SEO & Digital Marketing

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Brand, and Sales Tips for Success

Published

8 months ago

January 12, 2024

You’ve likely come across the concept of white-label and white-label products, but what exactly does it mean to you as an agency or digital marketing service provider?

To understand its meaning and benefits, let’s zero in on a shared challenge among digital marketing sellers: delivering products and services to clients with somebody else’s brand prominently featured during the process or within the end outcome.

For instance, when partnering with a website provider, your arrangement with that supplier may involve having their logo or name embedded on the websites they create even though you’re delivering it to a client. As the agency or provider of the service, it’s undesirable for visitors to clearly see who was effectively subcontracted to build the website.

Similarly, managing a client’s social media using a third-party solution often means that their brand is unmistakably visible if the client also has shared access to that same technology.

This raises a critical question for small and medium businesses (SMBs): “Why involve an intermediary when I can directly engage with the product provider?” It’s a significant business risk, and this is precisely where white-label shines.

What is White Labeling?

The notion of white label or white-labeling involves offering products and services created by one company for sale under your brand name. In the marketing landscape, strategically leveraging white-label products and services addresses concerns associated with the conspicuous presence of a third-party brand.

As the old saying goes: “Perception is everything”, and nowhere is this truer than in business. That’s why utilizing white label allows you to keep the focus on your brand, reinforcing the perception that most of your client deliverables come directly from your company, rather than giving the impression of acting as a mere intermediary.

What is an example of a white-label product?

Consider a company that produces software solutions that can be resold under an agency’s brand, and used or accessed by the end customer, being SMBs. SMBs interact with the software without knowing the original software provider, making it a white-label product.

Vendasta is one example of a company that offers white-label software. A visual representation of the process of how products and services are distributed under a white-label arrangement is provided below.

What- is-an-example-of-a-white-label-product

How Does White Labeling Work?

Understanding the dynamics of white-label and private-label concepts prompts the question: Why would a company choose to create a product that can be rebranded instead of selling it directly to consumers? The rationale behind this lies in the symbiotic relationship between product creators and sellers, each with distinct specialties.

For instance, consider a software company equipped with the expertise to develop software. It invests significantly in building, marketing, and selling software to intermediaries, such as marketing agencies, who excel in comprehending the specific needs of SMBs.

Conversely, retail giants like Costco or Walmart prefer not to delve into the complex and costly process of establishing factories to manufacture their products. Instead, they collaborate with established producers through private-label contracts, allowing them to sell products under their exclusive brands without the burden of in-house production.

Claim this exclusive offer by Vendasta and try white labeling for FREE!

Embracing the strategy of selling white-label products brings forth many advantages for marketing agencies and service providers seeking to elevate their service offerings. Here’s a look at the benefits:

Brand consistency

White-label products empower agencies and other providers to maintain a consistent and professional brand image across various services. By embedding their branding on products, digital marketing companies ensure a seamless experience for clients, reinforcing their unique identity and the value they’re bringing to the table, both in terms of services and technology.

Competitive edge

Digital marketing services providers can maintain a leading position in the ever-evolving industry landscape by integrating white-label products. Adapting and embracing emerging technologies offers a distinct competitive advantage over competitors slower to adopt innovations.

Moreover, presenting white-label solutions positions your company as an invaluable partner equipped with the technological prowess to address all aspects of an SMB’s challenges, offering transparent access to comprehensive marketing results. This not only enhances your value proposition but also reinforces your credibility as a reliable and forward-thinking partner for SMBs.

Your company’s value increases

Marketing services providers that strategically employ an efficient and robust technology stack, coupled with the incorporation of white-label products and services within a recurring revenue business model, stand poised to attain a significantly higher business valuation. This insight is underscored by David Tobin, Managing Partner at TobinLeff, a recognized authority in mergers and acquisitions of marketing companies.

The reasoning behind this valuation boost lies in the provider’s ability to demonstrate operational excellence, forward-thinking adaptability, and a commitment to innovation that lowers the overall cost of doing business while driving profitability.

Time and cost efficiency

Leveraging pre-existing white-label solutions eliminates the need for agencies and other boutique marketing specialists to create their own, which is typically unaffordable for all but the biggest agencies. No need to invest time and money in software development or hire huge teams of writers, search engine optimization (SEO) specialists, and graphic designers to fulfill work for clients.

Focus on core competencies

Agencies and marketing services providers can channel their energy and resources into areas where they excel, such as client relations, strategy, marketing, and sales. White-label partnerships enable them to leave the technical intricacies and fulfillment to specialized providers who work behind the scenes.

Scalability and flexibility

White-label products offer scalability without the need for proportional increases in internal resources. Marketing services providers can adapt their service offerings to evolving client demands effortlessly. The flexibility of white-label solutions allows marketing companies to diversify their service portfolio rapidly. They can expand their offerings without the challenges associated with developing entirely new products.

