Category: Content Writing

5 reasons small business content marketing vegas

5 Reasons Every Small Business Should be Using Content Marketing

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing

5 Reasons Every Small Business Should be Using Content Marketing

Relying on paid ads alone is no longer enough to stay competitive. With hundreds of millions of users blocking ads on desktop and mobile devices, your promotional dollars might not be getting the visibility you expect.

So how can small businesses break through the noise and connect with their audience? The answer is content marketing.

Content marketing empowers businesses to build relationships, establish trust, and showcase their expertise without the constant pressure to sell. It lets your brand attract and engage customers through valuable and relevant content. Whether you’re educating your audience or solving a specific problem, this approach creates long-term value across your entire digital strategy, including email marketing, social media, and local SEO.

Today’s buyers want to feel confident before making a purchase. That means they want content that informs and helps them decide at their own pace. A solid content strategy gives you a chance to guide that journey while creating a more meaningful connection with your potential customers.

Are you unsure if content marketing is the right fit for your business? Here are five key reasons to make it part of your growth plan.

1. Reach More People Without Blowing Your Budget

Compared to traditional advertising, content marketing is far more affordable and delivers better long-term results. Research shows that it costs 62 percent less and generates up to three times as many leads. Better still, one piece of well-crafted content can come across email campaigns, social media platforms, and local SEO strategies. This strategy makes every piece of content a valuable tool that works across multiple channels to attract, nurture, and convert leads.

2. Build Trust Without Being Pushy

Tired of being in constant sales mode? So are your customers. Content marketing allows you to step back from the hard sell and provide valuable insights instead. You can share tips, tutorials, customer stories, or expert opinions that position your business as a helpful and knowledgeable resource. These tips establish a strong foundation of trust and credibility, making it easier for potential customers to choose you when it’s time to make a purchase.

3. Get Found More Easily With Search Engines

Search engines like Google reward businesses that offer relevant and consistently updated content. That’s great news for smaller companies trying to stand out. High-quality content helps improve your online visibility and increases the likelihood of ranking for keywords that matter to your audience. Pair that with strong local SEO tactics, and your business can appear right where it matters most: in front of customers actively searching for your products or services in your area.

4. Become a Go-To Resource in Your Industry

When you regularly provide helpful and engaging content, your audience sees you as more than just a business. You become a trusted advisor they turn to for insight and inspiration. That trust plays a key role in brand development and can be the difference between a one-time visitor and a loyal customer. A well-maintained content library also builds long-term value, providing evergreen assets that continue to support your growth.

5. Keep Your Website Active and Engaging

A stagnant website signals to both search engines and customers that your business may not be active. Regularly adding fresh content, such as blog posts, articles, and how-to guides, demonstrates that your brand is engaged and evolving. These updates enhance SEO rankings, increase traffic, and provide visitors with a reason to return. Every piece of new content presents another opportunity to address your audience’s questions and foster meaningful engagement.

Why Choose The AD Leaf Las Vegas?

At The AD Leaf Las Vegas, we specialize in helping small businesses succeed through innovative, strategic content marketing. We don’t just write content; we develop powerful marketing assets that align with your goals and connect with your audience. From enhancing your local SEO rankings to launching effective email marketing campaigns, we craft content that supports your comprehensive brand development journey.

Let our team take the pressure off your shoulders so you can focus on running your business. Contact us to discover how our content marketing solutions can enhance your visibility and elevate your brand.

Different Kinds Of Content Marketing

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing, Marketing

Content Marketing is something that at first seems simple. You create content for marketing purposes so obviously it’s something only see in commercials, emails, and in those banners on websites. However, content marketing can exist well beyond those realms. There are multiple areas of content marketing that are going unexplored.

If you look hard you can see content marketing in so many different planes of the current world that it’s honestly staggering. So many ways to sell yourself, your business, and do so in a creative and interesting way. The days of just sticking a billboard on the interstate and hoping someone notices it are gone. This is a virtual age.

In this virtual age there are so many more opportunities for content marketing. Opportunities that not enough businesses are taking advantage of. If you can understand where these business opportunities are and where you can grow then there is no limit to your content marketing potential.

Podcasts

One of the quickest growing platforms, podcasts are becoming more popular every day with millions of listeners opting to listen to them while they exercise, drive, or perform chores over music. These podcasts can range from political, comical, or dive into a whole different realm like sports and video games. Podcasts are an untapped market for content marketing and one that a few smart businesses are beginning to take advantage of.

