MARKETING: The Weak Ad Threat

January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 | admin

I spend time researching advertising and too often struck by weak, unfocused and what can only be described as complacent ads.

Advertisements without a strong call to action (CTA) are burning money. Here’s why:

The CTA Imperative. Without a clear directive, potential customers are left confused and unmotivated. CTAs serve as critical signposts guiding users toward the next step in their customer journey.

👀 Key Pitfalls of Weak Copy
– No clear user direction
– Missed conversion opportunities
– Reduced audience engagement
– Lack of psychological motivation

✅ Pro Tips for Improvement
– Use strong, action-oriented verbs
– Create a sense of urgency
– Make CTAs visually prominent
– Clearly communicate the value proposition

Remember: Your copy should not just inform, but ‘inspire action’. Every advertisement is an opportunity to convert interest into tangible results. If the advert is aimed at a specific sector or group have follow up adverts ready to run as a reminder and to be consistent.

Run the rule over each ad.

✅ Great headline

✅ Engaging & informative copy

✅ Call To Action

It’s not 💥💥💥🚀

First published on Linked-in.

Contact me if my ‘Do The Simple Things Well’ philosophy resonates.

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ADVERTISING: Old School Ogilvy For Today

January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 | admin

David Ogilvy, often called ‘The Father of Advertising’ revolutionised the industry with his iconic campaigns. A great observer of detail, his constantly finessed drafts and final adverts combined meticulous research, storytelling and creativity to captivate and resonate with audiences.Here are some of his greatest works and iconic campaigns and how his style can still inspire contemporary advertising. As an enthusiast of old school copy ads from the Fifties and Sixties they are published here complete:

Rolls Royce (“At 60 Miles an Hour”) Known for its now legendary powerful headline, “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls Royce comes from the electric clock” it highlighted product specifics and luxury.

Dove (“One Quarter Moisturising Cream”) Ogilvy repositioned Dove which was struggling for recognition and market share as a “beauty bar,” not just soap, elevating its status and creating a long lasting brand identity.

Guinness (“The Guinness Guide to Oysters”) This series of educational ads paired Guinness with food, blending information with elegance to enhance its sophistication.

Schweppes (“Commander Whitehead”) Featuring the company’s president, this ad exuded authenticity and sophistication, tying the brand to exclusivity.

Hathaway Shirt (“The Man in the Hathaway Shirt”). Featuring a man with an eye patch, this ad used “story appeal” to intrigue viewers. The mysterious element drew attention, making the brand memorable.

So here’s the meat in the sandwich as a friend says.

Contemporary Applications of Ogilvy’s Style :

Storytelling with Visual Hooks: Modern brands can emulate Ogilvy’s “story appeal” by using intriguing visuals or unexpected elements in social media campaigns.

Data Driven Headlines & Content: Like Ogilvy’s Rolls Royce ad, brands should craft specific, benefit driven headlines for digital ads to boost engagement.

Authenticity in Branding: Using real people (e.g., founders) in campaigns resonates today, especially on platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram.

Personal Brand: The ‘Commander Whitehead’ as pictured in the Schweppes adverts is an obvious spin-off personal branding opportunity today.

Educational Content Marketing: Ogilvy’s Guinness and Dove campaigns show the power of educating consumers about product benefits aka solving a problem too. A strategy effective in blogs and video content.

In summary, David Ogilvy’s timeless principles truthful storytelling, captivating visuals, and product focused messaging remain essential for modern marketers.

Who are your advertising and copywriting heroes?

—-

Specialising in effective website and digital marketing content, Steve Coulter is a U.K. based copywriter and content professional with a lifetime interest in advertising and marketing.

DIGITAL MARKETING: The New Kid On The Block.

January 9, 2025January 9, 2025 | admin

I’m going to introduce you to an innovation around Internet search you have possibly not heard about, but will undoubtedly dominate the conversation (excuse the pun) in the near future.

