Marketing a product is essential to its overall success. In fact, the entire process of creating a product should be done in accordance with the idea of marketing it eventually. This is because effective marketing builds the connection between the organization selling the product and the consumers willing to purchase it.

In this article, we will look at 5 of the most effective marketing channels that you can use to elevate your business strategy as a whole.

Curious to learn more? Well, let’s dig right in!

What is a Marketing Channel?

But first – what is channel marketing? A marketing channel refers to the organizations, people, and different work activities that work together to transfer the product from the point of production to the consumers. It is different strategies and techniques adopted by the company to reach their customers.

Simple marketing channel definition is a system that ensures that your product reaches the customers safely. Marketing channels are also called a channel of distribution.

When an organization brings a product to the market, it must develop an effective marketing technique to promote its development to the marketplace. An organization must understand where its target audience is looking for that specific product.

By reading and analyzing your target audience, you can develop an effective marketing channel that you know will work best for your brand.

The purpose of the marketing channel is to build an understanding between the organization selling the product and the customers consuming it. This relationship helps the brand to develop an emotional understanding with the audience and develop lifetime consumers.

You, however, must understand that the key to effective marketing is not using as many channels as you can invest in. Instead, it is to use channels that have proven to be effective and can therefore positively contribute to the success of your business.

In order to do that, you must have a comprehensive grasp of the different types of marketing channels that there are.

Types of Marketing Channels

There are many types of marketing channels that are used according to the needs of the company.

But the most essential and fundamental types of marketing channels are:

Direct Selling

Direct selling is where you reach out to the customers without going through any third party. It is where you market and sell your product to consumers directly.

Intermediate Selling

In this method, an organization sells its products with the help of downstream intermediaries such as wholesalers, retailers, and agents. It is like selling your products using a mediator or middleman.

Multi-Channel Selling

Multi Channel Marketing is a practice of reaching out to your customers using direct and indirect selling methods, such as through email, mobile, websites, etc.. This is the most effective method of selling your product to the customers as you can provide your services through the most optimized platform.

Most Effective Marketing Channels

Now that you know what Channel Marketing is, the question remains what options will work best for you. There are various types of Channel marketing strategies and platforms available in today’s digital world.

Every platform works differently and provides you with multiple benefits. It depends on the product you are offering and the audience you target to choose the best forum for your brand. You can experiment with numerous marketing techniques and come up with the works that are best for you.

Here we have provided you with five effective marketing channels to help you build a community for yourself and sell your products.

1. Your Website/Content Marketing

Having your website is essential to build lifetime customers—most organizations do not think of building their own website as a vital marketing tool. But a website builds trust between you and the customers. If a customer has a query or wants to know how authentic your product is, they will visit your profile.

Your website should be a dedicated platform for your product. It should have all the tools available for your business that can effectively educate your audience about your brand and the service you are providing. For this, you need to have an effective marketing strategy so that you can understand the audience you are targeting.

No matter how big or small your business is or what product you are selling, you need to have an online presence to build up customers. The shopping behavior has changed from Boomers to Millennial and Generation Z, these days people want to purchase the thing online rather than going through the hassle of physical shopping.

For this reason, it is important to build up your brand’s website because if you are engaged in direct selling, then your website will act as the leading distribution channel. A brand’s website is the picture of how trustworthy or authentic they are. Even if your brand is your primary distribution channel, it is also a tool for promotion and creates a connection with your customers.

2. Social Media Marketing

Social media is rapidly taking over the world with its new and practical tools that make people’s lives easier and, as the name suggests, social.

According to a statistic report, around 3.94 billion people are active on social media, which is almost double from 2.07 billion users in 2015. The original vision of social media about being a channel for people to build up connections has evolved into more extensive and more effective.

Marketers have started using social media as a tool to advertise their product and build up a connection with your customers. Social media is the most cost-effective and practical way to spread awareness about your brand and build a communication channel with your audience. It can help drive engagement by providing the audience with exciting and informative content. And create a two-way communication platform between your brand and customers.

Remember to use this marketing tool effectively. Social media was designed to build up relationships, so make sure you use the platform for a similar purpose. Social media marketing is not about selling your product to the customers but about creating a connection with your audience and increasing engagement with them to build lifetime customers.

Organizations have reported having increased sale value through social media marketing. According to reports, Instagram Ads have the potential to reach 930 million users shortly. Facebook and Snapchat have also helped increase the sale value of the business. The real surprise comes from TikTok, which has a higher average engagement than both Instagram and Twitter.

3. Email Marketing

Email might come off as a surprise to you as many people think of email as an old-fashioned and outdated marketing method. This all is true, but emails are still a very effective and versatile tool of marketing.

Emails allow personalization and self-regulating marketing methods, and the best thing is that it is not hard on your pockets.

According to the marketing gurus, emails will soon hit rock bottom, but a Hubspot survey says that 91% of the consumers use email. That alone should convince you that email marketing is still an exceptionally effective and fruitful way of marketing. Maintaining email list hygiene is a very important aspect to gain maximum out of your email marketing campaigns.

Emails are not just about online newsletters, it also allows automation and customization according to your brand in order to target the specific audience. Whenever a customer subscribes to your brand through email, you can send them personalized and need-based content according to the situation. This way, you can keep your customers updated with your new offerings and promotions.

Furthermore, customers can use email to send in reviews and feedback. In order to increase your product sales, you need to have good customer service. You can ask your customers to fill out surveys to help you improve your brand and provide you with reviews.

The Survey Maker can be your assistant for creating a well-organized customer service. Create customer feedbacks using various question types and get real-time feedback from your customers. With the help of their feedback you will be able to create a service that will meet all the needs that your target audience can have.

4. Word of Mouth Marketing

People indeed tend to trust other customers more than the brand advertising itself. The audience relies on consumer reviews and ratings.

Will you trust the salesperson who brags about the product more or your friend who tells you about the great features available of a specific brand product? Your friend, right? This is because your friend is a consumer who knows about the pros and cons of the product. For this reason, the audience trusts word of mouth the most.

According to a study, about 92% of consumers trust the reviews of their friends and family more than other advertising methods. This shows how influential and essential word-of-mouth marketing is.

Word of mouth is a free form of advertisement or promotion of your brand, and for this reason, it is the most important one. This form of advertising is carried out by your customers who let other people know about their experience with your brand.

The good thing about this form of marketing is that it does not stop after one person. It continues as a chain reaction. It basically works as a rumor, spreading from one mouth to another.

But remember that this marketing can also backfire on you as it truly depends on how the customer’s experience with your brand went.

In order to gain all the advantages of this type of marketing, you need to create excellent customer service and provide your audience with all their demands. In short, you need to put the needs of your customers as a top priority.

5. Search Engine Optimization Marketing

The most effective and valuable form of marketing channel is search engine optimization. In fact, a whole marketing strategy is based on SEO that helps you increase your website ranking on the search engine result pages.

A high ranking can generate an audience towards your brand and help increase the sale value of your product. Search Engines are the primary source for your brand to be discovered by internet users.

When a customer is looking for something, it is evident that they will go for something with a higher ranking. Standing above your competitors will mean increased chances of driving the audience towards your brand.

About 89,000 Google searches are performed per second. With this many searches being done per second, your brand has a high chance of being discovered by the audience. It is true that people usually engage in searching for entertainment, shopping, and researching different topics. This means that the audience will come across your brand in some way.

In order to increase your Search Engine ranking, keep your content optimized on a regular basis. Make sure you use the right keywords for your brand and provide an accurate meta description for your content.

Key Takeaway

As the marketing channel definition suggests, it is a great way for you to ensure that your product reaches the manufacturing unit to the consumers. Without proper distribution methods, you will not understand how well your product is doing among the consumers.

But it can be overwhelming for you to understand what marketing channel will work best for you. With so many options available and new opportunities coming to the market every day, choosing what digital marketing channels are best for you might be challenging. But the best way to overcome this problem is by understanding how different options work for you.

It is understood that different channels provide you with various benefits, and every channel targets a diverse audience. By using multiple marketing strategies and experimentations, an organization can come up with the most effective marketing strategy that can help you reach your business goals. As your target audience is diverse and spread out, it is always best to use multi-channel marketing to get every single one of them.

Moreover, you need to understand that what works best for the other brands might not work for you as it is a different organization with a different target audience. In order to tackle this, by multi-channel marketing and using the trial and error method with various platforms, see what combination works best for you.

These days it seems that digital technology has a solution for everything. Fortunately, this also includes transactions. There are payment processing tools that manage your company’s transactions and sales without you having to crunch the numbers manually.

So, let’s dive in the Top 10 best payment processing companies!

Source: Pixabay, Digital Payment

Almost 800 million consumers worldwide use non-cash payments as their preferred method of payment. Paying for things through a debit or credit card is easier and faster than paying in cash. This is why it’s essential to provide your customers with the option of paying through a cashless channel.

Consumers no longer carry or prefer paying through cash. Statistics show that 3 out of every ten consumers in America reported not using cash for their day-to-day purchases in a given week.

These are some of the primary reasons why cash is no longer the reigning method of payment globally.

Why Cash No Longer Reigns Supreme

These are the top seven reasons why cashless payments are so compelling for consumers and businesses alike.

1. It’s a Time Saver

You know when you’re standing in line at a grocery store, and the cashier just told you your total bill, and you’re rummaging through your wallet in a blind panic because you can feel angry shoppers getting impatient behind you?

We’ve all been there. Your entire life flashes before your eyes in those few painfully long seconds. When you finally gather the wads of cash to pay, you’re tasked with having to put your change back in your wallet as quickly as possible. Paying through cash isn’t known for being a time-saver. Paying through a card or online, however, is!

Consumers prefer paying through their debit or credit cards because it saves them time and the extra hassle of carrying a certain amount with them at all times. Similarly, processing cash payments is more time-consuming than processing digital payments. Having your transactions processed by a third party saves company time that can be better utilized elsewhere.

2. It’s More Convenient

The time-saving aspect of digital payments already makes them more convenient than cash payments. Additionally, paying for purchases through a debit or credit card is significantly more convenient if you consider online shopping.

Consumers don’t have to be physically present to receive their online orders, if they’ve already paid for them, someone else can receive them for them, or their mail carrier can even drop them at their door.

Source: Pixabay, Credit Card

Moreover, consumers can make payments such as bills and loan repayments from the comfort of their homes without having to hand over cash to the recipients. Gone are the days of going over to the bank to pay your bills. Consumers can do that from handy applications on their smartphones!

