Marketing 101

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

Your website is more than just an online placeholder; it’s the face of your business or shopfront of your store. Every business owner or manager should ask themselves regularly: is our website working for us, or against us?

20

 minutes

Marketing 101

In 2025, SMEs can thrive by embracing innovative strategies like AI-driven personalisation, interactive video marketing, social commerce, and partnerships with micro-influencers to build authentic customer connections.

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

Businesses need more than just a good product or service to stand out—they need a powerful brand. Branding is key to marketing success. It helps companies stand out in a crowded market amongst their competitors and can help retain existing customers and attract new ones. Good branding builds customer loyalty and supports long-term growth. 

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

Do You Need to Spend Money to Get Your Social Media Posts Seen on Facebook (Meta) and Instagram?

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

You may not believe it, but we’ve seen the data, and email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of a marketer. It allows businesses to reach their audience directly (right to where they’re sitting), deliver personalised content, and build lasting relationships. However, with inboxes overflowing with promotional messages (hello mass delete every morning!) standing out requires more than just crafting a catchy subject line. Here’s a guide to email marketing best practices that will help you create impactful campaigns, engage your audience, and drive results.

12

 minutes

Marketing 101

For many New Zealand Professional Services firms, having a dedicated marketer in their firms has never been a priority. They have a Sales or Business Development Team, and use their admin staff to manage occasional ‘marketing tasks’ including social media posting, website content management and adhoc newsletters to clients.

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

Google Ads is a powerful tool that allows businesses of all sizes to grow by reaching their target audience through highly targeted advertising. Whether you're a small local business or a large e-commerce site, Google Ads can help you attract more customers, increase sales, and boost brand awareness.‍

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

Last month, Google made a significant announcement: it is cancelling its plan to eliminate third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser. With the news causing the third-party cookie to hit the headlines again, we thought now would be a great time to dive into the world of cookies and what this latest announcement means for marketers, businesses and consumers. 

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

Fran gives us a rundown on the famous marketing funnel - what it is, customer mindset at each stage and how to best meet your customer needs as they move down.

7

 minutes

Marketing 101

Discover the essential metrics to track your content marketing success and explore the most impactful formats—from blogs and videos to infographics and podcasts. Elevate your strategy with practical insights and tips to boost engagement, generate leads, and enhance brand awareness.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

We're diving into market segmentation - the art of using demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioural, and firmographic information to create highly targeted and effective marketing campaigns.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month's Mashup includes YouTube's ad-blocker bypass, LinkedIn's algorithm changes, Google's latest spam update, evolving influencer marketing trends, and Shopify's expanded AI tool suite.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month's Mashup includes Google's new AI-driven shopping ads, Netflix's rapid growth in ad-supported users and new programmatic partnerships, scrutiny over Google's AI Overview errors, LinkedIn's dominance in organic traffic growth, and TikTok's significant impact on boosting cinema ticket sales.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

Once again, VM coming to the rescue to reduce the overwhelm! We're giving you a run down on the various content types that can be used for marketing, what they're for, how to use them best and finishing it off by sharing some top tips for content.

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

As we hurtle towards 2024, the digital marketing skills required to be a successful marketer are growing and changing. The marketing profession is changing a lot due to tech and how consumers behave so we believe to have a successful marketing career, you need to keep learning and stay updated on industry trends.

6

 minutes

Marketing 101

We all use it, most of us daily, many of us hourly… but what makes great social media content? We’ve created a guide to help you craft compelling social media content that resonates with your audience.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month we cover LinkedIn's venture into short-form videos, Google's advanced Marketing Mix Modelling tool Meridian, Meta's integration of an AI chatbot across its platforms, a study revealing how good we are at distinguishing AI-generated content, and optimal YouTube posting times.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month we're talking about some significant digital marketing shifts, including the rise of AI-generated videos, Google's comprehensive core update, Meta's advertising enhancements, changes in Gen Z's search preferences, and the implications of a potential TikTok ban in the US.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

Discover the secret behind impactful marketing reports. We share how incorporating audience insights, channel performance, and conversion metrics can drive actionable insights and foster informed decision-making to propel your business forward.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

We're walking you through the evolution of marketing from the use of propaganda in Ancient Egypt, through the impact of the printing press during the Renaissance, mass marketing in the Industrial Revolution, the "Mad Men" era of the 1960s, all the way to the transformative power of the internet and social media in today's marketing landscape. It's quite the ride!

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

Learn about the untapped potential of Gen X for marketers, Meta and TikTok considering ad-free subscriptions, and the impact of Google's 'Helpful Content Update' on SEO-reliant sites. Meta's 'broadcast channels' aim to boost user engagement, and Google is testing generative AI image creation with safeguards. It's been a busy month!

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

From TikTok and Google thinking about working together and Snapchat's surprising growth to Elon Musk considering making Twitter a paid service, and Google really stressing the importance of quality in how they decide what to show you when you search, it's all here in our monthly digital marketing mashup.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

We've covering the latest numbers from X, a new in-app purchase partnership between Meta and Amazon, Chat GPT's latest update, Net-Zero goals for the ad industry and Google's latest review-based content update. Let's get into it.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

We've got updates from Google, who is turning 25, new visibility for Collaborative Articles from LinkedIn, business help from TikTok and advice for planning for the demise of cookies... Here we go.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month AI dominates with Google's Gemini and LinkedIn's tools, amidst varied ad spend and rising attention metrics.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

This month we're looking into the significant impact of Super Bowl LVIII in advertising and social media, Pinterest's growth, the formation of an ethical AI coalition by tech giants, and new analytical tools from YouTube and Meta to innovate and enhance digital marketing strategies.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

Explore the exciting digital marketing tools of 2024, including AI-powered content creation, predictive analytics, conversational marketing, AR advertising, and more, to optimise campaigns, enhance engagement, and drive success in a privacy-conscious digital landscape.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

We've compiled a comprehensive guide to the most useful marketing events and conferences in New Zealand throughout the year. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting in the field, these gatherings promise to be a gateway to invaluable industry insights, networking opportunities, and a bit of fun too!

