At Xplode Marketing, we specialize in web design, branding, and digital marketing for startups and small businesses that are challenging the status quo. Based in Sarasota, Florida, we’ve spent nearly two decades helping innovative companies, from tech startups to healthcare disruptors, build credibility online and convert skeptical prospects into loyal customers. We know firsthand that when you offer something dramatically better than the competition, the biggest obstacle isn’t your product, it’s trust.

We were eager to learn how StraighterLine overcame the “too good to be true” perception that often plagues disruptive businesses. The lessons from StraighterLine’s 15-plus-year journey from unknown alternative to trusted industry leader offer a masterclass in credibility-building through strategic digital marketing.

Q1: When potential students first hear about StraighterLine, $99/month for college credits that actually transfer, many think it sounds too good to be true. At what point in your growth did you realize skepticism was your biggest marketing challenge, and how did that shift your digital strategy?

A: We’ve been hearing “this sounds too good to be true” since we launched in 2008. But the turning point came around 2012-2013 when we started seeing conversion data indicating that prospects who engaged with our free preview or spoke to an enrollment advisor converted at dramatically higher rates than cold traffic. That told us the product wasn’t the problem, the barrier was getting people to trust us enough to take that first step.

We shifted our entire digital strategy to focus on proof over promises. Instead of leading with price, we started leading with outcomes: 350,000+ students served, $300 million saved in tuition costs, acceptance at 3,000+ accredited institutions. We also invested heavily in making our partnerships with recognizable colleges highly visible. When someone sees that their local state university or a school they respect accepts StraighterLine credits, skepticism drops immediately.

The other major shift was building self-service trust. We created comprehensive transfer guides, school-specific FAQs, and transparent course syllabi so prospects could verify our claims on their own terms, without needing to “just trust us.”

Q2: You have about 10 seconds to convince a skeptical visitor that StraighterLine is legitimate before they bounce. What specific trust signals, design elements, social proof, messaging, do you prioritize above the fold to overcome that initial doubt?

A: Our homepage strategy functions as a high-velocity trust gauntlet, designed to dismantle student skepticism within seconds. Above the fold, we immediately “de-risk” the decision to enroll by lead-generating with our Credit Transfer Guarantee and a Free Preview. This directly addresses the two biggest barriers to entry: the fear of wasted effort and the mystery of course quality. We pair these with high-impact velocity and value metrics, specifically the ability to finish a course in 23 days or less, transfer credits to 3,000+ schools, and save up to $1,000 per course — compared to the cost at traditional colleges. By leading with these concrete outcomes, we frame StraighterLine not just as an educational tool, but as a measurable financial and time-saving win.

As the user begins to scroll, we reinforce this initial hook with institutional-grade social proof. We cite the scale of our impact—350,000+ students and $300M in tuition saved—to establish that we are a proven, massive ecosystem rather than a niche experiment. This leads directly into our partner school logos and the ACE® Recommendation badge, which serves as our industry’s “Good Housekeeping Seal.” By layering this institutional authority beneath our “outcome-first” hero section, we speak the language of the registrar’s office while maintaining a transparent, student-centric model that emphasizes that credit transferability is a certainty, not a gamble.

Q3: Instead of avoiding the ‘this sounds too good to be true’ reaction, have you found ways to lean into it? How do you address skepticism head-on in your messaging without making prospects even more suspicious?

A: Absolutely. One of our most effective content pieces is a blog post titled “Is StraighterLine Legit? Pros, Cons, and User Reviews” We don’t pretend skepticism doesn’t exist, we validate it. The headline acknowledges what people are thinking, and then we methodically dismantle every objection with facts: ACE recommendations, partnership agreements, student testimonials, and step-by-step transfer processes. We even include a searchable database of schools that accept our credits.

On landing pages, we use subheads like: “Why is StraighterLine so affordable?” Then we explain our business model, no campus costs, self-paced efficiency, digital-first delivery. When you explain why something costs less instead of just claiming it does, people stop assuming there’s a catch. The key is empathy without apology. We acknowledge their doubt, explain the reality, and then invite them to verify it themselves through our free preview.

Q4: When people don’t understand how something works, they assume it’s a scam. How has your content strategy, blog posts, guides, FAQs, been designed not just to inform, but to legitimize the entire category of affordable, transferable online college credits?

