84% of shares happen via dark social - Did you check your metrics in 2020?
Jun 29, 2020
10 min read
Among all the major trends that have emerged in the past 12–18 months on the online platform, the dark social media tops the list. When you hear the word dark social for the first time, it sounds like some illegal activity on the digital platform but in reality, it is a golden opportunity for all the online marketers out there since many people are not aware of the details of dark social media, they are not able to capitalize on it.
With dark social giving multiple opportunities for digital marketers and with 84% of outbound share happening through dark social media, you should never overlook it and make it work in favour of your company.
What is Dark Social?
In layman language, dark social is the entire sharing that can never be tracked or we can say the stuff that web analytics platforms fail to pick. For example, you saw a post on a social media site with the title ‘Gain 10 kgs in just three weeks’ and you thought that it will be useful for your friend Daniel. You will then share the link of the article through Whatsapp and then Daniel will share the same link in his family group. Well, all the people involved in this type of sharing are unknowingly participating in the dark social media practice.
The Use Of Dark Social Is Increasing
Millions of people are practising the same type of sharing activity on an everyday basis and that’s why it is only going to grow in the future. If you will include all the top five messaging apps then they will account for almost 5 billion active users and that too, every month. This type of gigantic number has provided practices like dark social to thrive in the best possible way. This number will become more enticing for dark social media when you consider the fact that around 63% of the consumers from all around the world prefer sharing information through private messaging platforms.
The numbers will become more interesting when you will look at the drop in the interactions of Facebook as they went down from 30 billion during the 1st quarter of 2017 to below 13 billion dollars during the 2nd quarter of 2018. And there is no doubt where the missing interaction is going as the portion of dark share in the overall sharing is increasing.
But since this type of sharing is completely private, it becomes hard for any type of web analytics platform to track it. This is the main reason why no social media platform knows how big the dark social media coverage is in the overall social media sharing.
What’s the reason behind people making a shift to dark social?
There is no simple answer to this question but when we will go through the recent trends then the shift of people to dark social and its rise will start making sense.
The presidential election incident of 2016
One of the biggest reasons is people in 2020 trust social sharing less in comparison to dark social. The presidential election of the US in the year 2016 witnessed an influx of ‘fake news’ and because of this, people started losing trust on social networks.
There was also an article published on BBC with the title ‘Fake news becomes the news’ during the US presidential election 2016. From US elections being rigged to Vox calling Facebook for taking responsibility for the fake news, there were many incidents that made people lose trust on social networks.
A $5 billion lawsuit for tracking users in incognito by Google
Just when people thought that incognito mode is the safest mode to browse information, Google was accused of tracking users’ data in the incognito mode of Chrome and a lawsuit of $5 billion was filed on June 11, 2020. According to the reports of the New York Times, Google tracked the browsing history of its users even when they turned incognito in Chrome. Even this incident will lead to the shift of people from social networking sharing to dark social.
Cambridge Analytica Case
The Cambridge Analytica data leak case was among one of the biggest unauthorized data sharing by Facebook and it shook the whole world in the year 2018. In this incident, the private information of millions of users was compromised and this led to several changes in the privacy policy of all the websites out there on the online platform.
All these incidents combined will start making sense for the increase in dark social media and people turning to dark social marketing. There is nothing in saying that private is the new trend when it comes to sharing information in the digital world.
Dark social is omnipresent
From the past 1.5 years, a large chunk of response to dark social shares is coming from smartphones only. This shows that dark social is not limited to only one or two devices, rather, it can be considered omnipresent on all the devices. The rise in the response to dark social media from mobile phones can be estimated from the data published by RadiumOne. It shows that the click backs coming from mobile devices have increased from 53 percent in August 2014 to 62 percent in February 2016. And the remaining 38 percent of click backs are coming from desktops.
What does it mean for marketers?
By using the easy process of deduction, digital marketers practicing social media marketing can track campaigns as dark social. By spending time and effort on Google Analytics, you will need to consider the total direct traffic and then you will have to take the deduction. By going to the bottom of your overall data, you will get the real opportunity created by dark social. And by making the deductions, you will be able to see whether your most valuable content is being shared through dark social media or not, and then you can work accordingly.
