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4 Ways Digital Marketing Can Help During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the ongoing lockdown measures due to COVID-19, more people are staying at home. But what does it mean for marketers?

Traditional marketing platforms like billboards and street signs are now left unseen, with people staying at home, and away from the roads. On the other hand, a vast majority of those staying at home are spending more time online whether working remotely or reaching out to friends and family.

While we are in the middle of transforming into the “new” normal, take the time to assess and explore options to bring your business back up.

On our latest blog, let us share some insights on how you can utilize digital marketing during this time:

Reach out to your customers through Email Marketing

As one of the most cost-effective options to communicate with your audience, creating email campaigns can help you reach out to your existing clients. A simple reminder to let them know that you are here to serve and help them online can go a long way.

Update your Website FAQs

People are regularly searching for information online, now more than ever. Do not miss out on customers looking for your product. Update your website content to ensure that common client queries are on your website. Answering these questions and content to your website can give you an opportunity to rank higher on Google search engine results pages for keywords related to your business.

Communicate through Social Media

Utilize your social media platforms to interact, inform and share positive thoughts to your audience. Whether it is updating your business hours, taking online orders, or simply ensuring everyone’s safety, make use of your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or other social media platforms, to keep your customers updated.

Additionally, you can also explore running ads on Facebook or Instagram to generate awareness and grow your audience.

Consider running a Google Search Campaign

Running a Google Search Campaign is the best way to reach customers who are interested to purchase your product or service. This can be especially helpful for businesses producing essential goods to let your customers know that you are taking orders online and delivering directly.

Digital marketing never stops and can help reach your target consumers despite the lockdown.

Need a hand in reaching out to your audience through digital marketing? Talk to us today! Drop us a message at https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/

How to be productive while working from home

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of businesses have begun discontinuing working from the office and instead turning to other means such as working from home. Long gone are the days that you would only be able to get work done in your physical office desk in the presence of your co-workers. Work channels and other digital platforms make it possible to keep communication constant, whether it be through sending files or via video chat for important meetings.

 

For those who have yet to experience work from home, it may seem easier said than done. Offices are places conducive to ensure maximum productivity and this can be one of the challenges of navigating through working from home. We have compiled a short guide on how to maximize your time working from home so you can breeze through it and get things done.

 

Have a Dedicated Office Space

 

Your biggest enemy to working from home is getting in that work mindset and this can be difficult when you are sitting at your couch or at the kitchen table. Having a dedicated space where you can keep focus is important, whether it means just clearing a table or picking a room to stay in where you would be working full time.

 

Part and parcel of this is making your environment ideal for productivity which means decluttering the mess in your desk and nearby surroundings. It is important to keep this neat as you would be spending most of your time working at home in this area.

 

Make a schedule and set boundaries

 

Because you would be working from home, it would be really easy to slip out of work time and into your personal time. This makes it important to make a schedule for yourself to ensure that you do not cross that boundary and still get that work-life balance.

 

One of the big advantages of working from home is being able to control your own time. Nobody knows how to optimize your productivity more than you so make the most out of this and let it work to your advantage. Block out time in your calendar for your own priorities and set your notifications accordingly. This means to also allot times for breaks that can help you best get back to maximum productivity.

 

Set ground rules with people in your home

 

Just because you are working at the comfort of your own house doesn’t mean you’re already free to run an errand or do chores on the dot. Set clear rules about when you are free to help around in the house and with other matters outside of your work. This would help you keep your productivity and still be able to help around the house at the right time.

 

Start and end your work hours with a routine

 

This is important as it creates a habit that both signifies the start of your workday and the end. Whether this be to make a cup of coffee before sitting down at your work desk or doing a stretching routine after your work hours have ended – it’s always nice to keep a routine going.

 

What this means for business owners

 

If you are a business owner thinking of letting your employees do their work from home, there is nothing to fear for a lot of businesses have taken up the same position. With the right tools to equip them for easy communicating no matter where they may be working from, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of productivity. Just know that there are many businesses out there, just like you, that are still fighting to stay in operations despite the global pandemic.

 

Having your business online is a good way to ensure that your brand is still felt despite not having an operational physical store or office. There is no better time to expand your business online than now. Get a team of experts to help you get started in navigating through the digital landscape. iManila remains open and contactable despite the pandemic. Reach us through our website, and drop us a question to find out how to get started in Digital!

