Confused by people thinking they're impressive by using Marketing Acronyms? A lot of people we know, hate using Marketing Jargon, it's neither impressive, or helpful in your day-to-day, and we often find that more than half of all people that use them have absolutely no idea what they actually mean. So, here's our simple guide at decoding marketing (and a few other) acronyms - we'll add to this guide as more and more become available to us. ABS = (Always Be Selling) Usually heard quoted by coaches, 'always be selling' represents a phrase to agency owners, or sales people, basically to explain that you should never stop selling! AOV (Average Order Value) AOV is the average amount a customer spends each time they place an order on your site. Tracking this metric helps you spot trends, optimize pricing, and uncover ways to increase revenue from every transaction. B2B (Business to Business) B2B refers to companies that sell products or services directly to other businesses, rather than to individual consumers. Think software providers, wholesalers, or agencies working with corporate clients. B2C (Business to Consumer) B2C companies sell directly to individual customers. This covers everything from e-commerce stores and retail brands to streaming services and food delivery apps. BOFU (Bottom Of Funnel) BOFU describes the final stage in the marketing funnel, where leads are ready to make a purchase decision. Content and offers here are designed to convert prospects into paying customers. CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) CAC is the total cost of winning a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses. Keeping this number in check is key to scaling profitably. CEO (Chief Executive Officer) The CEO is the top executive in a company, responsible for overall strategy, vision, and leadership. They steer the ship and set the tone for the entire organization . CFO (Chief Financial Officer) The CFO manages a company’s finances-from budgeting and forecasting to financial reporting and risk management. They ensure the business stays healthy and profitable. CLTV (Customer Lifetime Value) CLTV measures the total revenue you can expect from a customer throughout their relationship with your business. A higher CLTV means more value from each customer, guiding how much you can invest in acquiring new ones. CMS (Content Management System) A CMS is software that lets you create, manage, and publish digital content without needing to code. Popular examples include WordPress and Shopify. CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) The CMO leads all marketing efforts, from brand strategy to campaign execution. They’re responsible for driving growth, awareness, and customer engagement. COO (Chief Operating Officer) The COO oversees day-to-day operations, making sure the company runs smoothly and efficiently. They usually translate vision into action. CPA (Cost Per Action) CPA is a pricing model where you pay only when a specific action occurs-like a sale, sign-up, or download. It’s a favorite for performance-driven marketing campaigns. CPC (Cost Per Click) CPC is what you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. It’s a core metric for paid search and social campaigns, helping you measure and optimize ad spend. CPL (Cost Per Lead) CPL tracks how much you spend to generate a new lead. It’s essential for understanding the efficiency of your lead generation efforts. CPM (Cost Per Mille/Thousand) CPM is the cost to show your ad one thousand times. It’s commonly used in display and social advertising to measure reach and brand awareness. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) A CRM is a system for managing interactions with current and potential customers. It helps you organize data, track sales, and nurture relationships for long-term growth. CTA (Call to Action) A CTA is a prompt that encourages your audience to take a specific step-like “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Learn More.” Effective CTAs drive conversions and move prospects through your funnel. CTR (Click Through Rate) CTR measures the percentage of people who click on your ad or link out of everyone who sees it. A higher CTR means your message is resonating. CTO (Chief Technology Officer) The CTO leads the technology strategy, ensuring your business stays ahead with the right tools, platforms, and innovations. DTC (Direct To Consumer) DTC brands sell straight to customers, bypassing third-party retailers. This model gives you more control over your brand, data, and customer experience. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) FOMO is a powerful psychological trigger marketers use to create urgency and encourage quick action-think limited-time offers or exclusive deals. GA (Google Analytics) Google Analytics is a free tool for tracking and analyzing website traffic. It gives you the insights needed to optimize your marketing and grow your business. GA4 (Google Analytics 4) GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics, offering advanced tracking, cross-device measurement, and deeper insights into user behavior. GSC (Google Search Console) Google Search Console helps you monitor and improve your site’s performance in Google search. It’s essential for SEO, showing you how Google views your site and where you can improve. GTM (Google Tag Manager) Google Tag Manager lets you add and update website tags-like tracking codes and analytics-without needing to touch the codebase. It streamlines marketing operations and speeds up deployment. KPI (Key Performance Indicator) KPIs are measurable values that show how effectively you’re achieving your business objectives. They keep your team focused and accountable. LTV (Lifetime Value) LTV is another way to refer to Customer Lifetime Value-the total revenue a customer brings in over their entire relationship with your business. MOM (Month on Month) MOM compares performance metrics from one month to the next, helping you spot trends and measure growth over time. MTD (Month to Date) MTD tracks your progress from the start of the month up to today, giving you a real-time snapshot of results. MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) MRR is the predictable revenue your business earns each month from subscriptions or ongoing contracts. It’s a key metric for SaaS and membership models. MOFU (Middle Of Funnel) MOFU is the middle stage in the marketing funnel, where leads are being nurtured and educated before they’re ready to buy. NLP (Natural Language Processing) NLP is a branch of AI that helps computers understand, interpret, and respond to human language. It powers chatbots, voice assistants, and smarter search. PDP (Product Description Page) A PDP is a web page dedicated to a specific product, giving customers all the details they need to make a purchase decision. PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned media) The PESO model breaks down your marketing channels into four categories: Paid (ads), Earned (PR), Shared (social), and Owned (your website, email list). PLP (Product Landing Page) A PLP is a landing page focused on a particular product or product category, designed to drive conversions and sales. POEM (Paid, Owned, Earned Media) Similar to PESO, POEM groups your marketing efforts into paid (advertising), owned (your platforms), and earned (media coverage) channels. PPC (Pay Per Click) PPC is a digital advertising model where you pay each time someone clicks your ad. It’s fast, measurable, and a staple in most marketing strategies. PR (Public Relations) PR is all about managing your brand’s reputation and building relationships with the media, influencers, and the public. ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) ROAS measures how much revenue you generate for every dollar spent on advertising. It’s a clear indicator of campaign profitability. ROI (Return on Investment) ROI shows the return you get from your marketing activities compared to what you spent. It’s the ultimate measure of success. RSS (Rich Site Summary) RSS feeds deliver your latest content directly to subscribers, making it easy for them to stay up-to-date with your updates. SAAS (Software As A Service) SaaS delivers software over the internet, usually via subscription. Users access the software through a browser, with updates and maintenance handled by the provider. SEM (Search Engine Marketing) SEM covers all paid marketing efforts on search engines, like Google Ads. It’s about getting your business in front of people actively searching for your products or services. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) SEO is the art and science of increasing your website’s visibility in search engine results, driving organic (unpaid) traffic to your site. SLA (Service Level Agreement) An SLA is a contract that defines the level of service you’ll deliver to your clients or customers, including response times, deliverables, and performance standards. SERP (Search Engine Results Page) The SERP is the page you see after entering a query into a search engine. Ranking higher here means more visibility and more clicks. SMM (Social Media Marketing) SMM involves using social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach, engage, and convert your audience. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) A SWOT analysis helps you evaluate your business’s internal strengths and weaknesses, alongside external opportunities and threats. It’s a must-have for strategic planning. TOFU (Top Of Funnel) TOFU is the first stage of the marketing funnel, focused on building awareness and attracting new leads. UGC (User Generated Content) UGC is content created by your customers or fans, like reviews, photos, or social posts. It builds trust and amplifies your brand message. URL (Uniform Resource Locator) A URL is the web address that points to a specific page on the internet. Clear, descriptive URLs help users and search engines understand your site structure. USP (Unique Selling Proposition) Your USP is what sets you apart from the competition-the unique value or benefit you offer that no one else does. This approach keeps things simple, actionable, and focused on helping your audience understand and apply each term to grow their business. Looking to cut through the marketing jargon and actually understand what those acronyms mean? Our no-nonsense guide to marketing acronyms is your resource for decoding essential marketing terms. Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or entrepreneur, mastering this lingo-like SEO, PPC, ROAS, and CRM-will help you make smarter decisions, communicate clearly, and measure what matters. Bookmark this page and refer back whenever you need a quick, transparent explanation-no fluff.

