Marketing instruments – classic concept

The most basic concept of marketing instruments, i.e. the marketing mix, was created several dozen years ago and basically ends with 4P. According to her, marketing consists of four basic elements, which are:
– product,
– price,
– special offer,
– distribution.

In opposition to this concept, Robert Lauterborn introduced his own, which he called 4C. It contains exactly the same elements as the classic 4P, however, instead of showing the entrepreneur’s point of view, it emphasizes the role of the customer. According to Lauterborn, such an approach to marketing is necessary, because only full focus on the recipient’s needs leads to success. In his theory, we distinguish elements such as:
– customer value,
– cost,
– convenience,
– communication.

Now let’s focus on explaining what the individual instruments refer to and how to understand them and – most importantly – use them in practice.

Product (customer value)
It does not necessarily have to be a tangible commodity sold to the customer. When we talk about a product, we mean the values that a specific thing or service brings to the recipient and the needs it satisfies. So, when we offer mechanical repair shop services, we are not merely communicating that the company provides inspection and replacement of broken parts. We focus on the fact that the use of professional service gives you safety, comfort, time saving, quality guarantee and so on. It must be remembered that dry information about the product does not arouse the desire to buy it yet. We need to make the recipient aware of what problems they can solve and what expectations they can meet. Only then do we gain the interest of potential customers.

Price (cost)
Price is an important element of marketing because it largely affects the other foundations of brand communication. Product prices can be selected based on various criteria, for example brand recognition, competition prices, production costs and financial capacity of the target group. However, it is important to maintain a consistent pricing policy within the brand. So if, by definition, our offer is widely available and intended for consumers with any budget, the prices should be very competitive. However, when we target a group of affluent customers who purchase only luxury products, too low a price will not only be of no help, but may even harm sales.

Promotion (communication)
When we have a product tailored to the needs of the target group, we must, however, communicate to the world that it is available and that it is worth buying it from us. This is what all promotional activities are used for: on the website, in Google Ads, social media, at the company’s headquarters, advertisements in the press, radio, television, on billboards, etc. This is where we can tell people about the benefits of the product and the needs it meets. Of course, we do not have to use all available promotion channels – it is worth conducting an analysis of the target group and advertising (free and paid) where the recipients spend the most time.

Distribution (place, convenience)
In short, these are the things that determine whether the purchase of a good / service will be convenient for the recipient. When it comes to a stationary store or service company (beauty salon, cafe, hotel, etc.), the locations will be of key importance. The product must be close to the recipient, even at hand, so that reaching the company does not constitute an effort for the recipient. In the case of online businesses, the most important thing is the website through which the product can be purchased (its responsiveness, intuitive use, loading speed, etc.). In addition, convenience can also be provided in other ways – for example, by providing various payment or delivery methods.

Extended concept of marketing instruments

However, it quickly turned out that the concept of 4P or 4C is not enough to describe all the marketing factors on which the brand’s success depends. So it was decided to extend it with another 3P, and in the latest developments even with an additional 4P:
– people,
– process,
– physical evidence,
– pleasure.

People
This capacious slogan holds all people who are related to the sale / purchase of the product, i.e. the seller, the customer and other buyers. What’s this all about? First of all, even the best quality product will not be successful if there is no demand for it. Therefore, before introducing a product or service to the market, research is needed to determine the interest in the offer. However, the service associated with a given product is equally important. Whether in the case of stationary businesses or online stores, it is important that the seller is nice, competent, able to solve possible problems and meet the expectations of the recipient. Nowadays, it is the employees who largely build the brand image. On top of that, however, there is one more puzzle called other buyers. This means that no customer lives in a vacuum, they are surrounded by other brand fans with whom they can connect and share their impressions. These days, social media groups that bring together clients and companies, thanks to which you can build an engaged community around the brand, are no longer a rarity.

Process
We are talking about the entire process of contact with the customer, also after the purchase of a product or service, i.e. researching the level of consumer satisfaction, after-sales care, the ability to sell products, improving the offer based on customer feedback, etc. We can do a great thing or service which, however, will not be as useful for customers as it initially seemed. Therefore, the key is to constantly improve the products to better meet the needs of the recipient. That’s why we call it a process.

Physical evidence
Contrary to the name, they do not necessarily have to be tangible things, although we also include them among them. These are all the elements thanks to which the potential customer forms an opinion about the quality of the service / product. This includes, for example, the visual identity of the brand: logo, website, leaflets, promotional materials. Evidence of the high quality of the services provided are also less obvious things, such as the appearance of the company’s headquarters or its equipment.

Pleasure
The pleasure category includes all the features of a specific product or service that are not strictly related to usability, but are simply a pleasant bonus for the customer. For example, chairs in a restaurant do not affect the quality of a meal, its taste or nutritional value, but if they are comfortable and adjusted to the height of the table, they increase the joy of consumption. The same function can also be performed by, for example, a fragrance in cosmetics or air conditioning in a car.

Marketing instruments in a marketing strategy

Marketing instruments are not the same as tools and do not provide specific ways to promote your brand. However, they are like blocks that can be arranged in any way, creating a strategy with which we will sell a product or service. Understanding their essence and delving into the consumer’s needs is a necessary condition to build a competitive advantage.

Lateral Marketing: Definition

Lateral marketing involves the creation of an innovative product (or service) that will have a certain feature different from other products or services offered by the competition. The difference, however, is not in the features related to design or price, but in the specific added value that will satisfy the consumer’s additional need, making the new product completely different from the competition, even incomparable.

Taking into account the life cycle of a product (or service), the use of lateral marketing causes a given product to “regress” to a position of growth, and thus gives the company a chance to extend the life of a given product and the related financial and branding benefits.

Nowadays, consumers are inundated with various offers of the same products. For many, it is a real challenge to choose a product, without thinking about it and spending time reaching for new products from the shelf and reading labels, and finally putting something into the basket. Or, as is the case with online shopping, spending time scrolling through store websites to choose your target product.

The same challenge faces entrepreneurs who try to differentiate themselves from the competition. Although the products they offer seem to be different, for example, have a different color, smell, more or less premium price, they are advertised differently – they ultimately satisfy the same need or set of needs. And when it comes to meeting the needs of consumers, then the concept of lateral marketing comes in, according to which the company should seek new opportunities for products / services so that they can also meet other needs that were not previously taken into account, and thus differ from competition.

The areas of application of Lateral Marketing

It can be said that Lateral Marketing is about “reinventing the wheel”, ie adding to a product (or service) a certain characteristic that will make it meet new consumer needs (previously undiscovered). The issue of positioning an offer in lateral marketing can be divided into three levels:
– market level – elements such as needs, target customers, new situations or applications;
– product level – an innovation introduced in the product itself, application, packaging, brand attribute or in terms of purchase;
– the level of marketing tools – i.e. innovation at the level of price, promotion and distribution.

