Mediaboss Marketing

In January, multiple outlets published articles discussing whether 2020 would signal the end of the webinar. But now, mere months and a global pandemic later, live virtual events have become one of the most critical tools in a marketers arsenal.

The content marketing webinar is beginning to receive significant chunks of budget once reserved for live events, such as trade shows and conferences. But what hasnt changed in the past few months is one simple fact: The idea of the webinar has grown a little, well, stale.

The internet is brimming with thousands of webinars that are so dull and mind-numbing, theyre likely to put viewers to sleep rather than drive conversions. And given that high-quality webinars arent always cheap or easy to produce, promote, and host, its understandable to wonder whether you should invest in these events or find somewhere else to spend your extra budget.

But heres the thing: Webinars still work. And the fact that there are so many subpar ones puts you at a greater advantage to stand out with engaging and entertaining webinars. Heres why webinars are worth the time and money, as well as a few tips for getting the biggest return on your investment.

Photo attribution: cottonbro on Pexels.

If youre on the fence about getting into the webinar game, consider how much value they could bring to your organization. From driving sales enablement to user engagement, here are some of the reasons why webinars are good for business.

They demonstrate your internal expertise: A content marketing webinar is an excellent place to showcase your brands knowledge and talent. They allow you to flaunt your subject matter experts and establish your team members as industry thought leaders.

They cultivate high-quality leads: In a survey of 678 marketing and sales leaders by InsideSales.com, seventy-three percent of respondents called webinars one of the best ways to generate high-quality leads. After all, if someone is willing to give you 30 minutes to a full hour of their time, and they find the content in your webinar useful and compelling, theres a good chance that their needs align with the solutions or services you provide.

They let you engage directly with your audience: One of my most-loved quarantine activities has been watching my favorite musicians play live shows from their homes. Why? Because it makes me feel connected to them and their music in a more profound way than I would from just listening to their records or watching a prerecorded set. Engaging with people in real time allows your brand to foster more authentic relationships. Furthermore, by leveraging a live Q&A, you can interact directly with your audience and learn more about their needs and pain points.

They let you repurpose content: You know all that great content you developed for a conference that got canceled? Or that fantastic e-book you published? And what about that well-researched blog series youre so proud of? A webinar is an excellent platform for repurposing content and ensuring it reaches a broader audience and achieves the ROI you had in mind.

They have two lives: Because webinars live twicefirst, when they go live and second, when theyre shared as on-demand resources on your websitethey can generate value for long stretches of time. Although watching a prerecorded webinar eliminates the interactivity element, it allows busy professionals to access valuable information at times that are convenient for them.

You dont want to produce webinars that are boring or, worse, too general or too vague to offer any real value to your viewers. Here are several ways you can boost the effectiveness of your webinars and ensure theyre well worth your audiences time.

The reason why op-eds spread like wildfire across social media is that people love dipping their toes into controversy. To dial into this tendency, choose an industry trend or popular topic. Then, share your opinion during a webinar or bring in a second speaker with an opposing viewpoint. Just be sure to use relevant and factually sound data to back up your argument. After all, theres plenty of misinformation on the internet these days, and simply adding to the noise can hurt your brands credibility.

Make sure your content is relevant to your audience and has messaging thats tailored to them. Discuss topics through the lens of their challenges and pain points, and share solutions that they can actually take advantage of.

The time and day of the week when you host your content marketing webinar can make or break your attendance rates. Fifty-five percent of top-performing webinars are held on Wednesdays or Thursdays, according to a 2019 report from ON24, and the best time to run a webinar is 11 a.m. PST.

Start by creating a simple landing page with a user-friendly form. Then, consider running paid ads on your most active platforms, sending emails to relevant subscribers, and including a CTA on blog posts and your homepage. Be sure to send reminders as the webinar date draws closer to reduce no-shows and encourage last-minute registrations.

Your work isnt done when the webinar is a wrap. After the event, send thank you emails to registrants with a recording of the webinar as soon as you can. Depending on the topic of the webinar and where registrants fall in the buyers journey, this may also be a good time to pass leads off to sales so they can begin working their magic.

Right now, webinars are having a moment. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, theyre one of the best methods your brand can use to connect with its audience in an engaging and interactive way. By following the tips above, you can ensure that your next content marketing webinar drives conversions and helps solidify you as an industry authority.