Risk mitigation

Developing proprietary solutions carries inherent risks. White-label products mitigate these risks by offering proven, ready-to-deploy solutions, minimizing the uncertainties associated with custom development.

Revenue expansion

By selling white-label products, agencies, and other service providers can go to market quicker and diversify their revenue streams at a faster rate than traditional service propositions, which typically entail the sale of point solutions.

Client transparency and other features

Some white-label software providers offer client-facing portals and sales intelligence tools within their technology stack. This unique feature allows digital marketers not only to select resellable products and services but also to use the software for prospecting and selling those services. Additionally, service providers can provide SMBs with a dedicated client-facing login. This empowers clients to access and observe the results generated from their marketing investment, fostering increased trust and transparency in their relationship with the resellers, all while keeping the focus on your brand.

Cons of Selling White-label Products and Services

While white-label products offer numerous advantages, there are considerations that users of these solutions should consider.

White labeling involves a learning curve

Navigating the learning curve of white-label software can be a significant aspect of its adoption. Investing time in learning how to use these solutions is essential. A thorough understanding of the white-label offerings from your service provider empowers your company to seamlessly integrate their technology and offerings into your strategy. This not only enhances your internal operations but also enables you to articulate the cohesive nexus of products and services delivered to clients.

Dependency on third-party providers

Relying on white-label products and services means being dependent on external providers rather than your in-house team.

From a software perspective, a major feature change or service disruption can impact an agency or marketing company’s ability to deliver services to SMBs seamlessly. On the service front, potential challenges may arise in terms of consistency and quality when outsourcing to a white-label service provider, often operating with extensive teams.

Limited customization and control

White-label products typically come with predefined features, limiting those utilizing white-label products and services in tailoring solutions to meet unique client requirements. The lack of customization may hinder digital marketing service providers from addressing client needs that are highly targeted.

Profitability dynamics

While white-labeling can indeed be highly profitable, unlocking the potential to resell products and services at scale and explore new revenue streams, the intricacy lies in the revenue model. Agencies and other service providers typically purchase these products and services from software companies at wholesale prices and then retail them to clients.

While this model facilitates revenue generation, it introduces a limitation—the profit margin may not reach its zenith compared to directly creating and selling the software to the end customer. At the same time, this approach also prevents risks for agencies and other small marketing service providers from needing to invest in the arduously expensive and time-consuming task of building software and employing large fulfillment teams.

7 White-label Products and Services You Should Sell

With a clear understanding of the reasoning behind white-label, let’s explore the diverse array of products and services agencies and other providers, be they managed service providers (MSP), publishers, and IT companies, can resell under their brand. The possibilities are expansive, but here’s a glimpse of seven popular offerings to augment your portfolio and context around how they work in a white-label context.

1. White-label reputation management

Reputation management involves monitoring, influencing, and managing how a business is perceived online. Through white-label reputation management, your company empowers clients to maintain a positive digital image. Utilizing a rebranded tool, clients can track online reviews, respond to customer feedback, and enhance their overall online reputation seamlessly.

Client benefit: Clients benefit from an enhanced online image, improved customer trust, and increased positive interactions, translating to a better brand perception.
Business benefit: You get to fortify client relationships and demonstrate a dedicated approach to brand management that builds trust and loyalty. Reputation Management opens dual revenue streams. Firstly, by reselling white-label products, empowering SMBs to oversee their online reputation. Secondly, by actively engaging in responding to reviews on behalf of the client, enhancing their online image.

2. White-label listings management

Listings management ensures the accuracy and consistency of a business’s information across online directories. White-label listings management equips clients with a tool, adorned with your brand, to optimize local search presence. This involves managing business listings, citations, and contact information for enhanced visibility.

Client benefit: Clients experience improved local search visibility, increased accuracy in online information, and enhanced discoverability by potential customers.
Business benefit: This crucial service significantly influences clients’ online visibility and solidifies your position as a holistic solution provider. Listings Management, facilitated by specific white-label software, streamlines SMBs’ business details across various listings effortlessly, offering a low-touch yet continuous revenue stream for resellers.

Social media marketing is the strategic use of social platforms to connect with audiences, build brand awareness, and drive engagement. Through white-label social marketing, your company resells rebrandable social media marketing software to engage and grow its audiences.

Client benefit: Clients enjoy increased social media presence, higher engagement, and streamlined content management, leading to improved brand visibility and customer interaction. In the context of white-label, clients can easily self-manage their social media with the white-labeled technology supplied by the intermediary and view performance metrics.
Business benefit: Agencies and service providers expand their offerings, strengthen client engagement, and position themselves as social media experts, enhancing their overall service portfolio. Best of all? White-label software ensures you don’t need to store sensitive login details for different clients across a plethora of Excel sheets as this type of software is designed to provide seamless access to all of a client’s social media accounts under one login. Like Reputation Management, marketing services providers can generate recurring revenue from simply reselling the software, and then additional income from the fulfillment work of creating content.