Content marketing in podcasts can exist in multiple planes. There’s the classic radio style ad that some companies choose to go with and on some podcasts it works. If the listening demographic of that podcast leans on the older side then they’ll be more willing to sit through a traditional radio style advertisement on their podcast than someone younger. A younger person is more likely to seek out the fast forward button.

Which is where a very podcast specific kind of content marketing comes in. Many companies have realized that younger listeners, especially younger ones, don’t want to listen to traditional commercials, but what they will listen to are the podcast hosts sell them a product. This is particularly useful when the podcast itself is very personality driven.

The best content marketing in podcasts usually gives the hosts a general script to follow. They can either read it the entire way through or they can ad-lib sections to help create more interest in their podcasts. These ads usually last 32-38 seconds long. Why the weird number? Because most podcast apps let you skip ahead 15-30 seconds at a time.

Good content marketing sees the untapped potential of podcasts and can create content for them. With over half of the United States listening to at least one podcast in the last year you can bet that they’re here to stay.

Webpages

Who doesn’t take advantage of webpage based content marketing? You would be shocked. Having a well built website with plenty of content on it can change your website from an okay one to a brilliant one in the span of months. Too many places focus on their homepage, and while important, the web pages spread throughout your website can bring it just as much value. They can stand alone and bring in their own individual traffic. These individual numbers can help bring up the rest of the site as a whole. Not to mention good content on one page will help push someone to keep reading on other pages.

Strong webpage content marketing will tell users what they can and can’t get from a service. These webpages are designed to draw the consumer in and keep them there. Once they’re around the webpage then needs to sell them on the service that is being provided. Not enough webpages put value in this and instead opt for quick explanations that, while valuable in their own right, don’t get the job done.

If someone is looking at an individual web page and sees only a paragraph of information there’s a strong chance that paragraph is missing vital info that the user can use. Not to mention it doesn’t do well in the analytics of SEO. Content marketing is about creating great and valuable content while also appeasing to SEO analytics. It can be a tightrope walk, but the best content marketers can do it perfectly.

Social Media

Most businesses have a social media page, but the amount of effort that goes into them is nowhere near enough to meet their competitors. Content marketing in social media is a skill in itself that involves following trends, being smart about those trends, and knowing your audience. Sadly, many companies with a social media presence don’t understand how to do this.

Content marketing in social media is usually a shorter form of writing. If you’re on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram you don’t want to read a post that’s 1000 words, because more often than not you’re on your phone. Even if you aren’t you probably aren’t looking for long form writing on those platforms. That’s why staying short, sweet, and to the point is important in social media content marketing.

Not to mention that content marketing on a social media platform is a dangerous game. Many social media posts want to go viral with funny jokes, memes, or videos, but one misstep and you’re going viral for all the wrong reasons. Posting something cute and adorable is fine, but make sure it always has good taste. Poor taste in a social media is the biggest and most easily avoidable mistake. If you have to think about it then it’s probably not worth doing.

Great content marketers understand all platforms. Even if they’re currently not working in one area they still understand this and do their best for the possibility of one day needing to work in that kind of content marketing field. Content marketing is a constantly changing world and you have to be ready to adapt with what the future holds. One day social media, webpages, and podcasts might be obsolete as something else takes their place. You always need to be ready for change.

At The AD Leaf ® we understand more than anyone how much the landscape of the industry can change. If you want to speak with a team of experts that can help you understand that landscape then why not try contacting us via our phone number, 321.255.0900, or set up a consultation at TheAdLeaf.com, or you can email us to info@theadleaf.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

E-Commerce: No Longer Just for Corporations

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing

When you think about e-commerce, the first companies that pop into your head are probably popular retailers like Amazon, Sephora, Chewy, or Target. For years, these companies have paved the way for online shopping; they have developed easy to use websites that let you order products straight to your door with just a few clicks of your mouse.

 

E-commerce is nothing new to Americans, but the way it’s being used is rapidly changing, especially in light of complications from COVID-19. Previously, e-commerce was a tool only for large companies willing to spend great sums of money building out online platforms. It took a lot of capital to convert a business model to be online shopping friendly. 