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Featured photo attribution: Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.

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How to Host a Standout Content Marketing WebinarAnd Why They're Worth Your Investment - The Content Standard by Skyword

During council comments at their meeting Tuesday, Silver City town councilors addressed two recent demonstrations in Silver City, a June 5 Black Lives Matter protest that drew around 450 people to Gough Park, and a June 19 support law enforcement rally in which more than 100 vehicles and nearly a dozen Cowboys for Trump on horseback paraded up Bullard Street.

I attended the rally to support our law enforcement, District 3 Councilor Jose Ray said. I was very impressed with the people who showed up there elderly and younger generations. We have to support our law enforcement, even though some people dont like em; but thats neither here nor there.

Ray also gave thanks to U.S. Forest Service personnel who are fighting two fires burning in the Gila National Forest north of Silver City, and encouraged visitors to the forest to clean up after themselves.

Be sure and pack it in and pack it out, he said, adding, God bless America.

District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano, who again had internet connectivity issues that made it difficult to hear some of her comments during Tuesdays online meeting, also addressed the recent demonstrations.

I attended both the Black Lives Matter protest rally and also the law enforcement appreciation rally, and I want to thank Chief [Fred] Portillo and the Silver City Police Department. They did an excellent job both evenings, making sure that those that gathered were peaceful. Everyone seemed to be OK and get along very well, despite things in the community being a little bit charged.

Police oversight

Cano then turned to an incident involving the Police Department that was filmed in Gough Park on the afternoon of Sunday, June 14.

A lot of times, you see things on social media, and just assume something has happened, Cano said, addressing Portillo. Thank you for clarifying things and making that [information] available to the community; you did an excellent job of making the community aware of what was happening.

The cellphone video, which caused an uproar on Facebook, shows two teenagers lying face down on the grass, being detained by a Silver City police officer who has his Taser drawn. The two boys allegedly got into a fight while playing with a larger group of kids, and the officer broke up the fight by using what both the officer and Portillo characterized as a show of force. The department determined no actual use of force came into play, since the officer said he never pointed the nonlethal weapon directly at the boys.

Town Manager Alex Brown told councilors that he and Mayor Ken Ladner had gotten a lot of inquiries about the towns use-of-force policy. Not negative comments, just inquiries about the policy.

The mayor and I thought it might be a good idea to get out in front of this and get correct information out there, and we talked about appointing an advisory committee of interested residents to help, Brown continued. But I started talking to Chief Portillo, and he was getting the same requests, and actually got a request from a group of people who want to review the policies and look at them together.

Brown suggested it might be a good idea to model a police advisory and policy review committee on a committee that was formed from an interested group a couple of years ago which assessed whether first responders in Silver City were overusing sirens on emergency vehicles. The group concluded that first responders were justified in their use of sirens, and that, on average, Silver Citians experience eight siren events each day.

The siren group actually ended up being advocates for emergency services, Brown added, turning to the police chief for more details.

Portillo announced that a policy review committee is already being formed, and was set to pick up a copy of the departments existing handbook Wednesday.

Theres an individual that reached out to the Police Department and town, and they are in the beginning stages of forming a type of citizens advisory committee, Portillo said. The individual is Andy Payne, and their main goal is to get some ideas from the public.

I got with my staff, and told them that the officers out in the field are the ones that we want to be part of it, so that way they can try to help educate the committee, and get the information out there and be more transparent, Portillo explained, adding that based on the conversation he had with Payne, the goal seems to be more public relations and building that bridge for communication. Its in the beginning stages, but thats the direction were heading.

Payne is a retired teacher and farmer, who emphasized to the Daily Press that the group on behalf of which he reached out to the chief has no leader.

After an email went out, we had a Zoom meeting, and I just happened to be the one that made the contact with the department, Payne said. Its a group of people who want to find out a little more about how our Police Department works, and the chief was helpful in getting us information. What are our Police Departments policies? Nobody really knows what the policies are. Were hoping to work with the police, if we need to work with the police on anything, and so far, the chief has been very willing to share information.

Cano asked if others might be included in the process.

Since were giving one group access to you in that way, I would say any group in town that wanted to approach the chief and talk about the policies and offer suggestions they should have access, Ladner said.