4. White-label digital advertising

Digital advertising revolves around creating and executing online ad campaigns to reach a target audience. White-label digital advertising services extend to providing clients with search engine marketing (SEM) and social advertising campaigns. Executed digital advertising under your brand ensures effective and targeted digital promotion.

Client benefit: Clients experience targeted advertising, increased online visibility, and enhanced brand promotion, leading to improved customer acquisition and brand recognition.
Business benefit: Service providers demonstrate expertise in digital advertising, broaden their service scope, and contribute to clients’ marketing success, reinforcing their position as a comprehensive marketing partner.

5. White-label website design

Website design entails creating visually appealing, functional, and user-friendly websites. White-label website design services offer clients a rebranded, user-friendly website creation platform or service. This facilitates the expansion of their online reach effortlessly under your brand.

Client benefit: Clients receive a professionally designed website, improved user experience, and an expanded online presence, leading to increased customer engagement and trust.
Business benefit: Websites are the cornerstone of a client’s online presence. Providing this foundational service is essential for the client’s and you’s long-term success as a marketing services provider. It also opens the gateway for you to offer supplementary products to boost website traffic, expanding their revenue streams.

6. White-label SEO services

SEO involves optimizing online content to improve visibility on search engines. White-label SEO services, branded under your company’s name, provide clients with effective tools or services. This enhances their online visibility, attracting more organic traffic to their digital presence.

Client benefit: Clients benefit from increased online visibility, higher search engine rankings, and improved website traffic, resulting in enhanced brand recognition and customer acquisition.
Business benefit: Marketing services companies can establish themselves as SEO authorities, playing a pivotal role in clients’ digital triumph. Providing SEO services under a white-label arrangement enables you to efficiently manage and deliver the service, while an external provider handles the execution. This approach proves cost-effective for marketing services providers while allowing them to their service offerings and increase share-of-wallet.

7. White-label content and design

Content and design services encompass the creation of compelling written copy, creative designs, and other visual elements. White-label content and design services elevate the quality of your company’s offerings. Clients receive top-notch content and design services packaged seamlessly under your brand.

Client benefit: Clients receive high-quality content and design services, ensuring a cohesive brand image, improved communication, and increased customer engagement.
Business benefit: Content and design represent intricate tasks, demanding diverse skills from writers, designers, and marketing specialists to craft tailored content for varied industries and client scenarios. Harnessing the white-label services of a reliable provider empowers you to take charge of the process, supervise the work, and furnish the final result to clients, all without the need to hire specialized talent in-house.

How to Sell White-label Products with These Sales Strategies

Selling white-label products can be a lucrative venture, but the key to success lies in effectively managing your pricing strategy. Here are essential tips and strategies to ensure profitability and build a sustainable white-label business:

1. Strategic pricing control:

Purchase at wholesale prices: Partner with white-labeling companies that offer products at wholesale prices. This ensures a competitive edge in pricing and maximizes your profit margins.
No volume requirements: Choose white-label providers that don’t impose volume requirements. This flexibility allows you to scale your business at your own pace without unnecessary constraints.
Pay for what you sell: Opt for a pricing model where you only pay for the products you sell. This reduces financial risk and allows you to manage your inventory more efficiently.
Freedom in pricing: Ensure that you have the freedom to control the pricing of your white-label products. This flexibility is crucial for adapting to market conditions and optimizing your profit margins.

2. Strategic product packaging:

Bundle products and services: Reduce decision fatigue for clients by bundling white-label products and services into different packages. Offering comprehensive packages caters to varying client budgets and encourages client buy-in.
“Land and expand” approach: Initiate with basic packages to secure client commitment, and then scale up the packages and pricing as clients grow. This gradual approach maximizes client retention and revenue.

3. Service Level Expansion:

Offer service tiers: Diversify your service offerings by introducing service-level tiers. From DIY solutions to do-it-for-me (DIFM) packages and do-it-with-me (DIWM), offering a spectrum of choices accommodates diverse client needs and budgets. This approach makes it easier for clients to engage with your company based on their specific circumstances.
Increase white-label pricing with service levels: Leverage service level tiers to increase your white-label pricing. Fully managed services (DIFM) should come at a premium, reflecting the additional value and effort put forth by your company.
Understand margins from service versus revenue: Recognize the difference between margins from service and revenue. While high margins are desirable, consider the revenue potential. Value-added services at a lower margin can often result in higher overall profitability.

4. Upselling and cross-selling:

Maximize lifetime value: White labeling products become more profitable when coupled with value-added services. Explore opportunities to upsell and cross-sell additional services as clients grow. This maximizes the lifetime value of each client.
Identify growth opportunities: Keep an eye on opportunities to scale up services or introduce new products as your client’s needs evolve. Proactive upselling contributes to both client satisfaction and increased revenue.