Relatively simple ideas can guarantee a strong competitive advantage and a leadership position in a given market. The goal of Lateral Marketing is innovation on one of the above-mentioned levels. So it is enough for the company, based on research and analysis of consumer needs and insights, to implement an innovative idea, thereby changing the product / service itself and surprising the competition.

Lateral Marketing – application examples

The best known examples of the use of lateral marketing are those at the product level. The introduced innovation involves changes to the properties, functions or features of the product, thanks to which it will stand out from the competition’s products. And so, for example, from the point of view of the need, the new product will satisfy the “old need” (that is, the one for which it was ultimately created) and the new one, for which it was updated, thus becoming a completely new product, such as e.g. Kinder chocolate egg, to which a toy was added inside – thus changing the chocolate for children into a surprise egg, in which, apart from chocolate, you can find a toy – usually the one on the top that every child wants to have.

In the case of innovation in the use of the product itself, we will meet an example for slightly “larger children”, which can be an inflatable beach ring, previously used only for swimming, and when enriched with additional space for a beer – it becomes an inseparable gadget of many beach goers. Innovations introduced in line with lateral marketing do not have to be that crazy and complicated. An example are the product modifications themselves, such as yoghurts, muesli or other “sugar free” or “vegan” products.

Examples of lateral marketing in services may be the method of providing the service itself, e.g. adding additional time to provide the service – “we also deliver packages at weekends”, “we are also open at night”, etc. Moreover, adding a distinguishing feature to the basic offer, such as . a dedicated supervisor, the ability to refer to the price, if there is a cheaper product somewhere on the market, etc. are also examples of lateral marketing.

Examples of the use of lateral marketing at the level of marketing tools include, for example, the method of distribution (change or a new place where the customer can purchase the product or use the service), eg “now professional hair dye also in your home!”.

Other lateral marketing techniques are:

– substitution – consisting in changing or removing several elements and replacing them with others, or imitating some elements with another.
– elimination – complete removal of several elements in a given product,
– combination – adding one or more new elements to the basic product while keeping the other elements unchanged,
– inversion – adding “no” to one or more elements – that is, often eliminating a disturbing element, such as earphones cables, making them wireless,
– exaggeration – consists in enlarging or reducing an element in the product so that it differs from the standard version,
– switching – consists in changing the order, e.g. in services, to the benefit of the client.

Lateral Marketing – how to apply in a company?

The use of an innovative approach to the product itself, market or marketing tools is one of the best ideas that a company can come up with and it is a slightly different approach from SEO or SEM advertising that works in a very competitive market. It is worth noting that this innovation does not have to be spectacular, but should rather work for the benefit of the client and meet his needs. Introducing such innovation requires, first of all, an analysis of the market, customer needs and its path, both offline and online. It is worth supporting such a quantitative analysis with a qualitative analysis and then tackling it at meetings with the communication department. Carrying out innovations according to lateral marketing is a long process, but its effects can be very positively surprising!

Why is ecommerce analytics so important?

Collecting and analyzing data allows for better use of available resources and the selection of strategies that will positively affect the company’s development. In business, instinct is what counts, but making decisions based on your gut feelings may not end as happily as we would like. It is similar with the evalsuation of our work – relying on your own assumptions or sympathies does not give the full picture of the situation. Collecting complete data allows you to indicate specific areas and activities that need correction. An analysis based on these data allows for setting a clear path and effective implementation of plans in further periods.

Analytics in e-commerce has many advantages:

A. It allows you to make informed decisions based on real information – as mentioned above, concrete data allows action to be taken based on real needs, not subjective feelings.

The collected records make it possible to identify groups of recipients and adjust the method of communication to their needs and expectations. The analysis also allows you to adjust ads and offers to current trends that have a significant impact on how and what we buy.

B. It enables you to increase your income – proper communication with the customer is not only an effective way to convince him to buy in our store, but also to return to our virtual thresholds. Analyzing data and drawing correct conclusions from it also allows you to expand your audience. Greater reach translates directly into greater profits.

C. Zooms to Better Operational Efficiency – Data allows you to make better business decisions, such as allocating your budget to different advertising channels. Choosing the channels that are the most effective and investing more money in them is a chance for more profit.

One of the basic features of the e-commerce world is its constant changeability. The flexibility of the solutions allows you to quickly adapt to trends that are visible, among others, thanks to the tracking of user behavior on websites and a quick response to external factors. The first part of 2020 showed it perfectly well – the global lockdown made it necessary to increase spending on Internet activities of many enterprises, and in some cases – even to start operating online. Many of the companies have found out that running an e-commerce business is significantly different from what their brick-and-mortar stores are used to, where sales are carried out on slightly different principles.

What data to collect?

Sales in online stores depend on many factors. The most important ones certainly coincide with what we know from stationary sales, e.g. the price and availability of a given product. In the case of online sales, however, there are also more technical aspects of the website – such as speed, navigation within the site and, for example, the availability of popular technology solutions.

The same applies to marketing activities – in a stationary store at the checkout, additional products are recommended, here in the basket you can encourage to supplement purchases with what other customers have bought. When it comes to advertising – stationary solutions are based on television and banners, which will not always attract the eye of a potential customer. On the Internet, advertising can be more effective – for example, remarketing allows you to track an undecided customer and remind him of the store and products that he has previously viewed.

Information about the client and the possibility of tracking him appears along with the implementation of solutions enabling the analysis of his behavior. Most of them are based on data provided by cookies – cookies that identify users and their computers, save preferences and play a huge role in supplementing Internet activity statistics.

Data is collected by appropriate software – here Google Analytics definitely dominates, without which analytics in e-commerce would not be the same. The information base can be extensive and the records very detailed, such as the age and gender of users, locations and language. Information about their interests can also be obtained from the reports. The other information collected relates to more technical elements – e.g. the operating system and browsers used by your potential customers.

Collecting the results, tracking and comparing them with each other allows you to get quite detailed information about who visits our pages and:
– from which pages users come to the site,
– how long do they spend reading posts and which of them are the most popular,
– what products are most often bought together,
– where the customer most often resigns from buying in the store,
– how many sessions does it need to finalize the transaction.

How to use the data?

Data collection and analysis are not enough. Outlining the points where our business loses or does not use its potential – this is a real value that should be translated into specific actions. Ecommerce analytics allows it.

The information collected by Google Analytics and other tools should be taken into account in many processes related to the online store, including while designing the site. Analytics is also necessary during UX processes, especially in the phase of optimization of ready-made solutions. The data is also useful for planning marketing activities and solving problems with the website.