A: Our content strategy is built around category creation, not just lead generation. Most people have never heard of ACE-recommended credit or alternative credit providers. If we only focused on “why StraighterLine,” we’d be fighting an uphill battle. Instead, we educate on “what is transferable credit” and “how does college credit transfer work.” We’ve published comprehensive guides like: “The College Credit Transfer Guide” and “The Complete Guide to ACE Learning Evaluations?” These pieces rank well for high-intent search queries and position us as the authoritative voice in the space.

What’s important is that our content doesn’t just say “trust us.” It explains the system that makes StraighterLine work. We clarify that StraighterLine delivers high-quality, college-level courses that meet rigorous academic standards, backed by the largest official partner school network in the industry. That’s not hyperbole; it’s documented through ACE evaluations, institutional partnerships, and course alignment to standard higher education learning outcomes.

When someone Googles “do online college credits transfer,” we want to be the answer; Not just a sales pitch, but a trusted educational resource. We also maintain our “Nursing Prerequisites Guide,” which is an entirely white-labeled resource. It builds trust by helping students navigate a confusing process without overtly selling. That goodwill translates into brand trust when they eventually discover it’s powered by StraighterLine.

Q5: StraighterLine has been growing since 2007, serving 350,000+ students. Looking back, what single digital marketing tactic or strategic decision had the biggest impact on shifting perception from ‘sketchy cheap alternative’ to ‘trusted industry leader’?

A: Investing in partnerships over paid advertising. Early on, we could have poured money into PPC and social ads to drive volume. But we made a strategic bet: if we could get accredited colleges to formally accept and promote StraighterLine credits, we’d build trust at scale.

We focused on earning ACE recommendations for every course, signing articulation agreements with universities, and embedding StraighterLine into college advising systems. When a college enrollment counselor recommends StraighterLine to a student, that carries infinitely more weight than any ad we could run. That strategy compounded over time. Each new partnership added credibility. Each student success story strengthened our reputation. Each institution that trusted us made the next one more likely to say yes. Today, institutional endorsement is our moat. Competitors can copy our pricing or course catalog, but they can’t replicate 15+ years of partnership-building and 350,000 student outcomes.

The second most impactful decision? Transparency at every level. We publish syllabi, show course previews, explain our business model, and make transfer databases publicly searchable. That openness is the antidote to skepticism. If I could distill it into one principle: Trust isn’t marketed, it’s earned through consistency, proof, and institutional validation over time.

In this interview with Xplode Marketing, we sit down with Dimitri Akhrin, President of BAMS, to discuss how accelerated funding empowers online merchants, what sets BAMS apart in the payments space, and why fast access to funds has become one of the most important advantages in e-commerce today.

Q1: Dimitri, BAMS is known for transparency and technology, but lately, same-day funding has really become one of your flagship offerings. Why is fast access to funds so important for e-commerce merchants?

Dimitri Akhrin: You hit the nail on the head, cash flow is the heartbeat of every business, especially in e-commerce. Merchants live in a fast-moving world where inventory turns quickly, ads run in real time, and customer demand can spike overnight. If they’re waiting two or three days to access their sales deposits, that delay can become a real bottleneck.

Same-day funding solves that. It lets merchants immediately reinvest in advertising, replenish stock, or pay vendors without interruption. That kind of liquidity keeps momentum going. We like to say: You worked hard for the sale, why wait to get paid?

At BAMS, we built our same-day funding program from the ground up to make it reliable, transparent, and affordable. It’s not a gimmick, it’s a core part of how we help our clients grow.

Some processors advertise “fast funding,” but the fine print often tells another story. How is BAMS’s same-day funding different?

Dimitri Akhrin: That’s an excellent point. A lot of companies use the term “fast funding,” but it often means “faster than average,” not truly same-day. There might be hidden cut-off times, delayed batches, or inflated fees.

At BAMS, our same-day funding is exactly what it sounds like, merchants get access to their funds the same business day. It’s automatic, predictable, and supported by real human expertise. We monitor the process in real time, so if there’s ever a delay or anomaly, our support team proactively reaches out.

The other difference is cost transparency. We don’t bury fees in the statement. Merchants know exactly what they’re paying and what they’re getting. That level of honesty builds trust, and trust keeps clients with us for the long haul.

From Xplode Marketing’s perspective, many of our clients are e-commerce brands that rely on speed and reinvestment. How have you seen same-day funding impact the performance and profitability of clients like these?