5 Things Businesses can do Online while on Community Quarantine

Business as usual? Just because the rest of the community is under quarantine due to the pandemic, doesn’t mean that your business online has to be idle.

 

Despite all of the negative things happening around us, there’s always a positive. Think of this time as a great opportunity to revamp your business online, especially if this is something that you somehow never found the time to do before. With a lot of people stuck at home and relying on the Internet to cover for their boredom – chances are your potential customers are out there searching the web or scrolling through social media! So on the positive side of things, there’s no better time to leave your mark online than right now!

 

Here are five things you can do for your business online while on community quarantine.

 

Update your website’s images and content

For businesses already with a fully-functional website, now is the perfect time to revamp and freshen up your site. Whether it’s changing the landing images or updating the captions to be more eye-catching, having an aesthetically pleasing website is vital in keeping your site visitors engaged enough to check out what you have to offer.

 

Write content for your website’s blog page etc.

Again, if you have a fully functional website, maybe now is the perfect time to produce relevant content to give potential customers reason to stay on your website longer. Writing content for your website’s blog is one way to do this. How can this help your website? The more relevant the blogs are to your possible customers, the bigger the chances they are to visit and constantly return to your website and to learn more about what your company has to offer. This is a way for you to soft sell your website. Remember that most people search for answers on the Internet, so having the right articles that answer their questions just might mean another customer for you.

 

Get a website

If you’re a business owner who has never had the time or the opportunity to create a website, then what better way to spend all your time at home than by conceptualizing the kind of website you want for your company? There are many reasons why having a website has been proven to be valuable to businesses. Credibility is definitely one of those reasons. For a startup business who wants to leave a good impression on their potential customers, having a website is the best place to start. If you own a business that allows customers to purchase your products or services online, then your own website can become a one-stop-shop for all of your customer’s needs.

 

Start a Facebook fan page for your business

In the Philippines, Facebook is undoubtedly the most used and subscribed social media site. This makes it a lucrative option especially when most of your potential customers are frequent users of the site. While a website is used by customers who actively search something on the web, having social media presence on Facebook is a way to reach out to them when they’re just passing the time scrolling through their feeds. Facebook fan pages can provide an easy way to communicate with your customers with just a single click of a button.

 

Explore other social media channels

While almost everyone uses Facebook nowadays, it’s not rare to see people using other forms of social media such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and even LinkedIn. Chances are your potential customers also use them. Knowing who you are targeting as a customer is important in deciding what other social media sites to branch out to. Each social media site differs in their approach to reaching out to their users. If you want to promote videos of your business, then maybe getting a YouTube Ad is for you. If you like to present the products beautifully, or if you’re trying to get influencers on board then maybe Instagram is your best bet. Remember that the more present you are online, the easier it is for your customer to find your brand.

 

While normal business operations may be down for the meantime due to the quarantine, digital marketing never stops. This is one of the biggest advantages of going digital – that it can bridge communication and information online without needing to be physically present. This works the same for businesses too. If you are just thinking of expanding your business online then there is no better time.

 

We know that doing this alone might seem intimidating, so getting an expert’s help can be a great way to get started. Let a partner agency guide you through the digital landscape to help you reach your business goals online. iManila is here to help you despite the pandemic. Our lines continue to remain open as we continue to help businesses stay online no matter the economic situation. Reach us through our website, and drop us a question. iManila: Improving Lives Through Technology. #iManila #DigitalAgency

How Google and Facebook are Responding to COVID-19 Hoaxes

As the COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic, false information has become more and more prevalent online. Social media users tend to believe the misinformation that they read without having enough source to support their claim. Many fake sites post on social media what should be done in order to stop the said virus, while others post to ask for funds to “help patients in need”, when in reality the money will just go into their personal pockets.

The good news is a lot of social media websites have been working closely in coordination with government agencies regarding the COVID-19, in order to resolve the continuous spread of fake news.

Recently, Facebook started inserting a box into news feed which directs users to the Centers for Disease control pages regarding the coronavirus. This essentially helps users determine the right page to go to, as a lot of scammers have been using this opportunity and time of crisis to take peoples’ donations by pretending to be health organizations. Through the help of Centers for Disease control page, users will be able to filter the latest information about the COVID-19 by only reading factual information.

