Marketing Archives - Luisa Zhou https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/category/marketing/ Business Coaching Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:48:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.luisazhou.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-favicon-new02-1-32x32.png Marketing Archives - Luisa Zhou https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/category/marketing/ 32 32 How to Build a Business Without Social Media (16 Ways) https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/business-without-social-media/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/business-without-social-media/#comments Mon, 06 Mar 2023 20:48:44 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=18013 How do you build a business without social media?  You’ve come to the right place. Today, you’ll learn how to grow a successful business – without having to stay active on social media. Want to learn more? Read on! How to grow your business without social media:  1. Ask for referrals 2. Network 3. Collaborate  […]

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How do you build a business without social media? 

You’ve come to the right place. Today, you’ll learn how to grow a successful business – without having to stay active on social media.

Want to learn more? Read on!

How to grow your business without social media: 

1. Ask for referrals

2. Network

3. Collaborate 

4. Guest post

5. Pitch podcast

6. Build thought leadership

7. Build relationships

8. Attend in-person events

9. Get speaking gigs

10. Use paid advertising

11. Use email marketing

12. Create a lead magnet

13. Scale on Pinterest

14. Use SEO

15. Blog

16. Use PR

Can a business survive without social media?

In a word? Yes.

Social media can be a great marketing tool for your business, especially in the beginning when you’re just getting started. But it’s not the only way to reach your target audience. 

The 4-Step Automatic Attraction System

for attracting more clients daily... without paid ads, social media, or "hustle"!

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Of course, social media is huge, which means there’s a huge pool of potential customers there. Just take Instagram, Reddit, Facebook…there are billions of people on these platforms.  

But at the same time, social media requires you to be on all the time. 

You have to constantly create and publish new posts – which doesn’t exactly allow you to build freedom and flexibility with your business. 

Don’t worry, though. You don’t absolutely need social media to run your small business successfully

There are other marketing channels you can use as you start to scale. I’ve personally used them to flip my business from relying on ads and social media to getting people to find me, not the other way around.  

These days, I get thousands of website visits every day, and most of those don’t come from social media. 

Screenshot of website traffic growth

But what are some good promotion alternatives to social media? That’s what we’ll look at next. 

How can you promote your business without social media?

Here are 16 marketing strategies to help you get started. Don’t rush into all of them at once, though – pick one or two, use them successfully, and then expand to more strategies. 

Otherwise, your marketing efforts won’t amount to much. 

I’ve categorized each strategy according to difficulty level. If you have no clients just yet (or very few), go for the beginner strategies. If you have more clients, go for the advanced strategies. 

Let’s jump right in.

1. Ask for referrals

*Beginner strategy*

When you’re in the early stages of scaling your business (but already have existing customers under your belt), asking for referrals is a great way to connect with more people who need what you’re offering. 

In fact, 78% of marketers say referral marketing results in either “good” or “excellent” leads. 

So, how do you go about asking for a referral?

Whether you ask by email or in person, your request should be short, without sounding pushy or needy. A good idea is to offer a commission to incentivize referrals (10% is a standard commission for services, whereas products typically have a 30-70% commission). 

Here’s a sample email you can customize to fit your needs:

Hi [blank],

I hope you’re doing well!

I’m reaching out because I know you appreciate the quality of my work, and I’m currently bringing on more customers. Space is limited, but if you know someone who needs [specific task], I would be happy to help. I’m offering a 10% commission for every successful referral.

Please feel free to pass on my contact info. They can reach me at [contact info].

Thank you!

Best,

[Your name]

Referrals are a goldmine, but only 11% of sales professionals request them. So, if you do, you’ll be ahead of the game.

2. Network

*Beginner strategy*

Your network can be an ideal place to find new clients. How do I know? Because I leveraged my own network to start my first online business. A few of my coworkers asked me for career advice, and that’s how I signed on my first clients.

So, don’t underestimate how powerful reaching out to people in your circle can be. Chances are, you already know at least one person who needs what you offer.

Here’s a message you can use: 

“Hey NAME,

I’m starting a new business that helps people with [blank].

If you know someone who would be interested in this, please let me know.

I’m happy to offer them a free coaching call so that they can get to know me and start getting some great results. If they’re interested, I’ll share more about how I can help them further, but if not, they’ll still get great value out of the free session.”

The 4-Step Automatic Attraction System

for attracting more clients daily... without paid ads, social media, or "hustle"!

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3. Collaborate with other business owners

*Beginner strategy*

Collaborating with other businesses is a great way to help each other grow. The idea is simple: You join forces to share valuable information with your audiences through a webinar, for example. 

That way, people who already know about the other business can discover yours, too – and vice versa. 

Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t collaborate with direct competitors. So, find businesses that are complementary but still different. 

For example: 

A website designer wouldn’t collaborate with a fellow website designer. A copywriter, on the other hand, would be an ideal match. 

You can find people to collaborate with by googling your niche, looking at who you have in your network, and meeting people in relevant, online groups. 

4. Publish guest posts

*Beginner strategy*

Guest posts help you get in front of audiences and build trust fast. You’ll build your authority and brand by writing for well-known websites. 

For example, I’ve had my work published on a lot of big sites, like Business Insider.

Business-insider-article

To get guest post opportunities, use a template similar to this one: 

“Hi NAME OF EDITOR,

My name is (your name) and I am (include something relevant about yourself). 

I’d love to submit a guest post to (name of publication). I researched topics that would do great on your site:

  • Topic suggestion 1
  • Topic suggestion 2
  • Topic suggestion 3

I’ve previously written guest posts for (include a few sites if you’ve previously written guest posts): 

  • Link to example 1
  • Link to example 2
  • Link to example 3

Let me know if these look interesting to (name of publication)? 

Best,

YOUR NAME”

5. Get interviewed on podcasts

*Beginner strategy*

Relevant podcasts are a great tool to use for promoting your business. I know this first hand because I’ve been interviewed on big podcasts like So Money, which has over 25 million downloads. 

So Money podcast image

Yes, that’s a lot of downloads, which means that’s also a lot of exposure. 

But ultimately, the key here is to find and pitch to podcasts that attract people in YOUR niche. Don’t worry about the size of the podcast at first. It’s more important to speak to the right people rather than to a lot of random people. 

So, when pitching to podcast hosts, share a little about your work and credentials and how an interview would benefit THEM. That way, you’ll increase your chances of landing an interview.

Here’s a script you can use: 

“Hi NAME OF PODCASTER,

My name is (your name) and I am (include something relevant about yourself so the podcaster understands why YOU are the right person to feature on their show). 

I’d love to set up an interview for (name of the podcast). Here are a few topics that I think your audience would love:

  • Podcast topic suggestion 1
  • Podcast topic suggestion 2
  • Podcast topic suggestion 3

Let me know if these would be interesting to (name of the podcast) listeners? 

Best,

YOUR NAME”

6. Build thought leadership

*Beginner strategy*

If you’re an expert in your niche, a great way to grow your business is to share advice on a platform like LinkedIn. 

(Yes, LinkedIn is technically social media. But there’s a key difference between using LinkedIn or a platform like Instagram: 

As a thought leader, people will follow you because of your expertise. In other words, you’re not chasing potential customers – they’re coming to YOU.) 

That’s what many of my students have done, like Emily, a career coach who landed her first clients on LinkedIn.

Screenshot of Cultivitae website

7. Build relationships

*Beginner strategy*

Building relationships is incredibly important, no matter what your industry is. So, one way to expand your circle is to offer to solve people’s problems – without asking for anything in return. You’ll learn a lot by doing this, and you’ll also build valuable connections. 

You can reach out to people in online groups you’re a part of or on a platform like LinkedIn to hop on a call.

Most importantly: 

Offer a free coaching/consulting call to help them with some of their most pressing problems. That’s how you slowly but surely expand your network. 

This leads to my next tip, which is:

8. Attend in-person events

*Beginner strategy*

This marketing strategy is for you if you’re the type of person who thrives in in-person settings. Go to conferences, trade shows, and any relevant events you can think of. 

One benefit of being physically present and having conversations with people? They’ll be much more likely to remember your business compared to just seeing business posts in their Instagram feed. Take advantage of that by following up and building the relationship after the event. 

9. Get speaking gigs

*Advanced strategy*

If you’re a confident public speaker, getting speaking gigs is another way to get more business. For example, I once gave a talk at one of Gary V’s events in London.

Image from Gary V live

What’s more, speaking gigs are often paid as you progress as a speaker. So it’s another arm you can build for your business. 

*Advanced strategy*

Online advertising is a highly scalable strategy to grow an audience. What makes advertising like Google ads so powerful is that you use the platform’s data to target the right people. 

With that said, prices are increasing across platforms, and it can be easy to waste money if you don’t know what you’re doing. So, work with a few clients, understand your target audience and their needs, and then switch to paid marketing campaigns when you’re ready to scale. 

I talk more about this here:

11. Use email marketing

*Advanced strategy* 

Look: Email marketing is incredibly powerful if you know how to use it. Did you know that for every $1 spent, email marketing generates $42? That’s a huge ROI. 

But why is email particularly effective? 

99% of people who have email accounts check them every day. In other words? If you can gain people’s trust and get them to sign up for your email list, making sales becomes much easier.

I talk more about email marketing here: 

12. Create a lead magnet

*Advanced strategy* 

A lead magnet is a valuable freebie (like a digital download) that incentivizes people to sign up for your email list. 

So, for example, if you’re a health coach, a helpful lead magnet might be a short guide on the top 5 mistakes people make when trying to lose weight. 

Ultimately, the goal is to provide enough value that people will want to hear from you – and, eventually, buy from you. 

13. Scale on Pinterest

*Advanced strategy* 

Yes, Pinterest, like LinkedIn, technically counts as a social media platform. 

BUT here’s how you can use it differently to your advantage: With a tool like Tailwind, you can automate your pinning and repost your content there with links to your website. 

That way, you can take advantage of Pinterest’s size to drive more organic traffic straight to your site – using valuable content you create anyway. 

Screenshot of Pinterest pin
One of my own Pinterest pins.

14. Search engine optimize your website

*Advanced strategy* 

One of the most effective ways to market your business? Rank your website in search engines. 

You see, 53.3% of all online traffic comes from search engine results. SEO drives 1,000%+ more traffic than organic social. 

Having great SEO is one of the best ways to have new customers come to YOU. With that said, optimizing your website to drive traffic is a long-term strategy, so you shouldn’t expect immediate results.

Here’s how I use SEO to grow my own business: 

15. Build a blog

*Advanced strategy* 

Starting a blog is a great way to build a successful business.

Having your own blog can make it easier for ideal clients to find you, and you can use search engine optimization and other channels like Pinterest to promote to your audience. 

Bottom line: To grow a successful blog, define a specific niche, focus on offering incredible value in every blog post, and post consistently. Check out this article on blog promotion for the exact steps to take.

16. Use public relations

*Advanced strategy* 

Once your business is established, getting featured in different media outlets is a great way to extend your reach and establish your credibility. 

I’ve personally been featured on sites like Forbes, Money, and Inc. – and getting these features really does help your brand. 

The 4-Step Automatic Attraction System

for attracting more clients daily... without paid ads, social media, or "hustle"!

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Ultimately, using PR can help you take advantage of a potentially large, targeted audience to successfully grow your business without social media platforms. 

Over to you!

So, there you have it. As you can see, there are plenty of effective marketing strategies to build a successful business without social media. 

Now I’d love to know: 

What’s the #1 reason you want to grow your business without social media? 

Let me know in the comments below!

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Online Review Statistics: The Definitive List (2024 Data)  https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/online-review-statistics/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/online-review-statistics/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:21:44 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=17292 We all know online reviews are essential to any online business. Today’s consumer is savvy and it’s proven that the majority of online shoppers research products before purchase, oftentimes, looking for online reviews. That means online reviews are effectively swaying purchasing decisions and spending habits but by how much? And… In this article, we’re uncovering […]

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We all know online reviews are essential to any online business. Today’s consumer is savvy and it’s proven that the majority of online shoppers research products before purchase, oftentimes, looking for online reviews.

That means online reviews are effectively swaying purchasing decisions and spending habits but by how much?

And…

  • What percentage of customers write reviews?
  • How many businesses respond to reviews?

In this article, we’re uncovering a definitive list of online customer review statistics. This ample list of facts and figures will give you the ultimate understanding of how powerful online reviews are.

Ready, set, let’s go! 

The top online review statistics in 2024

  • 95% of customers read online reviews before buying a product 
  • 89% of consumers make an effort to read reviews before buying products online
  • 49% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendation
  • 94% say reviews have made them avoid a business
  • 97% read reviews for local businesses
  • Positive reviews can increase customer spending by 31% 
  • Over 81% of consumers say they are likely to check Google reviews first
  • 74% of consumers say that reviews increase trust in a company
  • 53% of consumers expect brands to respond to negative reviews within a week
  • 68% don’t trust a 5-star rating unless there are more reviews 

How many people rely on online reviews?

1. 95% of customers read online reviews before buying a product 

(Global Newswire)

Over nine out of ten customers (95%) read product reviews before they choose to purchase something. Additionally, 58% of these shoppers say they are willing to pay more for products that have good reviews.

online consumer review statistic

2. 89% of global consumers say checking online reviews is part of their buying journey

(Trustpilot)

Around 89% of consumers say they make an effort to read reviews before buying products online. Checking reviews have become the norm and part of the shopping process and reviews matter—a lot. That’s why 49% of these global consumers consider positive reviews one of their top three influences for purchasing a product.

3. 49% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations

(Bright Local)

Almost half of the consumers trust reviews as much as a personal referral from friends or family. This 49% of trusting consumers is a drop from last year, where 79% reported the same response. Why? Consumers are getting smarter and can now tell the difference between authentic reviews and those left by influencers or paid programs.

4. 36% of consumers online use reviews to inform their purchase decisions

(Statista)

According to a global study, 36% of internet users aged 25 to 34 use online reviews for brand and product research. 17% of U.S. online shoppers always check online reviews before purchasing a product and 38% say they are “very important” in helping them decide. 

5. 92.4% of respondents say reading a trusted review makes them more likely to purchase a B2B product

(G2)

Are you more likely to purchase a product or service after reading a trusted review about it? Apparently, yes. Over 92% admit authentic reviews persuade them to make a purchase. But, shockingly, only 1 in 5 companies considered adding reviews to their marketing strategy.

6. 7 out of 10 consumers admit to using rating filters when browsing businesses

(Review Trackers)

A business’ star rating can greatly help or hurt the chances of being found online. As many as 70% of internet users admit to using rating filters when searching for businesses. The most commonly used filter was for companies with 4-stars and higher.

