Tag Archive for: online marketing

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Social Media Trends 2026: Why Short Posts Are Losing Power


Social media trends in 2026 are showing a clear shift. Short posts are no longer creating the same impact they once did. A quick caption, a single image, or a fast update used to be enough to keep your audience engaged. That is no longer the case, because the landscape has changed and the platforms have changed with it.

If you have noticed your short posts slowing down, you are not imagining it. Longer content is taking the lead across Instagram, TikTok, and even LinkedIn. Carousels and 30 to 60 second videos are now outperforming single‑image posts by a wide margin. The reason is simple. People want more.

This month, Cloud9 Marketing is breaking down what is shifting, why it matters, and how you can adjust your content without rebuilding your entire strategy from scratch.

Short Posts Are Not Doing the Heavy Lifting Anymore

Short posts once thrived because they matched how people used social media. Content was fast, light, and easy to scroll through. User behaviour has changed, and people now pause for content that:

  • Gives clear information
  • Shares real insight
  • Shows a story or moment

Audiences are more selective with their attention. They want posts that feel worth their time. This shift is one of the biggest social media content trends of 2026, and it affects every industry.

What Is Working Better in 2026

Across platforms, longer content formats are seeing stronger results. These formats include:

  • Multi‑page carousels
  • Short educational videos
  • Step‑by‑step visuals
  • Story‑based clips

These types of posts keep people on your content for a longer period of time. That is now one of the strongest signals the platforms look for. The more time someone spends on your content, the more the algorithm sees it as valuable.

This trend is especially clear on Instagram and TikTok. Watch time and save‑worthy content are now the top drivers of reach.

Why This Shift Matters for Your Business

This change is not only about content length. It is also about how platforms measure engagement.

The algorithm now prioritizes accounts that:

  • Post often
  • Keep people on the post longer
  • Earn saves, shares, and watch time

Quick likes matter far less than they used to. What matters now is whether your content holds attention and encourages people to return to your page.

For businesses, this is good news. Growth is now tied to value, not to posting constantly or chasing trends that do not fit your brand

How to Adjust Without Starting Over

You do not need a full strategy overhaul. Small shifts can make a meaningful difference. Try creating posts that:

  • Answer a clear question
    Example: “What is the best month to visit Iceland?”
  • Break a topic into small parts
    Example: “Three things to check before booking a hotel: location, transit options, and hidden fees.”
  • Show one simple step someone can take
    Example: “Pick one place you want to visit and save three photos of it for trip ideas.”

These formats are easy to create and easy for your audience to understand. They also align with the social media content trends of 2026, which reward clarity, depth, and helpful information.

What to Create Next

If you want to stay ahead of the shift, focus on content that gives your audience a reason to slow down. Strong options include:

  • How‑to carousels
  • Short story videos
  • Step‑by‑step guides
  • Posts that solve a common problem

These formats build trust, encourage saves, and keep people on your page longer. All of these signals help your reach grow over time.

The Bottom Line

Short posts are not gone, but they are no longer the core of a strong content strategy. Longer, more helpful content is now the key to steady growth across social platforms. The good news is that you do not need to start from zero. With a few small shifts, you can turn your existing ideas into content that performs better, lasts longer, and brings more value to your audience.

Ready to Strengthen Your Content Strategy?

If you want support creating stronger carousels, videos, or a full content plan that fits the social media content trends of 2026, Cloud9 Marketing is here to help.

Book a free consultation with Cloud9 Marketing and let’s build a strategy that grows with you.

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Winning Newsletter Strategies for 2025

If you’ve been wondering whether email marketing still works in 2025, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, winning newsletter strategies for 2025 are more impactful than ever—proving that email newsletters remain one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s arsenal. For small and mid-sized businesses across Whistler and the Sea to Sky Corridor, newsletters continue to be a reliable, cost-effective way to engage directly with your audience and drive meaningful results.

At Cloud9 Marketing, we understand the evolving digital landscape, and we’re here to help you turn email into a growth engine. This month, we’re diving into winning newsletter strategies for 2025—with simple, actionable tips that actually work.

1. Personalize with Purpose

Generic blasts are a thing of the past. Today, the power lies in segmentation—sending the right message to the right person at the right time. Whether you’re welcoming new subscribers or re-engaging long-time readers, personalization creates connection.

