How Google Tag Manager Basics Can Elevate Your Website Analytics
If you’ve ever fumbled around in the dark, then you have some sense as to what it’s like trying to run a business without analytics. If you don’t have visibility into how your customers are interacting with your online properties and products, then you’re essentially working blindfolded. Data analysis through Google Tag Manager basics allows you to discern trends, analyze behavior and develop new strategies backed by data. To do it well, however, you need the right set of tools. Google Tag Manager basics Google Analytics is one of the most popular tools that businesses use to understand how customers interact with their websites. By tracking and reporting traffic and other data, businesses can evaluate the performance of their marketing initiatives and reach new audiences. While Google Analytics is powerful, it’s not a comprehensive solution. To get the most from your data analysis, it’s important to use a variety of tools — including Google Tag Manager. By pairing Google Analytics with Google Tag Manager, businesses can increase the amount of data that’s collected. Tags (which are short pieces of code) can be added to a website to collect data. As digital marketing agency, we know that some of the most common purposes for tags include: Identifying the source of inbound traffic Determining which files are downloaded or links clicked Monitoring activities such as the addition or removal of items from a shopping cart Monitoring the submission of forms As you probably imagine, the wide range of uses for tags means that they see heavy usage. Managing all of the code involved is often a time-consuming task — and one that may also be quite frustrating if you’re not confident enough to alter your site’s source code. The benefits of Google Tag Manager Tag Manager makes the process of adding, changing and removing tags much easier to coordinate. It’s easy to use, has an intuitive interface, works with non-Google third party tags and doesn’t require alteration of source code. It’s also fairly universal, as it works with standard websites (including AMP sites) and mobile content. According to one case study, Google Tag Manager allowed Airbnb to reduce the usual amount of time needed to deploy a tag from two or three days to as little as one hour. Airbnb was also able to make significant improvements to the precision of its conversion counts, collecting vendor data for 90% of its conversions. While Google Tag Manager can allow business owners or marketers to use tags (freeing up technical staff for more high-value work), the software does require some technical understanding, at least in the beginning. After a walkthrough (or two) with a developer, however, most non-technical people should be able to manage tags with little difficulty. The takeaway Implementing Google Tag Manager is a smart way to jumpstart your data analytics and get more from your marketing efforts. If you have any questions about this technology or how it can be used to improve your digital marketing, we urge you to contact BIGEYE today.
5 Social Networking Sites Every Service Marketing Provider Needs
Retail always seems to be the center of conversation when talking about the power of social marketing. With the rise of influencer marketing, product placement and promotion has taken on a life of its own, so we get it. Self-made celebrities are unboxing products, recommending hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales, and getting paid for honest reviews on social media. The average consumer has become the new advertising executive. What you may not realize is that your service-based business can also benefit from social networking sites — you just might be focusing on the wrong ones. The top five social networking sites for service marketing brands focus on geography-driven platforms or sites that connect service providers to users. That isn’t to say that you brand can’t benefit from other forms of social media; but if you can only invest in a few, these are your best bets. 1. Yelp: The most important social media platform for service providers is Yelp. This user-driven review site has become the gold standard for happy customers to share their experiences about local businesses and an honest snapshot of how these business are delivering service. Although many of the reviews focus on restaurants and hospitality, service-based businesses are also heavily represented. Because Yelp allows users to search based on geographic proximity, linking your business to the site not only helps increase your reputation as past customers’ post reviews, but helps new customers find you and identify your brand as a trusted, local partner. 2. Google+: You might be surprised to see Google+ make the cut on any relevant list about social networking sites. Consumers are not using this platform for … well …anything. However, it does have its perks. When you create a Google+ account for your business and link it to your geography=verified search listing, you open up the ability for users to review you, quickly learn more about your business, and ultimately navigate to your site. If nothing else, Google still weights Plus accounts in their search algorithm and a little boost in search rankings never hurt anyone. Google is the biggest search engine in the world, so whether you love or hate the platform, your business can benefit from simply creating an account. 3. Facebook: If Yelp and Google+ help customers find your brand and understand your business’s unique value proposition, then Facebook gives you a chance to solidify your expertise and become and established voice in your industry by posting relevant content that is helpful and engaging. Because Facebook is still represents the largest active user base in the social network ecosystem, it is the first place we recommend building a presence. If you only have time to post on one social networking site, Facebook provides the best bang for your buck thanks to the site’s new business rating and geo-based recommendation features. 4. Angie’s List: Although Angie’s List, and similar review sites such as Thumbtack, don’t always come to mind when thinking about social networking, service-specific review platforms are critical for service oriented businesses. Unlike Yelp, Angie’s List specifically targets service-based businesses (but ranks lower because it simply isn’t as popular). The Yellowpages are gone, but review sites are going strong. These sites increase your SEO ranking, provide transparency into your work, and help customers find you. In many ways, these sites help support your Google+ account by creating valid bank links to your business, which all work together to increase your local searchability and presence in Google Maps. 5. Handy: Handy, and it’s competitor Tackl, are a new entrant into the social networking realm. Unlike traditional social sites, these platforms allow users to book directly with service providers for household needs such as repairs, cleaning, and painting. Although every industry isn’t represented in this model, it’s important to realize that these types of platforms are allowing businesses to participate in the ever-growing sharing economy in a way they previously could not. These sites are becoming more widespread and popular across industries and we predict it will be one of the biggest growing trends as digital natives search for and choose people and brands they do business with. It isn’t always possible (or even valuable) to be on every social media site out there; go ahead and click here to learn more about our social and digital marketing services. We use social media as part of our clients’ targeted, multi-platform marketing strategies so they can maximize their marketing spend and help all their channels work seamlessly together. So, are you ready to get social with us?
