connected tv advertising

This Is What You Need to Know About Connected TV Advertising

Did you know that 80% of the U.S. population, or 260 million people, have at least one connected TV device in their home? As a business owner, this can be a great way to get the word out about your company, driving leads, and sales.

But what exactly is connected TV? For many, this is a new term that's a little confusing.

Don't fret. In this post, we'll outline everything you need to know about connected TV advertising and how it can benefit your business. Keep reading to learn more.

What Is Connected TV?

Let's start with the basics. What is connected TV?

Here's a good definition: connected TV (otherwise known as CTV) is television-style content that's streamed over the internet instead of a cable or satellite service.

As you probably know, cable and satellite TV subscriptions have been declining for a few years now. On the other hand, CTV usage is going up.

Say hello to an amazing advertising opportunity.

Connected TV Advertising Explained

Now let's talk through connected TV advertising: what exactly is it?

Basically, advertising on CTV means you're purchasing video ad space that displays on internet-powered streaming devices and apps.

For example, say someone is watching Hulu on their iPad. One example of a connected TV ad is the commercial that comes up during a break on the show.

The best part about CTV is that it takes traditional TV advertising and takes it to the next level. Because it's internet-based, you have access to the same precise targeting methods available on other digital channels. It's a win-win.

Here are some of the most common devices that can handle CTV content:

  • Desktop computers
  • Laptops
  • Tablets
  • Smart TVs
  • Amazon Fire Sticks
  • Apple TVs
  • Playstations
  • X-Boxes

And that's just some of them. Each year, more and more devices are capable of streaming connected TV content, expanding your potential reach from an advertising perspective.

How Connected TV Advertising Works

At the core of CTV advertising is automated software. These programs will send out our ads to viewers as they're watching CTV, all while gathering and tracking data.

Say goodbye to the days of airing a TV commercial with no real idea of how it performed or who saw it. With connected TV, you can understand how your ad performs.

Here's a breakdown of the process.

First, you create an ad that markets your product or service. Make sure it's engaging and attention-grabbing.

You then decide on the characteristics of your preferred audience, which could include age, gender, location, interests, device type, and more. The software will then find people who fall into those categories and show your ad to them. As the ad is viewed, important metrics are captured, like reach and frequency which will help you understand performance.

It's also important to understand that your ad can run at different times during the program. Pre-roll ads come on before the main content begins streaming. Mid-roll show throughout the show.

Typically, mid-roll is seen as more popular and competitive, making it more expensive.

What are the Benefits of Connected TV Advertising?

Now let's talk about the benefits of using CTV to market your company. What are they?

It's Huge with Millennials

If you're going after millennials in your marketing, then CTV is a no-brainer. It's super popular with them.

In fact, in the U.S., millennials are 67% more likely to be in connected TV-only households. This means that you'd have an incredible opportunity to get your message in front of this age group.

You Can't Skip Them

In today's digital landscape, skippable video ads are a common thing. Youtube, for example, often allows viewers to skip through ads they aren't interested in.

One of the benefits of CTV ads is that viewers can't skip them. They must be watched all the way, which means you're able to convey your full message.

And thanks to its targeting capabilities, your message will get sent to the right people at the right time, in its entirety. What's not to like?

It's More Affordable than Traditional TV Advertising

Another great benefit is that CTV is usually more affordable than traditional TV ads. This is because you can more precisely target your ads to people who are interested.

With regular TV ads, you'd have to spend a lot more money to achieve the same impact per viewer. In other words, you have to get your commercial in front of more eyes to have the same impact with normal TV ads. And this adds up.

CTV is Growing

Last but not least, connected TV is continuing to grow. More and more entertainment is being created for connected formats and people are using it more and more as well.

For example, let's think of all of the CTV options available these days:

  • Netflix
  • Hulu
  • Amazon Prime
  • CBS on Demand
  • NBC's streaming service
  • Disney+
  • ESPN and other sport streaming packages
  • And many more!

Plus, this trend will continue to grow. So why not get in now?

Connected TV Advertising: Next Steps

There you have it: the ins and outs of connected TV advertising. We've gone over what it is, how it works, and the main benefits.

What's left is for you to make a decision. Is this advertising format a good fit for your brand?

If so, great. Let's get working. We'd love to help make your vision a reality.

Get in contact with our team today for more information. We can't wait to help!


advertising agency

Here's How a Good Advertising Agency Can Transform Your Business

When you think about your marketing strategy, what springs to mind first? Is it running social media ads, or sending emails?

They're both valid options. Yet there are still other forms of advertising open to you.

Look at podcasts. 37 percent of Americans listen to at least one podcast. That's up 5 percent from 2019.

Connected TV (CTV) offers another opportunity. Fewer businesses currently advertise on the platform.

That means less competition and lower viewer fatigue. So you stand a better chance of converting viewers into buyers.

A good advertising agency can transform your business by adding these media forms to your advertising strategy. Read on to learn how it works.

