limit is endless.

Optimize Against Organic and Paid Traffic

One of the biggest struggles between organic and paid traffic is bidding on branded keywords but not wasting spend on searches you would have ranked for organically. With an AI-powered PPC tool, you can optimize against organic and paid traffic and never buy leads or sales that you would have secured organically. On the other hand, though, the tool knows when your competitors are bidding on your branded phrases and will out-bid them to secure that traffic.

Analyze Millions of Data Points

Of course, one of the main benefits of using AI for your PPC strategy is the amount of data you’re able to analyze. With the right tool, you have access to millions of data points to see what’s working and what’s not so you can realign your strategy as needed.

Realign Your PPC Strategy With Your Objectives

Speaking of realigning your strategy, your AI tool can do that, too! If your needs and objectives change, your campaign can change with them. Make faster real-time decisions. These tools can respond to the market, discover new key phrases, and adjust your bidding strategy.

More Accurate ROAS

For every dollar of ad spend, an artificial intelligence PPC tool can measure the return and make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck. This means more efficient bidding.

To summarize, AI-powered PPC management has the following benefits, plus many more:

• Better media efficiencies
• Higher quality leads
• Greater volume of data
• Front end margin
• Lower cost per sale
• Lower cost per lead

Examples of AI-Powered PPC

All these benefits are great, but the numbers speak for themselves. Here are two examples of artificial intelligence hard at work:

ADT

After implementing an AI-driven PPC method, ADT witnessed the following results:

• +522% impressions
• +52% clicks
• -31% CPC
• +76% leads
• -40% CPL
• +2653% campaign adjustments

Ebuyer

Ebuyer also experienced amazing results when they implemented an AI-driven PPC approach. Here are some of the statistics:

• +11% clicks
• -35% CPC
• +16% sales
• +43% revenue
• -51% cost per sale

The Bottom Line

Smart marketers are inclined towards AI-driven PPC. It is developed for automated and smarter bidding, efficient performance analysis, better ad creation, superior audience management, and price optimization, among many other benefits. Artificial intelligence is everywhere, so why not take advantage of it for your PPC strategy?

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