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Image from: mobihealthnews

On the other hand, Google is trying to manage all the information related to COVID-19, by limiting the approval of articles or actions related to the virus. This limitation is Google’s solution to preventing misinformation from going viral on its platform. Google Assistant has approved new actions that will reject a whole host of violations. This is the strategy of Google to battle against fake news and lies on the Internet.

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Image from: voicebot.ai

In summary, all social media users should always be smart in choosing what to believe in and in choosing what they share online. There’s a lot of information going around in the Internet world! Make sure to always get your facts straight and only listen to reliable sources avoid misinformation. One share goes a long way!

Despite the pandemic and community quarantine, iManila’s lines remain open on how we can help you keep your business going despite this global lockdown. Drop us an email at [email protected]. Stay safe!

How Do People View Websites?

A big part of doing business online has to do with having websites where your customers can reach you and find more about what you are offering. A functional website is a must but have you ever thought about what draws the eyes of people viewing websites? How about which pattern people scan websites in? 

Studies have shown that people most often follow the “F Pattern” in scanning a website, meaning that the further they scroll down, the more they lose their focus and start to scan instead of paying attention. This means that it is vital to place important information in the top part of your site. 

It is important to understand how people view websites, to get the most out of the customer experience your website will be giving them. Here are some important behaviors people do when viewing websites. 

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(image source)

From the top left corner 

The “F Pattern” comes in handy here as it applies to almost any website. This is because this is how we are trained to search for data and information. You can take advantage of this by putting the most important messages in that area and make your value proposition very clear from the start. 

Smarter use of pictures 

As much as a great photo can add to the aesthetic and design of the site, most people will just scan them. Getting a good point across is still better through text, rather than image.

But if you are to use photos especially on your landing page, a big and bold one seals the deal. It can grab the attention of your viewer and this can be further aided by including a concrete call to action next to it. 

Importance of headings

Once people start to scroll down, the higher the chances that they will be scanning or skimming through the site. The best way to take advantage of this is to make use of headings to summarize important points. Once the viewers find something related to their problem or what they’re looking for – only then will they dig deeper. The more descriptive the headings are, the better as it can also help in search engine optimization later. 

Skip the fancy fonts 

As much as they might be cool or fancy, new fonts are often hard for people to process and it might work against you by losing the attention of your viewers. 

Keep it short 

Attention spans of viewers are short, and nobody would want to read through a wall of text. Get straight to the point and keep it as short and concise as possible without losing the tone of your brand. 

In a similar fashion, should you need to show lots of features or descriptions, lists are a better choice than long paragraphs. This makes it easier for website visitors to skim and search for what they are looking for. 

Instead of putting a lot of text, pay attention to the importance of white space or spaces with no text or pictures to keep websites less cluttered and less intimidating to look at. 

Menus and buttons get attention

These are the calls to action that lead website visitors to find solutions to their problems. Website visitors pay extra attention to these as they want to see what the options are. Make sure they are labeled accordingly and straight to the point. 

Ads placed on the top or left get the most views 

The reality is a lot of people would not scroll to the bottom of the website. If ad impressions or clicks matter to you, it is important that they are optimized so that they can be integrated more seamlessly in the “viewing pattern” of visitors to ensure that they are seen. 

Don’t make these mistakes and help your customers get the best experience with your website. You don’t have to do this alone with the right partner agency by your side. Let a Google Partner agency like iManila help you get your brand where you want it to go. Drop us a message to learn more at https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/.

Benefits of Google Display Advertising

Trying different techniques to boost the visibility of your business? Make it more compelling through Display Advertising. 

 

What is Display Advertising?

Display Advertising are image-based ads that appear on websites, social media and mobile applications that attract the target market of a specific product. It also increases brand awareness and brings in possible consumers. With its visual and targeting capacity, display ads offer different benefits to a company, from visibility to remarketing.

 

Here are the reasons why you should consider Display Advertising for your business:

 

  • It is visually enticing

The placement of display ads draws the attention of your target market at the same time your business stands out to the audience and attracts attention, for it is a graphic content which converts to leads, because the consumers are more likely to purchase the product of the business especially if it is visually appealing to its target audience. 

 

  • Remarketing

Display ads also allow retargeting. Through it you can target your advertisement to the people who recently visited your website. Remarketing helps create on-going reminders of a brand. It is an advertisement strategy to remind the prospects of the business, while at the same time it reaches out to people who have keen interest in your business which can turn them to loyal consumers. 