Think local: a Whistler-based gear shop might send different emails to hikers and skiers. Even small tweaks like referencing seasonal changes or local events can build trust and relevance.

For more on tailoring your marketing efforts, check out our insights on Understanding Local SEO.

2. Make It Mobile and Reader-Friendly

More than three-quarters of emails are opened on a mobile device—so if your newsletter isn’t mobile-optimized, you’re missing out. Keep designs clean and simple. Use larger fonts, single-column layouts, and clear buttons. Just like we recommend in our Top SEO Trends for Spring 2025, readability is everything when attention spans are short.

Bonus tip: short subject lines (ideally under 40 characters) tend to grab more attention—so keep it snappy!

3. Stay Consistent, Not Constant

One of the most underrated winning newsletter strategies for 2025 is finding your rhythm. Weekly or bi-weekly emails are often ideal, especially for small businesses. They strike a balance between staying visible and not overwhelming your list. Treat your newsletter like a story you’re telling over time—something readers look forward to. A consistent tone, layout, and send time builds familiarity and strengthens your brand voice.

For strategies on maintaining consistency in your marketing efforts, explore our article on Beyond Luck: Smart Marketing Strategies.

4. Automate Without Losing the Human Touch

Email automation is your best friend in 2025, but it shouldn’t sound robotic. Set up welcome series, birthday offers, or seasonal campaigns that still feel warm and thoughtful.

At Cloud9, we help clients build smart automation sequences that maintain personality—so your brand feels consistent whether you’re writing in real-time or scheduling weeks ahead.

5. Add Value Before You Sell

People don’t subscribe to be sold to—they subscribe to learn, be inspired, or stay connected. Make sure your emails offer something meaningful: a behind-the-scenes update, a staff pick, a seasonal tip, or even a funny story from your week. Not every email needs to include a promo code or CTA. Sometimes, the win is simply staying top-of-mind in a helpful way.

For ideas on providing value to your audience, consider our Top SEO Trends for Spring 2025.

Want to Make Your Newsletters Work Harder?

You don’t need a huge subscriber list or complicated tools to succeed. You just need a plan—and maybe a little guidance. Whether you’re launching your first campaign or refreshing an old format, we’re here to help with winning newsletter strategies for 2025 tailored to your business.

👉 Get in touch with Cloud9 Marketing and let’s build something brilliant together.

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What is Real-Time Marketing and Why is it Important?

Real-time marketing is nothing new, but thanks to the power of social media more and more businesses are starting to embrace it as an effective form of online marketing. RTM is bold, loud, and undoubtedly one of the best ways to garner attention. And even better, RTM doesn’t require fancy technology, extensive planning or complex automation: All you need is some clever timing. Here’s a breakdown of what real-time marketing entails, and how you can use it to increase traffic to your website and increase sales.

What is real-time marketing?

Businesses use real-time marketing to interact with their target audience based on current local, national or global events and trends. Brands can engage with their consumers and connect them to what they need at critical moments. This doesn’t mean that brands are jumping on every Internet trend, but rather adding value to certain online conversations.

RTM is the antithesis of planning ahead, as it relies entirely on relevant news and current crazes. Businesses use real-time marketing for live event promotion, location-based deals, and most commonly for social media engagements. One of the most notorious RTM strategies comes from OREO, and their single tweet during the infamous 2013 Super Bowl blackout.

What are the benefits of real-time marketing?

 

It’s impactful

Marketers often struggle to come up with new, innovative ways to engage the always connected consumer. Real-time marketing offers a solution. Enabling marketers to adapt their message to a specific context, RTM cuts through the noise and allows businesses to connect with people in the right place at the right time.

It increases engagement

With RTM, businesses can reach people interested in their products or services wherever, whenever. Instead of blasting out generic messages across all social media platforms, you can personalize these messages to spark a dialogue with consumers, and increase the quality of engagements.

It diversifies your content

While it’s important to show your expertise through longer forms of content, sometimes shorter pieces can have more of an impact. These bite-size pieces of content, such as graphics or tweets, offer a quick and easy way to inform and engage your audience, giving them something to remember!

