By Dominique Singer

What is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is software that handles routine marketing tasks without the need for human action. We see marketing automation come up daily without even realizing it. More common ones you may recognize are email marketing, behavioral targeting, lead prioritization, and personalized advertising. Survey emails are also an example of interactive automation that provide feedback on products, services, and other updates.

So Why is Marketing Automation Important?
Automation puts more work on a software versus employees, so it allows businesses to enjoy the benefits of marketing without having to dedicate large amounts of time and resources. Essentially, automation makes the process of improving sales from marketing that much easier as well.

Automation means that businesses can enjoy the benefits of marketing without having to dedicate an inordinate amount of time and resources. By automating their marketing efforts, businesses are able to save money, time, and effort while also improving their conversions by getting more relevant traffic for less money.

If we dive deep into the specifics of marketing automation, there are many different types. Common ones include B2B marketing automation, B2C marketing automation, Small business marketing automation, and Mobile marketing automation. Each of these is suited to the specific marketing and sales needs of a given market segment. These platforms are available from many vendors, at various prices and feature sets to fit your company's needs.

Business-to-business, otherwise known as B2B, has traditionally been recognized as the “home” to marketing automation. This is because B2B prospects and customers form a small target group which is usually engaged in a multistage procurement process and part of an ongoing relationship of repeat business. Being relationship-driven, product education and awareness building is a vital part to this automation process.

Moving on, business marketing to consumers, otherwise known as B2C automation is about convincing potential buyers in a much shorter time frame. This marketing also tracks potential consumer behavior to determine messaging and advertising strategies which is a big component, similarly with B2B.

Continuing into more kinds of marketing automation, it is truly meant for all company sizes not just for Fortune 500 companies. Automation can be very beneficial for small businesses bny handling small tasks that they do not have the resources to tackle. New softwares for small businesses allows them to have the ability to grow without blowing their entire budget.

Lastly, mobile marketing automation takes the capabilities of traditional marketing and applies them to mobile devices. Examples of this include personalized, real-time messaging, analytics, and integration with apps and other data sources coming from the user’s mobile device. Regardless of the business size, connecting directly to customer’s mobile devices is a very powerful way to build personal relationships with them.

​Overall, marketing automation is a great investment for companies regardless of their size. Automating the steps between marketing your brand and sales of it gives your team more of a chance to focus on other aspects of your company. Marketing automation allows you to receive a richer, more detailed picture of your potential consumer behaviors.

By Sophia Belarmino

A website acts as a face to a company, it provides insight to who your brand is. Every website should promote everything about the firm, the mission, the values, and the services plus goods. In the modern age it is important for firms to have a well developed site, this helps increase popularity, and helps maintain a presence in the competitive world. If your website is not meeting your target market nor goals it might be time to redesign.

How do you know it's time to redesign?
Analyze your site, look at the analytics, the aesthetics, including the layout and design. Not only check your site on a desktop but also analyze your site on mobile devices. Ask yourself questions. Are visitors converting into leads? Has your brand changed? Is your site user friendly? Is it hard to navigate? These questions will help you decide whether it’s time to redesign.

When navigating redesigning your website you need to keep in mind what’s important. Optimizing your site for mobile visitors is key, approximately half of site visitors are using their mobile devices. When developing you want to have a proper hierarchical design. More important pages should be easier to locate compared to pages that have less importance. This will help with making your site user friendly. You may want to set up your website according to your industry, looking at competing sites may give you a better outlook. Consider what implications could be made from your site, get multiple people’s input. Having a pleasing clean aesthetic may help retain visitors. We all make decisions on visual cues, where to eat, or which hotel to pick. Anything visually appealing has more chance of gaining attention. If you struggle creating and designing a website it is advised that you invest in getting professional help. A website should be an investment, it is the biggest platform for your business.

There are many benefits to redesigning, that may drive your decision. You can create a cohesive brand identity. If you have not updated your site in a while, your brand’s identity has changed. Maybe you changed your mission, added new services, or simply have a new look. All of the changes you may have made need to be reflected on your website. Having cohesivity helps with brand awareness and brand identity. A second benefit to redesign is having refreshed content, and creating a new strategy. Revamping your site allows you to create new, refreshing everything. Most importantly it gives you a chance to optimize your site experience, including improving SEO, site performance, and user navigation.