Every now and then there’s a paradigm shift that alters the way we behave and that moves from something niche, to serious mainstream. Have you ever read Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point? I recommend it to anyone interested in human behaviour and especially where everyday technology applies.

If you are relying upon your website and its performance in search and in 2025 that means Google, you need to understand there is a new kid on the block who is not going away.

That’s ‘Conversational Search’ or CCAI to give it the correct acronym. The usurper of SEO?

Have you noticed how you might have started to use conversational language in the search field? Example a search ‘Rolex For Sale Near Me’ becomes ‘What are the most popular new luxury watches that hold their value?’.

If people are searching the latter and you’ve optimised your site only to rank on Google or with less relevancy or authoritative information you won’t do so well in CCAI, that could have profound effects on your business. As the investment guru Warren Buffet says ‘If you have all your eggs in one basket, you better keep an eye on the basket’. I’d put money on the majority of business owners being myopic about their Google ranking with little interest in alternatives. Let’s be honest, people like me exist because many businesses are not even strong on Google!

So, is CCAI the future of online information retrieval? In January 2025, the landscape of online search is rapidly evolving. CCAI is gaining traction and challenging the traditional search paradigm nowadays dominated by Google. But could it replace the search giant and undermine our SEO tactics? I’m old enough to remember the Nineties where ranking, even inclusion on Yahoo was vital to search success. Anyone remember Alta Vista?

Advantages of Conversational AI Search

Natural Interactions: Users can ask questions in their own words, making the search process more intuitive and user-friendly.
Direct Answers: Instead of a list of links, CCAI provides concise, contextually relevant responses, saving time and effort. Great for research.
Personalisation: AI can tailor responses based on user preferences and previous interactions, offering a more personalised experience.

Challenges and Limitations

Accuracy Concerns: While improving, we’re still at ‘Ford Model T’ stage, AI can still misinterpret queries or provide incomplete information.
Data Recency: Traditional search engines often have more up-to-date information, crucial for current events and rapidly changing topics.
Comprehensive Results: Google’s vast index and sophisticated algorithms still provide a broad range of sources and perspectives although have you noticed how dated many search results are nowadays?
Self Referencing: A real issue with AI is self referencing, where results from AI are included in new website content, thus in time overemphasise importance.

My Verdict

While Conversational AI search is making significant strides, it’s unlikely to completely replace Google in the near future. Instead, we’re moving towards a complementary ecosystem where both technologies coexist, each serving different user needs and preferences. As professionals, it’s crucial to stay informed about these advancements and consider how they might impact our industries. We’ve become complacent with Google SEO fettling, the future of these new search alternatives is exciting, and it’s clear AI will have a role in reshaping it.

What are your thoughts on the future of search? Have you begun to use conversational language in your Internet searches? What will you do to create content that searches effectively in all models?

As ever, please Like, Share, Save and Follow and please contact me if you would like to discuss improving your digital marketing and growth strategy.

ADVERT: DIGITAL MARKETING FROM £99 P/M

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 | admin

Satisfy your New Year Resolution to kickstart your business growth in 2025!

JANUARY SPECIAL OFFER

Steve Coulter Creative Facebook Post 001 - 070125

Professional digital marketing services from just £99 per month.

– Boost your presence online and on social media.
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– Start conversations with new prospects.
– Achieve measurable results to improve next time.

MIX & MATCH

Let’s work together, whether your website is lagging behind in search results, locally or against your competitors, or your social media channels lack direction, we can work out a bespoke plan for January and the future.

– SEO – (Search Engine Optimisation) Optimise your website to rank higher in local search.
– Google Search – Improve your local search results.
– Social Media – Create branded eye-catching posts with great content and hashtags.
– Audit your complete online presence and strategy.

Unlike other agencies whose similar offer is limited to an amount of social posts we will work together on a specific area of your digital marketing that requires improvement.

Reasonably priced upgrade, copywriting and scheduling offers available.

Don’t miss out, this offer ends 31st January. Contact me today and let’s work together.