68% Data is Wrong: Marketing Sources Mean Reduced Blindspots
As one of our closest data partners asks: what if you walked into your CEO’s office and told her that 68% of your data was wrong? Chances are, the conversation isn’t going to go well. That exact statistic is the possible gap digital marketers face when trying to accurately track data online. This metrics case study reminds us that customers can opt-out of cookie tracking, device switching can create misleading data, and a wide variety of variables, from faulty pixels to conflicting IP addresses and outdated operating systems, can interfere with the accurate tracking of your customer. While attribution modeling can’t entirely eliminate that 69% of data “pollution”, it can dramatically reduce the number. The key to successfully understanding omni-channel marketing behavior is linking a variety of data sources together. If you are new to this process, it may seem a little daunting or overwhelming. To get started, follow these four simple steps (and don’t forget that we’re here to help set up a sustainable analytics program whenever you’re ready). 1. Start with digital tools: The easiest tools to implement are online tracking software. Whether you go with “freemium” models such as Google Analytics or more robust options such as Adobe Analytics, they provide the foundation for your attribution model and eventual testing framework. Create a benchmark for your target KPIs such as page views, conversions, or online revenue and use that baseline to inform your spend changes and testing variations. 2. Link your CPM program: Next, you need to connect your customer engagement activities into your baseline. Platforms such as StrongMail and SalesForce connect seamlessly to most web analytics tools, making your life a lot easier. Once you link anonymous website activity to actual customer and prospect accounts, you can begin to understand how customers are moving in and out of the marketing funnel. 3. Supplement with social: Most social media platforms offer some version of data tracking and bigger analytics platforms, such as AdobeSocial, are made to connect directly to your other data repositories. The return on investment for social media can be difficult to track, so mapping your social spend against your web baseline will help you understand what impact you’re driving. 4. Offline metrics: Offline behavior is often one of the hardest channels to track because it requires manual input. To work around this, consider using an offering trigger at the point of sale that is specific to your offline marketing efforts so you can begin measuring these results. For example, consider a different promo code for your radio ads, print campaigns, and in-store purchases. And those four steps are just to begin collecting the data you need to begin analyzing and creating an attribution model. In other words, teamwork is key. Realize that many departments will likely need to work together to get an accurate understanding of how all your channels are performing. This can feel counterintuitive in some organizations where work is highly soloed; but if you can drive a collaborative mindset, you can save money across your entire organization and revolutionize your marketing strategy.
