Speaking at Engage Conference in March 2019, Jose Cebrian, Senior Vice President of Digital Messaging for Merkle  reports U.S. email users reached 255 million in 2019. 91% of internet users use it, and 76% of the overall population is on board with email. And, no surprise, once it becomes a part of our working lives, we become addicted to it.

• 90% check email compulsively
• 76% take a look every morning
• 56% can’t resist a peek right before sleeping.

Email is consumed across all age groups.  Multiple daily users increase from ages 13-18 and remain consistently high from age 33 onward. Email, your blessing and your curse, remains one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

25% of email users take action after receiving a promotional email

Marketers never lost faith in the power of email as new technology arrived. 88% use it to engage customers, and most in-house marketers say email’s ROI is ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.

The proliferation of email optimization tools takes the tedium out of email tasks and offers highly granular data on email marketing results. Imagined constraints of the format (such as mobile open rates and limited scripting and tagging) are not hurdles to success.

According to Cebrian, there is lots to be excited about as better tools evolve. Companies like What Counts, Taxi for Email, Bluecore and Movable Ink are bringing creative solutions and vivid presentations to the old-fashioned email workhorse. The results are much better personalization, greater dynamism of content and improved ROI.

Happening now:

• Interactive email
• Hyper personalization (your name appears on a photo of a beach umbrella in your email!)
• Powerful integration with local data (we see it’s snowing where you are so how about this down jacket?)
• Personalization to your location, map activations for directions
• Notifications with specific relevance to your existing services
• Animation to make headlines and products pop in email
• Countdown timers for special offers
• Digital “Scratch off” offer reveals
• Interactive elements that react on hovers
• Video tutorials – yes!

Email marketing pros are as important to the business model as SEO experts

As “people based marketing” becomes more complex, with customer touch points offered in so many ways, email is still a fierce targeting tool. 29% of email marketers target or retarget subscribers in online advertising, and 27% target customers based on website behavior. That’s why we are all getting so many emails! “Zero In Box” is a myth.

“Email sits at the intersection of scale, control, addressability and speed,” notes Cebrian. “It rates high for speed to market and addressability.”

Sign us up!

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The inquiring mind of Matt Van Wagner would like to know. And he wants you to know too. “Turn your competitive intelligence into a corporate asset,” says Wagner. “Find out what they did in the past, are doing currently – and plan to do.”

Competitors will always be with us, and that’s aggravating, but they do leave breadcrumbs in the form of easily discovered public information. Your competitors’ websites can speak loudly about intentions in posted news articles, new hire information and blog posts.

If you are willing to pay a few bucks to track competitor data, consider Versionista – a service that spiders competitor websites all the time, and shows change history. This is a monthly subscription model. Domaintools tracks domain registrations, including defensive domain names or “threat” intelligence, reverse “Whois” reports and CEO earnings calls. This service tracks when significant changes happen, such as acquisition of social media handles. Similarweb benchmarks competitors and industry trends.

Spyfu is a good source of competitive data, Adbeat tracks media spends. Crayon gathers 100+ competitors and crunches the numbers so you can get some rest.

Conferences are great places to gather intelligence, as are collaborative work spaces. Good old manual labor is also a typical method to track competitors – get in there and dig!

Follow Matt Van Wagner @mvanwagner

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Pay attention to your queries

“Get as granular as you can with your keywords,” Morgan advises.” “Be thoughtful and strategic. Master your cloning skills – use identical sub-structures to help identify best performers. Maintain watchfulness with negative keywords.”

Key take-ways

• Gather enough data to make good choices
• Test automated bidding – common errors are oversaturation of specific keywords, to the detriment of other high value keywords
• Analyze impression share and average position, then walk bids down over time
• Partner networks often don’t perform well
• A robust page testing plan for conversions is a must for improving conversions
• Invest in decent video – it’s one of the most captivating and converting platforms available, and video costs are coming down

Michelle Morgan, Director of Client Services at Clix Marketing

Poor engagement is a bummer. Why not exclude your careers page, quick bouncers and people who opened but did not submit a form? Save your budget and your time by eliminating them from your ad targeting. Another good tip Morgan mentioned is excluding unwanted targets from LinkedIn advertising buys. Targeting mid-size and enterprise CEOs? Exclude “self employed” from your target list.