7. If consumers found out a platform was censoring reviews, 62% of consumers would stop using it

(Trustpilot)

People trust reviews because review censorship is not tolerated. 62% of global consumers say they would stop using a platform for good if they found reviews were censored. 70% of these respondents think that the censorship of customer reviews is a “serious” concern. 42% believe it damages freedom of speech and 45% think review censorship will lead to wasted money.

What percentage of people read online reviews? 

8. 98% of people “occasionally” read online reviews for local businesses

(Bright Local)

Online review statistics show that nearly all internet users have at some point, or “occasionally,”  looked at online reviews for local businesses. Meanwhile, 77% “always” or “regularly” read these localized online reviews. This figure is up from 60% in 2020. How many people “never” read reviews for local businesses? Just 2% (way down from 13% in 2020).

9. The average consumer reads 10 reviews before trusting a business

(Statista)

The average number of reviews that American consumers need to read before trusting a business is 10. But, 31% of consumers read more than 10 reviews (up to 55+) before this trust is formed. Younger age groups said they need to read more reviews than this average before they can trust a business.

10. Almost 55% of consumers read at least 4 reviews prior to purchasing

(Bizrate Insights)

According to a survey, over half (54.7%) of consumers read a minimum of four reviews before they decide to purchase something. The remaining sum, about 44%, admit they read three or fewer consumer reviews.

11. 85% of consumers don’t think older reviews are relevant

(Bright Local)

When we say “older reviews,” we aren’t referring to those from last year. We mean that 85% of consumers don’t think reviews older than 3 months are relevant. 40% of those surveyed only cared about reviews less than two weeks old.

12. Online reviews have gotten 65% shorter in the past decade

(Review Trackers)

Since 2010, the average length of a consumer online review has dropped from 600 characters to just over 200. That’s about the same length as an expanded tweet. Reviews may be getting shorter but more people are leaving more reviews than ever.

How effective are online reviews?

13. One review increases internet users clicking the “buy” button by 65% 

(USA Today)

When a product goes from zero reviews to displaying just one, the rate that internet users actually click the purchase button skyrockets by 65%. According to one analyst, the review count sweet spot is 20 for a product to fit in the market competitively. 

Online review conversion increase statistic

14. 52% of a company’s market value is attributed to its reputation

(PR Week)

If a company is determining its market value, reputation is over half the battle. Almost 92% said that, at a minimum, a quarter of the company’s market value should be attributed to reputation. Consumer reviews are proof of a company’s reputation amongst the public, so they’re more important than one might realize.

15. 88% of customers who read an online review say it influenced their buying decision

(Zendesk )

In short, online reviews are extremely effective considering they affect nearly 9 in 10 people’s purchasing decisions. 97% reported bad customer service changed their buying behavior while 87% admitted that good customer service changed it.

16. The average dissatisfied customer tells 9 to 15 people about a bad experience

(Inc.)

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies, but it works in reverse. Online review statistics show that one unhappy customer typically tells between 9 and 15 other people, and some tell 20 or more. That’s probably one reason why a bad review can lead 86% of consumers to quit buying from a business.

17. Displaying online reviews increases conversion by 270%

(Spiegel Research Center)

The probability of a product selling skyrockets if it is displayed with reviews. Online products with at least five reviews experienced four times the purchase likelihood as product pages without, translating to 270% more conversions. The first five reviews for a product have the biggest conversion impact.

18. Higher-priced items with reviews experience 190% higher conversion rates than lower-priced products

(Spiegel Research Center)

Online reviews increase the conversion rates for all products substantially, however, higher-priced goods perform even better. Reviews displayed with a lower-priced item saw conversions increase by 190%, while higher-priced items saw a conversion rate of double that at 380%.

19. 40% of consumers say reviews build credibility for the product

(G2)

Online reviews are also effective at building credibility for a product, for 39.5% of people. 72% of buyers appreciate negative reviews on products and services, saying that these “help provide depth and insight to make a decision.” 67% of consumers want a mix of both positive and negative reviews.

20. 25% of U.S. shoppers think online reviews are important

(Statista)

According to Statista, 25% of consumers in the United States believe that customer product reviews are important when choosing an online retailer. At the same time, 62% of consumers said online customer reviews are “very helpful.”

21. Positive reviews can increase customer spending by 31%

(Bright Local)

Positive reviews don’t just attract customers to a business, they actually increase customer spending by over 30%. That’s because consumers are reported to spend 31% more on products or services that have excellent reviews. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a negative review can drive away 40% of potential customers.

22. 74% of consumers say that reviews increase trust in a company

(Finances Online)

Building trust is vital for a company to remain successful, and reviews are a way to do that. 74% of consumers think that reviews help increase trust. In addition, 73% of consumers say they trust a local business more if it has positive reviews.

23. Most people, 68%, don’t trust a high review rating unless there are a lot of reviews

(Podium)

68% of consumers either “agree” or “somewhat agree” that a high review rating is not trustworthy unless there is a high quantity of reviews. Another 83% don’t care about reviews unless they are recent and relevant. 

24. 3.4 stars is the average rating for consumers to consider a business

(Podium)

For consumers to consider engaging with a business, they require it to have an average of a 3.4-star rating. 38% of customers require a minimum of a 4-star rating to consider engaging. For businesses that yield only a 1 or 2-star rating, only 9% of consumers would consider working with them.

What are negative online review statistics?

25. One negative review requires roughly 40 positive reviews to outweigh the damage

(Inc.)

One analyst created a ratio for online consumer reviews. To fix the damage that one negative review online causes, a business must attract about 40 positive reviews. This is largely due to the fact that only one in ten happy customers is likely to leave a review, while unhappy customers are more likely to leave a bad review.

26. Consumers spend 4x as long on a site when interacting with negative reviews

(Spiegel Research Center)

Did you know that even negative online reviews have a positive effect? When consumers interact with negative reviews, they spend four times as long on the website and causing a 67% increase in conversion rate. 

27. More people share negative reviews than good, but not by much: 49% vs. 38%

(Zendesk)

A survey of 1,004 respondents showed that on social media, 49% of consumer reviews communicated poor experiences about a business. Meanwhile, 38% of these social media consumer reviews shared positive experiences. The trend was similar on review websites, with 46% showing bad reviews and just 27% sharing good feedback.

28. 45% of consumers would consider hesitating from leaving a negative online review due to the business’ current operating challenges

(Podium)

Nearly half of the consumers who would normally leave a negative review said that they would now hesitate. Why? Because “they want to try to be more understanding of business’ operating challenges,” especially since COVID-19. Maybe this is why 42% of businesses say their online reputation has improved since the pandemic.

How many people care about responses to reviews? 

29.  55% of consumers said if a business owner responds to their review, they would feel positive about a business

(Bright Local)

Of consumers that leave reviews, over half (55%) would feel good about a business if someone responds to their feedback. And this principle doesn’t just apply to your personal reviews, but others. 89% of consumers are “highly” or “fairly” likely to use a business if it responds to all of its online reviews. On the flip side, 22% admit it’s “not likely at all” for them to choose a business that doesn’t respond to any reviews online.

online review replies

30. Over half of the consumers expect businesses to reply to negative reviews in less than one week

(Review Trackers)

People don’t just care about responses to reviews, but they want fast responses. Over half (53%) of consumers expect a reply to a negative review within a week. One-third of consumers expect this response in just 3 days or less.

31. 56% of customers said that a company’s response to a review changed their perspective

(Podium)

A business’ response to a review can shift the perspective of over half (56%) of consumers. Survey respondents said that a review response from a business offers “insight into how responsive, responsible, and caring a business is.” 23% of respondents said a response would not change their mind and 21% was unsure.

Consumer sentiment% of consumers
Would change their mind56%
Would not change their mind23%
Unsure21%

32. 45% of consumers report that they are more likely to visit a business if it responds to bad reviews

(Review Trackers)

94% of consumers admit that a bad review made them avoid a business. However, 45% said they are more likely to visit a business if it responds to negative reviews. Sadly for businesses, an astonishing 63% say that at least one company they reviewed never replied to them. This leaves a huge opportunity for businesses to improve!

What percentage of people leave online reviews? 

33. Only 5% to 10% of customers actually write reviews

(USA Today)

What percentage of customers write reviews? It turns out that just 5 to 10% of consumers go on to write them. Regardless, an expert analyst estimates that online reviews fuel about 20% of sales. When this metric is applied to global e-commerce sales of $2 trillion, online reviews brought it more than $400 billion.

34. 52% of global internet users aged 25-34 post reviews online

(Statista)

Worldwide, over half of the consumers in this age range say that they post reviews online. What is the leading reason why people leave reviews? The primary reason given was “to inform others about their customer experience.” However, overall product performance and buyer satisfaction were ranked as the two most helpful factors when reading online reviews.

35. When prompted, 12% of consumers will always leave a review

(Bright Local)

A survey asked consumers if they had been prompted by a business in the last 12 months to leave a review. Of those that said yes, 12% always left a review, 23% left a review half of the time, and 30% left a review sometimes. 41% were asked for this review via email, 35% on a receipt, and another 35% in person.

Number of times consumers leave reviewsPercentage
Always12%
Half the time23%
Sometimes30%

36. 80% of online reviews originate from follow-up emails

(Spiegel Research Center)

Many people leave online reviews, but where do they come from? Apparently, 80% of online reviews come from a friendly follow-up email from the business, simply asking for one. This also means businesses are sourcing more verified buyer reviews, which increase purchase decisions by 15% compared to anonymous reviews.

Online review of market size 

37. Four websites control 88% of all online reviews

(Review Trackers)

When searching the internet for online reviews, there’s a 88% chance it’s on one of four popular websites: Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Facebook. Google accounts for 73% of all reviews, then Yelp with 6%, and Facebook and TripAdvisor hosting 3%.

Website% of reviews
Google73%
Yelp6%
TripAdvisor3%

38. A few top website directories influence 75% of new business

(Review Trackers)

Roughly 75% of new business is influenced by this handful of review sites and other business directories. These include Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook plus Apple Maps and Bing Maps.

39. Consumers are more than twice as likely to turn to Google to discover local businesses

(Podium)

A review on consumer behavior found that internet users are 2x as likely to choose Google over other notable sources. While 72% of consumers choose Google, 31% use Yelp, 25% reference Social Media, 12% use industry-specific sites, 10% use “other,” and 7% try Angie’s List.

Google review statistics

40. Google’s review growth rose 65% in 2020

(Review Trackers)

How does Google track if consumers are looking at online reviews? Zero-click searches, which increased to 65% in 2020. Google displays online reviews in snippets that include a star rating in the organic search results.

41. Over 81% of consumers are likely to visit Google Reviews prior to visiting a business

(Review Trackers)

Research shows that 81% of internet users report that they are likely to check Google Reviews before they visit a business in person. This percentage is up from 63.3% the year before. These same people also reported they would check Google before another review site.

42. Online reviews are 12% of the top local SEO factors for Google

(Bright Local)

Google is the world’s largest search engine and it factors in online reviews for SEO, or search engine optimization. A business looking to improve SEO on Google should work on the following factors as it makes up the local SEO ranking factors: on-page optimization (25%), links (22%), Google Business Profile (21%), and reviews (12%).

43. The average local business on Google has 39 online Google Reviews

(Bright Local)

How many reviews does the average business have on Google? On average, 39. In fact, 74% of local businesses have at least one Google review. Businesses that appear in the top 3 local positions have an average of 47 Google reviews.

44. Google Reviews, on average, give a star rating of 4.42 for local businesses

(Bright Local)

How many stars does the average business have on Google? On average, local businesses rate 4.42. The majority, 61%, have a rating between 4 and 5 stars, while just 5% have an average star rating below 3 stars. 

Conclusion

That’s it! There’s a comprehensive review sharing 44 customer review statistics! Now, you know more about how many people read and care about online reviews, the internet market size, Google Reviews, and much more.

Want to learn more about asking for the best testimonials?

Read the guide here!

Sources:

Global Newswire

Trustpilot

Bright Local

Bright Local

Bright Local

Bright Local

Statista

Statista

G2

Review Trackers

Bizrate Insights

PR Week

Zendesk

Inc.

Spiegel Research Center

Podium

USA Today

Finances Online

Further reading:

The Ultimate List of Small Business Statistics

How to Get Clients Online

The post Online Review Statistics: The Definitive List (2024 Data)  appeared first on Luisa Zhou.

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The Ultimate List of SMS Marketing Statistics [2024] https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/sms-marketing-statistics/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/sms-marketing-statistics/#respond Wed, 05 Oct 2022 20:12:37 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=17197 Did you know SMS marketing is one of the most successful marketing and communications strategies? It’s being leveraged by companies around the world for a multitude of factors proved by facts. If you’re curious to learn SMS marketing statistics, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled a robust list of research-backed SMS marketing statistics to […]

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Did you know SMS marketing is one of the most successful marketing and communications strategies? It’s being leveraged by companies around the world for a multitude of factors proved by facts. If you’re curious to learn SMS marketing statistics, you’re in the right place.

We’ve compiled a robust list of research-backed SMS marketing statistics to answer questions like:

  • How big is the SMS marketing market size? 
  • What’s the success rate of SMS marketing?
  • Why types of companies use SMS to communicate?
  • How does SMS marketing compare to email marketing?
  • … and so many more!

Ready to learn all about these statistics? Let’s start!

The top SMS marketing stats in 2024

  • The size of the SMS marketing industry is expected to grow to $12.6 billion
  • By 2023, the SMS marketing spend worldwide is estimated to grow to $339 billion
  • Text messages have an average open rate of 98%
  • 91% of customers want to receive text messages from businesses 
  • Text message promotions have a click-through rate of 19% 
  • SMS marketers generate $71 for every dollar spent
  • Worldwide, 5 billion send and receive SMS messages every day 

What is SMS marketing?

SMS (short message service) marketing is simply using text messages as a communication channel to disperse promotional campaigns and timely notifications.

Typically, SMS marketing efforts revolve around time-sensitive offers, like short-term sales and promotions, or urgent updates, like appointment reminders.

Those who receive SMS marketing messages have consented to receive them from the business. Under the CAN-SPAM Act, the FCC has made it illegal to send unwanted text messages. It’s also illegal to send any message that isn’t clearly identifiable as an advertisement.

Now that you have a foundation, let’s get into the good stuff: real SMS marketing statistics!

SMS marketing market size

1. Worldwide, marketers spend $327.1 billion on SMS marketing

(Statista)

The worldwide SMS marketing spending is $327.1 billion with the US being the biggest market. This figure is expected to grow to $339 billion in 2023. The market size is expected to double by 2024.