 

  • Consumer Targeting

Just as well, display ads allow you to reach people based on their needs and with interests similar to that of your company, even when your target audience visits websites or apps which are not related to your business. Display ads can be visible with shared interest in different categories. It can also reach specific demographics such as gender and age. 

 

  • It can boost small or big brand 

Whether a business is large scale or small, display ads can help the business make a great difference. It increases the online visibility of a business and helps a small and start up business to build a reputation and be a great brand. Adding influential ads can remind the audience about the brand that they might be interested in whether it is big or small. It can also serve as a reminder of what they are looking for. 

 

  • Increases the visibility of the business

Although Display ads target specific consumers, it does not mean that it limits your visibility online. Display advertising has the ability to show on websites and different social media platforms that are not only high trafficked but also related to your product. It gives your business many consumers, even when they are not searching.

 

Display advertising benefits your brand by gaining more members of your target market in a very impactful way, building your business reputation and most importantly increasing sales. It is an efficient way that can benefit your business with the demands of the times and deliver exceptional results on your marketing strategies. 

iManila is a Google Partner agency that can help you navigate Google’s diverse marketing platforms and reach your audiences with optimal results! Feel free to drop us a message at [email protected] and kick start your digital marketing journey with us.

The Pros and Cons of Influencer Marketing

A big part of marketing is always about reaching and connecting with customers in new and innovative ways.

Influencer marketing has now become one of those well-known strategies that brands can use to meet and engage with their customers. With the advent of social media, more brands have chosen to incorporate influencers as part of their strategy, with 71% of marketers feeling that influencer marketing being the most effective way to drive quality traffic and leads.

However, some experts argue that it is on a decline. Just like any strategy, there are always two sides to it and before shelling out money to invest in influencer marketing, it is important to know both sides.

Pros

Getting your brand out there is one thing, and it’s another to get customers to trust a brand. It takes time to develop and one handy thing with influencers is that those who follow them trust what they have to say. If an influencer talks positively about the brand, their followers are more likely to believe them. This can help boost and enhance your brand’s credibility.

Another pro is that you can reach a wider audience you may not have reached on your own. In 2016, a survey was made that showed that 45% of women will buy a product that is recommended by an influencer. Followers of the influencer trust and value their opinions and can influence their buying decisions.

Should you target micro-influencers, then a high budget isn’t needed. Collaborations with micro-influencers are more economical compared to getting those from celebrity influencers. Getting new influencers works too as they sometimes agree to work for free products or services. Micro-influencers can prove to be cheaper than to spend on a sponsored Instagram post. If your business is a newly launched brand or something in a specific niche, then micro-influencers can come in handy.

Cons

While it may cut the work to be done getting the right influencer, it often takes a lot of time and effort to find the right influencer for your campaigns. A survey shows that 61% of marketers find it hard to identify the right influencers for their campaigns. A huge part of this is evaluating if an influencer has genuine followers. Working with the wrong influencers can cause great damage to the reputation of the brand, which can be harder to damage if your reputation becomes tarnished.

Because influencer marketing has only become a thing in recent years, there’s no true “tried and tested” method when it comes down to it. Most brands just learn from their hits and misses. There are a lot of common mistakes influencers have made which can negatively affect the brand such as: not disclosing a sponsored post, posting content that doesn’t resonate with their target audience, ignoring endorsement guidelines, and inflating followings and engagements using bots.

While it may cost you less, it is often more difficult to measure results. Part of marketing is always being able to analyze performance and see if it can deliver the desired results. If it does not, then you should stop working with them. Unlike ad posts which come with its analytics, measuring results for influencer marketing isn’t as clear cut.

Lastly, there is always a high risk involved in influencer marketing. Despite a lot of companies increasing their influencer marketing budget in 2019, this doesn’t often translate into the desired results. Should the influencer fail to deliver on what was promised with their content and fail to connect with the target customers, then the time and money spent will be for naught.

Insights

While influencer marketing has been a hot topic lately as a part of the many methods you can market your brand digitally, marketing your brand is still better as it is the more reliable method.

The risk isn’t as high, and you can be assured of the measurable results. In a way, every peso you spend can be translated to a result. There are still numerous ways to reach out to your customers through digital marketing depending on your goal or what strategy you want to use.