Audience Shaping
Retargeting is increasing, and opportunities to create a funnel for optimizing these efforts can be improved by creating 30, 60 and 90-day users. Tailor your ad groups separately with ad messaging, bids, placements, calls to action and everything else.

Layer your audience in order of importance and exclude down the hierarchy. Pick your key audiences and isolate them to avoid waste.

Follow Michelle at @michellemsem

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Matt Umbro of Hanapin Marketing launched his presentation with an overview of search history. Wow, 2007 was so long ago! There were no ad extensions, no image search results in text searches, and the SERPS looked like yucky spam. In 2009, Google released ad extensions for locations, and sitelinks. The algorithms quaint. In 2011, extended headlines came on the scene, resembling organic results. The march was on as mobile became a force in 2010, “The Year of Mobile.”
In 2016, Google removed paid ads on the right rail, and showed 4 ads above organic, and 3 ads below. Product listings were still shown on the right side, but paid listings on the right became fully extinct.

Rule or be ruled – Google Adwords and Bing Ads No-Brainers

• Rule #1: Use all ad extensions available
• Rule #2 – Start with double headlines, make sure the rest of your ad compliments the text, remember you have 30 characters to burn in your double headlines.
• Rule #3 – Use countdown customizers –  Like “Offer ends in 3 days!”
• Rule #4 – Make your headlines stand out! Numbers in headlines are compelling – 70% off – $49 Shipping Fee!
• Rule #5 – Write relevant headlines, don’t obsess!
  Rule #6 – Use your call outs, sitelinks and extensions strategically

Umbro offered a quick rundown of key ad elements:

What are call outs? They are “aha” moments – like “loyalty discounts” or “30 Years Experience.” Sitelinks, being clickable, are the “Kings of ad extensions, delivering 78% of conversions. Structured snippets are”let me see a list” moments, always include two in each ad – this gives more information and adds to the stories. You might say, “10 location” or “Free parking” to give simple but important information.

Call extensions should include business hour, and price extensions shouldn’t always start at the lowest price, which can leave consumers with that awful  “bait and switch” feeling.
Promotion extensions are an easy win, and call and location extensions are pivotal for local businesses,

Follow Matt at @Matt_Umbro

Susan Wenograd

…. speaks as quickly as Facebook changes their algorithms. The fire hose can be tamed with a trip to susanwenograd.com for a romp through her blog. For those of you doing high-level, fast paced Facebook campaigns for e-commerce clients and enterprise companies, you are in the right place. Some highlights of today’s presentation:

• Make a list of your client/business assets that can be used for creative messages. Think beyond webinars, please. Consider how-tos, carousels, slide shows and video.
• Static images are cheap, but get decent conversions
• News you can use: slideshows don’t perform
• Carousels get great results and high interaction – but testing is critical
• Canvas ads are expensive and challenging for resultsFacebook ads are not just about what you sell – your goal is a “relevance score” (measured from 1-20) iwhich is determined by social interaction and click thru rate. The higher your relevance score, the lower your CPM. Bingo!What’s coming up? A change in WHERE your ad runs on Facebook.  As Facebook tweaks their platform to return to a more personal experience, The newsfeed is pretty full of ads.  They are now looking to Facebook messenger and the huge potential offering by immediacy. Facebook messanger is available now for advertisers.  Another trend is the rise of automated selling and chatbox.  Visit shopspring.com to see this in action.  Another emerging option is Facebook Marketplace where CPMs are inexpensive and are worth the investment.Follow Susan at @SusanEDub

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Marty Weintraub, founder of Aimclear,  is always provocative, ever-engaging and reliably on top of the hottest data. Want to know what the bots are up to? Marty can tell you some whoppers. Why should you avoid targeting consumers who deal primarily in cash? (hint: criminals). Also –  exclude cheapskates from audience targeting – those folks who score for searches on “free stuff.” There’s probably not much value there.