Why Advertise on Podcasts?

Far from being radio's lesser-known cousin, podcasts are a booming form of content.

Spotify expanded their offering to include podcasts alongside streamed music. Apple rebranded part of iTunes as Apple Podcasts.

One of the advantages of podcasts is people listen to them in so many places. They might be commuting, walking their dog, or gardening.

Podcasts meet their listeners where they are. This means listeners are primed and ready to consume content when they hit play.

Another advantage of podcasts is there's something personal about the listening experience. It can feel like a personal conversation between the host and their audience.

This helps to create a bond between podcasts and their listeners. By advertising on those podcasts, you build trust by association.

Listeners are also consumers and almost half of them are very affluent. 45 percent of podcast listeners enjoy a household income of more than $75k.

How Should You Advertise on Podcasts?

Podcasts offer several ways to run adverts. These may vary depending on the show format or the preference of the host.

The podcast host may read your ad during the podcast, or they may weave the content into the episode itself. This has the advantage of feeling more organic.

Some hosts may even discuss their experience with your product or service. This is helpful if you want a more personal recommendation from a trusted host.

Other podcasts play adverts as a separate piece of content. This is closer to the way radio runs adverts. That said, podcasts won't have several ad breaks through the episode.

They may only include three ads per episode or less. That means less competition for you, and it's easier for listeners to remember your ad.

Hosts usually run ads at three points of an episode. The pre-roll slot runs at the beginning of the podcast, while the outro runs at the end. Mid-roll ads run during the podcast.

Which Slot Is Better for Your Advert?

The mid-roll slot is usually the longest, running up to 60 seconds in length. This gives you more space for the creative aspect of your ad.

Pre-roll slots are up to 15 seconds, yet it feels the least intrusive. It can set the tone for the episode and doesn't interrupt the content.

Outro adverts have the benefit of being the final thing listeners hear. This can turn them into a call-to-action, turning listeners into buyers.

A good advertising agency can approach the right podcasts and secure the right slots. They can also craft a professional advert to reflect well on your business.

What About Connected TV?

Connected TVs let users watch TV, access the internet, and stream services on the same device. They may also be known as smart TVs.

They're a hybrid between traditional television and internet services. These TVs are favored by those who had abandoned more mainstream services. 10 million viewers have cut the cord with traditional cable TV providers since 2012.

Unlike traditional TV advertising, connected TV advertising offers a high degree of targeting. An advertising agency will create your advert and ensure it reaches the right audience.

Choose time slots, programs, and viewer demographics for more success.

Viewers can't skip ads as they can on platforms such as YouTube. They need to finish watching the ad in the stream to access their content.

That sounds intrusive, but because ads are shown less often, people pay more attention. Viewers are also more likely to watch them because they're so highly targeted.

Your advertising agency will choose the right slots and streams to suit your target audience. They can also get real-time reporting on the ad's performance.

That tells them how many people watched the ad in full, and how many viewers would recognize the brand.

Traditional TV advertising can't offer this level of precision or reporting.

Create Multi-Platform Campaigns for the Best Success

The best way to approach your advertising strategy is to think in terms of campaigns. That means you create a concept to share in different formats across a range of platforms.

This means you reach different segments of your audience wherever they prefer to be. Some of your audience may prefer podcasts while others watch hours of on-demand TV.

Rather than running an ad on one or the other, a campaign lets you reach both. You can repurpose parts of your ads as static ads for print, or targeted social media ads.

Using this approach has another advantage. It turns each advert into a touchpoint. Every time a person sees or hears your ad, they build a stronger awareness of your brand.

It can take seven touchpoints to make a sale. Instead of running seven ads on one platform, you can make those touchpoints across different channels.

An Advertising Agency Helps You to Access These Platforms

Now you know how a good advertising agency can transform your business. They can craft professional content for a range of platforms.

An agency also targets your audience on the right platforms. That means people who are more likely to buy will see/hear your ad. You won't waste money reaching people who aren't interested.

All this experience turns your approach into an advertising strategy and not just marketing. You can see a swift return on investment when you advertise on these mass media platforms.

Do you want to advertise across mass media? Contact Optic Marketing Group today and find out how we can help.


attract customers

How Advertisers Can Attract Customers This Fall

With more people staying home this year due to COVID-19, it has changed the way that people vacation and how they will be vacationing this Fall for the holiday season. 

There are more guidelines in place when it comes to social distancing and wearing a mask in public. Restaurants are closed or only open for takeout. Vacationing and all travel, is quite different this year. 

As a business, it might be a struggle to attract customers, especially if they don't want to leave the house. People might have different plans this Fall because of COVID-19. 

That's why it's more important than ever to make your advertising more effective. You want to create advertisements that are more specific and show that you relate to your target market. 

Here's a guide that can help you attract more customers. 

Highlight How Clean Your Business Is

If you are going to advertise to attract your target market, you need to highlight pain points that are on everyone's mind. 