Website tailored to the user

Designing and checking already implemented changes allows you to increase the availability of the website and make it easier for users to navigate through them. Simple paths and easy access to information also work well for online stores. A large number of unclear categories or a chaotically designed form for customizing goods can frustrate customers and, as a result, make them give up the purchase. Difficulties with finalizing the purchase are also sometimes the reason for making a decision about choosing a competitor – even if the price of their products is higher. Controlling all steps leading to the completion of the purchasing process allows you to catch the moment when the customer gives up and design it in a way that will allow you to change the user experience for the better.

From the UX and website design point of view, the information on what devices the website users use will also be valuable. In the case of an advantage of traffic from mobiles, it is necessary to ensure the correct design of the website and its appropriate size – not only adjusted to the smaller screen diagonal, but also to a weaker network connection. The time when your customers visit the site may also be important – some of the night audience will certainly be delighted with the possibility of using the dark mode option.

Marketing – with analysis

Google Analytics and related solutions are at the heart of every Internet-oriented marketer. This is where i.a. information about users is obtained – who they are, where they come from, what interests them. The tools allow you to select the content that engages them the most and those that do not arouse much interest. In the case of e.g. newsletters, tracking codes allow you to control how many e-mails have actually been opened and whether their recipients have made a decision to switch from them to the pages promoted therein.

Knowing your users, which will allow you to divide them into more or less engaged groups, is useful when setting up Google Ads campaigns. Increasing the financial outlays for a given group may bring better results than advertising aimed at everyone.

Analytics allows you to create events and goals, which makes it much easier to measure the effectiveness of your marketing activities. Additionally, in the case of Google Analytics, dedicated e-commerce reports are also available, which allow for a broader view of sales in the store.

Creating goals is one of the elements of building an effective marketing strategy, especially if it is created in a SMART way:
– Specific,
– Measurable,
– Attractive,
– Realistic,
– Timely.

This methodology allows you to create real goals, the level of fulfillment of which can be controlled using Google Analytics. Goals can be set according to what works best for your store.

When analyzing problems with conversions (that is, meeting goals), it is worth asking yourself a few questions … basically one, only a few times. “5 whys” (5 why) is a method that allows you to effectively drill down into a problem and find its cause with a single question. Answering subsequent questions, e.g. the most popular product stopped selling. Why? There was an error on the page and it cannot be added to the cart. Why? Recent update changes have been badly implemented. Why? The pressure to introduce changes was too great and the acceleration of activities was done at the expense of testing. Why? The outlays for the IT department are too small, and their lack affects the quality of the entire store.

Analytics in e-commerce – react to changes!

Keeping your finger on the pulse – for example in the form of tracking within your website, definitely facilitates quick response to potential problems. Example? A sudden lack of conversion or the abandonment of the cart may suggest problems with a given subpage – e.g. its significant slowdown or technical error, preventing the transaction from being completed. Quickly locating the problem saves time and money.

Analytics in e-commerce – where to get knowledge?

The basic analysis of your own online store should start with the implementation of the Google Analytics tracking code. You can learn about how this tool works and how to set your own goals from official Google sources:

Analytics Academy – there are 4 courses on the platform:
– Google Analytics for beginners,
– Google Analytics for advanced users,
– Google Analytics 360 package – first steps,
– The basics of Google Tag Manager

Basics of analytics in e-commerce

Investing time in your development and skill development is never a waste. In the case of business issues, a different – more analytical – view of the world of shopping will allow you to pick out the subtleties that will allow your store to grow and achieve real profits! Failure to implement analytical tools and actively use them is simply a waste of money. Don’t take chances – check out our guides today!

What is causes related marketing?

Cause related marketing (CRM) is a situation when business data meets both the economic goals of an enterprise and responds to certain social problems, trying to communicate and solve them. This is the simplest manifestation of a wider phenomenon called “corporate social responsibility”. Cause related marketing is usually associated strictly with the sales process or, as the name implies, marketing. On the other hand, corporate social responsibility can be present in every aspect of a company’s activity and does not have to be widely communicated. The difference is best illustrated with examples.

Cause related marketing:
– for every $ 20 spent in our store, we donate $ 1 to Foundation X.

Corporate Social Responsibility:
– our company employs 400 drivers. We make sure that they undergo health tests every year and organize cyclical training courses to improve driving techniques.
– our company creates jam. We acquire fruit and vegetables only from local suppliers and support the domestic economy.
– we are a clothes distributor. We acquire our products only to ethical enterprises that respect employee and human rights.

The difference is therefore in the direct connection to the sales process. On the other hand, both things – undertaken by the company responsibly and sensibly – simply pay off. In marketing it’s quite simple – it’s nice to buy something and help. In the second case, e.g. thanks to driver training, the company can “save” on traffic accidents, as well as avert potential image crises associated with such accidents or operational liquidity.

The difference is also in the time horizon of the projects concerned. Cause related marketing can usually be started overnight and turned off just as quickly. Corporate social responsibility is already a long-term process that requires capital and human investment and good planning. Therefore, many companies end up with socially engaged marketing – it is simpler, and at the same time effective because its impact on sales results can be seen immediately.

Advantages of cause related marketing

The benefits of cause related marketing can be divided into three parts. The company benefits, but also the recipient of the product or service, as well as the entity we help – it can be said that all sides of this system benefit.

Benefits for the company:
– a positive image due to association with a third sector organization,
– stimulation of involvement among the company’s community and employees,
– increased consumer loyalty,
– lower level of complaints and returns,
– increase in sales.

Benefits for the consumer:
– help thanks to the purchase slightly “absolves” consumerism itself,
– greater satisfaction with purchases,
– relatively higher satisfaction with the products and services provided.

Cause related marketing – example

Toms – is an American footwear brand, which already at the business design stage assumed that each pair of shoes purchased by the customer results in the transfer of a second pair to countries and communities where it is particularly needed (regions of Africa and Asia, but also South America). A cool idea, which also shows how something apparently obvious to us, is still a scarce commodity in other regions of the world. They are usually not cheap shoes, which did not prevent the brand from achieving success in the highly competitive American market, which was simply mature in the context of the footwear industry. People love TOMS and more often attribute positive qualities to them, such as comfort or durability.

Why is it worth?

It is worth noting that cause related marketing is mainly used by large brands or … startups. As you can easily guess, the motivations for making such a decision vary depending on the size of a given business entity.

Thus, large companies and brands strengthen their brands and customer loyalty. In addition, consumer expectations related to the positive impact of large companies on local communities and the environment in general are growing. We expect more and more often that the company will compensate for its environmental impact, and even that it will provide us with information on this matter. This is a very good trend, because it turns out that it pays off in the long run both to our environment and to the company that made such an effort. Unfortunately, it is difficult to talk about some mass reorientation of thinking here. Large corporations are powerful and uncontrolled ships. They arouse admiration, but before they change course, a lot of time must pass.