Be on top of your game: Learn Ruby on Rails today
Today, some magnet schools are teaching computer coding as a second language the way we learned French and Spanish. And it makes sense. Code is swiftly becoming the universal language for success no matter what country or industry you’re in. For those of us who didn’t grow up with mandatory computer science classes, it can feel overwhelming to catch up on the latest trends and industry expectations. But don’t worry – we have you covered. Ruby on Rails is a trendy web application framework that lets you quickly and easily create scalable, fully-functional web components that will power your business. Want a real world example? AirBnb, Indigogo, Hulu and over 1.2 million other websites have already been on top of this trend. WAIT, WHAT IS A WEB APPLICATION FRAMEWORK? Let’s backup. If HTML builds the picture frame that holds your website together and standardizes the look and feel of your site in accordance with brand guidelines, web applications fill in the canvas. Think: pop ups, animations, automatic updates, video frames, and other interactive elements. JavaScript is one of the most popular coding languages used to build web application frameworks that integrate with other elements on your site (such as your HTML and CSS). Ruby on Rails is giving Java a run for its money. TELL ME MORE ABOUT RUBY ON RAILS: Ruby on Rails was created in Japan several years ago, but has steadily grown in popularity, finally making it to the top of many 2016 trend lists. The reason? Developing on Ruby is faster (let’s say than JavaScript) and it’s free. The program’s open source base also makes plugging in integrations such as Google Analytics, customer management tools, and other e-commerce tools a breeze. Most importantly, Ruby is a full-stack framework, which means your front-end code (a.k.a how things look) and your back end code (a.k.a how things work) all sync with code built using Ruby so you don’t have to create nearly as much code to make things do what you want them to do on your website. BUT HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM JAVASCRIPT? If your team is already using JavaScript or .NET code and wondering whether switching your development language would be more work than its worth, consider this. Two big differentiators that make Ruby on Rails shine are its built-in- testing feature and intelligent convention naming. Save time on the debugging and QA process with Ruby’s automated testing. This alone will save you plenty of headaches and maybe even a few QA salary dollars. And your developers will love you for it. They will also love that they don’t need to write pages and pages of configuration code to clarify their work. Ruby provides suggested naming conventions that significantly reduces, and in some case eliminates, the need for time spent writing configuration code. Remember: time is money. GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE: You need to learn (or encourage your team to learn Ruby on Rails) if: 1. You are a newcomer to writing code and want to choose something that will be worth the effort and valuable for years to come. 2. Your site is outdated and needs an update (like, transitioning to a responsive site). 3. You have a lean team and need to find ways to increase speed to market without compromising quality. Let our team help you prioritize the types of web framework applications that will be most valuable to your brand and bring your team up to speed on this exciting new trend. Click here to learn more about the types of projects we’ve helped our clients achieve – from app development to banner ads, and full site-refreshes – we know creative digital trends like no one else and can help you.
Why Should You Use Mobile Advertising? One Word: RESULTS
Recently, TechCrunch.com reported on a new generation that will grow up with only digital technology. These days are quickly approaching, and while many people are terrified of what it means for socialization skills and handwritten letters, the reality is that someday, people may never even need these tools. It’s easy to imagine an Armageddon that wipes out technology as we know it, but then again, our society still hasn’t a clue how Egyptians erected the pyramids thousands of years ago. As such, it’ll be important to embrace this technology, and the team at our Florida marketing agency thinks your business should start today. It’s more than the devices we see on a daily basis: the tablets, the smartphones, and the ultra-light computers.[quote]Many of the devices that will change society the way the iPhone did are still yet to be invented.[/quote] It’s possible that someday, there will be as many different forms are mobile advertising as there are devices, and that’s something that advertisers should take note of as they seek to reach their target users. As people are becoming more mobile, so too are ways to reach mobile users through creative advertising methods. According to AdAge, this year, mobile ad spending will surge 75% from 2012, up to $8 billion, with Google taking away nearly half that. Pew Internet reports that, in May, 56% of American adults owned smart phones, and that number has likely grown even larger throughout the year. Compare this against the 61% of people who own laptop computers and 58% of people who own desktop computers. While these are still the leading platforms in American households, evidence shows this won’t be the case for long. Why are people so intent on mobile advertising? Because they’re seeing results. Mashable recently posted an article about small business success stories for companies using mobile ads. According to the article, 17.6% of web traffic comes directly from mobile, though that number will certainly rise as more and more companies find ways to leverage mobile use for their businesses. As the Mashable article reports, 60% of Twitter’s user base is mobile, which means that companies advertising through mobile tweets can see targeted and oftentimes instant results. Rock/Creek, a company profiled in the article, used Promoted Tweets to advertise a sale, increasing their following by 172% over the prior month, leading to a 40% increase in sales. Other companies are seeing significant success through geotargeting through location apps like Foursquare. Foursquare’s boasts a user base of 40 million people, and nearly all of those are mobile users. One significant Foursquare case study is that of Barcade, a relatively small chain of arcade-themed bars throughout the Northeast, notes that for every customer conversion that costs $1.71 for the bar, each person spends about $20. Additionally, unlike print advertising, interactive analytic data allows Barbade’s marketing team to track the customer’s journey from first encountering the Foursquare ad, to the actual conversion when the customer first checks in. No doubt that the coming years will see more methods of mobile advertising. The team at our Florida advertising agency dubs this the mobile millennium, and expects to see big changes on the horizon. For more information on mobile advertising solutions, contact our Orlando mobile marketing agency.