For example, you need to address how clean your business is, but also address what changes you are making to protect the safety of others. You might need to explain with a billboard advertisement or some other form of advertising how your business is doing its part to ensure that every customer is protected. 

Your advertisements should highlight what you are doing to keep your business clean and safe for customers. That may mean showing people that your employees are wearing a mask and gloves to prevent other people from getting sick. 

Your advertisements can also show what protocols you have in place when it comes to doing business with customers. These protocols may involve less contact and are centered on the customers. 

Talk About Social Distancing Rules

Another critical part of advertising to attract your target market is to highlight social distancing rules. 

To show that your business is abiding by social distancing rules could mean that you have 6ft apart decal stickers on the ground for customers to keep their distance while they are in line. Or, if you are a home services based business you can ensure them that you have been actively enforcing social distancing methods with in-office teams and your service technicians. 

It can also mean that your business has notifications on your website, ads and service vehicles to show that your employees are abiding by this rule. It shows that you care about the customer and their safety. 

Show More Discounts and Promotions

Another way to attract your target market to your store this Fall is to offer promotions and discounts. 

With the economy slowing down due to COVID-19 and people figuring out ways to save on shopping, it's important to show people how they can save money, especially when they will be spending a lot of money for the holiday season. Offer discounts and promotions through email or in other advertisements that show people they can save when they shop at your business. Target your market with Facebook ads, social media posts, landing pages, emails, and other forms of advertisements. 

The point is, you want to make it clear that your business is adjusting during COVID-19 in a way that helps people during this difficult time. 

Know Who You're Targeting

It's also important that you know who you're targeting during COVID-19. If you want to maintain sales and attract customers, you have to understand how the customer's mindset has changed during COVID-19. 

During the holiday season,, people want to take a vacation and visit family. They want to leave the house and feel like they can take a break from life. The question is, how can you help them achieve this while also feeling safe during COVID-19? 

With that in mind, you should create billboard advertisements or other forms of advertisements based on answering that question. Your goal is to help people feel safer while they vacation and now that people will be driving to their destination rather than flying, outdoor billboards will be seen by many faces.

While targeting age, demographics, and interest will, for the most part, remain the same, it's messaging of your business advertisements that will change to adjust to people's new lifestyle. You want your advertisements to give a feeling of safety.

In addition, it's important to remember that people are ready to spend, although their vacation spots are limited. That means you have to create better advertisements that outshine your competitors. 

You want your target market to spend their carefully earned dollars on your business. 

How to Improve Your Advertisements

Your advertisements should not only be about safety and the well-being of the customer, but it should also be more precise and targeted. 

That means writing a better headline as well as body copy that specifically addresses how you can help your target market. You want to avoid being overly general. You want to hit home on specific pain points and show what your business is doing to help the customers. 

You should also consider advertising more on social media, with more people hanging out online during the pandemic. This means you should consider posting and advertising more on social media in order to promote your business. 

If you want to see how you can generate revenue from social media posts, check out this blog article

Overall, it's always important to improve your advertisements to achieve better results. But it's more important than ever to show people how you're maintaining health and safety rules and ensuring their safety is of the utmost importance. 

Now You Know How to Attract Customers This Fall

While the economy has slowed down a bit during the pandemic, it's still an opportunity for your business to adjust and generate sales. It's an opportunity to attract customers with targeted messaging. 

You want to show your target market how your business is adjusting during COVID-19. You want to promote your brand and show people that your business is safer than ever to shop at. So now is not the time to halt your advertising but just to adjust your messaging and advertising platforms.

If you need help with how to attract customers this Fall, contact Optic Marketing Group today to get started. Optic Marketing Group is a full-service marketing agency that specializes in HVAC marketing. 


media buying

The 3 Stages of the Media Buying Process

If you're unsure of what media buying is, it's when you buy ad space to promote your message

It's a way to reach your target market. 

In other words, a business that wants media buying should look for the lowest cost that offers the best placement. You want to pay less for people to see it the most. 

That's the most basic concept of media buying. However, there's a lot that goes into the strategy behind it. You need to know your target market, the placement of your ads, the conversion rate, brand awareness, and more. 

The better your strategy, the more likely your conversion rate will improve and you'll be able to generate sales. If you want a solid strategy, you need to know about the three stages of the media buying process. 

This article discusses these three stages and how they can help your business. 

Stage 1 

Stage 1 is pre-launching. 

That means figuring out all the nitty-gritty details before the launch. It's the research behind the launch that will make it successful. Here's all the research you should have compiled before you actually launch. 

Know Your Target Market

Understanding who you're targeting is key to any launch. You want to make sure the product or service is the perfect fit for the ideal customer. 

When you do have a target market, you need to segment them based on interests, age, demographics, as well as other factors. When you segment your audience, it enables you to send a more specific message. You can send more targeted messages. 

Here are some questions you should be asking about your target market

  • What problems do they have? 
  • Why would they shop at your business or use your services over others? 
  • What are they thinking about that you could help them solve? 
  • How do they book your services? 