In a flurry of a deck Weintraub spun conference slides into gold with a gazillion insights, inside tips and Facebook jaw droppers. “Every generation of Facebook users will have someone who can hack the S**T out of it.”

Follow Marty at @martyweintraub

Marty writes a must-read column in Inc. Magazine

Dominate Facebook with the Five-Finger Death Punch

Will Scott, CEO and Co-Founder at Search Influence  started building websites, and became comfortable with search from the start (we’re talking a while ago).. So what’s his opening idea? Ask questions of your customer’s customers.

Lookalike audiences

Use data to predict behaviors. Imagine trying to fill retirement homes with residents. Can you really target those residents? Maybe not. But you can target their adult children. Trying to reach couples with upcoming anniversaries? Wait until 30 days prior to the date to reach men (we get that). Seeking intenders? These are future purchasers ready to push the button on a new purchase. Look to “lookalike” audiences to clone their attributes and apply those audiences to the Facebook customer files. This will build larger target markets.

Ditch the pitch

Scott notes If you have killer content, small investments can drive viral engagement for very low cost. Consider promotion of a sponsored article via non-branded “interest” pages. The means may not be transparent, but results can override the methods. Consumers glean valuable information, and don’t believe they are experiencing advertising. Use this force for good, Luke.

Utilize top level data

Capture data from readily accessible sources like Zillow and United Van Lines. Re-use content from Reddit, and re-purpose it to meet your needs.

Use all of the turkey

Avoid throwing all your search marketing effort your pour into cooking one marketing turkey, and turn it into tasty leftovers in infographics, post media mentions, presentations, detailed blog posts and well-written site pages. Leftovers always taste better the next day, right?

Make the best of Facebook’s tools

Use the rich tools within Facebook to customize your messaging. “Whatever Facebook’s super into, they make it ridiculously cheap. They want video now.”

Follow Will Scott at @w2Scott

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Theresa Baiocco-Farr  of Conversion Max and Mona Elesseily from Point Zero Media are here to tell us we need to step up our CRO games. The days of chasing every Google algorithm change and focusing squarely on SEO for conversions are long gone. Firing on all CRO  cylinders is critical – and process is king.

For example, noted Elesseily, “Mobile landing pages often lag because they load too slowly. At 1-3 seconds, the probability of a bounce is 32%. For every additional 7% decrease in conversion, mobile sites decrease 7% in conversions.” The point? Your SEO won’t save you if your site loads glacially slow (more than 4 seconds). Mona pointed out a number of touch points for good CRO, including liberal use of images, accelerated mobile (AMP) pages, savvy video techniques including reviews, and thoughtful placement of buttons on CTA (call to action) pages. Credibility indicators (certifications, endorsements, etc) can be compelling as well.

Analysis tools mentioned were Test My Site, a free Google tool, and Hyllo – a predictive ROI measurement platform. AB testing is a must-do for for paid search, and ad extensions are highly recommended for better conversions.

Baiocco-Farr got down to brass tacks on CRO and takes no prisoners. It’s really about math. Traffic multiplied by your conversion rate, multiplied by the value of a conversion, equals revenue. Your SEO and social channels drive traffic, but you must keep your CRO engine tuned. Strive to understand you site’s visitors first. Stop thinking about “traffic”. There’s a person out there with a problem – explain how YOU are the solution.

The next step: Gather qualitative and quantitative data for winning tests. These means look at everything. What’s working? What’s not working? Examine the entire site’s ecosystem. Explore every nook and cranny. You’ll be amazed at what you find. Fix it.