You’ve heard the phrase ‘content is king’ when it comes to on-page SEO activities. Although it's a cliché, it’s undeniably true. Google’s core value is to ‘focus on the user, all else will follow.’ This is why they emphasize content. Quality content fulfills users' needs. If your content is inadequate, and Google recommends you nevertheless, it will result in disgruntled users. They will feel disappointed with you and Google for leading them astray. Why Content is King in SEO The content you create for your website determines how search engines pick you up. It presents you as a solution to users conducting searches. The material on your site, social media platforms, and blog is meant to answer user questions. Using the right keywords and phrases helps you rank highly on search engine results pages (SERPs). In essence, your published content is what attracts visitors to your site. Why is Content So Important? Google uses an algorithm to rank pages. This algorithm searches for content that matches the searcher's query. Google's crawlers explore your website, determining what your site is about. They filter their findings into an index to generate search results. Your position in the SERPs depends on the keywords indexed by the crawlers. For example, if you only include a keyword once on your page, don't expect a high ranking. Google needs to see that your offering aligns with what users are searching for. Another crucial factor in determining your SERP position is the links connecting to your page. This is where link building becomes essential. If you produce outstanding content that other websites want to reference, you become an authority. Thus, your site is ranked higher because it provides valuable information. More backlinks to your pages lead to a better position in the SERPs. How to Ensure Your Content is What Your Audience Wants So, how can you ensure your content meets your audience's needs? It’s all about tailoring your content to their expectations. By meeting their desires, you’re likely to keep them coming back. Know Your Customers Identify who your customers are. Understand their likes, needs, and where they spend their time. Know what type of content they prefer and what problems they face. Once you have a clear picture of your target audience, you can create content that resonates with them. Know Your Competition What better way to ensure your content meets audience needs than by researching competitors? See what they are producing. You can either improve upon their work or take a new approach to satisfy the audience's needs. Check the comments on your competitors’ blog posts. Readers often leave feedback asking for clarification or additional detail. This presents an excellent opportunity to serve them better. Keyword Research To position your content as a solution, you need to understand what questions your audience is asking. Conduct keyword research to learn their language and preferences. You can use free tools such as: Google Trends Answer the Public Google Correlate Keywords Everywhere Google Search Console Look Back Review past content that has resonated with your audience. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Improve or build upon what has already worked. Recognizing what didn’t resonate is equally crucial, as it saves you time and resources in the future. Ask Your Audience If you want to know what your audience is looking for, simply ask! Organize surveys to gather their feedback. This can be particularly effective through an email marketing campaign. By implementing these strategies, you'll improve your chances of producing content that is not only relevant but also cherished by your audience. In conclusion, if you want to succeed in SEO now and in the future, remember: content that genuinely serves and informs is the foundation of lasting search visibility and digital trust. Providing valuable content establishes credibility and encourages user engagement. Without a doubt, creating meaningful content should remain a priority in your digital marketing strategy.

What You’re Really Getting When You Invest in SEO SEO is more than increasing website traffic. It is a strategic investment that positions your business for sustainable growth, greater brand authority, and long-term visibility. This guide outlines what you can truly expect when partnering with an expert SEO agency. Looking to build a smarter SEO foundation?   Discover our SEO services . SEO Is More Than Just Getting More Clicks For many businesses, SEO is synonymous with clicks, traffic, and leads. While these metrics are important, they represent only a fraction of what professional SEO achieves. True SEO, as delivered by Market Jar™, is about constructing a strong, scalable foundation that enables long-term business success. Effective SEO starts with a deep understanding of your business model, your target audience, and the competitive landscape. It goes beyond surface-level tactics, focusing instead on aligning your brand with genuine customer needs and search behaviors. A snapshot from a brand new site, we took on recently. Quick Answer:   Is SEO only about clicks and impressions?  No. SEO is about building brand authority, driving targeted engagement, and creating sustainable business growth ,  not just increasing website traffic. Explore our   Professional SEO Services . What Most Clients Expect When They Begin SEO When businesses begin SEO campaigns, it is natural to anticipate immediate results,  more website traffic, more inquiries, and a rapid return on investment. These expectations are understandable, but they often overlook the strategic nature of effective SEO. In reality, the early phases of SEO involve critical groundwork: correcting technical issues, optimising website structure, refining content strategies, and building digital authority. SEO success is not instant ,  it is built over time through consistent effort and data-driven refinement. Quick Answer:   What do most businesses expect from SEO?  Most expect rapid increases in traffic and leads, but sustainable SEO outcomes are achieved through consistent, long-term strategy and analysis. Learn more about   how SEO delivers results over time . What to Expect From the SEO Process SEO success doesn’t happen by accident. It follows a proven, structured process — and at Market Jar™, transparency is key. We start with an in-depth discovery session, followed by a technical audit, keyword research, and a full SEO strategy rollout. From on-page optimisation to authority building and monthly reporting, you’ll know exactly what to expect at every stage. Screenshot of streamlined client comms Quick Answer:   What is Market Jar’s SEO process?  A structured strategy that moves from discovery and technical audits to ongoing optimisation, link building, and measurable growth. Explore the full   SEO process and timeline here . Why SEO Builds Brand Visibility, Not Just Rankings One of the less-discussed benefits of SEO is its impact on brand visibility. Each time your website appears in search results ,  even without a click ,  your brand gains recognition. Over time, consistent search presence builds familiarity and trust with potential clients. Being visible during key decision-making moments reinforces your authority in the marketplace. It increases the likelihood that when customers are ready to act, your business is the one they remember. Quick Answer:   Does SEO help with brand awareness?  Yes. SEO increases brand visibility, credibility, and recognition by consistently positioning your business in front of relevant audiences. See how we help businesses build brand visibility in our   Case Studies . Why Flexibility and Strategy Pivots Are Essential to SEO Success A key advantage of professional SEO is the ability to adapt based on performance data. After several months, insights from Google Search Console , keyword tracking, and user behavior often reveal new opportunities,  or expose strategies that need adjustment. At Market Jar™, we view strategic pivots not as setbacks, but as essential optimisations. Adjusting course ensures that your SEO campaign remains aligned with real-world search behaviors and delivers better ROI over time. Quick Answer:   Is it normal to change an SEO strategy mid-campaign?   Yes. Successful SEO campaigns adjust based on evolving data, ensuring continuous improvement and better results. See how we refine strategies on our   Professional SEO Services page . Why Collaboration Between SEO Specialists and Developers Matters Technical SEO plays a critical role in search performance, but certain tasks,  such as site speed improvements, mobile responsiveness enhancements, or complex code fixes,  are often best handled by experienced web developers. At Market Jar™, we collaborate closely with your developers to ensure technical issues are addressed efficiently. This partnership allows SEO experts to focus on strategic activities like content optimisation, keyword research, and audience targeting,  delivering greater value for your investment. Quick Answer:   Should developers handle technical SEO tasks?  Yes. Involving developers for technical fixes ensures faster implementation and allows SEO specialists to concentrate on growth strategies. How Click Rate Optimisation (CRO) Enhances SEO Results Over Time As an SEO campaign matures and website rankings improve, attention shifts toward maximising conversion rates. This is where Click Rate Optimisation (CRO) becomes critical. CRO focuses on enhancing elements such as meta descriptions, headlines, calls to action, and page layouts to increase the percentage of visitors who engage or convert. At Market Jar™, we integrate CRO strategies later in the campaign to ensure that the traffic your SEO attracts leads to measurable business growth. Quick Answer:   What is CRO, and why is it important for SEO?  Click Rate Optimisation improves user engagement and conversions, ensuring that website traffic translates into tangible business outcomes. Why Helpful Content Outperforms “Clean” Content in SEO In today’s digital landscape, content must do more than look polished ,  it must be genuinely helpful, informative, and aligned with search intent. At Market Jar™, we prioritise creating content that addresses real customer questions, provides expert insights, and supports strategic keyword objectives. Search engines, particularly Google, reward depth, clarity, and relevance ,  not just stylistic perfection. Quick Answer:   Is clean-looking content enough for SEO?  No. Content must be valuable, informative, and optimised for search intent to achieve strong SEO performance. Learn more about effective   content strategies . Final Thoughts: SEO Is a Strategic Growth Partnership When you invest in SEO, you are not purchasing a single service ,  you are entering into a strategic growth partnership. A professional SEO campaign evolves alongside your business, continually optimising visibility, engagement, and conversions. At Market Jar™, we approach every SEO engagement as a long-term collaboration,  helping businesses not just rank higher, but build stronger brands and achieve sustainable growth. Ready to take the next step? Book your free SEO strategy consultation. “I’ve worked with SEO agencies for over 23 years; the good, bad and ugly. I can honestly say that James and Market Jar are the best and most effective. They have my full endorsement.” Jonny Slater - CEO of Vanquish