2.  The U.S. accounts for 18% of the world’s total mobile capex

(CTIA) 

Just how big is the SMS marketing market? America only represents 4.5% of the world’s population, yet makes up nearly one-fifth of the planet’s mobile capital expenditure. Today, the U.S. wireless industry is larger than the hotel, restaurant, insurance and transportation industries.

3.  Worldwide, over 23 billion text messages are sent every day

(Forbes) 

Considering over 23 billion texts are sent daily, text messaging is one of the most widely used methods of communication. Approximately 270,000 texts are sent every second and brands are among these SMS messages marketing to millions. In 2020, SMS became one of the most widely used forms of communication and it is rapidly growing in market size year after year.

4.  2.1 trillion text messages were exchanged in 2019

(CTIA) 

Americans are using their wireless devices more than ever for calling, messaging, and browsing. An estimated 2.1 trillion texts were sent throughout the year 2019, an increase of 52 billion from the previous year. Time spent speaking on the phone was also up 30%.

5.  33% more people have access to mobile phones than to toilets

(Adobe) 

Yes, you read that correctly. An estimated 5 billion people send and receive SMS messages every day and over 6 billion have access to phones. That’s about 65% of the world’s population, meaning 33% more people can send a text than can use indoor plumbing.

6.  Over 80% of the total North American population uses text messaging

(Infocision) 

More than 8 in every 10 Americans send and receive text messages. That’s over 292 million people! This proves that SMS marketing may reach some of the largest demographics possible compared to other channels.

7.  Recent data shows 61% of marketers still don’t use SMS marketing

(SlickText) 

Gain an advantage over your competitors. Well over half (61%) of marketers don’t use SMS marketing in their current strategies. However, 73% of business plan to expand their budgets for text messaging marketing soon.

8.  Only 35% of brands have a formal SMS messaging strategy in place

(SlickText) 

Of the few brands are using SMS marketing, the majority doesn’t have a plan. 65% of brands admit that they do not have a formal strategy in place. This gap provides a huge opportunity for businesses looking to experiment with SMS marketing, especially since they can likely beat their competition.

SMS marketing growth

9.  The SMS marketing industry will be worth over $12.6 billion by 2025

(Grand View Research) 

Experts report that the United States’ SMS marketing market size is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% from 2019 to 2025. By 2025, it will be valued at $12.6 billion. This explosive growth is largely due to SMS marketing expanding to new industries plus new AI-enabled tools that make SMS services easier and more effective for brands.

10.  The media and entertainment segment is predicted to have a CAGR of 22%

(Grand View Research) 

Retail businesses make up the majority of brands who utilize SMS marketing (23%), however media and entertainment is a noticeably growing sector. Predicted to exhibit a CAGR of 22% from 2019 to 2025, media and entertainment messaging will be used to advertise movies, TV programs, events and more.

11.  SMEs are expected to exhibit a CAGR of more than 23%

(Grand View Research) 

Large enterprises make up the overwhelming majority of SMS marketing (over 65%). For example, Subway began SMS marketing in 2015 and by 2018, their campaigns reached over 5 million subscribers. But, reports show that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are rapidly adopting SMS marketing displaying a CAGR of over 23%.

12.  About 33% of marketers expect to prioritize mobile loyalty program next year

(SlickText) 

SMS marketing is widely used for sharing coupons, events and other benefits as part of their SMS loyalty programs. Approximately one third of marketers plan to prioritize launching mobile loyalty programs sometime next year.

What is the success rate of SMS marketing?

13.  90% of consumers respond to a text with 30 minutes of receiving it

(EZ Texting) 

A survey revealed that about 9 in every 10 consumers respond to a text in just a half hour. Meanwhile, half of them respond within 3 minutes! SMS is highly successful compared to sales calls with a lead-conversion rate of 15% or cold calling at 1%.

14.  The average open rate for text message marketing is 98%

(Crazy Egg) 

Research shows that nearly every marketing text message sent is opened—but, there’s more. As many as 45% of people reply to SMS marketing messages, allowing brands to start a real-time conversation with consumers. For comparison, email marketing campaigns have an open rate of less than 20% (more on that later).

15.  Over 50% of consumers make a purchase after a marketing text

(Attentive Mobile Consumer Report) 

A remarkable 51% of consumers are more likely to make a direct purchase if they receive an SMS message that includes an ad, discount coupon, or QR code. SMS marketing messages that include images and media also convert higher. 33% of consumers don’t mind the nature of the SMS, as long as its content is relevant to them.

16.  96% of marketers report using text messages helped them drive revenue

(Attentive Mobile) 

A report revealed that almost 96% of marketers who leveraged SMS marketing said it has helped them drive more revenue. Meanwhile, almost 60% said texting has “significantly” or “overwhelmingly” increased revenue generation.

17.  Texted coupons are redeemed 10x more often than traditional coupons

(Adobe) 

A study showed that coupons sent via SMS are redeemed 10 times more often. This huge conversion rate is based on a survey that showed 32% of SMS recipients responded to SMS offers.

18.  SMS marketers generate $71 for every dollar spent 

(Attentive Mobile) 

Attentive Mobile, an SMS marketing company, reported that its customers within the retail and eCommerce industries generate an average of $71 for every dollar spent on SMS marketing programs. These same customer drive an average of 20.5% total online revenue as a result of SMS.

What percent of businesses use SMS marketing? 

19.  47% of businesses across sizes and industries use mobile messaging

(PWC Esendex Report) 

A survey conducted by PWC studied businesses of all sizes and industries across the globe. Their findings showed that 47% of survey respondents use mobile messaging. SMEs make up 39% while 58% of large enterprises use SMS marketing tactics.

20.  The top industry using SMS marketing is real estate at 17.9%

(SMS Comparison) 

Nearly 20% of real estate companies are using SMS marketing to reach their audiences. Other top industries using texts are agriculture (15.9%), entertainment (15.4%), construction (14%), energy (13%), and airlines (12.3%). 

Industry% of companies
Real estate20%
Agriculture15.9%
Entertainment15.4%
Construction14%
Energy13%
Airlines12.3%

21.  46% of finance/banking companies have increased their SMS marketing spend in the past 3 years

(PWC Esendex Report) 

A PWC study showed that businesses across all industries have increased their text marketing budgets in the past 3 years. Almost half of finance-related business have increased this spend, while 42% of retail, 45% of IT/communications, 34% of professional/administrative, and 36% of manufacturing have as well.

22.  25% of businesses use SMS marketing for its efficiency/effectiveness

(PWC Esendex Report) 

Why do businesses choose SMS marketing? One-quarter report they integrate SMS into their marketing strategies because of its efficacy. 22% use it for its ease of use, 21% for its low cost, 18% for its high reach, and 15% for its security.

Percentage of usersReason for using SMS marketing
25%Efficacy
22%Ease of use
21%Low cost
18%High reach
15%Security

Do customers like SMS marketing?

23.  91% of consumers are interested in receiving texts from businesses

(Attentive Mobile Consumer Report) 

Over 91% of customers want to get SMS messages from businesses. Almost 56% already receive texts from businesses while almost 25% say they would subscribe for the right brand. Less than 10% of consumers are not interested in this form of communication.

24.  An estimated 64% of SMS subscribers feel “curious” toward new texts

(EZ Texting) 

How do consumers feel when they receive a text from a company? The majority of 64% report feeling curious about brand texts. Other emotions include 27% being happy, 23% feeling excited, 17% experiencing anxieity, and just 15% feeling annoyed. 

Source: eztexting.com

25.  58% of consumers want to hear from brands multiple times per week

(Attentive Mobile Consumer Report) 

The majority of SMS recipients want to hear from brands a few times per week. Over 18% report that they would be okay getting a message daily. Over 42% prefer SMS marketing texts 4-6 times per month while almost 40% are okay with messages 2-3 times per week.

26.  Most consumers (58%) of customers say texting is the best way to reach them

(Business Wire) 

Almost 60% of consumers think texting is the best way for brands to communicate with them. These consumers also reported that the most valuable types of texts received from businesses were appointment reminders (64%), shipment/delivery updates (48%), and discounts (29%).

27.  56% of consumers say “texting is a convenient way to reach me no matter where I am”

(EZ Texting) 

This number is up from 2021 to 2022, since last year just 47% had this same response. In 2022, 50% of respondents said “texting is a faster way to reach me,” and 43% agreed that “texting is a more efficient way to communicate.”

28.  77% of consumers have a positive perception of companies that keep them informed

(Mobile Marketing Watch) 

A study of US-based retailers found that 64% of their consumers prefer texting over a voice call and 81% are frustrated being on the phone or tied to a computer to reach a company. That’s why 77% of consumers have a positive outlook of brands who use SMS to keep them in the loop.

29.  90% of customers have gained value from SMS loyalty programs

(SMS Comparison) 

Why do customers like SMS marketing? 9 in 10 consumers report gaining value from being part of a texting loyalty program. Another 75% of customers want to receive special offers via SMS and 90% prefer text over direct calls or emails.

SMS vs email marketing statistics

30.  SMS marketing lists have 10x value over email marketing lists

(Mobile Marketing Watch) 

It turns out that having a customer’s phone number and opt-in permissions is 10x more valuable to marketers than collecting an email address. That means 100,000 SMS subscribers is equal to 1 million email addresses!

31.  SMS messages deliver an average click-through rate of 19%

(Text Republic) 

Information gathered by Text Republic revealed that the average click-through rate (CTR) on marketing text messages is over 19.3%. This is 15% higher than email, considering MailChimp’s average email marketing CTR is just 4.2%.

32.  SMS open rates average around 82%, while email open rates are about 21%

(Shift & Mailchimp) 

Recent data shows that text messages can yield an average open rate of up to 95%. According to one study, 82% of text message recipients read every single message they receive. Meanwhile, the average open rate for emails across industries is 21.33%.

33.  65% of consumers receive between 6-21 emails from businesses every day

(EZ Texting) 

What’s the daily volume of emails vs SMS marketing texts? 65% of people in a study report receiving up to 20 marketing emails every day. Meanwhile, just 5% of respondents receive a similar range (11-20) of brand texts each day. Just 39% of SMS subscribers get a text from a brand less than once per day.

34.  Fewer than 5% of SMS subscribers ever unsubscribe, while 20% of email subscribers leave each year

(Text Request) 

One study showed that less than 5 in every 100 SMS marketing subscribers ever opt out. Considering more than 20% of email subscribers leave every year, SMS marketing has a much higher retention rate than email marketing.

35.  Sending a text follow up to an email increased open rates by 20-30%

(Adobe) 

In many ways SMS performs better than traditional email marketing—but it can also enhance it. A report revealed that by sending the follow up text message, “Have you read our email?” it increased the email’s open rates by 20-30%.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How big is SMS marketing?

The worldwide SMS marketing spending is $327.1 billion with the US being the biggest market. This figure is expected to grow to $339 billion in 2023 and the market size is expected to double by 2024.

Is SMS marketing on the rise?

The SMS marketing industry will be worth $12.6 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 20.3% over six years. The reasons are new AI tools that make SMS marketing more effective and that SMS marketing is expanding into new industries.

Conclusion

That’s it! That was a round-up of the top SMS marketing statistics.

Want to learn more about marketing your business?

Read my guide on the top digital marketing strategies here!

Sources:

CTIA

Forbes

Adobe

Infocision

SlickText

Grand View Research

EZ Texting

Crazy Egg

Attentive Mobile Consumer Report

Attentive Mobile

PWC Esendex Research

SMS Comparison

Business Wire

Mobile Marketing Watch

Text Republic

Text Request

Shift & MailChimp

Statista

Further reading:

The Ultimate List of Mobile Marketing Statistics

The Ultimate List of Social Media Marketing Statistics

The Definitive List of Affiliate Marketing Statistics

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Mobile Marketing Statistics: The Ultimate List in 2023 https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/mobile-marketing-statistics/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/mobile-marketing-statistics/#respond Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:20:49 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=16918 Curious to learn more about mobile marketing statistics? We’ve compiled a list of 2023’s most interesting stats and figures on this ever-evolving industry. Intense research and widespread aggregation led us to 42 mobile marketing statistics. These help explain the state of this niche marketing industry, why it’s growing so rapidly, and why brands worldwide are […]

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Curious to learn more about mobile marketing statistics? We’ve compiled a list of 2023’s most interesting stats and figures on this ever-evolving industry.

Intense research and widespread aggregation led us to 42 mobile marketing statistics. These help explain the state of this niche marketing industry, why it’s growing so rapidly, and why brands worldwide are turning to mobile marketing to connect with consumers.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Top Mobile Marketing Statistics in 2023

  • Mobile advertising spending will surpass $413 billion by 2024
  • 51% of ad spending will be on mobile and 49% on desktop in 2023
  • 66.6 percent of the global population use a mobile device
  • 280 million Americans (84.2%) use their phones to access the internet 
  • On average, people spend around five hours a day on their smartphones 
  • People in the US spend 49% of their phone time on social media apps
  • More than 80% of internet users use smartphones 
  • 89% of phone time is devoted to using an app
  • Roughly 51% of all web traffic is mobile 
  • 61% of website visitors won’t return to a website that isn’t mobile friendly

How big is the mobile marketing industry? 

1. Mobile advertising spending will reach nearly $413 billion by 2024

(Statista) 

Let’s kick it off with the growth of mobile marketing. In 2021, the global spending on mobile advertising reached an all-time high of $288B U.S. dollars. But, that record is soon to be broken. That figure was the result of a 26.6% increase from 2020 and experts only expect the growth of mobile marketing to continue. In 2023, the worldwide industry is projected to reach $339B and nearly $413B by 2024.

Graph of mobile advertising growth statistics

2. The U.S. is expected is spend over $240B on mobile advertising 

(Semrush) 

Resources predicted that at the end of 2022, the United States’ mobile marketing spend would surpass $240B. That’s significantly higher than the $189B spent in 2019. Growth is expected to slow slightly this year (by 10.4%), but either way, it’s steadily increasing stateside.

3. The United States is the world’s leader in mobile advertising spending

(Semrush) 

The U.S. spends more on mobile advertising than anyone else. The second-largest mobile advertising market in 2020 was China, worth $72.2B. More notable mobile marketing markets include Thailand with an annual growth of 46% and India at 42%.

4. 31% of retail spending was made on mobile devices in the U.S.

(Semrush) 

In 2020, it was reported that eCommerce spending inside the United States soared to $47.8B. Over 30% of this retail spending was made directly from mobile devices, proving that people don’t need a desktop (or tablet) to shop.