If you will have proper knowledge of which type of content is being shared on dark social then you will be able to optimize your content strategy accordingly and get expected results from your efforts. But you will need to make sure that this strategy is properly incorporated in both your dark social marketing and overall social media marketing strategy.
With private becoming the new trend while sharing and with incidents making people lose trust in social networks, the current conditions are perfect for the proliferation of dark social networks. Instead of being surprised because of people flocking to dark social, you should better be prepared for it and make things work in favour of your overall marketing strategy.
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Revolutionizing the Buyer's Journey: The Importance of Marketing Automation
Customers need nothing less than a flawless and trouble-free purchasing experience in today's fast-paced environment. Customers want to feel powerful, engaged, and in control from the moment they learn about a product to the moment they make a purchase and beyond. Businesses are under increasing pressure to meet these expectations as online shopping and e-commerce grow or risk losing clients to rivals who can. Along comes automation, the customer journey's superhero. Automation may help businesses create a better customer experience, decrease errors, save time and money, and ultimately improve revenue by leveraging technology and software to optimize and automate key purchasing-related operations. Automation can make every step of the customer journey easier, quicker, and more productive, from customized promos to lightning-fast deliveries, from round-the-clock assistance to hassle-free returns. Automation, however, is a requirement, not just a fancy feature. Businesses that don't stay up with the most recent trends and technologies run the risk of slipping behind in a world where customers have more options than ever. Automation is becoming a must for companies of all sizes and sectors if they want to stay competitive and satisfy their consumers' changing expectations. It is no longer just a luxury for big organizations with significant wallets. Thus, if you're still managing your customer experience using manual processes and antiquated technology, it's time to think about the advantages of automation. In this piece, we'll examine the primary ways that automation may change the customer experience and why it's critical to use this potent tool now more than ever. Prepare to meet automation, the customer journey's superhero! What is a Buyer’s Journey? Before we begin to understand why automation in a buyer’s journey is so important, let’s break down what a buyer’s journey consists of. A buyer's journey refers to the series of stages that a potential customer goes through when making a purchase decision. It's the process of awareness, consideration, and decision that a buyer undergoes before purchasing. Awareness: More often than not, you should be able to anticipate what will happen next. For instance, you can expect that presenting consumers who are browsing a certain product page with comparable products will enhance conversions if you discover that they convert more frequently. Consideration: The step of consideration is up next. Here, the buyer is acting as a detective, looking into all of the options before making a choice. It's comparable to shopping for a new phone and devoting hours to reading reviews, comparing features, and determining your budget. The only difference is that the purchaser is using your good or service. At this point, you must arm them with all the knowledge necessary to decide wisely. Moreover, don't be scared to brag a little. Consider it like a job interview; you want to stand out by highlighting your successes and strengths. But keep in mind that we're currently conducting research, so no sales pitches are permitted just yet. Decision: The Deciding phase is the final stop on our journey. At this point, the customer has finally whittled down his or her choices and is prepared to buy. It's like selecting between two equally adorable pups, but only one has the better personality (and a lower price tag). Here is where you want to stand out from the crowd and make your brand memorable. Explain to them why you're the greatest option and eliminate any obstacles that might hinder their purchase. What is Marketing Automation? Marketing automation uses technology and software to automate time-consuming marketing jobs and procedures. This can involve activities like lead creation, consumer segmentation, social media management, and email marketing. By implementing marketing automation, businesses can streamline their marketing initiatives and boost efficiency, effectiveness, and ROI. Marketing automation aims to automate and streamline marketing procedures so that firms may concentrate on higher-value duties like planning and analysis. Businesses may boost lead generation and conversion rates, client engagement and loyalty, and eventually revenue development by utilizing marketing automation. Now let’s unpack these benefits in extensive detail. Why do you need Automation in your Buyer’s Journey? For companies aiming to boost their marketing efforts and improve the customer experience, marketing automation offers a number of advantages. The following are some of the main advantages