Dimitri Akhrin: The impact is enormous. When merchants have immediate access to cash, they can take advantage of opportunities that would otherwise pass them by.

Imagine you’re running an ad campaign that’s performing exceptionally well. If you’re waiting for yesterday’s deposits, you might miss the window to double down. But with same-day funding, you can reinvest instantly and maximize ROI. We’ve seen clients grow their revenue by 10–20% simply because they can scale faster without waiting on payouts.

It also gives peace of mind. Business owners don’t have to worry about whether funds will clear in time for payroll or supplier payments. That confidence translates into smarter decisions, better customer service, and stronger long-term growth.

Beyond funding speed, what do you think differentiates BAMS from other merchant service providers in the market today?

Dimitri Akhrin: What really sets us apart is our combination of speed, transparency, and service. Many processors can offer one or two of those, but rarely all three.

Our IRIS reporting platform gives merchants full visibility into every transaction, funding timeline, and deposit status. There’s no mystery. Our pricing model is straightforward, with a competitive rate guarantee. And most importantly, we back it up with real people who know the payments industry inside and out.

We don’t just process transactions, we build partnerships. We’re invested in helping merchants succeed because their success is our success. That’s the BAMS difference.

Looking ahead, how do you see same-day funding evolving, and how will BAMS continue to lead the charge?

Dimitri Akhrin: I think same-day funding is going to become the new standard, not a premium feature. Merchants will expect it by default, the same way they expect online access or next-day shipping.

At BAMS, we’re continuing to refine our systems to make funding even faster, even more reliable, and even easier to integrate across platforms. We’re also working to expand visibility so that more merchants, from startups to enterprise e-commerce brands, can take advantage of it without jumping through hoops.

Our goal has always been simple: help merchants increase profit and decrease costs through smarter, faster payments. Same-day funding is one of the most powerful tools in achieving that mission, and we’re proud to lead the industry forward.

Thank you, Dimitri, for sharing your insights into how BAMS’s same-day funding is helping e-commerce businesses thrive in an always-on economy. For merchants looking to scale quickly, maintain cash flow, and stay competitive, BAMS’s commitment to speed, transparency, and partnership offers exactly the kind of advantage today’s digital marketplace demands.

We sat down with Michael to discuss how Goldstar continues to innovate and how digital marketing partners like Xplode Marketing help amplify that vision.

Q: Goldstar has been a leader in jewelry manufacturing for decades. How has the company evolved under your leadership?

Michael Lerche:
Goldstar has always been built on precision, creativity, and trust three pillars that don’t change, even as the world does. What’s evolved is how we deliver those qualities. We’ve invested heavily in advanced technologies like 3D wax printing, CAD design, and automated quality control.

But innovation isn’t just technical it’s also cultural. We’ve focused on empowering our teams globally, integrating sustainability into production, and improving transparency from concept to customer. We’re not just making jewelry; we’re building experiences that reflect craftsmanship with conscience.

Q: How does digital transformation play into a traditionally hands-on industry like jewelry?

Michael Lerche:
That’s the exciting part the intersection of artistry and analytics. Traditionally, jewelry is about the tactile the shine, the feel, the story. Today, we also have to translate that magic into pixels and data.

Digital marketing has become crucial for storytelling. Platforms like social media, video, and AR try-on experiences help customers connect emotionally before they ever step into a store. Internally, digital tools streamline everything from production planning to customer insights. So, our transformation is both outward-facing and inward-operational.

Q: The jewelry market is becoming more competitive and transparent. How do you maintain trust and differentiation?

Michael Lerche:
Trust is built on transparency and transparency comes from communication. We share more about our sourcing, sustainability practices, and ethical commitments than ever before.

Consumers today want to know not just what they’re buying, but who they’re buying from. Through digital storytelling and partnerships like Xplode, we can show our customers that every Goldstar piece carries integrity as well as beauty.

Q: Finally, what’s next for Goldstar Jewellery?

Michael Lerche:
The future is about blending legacy with agility. We’ll continue to push boundaries in design, sustainability, and digital engagement.

We’re also exploring new collaborations both within the luxury sector and with technology partners to create smarter, more personalized experiences. And of course, we’ll keep nurturing the partnerships that help us shine brighter, like the one we have with Xplode Marketing.

Our goal is simple: to make brilliance timeless, online and offline.