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses are increasingly investing in SEO to improve their online visibility and drive more traffic to their websites. But with the constant changes in search engine algorithms and the rise of digital advertising, how much should you budget for SEO in 2025? In this article, we’ll explore the importance of SEO in 2025 and provide insights on how much you should spend on it to stay ahead of the competition. The Importance of SEO in 2025 The Rise of Digital Advertising Digital advertising has been on the rise in recent years, with businesses spending more on online ads than ever before. In fact, according to eMarketer, digital ad spending is expected to reach $389 billion by 2024 alone. With the increasing competition in the digital advertising space, businesses are looking for alternative ways to reach their target audience and drive conversions. This is where SEO comes in. By optimising your website for search engines, you can improve your online visibility and attract organic traffic to your website. This not only helps you save on advertising costs but also allows you to reach potential customers who are actively searching for your products or services. The Constant Changes in Search Engine Algorithms Search engines are constantly updating their algorithms to provide users with the most relevant and high-quality results. This means that businesses need to stay on top of these changes and adapt their SEO strategies accordingly. In 2025, we can expect search engines to continue prioritising user experience and quality content. This means that businesses will need to focus on creating valuable and engaging content, as well as optimising their website for mobile devices. How Much Should You Spend on SEO in 2025? The 10% Rule A common rule of thumb for businesses is to allocate 10% of their total revenue towards marketing. This includes both traditional and digital marketing efforts, such as SEO. How much should you spend monthly with an SEO Agency? Consider Your Industry and Competition When determining your SEO budget for 2025, it’s important to consider your industry and competition. If you’re in a highly competitive industry, you may need to invest more in SEO to stand out from your competitors and improve your online visibility. Additionally, if your competitors are investing heavily in SEO, you may need to increase your budget to keep up with them and maintain your rankings. The Importance of ROI While it’s important to allocate a sufficient budget for SEO, it’s also crucial to consider the return on investment (ROI). This means tracking the results of your SEO efforts and determining if the investment is worth it. To calculate the ROI of your SEO efforts , you can use the following formula: ROI = (Revenue – Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment By tracking your ROI, you can determine if your SEO budget is providing a positive return and make adjustments accordingly. The Role of Digital Advertising As mentioned earlier, digital advertising is on the rise and is expected to continue growing in the coming years. This means that businesses may need to allocate a larger portion of their marketing budget towards digital advertising, leaving less for SEO. However, this doesn’t mean that SEO should be neglected. SEO and digital advertising can work together to improve your online visibility and drive more traffic to your website. By investing in both SEO and digital advertising, you can reach a wider audience and increase your chances of converting potential customers. How to Make the Most of Your SEO Budget Focus on Quality Content As mentioned earlier, search engines prioritize quality content . This means that businesses should focus on creating valuable and engaging content that resonates with their target audience. By investing in high-quality content, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic to your website. This not only helps with SEO but also provides value to your audience and can lead to conversions. Stay Up-to-Date with SEO Trends As search engine algorithms continue to evolve, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and best practices. This can help you adapt your SEO strategy and stay ahead of the competition. Additionally, staying informed about SEO trends can also help you make informed decisions about your SEO budget and where to allocate your resources. Consider Outsourcing SEO Services Managing SEO can be a time-consuming and complex task, especially for businesses with limited resources. This is where outsourcing SEO services can be beneficial. By working with a reputable SEO agency, you can save time and resources while still reaping the benefits of SEO. Additionally, SEO agencies have the expertise and experience to help you achieve your SEO goals and stay ahead of the competition. Conclusion SEO will continue to play a crucial role in businesses’ online visibility and success in 2025. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to determining your SEO budget, it’s important to consider your industry, competition, and ROI when making decisions. By investing in quality content, staying up-to-date with SEO trends, and potentially outsourcing SEO services, you can make the most of your SEO budget and stay ahead of the competition in 2025. If you’re still left wondering, how much should your SEO Budget be In 2025, just book a call with us .

If you’re a wine maker or you’re a wine merchant , you’ll no doubt be on the hunt for great wine marketing ideas. Because in these trying times, if there’s one thing we’re all guaranteed to turn to in the evening, to take the edge off a hectic day or to try and shift the feeling of cabin fever, it’s wine.  But how do you persuade your audience that they want to buy your wine? What can you do - marketing wise - to get customers to not just check your brand out, but to actually purchase your products?  And here’s the thing you need to know - Millennials are the people you need to be targeting with your wine marketing efforts.  Millennials are fast becoming instrumental to a winery or a wine business’ success. In fact, Millennials drink more wine now than their parents do with Millennials representing 42% of total expenditure on all wine purchases. So what are the best wine marketing campaigns you can deploy to bring this generation over to your side?  First though, what exactly is wine marketing? What is wine marketing? You’d have thought that selling wine to young adults would be akin to selling sweets to children, not so much.  With more and more wineries competing for a slice of the market and consumers demanding more transparency, authenticity and sustainability from the brands they purchase from, guaranteeing wine sales is getting harder.  Millennials (the generation born between 1981-2000) will soon represent the vast majority of the workforce, making them the main consumers of almost everything, including wine. And they’re the generation who demand more from a brand, not just value for money. For them being socially conscious is essential, they know that their choices impact the world around them.  So how can you market wine to Millennials? Here are 5 tips to help you on your way.  Top tips for marketing wine to Millennials 1. Use a specialist drinks marketing agency Using a dedicated food and drink marketing agency, who understands how to market wine to Millennials, as well as have experience doing it (and seeing tangible results too), should be your first port of call.  A specialist drinks marketing agency such as Market Jar will help you develop creative and effective ideas in order to connect you with your target customers. They have the know-how to get you in front of your audience and can position you head and shoulders above the competition.  As a specialist food and drink marketing agency, Market Jar has an intimate knowledge of the sector and a solid process to develop a bespoke wine marketing strategy for you, to ensure your brand’s success.  We're the team behind multiple successful wine brands, including Plonk, Pull The Cork, Gasm drinks, London Wine Shippers, Pandemonium Wines, Hambledon Vineyard , and Quello Drinks. And, we've recently launched the new website for Res Fortes , which you can see below: Latest website for Res Fortes 2. Understand they know their stuff Millennials know their wine and they can navigate the internet like a pro - they already know more than you think. So don’t treat them like children or novices, talk to them like an equal.  Tell them about the wine’s provenance.  About how the grapes were grown.  How the vineyard is sustainable.  Tell them about the winemakers - what makes them and their technique unique.  By giving your audience what they want - great wine and an authentic wine drinking experience, you’ll have created a happy customer. 3. Communicate with them through their preferred channels Millennials are social creatures, so if you want to connect with them, you have to set yourself up where they can be found - i.e. on social platforms. Ditch the old, stuffy traditional means of marketing i.e in trade publications, and go where your customers are.  Use visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest to create eye-catching imagery, or create and engage a community of like-minded wine lovers on Facebook or LinkedIn. By engaging Millennials on their preferred platform and taking your brand to them, you’re creating the opportunity to make loyal customers  for life.   4. Leverage your reviews Millennials are the generation who do care what people think. Reviews are a vital source of truth for them because they grew up on the internet, they know and understand about fake news and they have a tendency now to trust people over brands.  According to Forbes , 97% of all Millennials will read online reviews before selecting a business, with 89% of those believing what they read. How can you leverage this faith in someone else’s opinion?  Ask for reviews from everyone - from customers, suppliers, your logistics chain, your mum, your postman, everyone, and integrate these reviews into your product pages. 5. Be authentic in everything you do Millennials value authenticity, so create original content and be proud to be unique. In fact, if you have a point of difference, highlight it!  Not only will it make you more appealing to your target audience it will also set you apart from the competition. And when the noise in wine marketing is as loud as it is, anything you can do to get your voice heard is a bonus.  This original content can take many forms - social media posts, blog posts, videos - however you choose to connect with your customers, do it, and be true to who you are.