of marketing automation: Lead Generation and Nurturing It might be hard for a business owner to keep track of every prospective client and make sure that they all get individual attention. Although lead nurturing is an essential step in the sales process, it can take a lot of time and effort. Thankfully, automated marketing can simplify your work. Building and keeping up a relationship with potential clients is the key objective of lead nurturing. It is crucial to gain their confidence and consent to offer them information about your company. Yet, it can be challenging to manually keep track of every lead, particularly as your organization expands. Marketing automation can help with that. You may quickly group and target potential clients with pertinent messaging by employing automated processes. For instance, you can divide your email list into several groups based on your customers' purchasing patterns, search histories, or regions. By doing so, you can tailor your communications to each lead's specific needs and give the most pertinent content. The Scope of Personalization In a world where there are multiple replacements for a product or service, what truly sets a brand apart is the level of effort they are willing to put into the personalization of the process. Consumers desire a customized experience that demonstrates your appreciation for their presence. It can be challenging for business owners to meet the needs of personalized customer service. Automated marketing can help with that, though. You can effectively and efficiently customize the consumer journey with automated marketing. You can determine your consumers' wants and preferences by using data and analytics. You can then utilize that knowledge to send them messages specifically tailored to their interests. This level of personalization fosters a close bond between your brand and your audience. One of the key advantages of automated marketing is the ability to contact the correct customer with the appropriate content at the appropriate moment. For instance, you can utilize automated email campaigns to deliver clients personalized messages based on their online activity or past purchases. In addition to enhancing the consumer experience, this raises the possibility of conversion and recurring business. To encourage client loyalty and keep their business, you must provide personalized customer service. You may give your consumers the individualized service they demand while also saving up time for other crucial facets of your business by implementing automated marketing. Better Customer Relationships Increase your prospective consumer base and improve interactions with current clients by using marketing automation. Building trust and loyalty with your customers requires regular, targeted communication. By segmenting your consumer base according to their tastes and interests, you can offer personalized messages that meet their requirements. For instance, you may send a consumer personalised advertising and informational materials about a product they've expressed interest in. Moreover, automation enables you to monitor consumer interactions and actions, including website visits, social media participation, and email openings. You may use this information to improve your understanding of the tastes and demands of your clients and modify your communication approach as necessary. You can build a devoted customer base for your company, increase customer retention, and enhance your brand reputation by automating the improvement of your customer interactions. Omnichannel Presence Given the increasing popularity of social media and online platforms, businesses must be able to interact with clients in a variety of ways. Thanks to marketing automation software, businesses may communicate with clients via various channels, including social media, websites, email, and more. Managing several channels at once is simpler when automation is used to engage with clients. You can expedite your efforts by using automated procedures as opposed to manually updating each channel. This provides consistency across channels while also saving time. Automation also enables you to monitor how consumers interact with your business across various channels. Your plan can be adjusted based on the channels most successfully reach and interact with your target audience. Additionally, this information may be utilized to better target and tailor each channel's messaging, enhancing the entire consumer experience. Regardless of the channel, marketing automation generally enables organizations to communicate with clients in a timely, pertinent, and efficient manner. Businesses can streamline their marketing initiatives, boost productivity, and ultimately provide better outcomes using automation technology. In Conclusion Marketing automation is a potent instrument that simplifies business processes and enhances client satisfaction. Businesses may improve their consumers' purchase experiences by automating tedious operations, nurturing leads, customizing customer care, and connecting across numerous channels. Consider working with Saffron Edge if you want to develop marketing automation for your company. We provide marketing automation solutions as a digital marketing firm that can assist in growing your company. Get in touch immediately to learn more about us and how we can help you enhance your buyer's journey. ...