It increases a sense of urgency

Everyone wants to be in on the latest trend. When businesses tailor marketing to consumers in a time of need, their products or services become more appealing. Urgency motivates people and incentivizes them to engage with your brand. By structuring your advertisements to reflect a current event or trend, consumers will recognize how useful your products or services are in the current moment.

It’s inexpensive

Real-time marketing does not require huge amounts of money, making it one of best ways for small businesses to market their products or services. With a bit of swiftness and creativity, you can easily connect your brand with current and potential customers through relating to the most popular Internet topics and crazes.

Whether or not you’re using real-time marketing for your brand, it’s important to be in the loop with what your customers are talking about online. Here at Cloud9 Marketing, we specialize in social media management, as well as brand story-telling and graphic design. If you want to take your businesses marketing efforts to the next level, schedule a free consultation with us to get started!

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Choosing the Right Social Media Platform for Your Small Business

So you’ve launched your website and opened your doors, but what’s next? To fully target your ideal demographic and start bringing in consistent sales, you’ll need to start marketing your business on social media. But even something as simple as choosing a social platform can be harder than you’d think…

In order to maximise your results, you need to make sure you choose a platform suitable to your business goals. Many small businesses make the mistake of tackling every social platform channel at once. However, we recommend starting with the most popular platform, and leaving the more experimental campaigns for later on.  Let’s take a look at some of the most major social platforms, and see how they are suited to your audience, preferences, and other demographics.

Facebook

Facebook is the universal social media network, with more than 2 billion monthly users. With over a quarter of the world’s population scrolling through their news feeds, you have an unparalleled opportunity to reach virtually anyone, anywhere. However, because it’s so vast, you’ll need to be strategic when it comes to generating engaging paid and organic content. You’re up against a lot of competition, so post content that sets you apart from other similar companies.

One great advantage of Facebook is that it has a very low cost of advertising, with many advertisers saying they spend less than $1 per lead. For more information, here’s how you can optimize your Facebook Business page for success.

Instagram

As the fastest growing social channel, brands are rushing to Instagram to showcase their business to a largely younger audience. With over 800 million monthly active users, Instagram commands a 2000% better engagement rate than Twitter, and 58% better than Facebook.

Instagram is great for small businesses who want to turn heads with visually interesting products or services, like real estate businesses, local restaurants, and retail stores. Features like Instagram Stories and Instagram Live make it easy to connect with your consumers, as you can humanize your brand and build trust with your customers through these more candid moments.

LinkedIn

With a community of over 450 million professionals that love to engage with other brands, LinkedIn is the typical choice for B2B businesses whose main goal is lead generation. Allowing you to access a whole new demographic you may not have been able to find on other platforms, LinkedIn offers a targeting unparalleled in the realm of digital advertising. However, while the temptation may be to develop as many connections as possible, fewer, more personal connections can often provide greater value.

Youtube

This one may seem unexpected, but as the world’s largest video site (and second largest search engine), Youtube is definitely something you should eventually turn your efforts towards.

Video is now surpassing text as the best medium to engage with your online target audience, as it commands more attention and evokes emotion faster than written content. While it requires a bit more effort than other platforms, it’s really not as difficult as it seems. Weekly content doesn’t need to be completely entertainment orientated, as how-to demonstrations and interviews do just as well. Once you establish yourself on the video sharing site, it also makes it very easy collaborate and build credible connections with other relevant local businesses and influencers.

With a bit of practice, social media marketing is an art form that you can master. However, we know that posting consistent content across your social media channels is not the easiest thing to do when running a small business. If you need any help getting started, Cloud9 Marketing can create and manage your social media campaigns with effective strategies that drive quality engagement. To see if our social media management works for you, please get in contact! We’d love to help.

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WTF is SEO? The Top 5 Questions We Get from Small Businesses

Out of all of the services we offer at Cloud9 Marketing, SEO certainly has the most confusion surrounding it. Not only do many of our clients not completely understand what it encompasses, but they often have unrealistic expectations on how quickly it works. Properly implemented SEO will help a website rank well on search engines, with everybody’s goal being that coveted first page spot. Results for SEO aren’t overnight, and it’s important for businesses to realize that its an ongoing process. Here are the top questions we get from small businesses about SEO.