If you’re wondering ‘how can I get more website traffic’, there are plenty of options to help you grow your ecommerce website traffic organically. From carefully selecting your chosen keywords to social media marketing , boosting the number of visitors you get to your ecommerce website can be a full-time activity. There are so many ways to attract more visitors to your website, but one of the most underrated ways is to make sure the layout of your ecommerce product pages is on point. What do we mean by that? Tips on SEO for eCommerce product pages When you’re building your eCommerce website , one of the most overlooked aspects is optimizing the individual product pages themselves. The importance of SEO for eCommerce product pages cannot be overestimated. Optimizing your site’s product pages will be the difference between a dribble of website traffic and a torrent of visitors. Consider some of these SEO best practices for ecommerce product pages. ●      Pick your keywords . Your chosen keywords play an essential part in getting your product pages to rank in the search engine results page (SERP). Use keywords that people searching for your products or services are using in their search. Don’t just include generic keywords, think outside of the box - people search for all sorts of things, not just the name of your product. Include the colour, the configuration, the model type, and how it’s used, you get the idea. Use keyword tools such as Google AdWords  or keywordtool.io  to help you. These tools will show you the most popular keywords or long tail phrases that users are using for each product category. ●      Optimise your URLs. It isn’t just your content that will attract more traffic to your website, a clean and friendly URL will also have a hand in getting more eyes on your prize. Not only does a clean URL look more attractive to visitors, it will also help the Google Autobots easily identify what each of your product pages is about. When optimising your URLs, keep it simple: ○      Category page - websitename.com/category name ○      Sub-category pages - websitename.com/category name/sub-category ○      Product page - websitename.com/category/sub-category/product-name It really is that easy. ●      Optimise your metadata . Type a search into Google and check out the list of websites that are displayed. Underneath each website is a sentence or two detailing (in brief) what the site is about. That right there is metadata. And that is what you need to include for EVERY product page. Not just the categories. Every product page. It’s a ball ache, but it’s what will stand you apart from the competition. This information is integral in capturing your audience’s attention and driving more traffic to your ecommerce site. ●      Layout of ecommerce product pages. Your individual e-commerce product pages are more important than your homepage when it comes to pleasing your visitors. So, spend your time optimising each product page and reap the rewards in sales. Layout of ecommerce product pages When doing website design , far too many ecommerce owners waste time overly optimising the homepage layout when they should be focused on optimising the pages that will maximise the return on their investment, i.e. ecommerce product pages. Why? Because your products are what your customers are after, not your home page. This is especially important if you’re a new business because people won’t be searching for your brand name if they don’t know it, they’ll be searching for the products you retail. Enhance your product pages and give your users the best UX. How? 1. Include plenty of engaging images. Our primitive brains love a good eye-catching visual, so if you want your customers to stick around. Don’t be shy with them. ●      Use images that showcase your product in action and let your audience see how easy it is to use for themselves. ●      Make your feature image a clear and easy-to-understand image of your product in action. ●      Don’t forget to include Alt-tags for all of your product images - if you don’t accurately describe them, how can Google match your images up with what your customers are searching for? ●      Make sure all your visuals are high definition and include a zoom-in and zoom-out feature - people like to get up close and personal, so let them. 2. Include videos. If a picture paints a thousand words, imagine how many words a quick video can incorporate. We are visual creatures after all and videos feed our habits. But more importantly than that, a video lets your audience go beyond a 2-dimensional image and allows you to tell a story with each of your products and shows your audience why they should buy it. 3. Write unique product descriptions. Images and videos are great for enticing customers, but in order for them to find your products in the SERP in the first place, you have to write unique product descriptions so that Google can index your product pages accordingly. Don’t write about the features of your products however, users don’t care (so much) about those. No, what users want to know is how your product is going to benefit them. Sell the benefits of your products, not their features. 4. Use whitespace. Don’t pack out the product pages with as much information as you can. Instead, take advantage of the page’s whitespace. Whitespace in graphic design helps to reduce the noise on a product page and focuses the eye where you need it to go. I.e on your product. 5. Upsell with product suggestions. Demonstrating how customers can use your products and reap their benefits for themselves is one thing, but upselling your other products or cross-selling with a ‘you might also like’ tab? Priceless.