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How Can RankBrain Work With Inbound Marketing in 2016
Inbound marketing has always revolved around how well your website ranks against its competitors on the search engines. Working on an SEO strategy to make the content optimized for searches has also been important, apart from making the content that provides information that the user is looking for. In the latest news in the SEO world, Google came up with a new algorithm in 2015 called RankBrain which is said to be an artificial intelligence based on the advanced machine learning technology introduced into its search algorithm. What it Means for Marketers? The RankBrain algorithm that was introduced in 2015 has used features of artificial intelligence to learn things like user behaviour while he/she is on the web, trends in searches, queries that are most often searched for and other sources of input and on the basis of the results gathered it serves the users with the most relevant content that they are looking for. RankBrain is said to dictate the results of search so much so that now it has become the third most important factor for search algorithm, i.e., it affects 15% of all queries served. Fifteen percent is a huge number to say if we compare the importance of other Google algorithm changes that are known to the marketing world- Panda affected 7.5% of english language queries. The good side of this change was later realized when marketers learned that RankBrain hasn’t really damaged the SEO rankings of the website as much as it was predicted to be. It is said that RankBrain isn’t trying to regulate the rankings but rather it is more focused on interpreting user queries. The only potential damage has been called “Zombie Traffic” which is explained by search experts as: “ Weird Types of users that are probably introduced by Google, are dwelling on the sites, not converting, slowly moving from page to page like zombies travel around the world.” So it is a speculation that this so called Zombie traffic is coming from RankBrain algorithm learning process. What this means for users is they are being served in an efficient manner, who input in ambiguous or more human like natural language queries can expect to get more relevant results. Analyzing and Repairing the damage To analyze the damage it is important to know two things: What was the purpose of the algorithm? As explained above that RankBrain was introduced as an advanced machine learning system to learn about how users search over the internet, what keywords they use to search, and most importantly what can be implied from the search term. What the Algorithm Did? The impact on the websites was minimal, but as speculated some zombie traffic was introduced by the machine that crawls from page to page and makes its own index of pages so that it serves the page when it is most required. Repairing the damage: Content is still the king and is going to be for the years to come. Content is what searchers are looking for and not for the website that is more optimized. They want a solution to their problem like how can we repair a washing machine at home, or location for the dinner to go tonight. Hence the next big thing in 2016 is going to be to make the content that answers the queries that people are searching for or the content that solves their problem. Make content that is approximately near to 100% uniqueness. Do not copy, syndicate or source your content from anywhere. Don’t focus too much on backlinking, though it is important but stuffing your content with too many links is also not helpful. Instead of stressing on the keywords just like the backlinking process, channel that energy towards writing better content that is more relevant and helpful for search queries of your target audience. Keeping a cap on keyword insertion do not focus on inserting keywords more than 2-3%, that means a maximum of 2-3 keywords per 100 words is more than enough. Conclusion Algorithms like RankBrain have upped the game of SEO and has made it very competitive for marketers. As we can think of this update has made changes in a good fashion to provide a better user experience and serve them with the content that is of utmost relevance. Such changes have proven to be constructive, enriching and profitable. As long we are designing the content and websites for users and creating great content, we should be okay. Even if there is a destructive change in the algorithms in future, there’s always a way to recover. ...
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Top Questions to Ask a CMO While Hiring
According to CMO survey, Companies typically spend only 2% of their revenue on B2B marketing. This presents a great opportunity to invest more in marketing to grow your business and stand out from the competition. Allocating more of your budget towards effective marketing strategies like hiring a CMO can help increase your revenue and expand your reach. Hiring a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a significant task that requires careful consideration. CMOs are crucial in managing all marketing operations, driving sales growth, and identifying new B2B business opportunities. They are responsible for strategizing, planning, executing, and overseeing B2B marketing activities, often collaborating with the sales team. One innovative solution to consider is the concept of a "What is fractional CMO" and “Why to hire a fractional CMO” which can be particularly beneficial for companies looking to augment their marketing capabilities. At Saffron Edge, a B2B marketing agency, we offer fractional CMO services, providing an additional resource to your marketing team as needed. A fractional CMO is an extra arm to your marketing efforts, contributing expertise and strategic guidance without needing a full-time commitment. It takes careful planning to interview applicants for the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) position to find high-achieving people who can motivate and manage your marketing team. Consider using interview questions from these four major areas to evaluate applicants for this important role: Technical Questions: Inquiries Examine the candidate's expertise in analytics, digital tactics, marketing, and