#1 What is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. In short, it’s how websites get found online with the common number one goal; to be displayed on the first page of the search engine results page. Keyword research, content marketing, back-linking and user experience are all aspects of SEO, but none will be completely effective without the other facets.

SEO is probably the most complicated aspect of online marketing. Involving so many layers and disciplines, some of which can only be properly employed by techy types with knowledge of web design and HTML.  With every business wanting more organic traffic, SEO is the way to get it. Of course you can pay to get traffic to your site, but organic Google rankings convey authority and trust, and SEO is how businesses get there.

#2 Should we pay for SEO in our business?

Although every online business could use SEO, not every business should allocate marketing budget to this area. In some cases, small businesses simply do not have the budget to compete with competitors for the top spots on search engines.

Businesses looking for immediate results will not benefit from SEO as SEO strategies take time (three months minimum for any impact). For small businesses operating in a competitive online space, who don’t have the budget to compete with online titans or who are seeking immediate results should opt for paid advertising, or other online marketing methods instead.

#3 What services does an SEO company provide?

Some SEO companies provide the gamut of SEO services while others focus on specific areas such as content creation, on-page optimization or link building. Having an audit done of your website is the first step to establishing your SEO needs.

Once you know what you’re dealing with, and understand the market in which you are competing, you can decide if and which SEO company can help you reach your goals. You may need someone who can cover every aspect of SEO from the technical to the content, to the links and authority; or you may simply need someone who can make some changes to the back-end of your website so it’s more search engine and user friendly.

#4 Can we do SEO ourselves?

There are some things businesses can do themselves to help optimize their website. Installing an SEO plugin such as Yoast can help ensure pages and posts are properly optimized for search engines using meta descriptions, title tags and focus key words. Blogging is an excellent way to increase organic page rank and can be done internally. By using popular key words for your business and industry you can generate more rankings for specific search terms. There are also a handful of free and cheap tools online that allow businesses to check their SEO status; MOZ.com, Ahrefs and Google Keyword planner are some excellent places to start.

#5 Why aren’t we getting instant results?

As a marketing agency that provides SEO services we are constantly abating client concerns about the lack of overnight results. It takes a minimum of three months for SEO results to flow in, and this can be even longer for websites that have had particularly poor performance or in ultra competitive market places. Patience with SEO is key. Understanding that SEO is a long game not an overnight miracle worker will help set realistic expectations when trying to improve your businesses SEO.

If you’re looking to rank on the first page of google and up your organic game on search engines, we can help. Cloud9 Marketing offers free SEO audits at no obligation.

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Building A Lucrative Email List That Communicates, Connects and Converts

An email list is the most powerful way to generate leads, convert sales and connect with people online. Not only does an email list give you a direct line into someone’s daily life, it is also proven to have the highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other online marketing channels. Facebook’s organic reach has decreased to 6 percent of a fan base as of 2014, and even fewer people are seeing tweets on Twitter. With an average open rate of 21.73 percent, it is agreed by marketing professionals that email is the most effective way to reach an audience.

Many businesses fail to recognize the importance of growing, nurturing and getting the most out of a lucrative email list. Too many times businesses implement marketing plans and miss the important step of acquiring an email address, or they do obtain an address but do not follow through with it. Putting email addresses to work for your business starts with having a solid plan. A purposeful email list backed by the intent to communicate, connect and convert should be part of every business’s digital strategy. Here is your guide to building a lucrative email list online.

Choosing an email marketing platform

The first step to building an email list is choosing an email marketing platform that will store and segment your email addresses. Mailchimp is an easy to use platform and is free for lists under 500. Paid email marketing platforms such as Infusionsoft and Convertkit provided enhanced capabilities of managing, segmenting and automating email lists. Once you have chosen your preferred email marketing platform you can begin taking stock of your list.

Taking Stock of email addresses

Many businesses are surprised at the number of email addresses they have already that they aren’t putting to use. Forage through your contacts whether you keep them in a CRM, on a spreadsheets or inside a Rolodex. Add friends and family if you think they may be interested in your products or services. Import all of your contacts into your email marketing platform (making sure you are compliant with email marketing laws in your province or state), and segment the lists into different markets if applicable.