5. Of the total digital advertising spend worldwide, 60% is on mobile 

(Statista) 

Statista reported that in 2022, the mobile advertising expenditure worldwide reached over $288B. An overwhelming 60% of that enormous spend came from mobile digital ad spending.

6. 66.6% of the global population uses a mobile device 

(Data Reportal) 

Today, over 5.22B people have a mobile phone. That’s 66.6% of the world’s population. As a result, this population of mobile phone users increased by 93M (1.8% of the global population) over 2021.

7. Smartphones make up 77.5% of the mobile device market 

(Semrush) 

Tablets and other on-the-go devices are not nearly as common as smartphones. Android remains the most popular mobile operating system globally, maintaining a 72% market share as of 2021.

What percentage of website traffic is mobile? 

8. Over 84% of Americans access the internet via their phones 

(Semrush) 

According to reports in 2021, over 280 million Americans claimed to access the internet on their phones. That’s 84.2% of the population. By 2025, this number is projected to increase by nearly 10 million people, meaning almost 87% of Americans will surf the web on their smartphones.

9. More than half (51%) of global web traffic is done on mobile devices

(Statista) 

Mobile devices (excluding tablets) are responsible for over half (54.4%) of global website traffic. This figure has remained above 50% since the beginning of 2017 and doesn’t show signs of stopping. Many emerging markets skipped over the desktop internet phase due to low infrastructure and lower financial possibilities. Therefore, much of the world went straight to mobile internet.

10. Mobile traffic is predicted to increase by 25% by 2025 

(Smart Insights) 

According to consistent trends and smartphone analytics, mobile traffic is predicted to increase by 25% by 2025. This large increase in traffic over the next few years will come from increased video views and expanded streaming possibilities on mobile devices.

Source: Statista.com

11. 92% of the world’s internet users use a mobile phone at least some of the time 

(Data Portal) 

Mobile phones are responsible for more than half of the world’s time online and over half of all website traffic overall. These high numbers are possible because the vast majority of all internet users report using their phones at least some of the time.

12. 60% of all Google searches are performed on mobile devices 

(Digital Examiner) 

People are running searches on their mobile phones now more than ever. This 60% search volume is nearly double that from five years ago. When considering mobile searches overall, people use Google as their mobile browser 96% of the time.

13. Four-fifths of time spent online is on mobile devices in the UK

(Ofcom UK) 

People living in the United Kingdom are using smartphones to go online, a lot. Over four-fifths of all the time spent online is on mobile devices. At the same time, those using computers or laptops to go on the internet are declining year over year, from 12% in 2017 to just 4% in 2019.

14. 93% use the internet on smartphones to discover local businesses

(Digital Examiner) 

If people are going online so frequently on their phones, what are they looking for? Turns out, 93% of people are using mobile internet to find local businesses. The most common search categories are restaurants and searches for types of food or specific atmospheres.

What percentage of advertising does mobile account for? 

15. Mobile advertising makes up over 50% of ad spending

(Digital Examiner) 

mobile advertising accounted for over half of all ad spending in 2022 and overtook desktop advertising and web-based outlets. This shift may even continue to increase as mobile devices continue to be the convenient and overwhelming method of communication and content consumption.

16. 51% of ad spending will be on mobile and 49% on desktops by 2023

(Statista) 

From 2018 to 2023, ad spending is slowly shifting more in favor of mobile. Thanks to the further widespread coverage of advanced 5G, mobile ad spending and advertising is predicted to continue to pull away from desktop over the next decade and onward.

Source: Statista.com

17. 94% of Facebook’s advertising revenues were made via mobile

(Statista) 

According to a report from the third quarter of 2019, an overwhelming majority of Facebook’s total advertising revenue was generated through mobile advertising. This mobile advertising equates to almost $16.3B in revenue quarterly. This 94% benchmark is up from 92% from the previous year.

Is mobile marketing successful?

18. 79% is the viewability rate of mobile video ads   

(Statista) 

Apparently investing in mobile video ads is trustworthy because people actually watch them. Nearly 80% of video ads that were displayed on a mobile device remained in view during the measured period. That’s impressive considering the average human attention span is less than 8 seconds. 

19. 70% of mobile searches result in the user taking an online action   

(Review 42) 

When people use their phones to search for something, 70% of people take an action. That means mobile experiences and marketing is encouraging consumers to click, continue, read on and take other valuable actions online. 

20. In the last 6 months, 79% of smartphone users purchased a product with their mobile device  

(Digital Examiner) 

Considering nearly 80% of people used their smartphone to purchase a product in the last 6 months, one can guess that mobile marketing is successful. These same buyers also say that they’re likely to repeat their mobile shopping behaviors.

21. 4 out of 5 customers shop from their smartphones

(Convince and Convert) 

So many people are using their mobile devices to shop that big (and smart) retailers are using mobile marketing to their advantage. Some mobile marketing tactics include mobile store discounts and coupons, or incentives like a free drink or appetizer if one “checks in” on a social media platform.

22. 63% of retailers say social media is the best place to run ads

(Semrush) 

Social media is a successful place to run mobile marketing ads according to 63% of retailers. According to those surveyed, ads on social media drove the most traffic to their online stores.

23. 57% of people look for an app to learn more about a product/service

(Semrush) 

A study in 2019 proved that over half of the people using a smartphone browsed for a retail app. Why? They wanted to learn more about the product or service. Of those people, over half (51%) made a purchase from within the mobile retail app.

24. Mobile and desktop conversion rates are notably similar

(Smart Insights) 

Over the past 4 years, the conversion of mobile shopping has increased exponentially. This is especially high in the United States. At the same time, global tablet conversion rates have grown higher than desktop conversion rates.

25. 69% of people would look for reviews on their phones first

(Smart Insights) 

Almost 70% of smartphone users admit they look for reviews of a business on their phone first before wanting to speak to anyone. Following that mobile marketing statistic, 58% would look for comparable products online and 53% say they would look for deals or discounts.

Source: eMarketer.com

26. After seeing a mobile ad, more than half of people take action on Google

(Tech Jury) 

Data gathered from Google concluded that once people saw an ad on their mobile devices, more than half of them took one of three actions. They 1) performed a Google search and/or purchased the product in a store or 2) sent a text about it or 3) went directly to the website and bought the product. 

27. Over 80% of internet users own a smartphone

(Smart Insights) 

The fact that 8 in 10 internet users own a smartphone helps support the idea that people are using their phones for smart-capable experiences. The top categories that people are accessing via their smartphones include coupons/deals, dating apps, social media platforms, and weather reports. 

28. Today, the vast majority of mobile devices have internet access

(Pew Research) 

Having a cellular phone is common worldwide, but smartphones have quickly become the norm too. 77% of American adults own a smartphone. The countries with the highest percentage of smartphone users over non-smart mobile phones are South Korea (94%), Israel (83%), and Australia (82%).

29. People spend an average of 5 hours per day on their smartphones

(Review 42) 

Smartphone users spend an average of 5 hours each day on their smartphones. These few hours make up 90% of daily media time, so it is no wonder that brands are spending billions on mobile marketing ads. In 2018, marketers spent over $138B on mobile-placed ads.

30. The number of emails opened via a phone has increased by 180%

(Review 42) 

In the past three years, the number of emails being opened on a mobile device has nearly doubled. Reports indicate that an astounding 99% of people check their emails daily, while 35% of business professionals check their emails on their mobile phones.

31.  In the U.S., 49% of mobile usage time is spent on social media

(Semrush) 

People are spending more time on mobile apps each day. In 2022, users were spending an average of 227 per day on mobile apps. This figure is up from 2020 when users were spending an average of 215 minutes. People in the U.S. are spending almost half (49%) of their mobile usage time on social media platforms or chat apps.

32.  63% of mobile media time is spent streaming/watching videos

(Semrush) 

Almost two-thirds of time spent on mobile phones is watching videos—and this figure is estimated to increase to 76% by 2025. This high percentage is due to the high retention rates and ample amounts of video content provided online. In 2020, Youtube’s mobile app was used by 72% of Americans.

33.  69% of people use the internet while they’re on the go

(Semrush) 

Nearly 70% of people report surfing the web on the go, aka on mobile devices. In addition, 58% of Americans use a search engine on their phone at least once per month.

Mobile optimization statistics

34.  Websites that are optimized for mobile attract 15% more unique clicks

(Digital Examiner) 

Mobile-optimized websites increase engagement online by 15%. Websites that aren’t optimized suffer, not only from search engine rankings but also from consumer frustration. For each additional second of load time, website conversions decrease by over 4%.

35. 90% of consumers say that an excellent mobile experience is likely to convince them to repeat a purchase  

(Digital Examiner) 

If buyers have a great shopping experience on their mobile device, 9 in 10 of them admit they would be likely to make a repeat purchase from the same company. Ways that brands are improving mobile experiences are through better UI and UX, easier returns, faster shipping, and more mobile-friendly apps and websites.

36. 8 in 10 of the world’s top websites are mobile-friendly  

(Digital Examiner) 

80% of the world’s top-ranked websites are mobile-friendly. Meanwhile, 61% of visitors will never return to a website that’s not mobile-friendly.

In-app advertising statistics

37. 83% of consumers are willing to share their data for a more personalized experience  

(Accenture) 

According to one of the world’s leading consulting firms, 83% of people will happily provide their personal data for a more personalized ad experience. However, people don’t want brands to cross a line. For example, 40% of people think it’s “creepy” to get a mobile notification when they walk by a physical store.

38. Personalization works because 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that personalize offerings

(Accenture) 

Brands are using mobile behaviors to improve their mobile ads and consumers are responding. Over 9 in 10 people would prefer that brands personalize their offerings and feel more encouraged to make a purchase because of it.

39. 89% of phone time is devoted to using an app specifically

(Marketing Dive) 

According to a Nielsen study, a report showed that nearly 90% of the time spent using a smartphone was interacting with apps. Only 11% of phone time is spent using the mobile internet. It’s slightly less when considering tablets as 80% of the time is on apps and 19% is on the mobile web. Why? Tablets offer a larger screen that may be more convenient for users.

Activity on smartphonesTime spent
Ads89%
Internet11%
Time spent on smartphones
Activity on tablet devicesTime spent
Apps80%
Internet19%
Time spent on tablet devices

40. Clickthrough rates are 34% better in-app than when placed natively

(Inmobi) 

When looking at video advertising, video ads that are displayed in-app perform 34% better than native ads. In-app advertising videos even perform 56% better than traditional banner ads.

41. Consumers can recall a mobile in-app ad 47% of the time

(Inmobi) 

Almost half of people remember the in-app ads they see on their mobile devices. According to a study, people remembered web ads 46% of the time and ads they saw on their computers just 36% of the time. Why? One reason could be that nearly half of respondents said that mobile ads were “appealing.”

42. 70% of advertisers with large ad budgets are increasing their in-app ad budgets this year

(Inmobi) 

According to a 2017 Forrester study, 70% of advertisers and advertising agencies that are spending a minimum of $1M per month plan to increase their budgets specifically toward in-app ads. This proves more and more marketers are prioritizing mobile app and in-app advertising spending.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why is mobile marketing so effective?

4 out of 5 customers shop on their mobile phones, making mobile marketing incredibly effective. There are plenty of reasons. First, more people use mobile with more than five billion people using mobile devices versus one billion people using desktops. Mobile also offers more touchpoints (SMS, voice, and so on) and advertisers have access to more data about mobile users than desktop users.

What percentage of ads are on mobile?

50% of ad spend is on mobile versus other types of devices. This number is steadily growing and in 2023, it’s expected to grow to 51%.

Over to you!

There it is! In just a few minutes, you learned 42 different top mobile marketing statistics.

Which statistic was the most surprising to you?

Tell us in the comments below!

Further reading:

Webinar Statistics: The Definitive List

SMS Marketing Statistics

Affiliate Marketing Statistics: The Definitive List

Sources:

Statista (1)

Statista (2)

Statista (3)

Statista (4)

Statista (5)

Semrush

Smart Insights

Data Reportal

Digital Examiner

Ofcom UK

Review 42

Convince and Convert

Tech Jury

Pew Research

Accenture

Marketing Dive

Inmobi

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The Definitive List of Affiliate Marketing Statistics in 2024 https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-statistics/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-statistics/#respond Fri, 20 May 2022 06:37:51 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=16815 What are the top affiliate marketing statistics?  Here, we’ve aggregated a robust list of 41 research-backed statistics all about affiliate marketing from verified sources. Read on to learn the top affiliate stats, industry growth figures, facts about affiliate marketing trends, and so much more. Ready to get into it? Here we go! Top affiliate marketing […]

The post The Definitive List of Affiliate Marketing Statistics in 2024 appeared first on Luisa Zhou.

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What are the top affiliate marketing statistics? 

Here, we’ve aggregated a robust list of 41 research-backed statistics all about affiliate marketing from verified sources. Read on to learn the top affiliate stats, industry growth figures, facts about affiliate marketing trends, and so much more.

Ready to get into it? Here we go!

Top affiliate marketing statistics in 2024

  • Over 80% of brands use affiliate marketing programs
  • Affiliate marketing is a $12 billion industry worldwide
  • Affiliate marketing spending is growing over 10% year over year
  • 15% of the digital media industry’s revenue comes from affiliate marketing
  • 16% of eCommerce sales in the US and Canada are generated through affiliate marketing 
  • Over 69% of affiliate marketers claim SEO drives the most traffic to them
  • Affiliate marketing is the top acquisition channel for 40% of US merchants 
  • 40% of online marketers consider affiliate marketing as a critical skill 
  • 50% of all affiliate traffic comes from mobile devices
  • 79% of marketers use affiliate marketing to engage existing customers 

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is the marketing strategy where an online retailer pays a commission out to another for helping generate sales, referrals or website traffic. It’s like word of mouth marketing but affiliates paid when they successfully convert someone, therefore giving them an incentive to advertise a certain product, service or brand.

An “affiliate” is a person or a company that earns commissions through their efforts. Common affiliates are social media influencers, bloggers or blogs, and even newsletters or websites. Essentially, anyone with a following can begin affiliate marketing and has the potential to be successful.

As you’ll soon learn, companies love affiliate marketing. Why? Because advertisers only pay out commissions when an affiliate converts. Affiliate marketing is a smart sales cycle that’s financially beneficial to the company—and the affiliate. It’s a win-win!

Now that you have some background, let’s get into the real affiliate marketing statistics.

Affiliate marketing growth statistics

1. U.S. affiliate market spending is expected to hit $8.2B

(Statista)

Affiliate marketing spending has steadily increased year over year since 2010 meaning more companies are getting involved and investing more into this marketing strategy. Reaching over $8B, the amount spent on affiliate marketing has more than doubled since 2017 ($5.4B increase). In 2021, it was $7.4B.