In the world of generating new business, landing new clients is the most exciting way to grow, success, and sustainability. But how do you reach potential clients? One strategy stands out: cold email outreach. Cold email, when done right, can be a powerful tool. It's a direct line to potential clients, cutting through the noise of crowded markets. But it's not as simple as sending a mass email and hoping for the best. Success in cold email outreach requires strategy. It requires knowing your audience, crafting simple but great messages, a/b testing, and improving them constantly. Our guide equips you with these skills. We'll explore: the art of personalisation, the power of keeping your text “ below 3rd grade ”, great subject lines, and the need for a targeted prospect list. We'll explore the structure of an effective cold email and the impact of clear calls to action. We'll also discuss the importance of follow-up emails and the benefits of segmenting your email list. We'll guide you through the process of A/B testing to better refine your strategy. But it's not just about the emails themselves. We'll also cover the legal aspects of cold emailing. We'll discuss the key success metrics and tools to enhance your campaigns. This guide is for startup founders who want to bootstrap their brand. And it is for D2C CEOs who want to scale. It's a comprehensive resource. It has insights and tips to help you land clients via cold email. So, are you ready to transform your cold email outreach and drive your business forward? Let's dive in. Understanding the Basics of Cold Email Cold email is a direct marketing strategy. It involves sending unsolicited emails to potential clients. Unlike spam, a good cold email provides value and relevance. The goal is to start a conversation, not push an aggressive sales pitch. Successful cold emails focus on the recipient's needs and pain points, and how you can address them. Timing is crucial. Knowing when your audience checks emails can boost response rates. We will find the best time to send emails by testing different days and times. Depending on the industry you're targeting, you might find that Mondays, are not the best, and Saturdays are, for example. Building a quality email list is fundamental. Target individuals who are most likely to be interested in your offerings. Research potential clients. Find their pain points. Then, tailor your approach to meet their needs. Sounds easy right...? Crafting Compelling Subject Lines That Get Opened A compelling subject line is crucial for cold email success. It's the first thing recipients see. It decides whether they open or ignore your email. Crafting the right subject line can lead to a notable increase in your email's open rate. Make subject lines relevant and intriguing. They should spark curiosity without being misleading. An irrelevant subject may lead to immediate deletion or a spam report. Keep them concise and clear. A clear subject line briefly conveys your email's purpose. Busy professionals often skim their emails. So, simplicity can capture attention better. Use numbers or specifics. Quantifiable details or precise claims often draw more attention. For example, "Boost Your Sales by 25% in 30 Days" is more compelling than a vague "Boost Your Sales." Test different subject lines with A/B testing. This strategy can help identify what resonates best with your audience. Smartlead’s AI Auto Adjust A/B  Testing feature allows you to test different email variables and drive revenue through more booked meetings. Here’s a refined guide on how to leverage this tool effectively. Key Preparations Before Testing: Ensure your email account is properly set up in Smartlead with SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX records. To prevent deliverability issues, warm up your inbox for at least two weeks before starting A/B testing. How to Run A/B Tests with Smartlead: Step 1: Click on the “Add Campaign” button to get started. Step 2: Upload a CSV file or import your lead list directly from your CRM. Step 3: Once you've composed the first email, click the “Add Variant” button to create additional variations (you can test up to 5 variants). Now, let's explore the three A/B testing methods that are available. The Manual Equal Distribution method automatically splits variants equally across all leads. The Manual Distribution with Variant Percentage Allocation allows you to manually set the percentage distribution for each variant, with up to 10 variants recommended for statistical significance. Finally, the AI Percentage Distribution method leverages Smartlead’s AI to adjust the variant distribution based on the chosen winning metric (Reply Rate, Positive Reply Rate, Click Rate, or Open Rate), automatically optimizing the campaign for better results. Each method is designed to provide flexibility and insights to help improve email performance. Once you’ve set up your A/B test, launch your campaign and monitor the performance metrics. Use the insights gained to optimize future outreach efforts and make data-driven decisions to drive more meetings and revenue. Tips for Compelling Subject Lines: Start with a question to pique interest. Use personalisation, like mentioning their name [first_name] or company [company_name]. Create urgency with time-sensitive offers or limited places. Highlight a benefit or solution straight away. Avoid spammy words like "free," "guarantee," or excessive punctuation. These can trigger spam filters or make your email seem untrustworthy. You also can use Spam Checker  tools, to ensure your email campaigns avoid common spam triggers and deliver your message to the right audience. Simply copy and paste your email message into the tool, and it will instantly analyze the content for potential issues, including spammy words, overpromises, or unnatural phrasing. By identifying these issues early, you can refine your email before sending it, improving deliverability and engagement rates.  An effective subject line sets the stage for the content inside. It plays a pivotal role in the recipient's decision to engage with your email. A perfect subject line is key to your campaign's success. So, invest time in crafting it. Structuring Your Cold Email for the Largest Impact The structure of your cold email plays a crucial role in its effectiveness. A well-organised email can improve readability and response rates. Let's explore how to create a structure that captivates your audience. Start with a strong introduction that captures attention. Use personalisation and relevance to engage your reader from the outset. This introduction sets the stage for the value proposition you will present. Next, clearly present your main message. Ensure the recipient understands what you're offering and how it benefits them. Keep this section concise to maintain their interest. Following your main message, you need to provide supporting details. This could include case studies, testimonials, or data that back up your claims. Including social proof can enhance your credibility. Conclude with a clear call to action (CTA). Your CTA should prompt the recipient to take a specific next step. Be direct about what you want them to do. This applies to scheduling a call or requesting more information. Consider this basic structure for your cold emails: Personalise and engage without delay. Main Message : Explain your offer and its benefits. Supporting details:  Use evidence to build credibility. CTA : State the desired action in a straightforward manner. Finally, keep your email concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details that dilute your message. Each sentence should serve a clear purpose. Crafting an impactful cold email takes practice and iteration. Analyse responses and refine your structure based on feedback. With time, you will master the art of creating emails that not only get opened but also elicit a response. The Power of the Follow-Up Following up on cold emails is often where real opportunities lie. Initial emails may get ignored or lost in busy inboxes. A thoughtful follow-up can bring your message back to the forefront. One follow-up email rarely suffices, too. So you need to get clever, ideally, you'd have one follow-up per sequence, and you have three sequences per campaign of 1,000 leads. A well-timed follow-up can enhance response rates. This increases the chances that people will notice your email. Here are essential tips for crafting effective follow-up emails: Be concise: Respect  the recipient's time by keeping your message short. Personalise the message: Reinforce  that you understand their needs. Remember, follow-ups help to build familiarity and trust.  Short emails are much more effective at securing meetings. Your success rate will increase by simply following up 24 hours later with an in-thread reply: "Thoughts?" OR, you can also try these, with added syntax: {would you be against a conversation, no worries if not.|Are you against a quick conversation, no worries if not.} OR: {Looks like my timing isn't right.|Maybe you're not ready to explore this.|Seems this might not be relevant to you.} You can copy and paste these into your email sender tool, we use Smartlead .   Empirically, shorter emails paired with a "thoughts" follow-up are 15 times more likely to lead to a meeting. Writing below 3rd Grade “Below 3rd grade” usually means: Simpler words. Shorter sentences. Fewer adverbs. No passive language. No excess words. If you want to take your cold email outreach to the next level, actually write your emails inside Hemingway . This gives you real-time feedback and makes you a better writer, much faster. It's one of the things that's transformed my writing. To be clear: simplifying language doesn't mean you attract dumb people. It means you help high-level people and enable low-level ones. Result = more people understand you and buy your things. Here's an example, that was incredibly successful for our client; Modi Lighting : This email alone has brought in 56 qualified customers for Modi in the past 7 days. Lead with the client's problems Prospects don’t care about you or what you do, they only care about what you can do for them.   Put yourself in the prospect's shoes and ask yourself   Does this really grab me? Does this really compel me to want to hear more? Does this really make me feel something?   The prospect doesn’t relate to what you do and this is why you need to stop talking about your solution. The art of the reply Landing a client through cold outreach is one thing. But the next biggest challenge is the response.  Once you get a warm response, like, "Please send more info," you must do a multi-threaded response. Connect with that person on LinkedIn . Then call and ask for them.  Then respond to their email. Your response depends on their reply to your email. But, I'd suggest something simple, like this: Hi [first_name], When is a good time to talk? [your_name] Always keep it direct, and simple, never overcomplicate it! Coming in too hot. 97% of your prospective buyers are not in a position to buy the very moment you call. I know I know how buyers can be so rude and not buy when we're ready to sell. But that's the reality of how the buyer-seller world works. First of all, you can't make people buy because you're ready to sell. Lean back.  Give them a reason to remember you when they are ready to play the long game. Overcoming Common Challenges in Cold Email Outreach Cold email outreach is not without its challenges. Many founders and CEOs face obstacles that can hinder campaign success. Understanding these challenges is the first step in overcoming them. One common issue is low response rates. Crafting emails that stand out in crowded inboxes requires creativity. Personalization and value offerings can significantly improve engagement. Continuous Improvement and Adaptation Cold email outreach is a dynamic process. It requires ongoing refinement to remain effective. As trends evolve, strategies must adapt to meet new demands. Continuous improvement is crucial. Analyse campaign performance regularly to identify areas for growth. Use data-driven insights to make informed adjustments. Adaptation involves embracing change. Stay updated on industry best practices to keep your approach fresh. Incorporate new tactics that align with your brand's goals. And remember: First email campaign: No ROI Second email campaign: No ROI Third email campaign: No ROI Fourth email campaign: No ROI Fifth email campaign: No ROI Sixth email campaign: 60 calls booked You've got to be consistent, the best marketing takes time! Finally, Here's a list of some essential tech tools to consider: CRM Systems:   HubSpot , or Monday Automation Software:   Smartlead A/B Testing Tools:   Optimizely Data Enrichment:   Listkit Using these cold email tools will streamline your outreach. By leveraging technology, you can focus more on strategy and creativity. Embrace these advancements to elevate your campaigns and achieve better results.

