Blog
The Ultimate Marketing Budget Breakdown
You’ve got to spend money to make money, but what’s the best way to set (and stick to!) a dedicated budget? Take the guesswork out of your marketing budget allocation with an in-depth look at the real cost of marketing. Grab your TI-89 calculator, and let’s dive into your marketing budget breakdown! Download the free…
SEO, Location Pages and You: A How-To Guide
Location pages serve a practical and personal purpose for multi-location brands. Holding a high search engine results page (SERP) position for each unique location improves the brand’s visibility within the service area or market and allows brands to get personal. In this piece, we’ll run you through the technical and customer-focused benefits of building and…
Your Guide to SMART Goal Setting
Some goals are better than others. The SMART goals framework is designed to provide structure and achievability for personal, departmental and organizational objectives informed by real purpose. Leaders have used SMART goals for more than three decades to define and accomplish important priorities. Start planning and strategizing with clearly defined intentions; be smart about it!…
2024 Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Franchise Opportunities, Trends and Marketing Tips
Like so many consumer habits, the pandemic didn’t spark a shift toward faster, contactless dining experiences, but it did add plenty of momentum. Quick service restaurant franchises provide consumers with competitively priced meal, dessert and coffee options that fit busy schedules and tightening budgets. They also provide entrepreneurs with lower market entry costs and operating…
Why Seasonal SEO Matters
Here’s how to utilize seasonal SEO to improve organic visibility for seasonal products or services at precisely the right time. Seasonal keywords are an outstanding opportunity to create season-specific organic content that capitalizes on data-driven consumer behavior. Seasonal keyword variations are key differentiators for e-commerce brands, multichannel retailers, and professionals with annual or recurring services…
What’s in Google’s Search Data Leak?
Despite the rapid rise of AI-powered alternatives like ChatGPT, Claude and others, Google’s search algorithm remains the search marketer’s most coveted and secretive data. Recently, a massive data leak gave the world an unprecedented look into Google’s black box. The documents show how Google allegedly organizes, ranks, and serves search results and gives industry insiders…
5 Ecommerce Marketing Tools We Love
Having the right tools for the job makes building your ecommerce brand a lot easier. Of course, it takes time to find the right ecommerce tools to match your needs or fill your skills gap – but it’s well worth the effort. Luckily, we’ve got the Spark Notes version to help you save time choosing…
Microsoft Clarity: Heatmapping That’s Accessible (and Free)
Organizations and marketers invest tremendous amounts of time and money to find out what users want. Website UX tools like Microsoft Clarity help businesses and organizations sift through mountains of data to improve user accessibility and leverage customer behavior to optimize site design. Clarity sets itself apart with its ease of use and competitive pricing…
Introducing Nick Kurtz, Marketer Extraordinaire
Nicholas Kurtz, Senior Paid Media Project Manager Since growing up in Traverse City and then graduating from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations, I’ve found myself marketing both in-house and at agencies for a wide range of products and services on local, regional, national, and even international levels….
What Is Brand Photography (and Why Do I Need It)?
A picture says a thousand words, and when it’s an image of your brand, it needs to say it all. Brand photography, sometimes called identity photography, is important to establish and maintain brand identity. Especially for busy marketers, it’s super-efficient to have an expansive and diverse library of current, high-quality brand and on-brand images to…
Franchise Fees: What It Really Costs to Own a Franchise
Franchises offer an accessible and supportive business model that has helped hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs become small business owners. While not insignificant, typical franchise fees match the value you receive by joining a franchise system. Read on to learn more about the initial and long-term franchise fee structure and the various costs associated with…
How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Website?
Your website might be your organization’s most important investment. Websites serve as the face of your brand and organize information and products to meet the needs of customers. On top of doing regular maintenance, creating fresh content and making ongoing optimizations, marketers need to determine when it’s time to consider a website rebuild or start…