2. In 2019, affiliate marketing reached $6.4 billion in turnover.

(eMarketer)

The revenue from affiliate marketing is on the rise every year. In 2019, turnover from affiliate marketing reached $6.4 billion. In fact, reports show that since 2015, revenues have jumped 52%.

Visual of affiliate marketing turnover

3. Affiliate marketing spending is growing over 10% year over year

(eMarketer)

At the same time, the spend on affiliate marketing has increased at an annual rate of 10%, with retailers accounting for 25%. 

4. 65% of B2C marketing executives predicted they would spend more on affiliate marketing in 2021 (and they did)

(eMarketer)

Amid the pandemic in 2021, marketing executives sensed a big change was coming for marketing budgets. 78% thought both the spend on digital advertising and social media marketing would increase. 65% predicted that they would spend more on partnership, aka affiliate, marketing.

5. Affiliate marketing spend is increasing at a rate of 27% CAGR

(BloggingX)

Just as the previously mentioned marketing professionals predicted, the annual spend on affiliate marketing is growing each year. At a 27% compound annual growth rate, the spend on affiliate marketing isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

6. The search volume for keyword “affiliate marketing” grew by 100%

(Influencer Marketing Hub) 

More and more people are getting curious. According to Google Trends, the keyword search for “affiliate marketing” worldwide has increased every year for the past five years. The search term peaked by growing 100% in June 2021. Why? Experts say it’s due to the growth of eCommerce businesses as they move away from traditional store fronts and look to sell more online.

What is the affiliate marketing industry worth in 2023? 

7. This year, affiliate marketing has an estimated worth of $12B globally

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

Affiliate marketing has secured its place as a multi-billion dollar global industry. The industry is worth an estimated $12B and is projected to continue growing each year. That figure is three times what affiliate marketing was worth in 2015.

Visual of the estimated worth of affiliate marketing

8. 31% of US brands listed affiliate marketing within their top 3 revenue sources in 2021

(eMarketer)

As even more US companies worked to expand their online sales after the pandemic, 31% of survey respondents said eCommerce would be their top revenue source in 2021. Almost one-third said affiliate marketing was one of their top three revenue earners. 9% predicted affiliate marketing would be their top revenue earning source.

9. 15% of the digital media industry’s revenue comes from affiliate marketing

(Business Insider) 

A big chunk of the digital media industry’s revenue comes from affiliate marketing, while it traditionally has relied heavily on advertising. An increasing number of publishers are integrating product links in organic content.  

10. The global digital advertising market is expected to be worth over $763B in 2025

(BusinessWire)

Digital advertising includes everything from search engines to affiliate programs. This giant market is valuable because digital ads can reach the right people with the right message at the right time—something traditional marketing methods could not. So, in 2020 the digital advertising market reached $374B with a compound annual growth rate of 15.7% since 2015. For the next few years, experts expect the CAGR to stay consistent at 15.3%, so the global digital advertising market will be worth over $1,449B in 2030.

11. 80% of or 8 out of 10 brands run an affiliate marketing program

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

Based on a study a few years ago, 8 out of 10 brands and 84% of publishers run an affiliate marketing program. They do so in order to “improve website traffic and increase sales.” Of those surveyed, 80% reported that they dedicate 10% of their overall marketing budget strictly to affiliate marketing.

Graph of the number of brands with affiliate marketing programs

12. Affiliate marketing is considered a “crucial skill” by 40% of online marketers

(BloggingX)

Nowadays, it is almost necessary to have experience with affiliate marketing if one plans to pursue a career in digital marketing. This is shown by the fact that 81% of brands rely on affiliate programs to improve their business. On top of that, 90% of advertisers consider it important to their digital marketing strategy.

13. 83% of affiliate marketers target consumers during the discovery and awareness phase

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

Affiliate marketing is not just used at one stage of the customer funnel. Instead, it’s a full-funnel strategy. While 83% target those discovering the brand, 79% target potential buyers during the conversion or purchasing phase. 

14. 79% of marketers use affiliate marketing to engage existing customers 

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

In addition, affiliate marketing is used to strengthen brand sentiment. 79% of marketers use affiliate marketing to maintain ongoing customer engagement long term. 

15. Almost 60% of brands used influencers for affiliate campaigns

(The State of Influencer Marketing Report)

Affiliate marketing isn’t just for affiliate networks considering 59% enlist the help–and klout— of influencers. Influencers are natural affiliate marketers since they already foster a loyal following. The other types of influencer categories used for affiliate campaigns included bloggers (28%), review sites (19%), coupon sites (15%), newsletters (7%), editorial sites (6.5%) and “other” (23%). 

Campaign typePercentage
Bloggers 28%
Review sites19%
Coupon sites15%
Newsletters7%
Editorial sites6.5%
Other23%

16. Over 69% of affiliate marketers credit SEO as their top traffic source

(BloggingX)

Where do affiliate marketers source the most leads that earn a commission? The top traffic source that affiliates credit is SEO at 69%, followed by social media at 67%. Writing content like blogs produces 65% of traffic while email marketing attracts 42%. PPC campaigns produce just over one-third (34%) of reported traffic.

Traffic sourcePercentage
SEO69%
Social media67%
Content65%
Email marketing42%
PPC34%

17. 50% of affiliate traffic comes from mobile devices

(BloggingX)

Where are people clicking on affiliate links? Well, half of affiliate traffic comes from mobile devices. That means people are showing interest in promoted products or services on the go. This affiliate marketing statistic shows how important mobile ads are as even more people are beginning to do more on their phones (browse social media, check email, read blogs, etc.). Of affiliate marketers, 80% track their desktop and mobile sales.

18. Bloggers earn a 40% share of publisher commissions 

(Awin Report)

Within the United States, bloggers have proved that content is king. Bloggers and blogging sites earned the lion’s share of the commission market with 40%. Other notable publisher types that earned commissions were cashback and rewards sites, or coupon and voucher sites.

19. 65% of affiliates use social media to engage with potential customers

(Affstat Report)

Social media is a pillar for brand awareness, but it is also a huge channel for affiliate marketers. 65% of affiliate marketers report using social media to promote their commission-worthy products and services. Social media is a natural channel considering 67% of affiliates already used top platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to grow and connect with their own audiences. With affiliate marketing, they can now monetize their followers.

20. Over 82% of affiliates promote B2C products and services

(Affstat)

The 2016 report may be a few years old, but it is reasonable to imagine today’s metrics are similar. Affstat discovered that the vast majority of affiliates are working in the B2C sector. Almost 60% sell B2C products and 22% promote B2C services. Only 18.6% of affiliate marketers work in the B2B space. Just 12% sell B2B products and only 6% sell B2B services.

21. Over half of all affiliate marketers are male

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

If you’re curious who affiliate marketers are, 54% are male while 43% are female. However, experts predict the rise of more female content creators will sway this statistic soon. Of these, 55% are married, 33% are single and less than 10% are divorced.

22. Most affiliate marketers are between 35 and 44 years old

(Affstat)

The majority of affiliate marketers are within the age range of 35-44 (32%). The next largest group is 25 to 34-year-olds (28%). Only 3% are over 65 years old and less than 0.3% are under the age of 18.

23. Almost 55% of affiliate marketers work from home

(Affstat)

Over half of all affiliate marketers work from home. However, 26% said that they work both at an office/place of work and at home, it just depends on the day. Less then 20% commute normally to an office according to affiliate marketing statistics.

24. Amazon has over 900,000 active affiliates within its network

(Supermetrics)

The world’s largest affiliate networks have well over 100,000+ affiliates. The largest is Amazon with almost one million. ShareASale is in second place with over 700,000, then Awin with 205,000. ClickBank, and a few others, have over 100,000 affiliates in their network.

25. Amazon has a 46% market share of companies using their affiliate program

(Datanyze)

With 86,516 companies using Amazon’s affiliate network technology, they control the market share at 46.11%. CJ Affiliate is second at 8.16% and a directory of 15,255 companies. Rakuten’s Affiliate Network has 7.62% of the market share with a little over 14,000 companies leveraging their technologies.

26. The global market size of the Affiliate Networks industry is over 100k companies

(Datanyze)

According to Datanyze, there are 107,179 companies worldwide making up the Affiliate Networks industry. Of those, 55 companies are producing Affiliate Networks’ different technologies.

27. 83% of brands and publishers recruit new affiliates via network dashboards

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

If you’re wondering how brands find affiliates to join their programs, an impressive 83% find them through the help of an affiliate network and 79% find them by attending events hosted by affiliate networks. Meanwhile, 71% recruit affiliates with a simple “Join Network” button on their websites and 56% host their own recruiting events.

28. 71% of publishers belong to 3 or more affiliate networks

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

An overwhelming 96% of publishers belong to more than 2 networks. Only 4% of publishers reported that they only work with one. A surprising 20% of brands work with 5 or more networks, while some work with two (23%), three (39%) or four (12%). Why do publishers work with multiple networks? It’s based on numerous factors like what competitors are on the platform, which brands they can connect to, and more.

What is the average revenue from affiliate marketing?

29. Affiliate publishers earn an average of $51,000 each year

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

What percent of affiliate marketers are profitable? Well, the largest group of publishers, 18.8%, earn less than $20k annually, but the other 80+% are making decent profits. The next 20% earn between $20-80k each year. A lucky, or maybe hard-working, 6% reportedly earn over $2M per year from affiliate marketing. Publishers say that affiliate marketing creates an opportunity to earn money with little effort.

SOURCE

30. Commissions usually range from $3-$200, or 1% to 60% per sale

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

Of course, these figures depend on the niche and item being sold. This is a cost per sale payment method where affiliates earn a fixed amount or a percentage of the cost of the item. Some affiliates can earn thousands per sale, but its not the norm.

However, the most common way that affiliates are paid out is cost per action, also known as pay per lead.  That means there is a flat rate for each set action (ex. email sign-up, event registration, etc.) that a customer takes to be considered a conversion.

31. Affiliate marketing efforts have a conversion rate of around 1%

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

One case study depicted affiliate marketing conversion rates are between 0.5% and 1%. Conversion rates vary greatly from industry to industry, and the majority of affiliates don’t offer to share their conversion rate, so this affiliate marketing statistic is tough to gather accurately.

32. Bluehost, a web hosting platform, paid over $5M in commissions

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

Web hosting is one of the most popular—and most lucrative—things to sell as an affiliate marketer. Thanks to the rise of people starting their own blogs or businesses, more people are launching websites than ever. Bluehost offers one of the highest-paying programs, earning affiliates between $65 and $130 per sale.

33. Health and wellness is the most profitable niche in affiliate marketing

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

Worth over $4 trillion, the health and wellness industries are considered the most profitable niche to enter. The fashion industry makes up about 25% of all affiliate program accounts. Other popular niches include hobbies, travel, gaming, technology, sports, personal finance, and pet care.

34. 41% of affiliates promote computer and electronics

(Affstat)

Almost half of affiliate marketers are earning commissions from referring products in the computer and electronics category. Other top categories are clothing/apparel (40%), online services (30%), accessories (29%), and beauty (28%). The least popular categories are military products or services (2%), legal (3%), non-profit (3%), and insurance (4%).

What is the success rate of affiliate marketing? 

35. 33% of US directors think affiliate marketing programs are “highly successful”

(Forrester)

In total, 42% say that their affiliate programs are successful, and one-third claim it to be highly successful. The next 20% considered it somewhat successful. Only 5% of US marketing directors said that their attempted affiliate programs turned out to be not successful. 

36. Over 50% of publishers use network-provided reporting platforms to help manage their affiliate programs

(Rakuten’s Forrester Report)

One reason that affiliate marketing programs may have a higher success rate than other marketing channels is that over half of brands with an affiliate program use a network platform to help. A network-provided reporting platform is an effective tool to manage efforts, recruit new affiliates, handle commission payouts, and gain analytical insights.

37. 20% of marketing directors think affiliate marketing is the most important channel for their organization’s customer acquisition

(Forrester)

Over half (54%) of these survey respondents listed affiliate marketing as one of their top 3 channels. Other top channels listed as the most important for acquiring new customers was paid social (12%), display ads (15%), paid and organic search (16%), and PR and influencer marketing (11%).

38. Groupon made over $1B in revenue in 2020, thanks to its affiliates

(Statista)

The worldwide website, Groupon, has a business model built upon affiliate commissions as it connects subscribers with local merchants. In 2020, the company’s annual revenue topped $1.4B, even during a pandemic. The year before in 2019, Groupon’s annual revenue was over $2.2B.

39. 16% of all eCommerce sales in the US and Canada are generated by affiliate marketing

(Business Insider)

That is a lot of commission-earning clicks. In 2017, affiliate marketing generated 5 billion clicks worldwide. That number attributed to 16% of all eCommerce sales in North America.

40. Publishers claim that affiliate partnerships drive over 20% of their annual revenue

(Inc.)

Alongside this statistic, 40% of US retailers said their leading customer acquisition channel was affiliate programs. Between 2015 and 2020, the US is expected to spend more and more on affiliate marketing, increasing by a CAGR of 10.1%. 

41. Almost two-thirds of merchants think affiliate marketing meets their revenue expectations

(Fetch Profits)

In conclusion, affiliate marketing works for many companies—big or small. 73% of merchants reported their affiliate revenue satisfied their expectations. So, it’s no surprise to learn that 91% of all merchants effectively plan their affiliate marketing budgets.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How big of an industry is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a $12 billion industry. In the US alone, affiliate marketing spending is over $8 billion.

Is affiliate marketing worth it?

33% of executives say that affiliate marketing is “highly successful.” 42% say their programs are successful, 20% consider them somewhat successful, and 5% say they’re not at all successful.

Over to you!

There you have it! You just read 41 affiliate marketing statistics to gain a better understanding of this interesting and rapidly growing industry. 

Want to learn more about the top online marketing strategies?

Read the guide here!

Sources:

Statista

Statista 

Influencer Marketing Hub

eMarketer

Business Wire

Forrester

Rakuten’s Forrester Report

The State of Influencer Marketing Report

BloggingX

Affstat

Supermetrics

Datanyze

Awin Report

Inc.

Business Insider

Fetch Profits

Further reading:

The Ultimate List of Side Hustle Statistics

Get Clients Online (Guide)

The Top Webinar Statistics

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26 Online Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business [2023] https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/business-marketing-strategies/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/business-marketing-strategies/#comments Wed, 08 Jan 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=11733 What are the most effective online marketing strategies in 2023? Today, you get the ultimate digital marketing strategy, according to online marketing experts.  You’ll learn: Ready to learn more? Let’s go.  Social media marketing in 2023 Paid advertising in 2023 Video marketing in 2023 Content marketing in 2023 Webinar marketing in 2023 Email marketing in […]

The post 26 Online Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business [2023] appeared first on Luisa Zhou.