 

This all changed beginning in 2004 when a little company called Shopify began doing business in Toronto. The goal of Shopify was to make e-commerce more accessible to businesses of all sizes. In 2010, Shopify went mobile, and in 2015 the company started trading publicly at $28 a share. Today, Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the world. It has pioneered the way for other e-commerce companies to thrive and provide solutions to thousands of businesses.

 

The beauty and brilliance of platforms like Shopify, 3dcart, WooCommerce, and others is that they are available to businesses of all sizes. Mom and pop shops can use e-commerce platforms just as affordably as more major operations. No matter your business model, if you have products to sell, e-commerce platforms can help you.

 

In light of closures and complications caused by COVID-19, many businesses have found themselves trying out e-commerce for the first time. With brick and mortar storefronts currently closed in many states nationwide, e-commerce has become a lifeline. Businesses are amazed by how easy it is to set up e-commerce accounts and start selling products previously offered only in stores. 

 

E-commerce platforms are constantly innovating to better serve their clients. For example, this month Shopify launched its own email marketing software that allows businesses to easily integrate their products and services into email campaigns.

 

At The AD Leaf ®, we work with many clients who utilize e-commerce platforms to do business. Our team is consistently impressed with many aspects of these cutting edge tools. Here is a list of some of our favorite things about e-commerce:

 

  • E-commerce platforms help businesses break geographic barriers. Whereas brick and mortar storefronts are confined to one location, e-commerce allows companies to reach people across the country and around the world!
  • E-commerce drives more customers through SEO. E-commerce platforms help companies develop search engine visibility so new customers can find products.
  • E-commerce allows businesses to be open 24/7. Customers can connect with businesses at any time of the day or night!
  • E-commerce helps provide markets for niche products. Does your business exclusively sell World War II memorabilia? With e-commerce, that’s no problem! Online platforms help businesses cater to specific customer bases.
  • E-commerce offers huge amounts of valuable data. Platforms allow businesses to track what products sell best and customer buying trends, among many other analytics.

 

In business, adaptability is one of the factors that determine whether you survive or close. This is a harsh reality, but thankfully today there are myriad tools for companies to use to help stay afloat and prosper, even in uncertain times. E-commerce (and effective marketing) can make a huge impact on small, medium, and large businesses!

 

It’s easy to see why e-commerce is revolutionizing the way we conduct business around the world. If your business is looking to switch to e-commerce, we can help! Our team can answer any questions you may have and help you make the transition. 

Connect with us! 321-255-0900 | info@theadleaf.com

Leveraging Content Marketing for Customer Engagement

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing | , , ,

Customer engagement is a critical factor for small businesses striving for long-term growth. Engaged customers are not only more likely to make repeat purchases, but they also refer friends, leave reviews, and provide valuable feedback that can help refine products or services. 

 

Building strong connections with your audience fosters loyalty and positions your brand as trustworthy and reliable. Content marketing is a strategic, cost-effective way to achieve this, providing meaningful experiences that attract, educate, and retain customers. Through well-planned content, small businesses can create conversations that resonate with their audience and encourage ongoing interaction.

Understanding Customer Engagement

 

Customer engagement refers to the emotional and interactive connection between your business and its audience. It goes beyond simply generating views or clicks. True engagement reflects how invested your customers are in your brand. High engagement correlates with increased trust, improved customer loyalty, and stronger word-of-mouth promotion. Businesses that actively cultivate engagement often see higher conversion rates and longer customer lifecycles.

 

Engagement can be measured through a variety of metrics, including:

  • Time spent on a page
  • Social media shares and comments
  • Responses to email campaigns
  • Repeat visits to your website
  • Interaction with interactive elements like quizzes or polls

Understanding which types of content generate the most engagement allows businesses to refine strategies, prioritize effective formats, and better meet audience expectations.

Content Marketing Strategies to Increase Engagement

 

  • Interactive Content: Interactive content encourages active participation from your audience, creating memorable experiences that foster connection. Examples include:
  • Quizzes that help customers discover products or services tailored to their preferences
  • Polls that ask for opinions on upcoming product launches
  • Surveys that gather customer feedback for future improvements
  • Contests that reward participation with discounts or freebies

For example, a fitness studio could create a quiz to recommend personalized workout plans. Participants are likely to share results on social media, extending the reach of your brand and generating organic engagement. Similarly, an online boutique could host a “Style Your Outfit” contest, encouraging customers to submit photos and tag your brand, increasing both visibility and participation.