The situation is different when the startup immediately decides to get social problems involved in acquiring clients. This is usually because of personal motives and motivations to somehow differentiate their actions from those powerful corporations that feed on consumerism like leeches. Startup is more and more often not only a product or service, but also a rebellion against the current state of affairs.

Credibility cause related marketing

On the internet, of course, whenever someone is in favor, someone who is opposed will also be found. Therefore, even related related marketing has its enthusiasts as well as oppositionists.

From the latter group, there are most often accusations of lack of “pure intentions” for help or cynical use of someone’s misfortune to fuel sales. Of course you can approach it this way. However, it is worth paying attention to the obvious fact that in such a world everyone would lose. Were it not for the company and a given form of assistance, as a consumer we would never have heard about a given problem and the given action would not have seen additional funds. So if you still want to make a purchase – why not do it with someone who offers sales and additionally helps someone?

It’s best to use methods that have proven themselves many times. Of course, you can rely on momentary inspiration, dazzle or a rush of ingenuity, but if you want to achieve consistently good results, bet on what just works.

Persuasion in sales copywriting boils down to the use of proven principles. Copywriters who are convincing know how to appeal to specific human desires and needs. Their understanding and ability to use this in the texts will allow you to increase the effectiveness of your messages, i.e. the strength of their persuasion. But what are the rules of knowledge? Let me explain!

People value what is not enough

This rule says that people are more willing to buy a product that is (or will be soon) short of. This means that the value of a given item increases as its availability decreases. Some products are bought because of their usability, appearance or capabilities, and others because of their uniqueness.

Sales copywriting uses this dependence for a long time and in various forms. See how you can increase the value of your product or service in the eyes of customers, guided by the principle of shortage.

A. Quantity
“Limited Edition”, “Collector’s Edition” – these are messages whose limitation refers to quantity. They work great in B2C sales. It is used by footwear and clothing brands, producing children’s toys and many others.

Example:
“Only 200 pairs of limited edition XYZ fluorescent shoes will go on sale on Friday!”

B. Time
In the context of this limit, products are sold within a specified time frame. This can be seen great on the online course market. The authors, long before opening sales, intensively promote their product, then opening its sale for only a few days or a week. Time pressure makes people make purchasing decisions faster – they are aware that the offer is not eternal.

What do these messages look like? Maybe you associate mailings like:
“Last 2 hours! We are closing the sale of the XYZ course in a moment ”

C. Threat
If you do not take specific action, the existing privilege or convenience will disappear. This method may be associated with a shortage of time, but here it is about permanently depriving the recipient of a specific opportunity – this is the basis of the message, not the deadline. See:

“The plan to close the local confectionery factory is due to the low number of visitors. So take your toddler there or lose this opportunity! “

D. Targeting
The product or service is directed to a selected, specific group of customers. These may be people who have previously bought a specific item and now you would like to sell them something else. It is worth pointing out that the offer is only available to them because, for example, they have fulfilled certain conditions.

“How is your new coffee machine working? Because as one of the few customers you bought it online from us, you can get coffee capsules 50% cheaper! “

E. Invitation
The service is available only to people who will be invited, e.g. by one of the current users. This not only builds the impression of inaccessibility and exclusivity, but also increases curiosesity.

“Our new functionality is currently only available in beta. You must receive an invitation with a link to access it. “

From a psychological point of view, the shortage principle used in sales copywriting is effective because it is based on the loss of some opportunity and fear of regret.

If a product is available all the time, the customer feels confident and at ease – he knows that he can buy it at any time. He has the freedom to choose whether he will do it now or in a week. However, when you suddenly limit its availability, the customer loses this opportunity and reacts against this change by buying a product.

At the same time, people have a strong fear of regret, that is, they are afraid that if they do not buy the product now, when they have the opportunity, then they will regret it. If this fear is strong enough, it is easier for them to spend money – they treat this investment as a form of security.

Traps

When using the principle of shortage in your copywriting, remember to do it properly. If you want it to work in favor of your offer, you must use it in a thoughtful way. Below are three basic rules that you need to keep in mind.

– Deficiency should not be the main advantage / value of the offer – it’s just an add-on that strengthens the basic message,
– If you produce something massively and at the same time try to support sales, e.g. with the slogan “limited collection”, do not count on spectacular effects. Similarly with discounts: if the same “Last sale days” banners have been hanging from store display cabinets for several weeks, people will quickly stop believing in this sale. Your message must be consistent with what you really do,
– Not every product / service can or should be promoted with the support of the shortage principle. The sales model for everyone, without any quantitative or temporal restrictions is also appropriate. Which path you choose depends on the overall brand strategy and the campaign.

Sales copywriting often raises sympathy

We buy more willingly than those we like. Among other things, this is why well-known actors, singers and popular Youtubers appear so often in commercials. People are more likely to follow the directions of the people they identify with, who are familiar, have similar views or are a role model or authority for them.

How can a copywriter use the crush principle as a form of persuasion? After all, he does not meet his recipients face to face. Only words are available. Or maybe a word?

Usually, sales texts focus immediately on the benefits of purchasing a given product or service. However, if you want to arouse sympathy at the beginning, you can start the content with a skillfully written compliment. See an example:

“If you work remotely, you know perfectly well that it doesn’t mean all day in bed with a laptop on your lap. If you work effectively, you probably already have a great time management or avoid distractions. To make 100% remote work you need to solve only one problem … “

Such an introduction shows that you understand the situation of the recipient, identify with him and at the same time appreciate how much he has achieved on his own. In this way, as a copywriter, you will find a common language with the reader from the very beginning, thanks to which he will be more eager to find out what you have to say to him.

The principle of sympathy, like any technique, must be used skillfully. Its foundation is proper knowledge of the recipient – his needs, everyday life and expectations. It will be difficult for you to create an effective text if you set too broad a target group. The narrower it gets, the easier it will be to personalize your message.

Write also about the disadvantages

Copywriters very often focus only on the benefits and benefits of the products or services they describe. They try to show them in superlatives, which often creates a seemingly unreal image of the offer. Because are there ideal things? They may exist, but people rarely believe in them – especially when they have to buy something.

Much faster and easier you will gain the trust of the recipient and arouse credibility when you also write about the disadvantages of your product or service. In this way you can also position it for specific clients.

Someone is looking for the cheapest solution and you offer it, but at the same time there is a doubt about quality? Explain to the customer what the lower price is for.

“Our product is cheaper because we gave up several functions almost unused by customers, and instead we focused on refining key functionalities. Thanks to this we have obtained optimal quality in relation to the price. “

Why is such a description more effective? Because it contains a logical explanation and at the same time an assurance that the basic functionalities (i.e., most likely the reason why the customer wants to buy it when it comes to the bottom price shelf) will work flawlessly.