These are just some of the questions to consider when understanding your target market. Ultimately, the more you know about your target market, the more you can help them. 

Who Are Your Competitors? 

After you figure out your target market, you will need to figure out who your competitors are and why some of the target market chooses to hire them instead of you. 

When you're researching your competitors, you need to figure out if they are targeting a different group and how they are advertising differently. Are they offering a service that you don’t offer? What about a rebate or special coupon? 

Choose Design and Figure Out Your Budget

Another key part of stage one of the media buying process is the actual design of your ad. You want to choose if your media will be on radio or television. You may decide to also do it on social media. 

After you decide, you need to figure out how your message is specifically designed for that media outlet because every one of them requires a unique message. 

You also want to set a specific budget to your marketing campaign. You will also have to prepare for unplanned expenses. 

If you want to see how we help businesses with the media buying process and our work with past clients, can check it out on our website

Stage 2

Stage 2 of the media buying process is the actual campaign launch. 

This is when your business monitors the campaign and sees if there are adjustments that need to be made. Although you know everything about your target market at this point, you will still need to see how they react to your advertisements. 

Worst case scenario, you may need to scrap the entire strategy if the conversion rate is horrible. 

But stage 2 is really about how to optimize the campaign. It's important to see how the consumers react and how you can change your campaign to reflect their behavior. That's why it's critical to continue monitoring any changes. 

Another important piece here is what happens after customers contact your business after seeing your advertisement. The ads generate the leads, but the internal sales and service teams are what closes the deal. So you will also want to check in on how you are doing during the process as well. If you are finding that leads are not turning into sales, this is where you will want to check for any areas of improvement. 

Call listening and call handling are important components of this step, especially in the home services and HVAC industry. In fact, they can make or break your bottom line. You can read our full guide on customer service call handling tips here. 

Stage 3 

Stage 3 of the media buying process is post-launch. 

This is when you figure out what went wrong and right after adjustments were made during the launch. It's a time for discussion and seeing what your conversion rate was. 

You should also assess what your ROI was and if it was better than anticipated. You can also evaluate the daily ROI and why it was better on some days during the launch. 

After you've done a thorough assessment of your campaign, you can have an idea of what to do better next time. You can figure out if you need to change your audience or change the campaign messaging. 

In addition, don't forget to look at the data. It can provide you insight on what part of your segmented list purchased the most. You can also look out for trends. 

Overall, it's important to evaluate each stage of the media buying process. You want to ensure that your campaign is set up for success. The more analysis and preparation you put into each state can determine how successful your campaign is. 

 

Now You Know Everything About the Media Buying Process

Now you know everything about the three stages of the media buying process. These 3 stages can help you figure out how to be successful. It's important to take a deep dive into the research and figuring out who you're targeting. 

You also want to ensure you choose the right medium to express your campaign to the right audience. You should also take a careful look at the data and see how you can improve your next campaign. 

Now it's your turn to succeed with media buying. 

The media buying process is quite complex and can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you are just getting started. You can save a lot of time and money by hiring a professional who has this method down to a science. Contact Optic Marketing Group to get started with a mass media campaign for your HVAC or home services business.

 


during a recession

This Is the Importance of Advertising During a Recession

One of the first recessions dates back to 1857. One of the key things businesses need to remember with a recession is to never stop advertising. In fact, the cost to advertise your business will drop during a recession. 

That's why it's important to advertise during a recession. But there's also another value in advertising during a recession that can help it profit more than ever. 

Here's a guide that can offer some insight on the value of advertising during an economic downturn that can actually help your business. 

People Are Still Spending Money

Although a recession means there are people with fewer jobs, it doesn't mean they are spending less. They are still spending money, but they are choosing more wisely where to spend it. 

That's why it's vital to make sure your business stands out more than ever. It means your advertisements need to be more precise and accurate to your target market. 

You want to give people a reason to spend money on your business, especially if they are being more considerate of what they spend their money on. You either need to make your advertisements better or you need to make them more widespread so people see them more. 

Your Brand Matters More Than Ever

Another important thing to remember if you are advertising during a recession is that people are looking to spend on brands that they care about. They want to spend money on brands that care about them. 

That's why your brand's messaging matters more than ever. Your brand is the story you are telling your audience. It's what the customer feels when they buy your product. 

You have to make sure that the customer feels something positive and reassures them they are making a positive purchase. 

In addition, you need to make sure your brand stays on the top of everyone's mind. You want to outshine your competitors. You want to show how your brand offers the most to your customers. 

When it comes to brand, it's important to convey trust and authenticity. You want people to trust that your brand is better than your competitors. You also want to be authentic and show people that you care about them during a recession. 

Most importantly, you want to convey how stable your business is during the recession. You want to show people that they can trust you during a recession and that you're not going to go out of business. 

You can convey this trust by writing blog articles or it can show in your advertisements. Overall, you want to reassure people that you will be there for them. 

