Ad impressions, banner ads, conversion rates, bounce rates… all of these technical terms can be enough to scare anyone away and stop them from taking a chance and exploring the many benefits that digital marketing has to offer their brand. Luckily, you have Decimal on your side to help simplify these terms and make the process of transitioning into this new world as smooth as possible.


AD IMPRESSION: This is a specific metric which details the number of times that a digital ad has been served / displayed (not necessarily seen or clicked on).


AD CLICK: This refers to the process where, upon seeing an ad, a user clicks on it and is redirected to the company’s chosen landing page.


LANDING PAGE: A particular web-page chosen as the destination for a particular ad.


CLICK-THROUGH-RATE (CTR): This is calculated by comparing the number of ad impressions with the number of times that users who were served an ad actually clicked on it. The higher your click-through-rate, the more effective your ad.


BOUNCE RATE: The bounce rate refers to the number of visitors to your website who visited only one page on the website, did not interact with it, and then left the site. It gives a good indication as to whether or not the design / content of your website is making the right impression and leading to visitors taking action or engaging in some way.


CONVERSION: A customer makes a conversion when he / she actually does what the call-to-action suggests.


CALL-TO-ACTION: A call-to-action seeks to convince a website visitor to do something in particular - make a purchase, sign up to receive a newsletter, vote in a poll, enter a competition etc.


REACH: The number of people who are exposed to your ads, brand and message.


FREQUENCY: The number of times a specific ad is served to the same person.


FREQUENCY CAPPING: The ability to limit the number of times a specific ad is served to the same person within a certain space of time.


ABOVE-THE-FOLD: This refers to all of the content that a visitor will see before he / she has to scroll down. Needless to say, the most important pieces of information should always appear above-the-fold to increase the chances of the visitor taking note of them.


REMARKETING: An effective tactic of serving ads to people who have previously visited your website and who have shown an interest in a particular product / service.


For more information about embracing the digital realm, be sure to get in touch with Decimal Agency.

Google Analytics is a helpful tool for all digital marketers, providing interesting insight and accurate figures in relation to all of one’s online efforts and campaigns. Here are five benefits that you can expect to enjoy when utilising this handy service.

It’s Free

The best thing about Google Analytics is the fact that it is completely free to use, providing you with helpful, advanced insight into your online efforts.

User-friendly Layout

The Google Analytics interface is split into four different sections for your convenience, namely:

Audience
Acquisition
Behaviour
Conversions

This makes it easy for you to find and track the information that you need the most.

Simple Customisation


Customising Google Analytics is incredibly easy. You have the ability to customise your reports, notifications, dashboard, tracking techniques, short-cuts and more.

Handy Add-ons

While Google Analytics is rather impressive all on its own, you also have the opportunity to make use of additional add-ons. These add-ons include, but are not limited to, Tag Assistant, Confidence Checker and Annotations Manager.

Enhanced Insight

Not only can you keep track of who is visiting your website and when, but you can also keep an eye on the particular pages and links which are drawing the most attention and making the greatest impact on your visitors. This knowledge will make it simple to detect what’s working and what’s not… thus assisting you in making important decisions regarding your future digital marketing efforts.

For more information on how Google Analytics can benefit your brand, be sure to contact the team at Decimal Agency.

The world of marketing is fast-paced, demanding and very rarely clear-cut. It requires an endless stream of creativity and the courage to put new, experimental approaches into practice. Here are some inspirational quotes to keep you and your team motivated to continue doing what you do best.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker

“Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better than we found them, more able to get where they’d like to go.” – Seth Godin


“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Great Execution is the Ultimate Differentiator." - Margaret Molloy

“If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling. It’s a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger.” – Jay Baer

“Your culture is your brand.” - Tony Hsieh

"Inspiration is difficult to measure, but the results driven by that inspiration are powerful." - Scott Harrison

“Social media is about the people. Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you.” – Matt Goulart


“Engage rather than sell ... work as a co-creator, not a marketer.” - Tom H.C. Anderson

“Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.” - Andrew Davis

“Content is the atomic particle of all digital marketing.” – Rebecca Lieb

“You can never go wrong by investing in communities and the human beings within them.” - Pam Moore

"The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing." Tom Fishburne

"Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points." – Jonah Sachs


“Never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

"Marketing's job is never done. It's about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day." – Beth Comstock

"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." - Steve Jobs

“Strong customer relationships drive sales, sustainability, and growth.” - Tom Cates

“Find your spirit, and no challenge will keep you from achieving your goals.” - Christopher Penn

"Give them quality. That's the best kind of advertising." - Milton Hershey

The main aim of print advertising is to grab the reader’s attention the moment that he / she lays eyes on your ad, or risk everyone simply paging past your efforts. Here are some tips to help ensure that your ad makes an immediate impression and that the readers are able to connect with, and relate to, your artwork and brand message.