Show the specifics

By accessing websites you can find many terms saying:

“You will achieve success with us”
“We respond quickly to any requests”

Do you know what connects them? That they actually say nothing and do not inform about anything. Because what does “success” or “quickly ” mean? Probably something different for everyone. General statements and assurances do not sound credible and poorly sell, because the recipient does not see in them specific values for themselves and their business.

By adding specific information, you can easily increase the persuasive power of your messages:

“With us you will increase your revenue by up to 30% in 6 months”
“We respond to all requests within 24 hours”

Do you see the difference? Which message would inspire your trust faster? Similarly with the customer – specific information increases the credibility of the content.

Rely on authority

Do you remember that people are more eager to buy from the ones they like? But not only from them. They value and are ready to succumb to the suggestions of those whom they consider to be experts in a given industry.

Therefore, use authority as an argument. Include in your texts expert statements (e.g. scientists in a given field), links to research or statistics. Make sure that the information you provide is well-founded.

Remember that the authority you refer to is to be an authority primarily for the recipients, it does not necessarily have to be for you. Ads very often use images of teenage stars to promote cosmetics for young girls. Of course, actresses usually have no idea if the compositions of these products are good and they themselves, e.g. pleasant to use, because they do not use them.

However, the involvement of female fans is so great that it is enough to remove their pretty face with a given cosmetic and a short description to convince the girls to buy. This is an excellent way to show how persuasive authority can be, even unjustified.

Summary

The above techniques will help you relatively easily increase the effectiveness of your sales copywriting. You don’t have to use all of them – at first, get to know your target group well, then think about which methods will be most effective in your case. Often more is not better.

Use pixel

For more experienced marketers it is obvious, but still entering the pages of various businesses is short of this short script that allows remarketing. Of course, not every website on the internet needs a pixel and Facebook advertising, but if we are thinking about this form of advertising or are just starting to operate on this platform, pixel is one of the first things we should be interested in.

Pixel is a tracking code that allows you to create remarketing groups. The script connects the person who enters the page with the Facebook account. Thanks to this, by creating an ad, we can reach people who, e.g. have visited your website within 45 days. These groups include people who know your brand through the website. It is therefore the hottest type of recipients, and not using them and letting them go into oblivion is a flaw for the marketer.

Delving into the technicalities and specifics of this script, you will soon discover that you can add conversion events and parameters to it. What does it mean? This means that you can optimize your campaign for a specific conversion, e.g. purchase or filling out a form. Thanks to event installation, you will also learn how many conversions and values were made after clicking on the advertisement. By combining pixels with a catalog (product feed), you can start displaying dynamic remarketing, in which you will show a personalized advertisement with a specific product to the person who has previously viewed the site.

Use Lookalike groups

The previous point concerned the remarketing group from the site. These are extremely valuable recipients. What about the moment when we want to reach new potential customers with the advertisement?

Of course, we can use the classic method, i.e. directing advertising to groups built on the basis of demographic data, i.e. locations, age, gender, interests or behavior. However, we can let Facebook do all the magic for us. Then he will choose those who will most often use our services. Sounds beautiful? Indeed it is. The only thing we have to sacrifice to the platform are our remarketing lists. Of these groups, e.g. 5000 people who visited the site (data from the pixel) within 30 days, Facebook will prepare a list of 200,000 people in the country similar to these people. In the source, each of the 5000 people is hundreds of data that the platform analyzes and searches for profiles with similar characteristics within a given country. You can also create Lookalike based on the list of people who interacted with your Facebook page. Then even the remarketing list obtained from the website will not be needed.

As you can see, at first Facebook Ads are mainly groups of so-called standard, i.e. demographic. Over time, however, as you gain experience, you’ll start to use a combination of remarketing lists and lookalike groups.

Advertising creation

This is the only thing the recipient sees. Not your settings, not the purpose of the campaign, but graphics or video and text are the only point of real contact with the recipient – if this point fails, your campaign will not have a chance of success.

Settle in as the recipient. You are viewing the feed on Instagram or Stories on Facebook. In what form would you like to see your ad? Stock image without an ad slogan and unclear text, unmatched by mobiles? Or maybe eye-catching graphics with a slogan in the form of Call To Action, the right button and a short, understandable advertising text? It is obvious. Unfortunately, advertisers often focus on complicated audience settings and bids, and neglect the only thing that the viewer really sees.

To create the perfect creation, I suggest you follow these guidelines:

Ad text – Probably your ad will be displayed on mobiles, so try to include a maximally simple message in the first three lines that you will see in the preview of the ad in the mobiles feed version. The text can be long and the recipient willingly clicks “view more” to read it, but you need to catch attention through the first, one or two sentences, e.g. to solve the problem of the recipient with the first few words. In the following you can write what you want.

Graphics / Video – does it also stand out in feed / stories? Gets attention? Is it clear and you know what the advertiser meant? Do you know what you, as the recipient, should do after the ad? Is the format adapted to the locations? Is the graphics on Stories vertical (sample format 1080 × 1920) and in the feed square (1080 × 1080) which significantly improves the reception? Is the advertisement based on stocks that everyone already knows or maybe on their own interesting graphics / photos?

Ad headline – Short and succinctly, this should be the headline. It can take the form of a call to action.

Button – If you offer the sale of t-shirts, you will not use the “fill in application” button, eg “buy now”. The “more information” button has already taken care of everything, change it!

Test different solutions – audiences and ads

When launching a Facebook Ads advertising campaign, we set the target, audience in the ad set, and the ad itself. Let’s stop for a moment while developing the middle part, i.e. the group of recipients. We usually set up one and publish the campaign. But why not use two or more and give the algorithm some room to work? Almost every group can be divided into two, at least according to age, locations or gender. Thanks to this breakdown and the simultaneous use of CBO, i.e. optimization of the budget campaign at the level of setting the advertising goal, we will allow the algorithm to experiment and select a group that converts better, i.e. results, e.g., at a lower cost.

We wouldn’t know about it by broadcasting a campaign with one audience.

The same applies to advertising in a set of ads, i.e. graphic or video creation. It’s worth testing different headlines, other texts or even entire graphics. After a while we will notice which performs better. Then we can stop the emission of the weaker creation and implement another one for testing, which may prove to be better than the one that won in the previous test.

Analyze on a representative sample of data

It happens that after one day we receive information from the customer that, e.g. one campaign or advertisement works better than the other, and that the worse one should be turned off. With a relatively low budget, absolutely one day of issue is not a representative sample of data on the basis of which you can make radical decisions such as suspending an element of the campaign (e.g. audience). Let the ads take a few days, 3-7 days is the right range to evalsuate the effect of our actions.

The perfect online world

In an ideal world, we would always know where our potential client is currently. This knowledge would allow us to reach him with a message that step by step would build confidence in our brand and product, and then subtly lead to conversion.

All of our marketing, sales and after-sales activities would be easily tracked and improved, creating perfect customer service.