5. Explore Service Levels:

DIY, DIWM, and DIFM models: Understand the three common service tiers – Do-it-yourself (DIY), Do-it-with-me (DIWM), and Do-it-for-me (DIFM). Tailor your offerings to align with these models, providing clients with the level of involvement they desire. These models, and how they can be utilized effectively, are discussed in our reseller profit margins blog.
Consider value-added reselling: Transition from a DIY model to becoming a value-added reseller (DIWM and DIFM). By taking on additional tasks for clients, you can increase your revenue potential and deliver a more comprehensive service.
Balance simplicity and margins: While the DIY model offers simplicity and high margins, exploring DIWM and DIFM can significantly boost revenue. Strike a balance that aligns with your company’s capabilities and client expectations.

Tips for Choosing the Right White-label Partner

When choosing a white-label partner, consider these key factors to ensure a seamless collaboration that benefits both you and your clients:

Have shared goals and vision: Partner with aligned objectives for a collaborative relationship, enhancing service quality and ensuring mutual success.
Quality products and services: Opt for a partner providing reliable solutions to boost your reputation, consistently delivering tangible value to satisfy your clients.
Receptive to feedback: A reliable white-label partner prioritizes transparent communication and welcomes feedback. Recognizing the unique needs of agencies, they strive to tailor solutions, incorporating valuable input into a client-focused technology roadmap for continuous improvement and future enhancements.
Solid reputation: Pick an honest, transparent, and reputable partner to build confidence and trust, ensuring a positive client experience.
White labeling experience: Prioritize an experienced partner for seamless integration, understanding the intricacies to facilitate a hassle-free experience for both you and your clients.
Stellar service and support: Select a partner with robust support mechanisms to streamline operations, ensuring a smooth transition for your clients.
Proof of performance: Partner with a provider offering evidence of effectiveness, establishing credibility and trust with tangible benefits for you and your clients.
Clear contract terms: Opt for transparent and well-defined contract terms to prevent misunderstandings and set clear expectations for a trustworthy partnership.
Product or service trial: Ensure the ability to trial a product or service to assess its suitability, instilling confidence in its performance before offering it to your clients.

Red Flags to Avoid in a White-label Partner

Navigating the selection of a white-label partner requires vigilance. Recognizing red flags can safeguard your company’s interests. Explore key considerations and potential pitfalls to make informed and strategic decisions in the partnering process.

1. Deceptive practices

Deceptive maneuvers within the industry can undermine your company’s efforts. Some purported “white-label” partners may engage in unscrupulous practices, attending client meetings and later pursuing your prospects and clients by offering lower rates and cutting you out of the process.

If you observe reluctance from prospects or clients to commit, it could signal a breach of trust by your white-label provider.

2. Unwillingness to attend video calls

Hesitating to join video calls with your white-label partner can trigger concerns about their honesty and intentions. This reluctance may suggest the presence of unnecessary intermediaries, hindering effective communication.

A trustworthy partner’s representative should readily embrace video calls to enhance rapport and ensure a smooth team dynamic. If any communication issues arise, trust your instincts and seek clarification promptly.

3. Unrealistically cheap pricing

Beware of compromising quality for low prices; thorough research ensures alignment between cost and expected value.

4. Poor communication

Prioritize partners with effective communication channels to prevent misunderstandings and ensure successful partnerships.

Why Choose Vendasta as Your White-label Partner?

For thousands of digital marketing services providers, Vendasta is the preferred white-label partner for scalable growth and SMB-focused services. Enjoy key features like:

Marketplace for new revenue: Expand services under white-label arrangements, earn recurring revenue, and maintain healthy margins.
Sales platform: Execute perfect sales with automated needs assessments, outreach cadences, and proposal templates.
Business App for ROI: Build trust with a customizable, rebrandable customer portal, showcasing ROI through automated reporting and a central communication hub.

Get free access and start selling white-label services today!

Conclusion

White-label services empower marketing services providers to offer a diverse range of solutions under their brand, fostering client trust and loyalty. This business model provides marketing companies with cost-effective scalability, allowing them to focus on core competencies. When choosing a white-label partner, shared goals, product quality, reputation, and support are paramount.

As agencies and marketing services providers navigate an increasingly competitive landscape, the right partner can elevate their services, drive revenue, and establish a lasting impact on client success.

The key lies in strategic collaboration, ensuring a seamless blend of quality, reliability, and client-centric innovation.

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SEO & Digital Marketing

How Bot Traffic Is Impacting Digital Marketing?

Published

8 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Josh Kuku

Online bot traffic is increasing every year. This is having a marked impact on digital marketing campaigns. In this article, we discuss how bot traffic is interfering with your digital marketing exercises.