Design Elements


Originality: Ensure that the artwork you use is original, eye-catching and, most importantly, relevant to your brand and the particular message that you wish to communicate.

Negative Space: A cluttered ad is never going to make an impact. Readers will feel overwhelmed when they see it and will be more likely to skip past it entirely. Embrace the power of negative space, and use it to your advantage to draw attention to the other aspects of the ad that matter most.

Clear Font: Ensure that your font, for both your headline and text body, is easy to read at first glance, thus getting your brand message across immediately.

Text Elements 


Headline: A witty, impactful headline is the heart of your print advertisement, as it is what will compel people to read more and engage further.

Short, Concise Copy: While you might think that a copy-heavy ad which includes all ‘relevant’ details is the best way to go, it really isn’t. On the contrary, the less text that appears, the better.

Clear Call to Action: Make sure that your ad’s call to action is big and bold, inspiring the reader to act.

If you would like more information on perfecting the art of the print ad, do not hesitate to get in touch with the team at Decimal Agency.

Quality content is the key to success within the digital realm - and what better way in which to provide your clients, and potential clients, with high quality content than by starting a company blog? Here are some tips that are sure to assist you in making a success of this new venture, and in fully embracing the hype that is content marketing.

Post Consistently 


The aim is to keep your readers engaged, so regular, consistent posting is essential. Make use of Google Analytics to discover on which days people visit and read your blog the most. With this knowledge in mind, you can create a schedule for yourself and ensure the highest possible number of reads and levels of engagement as a result.

Promote All New Blog Posts on Social Media 


What’s the point of writing amazing content if nobody is aware of its existence? Make use of the tools available to you and promote all of your new blog posts on your company’s social media platforms. Encourage your staff members to share them on their personal pages as well, and should you receive any likes, questions or comments, be sure to respond timeously.

Ensure a Healthy Balance between Text and Visual Elements 


No matter how incredible your blog may be, people are often put off when they see copious amounts of text on the page. Knowing this, you can reduce your bounce rate by creating a healthy balance between text and visual elements, like images, infographics and videos. This will assist in maintaining the reader’s attention and increasing their chances of actively engaging with your posts.

Keep an Eye on Your Competitors’ Efforts


While we’re certainly not suggesting stealing any of your competitors’ ideas, a comprehensive competitor analysis is sure to provide you with some insight into what’s working and what isn’t. It might even spark a few ideas in terms of new approaches to try.

For more information about blogging, or for professional content creation, be sure to get in touch with Decimal Agency.

Without a solid digital strategy in place, your brand will be missing out on a world of opportunity - and the potential to land countless new clients. For those who have attempted to embrace the World Wide Web, but with little to show for it, here are three reasons as to why your digital strategy isn’t quite cutting it.

Reason #1: You Have Neglected to Use Social Media to Your Advantage 


What is the point of putting in all of that effort if you don’t promote it on social media? Considering the fact that all of your clients and potential clients spend a large portion of their time on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, you should be doing the same. Create profiles / pages for your business, link them back to your website and post relevant articles, links to blogs, questions and polls. The goal is to drive interaction and engagement. Remember, a small boost in the form of paid advertising also couldn’t hurt when it comes to extending your reach and building your following.

Reason #2: You Haven’t Done Enough Target Market Research


It is easy to establish who your target market is in terms of demographics. However, knowing that these people want to buy your product / service simply isn’t enough - you need to understand the reasons why they want or need to buy your product / service. Understanding these reasons will make it easier to produce content and create campaigns that your target market will be able to relate to on a much deeper level, thus increasing the chances of them engaging with your brand and actually taking the steps necessary in order to make a conversion… if not now, then sometime in the near future.