Portillo agreed.

Brown told the Daily Press that anyone interested in reviewing the departments policies should contact Portillo directly. The non-emergency number for the Silver City Police Department is 538-3723, and Portillos email is fporti llo@silvercitymail.com.

Tourism during COVID-19

Sunny 505 President Joanie Griffin apprised councilors about the current status of tourism in Silver City and Grant County. The company, which provides marketing services for both the town and the county, has more or less suspended its advertising campaigns in outside markets like Tucson, and anticipates the states COVID-19 restrictions will fundamentally alter the types of attractions the company will promote in the future.

Its a dicey situation, she said. Currently, the [New Mexico] Tourism Department has gone dark on all advertising for tourism, as has the town. We are taking our lead from the Governors Office and the Tourism Department. At this time, its really not safe to have tourists coming en masse, despite the loss of visitor dollars Silver City relies on.

Right now, we are promoting Silver City through our earned media outreach unpaid media coverage through our electronic newsletter, and posting on social media, Griffin said.

She said that when she gets word from the state that its safe to start advertising, we will ramp up our advertising with a safety-first message. She explained that Sunny 505 wont be promoting Silver City as a destination for festivals like the Blues Fest or mass gatherings like the Tour of the Gila, but rather will be highlighting outdoor activities like hiking, cycling and camping that can be enjoyed while social distancing.

We certainly will not be showing festivals with lots of groups of people, and if we show people dining, we will show them social distancing, Griffin continued, showing an advertisement featuring a lone woman rock climbing. All our ads will look like this photo here, or of families enjoying the outdoors.

Griffin also said that when she does get the green light to advertise again, all marketing materials will emphasize mask-wearing, social distancing and COVID-safe practices.

This is the new normal, she said, adding that grant money and funding from the state that was to be used this spring and summer will still be accessible and may even be increased by the state in the future. We have a nice account waiting.

GEOFFREY PLANT

Excerpt from:
Silver council welcomes review of police policies - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

In fact, marketing segmentation is inclusive in most strategies. When a marketer loses all hope, all that they need is a good plan to relook at how they have segmented their audience who, where, age group etc its a sure fix!

With the introduction of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there has been improvement in the way that marketers create messages. From hardcopy ads, to digital billboards, to personalised digital marketing the change has affected almost every aspect of the world of marketing.

media updates Nakedi Phala reveals the most relevant segmentations that marketers should consider in their strategies.

Marketing segmentation is the compass in your marketing strategy; it tells you who your possible consumer is, why you should go for them and whether or not they will welcome your product or service.

Without wasting any time, lets head into the three vital marketing segments:

Well, those days are gone. Now, theres the Internet! If you need a car, you can find one and even complete the actual transaction through your smartphone device. But what does this mean for marketers? Well, a marketing team working in the motoring industry can now use smart tech to choose their target buyers by their region or climate, allowing them to find an audience that best suits their vehicles compatibility. This way, they dont need to fit their cars with snow features if it comes to a country like South Africa; so theres an opportunity to save manufacturing costs in this regard.

It is good to think things through again and again before creating a product that might flunk in certain regions, simply because it does not synchronise with your audiences lifestyle.

Once you have learnt your audience's behaviour, you can move swiftly into creating a personalised marketing strategy that will help you understand what kind of conversation you need to create to capture your current and prospective consumers, as well as play right to their likes, needs, interest and routine behaviors.

Audience behavioural patterns need to be forecasted on a long-term basis, as people tend to outgrow certain things. In this regard, its important to keep identifying trends that can give you insight so that you can plan effectively for the future.

Understanding behavioural segmentation has benefits such as:

For example, before a person buys a house, they have a picture in their mind of the type of house they are looking to buy. Whichever house the buyer chooses must fit the image they have in their mind and give them that sentimental feeling.

So, what does this mean for marketers? Well, it means that you need to tap into your consumers emotions, thoughts and desires in order to understand what they need. Once you understand them, you will be more likely to select consumers who are willing to buy the house you have on offer; and its all because you studied their interests, lifestyle and activities.

Market segmentation is a great way to analyse current and potential audiences. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section below.