  • Personalized Email Campaigns: Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools for small business engagement, particularly when personalized. Segmenting your email lists based on behavior, purchase history, or demographics ensures that the right content reaches the right audience.

 

Personalized campaigns can include:

  • Birthday discounts or promotions
  • Product recommendations based on previous purchases
  • Tailored newsletters highlighting content relevant to subscriber interests

When customers receive content that aligns with their needs, they are more likely to open, read, and act on your emails. This personalized approach also signals that your business understands and values each customer, strengthening the emotional connection.

 

  • Social Media Interaction: Social media is not just a broadcasting tool; it is a two-way channel for engagement. Consistently posting high-quality content and responding to comments or direct messages demonstrates that your business values feedback.

 

Engagement strategies include:

  • Responding to customer questions and acknowledging comments
  • Hosting live Q&A sessions or webinars
  • Sharing behind-the-scenes content to humanize your brand
  • Encouraging followers to tag friends or share their own experiences

By actively participating in conversations, small businesses build community, increase loyalty, and show that they are approachable and customer-focused.

 

  • User-Generated Content (UGC): Encouraging customers to create content for your brand builds authenticity and trust. UGC can take the form of testimonials, reviews, social media posts, or photos featuring your products.

 

Benefits of UGC include:

  • Providing social proof to potential customers
  • Boosting engagement as people share their own experiences
  • Reducing content creation workload for your team

For example, a local coffee shop could encourage patrons to post photos of their favorite drinks using a branded hashtag. Sharing these posts on your official social accounts fosters a sense of community and encourages further participation.

Storytelling for Engagement

 

Storytelling is a powerful way to humanize your brand. Sharing narratives that feature employees, customer experiences, or behind-the-scenes insights allows your audience to connect emotionally with your business. HubSpot research shows that 60% of consumers feel more connected to brands that provide helpful content consistently. 

 

Examples include:

  • A bakery telling the story of a family recipe behind a signature pastry
  • A fitness trainer sharing client success stories
  • A boutique highlighting the process behind hand-selected seasonal collections

Authentic storytelling inspires trust, encourages repeat engagement, and differentiates your business from competitors by showing the human side behind the brand.

Content Distribution for Engagement

 

Creating great content is only part of the process. Distribution ensures that your efforts reach and resonate with your audience.

  • Multi-Channel Approach: Distribute blogs, social media posts, and newsletters across multiple platforms to maximize reach.
  • Video Content: Short videos or live streams encourage interaction and help retain attention. Platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts are ideal for engaging younger demographics.
  • Community Forums: Participate in niche discussions or industry forums to build credibility and demonstrate expertise.

By reaching customers where they are most active, small businesses increase opportunities for engagement and create a consistent brand presence.

Measuring Engagement

 

Monitoring analytics is essential to understanding the effectiveness of your engagement strategy. Metrics to track include:

  • Social media likes, shares, and comments
  • Blog interactions, including scroll depth and time on page
  • Email open and click-through rates
  • Repeat website visits and user behavior

Analyzing these insights allows businesses to identify successful content, adjust strategies, and focus on high-performing approaches. Over time, data-driven adjustments ensure continuous improvement and higher engagement levels.

Advanced Tips

 

  • Use AI Tools: AI can automate personalization, optimize posting times, and segment audiences for targeted campaigns.
  • Encourage Feedback: Surveys and comment prompts allow customers to share opinions, improving content relevance.
  • Repurpose High-Performing Content: Turn successful blog posts into videos, infographics, or email series to extend reach and engagement.
  • Consistency is Key: Maintaining a regular content schedule builds anticipation and loyalty among your audience.

Why The AD Leaf

 

The AD Leaf specializes in content marketing strategies designed to maximize customer engagement. We help small businesses craft personalized campaigns, develop interactive content, and implement multi-channel strategies that foster meaningful connections. 

 

By tracking analytics and refining campaigns, The AD Leaf ensures your content not only reaches your audience but inspires interaction, builds trust, and drives loyalty. Partnering with The AD Leaf transforms content marketing into a tool for growth, turning casual visitors into loyal customers and advocates for your brand.