Reason #3: Your Staff Members Simply Aren’t Aligned


Is your sales department promoting the same thing as that of your digital campaign? Is your marketing department’s marketing strategy in line with your digital strategy? If not, the results of your efforts are sure to be far less profitable. Chat to your staff about the company’s goals and main areas of focus and ensure that everyone is on the same page before proceeding with your digital efforts. Ultimately, coming together as a unified team is essential for company growth and long-term success.

Do you have any questions? Perhaps you are looking for assistance in creating a fool-proof digital strategy for your brand? If so, be sure to get in touch with Decimal Agency.

Our MD, Raffaele McCreadie, recently did an interview for Financial Mail - 'Finding the Opportunity' - providing insight into how Decimal adores its clients, how the team always comes together to do deliver more than promised, and how the agency has managed to achieve great success despite the industry's current operating climate. You can check it out here: http://www.financialmail.co.za/redzone/2016/09/15/finding-the-opportunity

A comprehensive social media marketing plan of action is the heart of any successful digital marketing strategy. However, the world of social media can be quite a complex one, with many obstacles that might hinder one’s progress along the way. Knowing this, we have put together five helpful social media marketing hacks that are guaranteed to make your life easier - and boost the success of your campaign.

Social Media Marketing Hack #1


One of the most time-consuming aspects of social media is that of community management. How do you keep spam and rude trollers under control on your company’s Facebook page? By adjusting your page moderation settings, that’s how! Did you know that you have the power to block comments and visitor posts that contain specific words? Simply enter the words that you wish to be blocked from your page, separate them by commas and click ‘save’. Once you have done this, any posts or comments that contain these words will be automatically blocked from appearing on the page - to you and the rest of your followers.

Social Media Marketing Hack #2


Before, Hootsuite was used predominantly for scheduling posts for Facebook, Twitter and Google +. However, what many marketers don’t know is that the handy programme now allows for Instagram post scheduling, too. Make use of this helpful feature to save time and ensure smooth-sailing on all of your company profiles.

Social Media Marketing Hack #3


Use hashtags - but in the right places. Twitter and Instagram are the ideal social media portals on which to put strategic hashtags to good use. However, contrary to popular belief, hashtags aren’t always welcome on Facebook. Studies have shown that the presence of too many hashtags on Facebook can actually do more harm than good - often annoying your followers and causing them to scroll past your post without a second glance.

Social Media Marketing Hack #4


In order to track your progress and increase the levels of engagement on your company’s social profiles, do some research on the tools that are currently available to assist you in this regard. The great news is that many of them are free and are certain to give you the upper hand over your competitors. We recommend looking into Sprinklr (customer experience management) and Buffer (for easy sharing and page management).

Social Media Marketing Hack #5


Don’t forget about YouTube! Considering the fact that videos are the second most popular type of online content consumed around the world, it would be crazy not to use them to your advantage. Create your own videos - whether they are product demonstrations, interviews with your staff members, or even your already-existing ads - and draw attention to them with the help of your other social profiles. The key to ensuring success in this regard is creating videos that either inform or educate, or that people can relate to on an emotional level.

For assistance with your social media efforts or community management, be sure to get in touch with Decimal Agency.

If your aim is to optimise your e-commerce site, or any website in general, there are a few Wordpress plugins that can help to make your life easier. Below, we suggest five Wordpress plugins that every e-commerce site needs.

Wordpress SEO by Yoast



This plugin will make it simple for you to see to it that your site remains in Google’s good books. It provides you with guidelines, ensuring that your website complies with SEO best practice, thus increasing your chances of improving your rankings as a result. The best news is that it’s also completely FREE.

Download it here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-seo/

Social Coupon for Wordpress



Want to maintain your already-existing customers and draw in a few new ones? Then the Social Coupon for Wordpress plugin is ideal. The plugin makes it possible for you to reward your customers with tailored coupons and discounts when they share your products on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. It’s also really affordable, costing just $23 for a regular license.

Download it here: http://www.wpexplorer.com/out/social-coupon-plugin

Product Countdown Wordpress Plugin



Launching a new, exciting product? Generate hype with the help of the Product Countdown Wordpress Plugin. Customise it with the official release date and time of said product and watch as it counts down… ah, the suspense!