market trends. Skills-Based Questions: Assess the candidate's real-world knowledge and abilities, including their capacity to plan and carry out marketing campaigns, lead groups of people, and adjust to changing technological landscapes. Contextual queries: Provide situations pertinent to the possibilities and problems the CMO in your company could face. This evaluates their capacity for strategic thought and problem-solving. Behavioural Questions: Examine the candidate's prior accomplishments and experiences to learn about their methods for collaborating, leading, and managing difficult circumstances. Technical Interview Questions Asking focused questions that probe candidates' technical knowledge is essential when interviewing high-level professionals for the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role. These questions will gauge their understanding of the fundamental B2B marketing theories and strategies needed to succeed in the position, including specialized areas such as B2B saas marketing strategies. Evaluations of their understanding of strategic concepts, skill in managing finances, and ability to develop and carry out branding initiatives are the main points of emphasis. These technical CMO interview questions aim to determine how prepared a candidate is to handle the complex CMO post, with a specific focus on expertise in SaaS marketing strategies. 1. How would you design and implement a B2B marketing strategy for our business? To create a complete B2B marketing plan, the first step would be to perform a detailed study of our target market, rivals, and market trends. This knowledge would help create a customized strategy that supports our corporate goals. A phased implementation strategy combining conventional and digital media will optimize reach and engagement. 2. How would you manage our B2B marketing budget? Setting high-impact initiatives as priorities, keeping a close eye on expenses, and regularly assessing the success of campaigns are all necessary for efficient budget management. Being flexible is essential because it enables quick decisions based on current market conditions and data. This tactical method guarantees wise resource distribution for best outcomes and adaptability to changing circumstances. 3. What metrics would you use to measure the return on investment of various marketing campaigns? When evaluating the ROI of different B2B saas marketing strategies, it's critical to concentrate on key performance indicators (KPIs) that offer a comprehensive picture of success. This entails tracking conversion rates to determine how well leads are converted into customers, controlling customer acquisition expenses to guarantee cost-effectiveness, and assessing client lifetime value to ensure sustained profitability. Monitoring metrics like click-through rates provides information about the interest and engagement of the audience. Metrics on social media interaction give us an idea of our brand's online resonance and reach. Furthermore, we at Saffron Edge, a link building agency, can determine how well our efforts draw in new clients by carefully examining lead generation data. These KPIs, when combined, provide us with a thorough understanding of campaign performance, facilitating data-driven decision-making and ongoing strategy optimization to maximize return on investment. 4. What is an example of how brand strategy supports a strong marketing campaign? A cohesive brand strategy ensures consistency in messaging and visuals across all platforms. A marketing campaign that reflects our brand's innovative and customer-centric positioning will be consistent with these ideals. This alignment creates a strong link that improves brand perception and promotes long-term consumer engagement, brand loyalty, and resonance with the target demographic. 5. What marketing tools and technology are you familiar with? I have extensive experience with a wide range of marketing tools and have proven my ability to optimize operations and plans. I am knowledgeable about marketing automation tools like HubSpot to improve efficiency and optimize workflows, customer relationship management (CRM) systems to effectively engage customers, analytics platforms like Google Analytics to analyze data, and social media management tools like Hootsuite to plan effective and impactful social campaigns. This broad range of competencies guarantees a tactical and comprehensive approach to utilizing technology, promoting smooth collaboration, and attaining the best possible results throughout marketing operations. 6. How could our team leverage marketing tools and technology to improve our marketing efforts? By integrating these technologies, procedures are streamlined, data-driven decision-making is strengthened, and repetitive operations are automated. This gives the team more freedom to focus on creative elements and allows real-time campaign optimization. An impactful and more individualized consumer experience is the end outcome. In addition to improving operational effectiveness, this deliberate use of technology guarantees a targeted and flexible approach to marketing campaigns, creating an atmosphere that encourages creativity and provides our audience with engaging experiences. 7. What marketing channels can be used to attract and retain our customers? Using several channels is a very successful technique that incorporates various methods. Email campaigns help retain customers, social media platforms encourage active participation, content marketing raises brand exposure, and paid advertising guarantees specific audience reach. The key is to carefully match the interests and actions of our audience with this combination of channels. In addition to maximizing our reach, this strategic synergy creates a consistent and compelling brand presence across a range of touchpoints, guaranteeing that our marketing initiatives are properly calibrated to satisfy our target audience's wide range of requirements and expectations. Pursue our content marketing services for a greater reach and a more ICP driven insights. 