DIGITAL MARKETING: 5 Great Small Business Growth Tips

October 22, 2024 | admin

5 Affordable Digital Marketing Tips to Grow Your Small Business

Growing a small business can feel like an uphill battle, especially when your budget is tight. But with the right strategies, you don’t need a huge marketing budget to see great results. Here’s a breakdown of five powerful (and affordable!) tactics you can start using today to boost your visibility and attract more customers.

1. Affordable SEO Services for Small Businesses

SEO doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective. Small businesses can start by focusing on local SEO, optimise your site for local search terms, claim your Google Business Profile, and build backlinks from local directories. You can also use free SEO tools like Google Search Console or Semrush to help find keywords and fix any site issues that might be holding back your rankings.

Quick Tip: Write blog posts that answer common customer questions – Google loves content that solves problems.

2. How to Improve Social Media Engagement for Business

Getting likes and shares is great, but the real gold in social media is engagement. To build a loyal audience, you need to post content that sparks a conversation. Use interactive posts like polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos. Share behind-the-scenes moments, success stories, and most importantly, respond to comments. The more personal you get, the more people will engage.

Quick Tip: Ask open-ended questions to encourage followers to share their thoughts- it’s an easy way to get the conversation started.

3. Lead Generation Strategies for Local Businesses

For local businesses, lead generation is all about getting noticed by people in your area. Start by partnering with local influencers or complementary businesses to cross-promote. You can also create location-based offers, like exclusive discounts for nearby residents. Don’t forget about paid search ads on Google or Facebook targeting your local area—these are a cost-effective way to put your business in front of the right people.

Quick Tip: Offer a special promotion tied to local events or holidays to attract more foot traffic and leads.

4. Low-Cost Google Business Page Setup

One of the most effective ways to get more local traffic is by setting up and optimising your Google Business Profile (GBP). It’s free and helps your business show up in local search results. Fill out every section of your profile, including hours of operation, business description, and photos. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews—more reviews mean higher rankings in local search results.

Quick Tip: Add posts and updates to your Google Business Profile regularly to keep your listing active and engaging.

5. How to Boost Online Visibility for SMEs

If you want to be seen, you need to be everywhere your audience is. Combine SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing for a comprehensive visibility strategy. Focus on creating valuable content that your audience cares about, whether it’s blog posts, videos, or infographics. Use paid ads to reach new customers, but balance it with a strong organic presence to build long-term trust.

Quick Tip: Use data from tools like Google Analytics to track what’s working and tweak your approach based on real insights.

Conclusion: Ready to Grow Your Business Without Breaking the Bank?

These strategies are affordable, effective, and easy to implement. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, there’s something here for every small business. Get in touch today for a Free Consultation, and let’s create a personalised plan to help you grow your business and boost your online visibility and ultimately, profit.

DIGITAL MARKETING: 5 Top Strategies For SME Businesses

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 | admin

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead is crucial. Especially for SMEs trying to compete with larger competitors and their budgets! From SEO tactics to social media growth, here’s a quick guide to five key strategies every small business owner should be mastering right now.

1. Digital Marketing Strategies for SME

Small businesses often have limited budgets, but that doesn’t mean they can’t outsmart the competition. A smart strategy blends organic and paid tactics to maximise visibility. Focus on high-ROI channels like local SEO to dominate search results in your area and social media marketing to engage directly with your audience. The key? Target the right people with the right message, and don’t be afraid to experiment with low-cost PPC campaigns to supplement organic growth.

Quick Tip: Don’t stretch yourself thin. Pick 2-3 digital marketing channels that align with your audience and double down.

2. SEO Tips for Small Businesses

SEO can seem like a puzzle, but with the right pieces it’s a great way to boost traffic. Start by optimising your website for local search with Google Business Profile, ensuring you’re visible in local searches. Then focus on on-page SEO—ensure your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and packed with high-quality content that answers your customers’ questions. Don’t forget to build backlinks from relevant sites; they’re SEO gold.