Finally, use test results to evolve your site. ESR (Evolutionary Site Design) is essential for sustaining CRO. While many companies “go dark” every three years to focus on total site re-designs, their competitors calmly and resolutely eat their lunch. Avoid going hungry – evolve in place.

Tools mentioned included User Testing – a platform for unlocking customer insights, and Usability Hub – a tool for making confident web design decisions by measuring first impressions.

Pay attention to the smallest details. Even routine online forms can cost you conversions if not well executed. Many consumers prefer to express their needs prior to releasing personal details. Structure your forms accordingly after conducting stringent AB tests.

Learning to use data astutely is non-negotiable for successful CRO. It’s not easy, but it works brilliantly. Let’s do this.

Follow @TheresaBaiocco and @webmona for ongoing pointers on winning at CRO.

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Matthew Garder oversees customer experience for the Portland Trailblazers  and the Rose Quarter. He opened the Conference Keynote with a startling statistic: 70% of engagement with his brands takes place on mobile devices.

“That presents a challenge,” says Garder. “We are extremely top-heavy with  season ticket holders over 50. It is extremely important for us to engage with our younger audience. We work on the digital side to ensure our fans have the easiest possible access to purchasing a ticket for the game. The fan experience across the entire journey is key. Listening to our fans is also key.”

Matthew’s team conducted surveys across a broad spectrum of current and potential fans to gain insights about how people conceived of the Rip City brand. “We learned we are part of the culture of our city, said Garder. “We also looked at our brand through the regional lens – and found a large urban/rural cultural divide in people and perceptions.”

Garder says, “A trail blazer is an innovator and someone who makes a new path. We learned from our brand audit we should make sure we are authentic, unique, energetic and approachable.

In the interest of being true to those guidelines, the Rip City brand gained a boost when they turned the food culture at the Rose Garden Arena upside down. Bunk Sandwiches, Laurelwood Bar and Sizzle Pie (all local) replaced typical hot dog vendors. The Rip City Tattoo Parlor in the “Kid City” on the 300 level offers fun temporary tattoos to kid fans. The merchandise area was reset to become the Rip City Clothing Company – a brand within a brand, with, of course, fake bricks for a “vintage feel” in the store space. Road shows to cities such as Tillamook engage Oregon kids and families outside of Portland area.

“We’re trying to show that Rip City is our brand. At the end of the day, it’s about story telling. Emotional response will capture twice the engagement of a rational response. Harnessing emotion is what it’s all about,” Garder explained.

The February All Star game presents a challenge for the Rip City brand. SEO drops, no games are happening locally. Garder’s team created “Media Day” for this time frame and had some great returns. Portlandia stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein were featured in a video with Blazer player Evan Turner, The intent was to fill content in the social space, which generated increased ad revenue.

With 41 home games, it’s essential for the Trail Blazers to change up the look and feel of the social platforms. Instagram is simple, airy and designed to drive single ticket sales. Vintage videos on Evan Turner. Facebook inspire lots of memories, improve ticket sales and help make the brand more approachable.. “If you can get people to comment in the right way about your brand, that takes engagement to the next level, Garder said.

Facebook ads drove a 21% return on investment for ticket sales – performing better than any other channel. “We play offense in the social space, and defense in the search space. We use search as a powerful customer experience. On January 10, 2017 we got 14 inches of snow in Portland. The NBA told us we had to play the game scheduled for the following day. We were able to exchange tickets with our fans who bought tickets through us, but fans purchasing through StubHub were not able to make that deal.. We compete against some ticket sellers, so appearing first in paid search is a key factor in building loyalty and ticket sales.”

“The “set it and forget it” approach is an atrocity in search,” Garder warns. . He recommends checking all your social channels daily, as well as the brands of your competitors. “We measure every aspect of customer experience.We conduct post-game customer surveys within 24 hours of every game. We use free tickets as an incentive.”

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