Digital Marketing Strategy

Why Businesses Need Digital Marketing To Survive COVID-19

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing, Email Marketing, Graphic Design, Marketing, Pay Per Click, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Website Design

Why Businesses Need A Digital Marketing Strategy To Survive COVID-19

In the coming months, businesses of all sizes are going to become extra reliant than ever on their digital marketing strategy. Without wanting to sound too much like a killjoy, in many cases, it will be the deciding factor in whether they make it through the tough times that are ahead. 

The unparalleled, and almost-total disappearance of all channels related to live events and conferences, and the increasing barriers on face-to-face business, pose an enormous challenge to any business model. 

B2B companies, in particular, rely on the annual circuit of trade shows and exhibitions to network and build customer relations. In industries that are not digital-native, they may also be less sophisticated in their digital growth and customer relations strategies. Especially in the case of smaller businesses that are used to getting new customers strictly word-of-mouth referrals or on the strength of a hard-won reputation, their loss is going to come as a shock if it hasn’t already.

Larger companies are now finding themselves in the position of having potentially lost millions of dollars from canceled events alone. They won’t claw back the hours of time and expense spent on preparations for this year, but insurance and flexible cancellation policies are going to leave them with some marketing budget to reassign. Digital Marketing in any aspect is likely going to be the clear and obvious choice here, and companies that may not so much as had a Facebook page before will need to move into social media marketing, content marketing, SEO, and even influencer-led campaigns. 

This, of course, means there are opportunities out there for the taking and a key factor in resilience is adaptability. If it’s standard in your industry to go out and meet new customers face-to-face before you do business, adapting may mean opening new channels over web or social media platforms where introductions can be made and relationship fostered. In the coming months, you prospective clients are going to be less open to the idea of letting you walk through the door and shake their hand, and no-one really has any idea how long this will last and whether this will lead to longer-term change. 

We are going to be in some uncertain times, but with the increase of remote working and a collaborative approach, companies are going to turn to digital channels and embrace the transformation. There has already been a real spike in the last few weeks from companies wishing to create or update their websites, launch new social media channels and campaigns focused on home-workers and a real focus on using influencers and SEO to reach new audiences. 

Being confined to the office — or even the home — rather than on the road on sales visits or at events, means marketers are going to have more time to develop digital marketing strategies. This means researching where your customers can be found online, and how different approaches and tactics might impact your success. If your organization previously put minimal efforts into digital channels, now is going to be a prime time to revisit them. That could be as simple as giving your website or social media pages a refresh, or a more innovative approach. 

A key point to note is that a lot of corporate entities use up about 50-60% of their marketing budgets on events. When things go back to normal, budgets will most likely be going back to those live face-to-face events, but if organizations can see the benefits and opportunities that digital marketing can offer, they might understand the benefit of adding it to their long-term marketing strategy. 

Channels such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn Live are going to be crucial moving forward as the ability to connect with a targeted audience real-time is very beneficial, if not essential. 

It’s certainly true that the coming weeks, or months – or however long this situation lasts – will be a challenging time for any company that isn’t ready to think about how they will replace the opportunities that have been lost. 

As long as businesses can approach the shift to digital marketing strategically, there’s no reason why it should just serve as an emergency fill-in but could carry on providing long-term value when the world eventually gets back to normal. And of course, this would make companies more resilient to deal with any future pandemics. Do you need help with your Digital Marketing Strategy? Looking to take your social media or SEO to the next step? Contact the team at The AD Leaf ® Marketing Firm and learn how you can grow with us today and weather the storm that is COVID-19!

Marketing Agency

5 Reasons To Hire A Marketing Agency VS An In-House Team

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing, Email Marketing, Graphic Design, IT Services, Marketing, Pay Per Click, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Website Design

Should you hire a Marketing Agency or build an in-house team?

In today’s digital landscape, there is no shortage of marketing options for businesses. From freelancers and marketing agencies to hiring your own in-house team, companies have more choices than ever before, specifically when it comes to online marketing. As your business grows, you will need to consider how your marketing will be handled, including whether to hire new employees and build an internal marketing team or empower your brand through a Marketing Agency.

While each has its own advantages, a full-service Marketing Agency provides substantial value to large, medium, and even small businesses. They strive to build cohesive and effective brands, put organizations in front of their customers and audience, and drive sales through awareness.