Gone are the days when you could feel happy about the growing numbers of visitors to a website. It is now estimated that almost 50% of internet traffic is dominated by software applications known as bots. They can be created to help you, but others can be created with ill intent. The bad news is that none of them will buy products or sign up for your services, meaning they can seriously hinder marketing campaigns. In the article below, we discuss how bot traffic is impacting digital marketing.

It’s a Robots World With Increasing Bot Traffic Online

A recent report by cyber security company Thales discovered that online malicious traffic has risen for a fifth consecutive year. The applications used to carry out these attacks, known as bots, now make up around 32% of all internet traffic. However, they also found that 49.6% of internet traffic is no longer human, but derived from bot activity.

A bot is an application used online. Generally, it is programmed to perform a repetitive task. Many of them come in very handy, helping crawl websites to see what they contain or even assisting in customer service chatbots. Yet many are malicious and are used to deploy malware attacks that can steal data and harm websites.

In addition to this, as a digital marketer, some bots that exist in grey areas you should be aware of. These include ones that inflate social media statistics.

Checking for Bot Traffic on Your Website

If you are running a digital marketing campaign, hoping to direct quality traffic to a website, you need to know how much of this is bot traffic. Once you remove bot traffic from your statistics, you can get quality data about what is and is not working.

You don’t need to pay for an advanced subscription program either. A free tool to check website traffic will suffice, providing you with information on traffic stats, any referring domains, and the top search ads. You can then upgrade if you need more functionality. By combining the results with the pointers below, you can help pinpoint bot traffic and remove it from your key performance indicators.

Analyze Page Views

One way to tell if you have bot traffic is to check your page views. An unexpected spike could mean you have been the target of bot traffic. However, it could also be a genuine interest in the page, so check where the traffic originates.

Referral Traffic

Referral traffic is a good place to look for bot activity. Bots can create fake referrals to get people to visit their websites.

Time on Page

This is a technique you can use by looking at your own on-site statistics. Start by checking your bounce rate. Bots won’t hang around looking at products, watching videos and reading news, so a high bounce rate can indicate traffic is coming and leaving fast, the key sign of bot activity. This can also be seen in pages with a low on-page time.

Check Where the Traffic Originates From

Bot traffic usually comes direct. Very seldom will it come from a search engine. If you are getting traffic from strange locations, it may also be bot traffic. For example, if you have an English-language website and most of your traffic comes from China, it is probably bots.

Bot Traffic and Its Damage to Marketing Campaigns

The damage bots cause to digital marketing campaigns comes solely from how they skew your data. Bots will make things look great in one aspect. They can be pushing your social media campaign to thousands of views, or sending streams of traffic to a website. However, it is not real people behind it and that is where bots can make your campaign come undone.

Without a human behind your traffic, you can not get a picture of your audience. Bots have no real location, income, gender, or anything else that can make up a user profile. Therefore, it makes it very hard to tailor landing pages for certain audiences using this data.

They can seriously increase PPC costs. As they scour a page they will click on ads and even fill out forms. With no conversions, you are left paying for worthless ads. If you host the ads, then other people’s marketing will soon see a lack of conversions and go elsewhere.

There are several ways to eliminate bot traffic, or at least cut down on it. Monitoring your traffic closely using a website traffic checker and on-page metrics is one of them. In a marketing campaign, try to switch to results-based payment, not one that tends to pay based on vanity metrics such as clicks or shares. Finally, make sure you vet anyone you work with in campaigns. This includes any affiliates, publishers, or websites you may be getting links from. By using this, you can cut down bot traffic and increase the efficiency of your marketing campaigns.

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SEO & Digital Marketing

A Complete Guide to Using Original Research to Elevate B2B Content Marketing – TopRank® Marketing

Published

1 day ago

September 18, 2024

Josh Kuku

Let me know if this sounds familiar: You’re drafting a masterful thought leadership piece and want to back up your thesis with a strong data point. After a bit of searching, you find the perfect one! But when you click through to the source, it takes you to one of those “Billionty Best Statistics For Marketers” lists.

Okay, so you find the stat again, click through, and it takes you to… an older stat round-up list.

Many (many…) frustrating clicks later, you find you’re back in 2012. Maroon 5 is topping the charts, London’s hosting the summer Olympics, and the stat you’ve been chasing is no longer relevant.

If you’ve ever found yourself at the bottom of the dreaded stat source rabbit hole wishing you just had reliable data – do I have a solution for you!

Original research. At TopRank Marketing, we’ve partnered with several big brands on ambitious original research reports that have driven amazing results for lead gen and brand awareness. We’ve got tips to share from our experience.

Your guide to B2B original research

Publishing your own marketing research reports, on the surface, may appear daunting — they take budget, time, and certain skills to do well. That’s why we’ve broken down the benefits and best practices of conducting B2B original research.