Another benefit of this particular plugin is the fact that you can also use it to generate a sense of urgency in your potential clients by programming the countdown timer to count down how much longer a specific, ‘limited edition’ product will be available. In other words, act fast or miss out! Get it now for just $16.

Download it here: https://codecanyon.net/item/product-countdown-wordpress-plugin/4929462?ref=WPExplorer

Yotpo Reviews for Wordpress



There is nothing quite like a good review to encourage a potential customer to go ahead and make a conversion. This is where Yotpo Reviews for Wordpress comes in. The plugin makes it possible for you to generate customer content in the form of reviews, Q&As etc. thus boosting your brand’s trustworthiness and reputation.
Other benefits include full social integration and the ability to make product recommendations to those most likely to buy.

Download it here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/yotpo-social-reviews-for-wp-e-commerce/

If you would like further assistance in terms of improving your e-commerce site, be sure to get in touch with Decimal Agency.

Here at Decimal Agency, we work incredibly hard – but we’re also a very close-knit team that loves to have a bit of fun – after all, it certainly helps to get those creative juices flowing… hence the creation of our office #FashionFridays. Every week we all dress up according to a specific theme, and the person who wins ‘best dressed’, as voted by the team, gets to pick the theme for the following week. Below, we take a look at Decimal’s #FashionFridays of August. Enjoy!

Week 1: Sporty / Gym-Wear



Along with some super stylish athleisure outfits, there was also plenty of energy in the office on this particular #FashionFriday. Despite everyone’s best efforts, it was Ryan who took the gold and walked away victorious.

Week 2: Pyjamas



Life in the office had never been so cosy! It’s safe to say that this was a #FashionFriday that everyone enjoyed. In terms of the winner, it’s pretty obvious – Rafa, hands down! Just look at that koala bear onesie!

Week 3: Rappers



Check out those gangsta vibes. However, nobody could quite live up to Jarred’s interpretation of Mzekezeke.

Week 4: Nerds



Taking our inspiration from The Big Bang Theory, the majority of the office embraced this theme and pulled it off rather effortlessly. Ultimately, Dom was the winner… those glasses, that tie… Perfection!

Stay tuned for more updates about our fabulous #FashionFridays. Who knows what we’ll wear next?

Pokémon Go is by far the biggest craze to hit South Africa since hover-boards and Netflix, despite the fact that it has yet to be officially released in our country. Even if you aren’t playing the game yourself, we bet that you know all about it – and so do local businesses, big and small.

When it comes to crazes, it makes sense for businesses to capitalise on them wherever and whenever they possibly can, and it is certainly no different when it comes to Pokémon Go. Below, we take a look at some of the clever marketing strategies and tactics that particular establishments have put into place in an effort to make the most of the opportunities provided by the app.

Steers

Steers turned to the Pokémon Go craze with the objective of raising awareness about the franchise’s Blazing Onion Combo. Along with this, the establishment has also been setting up lures all over the country, often leading to great success and better turnover.



Beerhouse

Beerhouse capitalised on the fad, drawing patrons in with the promise of free drinks if they were to sing the theme song or catch a Pokemon within their establishment.



Crocworld

While this might be attributed more to luck than to strategy, Croc World has also been reaping the many benefits associated with the game. Staff members at the long-standing centre were wondering what was responsible for the increase in the number of visits over the last couple of weeks, when they eventually discovered that the centre is actually home to five Poké stops, as well as a Poké gym.
“We were extremely surprised to notice that we were getting a lot of people coming to Crocworld because of Pokémon Go. We had people visiting from Durban, Merebank, Margate, Pietermaritzburg and even a father and son stopped in on their way to Johannesburg. These are people who wouldn’t necessarily have visited the centre without the Pokémon attraction,” said Martin Rodrigues, the centre manager.

Charities 

Did you know that it is now possible to play Pokémon Go for charity – animal shelters and rescue groups, in particular? While this feature is not yet available in SA, it hasn’t stopped local charities from making the most of the craze. Recently in Port Elizabeth, meet-ups have been paired with aid drives for local animal charities, all in the name of Pokémon Go.

What Can We Take from This? 

The last couple of years, the trend was to spend hours indoors either playing video games, surfing the net or watching TV. Either way, there was very little encouraging people to actually get out and do stuff. Enter Pokémon Go.