5 Reasons to Hire A Marketing Agency

1. Unparalleled Experience

Why piece together individual talents when you can hire an experienced Marketing Agency to handle everything for you? One of the major advantages of hiring a Marketing Agency is a professional experience. In fact, a good agency will have specific knowledge in a wide range of industries and markets, along with experience facing a diverse range of scenarios and challenges never encountered by many newer business owners. Having a knowledgeable and experienced staff at your side can produce immediate results for owners, helping to quickly get your marketing efforts off the ground.

2. Broader Skillsets

It can be difficult to locate suitable in-house employees with branding and marketing skills such as SEO and graphic design. By hiring a Marketing Agency, you’ll not only have the necessary tools to achieve your vision for success but a suite of creative services at your fingertips.

For example, a full-service Marketing Agency can assist clients in everything from rebranding their company image and website, developing their print and direct mail campaigns, and creating a social strategy to boost SEO and PPC campaigns. With a Marketing Agency, a client may choose to utilize one service or all them–whereas, with an in-house team, businesses are limited in what they can achieve.

3. Fresh Perspective & Inspiration

Another major advantage of hiring a Marketing Agency is a new perspective. A marketing team can help inject new life into marketing efforts, helping to identify unseen opportunities and enhance current campaigns. One example is social media marketing. With more companies looking to broaden their social reach through sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, a Marketing Agency can significantly enhance a brand’s approach to social media, including how they’re perceived by their audience.

4. Speed, Efficiency, and Consistency

As an up-and-coming business owner, you’ll be forced to wear several hats when getting your business off the ground. Generally speaking, this will almost include tackling aspects of the business you’re unfamiliar with, such as branding and digital marketing. With only so much time in the day, it’s important your marketing approach doesn’t suffer from time restraints or inexperience. Hiring a Marketing Agency can easily solve this dilemma.

5. More Affordable Than Hiring In-House

The cost of hiring and maintaining a team of in-house marketers can be very expensive. For smaller businesses, this expense may be too much to afford.
One of the more surprising benefits of hiring a Marketing Agency is cost-effectiveness. Along with providing a plethora of knowledge, experience, and skillset, a Marketing Agency is almost always more affordable compared to hiring a full-time marketing team. For example, after hiring a marketing manager, web designer, graphic designer, content writer, and social media manager, the total cost can reach upwards of multiple six figures a year! And that’s not even including the cost of employee benefits.

Marketing is the heart and soul of any business. At The AD Leaf ®, we’ve spent the last 25 years working with a diverse range of clients — from healthcare and technology to governmental, law enforcement and consumer goods — to perfect our approach to marketing, advertising, and branding. From strategic creative direction to engaging digital marketing, our extensive marketing team is here to handle every aspect of your business.

Want to enhance your content marketing? Looking to take your social media to the next step? Contact the team at The AD Leaf ® Marketing Firm and learn how you can grow with us today!

“Loretta”: Kicking Ads & Taking Names

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing, Marketing, Pay Per Click, Social Media

We’ve all seen it.

The tear-jerker ad released by Google during this year’s Super Bowl commercial ad space.

This ad by Google depicts the voice of an elderly gentleman using Google to remind himself about his late wife, Loretta. This ad was also inspired by a real person, a Google employee’s grandfather. As the commercial begins, it avoids much of what Super Bowl ads are known for. Comedic humor. Celebrity faces. Nostalgic flashbacks. With so many of these pop-culture references and heavy emphasis on humor, each company and advertising agency has one of the most competitive niche ad spaces to fight over. And with a 5 million dollar price tag for a 30-second commercial space, the competition and drive to stand out becomes even more daunting.

To be fair, there were so many ads that were incredibly well-done and clear in their communication. From the Cheetos commercial with MC Hammer dancing in those…pants, to the dog that was the survivor of heart cancer, to the loveable Ellen ad showcasing life before Alexa, the lineup was chock-full of heavy hitters in the marketing space. Then there’s this Loretta ad that had us holding back tears and smiling without even trying.

The commercial opens with slow typing on a familiar Google search browser. The typing was the immediate initial stand-out element. It was slow, more intentional. Before a male voice could be heard I knew this was going to be potentially an elderly person behind the keyboard. Then the words “How to not forget” are seen, typed into the search bar. The stringed music begins to play, creating a somber ambiance. As the commercial continues, you can feel both sadness, but not mourning; a relatable “human-ess” but also a hope for one’s own life.