Generating Traffic to your site

Now that you have a solid list of contacts you can begin generating more leads. There are several ways to do this, but the most common ways are through organic traffic which is optimized by SEO, and through paid advertising via Google Adwords and social media.

Generating traffic through a strong organic ranking on the search engine results page is an effective yet time-consuming way to build your email list. Although some businesses may have a steady stream of organic traffic, new businesses should not rely on this source to build their email list at the outset.

Paid advertising is the easiest and quickest way to send traffic to your website. Whether through Google Adwords, or social media, paying per click is a sure fire-way to drive targeted web traffic to your site. Once they arrive the next challenge is making sure they stay and input their coveted email address. The landing page is key to this.

Landing Page Design

Having a properly designed landing page is essential for building a lucrative email list. A well-designed landing page has a single and focused purpose and in this case, that purpose is to collect email addresses. Landing pages generally offer a special, piece of information or deal (sometimes considered an opt-in or lead-magnet), which entice users to enter their email address.

Landing pages should clearly showcase an offer and be free of distraction and clutter. In most cases the form fields should be simple (email address and maybe first name), and be located above the fold (in the top section of the website). With a well-designed landing page businesses can expect about a 1-3 percent conversion rate, this is where the next step comes in handy.

Re-targeting

Even if you have the most beautifully designed landing page and compelling offer, the majority of people who land on your page will not convert the first time around. It’s kind of like dating. You’d be ridiculous to expect someone to accept a marriage proposal on the first date. The same is true with email addresses, people are unlikely to give them up without a little persistence. This is where re-targeting comes in.

Re-targeting (or re-marketing) happens when a tag or pixel is placed on a web visitor’s computer (via your landing page) enabling you to target these people with additional ads online via Google Adwords or social media. Re-targeting ads often feature a stronger call to action whether it be a time sensitive deal, a substantial price reduction or an irresistible offer. Because we know these people have already shown interest in your business, they are much more likely to convert. A separate landing page should be created for each re-targeting campaign.

Now what?

Now that you have a strong and growing list, what will you do with it? This brings us back to the beginning where we discussed having a purpose behind your email marketing strategy. If you’re a real estate agent you’ll likely want to get listing leads or sell houses, if you’re a hotel you’ll want to book room nights, if you’re an online clothing boutique you’ll want to sell products.

You can monetize your email list by selling your products/ services to the list recipients. Don’t get too salesy though. People are wise to online marketing tactics and will quickly unsubscribe if they feel they are being sold to. The key to a lucrative email list is to communicate, connect AND convert.

Communicate, connect and convert (… and consistency)

The people who have opted-in to your email list obviously have some interest in your business, products or services. You have their attention, now it’s time to communicate to them about who you are, or more so, how you can help make them happier/ richer/ calmer/ better people etc. Every industry and niche is different, however if you can use your email communication to enrich and add value to their lives, you are much more likely to connect with them and ultimately convert these leads into paying customers.

The final things we should add about building a lucrative email list is consistency. You may have noticed that it’s a cluttery space online. By consistently staying in contact with your list you will be top-of mind when people are finally ready to purchase a product or service like yours. The lifetime value of a lead can be in the tens of thousands depending on the industry, and those who nurture their lists will be richly rewarded.

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to get purposeful with your email marketing by building an email list that communicates, connects and converts. Need help? Cloud9 Marketing develops results-driven email marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. We can help you grow your list and convert more sales online. Contact us today for our email marketing and full service digital marketing packages.

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So You Want To Build a Website? Part Two.

Previous So You Want To Build A Website? Part One.

If you’ve bought a domain and have registered for web hosting the next step is to decide how your site will be built. Do you want to build it yourself with a simple drag and drop site? Would you prefer great customization with a theme? Or would you rather have the entire site coded from scratch? Web design is the most costly part of creating a website so it’s important to understand your options and be realistic with your skill level and time constraints. Having a set of goals and a budget on hand can determine which direction to go. Below are the different methods of building a website, theirs costs, and their advantages and disadvantages.