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What are the most effective online marketing strategies in 2023?

Today, you get the ultimate digital marketing strategy, according to online marketing experts. 

You’ll learn:

  • 26 online marketing methods that you can’t miss in 2023.
  • The strategies that experts like Selena Soo, Brian Dean, and Sue B. Zimmerman swear by. 
  • And so much more. 

Ready to learn more? Let’s go. 

Social media marketing in 2023

Paid advertising in 2023

Video marketing in 2023

Content marketing in 2023

Webinar marketing in 2023

Email marketing in 2023

Sales and conversion strategies in 2023

Bonus: Hit your goals faster

What is an online marketing strategy? 

An online marketing strategy is essentially a strategy that helps you get in front of your audience online. And by optimizing that strategy, you catch their attention and convert them into customers. 

Maybe you sometimes feel like there’s so much you need to know about online marketing to even get started?

The thing is:

Your marketing plan can be much simpler than you might think.

You see, you probably don’t need all the online marketing strategies out there. I built my business to seven figures in my first year in business and guess what? I only used one platform, Facebook, to market my business (Facebook ads, email marketing, webinars, and Facebook groups). 

But before we talk about what strategy is best for you, let’s take a look at how you can attract customers online.

How do you attract customers online? 

Look: Attracting customers online isn’t magic. 

The biggest mistake business owners make is to not research their audience. They fail to understand how to speak to them or even how to find them.

And subsequently, they don’t get customers online.

Customers are pretty much everywhere you look. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google… But you need to choose the right platforms for your audience. 

For example, when I started my first online business, I had noticed that my audience (small businesses who needed digital advertising services) were hanging out in Facebook groups.

So that’s where I marketed my services.

And then I continued using just Facebook (Facebook groups, livestreams, and Facebook ads). 

Today, I market on many more platforms, but I always make sure they’re platforms my audience actually use. So I’m not active on Reddit, but I am active on Instagram. 

If you haven’t done so already, sit down and speak to a few clients before you choose your marketing strategies. 

Understand why they want to buy from you.

That’s key to attracting clients online. 

What are the best online marketing strategies for small businesses?

Setting up an online marketing strategy comes down to a few things: consistency and focus.

Yes, you need to choose online marketing strategies that work for your audience. For example, if they’re on a platform like Instagram, you shouldn’t market on LinkedIn. In other words, you need to know your audience and where they are online. 

You should also think about where you are in your business right now. If you’re just starting out, working on long-term strategies like search engine optimization and content marketing doesn’t make much sense.

In that case, you’ll want to focus on strategies that bring you clients right now (which usually is marketing yourself in online groups where you can directly speak to your audience). 

But if you’re further ahead, organic strategies like digital advertising and SEO come into play.

Apart from that, what it comes down to is how consistent you are with your strategy. And how focused you are — if you’re spreading yourself thin on multiple platforms, you won’t come far. 

Here below, you get the strategies that are working right now, along with recommendations for the stage you’re at right now. 

Want to Build a 6-Figure Coaching Business So You Can Achieve More Freedom?

Get Instant Access To My FREE Ultimate Guide Below!

When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business.

1) Social media marketing in 2023

How can you use social media to get clients? 

When I first started my business, I used social media, and Facebook specifically, as my only marketing strategy. In 4 months, my business became a 6-figure side business.  

Now, there’s a right and a wrong way to use social media. And here below, you learn how to use it.

How to use social media

To succeed on social media you don’t need a crazy viral marketing campaign. (Take it from someone who has never gone viral, but who has built a multiple-7-figure business with social media.)

You also don’t need to chase the next shiny diamond. (Like Clubhouse or TikTok.)

Choose one platform that you think will work for you (aka. your audience hangs out on).

Then test it for a few weeks. If it doesn’t work, choose another one. But if it does work and you find your audience there, double down on it.  

When I start using a new social media platform, I put all my energy on learning what makes my audience tick on that platform.

So, when I started using Facebook, I studied popular Facebook posts to see what they did and I didn’t do. 

And when I, years later, decided to use Instagram, I studied what accounts that I enjoyed were doing (like Kim Kardashian’s, Anastasia Brow Bar’s, and JLo’s).

That’s how I figured out what posts I wanted to publish.

And I went from getting no likes or comments…

Social media post example

…To highly engaged posts by testing and tweaking. 

Facebook post example

There’s no secret bullet. But there are a few foundations to keep in mind. Read on for them and my two platform tips: Instagram and Pinterest. 

Tip #1: Stand out by knowing your audience 

You know how it is:

Social media is getting so competitive it’s hard to get anyone to notice you. What worked a few years ago doesn’t necessarily work today. 

Eugen Schwartz, one of the most successful copywriters in the world, calls this the five levels of sophistication for a market.

The thing is: 

When things get more competitive, you can’t just throw up something and hope it’ll stick. 

Instead, the solution to standing out is simple. 

You need to know your audience. 

Here’s how to get to know them: 

Go to the social platform they’re hanging out on (like Reddit or Facebook) and ask them to sign up for a quick call with you. That’s when you interview them to understand exactly why they want to buy your services. 

Here’s how one of my students used this:

Market research post

Tip #2: Consistently post quality content 

Social media will only work if you post the right type of content. THAT’s how you get people’s attention. 

You see, by posting consistent, quality content, you build up a loyal following.

When I started my business, I didn’t go into Facebook groups once every two weeks.

Instead, I was there every day. I answered questions, commented, and shared my own posts.

I didn’t get any engagement upfront. But as I continued doing this consistently, people couldn’t help but notice me. 

And soon enough, I had my first paying client.

Even today, I consistently post on my social media, write blog posts, and send emails. 

Instagram post example
Example: One of my Instagram posts.

My rules for engaging social media content are:

  • Post content that helps people interact socially with each other. For example: Ask people about their interests. 
  • Post informative content. For example: Ask specific questions. 
  • Entertain people. For example: Share fun quizzes and facts. 
  • Share your opinions. For example: Ask a question to get people’s opinions on a topical question.

For tips on the types of posts to create, check this social media length guide

Tip #3: Use Instagram for high engagement 

Platforms like Facebook still work great (and is one of my favorite platforms to get new clients). But there’s one platform that gets a ton of engagement. What platform is it? 

Instagram. 

You see, 42% of Instagram users use it every day. 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile every day. 

Features like Instagram Live and Instagram TV make Instagram a great place to engage your audience. 

A great way to use these features?

Use this quick script to create your Instagram posts: 

“Did you know that ___? (Insert curiosity-evoking fact about your services, such as “you only need 30 minutes a day to get abs”)

I have used this strategy___. (Insert either your own or a client story about how you’ve gotten specific results)

The strategy is___. (Insert a specific, but quick, strategy that helps people get one specific result)

Want to learn more? Go to this link to ___. (Insert a call to action, like asking people to sign up for a call with you)”

Several of my clients have picked up their own clients on Instagram. For example, my client Cristina was able to get one of her first clients from Instagram. 

Cristina cantu client example

Take it from THE Instagram expert, Sue Zimmerman. 

Expert Tip: Sue B. Zimmerman

Sue Zimmerman headshot

“In order to attract lots of targeted followers and convert them to paying customers on Instagram, you need to show up consistently with content in all 4 of my Neighborhoods: The Feed, Stories, IGTV + Live.

When you show that you are the go-to authority in your industry in each neighborhood you will build brand awareness faster, stay top of mind and reach your target audience easier. Be aware of sharing content in the format that is most native to that neighborhood. 

Finally, don’t forget that there is a real person behind the follower. I believe that it’s the real conversations that lead to opportunities on Instagram. Focus on your engagement strategy; like, follow, comment and direct message with others on the platform for continued growth and impact.” 

Who is Sue?

Sue B. Zimmerman is an insightful, energetic, and in-demand online marketing educator, influencer speaker, and a no-BS business coach who has been named by Huffington Post as one of the “Top 50 Must-Follow Women Entrepreneurs”, The Top 50 Social Media Marketing Influencers by TopRank Marketing, and Top Female Business Influencers of 2019 by Fit Small Business. Sue’s blog was ranked as one of the Top 10 social media blogs in 2017 by Social Media Examiner. Read more about Sue here. 

Tip #4: Pinterest is growing fast

Pinterest is another platform with a lot of potential right now. Why Pinterest? Because Pinterest is still an “up-and-coming” platform that lets you build your audience fast. And this doesn’t just apply to visual brands. 

As a service-based business, you can get people to your blog and other pages with the help of Pinterest. 

Now, Pinterest isn’t exactly a social media platform. It’s also a search engine because people use it to search for things. At the same time, people can interact with each other, which makes it a mix between social media and search engine.

Here’s how I use Pinterest to drive people to my content.

Pinterest overview

Need a Pinterest checklist to get started? Here you go.

Step 1: Start creating pins with an image editor (you can use Canva, which has a Pinterest template). 

Pinterest template

Step 2: Create a couple of boards to your Pinterest account. These should be relevant to your services (so a health coach would create boards about workouts and nutrition). 

Creating a Pinterest board

Step 3: Start pinning to your boards. Pin the image, add a title and a description. Pro tip: Use keywords, so words your audience is likely to use when searching for your services.  

Create Pinterest pin

That’s the first marketing strategy. Next up: Paid advertising. 

Digital advertising, such as Facebook ads and Google adwords, still work well. 

Maybe you’ve even heard that paid ads can help you make $2 for every $1 you spend… But how? 

After all, ads are getting increasingly sophisticated. While you need to know your way around ads these days (you can’t just slap up a random ad and landing page and hope it works), ads are still a great way to drive traffic and leads. 

Here’s how to use ads.

Expert Tip: Rick Mulready

Rick Mulready headshot

“For the past several years, ad costs have been going up. This is only going to continue. Here’s what I recommend for getting the best results possible from your ads and making them work for you and your business:

#1: Focus on building your warm audiences with list building. Continue building your email list so that you can input your email list into Facebook and then retarget that list on Facebook and Instagram. This also allows you to build a lookalike audience from your email list. 

Even better: If you have a list of at least 1,000 buyers (customers who have paid you money), input that list into Facebook and create a lookalike audience from that audience as well. That could be your best performing lookalike audience because it’s an audience of customers. 

So build your warm audience: Your email list, website traffic and people who are engaging and watching your videos. You can then turn around and create lookalike audiences of all of these audiences. 

Note that if you’re launching in your business, do not wait to run ads just for your launches. You need to be running ads all year long in between your launches. You don’t need to be spending $100s every day on your ads, but you should be creating engagement audiences on a daily basis and building your email list. This way, you build your audience and Facebook is going to reward you during your launch periods because you’re consistently running ads throughout the year. 

#2: Video. This is nothing new but video is so important. Specifically short-form videos (30 to 60-second videos and under, so Instagram and Facebook story videos). You should continue uploading videos on Facebook and using videos on your Instagram feed and also live videos. You could be building the engagement audiences based on how long people are watching your videos and then retargeting those people. 

If you’re not doing video now, you should be doing it. If you’re not leveraging Instagram stories and running Instagram story ads (often the best performing ads), you’re missing a massive opportunity.”

Who is Rick?

Rick Mulready started his career working with brands like AOL, Yahoo!, Vibrant Media and Funny or Die before starting to teach small business owners and digital marketers how to use Facebook ads to build their businesses. Today, he hosts the Art of Online Business podcast where he teaches online experts who are working toward the 6 and 7-figure mark how to build a business and life that lights them up. Read more about Rick here. 

Tip #1: Create more targeted ads 

Ad traffic costs are going up. Why? Because the competition is getting tougher. You have more people competing for the same clicks and platforms like Facebook are running out of ad space.

Does that mean ads are worthless? No, it just means that you need to get better at creating targeted ads. 

One way of doing this is to constantly rethink your ads.

For example, this ad was one of my recent, best-performing ads. It wasn’t clear from the start that it would perform so well, but because I’m testing new ads consistently, I was able to figure it out. 

Facebook ad video example

Tip #2: Focus on the foundations 

Look: 

Ads are not the same “easy” way to market your business as they were a few years ago.

That said, they WILL work if you know what you’re doing. And the things that work are still the same foundational things that worked a few years ago.

Here’s an ad I used when I first started my business:

Facebook ad example

It could still work today because I had the basics in place.

These are:

  • You need to know your audience.
  • You also need compelling copy.
  • And last, you need an attention-grabbing image.

That’s it. If you have these elements in place, your ads will work for you even if the competition is getting tighter.

Expert Tip: Lauren Vanessa Zink

Lauren Vanessa Zink headshot

“BE UNEXPECTED. — When it comes to sales copy, formulas, blueprints, and templates are great. (Heck, I sell them!) But at the end of the day, what’s gonna separate you from Sally? The stuff that makes you weird. So that means no more towing the line, watering down your words, and parroting what other people online are saying. And a wham bam yes ma’am to showing off your personality in your work (especially the parts that would make your old boss blush!).” 

Who is Lauren?

Lauren Vanessa Zink helps rebels with big hearts and big shit to do in the world find their voice, nail their messaging, and write incredible, sales-making copy. Armed with a B.A. and red lipstick, she’s taken tens of thousands of coaches, consultants, and creatives from “Who are you?” to “Holy cow, where have you been all my life?”

Tip #3: Learn the basics of copywriting 

One of the “secrets” of well-performing ads is that they use copywriting to their advantage. 

To use ads today, you MUST know how to write copy. 

That’s where AIDA, the classical marketing acronym for writing great copy, works well. Your copy needs to include these elements:

  • Attention: Your copy must grab your audience’s attention. What would make your client interested in learning more?
  • Interest: Your copy must be interesting and show how you can help your audience. 
  • Desire: Your copy must make people understand why they want your service. This includes talking about the benefits of your offer, not just the features. 
  • Action: Your copy must have a specific call to action. What is it people should do next?

And with these copywriting tips, your ads will stand out from the competition.

Next:

Video marketing. 

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3) Video marketing in 2023

You might know that video is extremely engaging. For example, 55% watch videos every day. 68% of customers say they want to learn about a product or service by watching a video rather than reading a text. But how can you use video in your business? Here’s why video is one of the best small business marketing strategies that work great today. 

Tip #1: Video is one of the most powerful marketing tools 

Why does everyone rave about Facebook and Instagram stories, YouTube, livestreams, and LinkedIn videos?

Because they work so well. 

