A customer’s “trust” for a business can have multiple definitions. 

It could be that the customer “trusts” the business to do the job. 

“Trust” could mean that they know the business is going to provide a worthwhile service, again and again. 

It could also mean that they trust the business to make safety a priority. 

All of those are important. But, the last might be more important than ever. 

Being There in Times of Need 

Edelman is, in their own words, “a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote, and protect their brands and reputations.” 

They recently did a study about “Brand Trust in 2020.” 

In their section titled “A Bigger Need for Trust,” they asked customers “why brand trust has become more important.” 

There were many different answers, several of which could pertain to your business. 

The most popular was: “the pandemic has increased my reliance on brands to keep me and my community safe.” 

Not at all far behind that was: “the pandemic has increased my reliance on brands to help me get through day-to-day challenges.” 

However, not all of the responses were pandemic-related. The third most popular was a concern about “brands are collecting more of my personal information.” 

No matter what your business does, there’s probably some way that people are more reliant upon it since the pandemic started. 

Even if your company isn’t necessarily an “essential” service, your customers still rely on you. Whether your company manufactures heavy duty trucks or sells eyelashes, your customers are more reliant on you during the pandemic than ever (even if it’s just for a good time, or something to take their mind off of things for a while). 

An Example from Spring/Summer 2020

In regards to the pandemic specifically, however, 44% of respondents said “I have recently started using a new brand because of the innovative or compassionate way they have responded to the virus outbreak.” 

That went up 7% points between April and June. 

Likewise, respondents said: “I have convinced other people to stop using a brand that I felt was not acting appropriate in response to the pandemic” went up 6% to 40% in that same time span. 

Unfortunately, the full effects of the pandemic aren’t going away any time soon. 

Showing your customers that you can be trusted to respond appropriately and focus on vulnerability is going to be more important than ever. 

We can help you to do that and so much more at our full service digital marketing company. Between our marketing packages, SEO, and more, we can make sure that the best of your company goes in front of who needs to hear it. You can call us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post Why Trust is So Important for Your Brand  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

“Connect to your potential customers with laughter for a stronger emotional connection!” 

If you read enough articles about improving your online marketing, you’ve probably come across those sentiments many times. 

I thought about this when I came across this article about Super Bowl marketing. 

This one quote really jumped out at me. “Some brands (in their commercials) will take a path around humor. That’s certainly long associated with the Super Bowl; however, I do think it takes on a bit of new risk at this particular moment. On the one hand, it could provide levity and some form of comfort… and on the other hand, it could be perceived as obviously not appropriate to the moment.” 

That quote is correct. 

However, utilizing humor properly is a great way to market your business. 

That said, you might be wondering: “how do I find the laughter in garden shears?” Or aluminum siding, or personal injury law, or whatever it is that your business does. 

There really isn’t enough space in this blog to give you a specific example for each industry. But, one thing I can tell you that’s important about using humor in your marketing: identifying the right target. 

When I say that, I don’t mean “target audience” (even though that’s important) but rather, the “target” of the humor itself. It’s something we certainly do at our full-service digital marketing and reputation management company. 

A New Way to Ask: “Who’s the Target?” 

At the risk of getting too deep into comedy theory and joke structure, every joke has a “target.” The “target” is someone who is “being made fun of,” for lack of a better phrase. This is just true in just about every instance of humor you can imagine. 

It’s easy to see in political humor, as one politician, party, or cause is “the target.” You can even see this in “knock-knock” jokes. 

Sometimes, it’s not a person, but a concept, or an assumption that the audience has made. One example I always enjoyed were the Old Spice ads with the centaur. Here, the “target” of the joke wasn’t a person exactly, but rather, the audience’s expectations as to what an advertisement for a product like Old Spice should be. 

The best way to “provide levity and some form of comfort” that are “perceived as appropriate to the moment” is to pick a target that your audience would be OK with. Or, another possibility, engaging with that target in a sensitive way. 

An Example 

To come up with an example off of the top of my head, imagine a company that sells juice. They want to use humor in their marketing. But, they don’t want to be insensitive. 

An “insensitive” version might be something that shows a family struggling to drink juice around masks, or picking brief occasions to take their masks off to drink the juice. 

Sure, that could be funny. But, it has a high risk of being insensitive because “the target” could only be seen as masks/being safe/the people who wear masks. 

However, another way of doing it that could be showing a parent doing everything they can to get their family juice. 

Maybe they buy as much juice as possible to ensure that their family always has it. We see them waiting in line, putting it in the attic, the basement, and more just so there’s always some juice. 