Building a Website

DIY

You don’t need any technical aptitude or coding experience to build a website these days. Web design platforms like Wix and Squarespace make web design accessible to even the most computer illiterate souls. These websites are essentially free to build and have some customizability enabling you to realize your creative vision with little or no expenditure. They are considered closed source platforms so don’t allow a lot in the way of flexibility and customization. The ease of use and affordability make sites like Wix and Squarespace great for Blogs and basic websites, but poor for sites that require customization.

Use a Theme

This is a relatively affordable way to build a website and offers great customization and support. WordPress is an example of a platform which features thousands of pre-coded themes ranging from free to hundreds of dollars. WordPress is an open-sourced platform allowing customization and flexibility. This is where it’s handy to know some html and css, or have a web designer on board that does.

Relatively web savvy people can create a website with WordPress, however the learning curve is steep and you’ll need to weigh up the cost of your time building the site versus hiring someone to do it for you. Hiring a web designer to build a WordPress site or similar is common. This can cost you between $500- $10,000 depending on the complexity of your site (pages, functions, additional coding/CSS).

It is worth mentioning that many people struggle with the decision to find someone local our out-source overseas (this can cost only a few hundred dollars). While it’s true you can get a website made relatively cheaply in countries like India, I think most people would agree if something were to go wrong, a local face and name to support you is invaluable. I’ve heard numerous stories of people getting their websites designed off-shore who live to regret it!

Develop from Scratch

The third option is to hire a web developer to create you a website from scratch. Unless you are a Fortune 500 company or require complicated functionality not supported by pre-existing themes, this is probably not required. Web developers are professionals who build the bones of the website using coding and PHP to create a site from scratch. This can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the site.

Get Noticed

There is no point having a website sitting on a slice of cyber real estate unless people can find it. Many would agree, getting noticed is the most important part of being online (you’ve worked so hard to hang the streamers, blow up the balloons, and bake the cake- now you need people to actually come to the party!).

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is the art of getting found online and Search Engine Optimization is the science behind it. The complexity of SEM and SEO is far beyond the scope of this article but essentially involves building links, creating and optimizing content and installing proper codes into the back end of the site. This is just the start of what it takes to have your website get noticed online.

Building a website may be one of the biggest decisions your business will make and is the most pivotal aspect of your online strategy. There are over 3 billion internet users around the world. If you want a share of the online market place, a well built and optimized site that is in alignment with your online goals should not be overlooked.

Need more information on building a website? Contact Cloud9 Marketing and let’s discuss your brand’s online strategy and web design goals.

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Why Hiring a Marketing Agency Will Rock Your World

Marketing is fun in the beginning. It’s all about ideas and vision and finding incredible ways to get your product or service out to the world. This is why so many businesses undertake this momentous task themselves. What businesses fail to realize in the honeymoon stages of a marketing plan, is how much work is actually involved, and how hard it is to stay focused. Once the ink has dried and the glow of a new idea begins to fade it’s easy to abandon ship, switch direction and never achieve anything worthwhile in the end. Marketing is an essential function for any successful business and hiring a marketing agency is the best strategy to reach your goals – here’s why…

Lightning Pace of Trends and Technology

Technology and trends are moving so fast that by the time you’ve familiarized yourself with the latest SEO tactics Google’s algorithms have changed once again. As a business owner, or with an internal marketing department, it can be hard staying abreast of the latest technologies and trends. There is just too much other work to distract. Marketing Agencies live and breathe change and innovation, it’s what sets them apart from their competition. It is a blatant waste of time for business owners to stay on the bleeding edge of innovation – of course having an idea of what is happening in your industry and how technology is changing is important – but staying on the pulse of everything new and trendy is best left to professional marketers.

Agency Wide Skill Sets

Marketing Agencies are often collectives of highly skilled strategists, brand specialists, web and graphic designers, copy-writers and bloggers, and social media managers. Business owners and internal marketing departments very rarely have the same extensive skill sets as agencies. When out-sourcing to a Marketing Agency you can leverage all of the skills and experience in that particular agency. This is great for long term marketing plans as well as one off projects. Not only can Marketing Agencies cover a broad range of projects they can do so with trained expertise.

In it for the Long Haul

Persistence is the key to any marketing plan’s success. Results cannot be expected over night. Marketing Agencies have experience executing marketing plans. They know that taking small consistent steps in the direction of your goals and vision are key to long term success. Too often when businesses execute their own marketing plans they get impatient if results aren’t immediate. Marketing agencies have the skills and experience to execute marketing plans but also have the understanding to step back, re-evaluate and shift focus if necessary.