3. It’s More Secure

Digital payments are more secure because they eliminate the risks of carrying around cash. There are many scenarios where having a considerable cash reserve at your store or your wallet is dangerous.

Source: Pixabay, Secure Payment

4. It’s Travel-Friendly

Before cashless digital payments became a thing, people had to exchange currency at a money exchange service or bank before traveling to different countries.

Now, paying through a credit or debit card eliminates the hassle of exchanging currency and carrying around a calculated amount of money for travel expenses. Payment processing companies do all the math and financial heavy-lifting when it comes to international transactions!

5. Hygiene

In the past two years, people around the world have become more fixated on human contact due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Contactless payments became mainstream for many countries in 2020 because they limited manual contact between sellers and buyers. While consumers still have to hand over their credit or debit cards to cashiers at stores, paying through online channels eliminates any possibility of a hygiene risk.

6. Reward Programs

This works in favor of both consumers and business owners. Many payment processing companies have reward and loyalty programs within their organization or in collaboration with different brands.

This means consumers have access to unique discounts and special offers if they pay through the payment processing company, giving them the incentive to use the third-party company as well as shop at your business!

Loyalty programs help businesses grow by giving customers incentives to keep coming back, boosting brand loyalty and customer retention. Therefore, opening up a cashless payment channel and partnering up with a payment processing company for a rewards program is an excellent idea!

7. It Leaves a Paper Trail

Most often, cash payments also come with receipts so that you can keep track of your expenses. However, paper receipts can fade, or get misplaced, or go through the dreaded cycle of a washing machine! Cashless payments typically have digital receipts that are sent to your phone or email, or both.

Since all the data is stored online, you can refer back to it whenever you need it. This is excellent if you’re a business owner that has to keep track of every company sale and expense. The data stored online will save you and your team considerable time and reduce possible mix-ups and confusion with company finances.

With payment processing companies doing most of the work for you and sending you digital receipts for every transaction, your bookkeeping work is cut in half.

8. Reduced Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) represents the days it takes for a company to receive payment for a sale. If you deliver your goods to your customers and your payments are set up to only allow for cash, it probably takes a while for your payments to get to you. The courier company has to process them at their end and send you an accumulated amount after a certain period of time.

This can make your company’s cash flow pretty slow, making your investments back into the company slow as well. Cashless payments mean the money is on a digital ledger. It can be processed and transferred to you faster, typically in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. This speeds up your company’s cash flow and enables you to invest in your company more frequently.

Cashless payments, therefore, reduce the Days Outstanding Sales of your company, speeding up every other process in the company by default.

To summarize, cashless payments have numerous advantages. The good considerably outweighs the bad. Now you may be wondering, what is a payment processing company? And what makes a good payment processing company? And how do you choose the right one for your business? Let’s take a look at what a payment processing company is.

What is a Payment Processing Company?

A payment processing company handles digital payments for your business. It is a third-party channel for your business and sales transactions. Payment processing companies relay financial information back and forth between your customers and your banks to facilitate transactions.

To answer the rest of your questions, here’s a complete breakdown of what constitutes a good payment processing company and our list of the top 10 payment processing companies.

What to Look For in a Payment Processing Company

These are the top five things you need to look for when choosing a payment processing company for your business!

1. PCI Compliant

PCI Data Security Standard or the PCI DSS is a standardized set of quality requirements your payment processor should meet. The PCI Council has laid out an elaborate framework for secure card payments to ensure the utmost security for everyone involved in digital transactions.

Typically, every payment processing service and merchant business needs to fill out and pass the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) every year to check if their policies comply with PCI requirements.

A payment processor that is PCI Compliant has measures in place to ensure secure payments for you and your customers, as well as measures to tackle security breaches.

2. eCheck Payments

eCheck payments work similarly to regular check payments. They send the payee’s bank routing number to a secure server to facilitate immediate payments. ACH payments like this facilitate direct deposits for payments such as bills, rent, and loan repayments. Many payment processors have eCheck ACH payments enabled for their customers and clients.

Using Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments for your business will allow you to make direct deposits where necessary, saving time and costs spent on cashing checks in person. So, when you’re choosing a payment processing service for your business, see if they have eCheck payments enabled so your payments can be done faster and your consumers have more options.

3. Security

Since digital payments have become mainstream, you can pay through your credit or debit card practically everywhere. Unfortunately, your personal information and bank credentials are sensitive information that could fall into the wrong hands.

Source: Pixabay, Cybersecurity

To combat credit card fraud and theft, payment processing companies use P2PE (Point-to-Point Encryption) and tokenization to protect their clients and their consumers’ information. P2PE protects credit and debit card information on both ends, hiding the credentials from the seller.

When looking for a payment processing company, make sure you look for one that offers tokenization and P2PE measures to make sure your and your customer’s information is protected.

4. Transparency

It’s important that your chosen payment processing service for offline and online payment processing is as transparent as possible. This means having an extensive database of your business transactions so that nothing is left up to the imagination. In case of confusion or mix-ups, the data can be referred back to.

Additionally, a good payment processor should offer transaction tracking so that you can track every step of the process of payments being made to you. This isn’t a must, it is a good bonus, though!

5. API Integrations

Ideally, your payment processor should have APIs enabled for various integrations that help enhance the user experience. These API plugins can boost the functionality of the payment method frameworks in place on your software or website.

As you can see, there are many things you need to consider before picking the right payment processing platform for your business. Ticking off these five basic factors will ensure that your consumers have a seamless payment experience without any security risks.

It will also ensure that you, as a client of this company, are satisfied with the service you’re paying for. Payment processing is not something to take lightly. There, we recommend carefully considering the setup of a payment processing provider before partnering with them.

You’re probably wondering, where do I find a payment processing company for my business or personal use? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Now that we’ve discussed the characteristics of a good payment processor you need to look out for let’s talk about our top picks for the best offline and online payment processing companies on the market right now.

10 Best Payment Processing Companies

These are the best offline and online payment processing companies that have our stamp of approval to handle your business transactions!

1. PayPal

PayPal is one of the most popular payment processing companies in the world. You’ve probably heard of it or used it, which isn’t a surprise. PayPal is a giant in the digital payment world!

Source: PayPal

PayPal is a ‘digital wallet’ service and is regarded as one of the best in the business. PayPal currently has over 300 million active users globally. PayPal is secure, has no termination fees, has a user-friendly interface, and has APIs integrated to be used with shipping software, accounting applications, and e-commerce sites.

Here are some of PayPal’s best features that make it so compelling for consumers and businesses worldwide!

Features:

• Online payments;
• Barcode scanning;
• Credit card reader/payments;
• Mobile card reader/payments;
• Online invoices;
• Inventory tracking.

Pricing:

PayPal is generally free for customers. They don’t even need to make an account on the platform. For businesses, PayPal charges a fee percentage for every transaction and sale, about 2.9% of each sale goes to PayPal. 

2. National Merchants

National Merchants is another excellent payment processing company. National Merchants handles e-commerce transactions, eChecks, etc. National Merchants also has one of the lowest e-commerce fee rates on the market!

Source: National Merchants

Here are some of National Merchants’ best features.

Features:

• Batch processing;
• Online payments;
• Credit card payments;
• Check-by-Web;
• Quickbooks Integration;
• Billing.

Pricing:

The monthly membership fee for National Merchants is $19.99/month. There are additional fees you’re charged for other services such as risk management.

3. Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay was created by Amazon as an integrated payment processing platform for shoppers on Amazon. Amazon Pay enables users to make payments through their existing credit or debit cards on Amazon and thousands of other Amazon-Pay-accepted sites.

Source: Amazon Pay

Here are some of Amazon Pay’s best features!

Features:

• Digital Wallet integration;
• Credit Card payment;
• Mobile payment;
• E-commerce integration;
• Omnichannel;
• Accounting integration.

Pricing:

Amazon Pay is free for consumers. For businesses, Amazon Pay quotes the pricing for each business according to the brand’s needs.

4. Apple Pay

Apple Pay is a payment processing platform created by Apple Inc. Apple pay works in a unique way. Consumers simply have to hover their iPhone over a payment terminal, press the ‘Home’ button on their smartphone, and voila! Apple stores your card credentials into a database, and you can pay through Apple Pay on hundreds of Apple-Pay-accepted business outlets.

Source: Apple Pay

Here are some of Apple Pay’s best features!

Features:

• Instant payment;
• Real-time payment;
• Billing;
• Manual payment entry;
• Credit and debit card payment;
• Special discounts and coupons.

Pricing:

Apple Pay is free for consumers! For businesses, it comes with the cost of purchasing Apple Pay hardware.

5. Google Pay

Google Play is another great payment processing company created by the digital tech giant Google. Google Pay enables users to make their payments within the app or in-store through a virtual channel.

Source: Google Pay

Here are some of Google Pay’s best features!

Features:

• Credit and debit card payments;
• In-store purchases;
• Mobile payment;
• Send money to family and friends within the US.

Pricing:

Google Pay is free for businesses as well as for commercial use! 

6. Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a digital wallet that allows users to make payments through their credit and debit cards. Here are some of Bitcoin’s best features!

Source: Bitcoin

Features:

• Digital Wallet integration;
• Credit Card payment;
• Two-factor authentication.

Pricing:

Bitcoin is free for consumers and businesses!

7. X-Payments

X-payment is a digital payment processing platform that enables users to make credit card payments. Users can use the X-Payment options available on e-commerce websites to pay through the platform. These are X-Payment’s best features!

Source: X-Payments

Features:

• Credit Card payment;
• Mobile payment;
• E-commerce integration.

Pricing:

X-Payments has various subscription plans that vary in price points depending on the number of transactions processed in a year. The lowest pricing is $49/month, while the highest pricing is $199/month. 

8. Braintree

Braintree is an excellent payment processor that lets you customize your checkout flow as a consumer on the platform. Braintree accommodates 130 forms of currencies across over 40 countries. Here are some of Braintree’s best features!

Source: Braintree

Features:

• Credit Card payment;
• Integrations with PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and ACH credit cards;
• Customizable checkout experience.

Pricing:

Braintree has a standard charge of 1.9% from each sale and a flat fee of €0.30. Braintree also offers a customizable plan, the price of which depends on which features you avail.

9. Square

Square is a digital payment processor that provides businesses with hardware such as contactless chip readers, magnetic stripe readers, and POS stand, to accept virtual payments from customers. Square also has a ‘Point of Sales’ application for online payments.

Source: Square

Here are some of Square’s best features.

Features:

• Digital invoicing;
• In-app purchases;
• Online payments;
• Credit card payments.