B2B original research influences your bottom line

Here are a few high-quality data points that drive home the value of publishing your own marketing research:

84% of deals are already won or lost before vendors even know they’re on the radar.
Research reports are a sought-after form of content. 55% of B2B buyers regularly consume research reports, and rate them as the most valuable type of content when evaluating purchasing decisions.
High-quality research and data are the top factors that motivate B2B buyers to express interest in a sales conversation.

In short: Your buyers are looking for your company to be the voice of authority and to offer insights that make their jobs easier, ahead of ever contacting your sales team.

“Early-stage positioning can reduce the number of vendors that buyers consider before they arrive at the 70% Constant… and affect which vendors are top-of-mind when it’s time to engage sellers.” – The 2023 B2B Buyer Experience Report, 6sense

Brand benefits of B2B original research

From strengthening thought leadership to giving your customers information they’re hungry for, publishing your own research data has a number of benefits:

Becoming the primary source

Being the source of a data point or unique research positions your brand as the authoritative origin of valuable information. Your company owns the insights and findings, allowing you to control the narrative and provide exclusive content to your audience.

Positioning your brand as an industry leader

The most powerful way to build your brand’s reputation is to publish data-backed thought leadership that aligns with your company’s vision and meets the needs of your customers and stakeholders. B2B original research helps your company present fresh, data-driven insights, and establishes your business as a go-to authority on new trends and issues within your sector.

Cementing trust and credibility

By publishing the most sought-after data-backed insights under your logo, you gain the twin advantages of differentiation and credibility. Data-backed content builds trust with your audience by providing factual, relevant information that helps readers determine their own path forward. B2B buyers are often decision-makers looking for reliable information to guide their business strategies and purchases, and research-based content offers the credibility they seek.

Amplifying your brand

When you publish high-quality information, other B2B thought leaders and media outlets take notice. As the primary source of original research, your company becomes a go-to expert. Any publication that cites your work, every podcast that discusses your findings, and each webinar that invites your brand thought leaders on to share their insights amplifies your brand that much further.

Types of original research

The type of research you publish depends largely on your end-game: do you want the research to generate leads? Are you after greater brand awareness? Is this a marketing research report you want to publish on a regular cadence?

These are a few types of reports to consider adding to your marketing strategy:

Yearly benchmarks

These are annual studies that track key metrics or industry trends over time. They are useful for showing how specific areas evolve year after year.

Example: LinkedIn 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark

One-off research

Research focused on a single topic, often related to emerging trends, industry disruptions, or niche subjects. These are useful for addressing specific questions or timely issues.

Example: Sprinklr and LinkedIn: Proving the Power of Brand*

Customer Insights and preferences

Studies that survey your customers or broader market to understand buyer behaviors, needs, or preferences. This data helps craft solutions that better address customer pain points.

Example: Global B2B Buyer Report, BigCommerce

Trend reports

Regular publications that analyze and predict key market trends in the B2B space. This helps your audience stay ahead of the curve with industry developments.

Example: TopRank 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report: Elevate & Ignite*

Reporting on disruptive trends

Research that measures how companies are reacting to major industry shifts, economic changes, or technological advances like AI positions your brand as responsive and in tune with industry needs.

Example: HubSpot: The Intersection of Marketing, Data and AI*

* TopRank Marketing partnered on or led these original research projects.

Repurposing marketing research reports: The content gift that keeps on giving

The dollars you invest in original research can be stretched far and wide as that research is repurposed into blog posts, infographics, white papers, webinars, video series, and so on … all unlocking different ways to reach and provide value for your audience.

Blog posts: In what we like to refer to as a “turkey slice,” you can break down key findings into a series of blog posts, each focusing on a different aspect of the research.

Infographics: Visualize data and insights from the report into easily digestible infographics.

Social media posts: Share individual stats, charts, or quotes across LinkedIn, X/Twitter, or other social media platforms, driving engagement.

Whitepapers: Combine the research with related content to create a detailed whitepaper or guide for your audience.

Ebooks: Expand on the research findings by providing additional context or case studies, turning the data into an in-depth ebook.

Webinars: Host a webinar discussing the report’s insights, with key speakers diving deep into the findings.

Case studies: Use the data to support a case study highlighting how a company benefited from the trends or insights revealed in your research.

Podcasts: Create a podcast episode discussing the findings, either with internal experts or guest industry professionals.

Presentations: Develop a presentation or slide deck to share at industry conferences or with prospects.

Video series: Create short videos discussing the top takeaways, explaining how the insights apply to your audience’s challenges.

Newsletters: Feature snippets from the marketing research report in a company newsletter or as part of an email marketing campaign.

Best practices for B2B original research

Our team has a great deal of collective experience putting together high-quality reports based on original research. Here are the best practices we’ve developed along the way.