What to Keep In Mind During a Recession

When it comes to advertising during a recession, it's important to remember the key points to any marketing strategy. The goal is to help people through this difficult time from the recession. 

As you advertise on social media or anywhere, you want to remember the importance of what people are going through and empathize with them. Empathy can often go a long way. 

Here are some things to remember when you advertise during a recession.

Remember Who You Are Targeting. 

It's important to remember who you're targeting and what they are going through. You want to create a message that shows you care about their needs.

In addition, you also want to be sensitive to who you are targeting. Your advertisements should be slightly tweaked to reflect the recession. You don't want to assume people will buy from you because they have money. 

You want to assume people will buy from you because you care about them. 

Choose Your Advertising Wisely

While it's important to advertise during a recession, it doesn't mean you should blow your entire budgeting on every marketing campaign. You want to be precise and think about where people are hanging out. 

You should figure out what social media or advertising platform will give you the highest ROI. Or maybe an outdoor billboard would make the most sense as consumers are driving to their destinations rather than flying. 

You want to ensure that your marketing campaign is the most effective and not assume that everything will work because it's a recession. 

You can see what platforms are the best to advertise on for businesses with this blog post

Provide More Value

Lastly, it's crucial that you provide more value to your target market. 

If your target market needs more help than ever, then you should be willing to give it. That means writing more blog content, offering more guides, and showing people how you can help them. 

You want to give as much value to your core market because they will always think about your business and how you helped them. Providing value is a way to constantly remind them that you are there for them. 

Why Advertising During a Recession Is More Important Than Ever

Advertising during a recession can offer your business a lot of success. But you have to be sensitive and careful about how you craft our marketing campaign's message. 

You want to show people that you care about them rather than enticing them to always buy. If done right, your business can boom during a recession with the right kind of advertising. Yet it's important to understand the correct way to advertise. 

Marketing agencies like Optic Marketing Group who specialize in HVAC marketing, know exactly what you need to do to best advertise your services during a recession. If you want help with your marketing campaign, you can contact us here


Google Guarantee

Our Definitive Guide to the Google Guarantee Program

Google is the most popular search engine on the web, making it an important ally when it comes to growing your local business. Luckily there are many ways to team up with Google and get your business in front of potential customers or clients.

The Google Guarantee Program is an easy way to earn trust with your potential customers. Learn how to get the Google Guarantee badge for your business and why it is an invaluable tool for growing leads.

What Is the Google Guarantee Program?

The Google Guarantee Program offers your customers a guaranteed refund in the amount paid for the service. This gives your customers an added feeling of security when booking on your site.

They must be visiting your site through Google in order to be backed by the Google Program. Plus, you must qualify for the Google Guarantee badge. To receive a Google Guarantee badge you must be screened by Google Local Services.

Having a Google Guarantee badge is a great way to show your customers that you are a trusted business. They may also be more likely to make a purchase knowing that if they are dissatisfied with work quality, they will be refunded.

What Does the Google Guarantee Program Cover?

The upper limits of lifetime coverage for the Google Guarantee Program's claims are $2,000 US dollars and $2,000, CAD. It will cover claims up to the amount on the job invoice and up to the lifetime cap for coverage.

In order to receive these benefits and be able to make a claim, your customers must book your services through Google Local Services. Any add-ons or future projects, damages to property, dissatisfaction with price or provider responsiveness, or cancellations are not covered by Google Guarantee.

If a customer does file a claim for your services to Google, you are contacted by Google to learn more about the situation. This also gives you a chance to make things right with the customer. Google makes a final decision after investigating the claim.

How Can You Get a Google Guarantee Badge?

Now that you see the benefits of having a Google Guarantee Badge and becoming part of the Google Guarantee program, you're probably wondering how can you get one for your business?

The first step to applying for the Google Guarantee is by signing up for Local Services ads. With Local Services ads, you get to advertise on Google and grow your leads. This is through phone calls and messages sent through your Local Services app. Optic Marketing Group can also help you to get started with Local Service Ads as well as manage them for you. 

Why Setup Local Services Ads?

Managing your growing lead database becomes a breeze using the Local Services app. From your phone, you can reply to messages, track bookings, and manage all your leads. Local Services ads help you connect with potential customers by getting your business at the top of Google. You'll be connected to customers searching for the services you provide.

You will only pay for the leads related to your business and the services you provide. Meaning you won't be spending money on people who aren't actually interested. This is because customers are able to choose you. So you'll only be contacted by those who select your profile.

Need Help Getting Started?

Optic Marketing Group is a Google Partner Agency, we can help you set up Local Services ads for your business and walk you through the application process. Working with a Google Partner Agency will help you get your Google Guarantee badge up and running as soon as possible!

Even though Local Services ads and the Google Guarantee program work hand-in-hand, they are two separate entities. So you will still need to qualify for the Google Guarantee badge even after setting up your Local Services ads.