Internet marketing is a continually evolving field. In recent years, there’s been an increase in the number of internet marketing agencies in the digital space – which has made it more difficult to choose the right one.

Choosing the right internet marketer is a crucial step to achieving business success online (or offline). The wrong one can quickly drain your budget and tarnish your brand’s image.

So, with this in mind, here’s our guideline to hiring a trusted internet marketing agency that can help skyrocket your business in 2019.

1.   Understand your needs and determine your budget

The first – and probably the most important – step to finding the right internet marketing agency for your business is understanding your needs. It’s vital to be able to effectively describe your business needs in terms of website design and functionality, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and advertising. The better you can communicate this to your prospective agencies, the better the conversations and results might be.

Determining what you are willing to spend is also a crucial step. Note that when it comes on to internet marketing, there’s no set price. Your total expenses will depend on your needs, and for some marketers, the amount of time required to carry out the specified tasks. A good marketer should be able to negotiate and work within any reasonable budget and set your expectations accordingly.

2.   Determine the agency’s credibility and experience

There’s quite a number of internet marketing agencies today that can appear credible and experienced to the untrained eye. For that reason, it is important to demand full transparency from potential partners to avoid wasting your time and having a bad experience.

You can ask yourself several questions when checking if the agency is credible:

• Does the agency have a decent website?
• Does the website appear high in search results? (This indicates its SEO acumen.)
• Is there an address, bio, client list, certifications, badges, or any other qualifications you deem important on the website? If not, this agency is likely not a suitable fit.
• After reading through the testimonials on the website, if any, do they seem authentic? And are there reviews on Clutch, Expertise, Yelp or any other popular review site?
• Are its social media pages managed properly and have quality content?

In addition to these questions, ask for client references, including at least one that didn’t go well. Call these references instead of sending emails, and you’ll be surprised by how much information you can obtain.

In terms of experience, ask if the agency has experience in your industry. If yes, take it a step further by asking about those engagements, specifically what went well and what was challenging. If it does not, don’t shut the door just yet. Simply ask how they plan to approach this new industry.

3.   Find out what metrics they use to measure success

Now that you’ve determined the marketing agency’s credibility and experience, you need to know how they will communicate with you and what success metrics, key performance (KPIs), and analytics they will use to justify their fees. Request a sample progress report from them and decide whether or not those KPIs will directly apply to your business.

Basically, you should already know the end goal of your website. Is it to gain more traffic to the site? To encourage more business-to-business interactions? To target a certain audience? By clearly defining your goals, you can better understand the type of internet marketer to work with.

All in all, ensure that you are familiar with the metrics they’ll be using in reporting on your campaign.

4.   Now, it’s on you

Now that know how to evaluate internet marketing agencies and shortened your list to only legitimate contenders, ask yourself what you want from this work relationship. Working with any marketer can become a bit boring, especially if you have no knowledge of the process. So, go with an agency that fits your personality and availability, and is also fun to work with.

Verdict

Finding the right internet marketer for your business is not as easy as it might seem. But all things considered, the decision is exclusively yours. So, make the best possible one by using this guide to compare the value each company brings, and the results they can obtain for your business.

Xplode Marketing is a reputable internet marketing agency with years of experience in the field, and a large portfolio of successful projects. We’ve also been highlighted as a top-rated web design firm in Florida, racking up a 5/5-star rating on Clutch.

Xplode Marketing has been recognized among the Top 5 Florida Social Media Marketing Companies in 2021 by DesignRush.

Get a free quote today, and we’ll help you take your business to the next level.

SpringWell Water Filtrating Systems is a leading manufacturer of whole house water filtration systems and whole house water softeners. The goal was to take their sales to the next level through digital marketing.

Skills Used

We re-designed the website in a way that was intuitive and explained their whole house water filtration systems clearly. We utilized clean fonts, colors, and photos in the header that was innovative and interactive.  . We’ve also used our SEO skills to develop the website in a way that has their onsite optimization built into each page.

Additional Information

SpringWell Water’s newest product, the Futuresoft Salt based water softener is one of a kind and both environmentally friendly and low cost, low maintenance for their customers.

Website traffic is crucially important for any business with an online presence, but encouraging that traffic to take some specific action is a completely different ball game.

If you already have a working, high-traffic website, it’s important to prompt your visitors to take some form of action, like sign up for your email list, buy a product or a service, or reach out through your contact form. 