Pricing:

Square comes with the cost of purchasing the additional hardware for the processor. Additionally, 2.9% of each sale goes to Square.

10. GoCardless

GoCardless is a direct debit payment processor that aims to eliminate the hassle of swiping cards in making purchases. GoCardless lets your customers make online payments for their purchases.

Source: GoCardless

These are some of GoCardless’ best features!

Features:

• Online payments;
• Payment status tracking;
• Payment automation;
• Direct debit services.

Pricing:

GoCardless charges 1% and a flat fee of 20 cents on every sale made for your business.

Key Takeaway

Cashless payments have quickly become a mainstream alternative to cash payments. This was our list of the ten best payment processing companies on the market today that we highly recommend you try out.

Worry no more, as with branding Shopify; creating a website or an eCommerce platform is easier. All you need to do is start with a free account, select the theme for it, and later configure it according to your requirements and put up the products. After that, you can start making sales and continue on the road to growth.

Starting a business from scratch and making sure that it is successful is not an easy task. Some make it look like an easy journey, while others struggle. Those who struggle try to look for different tips and tricks to succeed in branding your Shopify store. The online market has a lot of competition, making it a competitive space.

What is Branding?

So, what is branding with examples? While keeping in mind your consumers, you build a distinct identity for your business, followed by a brand logo, mission, vision, visual design, and tone of voice. When you build a brand website, you work on branding Shopify and work towards the design and development of it. For that, you select the color theme, create a logo, and link social media accounts so people can associate themselves with your brand theme.

Source: Pexels.com

How To Build Your Business Name And Brand Identity?

Wondering how to build a brand identity? You can build your business name and brand identity by staying constant with your existing brand identity and rebranding it when needed. You can add visual elements to your brand messaging and use them in advertisements to build a stronger business name and brand identity with customers.

What is Shopify Branding?

Branding on its own is a complex task because the entire process depends on the customers’ response and reaction towards it. Shopify branding is when you build a website, put up your business offerings, and run ads to promote them. You select corporate color themes that the customers can associate with your brand and create a logo and other features linking your branding Shopify store with your multiple social media platforms. This gives customers a different perception of the business and helps shape it.

How Do I Create a Brand On Shopify?

To create a brand on Shopify, here are the steps to look into the following points:

Research and Analysis

Before you start a branding Shopify store, you must thoroughly research who your competitors are, your target audience, and the type of product you plan to sell in your store. For this, you need to make sure that you do a market analysis and see what is working in the market and what a total miss is. Make sure that even before you start the design process, you look into what your competitors have designed and worked on and what you can add to it, so your website stands out more.

You must clearly define and establish your audience and target demographic. The age bracket your customer falls into, where they live, and their areas of interest. Your customer service domain should be sorted, along with your product’s packaging and the delivery process.

Detailed market research is important before you put your product out on the market. You need to understand your product and observe how your competitors market similar products. Are they working on a B2C model (selling directly to consumers), or are they working on a B2B model (business to business directly)?

After thorough market research, you will get many answers to your main concerns, which can help you design your website. Make sure your Shopify store’s branding depends on the customer’s needs and requirements, not your preferences.

Clarity and Consistency

Before you jump right into designing a website, it is important to clarify what needs to be there on the website and the changes you might need to make in the existing layout. Your research will give you that clarity and help you visualize your brand’s personality according to the customers’ perceptions. This clarity will help you in building a distinct brand image.

As you build on your branding Shopify store, there are some tips you need to follow to build on a more consistent brand model. This consistency helps in creating a valuable and reliable brand for the customers.  

What Are the 4 Stages Of Branding?

Following are the four stages of branding that you need to go through to build your company’s identity:

1.      Determine who your target audience is

You need to narrow down your target audience and determine your preferred clients. You can even create a selective client base on the following:

• Consider who will be your buyer based on different factors like gender, age, location, and income bracket. Your audience will vary depending on your target audience for a specific product.
• Use any available sales data you have to observe consumer purchase patterns. This can help you in narrowing down your target audience.
• Make sure you do your thorough research and look into their campaigning strategies to help you plan better.
• Communication is key! Make sure you engage with your audience and hear them out to help you build on your brand appeal.

2.      Position your product and business

You need to be able to separate your product or service from other similar ones in the market. Do thorough research on your competitor and list points of differences and similarities and their marketing strategy. You can use it to your advantage and work on your USP (unique selling point), which will add value to your product or service.

3.      Determine your company’s personality

Not just your product or service but also your target audience helps in determining your company’s personality. Your persona can be fun, active, modern, or trendy, depending on how creative you are with it and how you put it out in the market.

Source: Pexels.com

4.      Choose a logo and slogan

All brands have a specific logo, Shopify brand colors and a successful slogan that helps customers recall and remember your products and services.

• Slogan: A catchy phrase that gives your brand an edge and can be adjusted over the years.
• Logo: An image that instantly connects the customers to the brand. It is suggested to get it made by a professional and revamp it with time.

What Are the 7 Stages Of the Branding Process?

Wondering how to brand your business name? Here are 7 stages of branding Shopify store:

1. Logo

The first thing that customers will notice when they connect with your page is your logo. It needed to be placed properly so that it was visible for them to identify. 

Source: Adobe Stock

The type of logos on the picture above may be relevant for some products but not so much for others. You must decide on the logo placement based on your target audience. Don’t hesitate to put your logo on your branding images.

2. Theme

With its 10 free and 49 paid themes, you can revamp your Shopify store and add new features and outlooks. Different elements add to the usability of the store. Even in terms of application, it’s important to ensure that the brand guidelines are met.

• Fun
• Minimalistic
• Small inventories
• Large inventories
• Grid style
• Big imagery

Source: Pexels.com

Make sure you always pick out the theme and style based on the overall brand personality and don’t forget to add the Shopify theme store ad badge.

3. Typography

Typography sets the brand’s tone and builds on its image, making it an important part of the branding Shopify process. Many different brands put effort into creating their typography, building on this familiarity and recognition. The font in the picture above is fun and inviting.

If you are looking for something catchy, the following example fits perfectly with its vibrant design and product colour scheme.

Source: Adobe Stock

You can look for multiple font types and even purchase an Adobe Typekit font to create unique and exclusive fonts for your brand.

4. Brand Colors

You need to pick a specific color that would work well for your brand, as it lifts the entire website and sets its vibe. You would never pick up dark theme colors for an online baby store but always opt for pastel shades. It’s the vibe and tone of the brand that you set with these brand colors. A mum would not feel great about purchasing baby clothes from a Shopify store with darker theme colors. They would rather go for stores with colors such as the following:

If you are looking to sell food items online, you can dive into the following color palette:

Source: Adobe Stock

You need to check and see the colors different brands use in your market space, depending upon the products they are looking to sell. All your different branding elements need to be consistent throughout the website, from the font, image, headings, and colors.

5. Design Elements

Different design elements add to your brand and help your customers engage better with your website. You can add different features to help your Shopify store look certain. They include a slideshow, parallax, product section, and Instagram feed.

Source: Adobe Stock

 Always ensure you are not overdoing these elements, as it will make it difficult for the users to interact with your website.

6. Images

Adding a contextual image to build on your brand vision is very important. It needs to blend well with the theme and vision of the brand. By following a theme, you can pick out images from the stock libraries to match your theme. Marketers opt for Pavlov’s Dog theory, where you try to invoke different emotions in your potential users and attract them to your site.

Source: Pexels.com

Many websites use this approach with mouth-watering pictures of their food recipes. Halo Coffee, with its slabs of chocolate, invites customers to enjoy its unique blend of flavors with biodegradable coffee pods. Always think about the end customer when trying to market a product or service.

7. Content

It includes both copy and media content. You always need an expert in their field when you want a review written. For example, a food critic can’t comment well on different baby products and vice versa. 

Source: Adobe Stock

Make sure your content is unique and different, as people will be reading through it, and it needs to compel them to buy the product after thoroughly understanding the description of the product. They need to understand what you offer that other brands in your space don’t and what makes you unique.

Even for Google ranking, it is important to have unique content with the right keywords to rank well on the search engine. Unique content will always add value to your website. 

Key Takeaway

Successful marketers always keep an eye on the bigger picture. They don’t want their customers to shop just once and never return. They want to create a lasting impression on their audience, which can only happen with effective branding. 

Give your business a human touch with strong branding. Create experiences that customers can relate to. Stand out from the crowd by using the right branding strategy that keeps your customers engaged and connected to your brand: 

Are you wondering how? Is it effective? The reason for this guide is to help you advertise your business to your customers for free. With the internet, you will reach clients miles away from your business without spending money. 

The Covid 19 pandemic has affected most businesses, and some have been forced to shut down. But, this shouldn’t be a scare anymore. We have listed the free advertising ideas that you can implement in your business in 2022.

Let’s dive in!

Free Business Advertising For Businesses in 2022

Gone are days when businesses relied on banners, brochures, and newspapers to advertise. Although it doesn’t mean that they are ineffective, they are traditional advertising methods that cost money and are slow.

But, with the internet, it’s easier to create awareness and attract new customers. Over 2.14 billion buyers make their purchases online. So, how do you ensure that your business attracts customers? 

This article guides you through free advertising. Whether you have been running a business or you’re a small business, these ideas will work for you.

Let’s get started! 

1. Social media marketing

As a social media user, how often do you come across businesses advertising products and services? Are you currently following a business on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Youtube?

In 2020, the world statistic of internet users was more than 3.6 billion users, and the number is expected to rise to 4.41 billion users in 2025. You do not need startup capital to create a social media account.

It is also free to create a business account. To get started, identify the platforms that suit your business. For instance, if your business is B2B, the best social media platform to use is LinkedIn. 

If you’re in B2C, you can use Facebook and Instagram. With social media, you can market through organic posting as well as ads. Organic posting is free, and you do not spend money.

With ads, you’re free to set the bidding amount. The benefit of using campaigns is that it’s a targeted form of advertising. That is, you select the age, demographic, and location to promote a business to a specific target audience. 

2. Video Marketing

If you’re not aware of it, video marketing is an effective form of free advertising. A majority of internet users prefer watching a video to reading texts. 

The number of internet users keeps rising. Youtube users are over 2 billion active. Most people use it to market businesses, entertainment, get information, or earn money. 

As a business, you can create quality video that offer insights, how-to videos, marketing, or entertainment. Youtube does not charge you to create an account and post. Creating high-quality videos also helps to create a strong brand.

As a business owner, you can market for free on Youtube by using videos. Your clients are likely to share the content on other platforms if they find your content interesting. 