In an ideal world, we would only use one channel to interact with the client. Unfortunately, ideal situations rarely apply to companies.

To keep your sales at the highest level, you need to go with the times, constantly develop your marketing skills and supplement your knowledge with the latest solutions. Because if you still sell only in one channel, you lose a large portion of the target audience that your competition is successfully taking over. In fact, focusing on one channel can even degrade customer service and prevent you from successfully acquiring new ones. Why? About this in a moment. Let’s explain why multi-channel marketing is so important in the 21st century.

Multi-channel marketing – why is it so important?

Today’s consumer uses 2.8 channels on average before deciding to buy a given product or service.

Over the past decade, customer service and how to acquire it have changed significantly. Observing today’s technological progress, it is difficult to imagine that brands not so long ago used only three marketing channels. These were: telephones, post office and stationary store.

Since the internet appeared, companies have expanded and some have even completely transferred their activities to the online world. Websites, applications, e-mails and marketing campaigns have created virtually unlimited possibilities of communication with potential clients. However, along with the development of new technologies, competition has also increased.

To get a customer, we must be where he is currently with what he currently needs. And if we want to engage and maintain it, the above alone will not be enough.

So we already know that a modern consumer, before making a purchase, passes through 2.8 channels on average, integrating with a given brand. It is also obvious that during the day it uses many different devices.

The digital consumer seems wise today and is prudent in their purchasing decisions. We use opinions on Facebook, in Google My Business, and view applications of a given brand. He created a world between many channels in which he controls the vast majority of the sales process.

So if you want to win this smart game you must be one step ahead of it. The way to do this, of course, is a well-thought-out marketing strategy – necessarily multi-channel.

How to engage a potential customer?

In order to successfully engage a potential customer, we should communicate with him using several channels at the same time. According to this assumption, three different strategies have evolved: cross channel marketing, omnichannel marketing and multi channel marketing.

Many have trouble distinguishing them. No wonder, because they differ slightly. However, to make good use of their potential, you should know the subtle differences between them.

Multi-channel marketing

Multi-channel marketing was available first and continues to function today. It allows the customer to interact with the brand through multiple channels. It can be a telephones, computer, stationary store. Customers have already learned that they can access brands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on various platforms. So it is an absolute must have for an online entrepreneur if he does not want to “go out of circulation”.

Cross-channel marketing

Cross channel marketing is very similar to its predecessor. The difference between them, however, is that in the latter, different brand communication channels with the client are connected with each other. In practice, this means that they register and pass on information about the customer, which greatly facilitates the purchase and, as a result, shortens the customer’s shopping path. In particular, women know perfectly well how wonderful it is to get a 20% discount on buying shoes of your favorite brand and be able to use it both online and offline – in a stationary store, via a desktop computer or cell phones.

An example of the use of cross-channel marketing by brands is, for example, an e-mail survey after shopping in a store asking for shopping experience.

In practice, it may look like this:

When you finish shopping in an online store, you will see a pop-up asking you to complete a short survey. The survey contains 5 questions about your shopping experience. You complete it, which in turn entitles you to a 20% discount on re-purchases. You can redeem the discount both online and offline (in any stationary store of the same brand).

Each store representative will be able to scan the coupon, but the customer will also be able to enter the coupon code also at the online cash register and receive the same coupon in this channel.

In this example, the channels will communicate with each other by first creating an online survey based on personal experience and then checking the validity of the coupon.

Once the coupon is used online, it can no longer be used in the store and vice versa.

Omni-channel marketing

Omni-channel marketing is the most advanced type of multi-channel marketing. It uses channels that work together seamlessly, providing clients with comprehensive service at the highest level.

The goal of this type of marketing is to “break the barrier” between the online and offline world.

A good example of using omnichannel marketing is the use of applications that help potential customers make a purchasing decision.

The Shiseido brand allows, for example, the use of “Shiseido Makeup Mirror”. The consumer’s face is placed in a virtual mirror, and he has the opportunity to see how it looks in a given make-up. For women, this is a great help. Each of us will certainly admit that there is nothing worse than an incorrectly chosen foundation or blush that does not harmonize perfectly with our skin tone.

The application also allows you to take a photo to allow you to quietly make a purchasing decision from the comfort of your home. For people who do not like to make purchasing decisions spontaneously, it is extremely helpful. Otherwise, they might never have decided to buy.

Professionals in the field of sales psychology say that the process of making a purchasing decision begins long before the purchase and has its consequences long after. This brand is aware of this and, what’s more, it perfectly uses this knowledge.

Shiseido allows consumers to virtually “try on makeup” to help them make the best buying decision. This method also increases your chances of getting better opinions about your products. So you admit that it’s a well-planned marketing strategy.

Summary

Cross-channel marketing involves combining different marketing channels in a way that creates a logical transition for the target audience from one stage to another. Different channels work together to ensure consistent communication with the consumer.

However, it is important not to confuse it with omnichannel marketing, which also uses several marketing channels to interact with the client, but this does not necessarily mean consistency between them.

In cross channel marketing, you can send your customers an email about the promotion of their favorite product, display targeted ads on social media to improve brand recognition, and publish blog posts on topics related to key phrases. All this together is an effective method of building trust and leads to maximizing conversions.

Let’s say you run a company that sells hair thickening shampoo. The shampoo is patented and very effective. Therefore, your target group will be people with the problem of hair loss.

A potential customer will read the blog post you wrote about the causes of hair loss. The email he then receives will provide testimonials from someone who has overcome the same problem with your product. When your dream client looks into social media the same evening, he sees an ad with a catchy headline about how your products or services completely remove the problem he was reading about.

Such marketing activities give consumers a clear sense of consistency with the brand, while also building trust in it. Their shopping path becomes as smooth and direct as possible. Because there is a clear link between each part of your marketing experience, it’s easier to verify and optimize your marketing efforts, which can help you achieve the right ROI from your campaign.

In omnichannel marketing, individual channels are treated as independent entities. As a result, your marketing activities remain essentially independent, making it difficult to link a specific effort to achieving a high ROI.

Marketing has evolved considerably over the years and created new opportunities. However, in order to meet market expectations, you need to be an diligent student and constantly supplement your knowledge with new directions in the field of digital marketing.

Regardless of whether you use multichannel marketing, cross channel marketing or omnichannel marketing, the most important thing is that you put the quality of customer service first. Making the purchase process as easy and intuitive as possible is the key to catapulting your marketing to become the leader of the 21st century.

In the past, direct interpersonal relationships have been a standard way of getting business contacts. Admittedly, there were occasions to establish cooperation by phones, although the human factor still played a significant role. The situation has changed significantly as a result of dynamic technological development.