But how do you achieve all of this? How can you make changes to your website so that your website traffic actually converts?

Understand your audience, and do it well.

Increasing website conversions starts with knowing and understanding your target audience. After all, how can you provide a solution to your audience before figuring out what their specific problems are?

Knowing your audience helps you decide on the appropriate tone and voice to use when stating their pain points, challenges, goals, and desires so it feels like you’ve literally read their minds.

To turn your traffic into valuable visitors:          

1. Show your audience that you understand their problem or pain.
2. Understand their personalities and the various approaches they use when making decisions.
3. Create content that leads them down a path to solve a specific problem.
4. Take a survey of your existing customers to find out what motivated their purchases, their decision-making process, what expectations they had, their experience and any suggestions. 
5. Include a call to action (CTA) button on every page

CTAs are one of the most powerful conversion boosters around. Why? Because when you directly tell a website visitor what do, they are more likely to do it than if you just hope that they figure it out on their own.  A well-placed CTA can drastically boost your website conversions. Try to make them as clear, concise and straightforward as possible. That way, your visitors can better understand your directions and ultimately make a decision.

CTA Tips:

• Button CTAs can boost clicks by up to 45% compared to links.
• Give your CTA buttons a 3D effect to make the page pop.
• Use clear directions. For example, “Sign up now for your free consultation!”
• Add a feedback effect when someone hovers over it.  
• Make your website mobile-friendly

According to Statista, “In 2018, 52.2% of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile phones…” Better yet, that number is expected to reach 63.4% in 2019.

That should be enough reason to optimize your website for mobile; Else, some or most of your visitors will likely abandon your site.

Web design websites like Xplode Marketing can help you create a seamless mobile experience for your visitors. Check them out!

Experiment with design elements

You may have noticed a significant drop in conversions, but until you test every design element on your site and measure the results, you won’t know what works and what doesn’t.

You can compare different elements such as:

• Page layouts
• Fonts
• Images
• Videos
• Background colors
• CTA buttons

A/B test these variables and compare them against each other to determine which ones work better.

Use strong, informative headlines

As soon as a visitor lands on your page, they should be able to skim through the site and still learn what you’re about.

To make your site skim-friendly:

• Write shorter paragraphs and include images and list;
• Avoid large chunks of complex text at all costs;
• Make the headlines as informative and compelling as you can.

Verdict

Now that you know the five ways to fine tune your website to increase conversions, don’t hesitate to implement them and stay on top of your game. Good luck!

To meet those demands, there’s an underutilized tactic that you can use to personalize the experience, so your subscribers are more likely to open your emails and engage: email personalization.

Sending personalized emails is the perfect way to authentically reach your unique, individual subscribers. Taking advantage of this approach enables you to provide one-on-one experiences with your audience, which can significantly increase brand engagement.

Moreover, using creative and diversified email personalization methods is also a proven way to foster customer loyalty and appeal to the 75% of consumers that are more likely to buy from a brand that personalizes messages.

Now, it’s important to note that email personalization is more than just inserting a customer’s name into the subject line. Even though that’s a good strategy, you can take personalization way beyond that.

Here are 5 must-know techniques to use personalized emails to boost audience engagement:

1.   Segment your email list

Segmenting your email contacts into specific groups can take your email personalization results beyond the stars. But remember that different contacts have different needs, so it’s ideal to create individual segmented lists so you can develop dynamic content for each audience you want to reach.

The first step to segmenting your email list is to collect relevant data about your subscribers. This can be done through your signup forms when someone wants to receive newsletters or learn more about your brand. There, you can ask your subscribers about their geographical location, age, gender, profession, interests, and so on. You can even use data about their buying history or past email activity.

Afterward, start breaking down your segmented list into even more compact groups. For instance, take your ‘male customers’ list and create a list of ‘male customers from Los Angeles’ that buy from you regularly.

2.   Automate emails based on subscriber behavior

Implementing marketing automation is crucial to sending out behavior-triggered emails to the right subscriber at the right time. A perfect example of this is sending a “Welcome Email” as soon as new subscribers sign up. This email acts as a warm and friendly greeting and tells them what to do next.

You can even send reminder emails, depending on a certain time period. These emails inform a subscriber about a particular event or occurrence, like renew a subscription or complete a purchase on an item that has been sitting in their shopping cart. You can also send birthday greetings as well as emails that focus on re-engaging customers who have been inactive for a while. 