3. Start Blogging

With a content CMS like WordPress, it is free to create a blog and start posting. All you need is high-quality and relevant content that will attract your readers to keep visiting your pages. 

Blogging is a free advertising idea that most businesses are currently adopting. One of the success factors of a blog is to make sure that you offer value to your readers. 

In fact, you can implement the written content and video format to your blog. Use the blogs to give more information, and improve conversion to your website.

For instance, you can use the blog section to create content that answers your client’s questions. A tip to a successful blog is to add relevant keywords to the content. 

4. Email Marketing

Sending personalized email messages to potential clients increases conversion for a business. For instance, for an eCommerce business, email marketing helps recover lost sales from abandoned carts. 

Email marketing does not need to cost you money. With a software, you can schedule emails, then forward them at a specific time. Most of the email marketing softwares has free and premium pricing plans. 

If you deliver quality and value, your customers will be open to sharing their contact information. For example, if you’re running a blog post and your content is user-centered, your readers will subscribe to your newsletter for more content. 

If you’re looking for a free advertising idea to implement in your business, you can consider email marketing.     

5. Carry out search engine optimization

SEO is about optimizing a website to improve visibility and increase ranking. It is a broad category that involves on-page, off-page, and technical SEO. 

A free plugin to use for WordPress website optimization is Yoast. It has both free and premium pricing. Optimizing a website attracts organic traffic to a website. 

Tips to optimize a website for SEO are creating high-quality and relevant content, creating links, improving page speed, optimizing images, and mobile responsiveness. 

6. Monetize Instagram

Instagram is a social media platform that businesses are using to advertise, promote and convert potential clients. Besides the free advertising that earns you organic traffic, you can also sponsor ads.

Instagram is very diverse. Users can post video content on Reels, feed, and IGTV. Instagram is different from Facebook as its content is often visual. Therefore, before you publish your posts, make sure that you are using high-quality images and videos. 

There’s so much you can achieve with a free advertising site. You can use Instagram to create awareness, attract and convert clients. 

7. Run Ads

Although not completely free, running a campaign requires you to have a budget. So, before you run an ad, you need to have a budget. Running ads has become flexible for businesses, including small businesses. 

How often do you open an app, browser, or social media and come across an ad? The benefit of using ads to promote a business is that they are more targeted than organic postings. 

For instance, if you’re running an ad for your furniture store, you do not need to target people below 25 years. You have the advantage of selecting the specific audience that is likely to click on your ads.

8. Guest blogging 

Guest blogging is another form of free advertising where the content creator publishes content on someone else’s blog. If you have content from your website that you want people to know, you can add the links on the blog.

Most creatives will create a guest blog for established blogs. You interact with the audience, and if your content resonates with them, they are likely to check your website. 

Guest blogging is free. What you need is to identify top-performing blogs with high domain authority and reach out to them. Make sure that you create relevant content that offers value to the readers. 

9. Have live sessions

As a social media user, how often do you join in live? As a store owner, you can go live from your personal profile or business page. The purpose of a live is to engage the audience, answer questions, promote an offer or answer how-to questions.

With a business live, you want your clients to have the best services from your store. Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube are the most popular social platforms to go live. 

10. Design a website

As businesses continue to embrace technology, the easier it becomes to market and reach out to clients. Most consumers search for a product or service online before making a purchase or walking to a store. 

So, how do you ensure that you remain visible? By designing a website. When a client wants to shop, they start by checking for the products and shops online. For an eCommerce store, you can use Shopify to create a website.

A website represents your store online. Ecommerce is leading in retail purchases globally. Currently, it is at 14.1%, and the statistics are expected to rise to 23% in 2023. 

The statistics further show that 67% of the shoppers shop using their mobile devices. When designing a website, make sure that it is mobile responsive, easy to use, and optimized for search engines.

If it’s an eCommerce site, the essential pages, like the product page and cart, should be easily accessible. A website is one of the free advertising sites where you can promote offers and discounts. 

11. Answer Questions on public platforms

Take advantage of free advertising on public platforms like Reddit and Quora. For instance, you own a business that deals with coffee machines.

You come across a discussion where someone wants to know the best coffee machine to buy within a specific budget. As the store owner, you can offer insights first on coffee machines then later share your options and the prices. This way, you’re also advertising your business.

Being part of the public platforms helps expose your business to potential clients who did not know your business existed. With the online competition and struggle to remain visible, you need to have a strong online presence. 

12. Advertise on Google Merchant Center

Have you thought about how you can use Google to market your business? An example is by using Google merchant center. A Google merchant center is a dashboard where you manage your business appearance. 

The primary goal is to upload and maintain product information, including prices and pictures, that appear on searches on Google shopping. It also makes it easy for the merchant to manage a store from a central dashboard. 

Google Merchant is free to use. However, you only make payments when a user clicks on your ads. If you already have your website ready, you can add your products and reach millions of people. 

13. Google my business

Google has several options for retailers and businesses to explore. With Google my Business, you can engage your clients in Google maps and search. It is also free to create an account.

To get started with Google my business, you need to have a Gmail account. On the platform, you can post your business offers and photos to attract potential customers. 

One of the success factors for businesses is customer engagement. With Google my Business, you can reach out to your clients by calling, leaving a review, or messaging.  

In addition, you can monitor how your audience connects with you through website visits, clicks, calls, bookings, and following. 

14. Product Giveaways

Everyone loves a good discount, giveaway, or offer. Giveaways are a form of free advertising that attracts new customers to your business. 

For instance, you want to replace the old products in your shop with the latest items. So, you decide to have a giveaway session on your social media platform.  

After the giveaway contest, you can talk about the new products that you want to launch in your store. Giveaways attract new customers and help to build a brand. 

15. Use Infographics

Most internet users are visual. Infographics play a crucial role in advertising. Infographics are visuals that summarize long-form content to capture important information. 

For instance, you can post an infographic on a social media platform. Instead of posting plain visuals with lengthy captions, you can create an infographic instead. 

Infographics offer free advertising because they have logos, images, text, and colors from your business. They also pass information faster as compared to long-form content like blogs.

16. Webinars

Standing out from your competition and remaining visible online should be a top priority. The advantage of online advertising is that you have so many platforms to test. 

If you want to save on advertising cost, you may consider holding a webinar. You can use it to educate your customers as well as advertise other products. If you’re clients like your content, they are likely to convert and shop from you. Most webinars are usually 30 mins to 1 hour long. 

17. Respond to reviews

To gain credibility for your business, encourage your clients to give a review. It can be through online platforms or word of mouth. Also, make sure you respond to all the reviews. 

Whether a review is negative or positive, it helps to build trust with new clients. Besides, you can also advertise your business from the reviews section. 

18. Market offline

Most of the free advertising ideas above are online methods of promoting a business. But is it also possible to market offline? In case you do not know, you can also market offline by printing banners and flyers. 

The traditional marketing methods are also effective. For instance, you can give out flyers to customers to share with friends and other interested customers. 

19. Offer merchandise

Business profiles have so many ways of exploring free advertising. Customers want to feel appreciated and acknowledged. You can offer a branded cup, shirt, book, or pen to customers who meet a specific buying target. 

Merchandise offers free advertising for businesses. Here’s how it works. A potential customer comes across a branded item from a friend. She’s interested in the brand and wants to know what it offers. As a result, they end up discovering your business and finally converting. 

20. Network on public forums

Attend forums that are within your business niche. For instance, if an organization is looking for business profiles to contribute to a topic, you can offer insights as a brand. 

Also, network with the audience to educate them about your business and what you offer. Make sure that you understand the audience before you begin advertising.

21. Advertise on TikTok

TikTok is free to create an account and advertise. It is a social media platform for entertainment and marketing. To get started, download the app on your phone and create a user profile. 

With TikTok, you create short videos and use hashtags. As a business, you can hop on a relevant challenge to promote your products and services. It is a free advertising online platform that has grown in popularity. 

Like other social media platforms, you can share how-to content, funny videos, or behind-the-scenes videos.

22. Repurpose your content

Do you ever find yourself running out of content ideas? Worry no more because you can repurpose your content. That is, you can use the blog content and repurpose it for TikTok, Youtube, or webinars. 

Repurposing saves you from a content block. Stick to your advertising goals and use the content to create awareness and attract new customers. 

Is Free Advertising Effective?

Whether you’re a small business, enterprise, or a big organization, the free advertising tips above will work for you. The advantage of advertising online is that you have tools and platforms to use and find out what works for you. 

If you’re looking for ideas on how to advertise for free, we got your back. Make sure that you include either of the advertising tips above in your business plan template.

The benefit of online advertising is that it’s free or it requires a minimal budget. Before you start advertising, have a plan on how to go about it and understand your audience. Free advertising is effective for all business types.  

The monthly statistics for the number of active users on Facebook is approximately 2.98 billion. Facebook, the largest social media platform, is used for personal and business profiles. 

It can be overwhelming managing different Facebook accounts. So, how do you ensure that everything runs successfully? The simple answer to this question is using a Facebook business manager. 

Do you need help with a Facebook business manager? Lucky for you because we are here to help. We got you all sorted! So, what’s in it for you from this guide?

We have a comprehensive step-by-step guide on using Facebook’s business manager. Without further ado, let’s quickly begin!

As a social media manager, you must have used Facebook business manager at some point to manage a client’s or personal business. Facebook users keep growing worldwide.

The monthly statistics for the number of active users on Facebook is approximately 2.98 billion. Facebook, the largest social media platform, is used for personal and business profiles. 

It can be overwhelming managing different Facebook accounts. So, how do you ensure that everything runs successfully? The simple answer to this question is using a Facebook business manager. 

Do you need help with a Facebook business manager? Lucky for you because we are here to help. We got you all sorted! So, what’s in it for you from this guide?

We have a comprehensive step-by-step guide on using Facebook’s business manager. Without further ado, let’s quickly begin!

What is a Facebook Business Manager?

Before we get started with the definition, here’s a screenshot of the Facebook business manager tool. 

From these three words, pretty sure you’re already familiar with Facebook. Can you already tell the terms business and manager?  

In its definition, a Facebook business manager is a central dashboard where you can manage ad accounts, Instagram profiles, business tools, and assets. 

You can also share access rights with your team members based on their roles. Your next question is probably – who uses Facebook business manager?

Whether you are an agency or business, you can use the Facebook business manager. If you’re an agency, you can use it to manage multiple pages for various Facebook profiles.  