#1. Establish your research goals: Understand what insights you want to uncover, how they align with your company’s strategic goals, and how they serve your audience’s needs.

#2. Target the right audience: Ensure your research is aimed at your core audience, whether it’s clients, prospects, or key industry players.

#3. Ask neutral, focused questions: Design survey or interview questions that are free of bias. If the results of your surveys and interviews don’t support your original hypothesis, remember: that data still holds insights, and may be even more newsworthy!

#4. Don’t be afraid to outsource the research: For your data to be high-quality and accurate, you may want to work with a third-party research organization. They have the connections and expertise to ensure the quality of your questions, rapidly deploy your survey, and help you make sense of the responses.

#5. Validate and cross-check data: I once stumbled upon a data point that had been published far and wide, long after the original publisher pulled their report due to inaccuracy. Cross-checking data strengthens its credibility and prevents misleading conclusions.

#6. Use a blend of quantitative and qualitative data: While quantitative (hard numbers) data can provide a broad overview, qualitative (observable but not measurable) data offers deeper insights. Use both forms of data to give your report more dimension and support a compelling narrative.

Source: 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark

#7. Get other industry experts involved: Data from a single voice is interesting, but a consensus of thought leaders backing up that data? That’s compelling! Partnerships can be accomplished through co-branded research, or by including quotes and feedback from experts.

Source: 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report: Elevate & Ignite

#8. Give your audience actionable takeaways: Data is great, but useful insights are what drive impact and motivate organic sharing. Highlight key findings and suggest practical applications that can help your audience use the insights to inform their strategies.

Source: The Intersection of Marketing, Data and AI

#9. Prioritize the report design: Design can make or break your report’s readability. Make your research accessible and easy to digest by using a combination of visuals (infographics, charts) and detailed insights to present your findings.

Source: Proving the Power of Brand

#10. Promote, promote, promote: Publishing a research report should never be a one-and-done campaign. Make sure you continue to leverage your research findings by promoting the report across various channels and through different content formats to reach a broader audience and maximize the impact of your research.

Source

Our friends at Content Marketing Institute have also drafted an excellent self-assessment for marketers who are considering diving into original research: Don’t Start an Original Research Project Before Answering These 8 Questions.

Learn to stop worrying and love B2B original research

Publishing a marketing research report is an excellent way for your company to share the next Big Idea with your industry. At TopRank, we’ve helped companies bring their research to life, as well as published our own proprietary insights.

Some highlights from this last year of report drafting include:

Interested in learning more about how we can help you develop a marketing report based on original research? Contact us.

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SEO & Digital Marketing

The New Creative Hub: Dubai’s Agency Scene Evolves

Published

1 day ago

September 18, 2024

Josh Kuku

We bet that, recently, at least one of your friends visited Dubai for a reason. Why are we hearing so much about Dubai these days—not only for its tourist aspect but also for digital marketing initiatives?

We will find out why Dubai is now a new digital marketing hotspot in this blog post – career opportunities and digital marketing agencies in Dubai.

Keep reading.

Key Takeaways

Dubai offers a sizable market to companies looking to increase their online presence.
Because businesses in Dubai are eager to take advantage of online platforms, digital marketing is one of the most in-demand skills in the job market.
Marketers predict that Dubai’s digital marketing ecosystem will continue to grow quickly in the coming years.
For professionals, agency owners, and brands, Dubai offers a plethora of opportunities in the digital marketing space.

What’s Inside?

An Overview of Dubai’s Digital Marketing Atmosphere

In recent years, Dubai has solidified its status as a hub for digital innovation, offering businesses a dynamic environment for marketing success. With widespread access to the latest tech and a business population that relies on the internet, the city presents unparalleled opportunities for brands to connect with their target audiences.

Dubai is a digital-first city. It is equipped with affordable high-speed internet, and almost all of its population uses smartphones. This makes effective digital marketing services in Dubai a foremost concern for businesses.

According to research on why Dubai is an attractive area for international business, Dubai has radically changed over the last thirty years.

It has become a major business state with a sustainable and branched-out economy. Especially over the last ten years, Dubai has noticed enormous economic development as a result of urban development that converted the uninhabited desert of Dubai into a commercial, residential, economic, and tourist state.

Additionally, it is well known that Dubai boasts a massive international trade network that spans nearly 180 states worldwide, offering investors many options for international marketing channels to promote a diverse range of products and services. Hong Kong and Singapore are the two largest export and reexport hubs globally, with Dubai coming in third.

Of course, the city also gains from all kinds of marketing efforts & channels, including digital marketing, as new businesses, investors, and clients come on board. So much so that recent research has shown that a wide range of industries in the United Arab Emirates profit from digital marketing, and they use related tactics to influence business profitability by raising brand awareness, driving more traffic to websites, and generating leads.