It can be said that the expectations of contractors have turned 180 degrees. At present, business customers require more from interaction with sales representatives in the early stages of negotiations. They require in-depth attention known to them from other purchasing processes. And rightly so!

mobiles technologies are selling better

Google joined forces with The Boston Consulting Group to see how much impact the mobiles market has on the realities of the B2B sector. Interactions carried out by mobiles devices turned out to generate on average over 40% of revenues in leading organizations. Interestingly, the rule described applies more to enterprises that focus more on trade than marketing activities.

mobiles drivers, or influences, an average of over 40% of revenue in leading B2B organizations.

Who are the users of mobiles devices?

Consumers are now comparing your options to the best digital experience they’ve ever experienced. Thus, mobiles devices also play an important role in the B2B sector. According to statistics, as much as 50% of business queries come from smartphoness and tablets. The Boston Consulting Group predicts that by 2020 the scale of this phenomenon will be 70%. However, it should be remembered that these data come from the US market.

However, business customers use technology at every step. They use mobiles technologies to work, and also perform many tasks simultaneously using several screens. Employees are no longer attached to the desk. Instead, they are increasingly working from home. In addition, mobiles technologies enable them to remain productive during business trips.

How to improve cooperation with business clients?

Customers from the B2B sector are also devoting more and more time to the use of mobiles technology. Currently, research shows that they spend two hours in front of the display. Statistics in this matter are significantly overstated by younger generations of recipients. Forecasts show that by 2020 consumers will use smartphoness and tablets for an average of three hours a day.

50% of B2B search queries today are made on smartphoness. BCG expects that figure to grow to 70% by 2020.

Increased usage is not just empty statistics. This state of affairs directly translates into business results. BCG revealed that mobiles technologies speed up purchasing time, which naturally increases revenues and reduces investment costs. The smartphones can reduce the purchase time by 20%. This state of affairs greatly facilitates decision making and facilitates team collaboration.

The skilful use of mobiles technologies increases the level of engagement, which takes the form of search queries, increased website traffic, acquisition of potential customers and conducting transactions. The mobiles market is also characterized by a higher customer loyalty rate. Along with positive experiences, loyalty and frequency of repeated purchases increase.

Benefiting from the use of smartphoness and tablets requires an appropriate attitude. First of all, mobiles technologies should become the basis of business strategy. It is also worth presenting the content in vertical orientation. Thanks to this they look much better on displays. In addition, you must combine your own data with information collected from recipients. The combination of these three factors will increase the effectiveness of operations.

Marketing persona – what is it all about?

People talk a lot about marketing, but not everyone knows what they are. A marketing person can be defined in various ways. Simply put, this is the type / profile of the client that represents the greater part of a particular group. Persona has its own individual characteristics, behaviors, values – these are the guiding principles when choosing a product or service. The so-called. buyer persons (or marketing persons) are fictional characters but have the characteristics of real customers. Their task is to facilitate the work of marketing, communication and sales departments. Thanks to them it is possible to design a communication path for a particular group of recipients.

To speak more scientifically, “Persons are fictional characters based on customer data that represent different segments of target audiences.” However, the simplest definition of marketing person is the ideal client of a given brand / product / service.

Perfect customer – how to find him?

Creating a marketing person requires a lot of time and attention. I recommend focusing on even the smallest details, because they can later be of great importance in communication. Person can be determined based on your own imagination – this is a solution for young brands, but it is also much better to reach for analytical data on already acquired customers. When looking for the perfect customer, you need to combine both demographic and psychographic data. Remember that persona is not only a description of the ideal customer’s personality, but also a set of all factors that may affect the purchasing process. What should a good description of marketing personnel contain?

– Demographics. They answer the question of who the ideal customer is. This part of the description includes information such as age, gender, place of residence, education, role in the family.

– The financial data”. They answer the question how much an ideal customer earns. This part of the description analyzes information such as the type of work performed, position held, scope of duties, industry, size of the company, amount of earnings (in the range), how much it spends, how it pays, where it buys, what savings it has.

– Data on rituals and behaviors. They answer the question of what a typical ideal customer’s day looks like. For each brand, different rituals and behaviors will be important, but it’s worth gathering them as much as possible. In this part you can, for example, describe how persona moves to work, what she does in her free time, where she goes on vacation, what she reads, what she eats for breakfast, what time she gets up, where she goes shopping, what her interests are, or browses the Internet on a computer or mobiles, at what times it is active on the network, etc. This subitem of description is one of the most important, because it allows you to immediately determine what points of contact with the brand can be and when they can occur, e.g. during a tram ride on universities.

– Data on needs. They answer the question, what is the ideal customer’s problem and how can you help him develop it? Problems may loosely relate to the services sold or be closely related to them. For example, a young mother may have a problem with lack of time for herself – the solution: she needs your time planner or e-book to organize yourself at home.

– Value data. They answer the question, what are the most important values, ambitions and goals of an ideal customer. This information is needed to determine the incentive that a marketing person will be given to make them want to buy.

– Data on concerns. They answer the question what an ideal customer is most afraid of. This type of information can also motivate the customer to act. The biggest fears are a good way to encourage action – e.g. you don’t want to have a stomach band, reach for an e-book with exercises or healthy recipes.

– Data on shopping behavior. They answer the question of how a perfect customer buys. This part of the description should contain information whether the client is susceptible to expert words, whether he pays attention to promotions, whether he values ​​the recommendations of friends / family / influencers, whether he checks price comparisons, whether he focuses on quantity or quality.

Based on all this information, a description is created of the marketing person to whom the name is given and the photo is added. This allows you to better image the perfect customer. Good advice: it is best to add the photo at the very end (so as not to succumb to stereotypes based on the appearance), and also put on the most natural image possible.

When creating a marketing persona, it’s always worth reaching for professional tools. Thanks to them, it will be easier to obtain quantitative data and will not be a divination from coffee grounds. It is good to combine data with observations, as well as customer interviews (if any).

Client or clients – how many marketing persons should a brand have?

Hardly any company has only one marketing person. Typically, brands make up to 3 to 5 people. This is considered a minimum. However, you must remember not to force a dozen or so perfect clients. Creating a person is not about describing every possible customer on the market, but the one who can actually be the perfect brand. Another thing to remember is that each persona created should represent a different audience segment. Perfect customers cannot be almost identical and differ from each other only, e.g. by age.

It should also be mentioned here that marketing persona is not only a B2C business tool. Companies operating in the B2B sector should also take care of their creation.

Why is it worth to meet an ideal customer?

Marketing persona is primarily to improve the activities of marketing and sales departments. Creating them makes communication more effective, and so-called budget burnout smaller. Other benefits of meeting an ideal customer include:

– Defining the target group of the project, e.g. introducing new phones models to the store,
– Understanding the needs of customers, their goals and motivation, which allows, among others determine whether the introduction of a new service / product makes sense,
– Adjusting brand communication (of all teams and departments) to the language spoken by the customer, which will eliminate errors and allow you to reach him and sell the product faster,
– Identifying the “places” where customers are most often and conducting the most intensive marketing activities there.