Facebook Manager Pricing

Don’t be stressed out about the subscription fee to the Facebook business manager. It is free to create an account. A sigh of relief right there!

However, you will have to include payment options for advertising. That is for Instagram and Facebook ads. We’ll look at the account creation process later in this guide.

Why Should You Use Facebook Business Manager?

Have you used Facebook for Business before? Are you wondering why you need to use it? Here are the reasons why.

1. Controlled Access

As an agency, for instance, you can share access rights with your team members or clients. It is easier to manage different businesses from a central dashboard. 

2. It gives you privacy.

The Facebook business manager helps to separate your personal profile from the business account. This way, even if you have to share access with your team members, they will not view your private page. 

3. Track performance

When you’re managing businesses online, you need to know if they return the expected results. The Facebook business manager helps to keep track of the performance of the ads and pages.

4. Security

Control what your team members can view and what they shouldn’t. For instance, you can control how your team can access the pages without sharing the login credentials.

5. Manage ad campaigns

Businesses and individual profiles are running ads on Facebook. Although you can still run ads from the Facebook profile, the Facebook business manager helps you create different audiences. 

Besides, you can pause non-performing ads. The Facebook business manager has more features that make it easy to manage Facebook profiles.

6. Simple to use

A Facebook business manager is simple to use. It helps you organize your Facebook profiles, market, and advertise. In case of any issues, you can always get support from Facebook. 

Setting Up A Facebook Business Manager

Creating a Facebook business manager account is very easy. By now, you already have an overview of how it works. Our step-by-step guide takes you through how to create an account, add users, and add an account. What you need is the facebook business manager login credentials.

Step 1: Create Facebook business manager account

Assuming you’ve not created your account yet, let’s begin by clicking on business.facebook.com. From the two buttons on the top-right, click on create account. But, make sure that you’re logged in to Facebook first. 

From the popup that appears, enter the correct credentials in each field. That is your business name, name, and email. Once you’re satisfied with the information, click submit.

Next, add more details about your business like, website, address, and country. After you’ve successfully entered the information, click on the submit button.

Next, confirm your email. With that, you will have created a Facebook business manager account.

Step 2: Add Facebook pages

Click on the settings tab to add the Facebook page or multiple pages that you’re currently managing. Next, click go to business settings. On the left side menu, select the pages tab.

There are three ways to go about it. First, if you’re an agency and you do not have access to your client’s page, click the drop-down arrow to select request access to a page. 

Otherwise, you can create a new one or add a page. After adding a page successfully, you can view posts, insights, post engagement, and performance. 

Step 3: Add an Ad account

Ads are a paid method of advertising a business. They help to market a business to your target audience. Hence, you will have to link your ad account to the Facebook business manager. 

From the settings tab, click on the ad account. You can create a new ad account or request access to an existing ad account. The reason why you need an ad account is for advertising. 

Step 4: Add an Instagram account 

If you have an Instagram account, you can connect it to your Facebook business manager. On the left-hand menu on settings, click on Instagram accounts. 

Click on add to get started. Next, click connect your Instagram account, then enter your Instagram credentials. 

Step 5: Add Users 

As an agency or business, you can invite your employees or team members to work with you. From the business manager settings, click on users. 

On the people’s tab, click add. From the popup that appears, add the email address of the users to add and assign a business role. Besides, you can also invite partners or system users to work with you. 

With a Partner, you can share your assets with them or request assets from them. On the Partners tab, click add on either option that you select.

Your partner needs to have an active business manager ID to access your assets. 

How To Add Assets

In Facebook Business manager, you will come across the term assets. Assets are like Facebook pages, Pixels, ad accounts, app, and Instagram accounts.

There are three ways of adding assets – creating a new one, using existing assets, or requesting access. The purpose of including your business assets in your business is to have more control and grow your business. 

Whether you have a personal business or multiple business profiles, a Facebook business manager makes it easy to manage your business from a central platform. 

It gives you more features besides adding an ad account, users, and Instagram account. Let’s look at how to add the various assets.

1. Business Facebook ads manager.

Facebook ads manager is a dashboard for advertisers to run and monitor ads. Advertising is a strategy that businesses use to create awareness and convert more customers. 

To get started, go to business settings and click ad account. You may need to set up your billing method first before. If you’re managing multiple businesses, you can also assign people from this section. 

Once you have successfully set up your ad account, you can now advertise from the Facebook business manager. 

2. Facebook pixel

You need a Facebook pixel to monitor the performance of your marketing strategy. From settings, click on data sources, then select pixels.

Creating a Pixel is easy. Click on add to get started. Enter the name of the Pixel and your website URL. However, the website URL is optional. 

How To Create A Facebook Audience

With the Facebook business manager account, you can advertise and market your business without exiting the dashboard. To create ads, you need to select an appropriate audience. 

You can use a lookalike, custom audience, or saved audience. To create an audience, click on the menu tab, then select audiences. Let’s have a detailed look at three types of audiences. 

1. Lookalike audience

As the name suggests, a lookalike audience is comparable to your existing audience. You use this audience type when you’re advertising through ads. 

If you do not have a lookalike audience already, you will have to create it from the existing audience. From the audience, click on create a lookalike audience. 

Select the audience to create from and include the audience size and location. Once you’re done, click create audience. 

2. Custom Audience

A custom audience is more specific. You create this audience from people who have interacted with your business, clicked on your ads, website, or Facebook page. 

For instance, potential customers check your Instagram page or eCommerce website but do not take action. Having a custom audience helps to convert such clients. 

Here’s how to go about it. From the audience tab, click create a custom audience. You have different options to create a custom audience. You can select from the website traffic, app activity, customer file, and engagement. 

Do you have subscribers from your email list that you want to use? Select the customer file to get started. Select an option that works for you and proceed with the instructions. 

However, if you select website traffic, you will need to install a Facebook pixel. Once you’re done selecting an option that works for you, click create audience. You can use the custom audience to create a lookalike audience. 

3. Saved Audience

A saved audience is simple to create. Before you use one, you have to make inclusions and exclusions. For instance, it can be due to demographics, age, or gender. 

Again, from the Audience tab, click on create a saved audience. What you need to create this type of audience is the audience name, location, and age. 

You can exclude people in a specific location or generate it from a lookalike or custom audience. Once you’ve set up the necessary information that you need, you can click on create audience.

Audience targeting is a success factor in your ads. Therefore, when you run ads, make sure that you select the right audience type from the saved, custom, and lookalike audiences. 

Who Should Use A Facebook Business Manager

Anyone running a business is free to have a Facebook business manager. If you have a small business, you do not necessarily need to have it. 

For instance, you’re selling beauty products, and you do not have a physical store. You’re only marketing on the Facebook and Instagram social media platforms. You can run ads from your pages and manage postings without having a Facebook business account.

But if you’re an agency or a marketer who’s managing several businesses, you definitely need a Facebook business manager. For instance, you can share access rights with members to manage postings, ads, and assets. 

Managing a team can be difficult and time-consuming. To counter this, you need a Facebook business manager. Check out the reasons why:

1. To manage ad accounts. Also, it is easier to check the performance of the ads without having to log out and log in to view various business accounts.
2. To control access to the different business profiles. For instance, you can assign team members specific accounts to manage. That is, create posts and run ads. 
3. When running a business, you want to have a separate account different from your personal page. 
4. To have control and monitor assets from a central dashboard. For example, the apps, Facebook pages, Instagram, Whatsapp, Pixels, and ad accounts. 

Final Verdict

For a beginner, it may seem daunting to use a Facebook business manager. But, it’s easy to use when you have the necessary information. Over 200 million businesses are running businesses on Facebook. 

Using the Facebook business manager makes it easy to manage, advertise and market businesses. The advantages of using it are security, ease of use, and it’s free. 

Also, you can easily switch to a Facebook business manager. If you need help to start using it, our guide takes you through everything you need to know. It is easy to follow for users with no prior experience in using it. 

But, how will you know the best database software for your business? In this guide, we’ll take you through database management tools and softwares to help you manage your business. 

Let’s get down into it.

What Is A Database Software

A database is a collection of related data and files stored and organized in a central computer. Database software helps us create, edit, delete and maintain the data files. 

It provides controlled access, record creation, data entry, editing, and updating data with ease. An example of database software is MySQL. 

On the other hand, a database management system (DBMS) contains similar files accessed using a set of programs. 

There’s a difference between a database and a database management system. A database is a collection of related files, while a DBMS is software that helps create and manage the data. 

10 Best Database And Tools To Manage Your Business

If your business deals with critical data that you need for drawing insights and making decisions, you need database software to manage the data.

A database ensures data security. To access data from a database, you need software to edit, retrieve and maintain the data. 

If you need help selecting one, we got your back. Here’s our list of the 10 best database software and tools to use. 

Let’s dive in!

1. MySQL

MySQL is one of the best database software. It is open-source and popular among web developers. The MySQL support team provides you with technical support whenever you need assistance. 

MySQL is not free. You have the option to select from 3 products – MySQL standard, MySQL Enterprise, and MySQL Cluster. 

The pricing for each is $2000 for Standard, $5000 for Enterprise, and $10,000 for MySQL Cluster. 

Pros

1. With MySQL training, you can use it without having previous skills in programming;
2. It offers a flexible pricing plan, and therefore, you can proceed with a product that works for you;
3. Since MySQL is open-source, it’s easier for developers to customize it;
4. It is reliable and a preferred option by most web developers; 
5. MySQL provides a better data recovery option;
6. It integrates with Apache web engines.

Cons

1. You will need to use other third-party plugins with MySQL;
2. Queries sometimes get stuck and fail to respond.

2. PostgreSQL

If you’re looking for an open-source relational database, PostgreSQL is another best alternative to use. You can use it on various operating systems like Linux, Windows, macOS, BD, and Solaris. 

Unlike other premium database softwares, PostgreSQL is a free database software. It is ideal for large projects and complicated workloads.   

PostgreSQL has grown in popularity due to its – architecture, data integrity, fault tolerance, security, performance, and extension.

Whether you have a big or small project, you can always use PostgreSQL as your object-relational database software. 

Pros

1. The open-source database software is free to use;
2. You can use it on various platforms and programming languages;
3. You can keep up with the current versions and upgrade to new releases;
4. PostgreSQL is extensible. That is, you can write your own code, build a custom function and define your data types; 
5. PostgreSQL conforms with the SQL standards. Although the syntax and functions may differ, PostgreSQL supports standard SQL features; 
6. Data sharing through the PostgreSQL dashboard is fast;
7. It’s compatible with most operating systems; 
8. PostgreSQL has add-ons such as the PostGIS Geospatial database. 