Overall there are many benefits to revamping your site. Analyze your site beforehand, create an idea, and practice your designs. If you need help, do research, look at other websites, and figure out what is best for your business. There are resources that can be useful too, you may look into hiring a web designer. Maintaining and upkeep your site is crucial in a competitive atmosphere, and can lead to business growth. Discuss with colleagues, consider the outcomes then decide if it is time to redesign.

By Natalie Starr
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Instagram is constantly making changes to add new features in order to help businesses and users with their brands.  There is almost one new feature being added every week, making it hard to keep up with all the updates.  If you want to keep your business account growing and trending, it’s important to be aware of new features and when to best implement them into your social media strategy.


A key element you want to focus on that Instagram has incorporated is Reels. Reels are short 15 - 90 second clips of video and audio that get put on a discoverable feed on both the Reel section and Explore page on Instagram.  Reels are a great way for brand awareness and can significantly grow your social following. By posting Reels, your chance of being on the Explore page is significantly higher than just posting a photo or story.  Reels are different from stories, in that they don’t disappear after 24 hours, they stay up until the creator decides to delete them.  The Instagram algorithm has completely changed and has put Reels as the highlight feature.  Reels is the one feature that can reach an endless amount of people and reach high engagement with other users quickly.


It is essential to use Reels as a way to grow your business and it’s not too hard to manage!  One way to optimize your Reel is to include relevant hashtags.  Using hashtags that align with the topic of your Reel will help you reach your target audience.  In addition, you want to use a trending audio sound that can go along with your Reel.  By using a trending audio sound, it is likely your Reel will reach more people and be higher up in the feed.  You also want to be sure to be consistent and post often.  Instagram favors accounts that regularly post Reels, so it would work in your favor to develop a schedule to post your Reels as well as engage with other Reels.  By posting consistently it also allows you to feel out your Reels and gain insight to which ones are favored and getting noticed more.


If you qualify, you actually have the chance to get paid for posting Reels! This is a new feature Instagram unlocked called Reels Play.  This allows business accounts with less than a million followers in the US to get paid for the amount of plays their Reel gets.  Reels Play is another way Instagram is encouraging the use of Reels from professional accounts and users.


Overall, Instagram Reels are a creative and fun way to reach and engage new users to your brand.  Through the use of Reels you can grow your audience, build a relationship with customers/users, improve your brand awareness, and stay relevant in the social media world.  Reels is a great way to establish and showcase your brand’s personality.  With the new Instagram algorithm, you should definitely implement Reels into your social media strategy to become a successful brand and make connections with both old and new users!

By. Jacqueline Manivone

Funko Pop are tiny vinyl figures that are about four inches in height representing various celebrity characters ranging from WWE wrestlers to other personalities such as Spider Man.   Their small-scale size and adorable models make them fantastic for collectors and super fans.  There are other size options that range all the way to eighteen inches…go big or go home right?
Funko Pop characters are immediately identifiable because of their extremely contorted model type, portraying individuals with gigantic heads and bulging eyes.  Just like other familiar brands like DC comics or Disney you will be able to recognize a Funko Pop figure when you come across one.
 
Comic book movies have become extremely popular with people’s fandoms increasing exponentially.  With this rise in comic book culture, Funko Pop has released hundreds of new characters, along with various celebrities and pop stars since then.  Whether you're a seasonal fanatic or die hard geek culture enthusiast, there is always a Funko Pop figure just for you.  Characters like Rick and Morty or the Red Power Ranger demonstrates just how versatile these figures can be.  Since these toys have become the new mainstream fascination, Funko Pop figures can be found anywhere and everywhere, being sold from places like Amazon or online sites like MDMC Authentics.   Buying hundreds of Funko Pops or even thousands are definitely worth collecting.  Whether you are a devoted collector or just can’t get enough of how cute they are, Funko Pop Vinyls do provide a great investing prospect.
 