Then we hear an elderly man asking Google Assistant to help him remember different aspects of his wife, Loretta. It takes a moment to realize, but the more you watch you begin to realize that Loretta is the man’s wife, and she is unfortunately no longer with him. The commercial is of an obviously kind and warm widower who is using Google to help him remember things of a woman he loves but is no longer there with him.

As you continue to watch you see slideshow and videos that are obviously taken from a real individual from a real marriage and a real life. This is so important because if this was done any other way, an ad like this (which is already a big risk due to the nature of the ad) could be seen as insensitive, manipulative, and morbidly crass. But as you watch you see over and over pictures and videos of a real couple, happy and in love. Google is right there, helping this man remember Loretta’s favorite foods, how she liked going to Alaska, and how she hated his mustache he grew one time. Heart-warming doesn’t even begin to describe all the feels we feel watching this!

“Remember, don’t miss me too much, and get out of the dang house.”

Here we see that she truly is gone, but we also see a beautiful snippet of her relationship towards him, not just his towards her. It alludes to a moment he had with his wife, probably one of the last. Google helps with the heart-string tugging here by including the last little note from Loretta that said, “…and get out of the dang house’ helping the viewers navigate this sad topic with life and humor. The commercial ends with us hearing a human voice, the voice of the widower, and a door opening as he leaves the house with his dog, ending on a beautiful, real note.

Google’s “Loretta” ad embarks on a risky balancing act of sadness and joy, life and loss…and does it beautifully. Check out these stats from the data-driven video marketing agency, Unruly:

“Loretta” earned an EQ score of 6.5 thanks in large part to its large emotional impact. Nearly half (49%) of viewers had an intense emotional reaction to the ad. It was a 58% more intense reaction than the average U.S. ad and the highest of any of the 40 Super Bowl ads tested by Unruly. According to the company, “Loretta” was nearly twice as likely to make viewers smile, almost four times more heart-warming and 12 times more sad than the average U.S. ad.
The emotional reaction also seemed to translate to brand impact, leading to the highest brand favorability of any of the Super Bowl ads Unruly. Nearly half (49%) of all viewers reported a favorable view of the brand, compared to a U.S. average of 37%. What’s more—46% of viewers also reported purchase intent, with 47% saying they were willing to find out more about the brand.

“The Super Bowl is traditionally the chance for advertisers to bring home the laughs, yet two of the top three ads leaned heavily on more serious emotions. Google’s ‘Loretta’ ad had the highest score for sadness in the top 10 and both Google and New York Life Insurance had some of the highest scores for warmth at 32% and 26%, respectively,”
The data and the results shine a burning spotlight on one (there are obviously many more) glaringly important fact when it comes to marketing: In order to win big, you must risk big.

When I say risk, I mean to dare to take the road that others aren’t taking. Google did it perfectly in this ad because they counted on seeing the same trend of humor and nostalgic ads, all clamoring for a spot as top dog (Speaking of the dog, the other ad in the top 3 tier was about the dog who had heart surgery!). Google specifically and deliberately swam against the proverbial current by taking not the humorous and nostalgic road which is always a safe choice that “works”, but by daring to forge a new path by sewing themselves into your lives through appealing to something that binds every person together: Love. Google was making a simple and yet incredibly effective claim that we need Google for the most important things in our lives.

In order to win big, you must risk big. Sure, you can spend too much money on a 30-second ad space to create something brilliant, funny, and feel-good. Most of the ads we viewed and analyzed were indeed incredibly well thought out. But what about making something memorable? By appealing to different emotions than the typical niche space of the Super Bowl ad space, Google dared to be an outlier.

This is why Google’s Loretta is brilliant marketing. It perfectly goes against the trend by taking big risks in appealing to unusual emotions, while implying that we need Google for life’s most beautiful things.

And won.

Is your business ready to take the road less traveled and make something not only great but memorable? Consider partnering with us at The AD Leaf ® and let’s start kicking ads and taking names together. Call 321-255-0900 today.

Social Media Marketing

Three Tips to Help Your Writing Not Suck

Posted on | by The AD Leaf Studio Vegas NV
Content Writing, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

So you are about to publish your client’s next post on their social media platforms. You skim it one last time, slide the mouse over the longed-for “publish” button, and…click.

It’s away.

Transmitted.

Flying through the internet.

Public. Seen. Exposed.