Coming Soon to Google My Business

Although signing up for the Local Service ads is required currently to be part of the Google Guarantee program, this could change soon.

Google is now running a beta program for some Google My Business profiles to be upgraded with a Google Guarantee badge for a monthly subscription fee.

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business lets you create and verify your local business on Google. This lets your business show up on Google Maps. It also lets you add business information on Google.com.

Using Google My Business helps people in your area find your business when doing a local search. Location extensions allow you to show your business' location in your ads. They also display your name and contact information. Making it easier than ever for customers to find and connect with your local business.

How Can You Upgrade Your Business Profile?

For $50 a month, eligible businesses are being given the option to upgrade their Business Profile with the Google Guaranteed badge. On top of the monthly fee, businesses will still be required to meet Google Guaranteed's regular eligibility rules.

However if your searching for this access for your business, you won't find it. This is still in the early rollout phases and only some Google My Business profiles have been offered the opportunity to upgrade.

Luckily Optic Marketing group will keep you updated on the latest news surrounding this program. So you can take action as soon as it is available. We will always keep our clients up-to-date on the newest products as they roll out.

Get Google Guarantee For Your Local Business

There are numerous benefits to setting up the Google Guarantee Program for your business. With your own Google Guarantee badge, you'll instantly gain trust from your potential customers while also improving your responsiveness.

Want to find out how to get started, earn your badge, and increase your customers? Reach out to Optic Marketing Group, an full-service advertising agency that specializes in HVAC business marketing, to get your business Google Guaranteed today!


negative reviews

How to Turn Negative Reviews Into Positive Business

Is your page getting negative reviews? Do you want to learn how to handle them best?

Most consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This behavior also applies to consumers in other age groups to some degree. That means that customer reviews have a big impact on your brand now and especially in the Home Services Industry. 

In this guide, we’ll teach you how to handle negative reviews and turn them into something positive. Keep reading to learn how to make the best out of negative reviews on your Google Business page, social media profiles, or website.

1. Use It as a Customer Service Tool

Before anything, you have to look at negative reviews as an advantage to your business. They’re there to help improve your work and services. You can also use them to show that you have a solid customer service presence.

Respond with professionalism and courtesy on the platform, be it on social media or your website. As a business owner, thank them for taking the time to let them know about the issue. Then, move forward to addressing their issue and what they can expect from you.

2. Build a Reputation Management Process

When you put something out there, you have to be ready to receive negative comments about it. That’s the nature of the internet. Expect that someone will always have something negative to say about your work.

That is why you need a plan to know what they’re saying and how to reduce its effect on your reputation. Approach it as you do with customer service calls. Be courteous, build on the positives, and be delicate with the negative comments.

3. Provide Additional Information That Could Be Helpful

A good strategy for using negative reviews positively is to offer helpful information.

Try to offer troubleshooting procedures for reviewers and future readers of that review. For example, a client leaves a scathing review about the ineffectiveness of a product. You can tell them where they may have made a mistake during the setup process or usage of it.

Same goes for a complaint on the service provided, maybe they misunderstood what exactly was included in the service call that they paid for. Clarifying the deliverables can sometimes clear up any confusion that initially led them to believe they didn’t get what they bargained for.

Remember that some people don’t bother reading the product manuals or instructions. Leaving a helpful reply can also save others from having to leave similar reviews when they read it.

4. Implement the Feedback by Improving Your Products and Services

When you hear a lot of people criticize your product in the same way, it may be time to listen. For example, you get a lot of reviews about the same issues with your appointment scheduling process. Try to fix these issues that you hear a lot about from different people.

Lending your clients your ear and doing something about their complaints is a smart move. It doesn’t only improve your product or services. It also shows to your customers that you care about them and that you listen to what they have to say.

5. Build Trust With Your Customers

Trust is vital in gaining a customer base, especially in the home services industry. Customer experience is one of the most powerful builders of trust in customers. A survey found that 98% of business owners say that customer experience is vital in building loyalty.

With every action you take, you have a chance to earn loyalty and build trust. In handling negative reviews, you can build trust by listening and reacting a certain way. Customers will trust a business that focuses on customer experience and shows it.

6. Resolve Issues Before They Escalate

An apology and a promise won’t be enough to please your customers. You also have to recognize the issue and create a solution for it. Otherwise, you risk losing the trust that you worked hard to build.

Rather than sweeping a problem under the rug, attack it head-on and try to solve it as soon as you can. Your customers will know if you listened to their problems and did something about it. When they do, their trust in your company will magnify.

7. Acquire New and Positive Reviews With Paid Ads

Another way to increase the ratio of positive reviews to negative is to gain more reviews. Starting a paid ad campaign helps you out a lot here. Don’t forget to advertise the changes you made to combat negative impressions. 

Paid advertising is more effective since it gives you more control over your messages. You get to choose who sees it and when. Because you get a more targeted audience, you’ll get faster results as well as success.

