Top Four Signs Your Digital Strategy Needs an Update

Chris Todd — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 06:00:19 +0000

From a user standpoint, not all online experiences are created equal. But a bad experience can taint a business and hinder ROI. Every day, we’re contacted by potential clients who are looking for answers to one question: Why aren’t our online tactics making us money?

The good news for these businesses is that they know there’s a problem, and that Spyder Trap can provide a solution. Sometimes, unless customers are actively complaining, it can take a little bit more examination to figure out the shortcomings of a digital strategy. Here are four signs we look for that tell us it’s time for a strategy update.

Sign #1: Your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns aren’t converting

You’ve been spending money each month with Google AdWords, trying to convert sales. Each month you spend and each month is a disappointment. Something’s clearly gone wrong. There are two sides to look at to find the problem: the PPC campaign itself and the page the campaign sends users to.

PPC campaigns can be very easy to jump into without planning, but Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is all in the details. Are you targeting the right audience? Are you spending enough? Are you tracking the results? With even one part of this process missing, you could be leaving money on the table.

Even with the perfect strategy, a PPC campaign won’t succeed without pointing users to a quality landing page. All the clicks in the world can’t translate into sales if the landing page isn’t optimized for conversions. Effective calls to action and intuitive web design will make conversions a much easier task to accomplish. Take a look at both sides of your PPC efforts and see which areas might need some help.

Sign #2: Your mobile presence isn’t a priority

Mobile is everywhere. In fact the odds are good that you’re reading this on a mobile device right now. If a mobile user doesn’t get a good experience from your site, that user will leave. No business wants users leaving—not until a purchase is made at least. If losing users who actually find your site isn’t enough to encourage you to become mobile friendly, maybe this will: Google will start giving ranking preference to mobile-friendly sites in April. It will become harder and harder to attract potential customers to your business without optimizing for mobile. A good responsive website will solve these problems with just one set of code. Picture this: your website optimized for every device, every time. Looks good, doesn’t it?

Sign #3: Your search engine rank is unknown

Not having a mobile friendly site isn’t the only way to lose out when it comes to search engine rankings. If you’re not ranking high in searches, it might be time to adjust for search engine optimization (SEO). Don’t just go online and Google SEO “tricks.” There are plenty of them out there, but almost all of them lack substance. Effective SEO requires extensive research of keywords, competition, and website structure. Building quality links takes time and effort making connections with real people. Easy SEO is ineffective SEO, and possibly even harmful. With so many customers starting the purchasing process with search engines, an investment in quality SEO can really pay off.

Sign #4: You have no digital strategy—or it’s been awhile

The last sign that you might need to update your digital strategy is also the simplest. If you don’t have a strategy, it’s time to get one! Without a goal and a roadmap to reach that goal, your efforts are going to fail. Maybe you do have a strategy, but you haven’t revisited it in some time. Same rules apply. The digital space moves much too fast to have a “set it and forget it” attitude for strategies. Digital trends in 2015 already look different than in 2014, and are unrecognizable compared to in 2010. If your strategy is more than a year old, it’s time to get back to the drawing board. Maintaining an up-to-date strategy will help your business keep its competitive advantage. Ignoring it will just open things up for your competitors and slow down growth.

The good news is that Spyder Trap can help in any of the areas in which your business might fall short. Connect with us to start putting your business back on track for growth.

The post Top Four Signs Your Digital Strategy Needs an Update appeared first on Spyder Trap Online Marketing Blog.

Announcing New Event – Digital Way Finder: Healthcare Perspectives

Chris Todd — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:05:18 +0000

Last November we hosted a sold-out Digital Way Finder event with the help of our friends at Celarity. We ate. We drank. We learned and networked. And now on March 26, we are going to recreate that magic with a new twist on an old favorite. While we always love sharing our expertise on the digital landscape as a whole, sometimes it’s worth drilling down into a more defined focus. So, without further adieu, we’re happy to announce Digital Way Finder round two: healthcare edition.

Digital Way Finder: Healthcare Perspectives

On Thursday, March 26, Spyder Trap and TreeHouse Health will be hosting a #DIGITALWAYFINDER event. The night will include food, drinks, plenty of networking and a panel of digital marketing and healthcare experts who will answer your questions while discussing the digital challenges and opportunities facing today’s healthcare system. Join us to gain digital insights through the various perspectives of healthcare providers, payers and creative partners.

Tickets are only $10 if pre-ordered and $20 after March 23. Here are some other things about the event we thought you should know:

5-8 p.m. (panel questions start at 5:30 p.m.)
Food and beverages will be provided
Free valet and street parking is available
Send your questions via Twitter using #DIGITALWAYFINDER
Please call us at (612) 871-2270 with any questions about the event
RSVP by Monday, March 23

Why Healthcare?

Spyder Trap has had the opportunity to work on digital projects with a multitude of clients in the healthcare industry. Within those partnerships, we’ve discovered numerous digital trends and challenges faced in that industry on a regular basis —trends and challenges that are worth discussing.

This Digital Way Finder panel will be an open dialogue designed to continue moving healthcare innovation forward. The benefits of digital health innovation are clear. It can help decrease costs, increase ease of access and increase quality of care. Once more professionals in the healthcare industry grow comfortable with technology, the more these benefits will be felt. A big part of nurturing that comfort will be to resolve privacy and security concerns within the industry.

Why Attend the Digital Way Finder

Signing up for this event is a good move for anyone in the healthcare industry, anyone who enjoys innovation, or anyone who just enjoys learning from talented panelists and meeting new people. This event will provide a forum for gaining a new understanding about innovation in the healthcare space and provide attendees with the opportunity to ask questions that matter to them. Plus, if our last Digital Way Finder event proved anything, it’s going to be fun! Register for the event today.