Funko Pop Vinyls are hot on the collector’s list because opening the display box does not decrease its value, unlike other toy’s values that literally plummet once you even look at it. Their boxes are not sealed therefore you can easily access your figure and place it in and out of the box at your convenience.   Although it is hard to predict which ones will become popular due to these figures being inclusive yet exclusive at the same time, some Pop Vinyls are manufactured strictly for promotional uses and are bound to that corporation or experience, making them limited editions. Due to the virtue of exclusivity, more and more people will want what not everyone can have and it is best once you get your hands on one to never let it go until it increases in value.  Besides the financial aspect of Funko Pop Vinyls, these figures are also popular among fans due to the sentimental side of them.  These toys represent characters that people grew up with or have inspired them throughout their life, owning a figure would create a sense of nostalgia.  The act of remaining interested in something that seems so childish when you are expected to grow out of it keeps your heart light.  Buying Funko Pop Vinyls also demonstrate a loyalty to various universes that exist within DC, Marvel, Disney, etc.  To those who do not understand the obsession, collecting these figures would just seem like a huge waste of money but to people who appreciate their true value know the real significance they hold.  Funk Pop collectors are always kept on their toes and wanting more because you never know which figure they will release next.  What makes collecting Funko Pop Vinyls individualistic, is that everyone’s collection holds various figures that are all figures that they enjoy and are valuable to them, making it seem very personal.  The community among other collectors and Funko Pop lovers also creates a sense of belonging with bridges to meet more people that are interested in the same thing as you.

By. Jacqueline Manivone

The power of email can be an extremely effective channel with larger accessibility than social media channels like Instagram or Facebook for example.  People may not be completely aware of how the emails coming straight to their inbox are directly personalized to them based on the data they contribute to user studies.  Everyone’s email patterns and activities are evaluated from the moment each message hits their inbox.  Due to the data being analyzed specifically for each user, email marketing lets you create a link between your advertising networks for an interconnected and efficient way to satisfy your consumer's needs. For example, you can generate tailored and custom experiences to increase brand engagement for both new and loyal customers.  Based on what your customers interact with in your company’s emails also allows you to track and gage what works best and attracts more customers. 

Not only is email marketing successful, but it is also completely affordable.  Especially for small or start-up companies, paid print or digital advertising prices can be extremely steep, sky rocketing to prices of thousands and tens of thousands of dollars and making email campaigns seem more cost-effective. Developing a powerful email marketing tactic facilitates pathways for you to achieve and connect with your intended audience in a customized method and boost sales at an affordable cost. Just like other social media platforms, the utilization of email is also updating and changing to maintain its ability to offer your company the capability to connect with consumers simpler than ever.  

Emails marketing keeps your clients informed. Due to the emails being easily accessible on buyer’s mobile devices, consumers have the freedom of checking their email inbox when it is convenient for them, giving them a sense that you are thinking of them. A simple email subject line stating: “We thought you to receive our special deal!” or “Here’s what you missed while you were gone!” can go a long way.  These types of emails will feel personal and will feel meaningful to read, leading to an increase in engagement with your shoppers.  For example, sending your customer a special offer on their birthday or letting them know that their favorite jacket is back in stock and hyperlinking it straight to where they need to go is much more effective than just notifying them to check out your website.  Using simple strategies and short cuts like these will grab your customer’s attention, compel them to take action with your emails and not overlook them. 

While having a customer’s email does mean they are interested in your business, this does not mean it is okay to overload them with information.  That type of behavior will lead to your emails being flagged as junk and going straight into the trash.  Email marketing makes sure your message is going straight to your intended audience, unlike a Facebook ad for example that may be posted for thousands of people to see but only hundreds of people actually notice it.  Emails also have a broader range of audience members because not everyone may have social media, but everyone has an email.  Utilizing the power of email will make sure that all generations stay involved and active, not just those who keep up with the latest social media trends.  This way, your company’s brand awareness will sky rocket because your email ad is also easy to send to other people your client’s may think are interested bringing more traffic to your website.  In the short answer: yes, email marketing should be important to you and your clients.