If setting up a paid advertising campaign sounds overwhelming, you can always partner up with a marketing agency like Optic Marketing Group who specializes in full-service marketing campaigns for HVAC businesses looking to generate more reviews.

8. Rebuild the Customer Relationship

Some customers may feel that your connection got cut when they leave a negative review. This doesn’t have to be true from your perspective. You have to show them the same perspective as well, that your relationship isn’t broken. 

It may be a little strained, especially after they lost trust in your brand’s quality, but not broken. 

To repair it, you can offer to fix the error for free or offer discounts on the next purchases. Be transparent and give customers the information they need to make informed decisions. You can also ask for feedback to show them that you are willing to listen to other things they may say.

9. Ask for a Review Change After Fixing the Issue

This is a bold step, and often one you’d take if you’re confident in your customer service. Don’t be afraid to ask that a customer edit their reviews on your website or Google Business page after you fix an issue. If they liked how you handled and helped solve their problems, many will oblige.

Others may even mention how accommodating and patient you’ve been with them. When other clients see reviews with edits like this, your brand will look more attractive. They’ll take it as a sign that you had handled the situation well. 

10. Attract New Prospects

The last thing you can do in learning how to respond to negative reviews is to look for new prospects. You can do this by investing more in your advertising game. Try to attract prospective clients who may leave positive reviews instead.

Transform Negative Reviews Into Something Positive

Those are the ten things you can do to make good business from negative reviews. We hope you realize how impactful a negative review-turned-positive has on a brand. We also hope you learned something useful from this guide.

As a business owner, you know just how important having positive reviews are and how detrimental negative reviews can be. That is why reputation management is one of the most common services that we provide to our clients included in their full-service marketing strategy. 

At Optic Marketing Group, we specialize in HVAC marketing, so we know how much reviews impact local, service-based businesses. If you need help on how to get more reviews for your business or on how to handle negative reviews, don’t hesitate to reach out to us


hand holding a phone scrolling through social posts

How To Make Social Post Convert Into Revenue

It's a growing concern that so many people live around water but cannot find water to drink, what I mean is that so many people spend a lot of time growing their followers, fans, and friends on the social media without having a clue on how to convert this vast client base into money generating customers. I don't know if it's that they spend a lot of time posting, retweeting, following, commenting, and pinning that they barely have any time left over to make money.

Don’t get me wrong, I love social media a lot, but then apart from generating a lot of followers, you should know how to channel your followers into your sales funnel. Here are some ways Optic Marketing Group has tested and trusted to convert your Social Posts into Money.

Create a strategy: Strategize the posts you put on Facebook and Tweeter so that they can help you achieve your purpose of posting. Whether you are trying to attract more customers, boost brand recognition, or improving customer service. Whatever the goal, Optic Marketing Group can help you to define your content strategy so that they can portray your key messages and showcase the kind of content that will appeal to your audience, we will also generate a list of keywords that describe your business which will help you rank higher when searched.

Don’t fall for fads: Do you remember Vine? It was popular for some time and vanished after, what about Periscope, this was my favorite because to me, it had the best ROI among other social media networks buy you see, Facebook has stayed, and Snapchat is currently struggling to retain its relevance. The lesson here is that you are free to join any new trend but be smart enough to benefit from when it has benefits and withdraw once it has little to offer.

Drive your social media following back to your website: Some bloggers don’t have a website while some others have abandoned their website and concentrated on social media. Well let me tell you, you need to have an email list, most of our sales come as a direct result of emailing my list about a promotion, not because I posted something on social media. Because a particular social media can be irrelevant at any time, it is vital that you direct your social media following back to your own website where they can really devour some content and opt-in to your email list. We can help you do that.

Have several kinds of free opt-ins to share: Opt-ins are freebies that people receive as a result of subscribing to your email list. It is usually based on what you can offer your audience. So if for example, you are a makeup artist and someone asks you for tips what color will match her skin, simply send the person a link to a free tutorial on your website which they will sign up to and BOOM, the person has been added to your email list, and an automated sales funnel.

Use social media to build trust: Do live videos, answer questions, demonstrate the use of your product and attend to unsatisfied followers, if you can build up trust on social media, you will make more sales on your website.

Why Choose Optic?

Being able to turn your social media followers and friends into business revenue is just one piece of the overall puzzle. It’s also a tricky game, here at Optic Marketing Group, we have learned the tricks and mastered the rules to using Social Marketing Strategies to convert Social Posts into Money.


hand holding a phone showing social media apps

The Best Social Media Platforms For Business

Social marketing solutions took everyone by surprise when the internet started; no one imagined that it would be this big and relevant in the way we communicate and use the information around the world. Soon afterward, social media merged and became a pivotal moment in the way people made use of the internet. Social media for business is a thing no one imagined at the beginning of these social media platforms. At first, it was all about hooking up and meeting new people, but now it has become the hub of digital marketing.