Attitude segmentation Geographic segmentation Behavioural segmentation Geographic segmentation

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The three important areas of market segmentation - Media Update

ThinkMarkets is seeking a Marketing Intern who has a passion for learning real-world marketing techniques to join our downtown Chicago office. ThinkMarkets is a global online brokerage firm, specializing in Cryptocurrency, Foreign Exchange, and Commodities trading. Our mission is to disrupt the brokerage industry with our technology platform, superior data insights, and marketing practices.

Our Marketing Internwill report to the Head of Performance Marketing. This individual will be a true owner and collaborator and will play a foundational role in assisting in the development of marketing systems and establishing best practices for the brand. This is an excellent hands on learning opportunity for someone who wants experience in multiple facets of marketing.

The ideal candidate is a rising senior who is willing to work the summer, and has days they can come into the office on a limited schedule, typically Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (we practice extreme COVID caution and provide all necessary sanitizers, masks, and social distancing to keep the work environment safe). This internship will last from July up to Labor Day weekend.

Responsibilities:

We are looking for a fearless, hardworking, independent and super-smart individual with the following qualifications:

*Please attach a cover letter along with your resume in order to be considered for the role.*

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Marketing Intern - ThinkMarkets - Built In Chicago

NEW YORK During the weeks from May 1125, 2020, over 900 travel executives (tour operators and agency owners) from the top tourism source markets participated in a global survey by Travel Consul, international travel marketing alliance. The goal of this survey was to get a better understanding of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the industry, current needs and a view to what the future might entail. Here are a few highlights of the results:

How destinations can support distribution partners in recoveryWhen asked how destination organizations (DMOs) can best help travel advisors and tour operators in recovery, the number one answer was clearly "introducing health and safety certificates for advisors to feel sure the destinations are safe to send their customers." Two out of 3 participants requested help from the destinations. The next top three answers included marketing campaigns, presenting useful and timely data, and industry and media updates.

Clients are still waiting to decide where to travel nextOver 40% of clients who are rebooking or showing some interest in traveling said that they were planning to go to the destination where they had originally booked. Although the largest percentage (46%) are at a halt, waiting to see how the situation evolves before making their decision. Amongst U.S. respondents, 51% said their clients were looking to the destination they originally booked, while 38% said their clients were waiting to decide.

Marketing efforts for recovery are focused on social mediaIn regards to marketing activities during recovery, social media was clearly the winner with 2 out of every 3 respondents claiming that social marketing was their main concept. That number is even higher amongst U.S. respondents, with 75% saying they would focus on social media. Digital and co-op campaigns respectively came in second and third.

Business implications of COVID-19Overall, distribution partners expect a 73% decrease in business volume in Q3 2020 and a 60% decrease in Q4 2020. Two-thirds of respondents anticipate being able to sustain their businesses for six months without government financial support. U.S. respondents feel less financially secure than the global average. One in 3 (33%) said they could only sustain their business without government assistance for one to three months, and 28% said four to six months.

Actions implemented during the crisisApproximately 41% of global respondents reported designing new products and adjusting the business model as the main measures adopted during the pandemic. Customer service improvement and training programs ranked second.

Top communication methods used with clientsEmail leads as the preferred form of communication for tour operators and agency owners that are interacting with clients during the COVID-19 emergency. Interestingly, the traditional use of the telephone was the second most utilized channel. Although gaining popularity, video conferences and live chat make up less than 17% of communications methods.

Tourism associations serve as primary data sourcesConcerning the top three data sources that are used for information during the COVID-19 crisis, tour operators and travel agency associations clearly lead the pack (global average of 69%). This was followed by destination tourist offices, trade media, their own national government and industry friends.

How COVID-19 is changing the rules in 2020 and beyondWhen asked how the role of travel distribution partners will change going forward in order to adapt to these new circumstances, 70% of the respondents believe that modifying cancellation policies or terms and conditions will be among their main undertakings. Additional strong responses were expand customer communication channels," diversify/change your product and destination offerings," and creating new partnerships with new buyers and suppliers.

Loyalty to destinations and hotels and resorts is being reconsideredAlmost 50% of respondents said that they were extremely likely to consider hotels and resorts they had never sold before. Additionally, another 37% said that it was somewhat likely they would consider other options. U.S. respondents answered similarly to their global counterparts.

Excerpt from:
Research captures the impact of COVID-19 on travel distribution partners and their outlook on the future - Travel Daily News International