Forbes Names BIGEYE One of the “Top 100 Global Ad Agencies that know Social Media & Google”
Contact: Shelby Hughes P: 407.839.8599 shelby@bigeyeagency.com FORBES NAMES BIGEYE CREATIVE ONE OF THE “TOP 100 GLOBAL AD AGENCIES THAT KNOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND GOOGLE” The Orlando Marketing Agency Makes Forbes List Amongst Industry Power Players ORLANDO, Oct. 4, 2012 – A Forbes article published on August 22 lists BIGEYE on a list of the “Top 100 Global Ad Agencies that Know Social Media and Google.” The Orlando marketing agency holds a powerful position against industry leaders such as HUGE, Ogilvy Digital and Razorfish. Justin Ramb, CEO and Chief Creative Officer for BIGEYE, is proud that Forbes recognizes his team’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and imagination in digital technology. “It’s an honor to have Forbes to list us alongside other top companies in the industry,” he said. “We truly believe in the power of creativity in the digital space. Our team is committed to finding a brand’s core strengths and bringing these differentiators to life using interactive storytelling technologies and compelling brand strategies.” Ramb has ten years of experience creating and maintaining strong client-agency relationships, leading BIGEYE to create impressive digital marketing campaigns and website designs for clients including The Atlanta Braves, GE Capital and Love Orlando. The full Forbes article, which lists BigEye Creative and other agencies that are shaping the future of social media around the world, is available online at http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2012/08/22/7637/. About BIGEYE: BIGEYE is a full-service advertising agency located in downtown Orlando, Florida, specializing in brand development, marketing and advertising, media buying, web design, social media management, search engine optimization, and video production. The agency crafts meaningful brand stories and creates memorable marketing experiences that attract, engage, and influence consumers. A team of art directors, designers, copywriters, programmers, and account managers work closely with clients in various industries, including healthcare, entertainment, food and beverage, non-profit, hospitality, and real estate in order to create award-winning marketing strategies with clear and measurable results. The company recently celebrated its tenth year of business in Central Florida. ### Follow us! facebook.com/BIGEYEagency pinterest.com/BigEyeCreative twitter.com/BIGEYEagency linkedin.com/company/BIGEYE youtube.com/BIGEYEagency Follow bigeyeagency on Instagram
Sandra’s BIG Debut as a member of the BIGEYE team.
Something I have always found interesting is the thought of the unknown. Where will I end up living? In which direction will my career path take me? Is Lady Gaga really going to be the Madonna of today’s youth? I can honestly say when I set out to enter this ‘real world’ of jobs, bills and florescent office lighting I never anticipated I’d be working in a house, in my favorite part of Orlando, for a company with a mascot named “Biggie” (and a cute one at that). I can also say that at a week and a half in at BIGEYE Creative, I have never felt so at home in a work environment. I come from a world of lights, camera, action … literally. As my college years came to a close, I was dead set on exploring the beast that is broadcast television. Not necessarily in front of the camera (alright, I can admit when I was younger I had aspirations of being the next big meteorologist), but the thing that interested me was what made them tick, what was the lifeblood behind these major television networks. Enter the world of advertising. My time with Orlando NBC affiliate, WESH 2, opened my eyes to the world of everything ads. It is advertising that is absolutely an integral part of a stations’ success. This is a part of what the fundamentals of television entail. As I dove head first into developing marketing campaigns for a variety of clients and industries, I found myself more and more captivated by the ever-changing nature of this industry, and how not only television, but radio, print, outdoor, web and now social media, without a doubt could (and would) help businesses grow. What I found to be even more fascinating was in five years, I had seen the map of advertising drastically change. I could have never dreamt when I joined Facebook as a college Junior it would one day be an essential tier to business’ branding and marketing initiatives. It is this change and diversity in our advertising mediums that truly excites me about this business, and from a creative standpoint, the sky really is the limit. I squeezed every bit of knowledge I could from my experience at WESH, and found where my passion truly lied – the creative development process and the relationships with clients. In my short time with BIGEYE, I’ve seen first hand that those two aspects are also part of their success and passion…and what we have is a match made in heaven. Advertising, marketing and branding has been in existence for more than a century. It is the mediums that continue, and will continue, to shape the way this industry develops. I am ecstatic to not only be a part of a team that shares this enthusiasm for the industry, but one that offers free lemonade to passers-by on the front lawn. Interested in a career at BIGEYE? See what we’re looking for.