1. Keyword Optimization Research target keywords relevant to the product. Use primary keywords in the title tag, meta description, headers (H1, H2, etc.), and product description. Avoid keyword stuffing; maintain natural language. 2. URL Structure Use short, descriptive, and keyword-rich URLs (e.g., example.com/product-name ). Avoid numbers or symbols that are not user-friendly (e.g., example.com/product1234 ). 3. Title Tag and Meta Description Create a compelling, unique title tag with primary keywords (within 60 characters). Write an informative meta description that includes primary keywords and a clear call to action (within 155 characters). 4. Product Description Write original, engaging, and detailed product descriptions. Highlight key features, benefits, and specifications. Address potential customer pain points or common questions. 5. Product Images Use high-quality, optimized images. Include descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for each image. Use appropriate image formats (e.g., WebP, JPEG) to balance quality and speed. Compress images to improve page load speed. 6. Internal Linking Link to related products or categories to encourage browsing. Use descriptive anchor text for internal links. 7. Reviews and Ratings Display customer reviews and ratings on product pages. Mark reviews with structured data (schema markup) for rich snippets. 8. Structured Data Markup Implement product schema markup for details like price, availability, and reviews. Test structured data using Google’s Rich Results Test tool. 9. Mobile Optimization Ensure the product page is fully responsive on mobile devices. Use large, easy-to-read text and properly spaced buttons. 10. Page Speed Minimize page load time using caching, compression, and efficient coding. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for faster delivery. 11. Call-to-Action (CTA) Include clear, prominent CTAs (e.g., “Buy Now,” “Add to Cart”). Test the placement and design of CTAs for better conversions. 12. User Experience (UX) Ensure intuitive navigation with breadcrumb links. Optimize the layout for easy scanning of information. Provide detailed sizing charts, FAQs, or guides where relevant. 13. Social Proof Display badges, certifications, or trust signals (e.g., "Money-Back Guarantee"). Include user-generated content like photos or videos. 14. Technical SEO Check for broken links or 404 errors. Implement canonical tags to prevent duplicate content issues. Use HTTPS for secure browsing. 15. Analytics and Tracking Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor page performance. Track key metrics such as bounce rate, conversion rate, and time on page. 16. Social Media Integration Add social sharing buttons for easy promotion. Include Open Graph tags for better social media previews. 17. Localization Optimize product pages for local SEO if targeting specific regions. Include localized keywords and pricing in the local currency. 18. Regular Updates Regularly update product pages with fresh content or seasonal promotions. Keep inventory and availability information accurate. 19. Avoid Duplicate Content Ensure each product page has unique content, especially if there are similar products. Use canonical tags for variations (e.g., different colours or sizes). 20. Accessibility Make the page accessible for users with disabilities. Ensure compliance with WCAG guidelines (e.g., text alternatives for non-text content). By following this checklist, you can create product pages that rank higher on search engines, provide a great user experience, and drive conversions.

As the festive season approaches, we wanted to take a moment to share our upcoming Christmas schedule.   Our agency will be taking a well-deserved break to allow our team to chill, recharge, and spend quality time with their loved ones.   Please note : Our phone lines will be closed off from 1 pm on Friday 20th December until we re-open again on Monday 6th January 2025.   There should be no variance in service, with work delivered before Christmas week and back to normal in January for the usual reporting cycle.   We've got cover for the Christmas week but limited staff, however, we’ll have front-loaded the larger chunks of work into the first few weeks of December.   As a remote-first business, we remain accessible for critical emergencies. Our current clients know our direct communication channels and can reach out if urgent matters arise. For any new clients, please use our contact form (click below), and we'll respond as soon as possible.   Lesson Learned: The temptation of running a growth company can be to chase every single client that comes your way, and I have learnt recently that this is a slippery slope. We've always advertised ourselves as much of a bespoke agency, and we've never worked with more than 20 clients at a time, and this has enabled us to deliver solid results for our clients, consistently. Keeping under 20 clients at a time also means we always have time for our paying customers, nobody is ever overstretched, and both the Market Jar team and the client really have a personal service, which I will keep as we head into 2025. Contracts! There are too many agencies, mainly the larger ones that make you sign a 12-month contract, so you're stuck paying enormous fees, with no concrete results! We don't see the value of locking businesses into long contracts, so following the 6th of January, we will work with 30-day rolling contracts. Most importantly, this offers you a degree of flexibility and also makes us work harder! After all, running a business should be on your terms, and most importantly; should be enjoyable! Finally, a heartfelt thank you! To everyone who’s been part of our journey this year, from our lovely clients, and our incredibly talented team, and trusted mentors, thank you so much. None of this would be possible without you! Thank you for everything this year, we wish you a very Happy Christmas and New Year's Eve and would like to thank you for your continued support. Ps; I was trying to find a picture of myself, for this article, but it looks like in the whole year, I have not taken any, so that's another thing for the list in 2025! I don't want to run a faceless business!

SEO is much more simple than people sometimes make out. At its heart, it comes down to two things: links and content. High-quality links let Google know that your website is trusted. High-quality content lets users know that your website is trusted. Fail on either of those things, and your Defence content has no chance of appearing in Google search results. Here’s where you could be falling. Link problems When it comes to SEO, links come in two categories: internal links and backlinks . Let’s take a look at how each of them influences your website search ranking – and where you might be going wrong with yours. Internal links Internal links point to other pages on the same website. And what SEO professionals call the internal link structure of your website is pretty important for your search ranking. A good way to understand how this works is by understanding the concept of SEO juice . Essentially, your website has a big container of SEO juice that should be distributed throughout your web pages. Your internal links tell Google where to put that juicy SEO goodness. For this reason, you need to send most of that SEO juice to your most important pages: they will most likely be your homepage, your cornerstone content and your service pages. It helps Google to understand which of your web pages to prioritise and starts building a kind of website structure. Backlinks If internal links let Google know where to distribute your SEO juice, backlinks are the ingredients that make up the juice. A backlink is a link from another website that points to your domain. When we talk about a high-quality backlink, we’re talking about a link from a respected and authoritative website. In practice, that means a link from the BBC to your website is going to be much more valuable than a link from getfreemoneynow.com . But clearly, not everyone can easily acquire links from the BBC, The New York Times and The Guardian. Getting high-quality backlinks can be a time-consuming and challenging process, which is why you might want to consider hiring an International SEO agency. Agencies often have access to a network of websites where they distribute your content, increasing your backlinks and improving your search ranking at the same time. Content problems The next piece of the SEO puzzle is your content. If Google use links to measure the credibility of your website, your readers measure your credibility based on your content. So it has to be relevant, it has to be valuable, and it has to be unique. Your content isn’t unique enough Your content might look good and read well. But there are thousands of other people writing content on the very same topic. So if your content isn’t unique, it will sink in the search results. A good way of figuring out if your content is truly unique is by checking out the top search results for your target keyword. Let’s say you’re writing an article about the defence threat of drones. Does it differ from the top results? Does it offer anything different? Is the information laid out logically and concisely?  If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’, go back and sharpen up your content. It needs to be different enough from the other search results for users to click on it and read it. Your content doesn’t add any value for the reader But it’s not enough for your content to just be different. It also has to add value for the reader. By that, we mean it has to give the reader something that your rival content doesn’t. What could that be? Well, maybe you could include a free PDF with your article. You could get some quotes from an expert on the topic. You could even just make the most important information easier to access than your competitors do. All of these are reasons why the reader would choose your content over your competitors. Keep that in mind for every piece of content you write, and you won’t go too far wrong. You’re not writing the content that your users are looking for If you’re not writing the content that your users are looking for, they won’t read it – no matter how good it is. In SEO-speak, you’ve got to understand something called search intent. Let’s say that someone types in ‘seo defence’ into Google. When you browse through the results, you can quickly see how the search intent of ‘ SEO defence ’ is different for different people. Some users want more information about so-called SEO defence tactics – ie, how to protect your search ranking.  However, other users are looking for help with SEO for the defence industry. People are using the same search term, but looking for different content. So when you’re writing your content, you’ve got to make sure it matches up with what the user is looking for. It’s generally better to be as specific as possible. In this example, you might optimise your page around ‘SEO for the defence industry’ instead. Website SEO errors If your website is full of errors then it won’t make any difference how brilliant your content is, how many links you have, or how respected your website is – it will still struggle to appear in Google. Luckily, most website SEO errors are easy to fix. SEMrush has a free SEO audit tool that will make you aware of most of them. It could be anything from broken links to more technical stuff like multiple H2 tags or a low text-to-HTML ratio. But for a more in-depth analysis, you might be better off hiring the services of an SEO pro. Once you’ve ironed out the errors, improved the speed of your website and improved the user experience, it’s over to your backlinks and content to get your content appearing in Google. Looking to rank better in search engines? If you’re looking for an international SEO agency to provide you with professional SEO services , book a growth audit .