The app has led to people of all ages exploring new places that they have never been before and, as a result, encouraging others to visit these places too. Ultimately, it seems as though the popular game is doing wonders for local tourism and businesses of all types and sizes.

Do you own a business? It might be time to get creative and cash in on this fad yourself… Do it right – get in touch with Decimal Agency for advice and a fool-proof strategy for success.

As they say, “go big, or go home”… and, let’s face it, you don’t get much bigger than billboard advertising, do you? Below, we discuss the four main reasons as to why, should budget allow, billboard advertising should be a part of your overall marketing strategy; and how it will assist you in maximising your reach, creating brand awareness and establishing a favourable reputation amongst those who matter most – your potential clients.

A Constant Reminder

When opting to take advantage of billboard advertising, you are usually required to take out a contract (generally spanning between 3 and 12 months) that solidifies your billboard ad’s position for a specific period of time. This provides you with the opportunity to ensure that you always remain top of mind. Considering the fact that most people travel the same route every day, the opportunity to maximise on brand awareness is massive – and well worth the cost of erecting the billboard ad in the first place.

Immediate Respect



Seeing as though smaller businesses often cannot afford to invest in billboard advertising, the immediate subconscious response that someone has when he or she sees a billboard ad for the first time is that the company in question is successful, profitable and reputable. As a result, the ad will generate immediate respect for your brand, regardless of whether the viewer has ever heard of it before or not.

Simple Targeting

It is easy to target specific people, especially in terms of location, when it comes to billboard advertising. This means that you attain great value for money as you are able to ensure that your message reaches those who are most likely to make a conversion further down the line.

Attention-Grabbing

When compared to other forms of advertising, such as magazine advertising where a person can simply flip past your ad without a second thought, billboards are pretty much unavoidable. Therefore, if it’s attention that you want, billboard advertising is where to get it.

Ultimately, while it can be an expensive exercise, billboard advertising is a wonderful way in which to boost your brand from all angles.

As Bill Bernbach once said, “Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make”. What better way to make an impression than with an extraordinary feast for the eyes? With a snapshot look into your brand, its quirks and its value? With a gorgeous, larger-than-life billboard ad?

If nothing else, every marketer knows that the key to ensuring the success of a campaign is to understand one’s target audience inside out. Below, we highlight a few suggestions for mastering the art of marketing to Millennials – the incredibly diverse, vibrant generation of people born between the years of 1977 and 2000.

Nostalgia



The main reason why nostalgia marketing has proven to be so successful in recent times is due to the fact that it elicits emotions within the target audience by tapping into memories and encouraging the development of a sense of familiarity. As content marketing has demonstrated, this is the best, easiest and most effective way in which to connect with an audience – and it is also, arguably, the most successful approach used by both local and international brands, big and small.

If you have yet to hear about or get in on the action regarding the Pokemon trend revival, thanks to the Pokemon Go app, then you have been living under a rock. This is just one good example demonstrating that one of the best ways in which to market to millennials, and actually connect with them, is through nostalgia.

Keep it Personal



Nostalgia marketing works so well because every single person who connects with the content/ad/video feels as though the content/ad/video etc. was created especially for them. This is the real secret to marketing to millennials. Along with personalised visual and copy elements when it comes to marketing material, consistent and regular interaction with one’s target audience is also incredibly important. Whether this is in the form of replying to comments via social media, asking for followers’ opinions on already-existing products (as well as on possible future product creations), chatting to website visitors who are looking for assistance via live chat, or sending out personalised emails, that special touch is always the most successful secret ingredient.

It’s All about Substance



Traditional marketing methods that focus predominantly on creating brand awareness through punting products or providing information about them are all well and good, and are still considered a valuable aspect of any marketing strategy. However, what is really going to make an impact on Millennials, in particular, are inbound marketing efforts that provide the reader with real substance and useful information that does not necessarily speak about the brand or the product itself. Blogs, e-books and interactive infographics are all excellent examples of this.

In short, if you are to market to millennials, and succeed in doing so, you will need to start looking at each member of your target audience as an individualistic human being with needs, wants, preferences, expectations and personality; as opposed to a generic entity that is going to invest in your products or business as long as you bombard them with everything to do with your brand.

It really is as simple as that.