That amount of effort, the sheer amount of juice could be very funny. Moreover, the “target” here is a far more acceptable one: the juice itself. It’s funny to see someone do so much to have something that’s largely inconsequential to survival (yet, can be very important to the quality of life). People can sympathize with this, it’s much softer than the prior example. 

If you can pick a good target and engage with it in the right way, there’s no limit to how you can use humor in your marketing. 

For help with this or anything else related to growing your business online, you can reach our full-service digital marketing and reputation management team at (888) 477-9540. 

The post What to Keep in Mind When Using Humor in Your Marketing  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

Online Reputation Explained

Everyone knows what a reputation is, but many aren’t aware of how exactly it manifests. We know that in everyday situations, it mostly depends on word of mouth. You hear some gossip, some thoughts about that person who provided poor service to someone you know, and you now have second thoughts about employing their services. In the digital age, however, reputations are a bit more complicated than that. After all, word of mouth is no longer something you hear once: it has become something you cannot erase. This means that even time can’t quite erase the impact of a comment or a bad review. Not only that, but personal information itself is all the more available online, which means that your professional reputation can suffer because of that as well. Online reputation management has never been more important.

The Importance of Online Reputation Management

“Who cares about online reputation management,” some people might say, “I haven’t done anything bad, why should I worry about hiding something?” Well, you never know. Sometimes this sort of damage control has to be done because someone with a similar name is causing trouble. A prominent employee of the Walt Disney Company, for example, recently had the unfortunate problem of having the name Jeffrey R. Epstein, while a senior fellow at Media Matters For America named Matthew Gertz has been dealing with being confused with disgraced Republican politician Matt Gaetz. These are only two examples of the many people who have to deal with the consequences of their namesakes’ actions. This kind of problem is more common than you might think.

How to Manage Your Reputation

Now, when it comes to managing your online reputation, there are tools at your disposal. Don’t worry, a bad comment, a rumor, or an unfortunate naming coincidence isn’t going to ruin your life.  Well, it won’t as long as you implement the right reputation management tools. What exactly is online reputation management? Well, it is a set of different online marketing tools that implement search engine optimization, website design, and third party marketing in order to better take control over your online presence. That is something that we at Website Depot can help you with.

Trust Website Depot

“When you google ‘Jenna Maroney’ now, I come up first,” says Jenna in an episode of 30 Rock, “not the Jenna Maroney who electrocuted all those horses!” Sure, Liz follows that up with “Jenna, that was you!” but her point remains. Your online reputation matters, and Website Depot can help you manage it. Just reach out to us via the contact form on our website or by calling us at (888) 477-9540. Quality online reputation management is well within your reach.

The post Protect Your Brand With the Help of Online Reputation Management appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

That’s a valid concern, one that we hear often at our full-service rehab, plastic surgeon, and lawyer SEO company. 

Many businesses offer different kinds of products and services. They might seem similar to someone on the outside, but they’re actually quite different. NOS and reproduction Corvette parts, personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm, a restaurant that serves healthy stews as well as delicious sandwiches – it’s important to show all that’s great about your company. 

But, you don’t want to confuse your customers, either. 

The solution here is a familiar one. As Danny Star has said so many times, “content is king.” 

Utilizing content the right way can connect you to the right kinds of customers (even if they have different tastes).

An Example Any Company Can Use 

Every company, more or less, wants to be able to better connect to more customers.

There’s one resource your company has that can help you to do that. 

No matter what industry you’re in, no matter how well things are going (or not), you have one potent resource that can attract more customers. 

Your employees. 

Your staff. Workers. 

A study from a few years ago shows that “65 percent” of “consumers are attracted to organizations” that “treat employees well.” 

That doesn’t mean that, if you have an inferior product or service, the consumer is going to choose you over someone else because you’re great to your employees. 

What it does mean is that you have an in-house resource that helps your company connect. 

Highlighting your employees, “employee of the week/month” and the like, is a good idea. 

You could even take it a step further. Have them talk in videos/podcasts/social media posts/blogs about what they love most about your products. 

These don’t have to be cloying, obviously fake things. (That wouldn’t help improve human connection, certainly.) 

But, it does help a restaurant that serves healthy food as well as delicious but less-healthy sandwiches to have employees say they love the healthy food but they also love the sandwiches on a “cheat day,” too. 

You’re going to see more and more of this kind of thing from your competitors for many reasons. 

It’s inexpensive, of course. It’s effective. Moreover, in the last sixteen months, human connection has, for many, been few and far between. 

How This Can Work 

So, you film a video of an employee talking about their favorite product or service that you offer. It isn’t long, but it’s maybe a couple minutes. 

You can break that into shorter videos. Use quotes from it for social media posts. 