What exactly is dropshipping? Dropshipping is a retail method. A store doesn't keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it buys it from a third party. They ship it to the customer on your behalf without any delays. This unique model has its perks. It can be cheaper than renting office space. It offers flexibility and is accessible. It also offers a reduced amount of financial risk. But, dropshipping isn't exactly a walk in the park. It comes with its own set of unique challenges. You must navigate a lot. You must choose the right niche, find trusted suppliers, and manage inventory and customer service. That's where this guide comes in useful. Our guide is for you. It covers starting or scaling a dropshipping business. So, is Dropshipping still Lucrative? Dropshipping continues to be viewed as one of the more profitable business models in ecommerce, even with the unique challenges involved. Image source: Statista The Benefits of Dropshipping for Startups Dropshipping is an appealing option for startups. It has low startup costs, no need to hold inventory, and the capability to adapt and test products in a short timeframe. This model cuts risk. It doesn't need a big inventory. It lets startups test their market quickly. They can learn and evolve fast.  Understanding the Dropshipping Model The dropshipping model is a chain reaction that demands simple, yet organised coordination, and understanding this model is pivotal for the success of your business. The dropshipping model lifts the burden of the traditional inventory management model. This means fewer upfront costs, much less risk, and much less time spent on stock management, it's more of a plug-and-play model, that offers flexibility, enabling you to offer a vast range of products. The Benefits of Drop Shipping as a New Company For startups, dropshipping is an exciting opportunity. It has low startup costs, making it accessible. It also lets bootstrappers avoid holding inventory. This reduces the pressure of storing and managing products. It also provides flexibility to quickly adapt to market changes and trends. It lets entrepreneurs test different product lines to find what suits their audience. It also minimizes risk by avoiding heavy inventory costs and preserving capital for other areas, like organic or paid growth.  What are some Common Challenges in Dropshipping? Despite the many perks of drop shipping, the model is not without its hurdles. Many bootstrappers overlook supplier reliability, as choosing the wrong supplier can affect your reputation through issues like delayed shipping, sending the wrong items, and agreeing to the wrong terms, but also poor quality while managing customer expectations due to limited control over the supply chain and shipping times. Another challenge is maintaining competitive pricing, as many drop-shippers compete in the same space. So building a strong brand presence can be tough since you don't handle products directly, limiting customization options. Navigating these challenges requires meticulous planning and execution, and understanding them is the first step to wading through them. Building Relationships with Suppliers One of the most overlooked, yet important tasks of any business, is building relationships with your suppliers! But, in dropshipping they are even more important - as you will be relying on them to send out your orders to your customers! A reliable supplier can significantly grow your business reputation.   Effective communication is crucial to maintaining strong business relationships. Always be clear, professional, and prompt in your interactions.   Consider creating a checklist when approaching potential suppliers: Assess their online reviews and supplier track record. Verify their understanding of your product and market. Establish their shipping and return policies. Clarify their pricing structure and flexibility. Remember, authenticity is key. Craft a Compelling Brand Story! Nobody wants to be faced with a faceless business, using stock imagery. They want to see a story, a brand, the people behind the business, and where the stock is made. A compelling brand story is a must when you're starting a new company. This will be the heart of a successful dropshipping business, as it speaks to your audience, and helps to create that emotional connection, after all, people buy from people! Creating this connection will help set your brand apart in a crowded market. In order to craft a strong brand story, identify your core mission and values, highlight the problem your brand solves, showcase your unique offerings, incorporate customer testimonials and experiences, and maintain consistency across all platforms, as authenticity is key to resonating with customers and building trust. Here are a few drop-shipping brands that speak volumes for us: Modi Lighting Wooden Soul You're hit, immediately, with what they do and where they come from. That's all you need to want to know more. That's the main aim of ecommerce: to get people clicking! Standing out requires more than offering great products. It involves creating a distinct identity that resonates with your target audience. Begin with comprehensive research on your competitors. Understand their strengths and weaknesses. Identify gaps in the market that your brand can fill. Ensure your prices are competitive. Don't undercut your suppliers enough to get de-listed. Instead, match their prices and offer free shipping until you have a big email list.  Focus on your unique selling propositions (USPs). These are the foundations that set you apart from the competition. Use your USPs. They are key. Address your customers' pain points or exclusive products. Building a business without a USP is like walking through sludge backwards.  Then, from there build a community around your brand that fosters a loyal customer base. Encourage engagement through social media, cold email outreach and other marketing aspects that are relevant to reaching your ideal customers. Creating a sense of belonging among your customers is really important.   Consistent branding is crucial. Maintain a unified look and voice across all communications. This reinforces your brand identity and makes it easily recognizable. In a saturated market, differentiation is the key to capturing and retaining your audience's attention. Marketing Strategies for Drop-Shipping Growth Well, for starters, I wouldn't use any CMS other than Shopify if you're a drop-shipping business. Shopify has a full suite of tools to make your business a success straight out of the doors!  Once your Shopify site is up, your brand needs visibility and engagement to thrive. Before you reach out to anyone, please do all the above first. Paying a marketing partner before, for example, doing a pricing analysis will rinse through your budget. A strategic marketing approach will drive the best results here. So, find a marketing partner with a track record of growing dropshipping businesses. It's a different kettle of fish from normal marketing! With organic marketing, consistency and patience are crucial. Nothing is going to happen overnight, so please make sure you have enough budget before getting impatient and giving up after 6 weeks. Traditional Marketing and Dropshipping If your product could be exclusive or sold to the trade (not directly to consumers), add cold email outreach to your marketing. This can effectively reach audiences who haven't received many cold emails. However, you'll need to be very tactful. These people are busy, and if they feel spammed, you'll lose more than just potential business.  Here is an example campaign that we ran for one of our dropshipping clients: That's 10 positive replies asking for more information, in just 5 days...the campaign is not even half way through... SEO Best Practices for Dropshippers In most cases, organic search traffic will be vital for sustainable drop-shipping growth.   Begin by finding an SEO partner that has been through the troughs with other clients before. Do Not try and do SEO yourself, especially after spending a load on a new website, as most go backwards.   A well-structured site improves user experience and search rankings.   Link building is another critical element. Acquire backlinks, or digital PR from reputable sources to boost domain authority. Strong link profiles signal trustworthiness to search engines and improve rankings.   