Given these factors, effective digital marketing has become a priority for companies looking to thrive in this fast-paced market. This has led to an evolution in Dubai’s agency scene, where creative strategies and cutting-edge solutions are reshaping how businesses approach their online presence.

Digital Marketing Agencies in the UAE Worth It?

Let us continue with one of the most common questions people ask on the internet about the digital marketing ecosystem of Dubai. The answer is a resounding yes. In a market as competitive and digitally driven as the UAE, partnering with a digital marketing agency can make a significant difference.

According to our Exclusive Q&A with Sacha Christe, CEO of Emirates Graphic, digital marketing agencies in Dubai are especially worth working with.

In the said Q&A, Christie states that Dubai’s multicultural audience is indeed a “unique challenge and opportunity” at the same time. To tailor digital marketing strategies effectively, digital agencies conduct thorough market research to understand cultural nuances, language preferences, and consumer behaviors. And finally, they create content and campaigns that resonate with various cultural groups while ensuring sensitivity and respect for diversity. He adds:

Dubai’s business-friendly regulatory environment fosters innovation and attracts agencies and businesses to operate and expand in the region. It provides a stable and conducive platform for growth, which is advantageous for agencies like Emirates Graphic.

What’s more, it seems that in the next few years, marketers anticipate Dubai’s digital marketing ecosystem to continue evolving rapidly:

Brands should stay ahead by embracing emerging technologies, staying updated on local trends, and collaborating with innovative agencies. It’s crucial to remain flexible and adapt to changing consumer preferences.

Dubai for Working Professionals (Scope of Digital Marketing in Dubai)

As we mentioned earlier, Dubai has quickly become a magnet for working professionals, particularly in the digital marketing sector. With its thriving economy and constant push toward digital transformation, the city offers endless opportunities for those looking to build or expand their careers. Digital marketing is one of the most in-demand skills in the job market because businesses in Dubai are eager to take advantage of online platforms.

From social media management and content creation to SEO, professionals can find a diverse range of roles within digital marketing agencies and in-house corporate teams. With Dubai’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and its large consumer base, there is always a need for innovative marketing strategies. For digital marketers, this city offers a dynamic work environment and the chance to work on projects that shape global perceptions.

DAN-member agencies like Crowd are playing a crucial role in promoting Dubai as a prime destination for business. As a creative agency, Crowd has actively worked on campaigns showcasing the city’s potential to global audiences, emphasizing its business-friendly environment and advanced digital infrastructure. This is just one example of how digital marketing professionals in Dubai can be part of projects that have a global impact, helping position the city as a leading business hub.

Let us wrap up that section with two thoughtful responses to the query, “Is it hard to find a job in digital marketing or SEO in Dubai?“

Dubai for Agency Owners

For agency owners in Dubai, several digital marketing domains present lucrative opportunities. With a significant portion of the population active on social media, social media advertising is a leading domain.

According to Statista, social media ad spending in the UAE is expected to reach approximately $388.40 million in 2024, indicating a high demand for agencies specializing in targeted campaigns on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

SEO and content marketing are also crucial due to the competitive business environment. Brands seek agencies that can optimize their online presence, driving organic traffic and brand visibility.

Influencer marketing is another domain thriving in Dubai. The city’s diverse culture and global appeal make it a hotspot for influencers, and agencies that can connect brands with the right influencers are in high demand.

Paid advertising through PPC campaigns remains a key strategy. Digital ad spending in the UAE continues to grow, with businesses looking to agencies for data-driven strategies that maximize their ROI.

These popular domains offer agency owners a chance to diversify their services and cater to Dubai’s dynamic market, allowing them to position themselves as industry leaders.

Here are some hints as to why Dubai’s digital marketing sector is expanding, in case you decide to establish your agency there:

Dubai for Brands & Businesses

With digital advertising in the UAE projected to reach $1.48 billion by 2028, Dubai presents a vast marketplace for brands seeking to expand their digital footprint. This environment provides brands with the tools they need to drive growth and build a strong online presence.

Additionally, as a part of Dubai’s marketing ecosystem, brands and companies have many opportunities to collaborate with excellent, locally focused digital marketing agencies, such as WGG Digital Marketing Agency, a DAN member.

We live in Dubai; we work in Dubai; we know how to work with digital marketing to grow your business in this city.

WGG has established itself as one of the leading agencies in the UAE. For us, each campaign is not just numbers but also a representation of the vibrant life of Dubai and the UAE. With a team versed in the latest digital trends and tools, we offer a panoramic view of modern marketing. In the ever-changing digital marketing in the UAE, WGG is the most adaptive and evolving agency.”

According to the statement on their website, WGG begins each project “by diving deep into Dubai’s online market. It’s paramount for us to understand the digital platforms that have the most traction in the region.” Also, they are “committed to grasping the digital habits of both locals and the expatriate community, ensuring our campaigns cater to each distinct audience segment.”