Cons

1. Configuration and Installation of PostgreSQL can be time-consuming.

3. Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database that is fast and simple to use. You have 3 products to select from, that is – SQL Server 2019, SQL Server 2022, and SQL Server BI. 

It allows multiple users to access the database at a time. For beginners, it comes with a free trial. You have control over data storage and security.

Later, you can proceed with the premium pricing by selecting a plan that works best for you. 

Pros

1. Microsoft SQL Server has features that help you manage workloads; 
2. It is simple to set up a database on Microsoft SQL Server;
3. It integrates well with other programs;
4. The training comes in handy for beginners when using the server; 
5. It provides integrated support to manage DB files, tables, indexes, and transactions; 
6. In case of data loss, you have the recovery and backup options to retrieve the data.

Cons

1. The free version has limited features;
2. Execution for the long queries can be time-consuming. 

4. Oracle Database

Oracle database gives you the flexibility of working on your data from anywhere. You have access to the data on a private cloud, public cloud, or data center. 

In addition, you have security for your data by assessing, detecting, and preventing possible attacks through encryption, data masking, and user controls. 

Oracle is a relational database management system (RDBMS) accessible through the Oracle Cloud or Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

Pros

1. Oracle handles complex workloads;
2. It provides security for your data with data security features;
3. It makes it easy for users to manage their databases; 
4. You have total control over your data.

Cons 

1. The pricing plan can be expensive for beginners. It varies depending on the type and size of the business; 
2. It consumes a lot of resources when dealing with stored procedures. 

5. Teradata

If you’re looking for database software that imports and exports data at high speed, you may consider using Teradata. It’s ideal for your complex project and processing data in real-time. 

It has pre-built functions that make it scalable. The database software is ideal for all business types as it does not have any restrictions.

Teradata is highly flexible, as you can analyze anything and provide the analytics you need at any time. You can do it on-premise or through the cloud.

Pros

1. It offers a free trial for first-time users;
2. End-users have access to reports without too much effort;
3. It provides you with permission controls to help you track and collect data;
4. You can integrate data storage with multiple data formats.

Cons

1. The responsiveness of third-party tools is slow; 
2. It has a higher pricing plan compared to other relational databases. 

6. Oracle SQL Developer

With the Oracle SQL Developer, it is free to use. It takes less time to process queries. It makes it easier to manage and develop an Oracle Database for traditional and cloud deployments. 

It connects with other database technologies to offer flexibility and multiple database applications. The Oracle SQL Developer improves performance and is scalable.

Pros 

1. Users can reuse queries to create reports in various layouts and deliver the results in multiple formats;
2. Oracle SQL Servers allows users to access all the features it offers and databases for free. Such features are SQL worksheets, database utilities, DBA controls, etc.;
3.  You have access to customer support to help you resolve any issues and problems; 
4. You do not need to install the software. You only need to copy the folders to your computer device; 
5. The user interface is intuitive for basic functionalities;
6. The Oracle SQL Database is free to use. 

Cons

1. Automating the operating system can change the database queries; 
2. Resource manager and storage utilities are not always direct. 

7. Improvado

Whether you are a small business or a corporate organization, Improvado is database software that works for all business types. You only need to select from enterprise, small business, and agency options. 

It allows integration with multiple tools like BigQuery, Facebook, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Tableau, Excel, and more. It collects marketing data in real-time. 

There’s no need for you to hire an SQL professional to understand how it works. With Improvado, you can use the database software without any design skills.

It features a reporting mechanism, meaning that you do not have to report manually. The visualization tools help to represent the data and use it for decision-making. Examples of visualization tools are Tableau and Google Sheets. 

Pros

1. Users have backup and recovery options to use;
2. It gives you access to insightful and error-free analytics;
3. Improvado has a flexible pricing plan to enable users to select a plan that works for them;
4. Users can build additional integration with Improvado for free;
5. Improvado has a simple user interface and navigation control;
6. You have access to regular updates on your projects; 
7. Customer support is always available to help you resolve any issues;
8. Improvado allows integration with multiple tools and softwares. 

Cons

1. During analytical comparisons, the database often excludes the latest entries. 

8. Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS)

Here’s another database management software that is simple to set up. It saves you from tasks that consume your time, such as database setup and hardware configuration.

Amazon Relational Database Service is cheaper to use. You only pay for what you use. As a beginner, you can use the Amazon RDS free tier which has various features like 20 GB for database storage. 

Amazon Relational Database Service supports different programming languages. In addition, it offers data security and backup options using built-in features. 

One of the reasons you should consider using Amazon RDS is its ease of use. You have access to Microsoft SQL Database Engine, MySQL, or Oracle database softwares. 

If you’re currently using a different database software and want to migrate to Amazon RDS, it has the AWS database migration service to transfer your data. 

Pros

1. Amazon Relational Database Service has a free tier. However, you only pay for the services you use or pay for On-demand services;
2. A single database system can handle a complex workload;
3. Amazon RDS is available on multiple databases like PostgreSQL, MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle Database; 
4. Users have multiple features to use;
5. It offers Amazon RDS users a stable performance and automatic backup for data;
6. Amazon RDS offers a stable storage solution through simple API requests.

Cons

1. Amazon RDS is expensive;
2. You do not have access to physical servers to check server logs. 

9. Altibase

If you’re looking for a high-performance, open-source relational database software, consider using Altibase. It is a hybrid database management system. 

Altibase features an in-memory database and has a high storage capacity. It is easy to use and migrate data.

Are you worried about the workload? Altibase provides you with real-time access to critical data and complex transactions with integrated data.

Altibase provides you with 3 deployment modes – Hybrid, In-memory, and on-disk. Users have the advantage of accessing historical data for analytics and audit. 

The In-memory relational database is 10 times faster compared to on-disk conventional databases. 

Pros

1. Altibase does not have a restriction for businesses; 
2. You can use it with programming interfaces like PHP, OLEDB, IPC, TCP/IP, and more;
3. It offers a flexible strategy for load balancing; 
4. You can join disk tables and memory;
5. It is easy to move data between memories and disk tables;
6. Altibase provides regular health checkups to provide reliable performance and availability;
7. Altibase is free, open-source database software;
8. It saves you money by reducing the hardware and software cost with the in-memory and on-disk database management system.

Cons

1. It does not support mobile access;
2. Windows client and server are not supported;
3. Misconfiguration can slow down data operations. 

10. IBM DB2

IBM DB2 has AI-powered features to help you manage structured and unstructured data. It helps to manage complex workloads and make the data easy to access. 

IBM DB2 is a data management solution for most modern businesses. It features a task scheduler, XML support, and data segregation. 

The database software helps businesses save time when handling data. The XML data helps to reduce development costs. AI and machine learning make it suitable for workloads and query optimization. 

Pros

1. You can run DB2 on any cloud vendor;
2. The IBM DB2 community version is free to use; 
3. You can integrate IBM DB2 with multiple platforms; 
4. With dedicated capabilities, you can structure and manage data with ease; 
5. IBM DB2 allows you to handle data through an on-premise and multi-cloud environment;
6. It provides access to both private and cloud environments; 
7. The administration is through the control center and command integration; 
8. It is stable and provides security for your data.

Cons

1. The licensing fees keep increasing every year;
2. It can be complex for beginners.

Benefits of Using Database Software

Data software helps organizations store, organize, and manage data. Most of the data softwares are designed in such a way that they can handle complex workloads. 

So, what are the benefits of using database software? Let’s find out more below:

1. Data security

With the rise in cloud storage and cloud computing, cybersecurity remains a threat. To counter this, you need a plan to secure your data. Database software provides data security against probable security threats to your data. 

2. Data redundancy

Using database software helps to reduce data redundancy. To counter this, database software stores data in a single database and any changes made to the data reflect immediately.

3. Backup and recovery options

The best database software will provide data backup and recovery solutions. There are so many reasons why you may end up losing data. 

A database software should backup data after a set period and restore it in case of failure or as needed. 

4. Privacy

As the data owner, you need to have controlled access rights to help you manage data privacy. Members of your team cannot access sensitive data without your authorization. 

Database software helps you maintain the confidentiality of your data. 

5. Allows integration

Another benefit of using database software is that it allows integration. You can use other tools and software to ensure smooth performance on your data. 

Enterprise organizations have a complex workload as compared to small businesses. Integration with other tools provides seamless data management. 

As you select a database software for your business, check whether it allows the integration that works for you. 

6. Flexible pricing

As you have seen so far, some database programs are free to use while others are premium. If you’re just getting started and do not have a budget, you may consider using free database software like PostgreSQL. 

Besides, small businesses can use the free plan and only upgrade when necessary. 

7. Help in decision making

Database softwares has tools and features that help in decision making. For example, you can use visualization tools to represent raw data in visual formats.

You can then use the visual data to draw insights and improve decision-making. 

8. Multiple data views

The best database software should allow multiple ways to view data. For example, users can have different views of the data that is specific to them. For example, the production team should only view data specific to their field and niche. 

Final Thoughts

Database programs make it easy to create, edit and maintain data files. Companies use data software to analyze, present and organize complex data. 

The reasons why you need database software are to ensure data privacy, backup, and reduce redundancy. Whether you’re a small business or a corporate organization, the database software will always work for you.  

You can use a free option or a premium one with advanced features and tools. There’s so much to explore from the database programs. 

Now it is your turn! Make sure that you select a database software that meets your business needs and is affordable. Which of the above database management software will you be using?

What is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing is a term that is used to describe a marketing strategy that focuses on getting customers to come to you, rather than you going to them. In other words, it’s about being found by potential customers, rather than seeking them out.

There are a number of different ways to achieve this, but some common methods include SEO (search engine optimization), content marketing, social media marketing, and email marketing.

Inbound marketing can be an extremely effective way to grow your business, as it allows you to build relationships with potential customers before they even make a purchase. This can result in higher customer satisfaction and loyalty rates, as well as increased sales and revenue for your business.

Inbound Marketing Case Studies

There are a lot of great case studies out there. But which ones are the best? And how can you learn from them?

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at five inbound marketing case studies that we think are particularly instructive. We’ll examine what made them successful, and what lessons they offer for other marketers.

1. The Moz Blog

The Moz blog is one of the most popular marketing blogs on the web, and it’s also one of the most effective inbound marketing machines in operation. In a nutshell, the secret to its success is content: specifically, high-quality content that is interesting, informative, and useful to its target audience.