The role of marketing persona in the purchasing process

Marketing persona can play many roles in the purchasing process. Moreover, it will not always be involved in the transaction. It is therefore important to know the role of the person. They are divided according to the tasks they play.

The first role a persona can play is the buyer. He purchases the product. Persona can also be an initiator, i.e. subject to the idea of buying a service or product. The next roles are advisory, user, decision maker. Understanding these roles allows you to assign them to specific people. It should be noted that decision-makers are not always reached. Many brands in their person grid will have primarily advisors and initiators, this is not a bad thing, but you need to adapt the content to their needs and decision-making possibilities.

Is marketing persona needed in SEO?

Marketing persona are usually used by marketing and communication departments. Persons are also important for the sales department. However, little is said about the importance of marketing persona in the context of SEO. However, they are inseparably connected. The created personas facilitate the optimization of the website and its positioning in the search engine. A brand that has created people knows what products they are looking for, their priorities and how it works on the web. Thanks to this SEO activities are more targeted. They allow, for example, to choose a set of keywords for a given person and carry it through the entire purchasing process.

Marketing persona also help in working on Customer Journey Map. CJM is a customer journey map from the first contact with the brand / product to purchase. Knowing your persona, you can significantly reduce the route of travel, prevent chaos, maximize positive experiences. Thanks to this, the company does not burn the budget and runs tailored SEO campaigns.

Let us also remember that marketing persona are increasingly important for the website’s UX and its readability and functionality. As every SEO knows well, this translates into search engine results. Many companies decide to create websites, or landing page dedicated to specific people. Their appearance is tailored to the needs, preferences and expectations of the perfect customer.

Marketing persona are one of the most important elements of each brand’s advertising and content strategy. They can also help in SEO. Thanks to her, one knows how, to whom and what to talk about. The process of creating persona is not a day or two. You have to get to know your perfect customer. Determining your age, gender and place of residence will not make him your friend. And he should be. The better and more accurately you meet the marketing person, the more useful it will be in building communication, marketing and SEO strategies.

Target group in SEO according to GSC

If you look at GSC (Google Search Console) then you won’t find information about target groups there, which you can specify by e.g. age but you can read a lot from the keywords that appear there: – price cuts – this is already a clue that you can use to expand the site with additional subpages or content. The target group determined by the prism of price shapes your pricing policy and also indicates whether a given group of words will benefit you or not (because you may not sell this assortment up to $ 20 but you will still start). At the same time, on this basis, you can specify the target group in terms of income (or at least try).
– questions – they prove the nature of the information sought and constitute the basis for building answers. For example, if someone types in “how to examine the competition’s keywords,” we can assume that it is either a seo or the owner of a new business. So why not answer this question with a solution scheme and an additional incentive to buy my service?
– “how to teach a dog to bark” – here you can also do a lot in terms of building content and handling specific target groups
– it may happen, however, that the target group is not the same as the typed phrase – for example, “online printing house”. If the customer is indeed a printing house but only supports the B2B market, then it is worth clearly saying to such a customer that yes, he has a lot of traffic, but there are no customers there, because this is the B2C market and in organic results this group of customers is the overwhelming majority. That is why it is worth considering whether we really want to push ourselves – our customer.
– devices – in GSC we have the ability to verify group traffic according to the type of device used. Thanks to this, we know whether the target group are passionate computer players or mobiles people (e.g. tourists).

Meta description – what is that?

Description is part of the meta tags that are located in the source code of the page in the <head> section.

<meta name = “description” content = “Short description of the page.” />
Meta description on the home page and subpages, you can also easily and quickly edit on most content management systems (CMS).
The <description> tag together with <title> is the first contact for the user with the page to which the phrase entered in the search engine leads.

It is the meta tags that often influence the final decision of a user whether he considers a given site worth clicking. The title and short description of the page should therefore answer the questions that are searched for using the keywords entered in Google.

Impact of meta description on positioning

Some time ago, the meta description tag had an impact on website positioning in search engines. Unfortunately, it did not fully fulfill its function, because instead of a neat description of the content of the page, there were – often after the decimal point – keywords related to given issues contained in the content of the site. The multiplication of phrases – yes – was beneficial for the site, which – from the current perspective – a spammy procedure, climbed up. This phenomenon began to be aptly called keyword stuffing. These practices, however, involved so-called Black Hat SEO, so in 2009 Google decided to change the algorithm, as a result of which the meta tag description was excluded from direct impact on positioning. Currently, meta description does not affect the position of the page, but it is important for the click rate.

Therefore, the meta description has an indirect impact on positioning, as it is a kind of showcase of the site. A brief description may interest a potential user, because the information and key phrases contained in it show that a given site will be a potential source of knowledge. Therefore, description must attract attention, contain words that will be important for a given page and subpage, and – what is important – this short description should have a certain number of characters that is visible in the search results. The meta tag description does not affect positioning, but has a positive effect on CTR, or click rate.

What should a good meta description look like?

Meta description should refer to the substantive values ​​of the page or subpage to which it was assigned. As with all content on the site, short descriptions for each tab should be unique so that the content does not duplicate and not duplicate. The description content itself is also very important, as it must answer the question asked by the user, so it cannot be general and devoid of substance. If you type “what is meta description” in the search engine, then both the title and description of the pages displayed in the SERP should lead to the answer. It is good when the meta description in its content will have a question you asked. However, it may not be general, referring to all content that a user can find on the site. It is good practice to include call-to-action in the description, which may encourage clicks. Always before creating the description, think about what information you would like to find in it and what would make you enter a given website.

The length of characters is very important for both title and meta description. In this case, more is not better – quite the opposite. A good headline of the page displayed in the search results should be between 55 and 60 characters, and description between 155 and 170 characters with spaces. How can you check it? The length is easily determined with almost any text editor, but in the case of title and description it is worth using the available tools.

In addition, the page view and meta descriptions can be seen in the page code using the CTRL + U keyboard shortcut.

To sum up, a good meta description is one that:
– is unique,
– answers user questions,
– is substantive and encouraging,
– has a key phrase,
– it is 170 characters including spaces,
– contains call to action.

No meta description – what happens then?

Even if you don’t create a description, this space is not left empty. Description downloaded by the search engine from the page content that best responds to the user’s query. This description is then far too long, and the information it contains is not necessarily substantive and valuable. Lack of meta descriptions can result in a high bounce rate.

The description mat, together with the title, is an important message for the user about what content he can find on the page. If the meta description is consistent, encouraging and contains relevant answers, then there is a high probability that the site will be attractive to him and decide to click on it. Description has no direct impact on positioning, but it can definitely affect the user’s decision to search for information on a given page, which will significantly increase its CTR.