When people see you, they feel like they’re talking to YOU. They feel like they know you. And that’s one of the best ways to build trust, which, in turn, makes it easier for them to say “yes” to your offers. 

The best thing is that you can make it pretty simple. You can share a short tip or strategy, turn on the camera, and you’re set. 

How do I do this? Instead of using hours on my video content, I’ll take a couple of minutes to think through what I want to say… And then I record my video. 

I talk more about it here:

Tip #2: Create the right content 

What video content should you then create? The type of content you create for your other marketing efforts: 

  • A quick strategy or tip.
  • An insightful story.
  • Content that makes your audience get that “AHA” feeling.

Here’s one of my own recent videos. It’s quick, insightful, and people will walk away with a feeling that they learned something new. 

Expert Tip: Brian Dean

Brian Dean Headshot

“The #1 thing you can do to create more engaging videos is to focus on the first 15 seconds. YouTube’s own internal data has found that the viewers largely decide to stick around or leave depending on what they see in that 15-second window.

To be fair, there’s no perfect formula for structuring your intro. It depends on what your video is all about. And your brand. But in general, you want to avoid:

-Animated logos
Intro sequences that run longer than the 15-second window
-Unpolished shots (unless you nailed the first take)

In fact, I actually write out every word of my intro in advance so that it’s super crisp and polished. I also do several takes so I can choose the most compelling one. It’s a little bit of extra work. But to me, the boost in engagement is totally worth it.” 

Who is Brian?

Brian Dean is the founder of Backlinko and an internationally recognized SEO expert. Brian created Backlinko to teach the lessons he learned about using SEO to build online businesses. Brian is known for publishing insanely practical strategies that marketers can use to grow their online business. Backlinko is now one of the most popular marketing blogs online and Brian has been featured on sites like Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur. Read more about Brian here. 

Tip #3: Use livestreams

One of the best ways to build a strong connection with your audience? 

Use livestreams. 

This is no new strategy and in fact, I used it successfully when I first started my business.

Livestream screenshot

But as video content is a “must” in your marketing, livestreams are also getting more important than ever. 

My best tip for making your livestreams work for you? 

Use them as a way to give value to your audience. In the end, by using your personality and offering value, you’ll build a lasting relationship with your clients.

4) Content marketing in 2023

How do you grow your audience with content? Here are the strategies I recommend that you focus on right now.

Expert Tip: Susie Moore

Susie Moore headshot

“The only difference between people who get media coverage and people who don’t is that the former are pitching themselves and the latter aren’t.” 

Who is Susie?

Susie Moore is a former Silicon Valley Sales Director turned Life Coach. Her work has been featured on sites like the Today Show, Oprah, Business Insider, Forbes, and more. She is a resident Life Coach Columnist for Greatist. Susie’s work has been shared by thought leaders like Paulo Coelho, Kris Jenner, Sarah Blakely, and Arianna Huffington. She’s also the author of “What if It Does Work Out”, which was named by Entrepreneur as one of the 8 Business Books Entrepreneurs Must Read to Dominate Their Industry. Read more about Susie here. 

Tip #1: Use guest posting 

Think guest posting is dead? Think again. 

Guest posting is still one of the best marketing strategies used by companies who want to tap into other people’s audiences and build a highly engaged audience.

Think about it: When you guest post on someone’s site, that person has already built an audience of people who trust her. And when you get in front of that audience, they’re much more likely to trust you and sign up for your email list.

But there’s one thing you need to keep in mind with guest posting in 2023. Instead of guest posting everywhere, focus on quality niche-sites. 

For example, my guest posts on Business Insider get a lot of traction… And sales! This one netted me 5 figures in sales.

Business Insider post

My best tip for finding high-quality guest post opportunities?

Google these search phrases:

“Guest post” + “keyword” (replace this with your niche, like “health”) 

“Guest writer” + “keyword”

“Guest submission” + “keyword”

Then, reach out. Here’s a simple script you can use:

“Hi NAME OF EDITOR,

My name is (your name) and I am (include something relevant about yourself). 

I’d love to submit a guest post to (name of publication). I researched topics that would do great on your site:

  • Topic suggestion 1
  • Topic suggestion 2
  • Topic suggestion 3

I’ve previously written guest posts for (include a few sites if you’ve previously written guest posts): 

  • Link to example 1
  • Link to example 2
  • Link to example 3

Let me know if these look interesting to (name of publication)? 

Best,

YOUR NAME”

Tip #2: Get interviewed on podcasts 

A GREAT way to build your audience? Podcast interviews. This is THE time to do podcast marketing because podcasts have gotten enough traction, but at the same time, they’re not overly competitive (yet).

And there are podcasts in literally every niche. You’re bound to find podcasts that attract your audience. 

For example, a podcast episode I recorded for SoMoney gave me a ton of great exposure.

So Money podcast episode

Podcasts are engaging and they let you quickly build a connection with them. 

My best tip for finding podcasts? Google:

“Podcast” + “keyword”

“Top podcasts (year)” + “keyword”

And here’s a script you can use for reaching out:

“Hi NAME OF PODCASTER,

My name is (your name) and I am (include something relevant about yourself so the podcaster understands why YOU are the right person to feature on their show). 

I’d love to set up an interview for (name of the podcast). Here are a few topics that I think your audience would love:

  • Podcast topic suggestion 1
  • Podcast topic suggestion 2
  • Podcast topic suggestion 3

Let me know if these would be interesting to (name of the podcast) listeners? 

Best,

YOUR NAME”

Expert Tip: Selena Soo

Selena Soo headshot

“If you want visibility, you have to schedule time in your calendar for it. It can be as simple as reaching out to 5 podcasts a week.” 

Who is Selena?

Selena Soo is a publicity and marketing strategist for visionary entrepreneurs, experts, and authors who want to reach millions with their message. She has helped her clients get features in places like O, The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, and Inc, as well as national TV. She has herself been featured on sites like Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, Success, and Huffington Post. She has been a guest on podcasts like Entrepreneur on Fire, Smart Passive Income, and Mixergy. Read more about Selena here. 

Tip #3: Create the right type of lead magnet 

You might know just how important your email list is. After all, 59% say that marketing emails influence their purchase decisions. 

But how do you get people to join your email list? 

That’s right. With a lead magnet they download. In exchange, they give their email address to you.

But what type of lead magnet works right now?

Well, because people have so many options, you’ll want to make it easy for them to say “yes” to your PDF. If you offer them a long ebook, most people will think, “When will I have time to read that…?” 

Instead, give them a simple solution to their problem. If you’re a health coach, that might be a simple ab workout people can use every day. And as a career coach, it might be that you give a strategy that helps them improve their resumes.

My own lead magnet? You can download it here:

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A few example titles include:

“The 3-step strategy to (results people get from your service) in 30 days or less”

“How my client achieved (results) in 3 months without any previous experience”

5) Webinar marketing in 2023

Want to know how you can use webinars? I recommend that you double down on them. Right now, they’re one of the best business marketing strategies out there.

Tip #1: Use webinars to convert your audience 

I love webinars! Some might say that they’re on their way out, but that’s not at all the case. You just need to know HOW to use them.

Webinars are still one of the best ways to convert your audience. After all, with webinars, you have your audience’s undivided attention for an hour.

I use webinars in my own business. They’re one of the best sales tools you can scale (so you don’t have to take dozens of sales calls to sell your course or similar). 

Tip #2: Share value 

With a strategic webinar, you show the value of your offer. But that’s only if you keep it focused on sharing value, not telling your own story for 20 minutes or more. 

For example, share a strategy your audience can use right away. Show the “what” but leave the “how” to your offer.

So as a health coach, you might show people a strategy you use for getting your clients in shape. But you leave the specifics, like workout techniques and food recipes, to your program.

Tip #3: Do more live webinars 

Listen: Most webinars are prerecorded and automated and people know it. That’s why your live webinar will stand out. After all, people get a chance to engage with you live and ask you questions about your program. 

So when you set up a live webinar, make sure you promote it as much as you can. People will love it! You can expect them to be much more interested in your webinar than they would be if it was automated. 

My best webinar promotion checklist? Here you go:

  • Set up an email funnel if you have an email list. Send out 3-5 emails leading up to your webinar. 
  • Share the word on social media (your own pages and groups you’re a part of). 
  • Promote it in your lives.
  • Create an ad funnel that leads to your webinar. Here’s how I used ads and a challenge to get people excited about my webinars, which I used to sell my online course.

Tip #4: Be transparent

Automated webinars work well, too. 

However, when you create an automated webinar, make sure to be transparent. Don’t treat your audience as if they’re stupid by making it appear as if your webinar is live (hint: they’re not). They know if your webinar is automated so don’t make it feel as if it’s not. 

Remember: Being inauthentic and misleading will hurt your brand. But by being transparent and honest, you win people’s trust. 

6) Email marketing in 2023

Next up: Email marketing. Think emails aren’t as relevant as they used to be? Wrong, emails are still a great way to win clients. Here’s why.

Tip #1: Create the right types of emails

The biggest reason to use emails is to build your audience so that you’re not dependent on any other platform.

Now, if you’re thinking, “But emails are so annoying… No one reads them!”, you’re right. To a certain extent.

A lot of emails are annoying because they’re not written for the subscriber. But if you know your audience through and through, your emails can’t go wrong.

Then, they add tons of value to your audience’s lives and email inboxes. 

For example, emails like these help me build a strong relationship with my audience of 60,000+ people.

email example

Tip #2: Send frequent emails 

One of the MAIN things you need to know about email marketing? It’s no longer about sending out emails once in a blue moon.

Instead, you need to be in touch often. I usually recommend my clients to send emails 3-4 times a week.

That’s right, 3-4 times. That’s because people WANT to hear from you if they’ve signed up for your email list. Plus, you’re kept top of mind. That means people are MUCH more ready to buy from you once you make an offer compared to if they heard from you every two weeks or so.

Wondering how you should write emails every day?

It’s not too hard (if you know your audience). I usually set my timer to 15 minutes in the morning, write my email and schedule it to go out.

Expert Tip: Laura Belgray

Laura Belgray headshot

“Make every email an EFAB: Email From A Bestie. That means, keep the tone intimate and conversational, write as if you’re writing to just ONE person, use an informal and intriguing subject line (As Opposed To A Formal Title), and share personal stories and details. That’s what we want in our inbox. It’s what we’ll open first. You’re not a business writing to a business; you’re a person writing to a person.” 

Who is Laura?

Laura Belgray is an award-winning copywriter and the founder of TalkingShrimp.com. She’s written TV spots for clients like NBC, Fandango and Bravo; and she helps entrepreneurs find words that make buyers go bananas. Her course with Marie Forleo, The Copy Cure, helps you find your voice and sell anything. Read more about Laura here. 

Tip #3: Write relevant emails 

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make? 

Their emails aren’t relevant to their audiences. And as people’s inboxes are filling up, you’ll want to make sure you’re kept top of mind. 

You see, you need to intimately know your audience. 

What are those things they’re struggling with? 

What do they hope to achieve? 

That’s how you keep your emails relevant. 

7) Sales and conversion strategies in 2023

I know what you’re thinking… You love sales! I’m only kidding, most people’s palms start to sweat and they think, “Sales?! I don’t want to be salesy.” 

But here’s the thing: With the RIGHT strategies, you’re not salesy. Instead, you’re making it easy for your audience to decide if they should or shouldn’t work with you. 

That could save them years of their time! Not to mention money, effort, and energy. 

Tip #1: Use case studies

My first sales tip? Use case studies, just like I use here on the case study page of my signature program, Employee to Entrepreneur:

ETE case study page screenshot

This page works great and clients often refer to it as a reason for why they signed up with me. 

Case studies are so effective because they help people who’re interested in your services see if other people just like them are getting results. If they are, then that helps them see how they can achieve those results, too. 

Ask clients (either people who have paid you for your services or people you’ve helped for free) to give you a testimonial. You can use this template:

-How did you benefit from our work together and what results did you get? 

-What did you like best about working with me?

-How did the experience make you feel? 

-Would you recommend my services? If yes, to whom? 

The best testimonials are results-driven. So instead of saying, “You helped me a lot!”, they would say “I lost 6 pounds in a month.”

Tip #2: Tailor your pitches

Look: 

If you’re using pitches to grow your business, you can’t just cut and paste the same email over and over. 

Just like this pitch I got the other day: 

Bad pitch example

The problem with it? I deleted it right away. 

It’s in no way tailored to my business. It doesn’t tell me how this person can help me, specifically.

Instead, use a custom template. I like this one:

“Hi NAME,

I noticed that (include something specific from their website that relates to your services, like “your ads could drive $XXX more in sales if better optimized”). 

I’ve been doing (your service) for (how many years) and I’d like to offer (how you help them). 

This would help you (how your services benefit your clients, be specific!). 

Are you open to receiving a few ideas on how to help? 

YOUR NAME”

Expert Tip: Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy headshot

“The best strategy for you and your company is to focus on improving the quality of your product or service so that it is universally recognized as being superior to anything else available. Once you have achieved this perception, you will sell more, at higher prices, easier, at a lower cost of customer acquisition, and will enjoy greater repeat sales and referrals than with any other strategy.”

Who is Brian?

Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. As the top-selling author of over 70 books, he has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5,000,000 people in 5,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 70 other countries worldwide. Learn more about Brian’s sales advice here. 

Tip #3: Focus on ONE offer

The biggest mistake you’re probably making when it comes to your offers? You’re selling tons of different things, whether that’s services, courses, or something else.

But here’s the thing: You need to focus on one thing. That’s how you stand out in 2023.

And note that your one offer could take a few different shapes and forms.

In my business, I have always offered one main service/product:

Guidance and support (in the form of coaching and courses) to help people start their own businesses and quit their jobs.

This helps me create the best content in my niche, which helps my clients get amazing results. These results help me get even more clients for my offers.

ETE testimonial

Bonus: Tips to hit your goals faster

You have big goals and business marketing strategies that will take you there. But how do you make sure you get it all done? That’s what this bonus section is all about. 

Tip #1: Avoid chasing “cool” new trends 

You know, if you want to get big things done, you need to avoid getting stuck in chasing trends and shiny objects. Focus on creating better content rather than jumping from one platform to the other. 

So don’t get stuck on platforms like TikTok and other new, “cool” platforms. First leverage the marketing channels you’re already active on and where you know your clients hang out.

When I got started, I used a (then) relatively new platform, Periscope. But I became really good at using that platform instead of jumping to the next thing.

That’s the “secret” to how I was able to grow my online coaching business so fast (to six-figures in four months). 