3.   Make your email design responsive

Responsive email design is also aspect of email personalization that cannot be ignored. Keep in mind that your customers are likely viewing your email on different devices (smartphones, tablets, and PCs). Therefore, you need to improve their email experience by making sure that can actually view it on whatever device they choose. Also, when designing your emails, pay keen attention to factors like font size, buttons, email length and the overall layout and fluidity of the content. These factors can either make or break your design.

4.   Add links to your social media profile(s)

If you want to add an extra boost to your email marketing campaign, why not include buttons that direct your audience to your social media profiles? This can drive more traffic to your social channels as well as your website.

You can also upload your subscriber lists from your email to your social channels. That way, you can connect with your subscribers in a more personal way, on more than one platform. Heck, you can even target social ads to active email subscribers to make more of your advertising dollars.

5.   Personalize your landing pages

Landing pages with a personalized call to action can be a powerful way to increase engagement and drive traffic to your site. Your landing pages should directly relate to the content of your email and the interests of your specific segmented list, and should match the look of the overall theme.

Verdict

Email personalization is an all-important tool for increasing audience engagement. Your customers want to feel like they matter to your brand, lest your brand won’t matter to them. By following the techniques above, you can make the email personalization process a breeze.

Before you know it, new marketing techniques can change the way you advertise and market your brand, products, and services, and can impact your ability to reach your target audience.

Today, different digital platforms and technology allow us to create more choices for people to find, consume and share content online. Whether it’s creating blog posts, sharing entertaining videos, or promoting e-books, you need to integrate a content strategy into your existing marketing methods.

However, your content must be intelligent, informative, and most importantly, it must provide value to your audience without expecting anything in return. Instead of trying to rack up page views, shares and impressions, focus on using valuable and relevant content to drive profitable customer or client action.

By now you may be wondering: “Is content marketing really worth the time and effort?”

Here are five reasons why you should add this approach to your marketing strategy, then you can decide if it’s worth the investment.

1.    Higher visibility in search engines

Every time you add a new blog post to your website, Google indexes it and displays it in its search engine results. Now, having a ton of blog posts doesn’t mean more traffic will come to your site. It’s the quality of each indexed page that will increase your chances of ranking higher when people search for topics related to your content. Once you’ve researched and included the right long- and short-tailed keywords and topics, the search engines will reward you with higher visibility. Just ensure that your keywords are words that customers frequently use to search for you and your offerings. Putting those keywords into a well structured post with all the right SEO meta will certainly get you ranking in the search engines where you’ll build an authority for your industry/niche and also grow your customer base.  

2.    More referral and social media traffic

Another great way to drive traffic to your website is to contribute to external publications as a guest. Doing so gives you the opportunity to link back to your site. Do so on a reputable and relevant authoritative site with high traffic and you can earn thousands of new visitors to your site – all from a single post! I personally am a contributor on Business.com and write about social media to grow my audience.

For increased exposure (and more traffic), sync your content on your social media platforms. With the millions of users on social media nowadays, more users are likely to see and interact with your material. Plus, they can share them with their friends, families and other followers. Over time, you’ll earn more followers for your social media brand as well as drive more traffic to your website.

3.    Increased conversion potential

Always remember that the main objective of your content marketing strategy should be to engage, inform and bring value to your existing customers and target audience. Once these are achieved, you can go ahead and pitch one or two of your products or services. Try not to come off too ‘salesy’, though. If done correctly, you can easily convert visitors into paying customers. I think this is where I’ll take the moment to urge you to contact us for all of your search engine optimization and online marketing needs!

4.    More content on your site

Content marketing is a long-term investment. The more content you have on your site, the better. Why? More ways to show the big guy “Google” that your website is an incredible resource within your industry. Another is so your visitors will have a reason to stick around and see what you’re all about. Plus, the longer they stay on your site, the more likely they are to become familiar with your brand and develop more trust. Together, these benefits can lead to higher conversion rates.

5.    Higher domain authority and brand reputation in your niche

Believe it or not, writing more high-quality content increases the perceived value, authority, relevance, and trust of your site. And the more inbound links you get from external sources, your website’s domain authority will increase exponentially. A higher domain authority means higher search engine ranking and more organic search visibility. Just remember that contributing more content without promoting that content is like printing brochures and not handing them out to potential clients. Working with a team like Xplode Marketing is a great way to boost traffic and sales!

