The Rainmaker Report: DIY Marketing Hack

This just in, we have discovered the perfect Digital DIY Marketing Hack that will increase social engagement in no time. The perfect DIY Marketing hack is a customized Social Media Filter. This is a fun, creative, and easy way to gain social media attention for free. 

I know some of you are like, “What’s a filter?” and some are like, “What! No way! Tell me now!”

Well, for the “What’s a filter” crowd, a filter is an overlay people often put over their photos or videos on Snapchat or Facebook & Instagram Stories. It may sound complicated, but it is actually quite simple. 

via GIPHY

Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram offer the ability to create completely customized filters for free using their easy-to-use programs, Geofilter and SparkAR. 

Snapchat uses people’s location to display unique filters. Through Geofilter, anyone can create a perfectly styled filter for their event, store, or anything else. 

The Geofilter option will draw users in to find out more about what is going on around them. Imagine tourists are new to the area and looking for things to do. As they are exploring and posting their explorations on Snapchat for all their followers to see, they scroll through the filters to find a pop-shop or event nearby that they can attend. While at the event, they take more pictures using the fun Geofilter, and people around them or who follow them see the fantastic event plus  Geofilter and get drawn into the event. 

A Geofilter is a great way to promote an event, a new product, or a pop-up shop. The Geofilter is only for Snapchat; however, Instagram and Facebook have an entire AR (Augmented Reality) design studio where you can create your own AR customized filter.

SparkAR Hub is Facebook & Instagram’s free filter design studio. It is entirely free to use and has a bunch of creative options available. The platform may seem complex but don’t get discouraged; it is user-friendly, and after a couple of minutes of exploring, the program is no longer seemingly complex. 

Creating your own filter on Facebook and Instagram is a great way to generate exposure for products or your business in general. Many people spend time looking through the filters Facebook and Instagram have to offer on their completely free marketplace. The marketplace acts like any other search engine, the more popular the filter, the higher it is on the rankings, and people can search filters using tags that are associated with it. 

Take it from Pop-icon Selena Gomez. When her new album Rare came out, her team created a custom AR Filter to promote it. The filter both played the song Rare and offered a beautiful butterfly effect. The filter exposed the song to people who may not necessarily listen to her music because it was an option for every Instagram user. 

So sit down, get creative and have fun creating customized filters that are proven to help generate business awareness on three major social media platforms. 

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How to Make the Perfect Landing Page for your Small Business

If you’ve been running an online business in recent years, chances are you’ve heard the term “landing page.” 

Contrary to popular belief, a landing page isn’t your homepage. An effective landing page is a standalone powerhouse that specializes in converting site visitors into precious leads. 

Specifically, a landing page is where you direct potential customers when they click on a link promotional link embedded in your email or any other marketing channel. Once visitors reach the page, they’ll receive a prompt to exchange personal information for exclusive goodies. And since you’re supposed to attract each visitor, your landing page should never contain distractions (site navigation links, we are looking at you). 

While landing pages mean a lot to all companies, it’s a game-changer (as cliched as it sounds) for small businesses. Landing pages are a surefire way to send your treasured first-time audience right down the slippery slopes of your sales funnel — as long as you pay heed to some critical design elements. 

A Polished Headline 

What’s in a headline? Essentially, it is the core message you need to convert your visitor, conveyed with the fewest possible words. Try to limit your headline to five words (or ten words at max, but that’s pushing it). If you need to clarify your offerings further, use a sub-headline or the first paragraph of your landing page copy. 

For example, a headline could read, “Sign up for the Perfect Chatbot,” while your sub-headline follows up with “a revolutionary tool powered by the latest AI technology.” A lengthy headline will lose your visitor’s attention fast, so avoid it at all costs. 

Visuals Are Your Friends

Few people enjoy parsing through a wall of text. Your visitors are more likely to pass on a hot deal than comb through the jungle of words on a landing page. For the best results, add visuals to beautify your offer — anything from brand logos to graphics, videos, and gifs. Create a visual treat that gains attention immediately and make full use of white space. They offer visitors breathing room to ponder over the deal and let the details sink in before giving the go-ahead.  

Optimize Your Form

An incredible landing page for small businesses should cut to the chase. Specifically, use a well-vetted and concise digital form. Rather than asking for the moon, keep your questions practical/reasonable. If your business involves educational software for preschoolers, there’s no need to ask about dad’s position in the office. Keep your fields relevant, and visitors will be more willing to complete the form and give you that conversion. 

Don’t Forget the Buttons

Sure, underlined or emboldened CTA text might draw some attention. But if your small business aims to rally the crowd toward action - you’ll need some well-designed CTA buttons. Also, the CTA text plays a part in generating interest. You should avoid vapid, passive button texts like “sign up” for something more conversational such as “I’m up for it!”

Quality marketing for small businesses is all about visitor engagement, and stunning landing page buttons will do just that. 

Digital Rain Inc. — Landing Pages that Pop

You might come up with the most alluring landing page, but your efforts are in vain without a measurable system. With advanced platforms like HubSpot, you can monitor the effectiveness of your landing page conversions and justify that landing page ROI. 

If you dread content-building semantics and how to make your landing page work without copious risks, then Digital Rain has got the answers. Our talented and dedicated team has the experience and expertise to create an incredible landing page that evokes the spirit of your brand. That’s why 9 out of 10 unicorns choose Digital Rain for their branding strategies. 

So, let’s start the conversation for that conversion. Contact us to learn How to make a legendary Landing Page for your small business.

The Rainmaker Report: Hilarious Campaigns

The Rainmaker Report: Hilarious Campaigns

We are here to tell you why keeping it professional should not always be in your marketing efforts. Hilarious Campaigns leave a lasting impression and are arguably the most successful campaigns.

Hilarious Marketing Campaigns can gather a lot of positive attention because it releases a small amount of dopamine that gives viewers a great and memorable experience. Remember when we reported on the Dopamine Fix (if you haven’t you definitely should read our Blog now)? Well, when a company has a hilarious campaign people remember the happy feeling next time they see that product at the store, on social media, or being used by someone else.

Here are some pretty famous TV Ads, we are sure everyone remembers.

We see most hilarious campaigns on tv typically during major televised events like the Superbowl, where major companies try to make the $1 million + ad slot worth it. Check out these two hilarious campaigns that definitely left a mark in everyone’s memory.

The Doritos Time Machine

Jimmy’s time machine, that of course ran on Doritos, left a lasting impression on everyone watching because there was a funny twist to the traditional TV Advertisement. The next hilarious campaign is another snack, they even changed their packaging because of the campaign’s great success.

That’s right you guessed it, Snickers “You are not You When You Are Hungry” Campaign

This campaign had such great success because it was relatable and hilarious. It even had major stars like Betty White and Joe Pesci joining in on the fun!

Are you wondering if Hilarious Campaigns will fit with your type of marketing? Don’t worry, although mostly seen on TV, Hilarious campaigns can be through any medium. Like on Social Media through Memes. Check out our Blog “How to Market With Memes” to learn how you can make hilarious campaigns happen through Social Media too.