The Moz team doesn’t just write about the latest marketing news and trends; they also provide actionable tips and advice on how to implement them. This combination of news, analysis, and advice has made the Moz blog a go-to resource for thousands of marketers looking to improve their craft.

2. HubSpot’s Sales Blog

HubSpot is well-known as a leading provider of inbound marketing software. But it’s also an excellent example of how to use inbound marketing to sell more stuff.

The Benefits of Inbound Marketing

If you’re looking for a more efficient and effective way to market your business, inbound marketing may be the answer. Inbound marketing is a strategy that focuses on creating and distributing content that is relevant to your target audience. By providing valuable information, you can attract new customers and convert them into leads.

There are many benefits of inbound marketing:

1. Increased website traffic.

2. More qualified leads.

3. Improved brand awareness and visibility.

4. Greater ROI.

The Different Types of Inbound Marketing Strategies

Content Marketing: Content marketing is all about creating valuable, relevant, and engaging content that your target audience will want to consume. This could be in the form of blog posts, eBooks, infofgraphics, webinars, or even just helpful articles. The key is to produce content that is helpful and informative, without being too salesy.

SEO:  SEO, or search engine optimization, is another important inbound marketing strategy. SEO involves optimizing your website and your content for the search engines so that you can rank higher in the search results pages. This will help you get more visibility and traffic from potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours online.

Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing is all about using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to connect with potential and current customers. You can use social media to share your content, engage with your audience, answer questions, and build relationships.

Email Marketing: Email marketing is another great way to reach out to potential and current customers. With email marketing, you can send out targeted emails with special offers, coupons, or even just helpful information. Email marketing can be a great way to nurture leads and drive conversions.

As you can see, there are a number of different inbound marketing strategies that you can use to attract customers and grow your business. The best way to see success is to use a combination of two or more of these strategies.

Implementing an Inbound Marketing Strategy

Assuming you have a product or service that you want to market to people, inbound marketing is one of the best ways to do it. Inbound marketing is all about creating content that draws people in and gets them interested in what you have to offer. It’s a way to build relationships with potential customers and create a positive reputation for your business.

There are a few key components to an effective inbound marketing strategy:

– Creating great content: This could be anything from blog posts and articles to ebooks and infographics. The goal is to create something that people will find valuable and want to share.

– Optimizing your website: Make sure your website is designed for lead conversion with clear calls-to-action and easy navigation.

– Promoting your content: Get the word out about your great content through social media, email marketing, and other channels.

– Analyzing and tweaking: Always be testing and optimizing your inbound marketing strategy for better results.

The first step in implementing an inbound marketing strategy is to create great content. This could be anything from blog posts and articles to ebooks and infographics. The goal is to create something that people will find valuable and The next step is to optimize your website for lead conversion. This means making sure your website has clear calls-to-action and easy navigation.

Once your website is optimized, you need to start promoting your content. The best way to do this is through social media, email marketing, and other channels.

Finally, you need to analyze and tweak your inbound marketing strategy on a regular basis. This will help you get better results over time.

Conclusion

Inbound marketing is an effective way to reach your target audience without spending a lot of money on advertising. By creating content that is interesting and relevant to your audience, you can attract attention and build trust with potential customers. Once you have a relationship with them, you can then start selling your products or services. While it takes some time and effort to get started, inbound marketing can be a great way to grow your business.

Using softwares from multiple sources can be very expensive. Lucky for you, AWS takes care of this. However, if you’ve not used the platform before, it may not be easy for you as a beginner. 

But, we are here to counter this. Our goal is to help you get started with the AWS, use it to run your business, and create solutions.

So, let’s dive in!

What is AWS Marketplace

The AWS Marketplace is for customers looking for software listings to find, buy, build, and deploy 3rd party softwares to run a business. 

It is for both sellers and buyers. Whether you need a software for machine learning, security, database, or business intelligence – AWS got it all. 

If you’re a software vendor, you can make money by selling your software to interested buyers. Not all products from the platform are premium. Customers can also select free softwares from the AWS Marketplace. 

How To Use AWS Marketplace

With AWS marketplace, you can use it as a buyer, seller, or both. Creating a basic Amazon account is free. However, you will need your credit card to subscribe to the AWS services and products. 

To get started, open AWS Marketplace. To find a software from the listing, click on the catalog tab to make a selection.

Select the product category, vendor, pricing plan, and delivery method. The advantage of using AWS is its flexible pricing plan.

You can pay monthly, hourly, or annually. AWS Marketplace allows you to pay for only what you need. But, what if you want to use AWS as a seller? Let’s look at how to use the AWS Marketplace as a buyer and seller. 

Let’s get to it!

Using AWS Amazon As a Buyer

When registering for an account on AWS, you have two options to use, root user and IAM user. IAM is an abbreviation for Identity and Access Management. Select an account user that best fits your AWS needs.

So to get started, you need to create an AWS account or use an existing one. 

Step 1: Create Your Account

To use a product from the Amazon AWS console, you must sign in to your account. If you do not have one yet, start by creating one. Follow the guidelines to complete the process.

The emergence of cloud computing services has resolved most storage and computing issues that businesses faced and simplified business operations. Their ever-growing popularity could be attributed to 3 major factors – convenience, scalability, and reduction of management issues. Of the many cloud service providers (CSP) operating today, three stand out from the crowd Amazon AWS cloud.

Step 2: Select a Software from the Listing

To select a software, open AWS Marketplace on your browser. Click on view all products to open a list of softwares. Otherwise, you can click on categories to make it easy to find a product.

Once you’ve chosen a product, pick the vendor, then select the pricing plan and method of delivery. After setting up the details, click on view results.

From the results, pick the software that best fits your needs. Click continue to subscribe. If you’re not using your account, you will have to sign in first. 

Make sure you read and accept the terms of use. Next, select continue to configuration to launch the software and configure the settings. 

Step 3: Software Configuration

Configuration is about setting up the account to meet your business requirements. Select the delivery method and region. Once you’re done with the settings, click on continue.

How To USE AWS Marketplace As A Seller

As an AWS Marketplace seller, you sell software products to buyers. However, you must have an account to list and sell your products. 

As the seller, you provide support to subscribers, upload the documentation files, access reports, and manage all your products. So, to get started, you need a seller account. 

If you’re registering as a seller for the first time, make sure you check the sellers policies and permissions.

Seller Requirements for Free Products

In the AWS Marketplace, you can offer a product for free or at a cost. If you’re offering it to a customer for free, you do not need to provide payment information. 

Both the seller and customer should have a mutual contract for using the product. For the seller to provide free products on the AWS Marketplace, you have to meet the following requirements:

1. The product should be available for the public with full features. In addition, it should be production-ready;
2. Ensure that you follow AWS Marketplace guidelines and best practices when marketing the products;
3. Make sure that you have ready customer support and organization;
4. Have measures in place to make sure that your software is up-to-date and free from vulnerability;
5. The seller should be a customer in AWS Marketplace. You should meet the requirements of the seller’s terms and conditions.

So, if you’re planning to list a product for free on the AWS Marketplace, make sure you have the guidelines above in mind. So, what if you’re offering a premium product?

Seller Requirements for Premium Products

If you’re offering paid products or Bring Your Own License Model (BYOL) products, here’s a list of guidelines to follow:

1. Provide information about tax and bank details. If you’re an AWS seller in the US, you should provide a W-9 form and a bank account from a bank in the USA.
2. You must be a legal resident or citizen from the stated jurisdictions. Examples of such jurisdictions are the USA, Australia, Qatar, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom, etc. 
3. If you’re not a US seller, you should provide a W-8 form, VAT, or registration number for goods and service tax. 

Before you sell paid products, you need to understand the requirements and provide additional information as requested. 

AWS Marketplace Portal

Sellers manage their accounts on the AWS Marketplace portal. Here’s what you can accomplish from the sellers portal:

1. Click on register now to set up a new account. However, if you already have one, click on Sign-in;
2. You can submit a new product or update an existing one by clicking on the products page;
3. You can monitor your requests;
4. Upload the files you need to create and manage software products;
5. Use the go-to-market activities to manage your business into an incremental revenue channel;
6. Measure your marketing activities, usage, and revenue from your campaigns;
7. Allow customer service representatives to retrieve the customer data in real-time;
8. Use automatic Amazon Machine Images to scan and detect vulnerabilities. 

All registered sellers have access to the AWS Marketplace management portal. Once a buyer subscribes to the seller’s software, the account you registered with is used to define the seller of record. 

AWS Pricing

The main benefit of using AWS pricing is paying for what you need. AWS Marketplace has more than 200 cloud services, which you can pay-as-you.

That is, you only pay for the service you need, as long as you use the product, without needing long-term contracts. There are other payment options for AWS. These are: save when you commit and pay less by paying more. 

Benefits of AWS Marketplace

There are benefits of using AWS Marketplace as a buyer or seller. With the AWS Marketplace, you can buy and sell softwares from the online platform. 

So, are there advantages of using the AWS Marketplace?

1. Centralized billing – customers can use multiple softwares from AWS Marketplace and access the billing from a single source; 
2. Multiple pricing options – buyers have the flexibility of choosing a payment plan that works for them. For example, you can decide to pay hourly, monthly, or annually;
3. With AWS Marketplace, it’s easy to keep track of cost management and reporting details. As a seller, you can track the buyers subscribed to your products; 
4. Buyers have an expansive selection of software listings that save businesses time and resources; 
5. AWS Marketplace softwares are easy to use and deploy. You can find, try, buy and deploy software;
6. AWS Marketplace softwares offers a free trial. If you’re looking to pay hourly, you have a free trial, upon which you pay the software price after the expiry; 
7. Annual subscriptions are automatic. Companies offer discounts to long-term customers while still earning revenue;
8. It is easy to find software on the AWS Marketplace. As a buyer, listing and marketing your product on AWS Marketplace increases its visibility to potential buyers; 
9. AWS buyers have trust in the softwares available on the AWS marketplace. Before a software is listed on the platform, it has to be reviewed by the AWS team for approval.

Buying Products on AWS Marketplace

Buying software in AWS Marketplace is simple. It means that you accept the software’s terms and conditions. Once you subscribe to the product, you’re charged based on the subscription fee. 

For example, if a software has an annual subscription, you’re charged based on the annual fee.The next step after buying is launching the product. 

You can launch the product on the AWS Marketplace or other AWS services. 