It’s Cheaper

When you look at the hourly rate of a Marketing Agency or the cost of a one off project you might gasp. Although the hourly rate may appear more than the hourly rate of an internal marketing coordinator or manager, when you look a little harder you will find out-sourcing is a lot more affordable. When hiring a staff member internally there are many fixed costs that you may fail to consider. Taxes, vacation and sick pay, CPP contributions and health benefits can be as much as the base salary. Considering recruitment, training and human resource issues the costs of an internal marketing department can escalate very quickly. When you hire a Marketing Agency you are generally not doing so on a 40 hour per week basis. An Agency may be able to do the same amount of work as an internal team in a fraction of the time.

Finally, licenses and software programs to support marketing efforts can be costly and time consuming. Marketing Agencies generally have licenses to all the required software already, and may pass on a nominal charge for you to use them. This saves businesses the stress of training staff on various software programs plus the ongoing cost to upgrade and update the programs.

Outsourcing to Marketing Agencies is becoming more common as today’s marketing environment becomes more complex. Here at Cloud9 Marketing in Whistler, BC we operate as a marketing collective with a team of freelance web designers, graphic designers, social media coordinators, photographers, strategists and bloggers. When we receive a project from a client we have a full team of experts on-hand to get the job done quickly and professionally, using the latest tactics and technology. As many business owners strive for a better work/life balance, out-sourcing is becoming an essential way to achieve this lifestyle. Let Cloud9 Marketing rock your world by turning your marketing dream into a reality.

 

 

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whistler logo design
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The Importance of Branding: Is Your Brand Hot or Not?

The key essentials to creating and maintaining a brand that will drive business and stand the test of time.

Think of your brand as a person. Let’s call him Ted. Ted has a physical appearance that can easily be defined by height, facial features, complexion and so forth. Ted also has some behavioural characteristics that anyone who has met him could attest. Ted is clever, sarcastic, punctual and maybe a bit neurotic. Then there are the more profound attributes to Ted that really make him the stand-up guy we all know and love. Ted is honest, value-driven and dependable. People admire Ted- he is true to his word and gets things done. Because Ted is the stand-up guy that he is, he has tons of friends, is invited to all the best social functions, and everything he touches turns to gold.

Can you say the same about your brand? Are the visual elements (logo, colours, packaging, website, and promotional materials) consistent, distinct and clear? Does the visual expression of your brand represent the deeper values and culture of your business? Successful brands know who they are, what their customers want and can succinctly communicate this through their logo and marketing materials.

Of course before a brand can truly be born the core values, mission and vision of the company must be defined. These big picture fundamentals are the crux of any good business and without these your brand is likely to flail around aimlessly like a helium balloon deflating erratically until it completely runs out of air. Do you know what your business stands for? Why do you exist? Who are you serving and what problems are you solving in this world?

Knowing who your customers are and appealing to them is crucial to creating a memorable and worthy brand. We’re not saying change your brand just to please potential customers. Quite the opposite actually. Know who you are at the core, be confident and convicted, and then think about who needs you most. Clearly articulating the features and benefits of your product/service is important when reaching out to potential customers. Features describe your offering, benefits address the needs of your target market and are why people buy from you.

Forbes Magazine defined the Top 7 Characteristics of Successful Brands. How many of these characteristics do you have?

  1. Audience Knowledge- Who is your target market? What do they want?
  2. Uniqueness- What is your unique selling point?
  3. Passion- Are you deeply passionate about your brand and committed to success?
  4. Consistency- Are you presenting a consistent message to your target market?
  5. Competitiveness- Are you committed to constantly striving to improve and be the best you can?
  6. Exposure- Are you accessible across multiple channels?
  7. Leadership- Do you have someone carrying your strategic vision?

So do you have an idea yet if your brand is hot or not? Does your brand reside in the hearts and minds of your customers? Successful brands have the upper hand in any business environment. They are easily recognized by their customers. Consumers are far more likely to choose a brand they recognize over one they have never heard of before. Once this type of recognition and consumer loyalty occurs it becomes easier to launch new products or services. Repeat and loyal customers become frequent and brand equity increases.