8. How would you implement the latest social media trends in your marketing campaigns? It is critical to stay current with social media trends. Creating dynamic content, using new platform capabilities, and encouraging community involvement are all part of integrating current trends. By taking a proactive stance, we can ensure that our ads remain relevant, connect with the target audience, and take advantage of changing social media trends. By anticipating trends, we not only remain relevant but also put ourselves in a position to quickly adjust to the shifting environment, creating a vibrant and interesting online presence that easily fits the tastes of our target market. Skills-based Interview Questions In addition to assessing technical skills, it is imperative to gauge candidates' communication abilities, problem-solving creativity, and potential as reliable leaders—essential soft skills for a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Effective skills-based interview questions involve delving into a candidate's interpersonal, strategic, and leadership qualities. The goal is to unearth a well-rounded understanding of how they navigate complex challenges, collaborate within a team, and contribute to the overall success of the marketing function within an organization. 1. Tell us about a complex marketing problem you successfully resolved. What was the situation, and what approach did you take to solve it? In a previous position, faced with declining consumer engagement, I conducted a comprehensive study, identified critical problems, and implemented a targeted content strategy. Positive customer feedback and a notable increase in engagement metrics were the results. This experience demonstrated the effectiveness of data-driven insights and well-planned content efforts in rekindling audience curiosity and building stronger relationships with our clientele. 2. Share a notable success in your marketing career. Describe a highly effective campaign you spearheaded and the key factors contributing to its success. I used the power of user-generated material on social media to inject authenticity into a noteworthy campaign. Careful planning—which included calling-to-action, eye-catching images, and clever timing—paid off with a stunning 30% increase in conversion rates. The campaign strengthened brand loyalty and increased engagement using our audience's authentic sentiments. This achievement highlighted the importance of being honest and strategically aligned when creating stories that captivate audiences and encourage sales and long-lasting relationships with our company. 3. How do you lead and motivate your team effectively? Provide insights into your leadership style and how you inspire your team to achieve their best. My leadership philosophy is centred on creating a cooperative and encouraging atmosphere. I support candid communication, appreciate other points of view, and often recognize the accomplishments of the team. I want to actively cultivate a culture of continuous development by aggressively searching out and providing chances for each team member to thrive. This methodology fosters a good work environment that fosters innovation and creativity and inspires the team to aim for greatness. I aim to motivate a productive team that flourishes in an exciting and rewarding work environment using empowerment, acknowledgement, and dedication to individual and group growth. 4. Narrate an experience where you mentored an employee, highlighting its impact on their professional development and growth within the organization. I was a key mentor to a junior team member, providing thorough project management assistance. As I saw them mature, I saw strong organizational abilities emerge, which significantly improved project effectiveness. My mentee received a promotion that was well-earned as evidence of their growth. This mentorship experience demonstrated the significant influence of tailored advice on career advancement. It reaffirmed my commitment to creating an atmosphere in which team members flourish in their present positions and develop into future leaders who will make a major contribution to the group's and the organization's overall success. 5. Provide an example of when you used data and analytics to inform a critical marketing decision. How did the insights influence your strategy and contribute to success? By utilizing data analytics, I was able to identify ineffective marketing channels and refocus resources in a way that would maximize their conversion rates. This analytical strategy increased the campaign's overall return on investment (ROI) by an astounding 20%. The accuracy of data-driven decision-making highlighted the value of flexibility in strategy adaptation in addition to optimizing resource allocation. This experience reminded us of the value of ongoing analysis, which allowed us to adjust and improve our marketing strategies in real-time to maximize their efficacy. The resultant effect demonstrated the transformational potential of data on campaign success and return on investment, in addition to showcasing its power. 6. Describe a B2B marketing campaign or strategy that didn't meet expectations. What valuable lessons did you learn from the experience, and how did you apply those lessons moving forward? The poor performance of a campaign highlighted how important audience research is. This important lesson led to a change in strategy, with later initiatives focusing on more specialized communications. Resonance significantly improved, and the campaign's overall success increased. This experience served as a reminder of the vital link between knowing your audience and creating messages specifically tailored to them. It also brought to light the importance of thorough research informing and improving B2B marketing strategies, which in turn ensures that campaigns smoothly fit the preferences and expectations of our target market. Situational Interview Questions Situational interview questions play a crucial role in assessing a CMO's ability to make swift and impactful decisions crucial to the success of a B2B marketing program. These questions delve into hypothetical scenarios relevant to their role to identify candidates with creativity and quick-wittedness. This approach aims to gauge their capacity for critical thinking and innovative problem-solving, ensuring you select a CMO who can navigate real-world challenges effectively and contribute to the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of B2B marketing. 