AWS Marketplace Software as A Service

A seller providing software as a service (Saas) allows buyers to access a product hosted on AWS marketplace infrastructure. The AWS requirements for sellers looking to provide Saas services are:

• Access to the AWS management portal. It allows you to manage your products on the AWS platforms; 
• After registration as a seller, you need to provide banking and tax details;
• Have a plan of how you will create and integrate SaaS products; 

If you’re ready with the requirements, here’s what you need to do next:

• Define a pricing model

If you’re not sure whether your pricing is within the price limit of other SaaS sellers, you can compare the prices. 

If your pricing model is higher or lower, you may have to adjust it to match the current pricing. 

• Create a product listing page

Start by creating a contract for your products. List the price of the product, then submit the listing. Before you submit your listing, you can include any additional information. 

Make sure you review the information before submitting your SaaS product for approval. Come up with marketing options to increase the visibility of your product to the public. 
Examples of advertising ideas you can use are- publishing blog posts and creating press releases. You can also join the AWS Partner Network that provides customers with technical and business support.

Importance of web design is the main role in achieving goals, it helps you create a visually appealing and user-friendly site that will be more likely to draw in visitors from all over the internet.

What is a Web Design?

Web design is the process of planning, designing, and creating a website. A website is a digital representation of a company, organizations, or individual’s brand that can be accessed by the general public. The goal of web design is to create an engaging and visually pleasing experience for the user. This can be accomplished through the use of colors, typography, images, animations, and interactive features. Web design can also help promote your company or product by providing customers with easy access to information and services.

Importance of Web design

There are many reasons why web design is important. First and foremost, a well-designed website can drive traffic to your business. Websites with strong design elements tend to perform better on search engine results pages (SERPs). In fact, studies have shown that websites with well-designed layouts can increase traffic by as much as 400%. That’s not all though; a well-designed website also has the potential to boost sales. Studies have shown that websites with attractive layouts are more likely to convert visitors into customers. This means that web design can have a major impact on your bottom line!

So What Makes a Good Web Design?

A good web design should be :

– Eye-catching

– User-friendly

– Fun and engaging

– Informative

– Professional

– Versatile

There are many different factors that go into making a good web design. Some of the more important considerations include:

– Structure & Navigation: A web design should be easy to navigate, with clear and concise structure. Navigation should be intuitive and efficient, so that users can easily find what they’re looking for.

– Graphics &Text: Graphics and typography should be well-coordinated and appealing, without being too flashy or gaudy. In addition, text should be easy to read and formatted correctly.

– Functionality: Websites should function properly on all devices (PCs, phones, tablets), with correct markup and coding. Additionally, features like forms and social media integration should be seamless and easy to use.

– Loading Time: Websites should load quickly without sacrificing quality or functionality. This is especially important when dealing with busy online shoppers who have a lot of other things to do.

What are the Benefits of Having a Good Web Design?

There are many benefits to having a good web design, including increasing traffic and boosting sales. A well-designed website can attract potential customers from all over the world, making it an essential part of any business’ marketing strategy. It can also help your business stand out from the competition, making it easier for people to find and buy what you offer.

A well-designed website is also easy to navigate. Users can easily find the information they need, whether they are looking for product information, pricing information, or customer testimonials. In addition, a well-designed website makes it easy for people to contact you directly. If they have any questions about your product or service, they can easily find the answers on your website. Finally, a good web design can boost your online presence and help you get found when people are searching for information about your business or product.

The Different Types of Web Designs

When it comes to web design, there are a few different types that you can choose from. Whether you want a website that’s easy to navigate for your visitors or one that’s more visually appealing, there are several different types of designs to choose from.

Here are the three main types of web designs:

1. Clean and Simple Web Designs

This type of design is perfect for sites that are meant for informational purposes only. It features simple pages with no animations or graphics, and usually uses a limited color palette. This type of design is ideal for small businesses or blogs that don’t need a lot of visual appeal.

2. Custom Web Designs

Custom web designs are perfect for businesses that need a more detailed look but don’t have the time or resources to create their own website from scratch. They typically use more graphics and animations, as well as different colors and fonts, which can make them more visually appealing. Custom web designs can also be used for larger businesses that want a sophisticated look but don’t want to spend a lot of money on customizing their site.

3. E-Commerce Websites

E-commerce websites are typically designed with a more modern look and feel, featuring sleek pages with high-quality graphics and animations. They’re often used by businesses that sell products online, and they’re perfect for sites that need to look professional and easy to use.

Which ever route you choose, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want your website to look like before you start designing it. Once you know what you want, it’s easier to find the right ecommerce web design agency to help you create the perfect site.

The Top Rules for Creating a Good Landing Page

There are many factors that go into creating a successful website, but one of the most important is design. A well-designed site will increase traffic and boost sales. Here are some tips for designing a winning landing page:

1. Use Clear and Concise Graphics

Your landing page should be easy to understand, and your graphics should be simple and easy to read. You don’t want visitors to spend time trying to figure out what you’re trying to say, you want them to click on your ads right away!

2. Use Useful Navigation Links

Make sure your navigation is easy to use, with links that lead directly to the information you want your visitors to see. Keep your page clutter-free by using clear labels and concise text.

3. Offer Helpful Information in a Quick Format

Your landing page should be easy to navigate, so visitors can get the information they need in a quick format. Make sure all of your information is easily accessible without having to scroll down or leave the page.

4. Use Eye-Catching Ads and Graphics

Your ads should be eye-catching, so they’ll draw the visitor’s attention right away. Use bright colors and graphics that will rouse interest.

5. Offer a Free Trial or Discount

Many visitors will want to see what you have to offer before they make a decision. Give away a free trial or discount so that potential customers can try out your product or service first.

Conclusion

Business owners know that web design is important for a few reasons: it can increase traffic to their site, boost sales, and create a more professional appearance. In this article, we explored these benefits in more detail and offer some tips on how to improve your website’s overall design. So whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking to take your business to the next level, consider investing in good web design!

What is a Mobile Marketing Strategy?

A mobile marketing strategy is a plan that businesses use to create, distribute and manage content and ads on mobile devices in order to increase online sales. With over two thirds of all global internet traffic coming from mobile devices by 2018, it’s clear that a mobile marketing strategy is essential for businesses of all sizes.

There are four primary goals of a mobile marketing strategy: increasing app downloads, increasing website visits, increasing email subscribers, and increasing social media followers. To achieve these goals, businesses should develop targeted strategies for each platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry. Additionally, they should focus on developing cohesive campaigns that target users across all channels.

To get started with your mobile marketing strategy, you first need to assess your business’s current situation. This includes understanding how mobile users interact with your website and apps, as well as how they interact with your competitors’ websites and apps. Once you have this information, you can begin developing specific goals for your business using the tools discussed below.

Once you have set goals and determined the best approach for reaching them, it’s time to develop your content strategy. Content should be designed specifically for mobile devices and adapted for each platform. Ads should also be customized for each platform, considering the user’s location and device type. Finally, social media campaigns should be designed to drive engagement and conversions on each platform.

Also you must focus on the clear understanding of your customers. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to target the right audience and generate leads. Once you have a detailed understanding of your customers, you can begin developing leads generation campaigns. These campaigns can include CTAs (call to action buttons), email newsletters, and social media posts.

Types of Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing can be broken down into two main categories: push and pull.

Push marketing is when the company sends out a message or advertisement to their target audience without any prompting from the customer. Pull marketing is when the company encourages customers to interact with them through interactive channels, such as email or social media.

Push marketing is more common because it’s cheaper and easier to do. It can also be more effective when you have a large target audience. Pull marketing, on the other hand, is more effective for smaller businesses that have a limited budget. It allows them to engage with their target audience in a more personal way, which can lead to more sales.

There are a few different types of push and pull mobile marketing strategies that businesses can use.

One type of push marketing is called triggered push messaging. This type of message is sent automatically after a specific event, such as signing up for a new mailing list or filling out a form on your website. This type of message can be helpful in driving traffic to your website or landing page, and it can help you increase your conversion rates.

Another type of push marketing is called live chat marketing. This technique involves using live chatsoftware to interact with your customers directly. This type of marketing is great for businesses that have a lot of customer service needs, because it allows them to handle customer complaints in a more efficient way.

How to Create a Mobile Marketing Strategy

When it comes to boosting online sales, many businesses overlook the importance of mobile marketing. According to recent stats from Statista, 59% of all global internet traffic is now generated through mobile devices. This means that businesses need to create a mobile marketing strategy if they want to keep up with the competition. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1. Build a strong brand presence.

First and foremost, businesses need a strong brand presence if they want to boost online sales via mobile. This means creating high-quality content that resonates with consumers and building an active social media following. In addition, businesses should make sure their website is optimized for mobile viewing and ensure their advertising is targeted specifically at mobile users.

2. Create engaging content.

Consumers are increasingly turning to mobile devices to get their news and information, so businesses need to create engaging content that appeals to them. This means writing in an easy-to-read format, using visual effects and incorporating video when possible. Additionally, make use of interactive elements such as polls and quizzes in your content, so consumers can really get involved in your message.

Content marketing involves creating high-quality content that is specifically designed to attract visitors and convert them into customers. Lead nurturing campaigns involve contacting potential customers and providing them with valuable information about your products or services. If executed correctly, lead nurturing campaigns can lead to increased sales and happier customers.

3. Develop targeted marketing campaigns.

One of the best ways to boost online sales through mobile marketing is to develop targeted marketing campaigns. This means tailoring your advertising efforts to specific demographics, such as women or seniors, in order to reach the most interested consumers. 

Benefits of Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing is a powerful tool that businesses can use to boost online sales. Here are some of the benefits:

1. Mobile marketing can help businesses reach new customers. With mobile devices becoming more and more popular, businesses have an opportunity to reach a wider audience than ever before.

2. Mobile marketing is cost-effective. Mobile marketing can be used to promote products and services online, as well as track customer engagement and conversion rates. This means that it is very cost-effective for businesses of all sizes to invest in mobile marketing strategies.

3. Mobile marketing is personalised. With the popularity of social media, businesses now have the opportunity to create a more personal connection with their customers via mobile marketing campaigns. This allows them to build trust and loyalty among their customer base, which is invaluable in today’s market.

Conclusion

While the future of mobile marketing is still evolving, one thing is for sure: it’s an essential part of any online sales strategy. There’s no doubt that mobile marketing is on the rise, as it has proven to be a very effective way of reaching your target audience. However, making your online sales through mobile devices can be a challenge – unless you have a strategy in place.

By following these tips, you can make sure your website and app are optimized for mobile devices and that you’re spending the right amount of time and resources on creating engaging content that will drive traffic to your store or website. So don’t wait — start implementing these strategies today and see the positive effects they have on your bottom line!