Quick Tip: Consistently publish valuable, keyword-optimised content. Google loves fresh material.

3. Social Media Marketing for Business Growth

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C business, social media is your direct line to customers. But simply posting isn’t enough—you need to create content that resonates. Tap into user-generated content, behind-the-scenes stories, and interactive polls to get your audience involved. Additionally, running paid ads on platforms like Facebook or Instagram can give your brand an immediate visibility boost.

Quick Tip: Video content is king. Short, engaging clips grab attention and drive engagement more than any other format. Which video platform is best for you? Think about Instagram Reels, YouTube or TikTok?

4. Content Marketing Strategies for B2B

B2B content marketing isn’t about volume; it’s about delivering the right information to the right decision-makers. Educational blog posts, white-papers, and case studies are your bread and butter here. Focus on thought leadership to position your brand as the expert in your field. And don’t forget to promote your content across LinkedIn and industry-specific forums to extend your reach.

Quick Tip: Repurpose your content—turn a blog post into a webinar, infographic, or video to maximise its impact.

5. Digital Marketing Trends for 2024

Looking ahead, AI tools are helping businesses automate and optimise everything from content creation to customer segmentation, while hyper-personalisation tactics are becoming more advanced.

Quick Tip: Stay agile—2024 will reward businesses that quickly adapt to new technologies and trends.

Conclusion: Ready to Take Your Marketing to the Next Level?

Don’t just read about it—take action! Implement these strategies and watch your business grow. Want more tailored advice on how to boost your digital marketing? Just Call for a free consultation, and let’s get started on transforming your marketing strategy into a powerful profit and business growth engine.

DIGITAL MARKETING: Money Matters.

August 10, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

We are all motivated or many people would remain in bed all day. The essentials of life have to be accounted for with whatever we can earn. But to achieve more than basic needs we need a driver. A great example is a mortgage. We all want to pay off our mortgage, but actually, having that ball and chain is a driver to earn more to pay what can be an amount that wildly fluctuates as a percentage of our income in our lifetimes. Somewhere you find the money for the home you thought you could not afford. After conducting an autopsy of my own working life and expenditure I believe having a permanent mortgage would have been beneficial. Obviously age and health are pertinent. Where am I going with this?

If you don’t have a budget to start a business you don’t have a business. Don’t start a business if you don’t have six months income set aside too. Investing £x 000 in the start up essentials of a modern enterprise like a sophisticated website not only gives your business an anchor, but somewhere to market to and from and capture prospect data. Repaying initial costs is part of your driver to establish a thriving business and go the extra mile to secure sales. You can also offset against taxable income so it’s less than its actual invoice price. It’s only the modern world where clicks have replaced bricks that not having any premises to trade from could even be contemplated. Before Y2K you couldn’t open a shop without acquiring one, rent or buy. You wouldn’t open a shop right next to another one either unless demand suggested it were viable. Social media has exacerbated the problem. Yes, Instagram, Tik Tok or Twitter is virtually free to use but it’s not as effective as paying for a targeted professional campaign aimed at a specific product or service. Or the data you can extrapolate for next time and who it turns out is your customer.

How much of your start up funds would you invest in a website and marketing to drive traffic?

SOCIAL MEDIA: Video Killed The Literary Star

July 19, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

The Rise Of Instagram Reels Video & TikTok over static images. The new 2021 Instagram Algortihm.

Earlier today on Clubhouse Social Audio during the 4:13 Leadership forum I was asked to compare marketing online now versus twenty years ago. Categorically I would say it’s far more sophisticated, much lower cost, far more effective and offers high quality metrics to measure your efforts and spend. As they say, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. But as far as some platforms are concerned the writing associated with posts is becoming redundant in favour of video for a generation with very short attention spans.