1. If a rival company introduced a comparable product, what measures would you use to guarantee that we maintained our competitive edge? If a rival were to release a comparable product, I would employ a diversified strategy. To find possible differentiators, a thorough study of the competition's product and market trends would be the first step. Next, I prioritise ongoing product development, highlighting aspects that distinguish us from the competition and meet client expectations. Collaborations and strategic alliances may improve our product line even further. Concurrently, an assertive promotional initiative would be executed to strengthen our brand recognition by emphasizing our distinctive selling propositions and utilizing client endorsements. Iterative improvements would be guided by timely market research and responsiveness to client input. We can change the competitive environment to our advantage and defend our market position by upholding a dynamic, customer-centric focus and smart marketing strategies. 2. Which would you prioritize, and why, if we had a limited marketing budget and had to decide between buying leads and doing search engine optimization? Given my limited marketing resources, my strategic approach would be to prioritize Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). An affordable and long-lasting method of increasing web presence and generating organic traffic is SEO. Long-term, prospective clients are drawn to websites with well-optimized content and structure, as opposed to leads, which frequently require continuous costs. In addition to improving search engine rankings, SEO builds user trust and reputation for brands. Investing in SEO provides a consistent flow of relevant visitors without requiring ongoing financial support, making it a more comprehensive and long-lasting marketing approach. Establishing a solid web presence helps the company become less dependent on quick leads and promotes a more steady, long-term growth trajectory. 3. How would you improve the morale of a marketing staff you inherited? To boost a depressed marketing team, I would place a high value on cooperation and communication. I would start by having one-on-one conversations to learn about each person's problems and encourage candid communication. A sense of success would be ingrained by praising and acknowledging team accomplishments. Encouraging the team to participate in decision-making and providing them with possibilities for professional growth will empower them. A rise in morale might also be achieved by encouraging a culture of mutual support and encouragement and fostering a happy work environment through team-building exercises. Reviving the team's dedication and spirit would require open communication, frequent check-ins, and a common goal for success. 4. Let's say our brand had an inadvertent catastrophe. What approach would you choose to deal with the controversy? In the case of an inadvertent brand crisis, openness and prompt action would be crucial. I would quickly own the problem, express my regret, and plan a clear action. Keeping stakeholders updated on the situation's progress, I would make use of all accessible lines of communication. Rebuilding trust would involve using social media to interact with the public, giving frequent updates, and proving that you are committed to fixing the issue. A successful reputation management plan also involves using influencers or brand champions to communicate the business's commitment to resolving the situation. 5. How would you experiment with innovative marketing to stay ahead of the curve? Implementing A/B testing across various channels, exploring emerging platforms, and leveraging data analytics for consumer insights would be integral. Incorporating interactive content, personalized marketing, and harnessing AI for tailored customer experiences can set us apart. Collaborating with influencers and exploring unconventional partnerships will broaden our reach. Continuous monitoring of industry trends and competitor strategies ensures agility, allowing us to adapt and lead in an ever-evolving marketing landscape. Behavioural Interview Questions Rather than hypotheticals, behavioural interview questions delve into a candidate's past experiences, shedding light on their real-world responses. These inquiries provide valuable insights into a candidate's actions in specific situations, offering a glimpse into how they might navigate similar challenges in the future. Additionally, they serve as a springboard for discussions about the candidate's learnings and growth from past experiences. These questions are designed to elicit tangible examples, showcasing the candidate's practical application of skills and strategies in the dynamic marketing field. Some behavioural questions are supposed to be per one’s personal development. But what could be some good questions to ponder over under behavioural interview questions are: Tell us about your background in developing and executing marketing plans. Which of your successes stood out the most? Tell me about your team management techniques and cross-departmental collaboration to meet your marketing objectives. What characterises your leadership style? How have you effectively conveyed your vision to senior management and your team? How have disagreements with coworkers or other departments been settled? Conclusion A fractional CMO is a part-time or temporary Chief Marketing Officer who works with a company on a contractual basis. This arrangement allows businesses to access high-level marketing expertise without the commitment of a full-time executive. At Saffron Edge, a leading B2B marketing agency, we understand the importance of hiring the right CMO to optimize your marketing budget. Our fractional CMOs serve as an invaluable extension to your team, bringing expertise in B2B marketing strategies. Whether you're aiming to enhance your SaaS pricing page or explore new business opportunities, our experienced CMOs are well-equipped to drive success in the dynamic landscape of digital marketing. Elevate your brand with us! ...
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