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

In October 2021, there were 1.2 billion websites in the world … and along with that brings loads of self-labelled ‘web design specialists’ to match this rising demand.

8

 minutes

Marketing 101

Did you know that around three-quarters of the world's population is on social media? In New Zealand, we have social media penetration of 82%.

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

We're hearing a lot about ChatGPT at the moment – but what does this mean for content writing and SEO? We explore all the ways ChatGPT can be your blog-writing buddy, as well as the human aspects this impressive AI tool can't quite replicate... yet.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

Not sure whether to go down the custom or template website route? We've outlined the key differences between the two options to help you decide which is best for your business. Whether you're looking for cost-effectiveness and speed of set up, or more flexibility, unique design elements, and the ability to incorporate specific features, we'll run through all the pro's and con's of custom and templated websites to make your decision a bit easier.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

Hey there, fellow digital marketers! It’s been a year all right… Let's dive into what's been hot and what's not in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing in 2023.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

When the economy takes a downturn, no matter how big or small, marketing is often one of the first areas to face budget cuts. However, reducing marketing activities may not be the best strategy... so what should you be doing?

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

We're going into the art and science of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). We'll demystify the jargon and show you practical strategies that not only keep your customers coming back but make them feel valued and understood.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

In the world of digital marketing, professional development is crucial. These five free courses provide essential knowledge, keeping you up-to-date and competitive in analytics, advertising, inbound strategies, content creation, social media trends, and SEO research. Investing in these online learning programmes is an investment in your marketing success.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

It all starts with the customer. By getting to know your target audience, and their quirks, interests, and habits, you can create marketing magic that speaks their language and builds strong, lasting relationships, driving your business success.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

Planning your 2024 marketing strategy? Here are our top tips: set clear goals, analyse your competition, understand your audience, pick the right channels, craft compelling messages, harness data, focus on quality content, embrace social responsibility, keep up with tech trends, and be adaptable.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

Discover the secrets of successful B2B marketing and learn how to build long-lasting relationships with other businesses. Explore effective channels, innovative strategies, and five actionable ideas to enhance your business outreach and success in the competitive B2B market.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

We’re talking landing pages: what they are, why we need them, and how to make them really, really good.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

From your marketing strategy to your website, content marketing and brand, we’re removing the complexity by sharing the fundamentals you should focus your marketing efforts on, to help drive results for your business.

6

 minutes

Marketing 101

What is GA4? How is it different from GA? And how do you move over to it? We cover all of this and more in our round up of what's in store with GA4!

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

Understand the basics of what SEO is, how it works and why it's important to your business to ensure it's the best and optimised as much as it can be. Presented by Fran Bellingham, Founder and CCO of Virtual Marketers.

7

 minutes

Marketing 101

Understand the basics of search engine marketing by viewing our Founder and Chief Client Officer, Fran, as she talks about it in plain english - including why it's important for you to use.

6

 minutes

Marketing 101

Often you don't need a NEW website, you might just need your website updated, optimised or changed to a new template within the platform you're using like Wordpress, Squarespace or Shopify.

5

 minutes

Marketing 101

Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is an ongoing thing you need to do for any online store or business. You cannot send a shop live online and consider it done, you need to regularly ensure it's converting as well as it can for you, here's how.

7

 minutes

Marketing 101

User experience is what your customer or user has whenever they engage with your business. Watch our video for more info from our Founder and Chief Client Officer, Fran Bellingham.

22

 minutes

Marketing 101

In this episode of our Brown Bag Series, Fran chats with Rahul Watson-Govindan, Loomio CEO, Senior Executive, Director and Investor, about the purpose of a business strategy.

6

 minutes

Marketing 101

The graphic design tool Canva has revolutionised the marketing world, particularly for social media marketers, since it hit the mainstream a few years ago. It was founded by Australian Melanie Perkins who spotted a business opportunity when she realised how frustrating it was to learn how to use existing graphic design software.

8

 minutes

Marketing 101

It is estimated that only 15 of the top 100 retailers in New Zealand utilise affiliate marketing. While the rest of the world pushes ahead with this bold digital marketing strategy, companies in this country are being left behind. So how can you get ahead of the curve?

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

What’s your ultimate 2022 marketing goal? Authenticity? Reach? Persuasiveness?

8

 minutes

Marketing 101

The Internet has long been the most popular venue in the world for business. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, people are looking more and more to the digital world for the products and services that they want to buy.

10

 minutes

Marketing 101

Are you a startup or new SaaS business considering investing in digital marketing to get your business launch flying? Before you do, step back to take stock of the bigger picture.

4

 minutes

Marketing 101

There's a lot to think about when it comes to starting a new business. So we've broken down the three key marketing elements to help your startup achieve success.

3

 minutes

Marketing 101

I recently attended Ad World 2023 and it felt like near perfect timing for some inspiring speakers to dive into some of the complexities facing marketers of today. From recession-proofing ad spend to the good shining through in a world of AI, here are a few of my highlights from the online event.