If the idea of marketing the brand yourself is scary, as you’d prefer the thought of someone else doing the marketing for you, maybe finding the right partner agency is the way to go. Agencies have experiences with many brands and industries and can best help your brand in connecting with customers. Let a Google Partner agency like iManila help you get your brand where you want it to go. Drop us a message to learn more at https://imanila.ph/lets-talk/. #iManila #DigitalAgency

Your Online Brand Starts with a Reliable Hosting Service

A lot of businesses have turned to digital when it comes to selling their products. Nowadays, a physical store goes hand in hand with an online store as well. This is because online selling has made it quick and convenient for customers to access and purchase any product they like.

As the demand for product availability in the digital world increases, the demand for a reliable hosting provider increases as well. This is probably where some marketing executives fall short as they have limited understanding of the parameters and limitations of their hosting provider, which as it goes on, might eventually lead to a digital disaster.

So to make it simpler to understand here’s some points on why it’s important to have a reliable hosting provider:

Your Hosting Server is the Primary Business Data Depository

Think of it as the main building of your business wherein you house all your files, documents, and the content of your website. Whatever happens to your server will also happen to your website and web applications such as your in-house CRM and ERP, should you have any.

Your Hosting Server Capacity Dictates Your Website

One of the most important aspects of a hosting server is its capacity. Your server capacity must be able to carry all of your website’s content. It’s also very crucial as it will dictate the speed and performance of your website. Interactive websites and web systems usually require bigger bandwidth. This is especially true for brands that have graphics and content-heavy websites.

The Security of your Hosting says a lot about your data’s longevity

With digital, the real treasure lies in data. Whatever you’ve posted online about your business, combined with the database gathered from interaction amongst potential clients such as the lead list, mailing list, etc. are the business’ assets and should definitely be protected at all costs.

Finding a hosting provider who can give you security options to keep your peace of mind is a step that your company needs to take.

Hosting Servers are the life and core of online marketing. One mistake caused by an unreliable hosting provider will lead to immense headaches for business operations.

iManila is a trusted provider of both reliable hosting services and technical support services. Our lines are open 24/7 and our sales executives are available Monday to Friday to assist you with your web, IT, and digital marketing needs!

Reach us at [email protected] or call us at 3490-0000! #iManila #Hosting

Jollibee Valentines Series: Here they go again!

Just in time for the love month, fast-food giant Jollibee is back again to capture the hearts of many Filipinos with their “Kwentong Jollibee Valentines” series.

This much-awaited Valentine’s day treat from Jollibee received a massive following a few years back with its local and relatable stories.

While their past videos focused on the traditional story of finding that “one true love”, this year’s series took a modern twist and delved into the struggles of modern relationships and how we can keep the love alive.

The first video, Space, directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo is a very witty yet still relatable story of Dan, a guy dealing with his breakup after his girlfriend asked for “space”, a common issue most young couples are faced with today.

This was followed by Couple Goals directed by Ianco Dela Cruz that takes a look into the modern-day struggles of a young, busy, successful couple together who their friends often refer to as #CoupleGoals.

Lastly, Apart directed by Pepe Diokno is a story about exes Miles and Ron and what they think contributed to their lost love.

As digital marketers, here’s what we can learn from Jollibee’s Valentine Series:

  • Keep content fresh and relatable

Following their past videos, people are expecting Jollibee to continue banking on feel-good stories for Valentine’s Day. While this may be an easy choice, Jollibee surprised their audience once again by showing the struggles of modern-day relationships for this year’s series, making it more enticing and relatable for their millennial audiences.

  • Build Momentum

As one of the biggest Filipino brands today, Jollibee knows how to attract and keep its audience asking for more. True enough, Jollibee built excitement by releasing a teaser for this year’s series as early as January 31. In fact, the teaser video became viral and to date has 3.4 million views on their Facebook page. The company has also rolled out the videos on separate days releasing individual teasers for each story, which helped make sure that their fans are continuously engaged and captivated by their short stories.

As they say, “content is king”. This is something that we have seen from Jollibee and should learn from them to build a brand that is timeless, trusted and relevant.

Need help in curating content for your brand? Get in touch with us, here at iManila!

As one of the leading full-service digital agencies in the Philippines, iManila is the trusted social media management agency of many local and international brands in the country.

Contact us today at (+632) 3490 0000 or email us at [email protected]. #DigitalAgency #iManila