Where platform leaders go, others follow. So with this in mind we are all going to have to consider how we can promote our businesses within the realms of 30 second short video and longer forms of 5 to 15 minutes of content. Influenced by the success of TikTok amongst it’s key demographic, Instagram are moving towards being more of a video than photography platform and ranking Reels use far greater in the algorithm. Post Likes are being dropped in favour of Saves and Shares so it’s vital you encourage followers to support your efforts by doing this with your posts.

I don’t believe the original developers of Instagram ever envisaged that it would be so heavily used by business marketers and like everything in business we should all have a Plan B ready should Plan A be lost to us. Thus we need to develop our use of video in a market sympathetic way, and find alternatives to support the graphics and photography we use as a lead magnet presently. With this in mind, Pinterest looks like a safe harbour and I’ll be looking into this platform next.

Instagram is still a heavily used platform so I would continue to post as you are until your analysis shows a diminished return on your time.

DIGITAL MARKETING: Discoverability

July 4, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

SEO = Discoverability = Profit

The best way to make your website more discoverable, increasing engagement and interest in your products, services and SALES £$ is to keep it tuned up. Optimal tuning will ensure it’s more discoverable by the main search engines. The Domain Authority (DA) * more on this next time, is much improved along with your site being included in Search Engine Result Pages (SERP) if great ranking sites relevant to your industry link to your website and pages, but before researching and contacting them to enquire about linking it’s essential your website is in the best possible shape. But where to begin?

Checklist

Optimise your website so it loads quickly.
Check and repair any broken links.
Check that each page has consistency across, file name, title, subtitles, relevant & keyword rich content, matching tags.
Optimise image file sizes and create alt. tags – searchable and describe images when images are switched off by the user. This has got lazy since ‘my day’ 1999-2005.
Relevant meta tags on pages and images.
Name image files don’t just use file names.
Check internal links are not broken.
Optimise each product page by using techniques described above.

Once you have an impressive super-speedy loading website begin approaching targeted companies to link to you then watch your DA & SERPs climb!

Thank-you for reading. Find me on Clubhouse @ thestevecee

DIGITAL MARKETING: 2021 Q3. Sales Interrupted

July 4, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

Whether you sell New Cars, UHD-TV, Play Stations or White Goods, by now you’ll be aware of the ‘Worldwide Semi-Conductor Shortage’. This is having profound influence on sales, profit and achievement of manufacturer bonus related targets that prevail in many industries. Not least because these companies appear led by people stuck with a process, Sell x product in 3 months = bonus £$ and unable to be creative around incentivising dealers to market and sell what is actually available, not simply adding to an order bank already stretching five months. That’s five months to receive the cash and profit from a sale and as far as the automotive sector is concerned, a used model part-exchanged which adds to used car inventory = another sale and profit delayed. The obvious effect of the present rarity situation is the increase in asset value of used cars.

The three primary causes of the shortages are; Taiwanese Drought, yes really. In a perfect example of the Law Of Unintended Consequences, your new car has been delayed by the lack of rainwater in Taiwan where ultra pure water in large amounts is required to produce these electronic components. The global Covid 19 pandemic, obvious one this, more people were at home in 2020 and the last quarter of the year saw a 25% plus increase in electronic goods (boredom) and car sales (avoiding public transport) globally, pulling forward components impossible to manufacture quickly. Finally, the China – USA Trade War, yep, pesky Chy-Nah is preventing your new microwave pinging in the kitchen. Last year the United States Government / Trump Administration placed trade restrictions on China’s biggest silicon chip manufacturer, which made it harder for them to sell to companies with American ties. These restrictions forced companies to use other manufacturing plants like Samsung and the aforementioned Taiwanese companies. However, these companies were already producing at maximum output.

My point of describing this current handicap is to ask the question, ‘What is your business or industry doing to be CREATIVE about selling what is PHYSICALLY available to sell and not just taking orders to deliver months into the future. Reverse engineering a result? Let me know in your comments.

Thanks for reading.

Find me on Clubhouse @ thestevecee

SOCIAL MEDIA: Black Tie / White Noise

June 24, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

Noisy neighbours.