At Cloud9 Marketing we help small and large businesses create powerful brands that reflect their core essence and values. Our team of creative professionals craft vivid imagery through web and graphic design and our branding strategists work with clients to clearly define their brand and communicate it in a way that captures the attention of those you are trying to reach. Creating a strong and lasting brand is a hard task without the right tools and know-how. Let Cloud9 Marketing help you with your business’s branding- enquire today about our current branding packages available!

 

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facebook-engagement
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Unlock Your Potential- Increase Engagement On Facebook

If you haven’t noticed yet, Facebook’s organic reach has drastically declined. A post that may have reached a quarter of your fans years ago now luckily gets exposed to a small handful (if any). That’s right, the free ride is over and in order for you to be seen or heard on Facebook you will have to work really hard (or pay) for it. Besides investing in Facebook Advertising, engagement is key to your ongoing success. You can’t just slap up a few half-hearted posts and expect grand results. Like most things in life what you put in is what you get out; persistence, routine and a bit of money will be the success of your Facebook Page.

Create meaningful content

In the real world, no one wants to hear about what you had for breakfast, how you’re feeling moment to moment or your opinions and attitudes about the meaning of life. The digital world is the same. If you are constantly posting about ‘me-me-me’ people are going to simply tune out. In order to keep your fans happy and engaged create meaningful content that will benefit them! Do you offer some great products or services? Fantastic! How will it benefit your target market? How can you make it personal to each and every one of your fans? When creating meaningful content ensure you are using a beautiful or catchy image with a powerful status update or headline.

Have a call to action

What do you want people to do with your post? Do you want them to like it? Make a comment? Share it? Visit your website? Having a clear call to action is essential for making any type of progress on Facebook. When formulating a post ask yourself, “what do I want my fans to do with this information?” Perhaps you would like some basic engagement in the way of likes to increase post reach. Perhaps you want to create a conversation by asking for comments. Alternatively maybe you would like to direct your fans to your website and take advantage of an amazing deal or offer. Make this crystal clear. Not only will creating a solid call to action help you achieve your business goals but it will increase engagement and reach on your Facebook Page.

Engage with your Fans

It’s great to be in Facebook-land posting and talking away but it is all absolutely pointless unless you are listening too. When Fans engage with you, make sure the communication is a two way street! It is selfish and useless to create an amazing post with a great call to action and then abandon it like yesterday’s news. Keep the conversation going like your life depends on it! The more engagement you can get with your fans, the more meaningful your post will be and the more reach your page will get.

Stick to a schedule

Frequency and consistency are key to creating a base of loyal fans. To compete with every other business in the world on Facebook you need to stay recent and relevant in the minds of your Facebook Community. Creating a posting schedule using platforms like Hootsuite or Sprout Social can help you organize your posts in advance so you’re not wasting countless hours dreaming up posts while you could be using those valuable brain cells on much more important contributions. When scheduling your posts, ensure to switch up the content. No one wants to hear about your products and special offers day in and day out. What is appealing to your target market? Give them information that will satisfy their needs (and then slip in some information about your promotions or products too). Remember to research what is the best time of day to post for your industry. Knowing when your target market is online can make a huge impact on what type of engagement your posts get.

Pay for ads

If you spend money on Facebook advertising you shall be rewarded, and come on, compared to conventional advertising it’s pretty cheap! It can’t hurt to boost your page for a few days every month to generate new fans. One of the best features of Facebook advertising is how targeted you can be. By narrowing down your target market using geographic, demographic and behavioural characteristics you can essentially hand-pick who you want to broadcast to. Don’t forget to boost the odd post here and there too. If you have something you want heard far and wide- spend a few bucks and get that post seen!

It takes a lot of time, effort and persistence to create a successful Facebook Page with a loyal fan base. Not only is it a lot of work, but Facebook is constantly changing its algorithms to dictate how the platform operates. When operating a business, most business owners and Managers simply don’t have the time to effectively focus on their social media presence. At Cloud9 Marketing we help businesses small and large manage their online image. We understand algorithms, impressions and hashtags but most of all we understand how to get results online through social media, branding, content development, search engine optimization and more. Contact us today!

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