Beyond that, if people find your content enlightening and informative, they’ll think highly of your brand. Moreover, if they happen to see your content pop up on their social media feeds, they will see you as a well-established authority in your niche!

Verdict

Content marketing creates a world of benefits for anyone in any industry. The sooner you start investing in it, the soon you’ll start to see results. Whether you’re in it for increased conversions or just to create a strong relationship with your customers, content marketing should definitely be included in your marketing tactics.

Xplode Marketing is a full-service interactive media company focused on building brands and companies through digital strategies. We have a very good track record with our previous clients which is reflected in our 5/5-star rating on Clutch.co. Our client ratings show that we have an exceptional ability to meet deadlines and our team of talented designers has the necessary skills to fulfill all of your firm’s web design and branding needs.

With that said, we are very excited to announce our recent feature with Clutch, a hub for B2B service providers. We believe that working with Clutch will help us curate more online reviews and make it more likely that we win organic leads.

Our feature on Clutch among the top logo designers makes us very proud. We have been operating in Florida since 2007 and we believe that this distinction is a testament to the hard work that we’ve put in over the years. We understand that Clutch carefully evaluates each firm based on their customer relationships, overall ability to deliver service, and general brand strength before adding them to their list. 

Our team’s experience, our competitive price point, and our reliability is what sets us apart from other design firms. Our team always dives deep into the projects that we take on to ensure that all of our clients’ ideas can come to fruition. Your firm doesn’t have to sacrifice quality when working with us and we will save you money and time by fulfilling deadlines quickly and efficiently. 

In addition to our work with Clutch, we have also been profiled on The Manifest and Visual Objects, two of Clutch’s sister sites that function as additional resources for businesses looking for solutions to their business needs. We are extremely honored to be named one of the top web designers in Tampa for 2019 by The Manifest and among the top web designers by Visual Objects. We look forward to expanding our reach with Clutch so that we can help your company with all your web design and marketing needs!

But in this day and age, it is practically useless to target these young adults through traditional forms of marketing. After all, they’ve grown up completely around technology, and have more options than ever before in terms of how and where they spend their money.

Today’s young buyers are extremely savvy. They demand instant access to information, chase after the latest trends and seek greater control over the information they consume. Because of this, you need to integrate creative and unique tactics in your Instagram strategy to connect with this digital generation.

Marketing to young consumers is never an easy task, but following these tips can help increase the odds.

1.   Use more video

Video is one of the hottest trends on Instagram these days. With features like Instagram Live, Stories, and IGTV, you can grab the attention of Gen Z consumers and connect with them like never before.

According to studies, Gen Z watches an average of 68 videos every day on five different platforms. To capitalize on this viewership, you should invest in the most effective video distribution platforms. This way, you can create a young persona for your brand, educate your audiences and tell a story that resonates with your target customers.

When it comes to video, try to make a lasting impression within the first 10 – 20 seconds. That way, your viewers will be more likely to stick around until the end and eventually interact with your content.

For live video streaming, use Instagram Stickers to encourage engagement. You can try things like Question stickers, Countdown Stickers, Poll stickers, Music Stickers, and Mention stickers, just to name a few.

Finally, avoid salesy, infomercial-type video demonstrations. The younger generation loves to see the creative processes behind brands and their products. So, why not show your product being used in ways that appeal to them?

2.   Use Instagram ads

If you are trying to get in front of young buyers, using television and magazine ads are just a waste of time and money. This generation spends the majority of their time online, particularly on social media. Whatever they see there aids their decision-making process. So, get your products on their feeds with carefully crafted and engaging content. You’ll be more likely to secure a few purchases and start seeing impressive results.

3.   Leverage Instagram influencers

If you can find an “influencer” to prove your product’s worth to a large audience, you’ll be well on your way. An influencer is an individual who has established credibility and an online audience by virtue of their authenticity, trustworthiness, and ability to persuade. By sharing your brand, product or service with their fans, they can influence their followers to purchase your offerings.

And because influencers aren’t necessarily wildly rich and famous celebrities like those in Hollywood, Gen Z can more relate to these real people and are more likely to show their support.

Verdict

As the younger generation continues to dominate the social media arena, the question isn’t whether they’ll hear your message, but if they’ll listen. Follow the tips above to increase your chances of capturing the attention of Gen Z consumers in 2019.