 

But what happens if you don’t have a basic understanding of composing well written and compelling copy? Failing to proofread your own work can be detrimental to the success of the client you are representing, and the firm you work with. We are professionals here, so the way in which we conduct our work, including our written conduct, should reflect this! But if you do not have a frame of reference and some basic best practices under your belt, and you publish your work…who knows what could happen.

See, if you are in Social Media Marketing, you most likely have to face this obviously large giant, glaring down at you. It’s up to you and up to me to develop our skill set so we can slay that giant, and prosper everyone around us. While it’s true that people make mistakes, as professionals, it is our goal to prosper others, we need to do everything we can to ensure that our work is the best it can be, and there are plenty of smiles not fading under a metaphorical sun.

So how can we better engage with our audience, produce eye-catching content, and keep the smile alive? Below are 3 tips for writing better, stronger content.

  1. Grammarly – This one is basic but absolutely essential. Grammarly is a free extension that you can download (they also have a Pro version that you can pay for) that is essentially spell-checker. As you are creating copy for your clients and you are typing furiously across the keyboard, it will gently point out when you misspell a word. There is nothing worse than composing an email, an important response, or even worse…a social media post, and finding a glaring typo. The dread! Typos create an unprofessional view of not only yourself but also the clients you are representing. This is one problem that can be easily resolved by downloading the Grammarly extension. It’s free and keeps your content looking that much more professional for your client base.
  2. Open Loops – I remember watching The Office a couple of years back. There was an episode where Jim and Pam finally (and quite scandalously if I might add) kiss. It was the long anticipated moment that we all deep down hoped for because they were so obviously into each other, and well…Roy was not the nicest guy. But then the episode cut and  at that point, I thought to myself, “Wait, what? Do they get together? Will they date? Will Roy punch Jim in his face?” So naturally, I binge-watched the next 10 episodes. Why did I do this? This was not an accident. The producers created a psychological effect called an Open Loop which “pulled” me to want to watch the next episode (or 10). The lack of resolution made me continue. Resolution is something we all crave. We can implement this same psychological principle to generate more leads. We need to create Open Loops within our copy that was to pull the audience to “watch 10 more episodes” of whatever “show” you are playing. Create a question or something that draws the reader in to continue reading by dangling something in front of them without giving everything upfront. This is an Open Loop.
  3. Star, Chain, Hook – The Star is you/your business/what you offer. The Chain is the surrounding, supporting evidence that validates the Star. Lastly, the Hook is the call to action. The key ingredient in this writing formula is the chain. The chain is the supporting facts/statistics/analytics/evidence that validates you and what you are offering (the Star). This is the factual and emotional argument that you are right, and your audience needs to join you. These facts form a chain that envelopes you to your future clients. This is where the call to action comes in. So you’ve presented the Star (you as a company or your services) and you have also laid out the Chain (the facts as to why going with you is more advantageous) and now it’s time for the Call to Action. At this point, you want to gently put pressure to encourage your readers to make a decision. Like Voldemort from Harry Potter. Just kidding. But you get the idea. Present who you are. Lay out the chain links of why you are the winner to go with, and then ask them to join your dark army.

Let’s say you are representing a coffee company’s social media campaign. What does this company’s definition of success look like? This is the motivation behind the star you are presenting to the public. This is the question that you are answering for others. Why should they buy their coffee? Figure this out, and present the star proudly and confidently to the general public. After this shiny beautiful star is presented, it’s time to reinforce why it’s the best coffee. It’s time to describe, link by link, evidence by evidence, why their coffee is the best. You could describe the low carbon footprint the company makes, the exquisite attention to detail they pour over every cup of coffee they make, and the social impact they strive to achieve. Lastly, the hook. A hook grabs people. Now we lay before our audience not only the reasons why this coffee is better than all others, but the reason they need it. This coffee is ethically sourced. This coffee supports these farmers. This coffee is the way coffee is supposed to be made. These hooks are nudging people to make a choice. This choice can be blatant: “Come on by today” or it can be not as obvious “We are open all day Saturday”. The choice is yours as you factor in other elements from your campaign.

With these 3 principals, your copywriting skills will hit the stratosphere! There are an endless plethora of social media marketing resources out there that are available. A lot of this content was inspired from content on Buffer’s website which is another great resource for those wanting to learn.

The marketing game is entirely other-centric. Our job is to help you and your job do well. To win. And because when you win, we win. By being proactive, we close the gap in preventing mistakes, creating better content, crushing the competitors, and making the world a better place. Let’s get writing!