Tip #2: Focus on a few platforms 

Second, you’ll want to focus on just a few platforms instead of a ton of them. That’s because it takes time to master one platform and build a following there. Choose just 1-2 marketing channels and use them first before branching out.

When I first started my business, I leveraged Facebook. I used it to engage in other people’s groups and to create my own Facebook group. And because I was busy in my 9-5 corporate job, I didn’t have the time to spend hours in several different Facebook groups. So I chose 5 and stuck to them.

The result? $1 million in sales in my first year.

first year business income graph

Tip #3: Fill up your calendar

One of my favorite ways to get more done? 

Relentlessly focus on the most important things in your business. Do this by filling up your calendar. That way, you don’t have a choice whether to do something or not because it’s already in your calendar. 

Business calendar first year

When I started my coaching business, I focused on just a few things but I made sure to schedule them. I would use 15-minute blocks where I got things done, like engaging in Facebook groups or writing content. 

Do the same for your business and 2023 will be an epic year for your business.

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Want to use these business marketing strategies? 

There you have it. Now you know how to use successful online marketing strategies and what to focus on.

What it comes down to is this:

Focus on the MOST important strategies in your business and double down on them.

What’s your #1 marketing question for 2023? 

Let me know in the comments below.

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The 5 Types of Content You Need to Be Posting in 2023 https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/5-kinds-content-need-posting/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/5-kinds-content-need-posting/#respond Tue, 22 Mar 2016 06:00:19 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=1548 You know what’s boring? Doing the same thing over and over again. And that goes for writing too! Switching it up with different types of content gives you inspiration and makes it fun and saves you from falling asleep at your keyboard. SNORE. But you’re a professional, so you have to create content that’s professional. […]

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Types of content pin

You know what’s boring? Doing the same thing over and over again. And that goes for writing too! Switching it up with different types of content gives you inspiration and makes it fun and saves you from falling asleep at your keyboard. SNORE.

But you’re a professional, so you have to create content that’s professional. Right? Isn’t that in the rulebook somewhere?…

Sort of. But being an entrepreneur isn’t your mama’s kind of “professional.” It’s a laptop lifestyle, let your hair down, we can see your tattoo kind of professional. At the end of the day, it just comes down to being YOU. You are the professional in your business.

So how do you create the content that shows the world you’re the professional expert at what you do? These are my favorite 5 types of content to get you noticed, get you loved, and get you hired:

1. Show off your expertise

You want people to know what you stand for, what your unique message is, what you believe in, and how you can help them. Do it by sharing value and putting on your teacher hat.

2. Show off your relatability

People buy from people they like. It’s not logical or academic—it’s about a feeling. If people like you, they trust you. (And in case you’re wondering — yes, you’re very likeable.) Share the struggles you went through to get where you are now. Let people peek at your before pictures. Tell us the mistakes you made along the way. Be vulnerable. Be honest. Be human.

3. Show off your entertainment skills

I’ve got to give credit where credit is due for this one, and that is the talented Bushra Azhar. People don’t go to the internet to read text books. They go for the cat videos. When you’re sharing something valuable, add in a story or throw in some humor. If you’re writing a step-by-step process post, give examples people can relate to, and see themselves in.

4. Show off the emotion

Evoke the emotion in working with you—and not working with you. People purchase services based on how they feel, so make ‘em feel something with your content. Talk about the pain points they’re going through. Talk about what life will be like for them after they hire you. Paint a picture with your words.

5. Show off your fun side

What are 3 crazy facts about you? (1. I worked as an engineer on the International Space Station. 2. I dated my now husband for 10 years before we got married. 3. I bake cupcakes that are so good, they’ll melt your face.) Where do you live? (New York!) What’s your favorite junk food? (Wasn’t someone just talking about cupcakes?…) Ask questions. Make people guess things. Do a quiz. Get creative. Go wild.

You don’t have to be the person posting quote images all the time; your library of content can be as vast and wide as the titles in an actual public library. It keeps people on their toes—and shows that you really know your stuff!

How are you using these 5 types of content in your business? Let me know in the comment section below!

Warmly,
Luisa

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How to Write with Personality (2023) https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/personality/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/personality/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2015 04:56:48 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=1379 Wondering how you can write with personality? Well, you know how it is: It’s as welcome to your ears as the sound of nails scratching on a chalkboard…. It makes you want to scream, “NO…LIKE….SMASH!!!”….but instead you paste on a smile so forced it hurts and politely say, “Thank you.” Sound familiar? I’m talking about […]

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Wondering how you can write with personality?

Well, you know how it is: It’s as welcome to your ears as the sound of nails scratching on a chalkboard….

It makes you want to scream, “NO…LIKE….SMASH!!!”….but instead you paste on a smile so forced it hurts and politely say, “Thank you.”

Sound familiar?

I’m talking about that word you despise, but that for some reason, people always use to describe you.

For me, that word is “nice.” It makes Hulk-Luisa want to come out and scream and smash…

Because it’s so bland and forgettable, and those are two things I never want to be.

So, it really gets a girl thinking, how do you get to be the opposite of bland and forgettable…especially when you’ve been taught all your life that the best thing to do is to fit in, and, well….be nice?

Lean in, because I’ve finally figured out the “secret” to standing out, attracting your tribe of raving fans, and pretty much having everything you want in your business….

Write with personality.

It’s the difference between “nice” and… one-of-a-kind-out-of-this-world-Audrey-Hepburn-Marilyn-Monroe-Grace-Kelly-unforgettable.

And often, it’s the only difference between a filled to the brim bank account and one that’s empty and scared.

Because let’s be honest for a second, there’s nothing new under the sun, and there are easily at least a thousand other business coaches out there teaching what I’m teaching, just as there are a thousand other [fill in the blank for what you do]’s out there selling what you sell.

So…ready for the no-fluff tactical steps you’ve come to know and love from yours truly? Keep on reading.

If you’ve been struggling to “stand out,” “be yourself,” and fully own YOU, here are a few tips that have helped me go from “nice” to being described as: incredible, authentic, cool, funny and my favorite one….goddess (yep #proudmoment)…

  1. Write down your thoughts

Take your next blog topic or newsletter idea and without filtering, word for word, write down all the thoughts that come to your mind about it.

For example…

Subject: Behind-the-scenes into the day of an entrepreneur

My day is actually super boring, will anyone want to even learn about it? Will I have to take pictures? But my workplace is so messy! I bet Oprah’s office is really beautiful. Ooooh let me google celebrity offices, maybe I’ll get a great idea for decorating my own office!

An hour later…

Or, maybe I should rent an office space so I can get to know more people. ugh, but I’m so awkward what if I don’t like my new officemates? OK back to my day-to-day. I do schedule things, like my mindset work in the morning, client calls on certain days. Will my tribe find that helpful? Should I mention support team, time for family, etc? Or is that a separate post? Can I take a break yet?

And so on…

But do you see how in there, I’ve spiced up my facts with different aspects of my personality that’ll make my article so much more interesting? (By the way, this is an actual outline of my thought process, so look out for that fun article soon…)

  1. Share your strong LOVE/HATE opinions

The easiest way to be forgettable? Not feel strongly about anything.

I should know, because I used to be that person who was P.C. to the max and didn’t have strong opinions about anything.

But you know what? The real reason I didn’t have strong opinions was because I was afraid of offending people.

But what I’ve quickly learned in business is…that if no one hates what you’re saying, very likely no one loves what you’re saying either.

For example, sharing your numbers as a business coach is a hot topic. Most people either love it when coaches do or else hate it.

Personally, I’ve taken a strong stand for sharing my numbers for two reasons: 1) I share not my highest, once-in-a-blue-moon numbers, but the numbers I consistently make every month, so my clients and tribe know what they’re getting with me. 2) Because I’m a numbers nerd, and if it’s something I would want to know, then it’s something I’ll share with my tribe.

Some people hate that about me, and that’s fine. What matters is that the right people love it.

  1. Say what you really mean

This is one that took me a while to get over, because in the corporate world, you and I both know we’re taught to do the exact opposite.

For example…how often are you asked, “How are you?”

And how often do you respond, “Oh I’m fine, thank you.”

When instead, what you really want to say is: I had to drag myself out of bed this morning, hit that snooze button 7 times, and barely bothered to put on my makeup because honestly, I’m tired of being unappreciated here and can’t wait to turn in my notice in 10 days.

Now that I’ve gotten the hang out of it, I can’t stop:

I batched my newsletters for the next few weeks.

I spent an entire day sitting in front of my computer, staring at everything except my monitor, wishing I was anywhere else, hating that writer’s block, and wondering how I could physically (and legally) borrow my copywriter’s brain for a day.

I engaged on Facebook.

I spent 15 minutes reading posts of other women traveling the world, feeling a little jealous that my life isn’t half so glamorous…and then another 15 minutes overanalyzing my 4-sentence posts before I actually posted them.

I did mindset work.

I’m still not sure I grasp the full power of mindset. Most days, it’s a rollercoaster of fear, stress, and gratitude and I’m still constantly fighting the fear even though I know it’s completely in my mind. I did have some great moments of inspired action today, though, so that’s a win!

I bet after reading this, “nice” is the furthest word from your mind to describe me, right? Now you try it. Writing with personality can be fun.

But before you do, leave me a comment and let me know….

What word do you absolutely hate to be described as?

Warmly,
Luisa

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How To Consistently Create A Lot Of Content https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/create-a-lot-of-content/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/create-a-lot-of-content/#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2015 03:51:09 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=1033 Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content you need to create for your business? Do you find yourself staring at your computer screen as the minutes tick by, waiting for inspiration to strike whenever you try to create content? Knowing the words are inside of you but unable to figure out where the heck they’re […]

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Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content you need to create for your business?

Do you find yourself staring at your computer screen as the minutes tick by, waiting for inspiration to strike whenever you try to create content? Knowing the words are inside of you but unable to figure out where the heck they’re hiding?

This certainly used to be the case for me.

Shortly after I started my coaching business, I made the decision to create new content on a weekly basis for my community. Before I even committed to it, I felt a lot of resistance, because to be honest, writing does not come naturally to me.

As you know, I’m a super analytical person and tend to analyze and then overanalyze every.single.thing I create. I wondered, “How the heck am I going to create content that’s valuable and top-notch week after week? What if I have a bad week where I just can not come up with anything to say?”

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Well, hundreds of pieces of content later, I am still going strong. In fact, I’ve found that the more I write, the more I have to say. And I’m willing to bet that the same will be true for you too. To help you get started, here are a few tips I’ve stumbled upon to help fuel your creativity:

1. Write out ideas in advance

As with most people, my ideas do not come at command. So when they do come, no matter what I’m doing, I take the time to write them down. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated—in fact, I just keep a simple note on my iPhone so that whenever inspiration strikes, I’m able to take advantage of it and write down as much as I can while I’m “in the zone.”

Then, when it’s actually time to create content, I can simply pull up my notes, pick a topic, and type full speed ahead!

2. Be consistent

It can be really tempting to miss one week and promise yourself, “It’ll be just this one week. I’ll pick it back up tomorrow, or next week.” But that’s a dark and dangerous path you do not want to go down. Because after you miss that first one, it becomes just a little bit easier to convince yourself that it’s OK to miss that next one.

Besides, you know how when you have deadlines at work everything just magically comes together at the last minute because it has to? If you make consistent content creation a non-negotiable part of your business, that’s exactly what’ll happen.

3. Good is good enough

To be totally honest, I don’t always feel 1000% about the content I create. Don’t get me wrong, I always feel good about it, but I know that not every piece I write is going to be the best thing I’ve ever published.

And in the beginning, the perfectionist in me hated (and still kind of hates) the thought of that. There’s still a part of me that asks, “Is this good enough? Is this perfect enough?” every time. And every time I put something out, I still have to remind myself that at the end of the day, good is good enough.

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When you sign up, you’ll also receive regular updates on building a successful online business.

4. Start now

Finally, start now. Don’t put creating content off until some time in the future when you’ve got a bigger list, when you’ve got a bigger audience, or when you’re making more money. All of those things will come in good time, but starting now is what will get you there.

Warmly,

Luisa

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How To Be Loved (By Your Community) In 3 Easy Steps https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/how-to-be-loved-by-your-community-in-3-easy-steps/ https://www.luisazhou.com/blog/how-to-be-loved-by-your-community-in-3-easy-steps/#respond Tue, 30 Jun 2015 03:44:49 +0000 https://www.luisazhou.com/?p=1029 One of my most valued possessions is a photo-booth strip of pictures—the kind you can buy for a dollar at the movie theater. It’s worth infinitely more to me than any jewelry, car, or real estate. And the reason for that is because of the moment it captures with my family. The memory it evokes, […]

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One of my most valued possessions is a photo-booth strip of pictures—the kind you can buy for a dollar at the movie theater.

It’s worth infinitely more to me than any jewelry, car, or real estate.

And the reason for that is because of the moment it captures with my family. The memory it evokes, and the happiness I remember every time I look at it.

I spent a dollar on it, but for the joy and love it represents, there’s no limit on how much I’d pay.

The reason I’m sharing this is because, at the end of the day, all non-essential purchases are emotional, not rational decisions. And realizing that makes the world of difference between a struggling business and an uber-successful one.

Forget conversion rates and sales funnels for a minute. There’s a much simpler, infinitely more valuable engagement path that your customers follow.

1. Eyes
For most of your consumers, the first time they come across you will be via your website or a piece of marketing you shared online.

This is their first impression of you, and as we first judge someone by the clothes they are wearing, their posture, appearance, and confidence, they’ll judge your brand based on your site design, your photos, and your copy.

Hopefully, they’ll find you attractive enough to want to get to know you better and ask you to keep in touch by opting in to your list.

2. Mind
Slowly, as you consistently provide value to your audience, they’ll become aware of you.

As they grow to know you through your stories, your personality, and your voice, they’ll begin to think of you as a friend whose emails they look forward to receiving every week.

At this point, you’ve earned a place in their minds and their inboxes. They associate you with your area of expertise and recognize your name when they come across it.

3. Heart
Eventually, as you continue to build your relationship, and your customers get to know, like, and trust you, they’ll be open to hearing about what you have to offer, and ready to at least consider it.

To get to this step, simply be yourself. Share your stories and your personality while sharing your expertise.

Need more examples? Take a minute to think about your favorite bloggers and the newsletters you’ve gotten from them, and you’ll realize—what they’re sharing with you isn’t groundbreaking.

But it’s still useful and interesting because they add their perspective and their personality to the otherwise bland facts.

Your people come for the facts you share, but they’ll stay for your stories and your personality.

What in particular about your personality do you think your dream clients will be drawn to? Comment below and let me know—I’d love to hear!

Warmly,
Luisa

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