There are various types of learning styles. Visual, Auditory (hearing), Reading, Kinesthetic (touch, or tactile learners). What’s your preference? Over the years I’m aware my own is a combination of reading and listening. Then particularly with quotes or important dates, writing out passages and even associating dates by breaking them down and attaching to words cognitively.

Auditory learners are able to ascertain the true meaning of spoken words by listening to changes in tone and build trust from tempo, tone and timbre. They are also good at writing responses to lectures (hand up here). It’s claimed that auditory learners prefer background sound and work better while learning. I’m listening to an album on the HiFi – and louder than you might imagine with no loss of concentration. Auditory learners are great storytellers, solve problems by talking them through and respond well to sound or voice oriented information.

It’s no surprise then that I have taken to Social Audio aka Interactive Podcasting. The pioneer app in this space Clubhouse, is now a year old and new entrants, Twitter Spaces and Spotify Greenroom (aka ‘Greenhouse’ to hardcore Clubhouse users) are capitalising on the popularity.

If so many learn by listening and a combination of the above, then it’s not that Social Audio should be a surprise but that it’s taken over a decade to arrive. Like all disruptors, why didn’t we all see it coming?

Over the past few days so much debate and comparison between Clubhouse and Greenroom. To paraphrase the great Sir Alex Ferguson, Greenroom is the ‘Noisy neighbour’ there is nothing to be done by any platform in relation to competition except remain on the planned course and introduce upgrades to ensure an excellent and stable experience for the user. A point that I keep coming back to though is that all professionals will choose whichever app suits them and offers the greatest Return On TIME Invested, and that all competition only breeds improvement in performance and service. In other words, choose your weapon and let the provider make your experience as enjoyable as possible. I have no doubt though that people who arrive at the Greenroom app via the Spotify homepage/podcast section will learn of Clubhouse, perhaps pay a visit and stay if they prefer the greater visual appeal of white space, are an older demographic and a more sophisticated user. The more frantic, with smaller icons, reversed out (dark mode background) Greenhouse will thrive on younger, music and creative themed topics (& hopefully for them) along with the predominantly sports user base they inherited when they purchased the Locker Room app to modify and relaunch.

For me, I have invested four months on and off with Clubhouse and have 600 organic followers who have either appreciated my commentary or profile. I see no point in trying to establish myself on alt.voice platforms and will enjoy the development of the app’s features and the arrival of more like minded, creative thinkers, the like I have come to make the acquaintance of since March.

Come and find me to say hello, I am @ thestevecee on the app.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Back To The Futurism 3

June 15, 2021August 8, 2023 | admin

Futurist Preamble Ramble Pt.3:

The Clubhouse app analogy. Like attracts like, people follow those they respect and meet more like minded, all these people invite their friends to join the app and a ripple effect of like minded & a virtuous circle. An app that existed before the pandemic but floundering, came alive when we were stuck at home and realised that interactive podcasting meant you could contribute to the discourse of your pet subjects and interests. Typically, the larger platforms are now on the bandwagon with their own offerings. Speaking and sound was the last of the senses to be properly catered for by Social Media, the effect of hearing tone in someone’s voice is more personal than text creating an unexpected hit. Unexpected seems to be a thread.

At the creator level, ideas from people across the world are disseminated and applied to individual markets. Collaboration is a natural effect.

On a buyer level, obviously influencers are embedded, but micro influencers are targeting a smaller niche audience from subsets of interests. It’s simpler to market a niche product or service than larger.

How many have dyed their own hair during the pandemic and how many have sought reviews online? Some ultra agile smaller brands have capitalised mightily in the last twelve months by creating simple to use products and receiving rave reviews. The rise of the #RavingFan !

Social Media Groups are simple to create and market to. Brands who interact at a quantum level in these forums build trust in a subscriber that they are the most qualified supplier of goods and services (Social Listening). Backed up by encouraging great feedback within these forums and the Internet in general. Your brand’s clean fingerprints have never been more vital in a world where you simply cannot erase a poor review.