SEO is a long-term investment. Consistency and adaptability are necessary. Make sure that your SEO professional provides monthly detailed reports with easy-to-read commentary, so you can easily monitor performance and adjust tactics to keep up with SEO trends and algorithm changes. Marketing Reporting ... There are a lot of marketing providers out there still that will take your money, and you won't hear from them until they want your money again - make sure that you get visibility on what they're doing for you, every step of the way! Reporting is so important - otherwise, you could end up £12k down, and with no gains. We provide our customers with personalised data about campaigns, which allows us to effectively plan and evaluate the scope of work, and easily store and share client-related files, this not only increases the automation and efficiency of our client management workflows but also keeps you updated on every step of the way. CRO for Product and Collection Pages Another aspect of ecommerce marketing that's often overlooked is CRO (conversion rate optimisation), and product pages play a pivotal role in ecommerce stores. A well-optimised page is informative, engaging, and trustworthy. Make sure you have a relevant copy above the fold: Also relevant copy below the products: Make sure you highlight key features and benefits to spark interest and relevance. Use new paragraphs for easy readability and impact. Incorporate trust signals on your product pages. Display customer reviews, testimonials, and satisfaction guarantees. Trust elements reassure potential buyers and help overcome purchasing hesitations. Focus on a seamless user experience. Ensure fast page load times, easy navigation, and a straightforward checkout process. Frictionless browsing keeps users engaged and less likely to abandon their carts.   By refining product and collection pages, you're setting up stronger conversion opportunities. Each optimization invites users to take decisive action, thus driving higher sales. Sustaining Growth of a Successful Dropshipping Business In the fast-paced world of dropshipping, maintaining growth and staying competitive is essential. As the industry evolves, adaptability becomes key to sustaining success. Make sure you're signed up to people in e-commerce, that you can learn from, listen to podcasts, and keep growing! Embrace new strategies and remain agile to adjust to market shifts. Continuously explore new ways to improve your product offerings, marketing tactics, and customer service. Efficiency is vital for sustainable growth. Streamline operations and focus on process optimization. Use technology to automate routine tasks , freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.   Looking ahead, the future of dropshipping is promising. The rise in online shopping and advancements in technology, as we head into 2025, creates fertile ground for growth. By focusing on innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, you can thrive in the ever-evolving dropshipping landscape. If you need a helping hand with your marketing, just get in touch!

In today's digital age, all businesses need a strong online presence. This includes furniture stores. As more consumers use the web to buy furniture, furniture sites need a strong SEO strategy. This article will explore the best SEO strategies for furniture websites. They aim to boost traffic and sales, including through the furniture industry, higher rankings, and effective link-building. Why SEO is Important for Furniture Websites? Before we dive into SEO strategies, let's first see why SEO matters for furniture websites. Increased Website Traffic The main goal of SEO is to improve your website's visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). By optimising your site for relevant keywords, you can attract more organic traffic. So, customers searching for furniture online are more likely to find and buy from your website, driving more traffic to your furniture website. Cost-Effective Marketing SEO is a cost-effective way to promote your furniture website. With SEO, you don't have to pay for ad space or clicks. Instead, you can create high-quality, optimised content. It will attract organic traffic to your site, helping you achieve higher rankings without expensive advertising. Cold Email Outreach Sometimes the best opportunities are found where others aren't looking! And, so with cold email outreach, is the best marketing aspect you can add to any furniture marketing campaign. Furniture is an industry that conventional wisdom says 'doesn't respond to cold email.' However, by thinking differently and crafting the right message, we're proving innovative approaches can unlock hidden opportunities. A recent campaign we ran for Modi - warranted 8 positive replies in 36 hours! Here is the proof to show it: Better User Experience SEO isn't only about optimising for search engines. It's also about improving your website's user experience. Improving your site's structure, navigation, and content will help users find what they need. This will increase the chances of a sale through an effective link-building strategy. SEO strategies for furniture websites Now that we know SEO is key for furniture sites, let's explore ways to improve your site's search rankings. Keyword Research and Optimization Keyword research is the foundation of any  successful SEO strategy . It means finding the keywords and phrases your audience uses to search for furniture online. After you have a list of relevant keywords, optimise your website's content, meta tags, and URLs to include them. When doing keyword research, consider both short-tail and long-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are shorter, general phrases (e.g. "modern furniture"). Long-tail keywords are longer, specific phrases (e.g. "mid-century modern sofa"). By targeting a mix of both types of keywords, you can attract a wider range of potential customers to your website. High-Quality Content Creation In addition to keyword optimization, having high-quality, relevant content on your website is crucial for SEO. This includes product descriptions, blog posts, and other informational pages. When creating content, make sure to use your targeted keywords naturally and provide valuable information for your audience. It’s also important to regularly update your website with fresh content. This not only keeps your website relevant and engaging for users, but it also signals to search engines that your website is active and should be crawled more frequently. Optimize for local search For furniture stores with physical locations, it's vital to optimise for local search. This means you must include your store's address, phone number, and hours on your website. Also, create a Google My Business listing. This will help your store show in local searches for furniture in your area. Mobile Optimization With more and more people using their smartphones to browse the internet, furniture websites must be optimized for mobile devices. This includes having a responsive design, fast loading times, and easy navigation on mobile devices. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search results, so having a mobile-optimized website can also improve your search engine rankings. Utilize Social Media While social media may not directly impact your website’s search engine rankings, it can still affect your overall SEO strategy. By sharing your website’s content on social media, you can drive more traffic to your website and potentially attract backlinks from other websites. Additionally, having a strong social media presence can help improve your brand’s online reputation and credibility, which can indirectly impact your search engine rankings. Tools for SEO Success In addition to implementing the strategies mentioned above, various tools can help you maximize your furniture website’s SEO potential. Google Analytics Google Analytics is a free tool that provides valuable insights into your website’s traffic and user behaviour. By tracking metrics such as website traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rates, you can gain a better understanding of how your website is performing and make data-driven decisions to improve your SEO strategy. SEMrush SEMrush is a comprehensive SEO tool that offers features such as keyword research, backlink analysis, and website audits. It can help you identify areas for improvement on your website and track your progress over time. Yoast SEO If your furniture website is built on WordPress, Yoast SEO is a must-have plugin. It helps you optimize your website’s content for SEO by providing real-time feedback and suggestions for improvement. Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid While implementing SEO strategies can greatly benefit your furniture website, some common mistakes can slow down your SEO efforts. Keyword Stuffing Keyword stuffing is the practice of overusing keywords in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. This not only makes your content sound unnatural and spammy, but it can also result in penalties from search engines. Duplicate Content Having duplicate content on your website can also negatively impact your SEO. This includes using the same content on multiple pages or copying content from other websites. Make sure to create unique, high-quality content for your website to avoid any penalties. Ignoring Technical SEO Technical SEO refers to the behind-the-scenes elements of your website that impact its search engine rankings. This includes things like website speed, mobile optimization, and website structure. Ignoring these technical aspects can hinder your website’s SEO potential. Conclusion In today’s digital landscape, having a strong SEO strategy is crucial for the success of any furniture website. By conducting keyword research, creating high-quality content, and utilizing tools and best practices, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and attract more potential customers. Avoiding common SEO mistakes and regularly monitoring and adjusting your strategy can help you stay ahead of the competition and drive more sales for your furniture business.