Social media is a widely used platform on the internet and comes in many types that serve different purposes, making it very challenging for businesses to choose which social media to market their products. Social media can come as business networks, forums, photo sharing platforms, blogs, chat apps, social gaming, and social networks. Statistica said, "The influence of social media is ever growing; out of 4.021 billion internet users worldwide, 3.196 billion of them are active social media users, and this number grows by an average of 13% every year”.

The following is a list of social media websites that present-day businesses can utilize for their business and how relevant they are to different business concerns.

Facebook: This is the most popular social media on the internet, and according to Statistica, has more than 1.5 billion daily users and 2billion active accounts. Whether you want to create awareness for your brand, advertise your brand, generate website traffic or improve lead generation, Optic Marketing Group has professionals that can utilize the tools available on Facebook to give your business and jump start. We can help you target your audience by Age, Employment, Gender, Purchasing behaviors, and Users’ interests.

Twitter: This is the king of news, this social media defines the proverb that news spreads like wildfire, according to HootSuite, of all Twitter users, 74% follow small businesses to receive product updates. With this type of clue, it will be a significant error to overlook this social media when it comes to Social media marketing Solutions. Twitter is known for providing real-time updates, utilizing hashtags perfectly well, and using the retweet feature to spread news and updates.

Instagram: This can be called a department of Facebook because it is owned by Facebooks and takes care of 1 aspect of what Facebook does, Pictures, and video clips. People tend to remember what they see easier than what they've read. Optic Marketing Group can help you to organically grow your followers on Instagram to increase your client base, and the other sweet thing about Instagram is that you can link your products to your website.

Snapchat: This platform targets and hits Millennials, almost everybody on SnapChat is below 35yrs old making it an excellent place to reach teenagers, SnapChat makes use of typically short videos that are only visible for 24 hours, a lot of videos are viewed here, and it is a strong force to reckon with.

Let's Get Started

Here at Optic Marketing Group, we understand your social media needs, and we have mastered the tools used in these social media platforms to generate huge conversions for your business. Book an appointment with us and tell us about your business. We will help you set up a strong social media presence that will cater to your social media marketing solutions.


woman drinking coffee looking at computer

Why Are Marketing Videos So Important In 2019?

Video marketing has always existed but things got switched up a bit and now it has become an important marketing tool in our present day. Starting from the advent of Snapchat stories, Social media videos took a different turn and in little or no time had a big influence on social media marketing, both on the local and international fronts, small scale and large scale businesses, everybody utilizes videos in getting the attention of their target audience. Everyone likes to watch videos either to learn or to laugh, that is the reason why you should consider reaching them through video marketing.

Reasons To Include Video Marketing

  1. VIDEO IS WHAT CONSUMERS WANT TO SEE

Right now, it appears that what everyone wants to see is videos, very few people want to read the tabloids, so why not utilize the opportunity and give them what they want? HubSpot research indicates that more than 54% of consumers are interested in seeing videos other than emails, social images, and blog articles. Videos are taking over the internet and with the improvement in video quality, videos are now more than just a buzzword.

  1. VIDEO INCREASES CONVERSION RATES

Video marketing is the best way to increase conversions on your landing page and enhance engagement with your email marketing efforts. Including a video on your landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80% and if you include the word video in the subject of your emails, there will be more chances of the video being opened by the receiver. According to Forbes, “90 percent of customers say video helps them make buying decisions and 64% of customers say that seeing a video makes them more likely to buy.”

There is no time to wait, utilize this trend and boost your awareness and sales.

  1. VIDEO INCREASES BRAND AWARENESS

Videos are very versatile, they can be created for different purposes at any point of customer engagement, videos can be used to create a step by step approach in terms of Do it yourself products, videos used for this purpose yield a lot of brand awareness, encourages brand engagement, inspires lead conversion and builds trust between you and your target audience.

For instance, if you are in the cosmetics line of production and you have a new product that you want to showcase, the best way to go is short videos from random people, if you can engage a celebrity or model to do a short Instagram video of the cosmetic product and post online, BOOM, you have made it, putting a call to action link to your website can even damage your servers, I am just kidding but all I am trying to say is that the conversion and visits you will get on your landing page will be overwhelming.

  1. VIDEO IS COST EFFECTIVE

Smartphones can do the magic, by simply shooting a powerful, high quality and informative video with your device and reaching your audience through a popular platform like YouTube or Facebook, you can boost conversion on your page at little or no cost.

  1. VIDEO IS EASY TO DO

One of the best things about video marketing is that it is quite easy to do, choosing a good scenery and lighting can get you a nearly perfect video production with your device. It can be as easy as filming one of your sales staff while he or she is explaining how to use a product to a client and guess what, an informative video has been made.

Need Help With Your Video Marketing?

Are ready to grab this wonderful opportunity but you don’t know how to go about it, contact Optic Marketing Group if you need assistance with video marketing in your business. Get interactive with us so that you can enjoy result driven customized strategy that will surely drive your conversion and customer engagement upwards.