Do enough of them and you can collect the best of them in a blog or even a video montage. 

Get a few employees together (perhaps those who had differing answers about what was best) and record them doing a ten-minute podcast about it.

You’ll put a more human face on your company. Connecting to potential customers in a real, human way is easier when you’re using, well, real humans being real. 

Moreover, odds are your employees are going to feel more appreciated, too. 

Win-win-win-win. 

Now, I’m certainly not saying that you should quit all of your marketing and just film your employees talking. 

But, using the resources at hand to get what you want is a great way to grow your business. In any capacity. 

For more, you can reach us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post Turn “Win-Win” into “Win-Win-Win-Win” – Easy Marketing Tweaks for Success appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

Why does it seem that some companies have agile marketing while others are always caught flatfooted when events change? 

Of all the marketing buzzwords that rose to prominence during the pandemic, “agility” might be the one you hear the most. 

Think of how many articles you’ve read touting the virtues of “agile marketing” in the last year alone. 

When we’re creating our best SEO for attorneys, detox/rehab treatment centers, plastic surgeons, and more, we take great pride in the agility of marketing, yes. That said, it’s not like we work to make our marketing more “agile” or anything of the sort. Instead, it comes down to (more or less) two things. Luckily, these are two things that can be utilized by just about any company in any industry. 

A Lesson from Recent Google Changes 

Speaking of articles about online marketing that you may have read recently, you know that third-party cookies are being phased out. 

Soon, businesses and marketers won’t be able to use them to expand the reach of their business. 

However, it may not be as soon as we were led to believe. 

According to this article from the great Search Engine Journal, “Today, Google announced that support for third-party cookies would be extended until late 2023, giving marketers more than a year extension from the previous plan to block third-party cookies by 2022.” 

A year is practically a lifetime in online marketing. 

(Which, if we didn’t already know that, was something that became glaringly apparent over the last year.) 

A company or marketer that has put everything into swiftly transitioning into a third-party cookie-less future can be caught flat-footed by this. A company that did nothing (or was slow to begin to prepare for the transition) can breathe a sigh of relief. 

What does this have to do with agile marketing? 

Everything. 

Perhaps the most important component of agile marketing is to prepare. To be prepared. 

A company that was prepared for the death of third-party cookies is no less prepared for the future than they were yesterday. That’s true, of course, if they were prepared for things not to change as well. 

You can only be truly “agile” when you’re prepared. 

That doesn’t mean that you need to have a comprehensive business plan for every eventuality, of course. That’s impossible. To even attempt it would be a gross waste of your company’s time. 

However, having proven protocols in place can make for quick preparation. 

That’s how some companies always seem a step ahead: they know how to get something up to speed quickly. That leads to the second component of agile marketing… 

The Second Component 

Another great story from Search Engine Journal (if you don’t read them, you should) is about Google’s spam update. 

There was an update two days ago and there will be another next week. 

The key quote for me from the article was: “Google’s annual spam fighting report indicates that hacked spam is rampant. If your site suddenly drops in rankings following (the 23rd’s) update or the one next week, it would be wise to examine your site’s security and look for signs of a possible (hacked spam) attack.” 

So, when checking how your website is doing, you may see a drop. 

Then, the dilemma becomes: “what caused this?” 

Was it the new spam update? Has your SEO hit a rut? What made you drop and what can you do? 

This is where the second component of agile marketing comes in: 

Informed, experienced decision-making. 

Being able to make wise, knowledgeable decisions quickly is a critical part of what separates the companies that have agility in their marketing and those that are wracked with lethargy. 

It’s not enough to just be able to “move fast.” Rather, you have to be able to “move fast” in the right direction. 

To overreact (or underreact) to a drop in rankings can drag your marketing deeper into the mire. 

Informed, experienced decision-making and preparation can make your marketing agile enough to adapt to any future changes. 

For more help with this or anything else related to growing your business, you can reach us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post Two of the Most Important Components of Agile Marketing  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

“What do we do if we get negative reviews?” 

These are questions that companies have wondered about more or less since online reviews began (and even before that). 

Like just about everything else, there’s no “set in stone” answer. 

That said, there are some things to keep in mind that, should you follow them, will almost never steer you wrong. 

“Online reputation management” is part of our website SEO service (among others). 

It can be a little maddening dealing with reviews because, after all, you aren’t in complete control. But, if you keep these ideas in mind, you’ll always have a chance to make it work out best for you, your company, and your customers/clients. 

“It’s Not Personal – It’s Strictly Business” 

That immortal line from “The Godfather,” (an all-time epic about a mafia family in New York in the wake of World War II) may seem like an odd thing to bring up in an article about how to respond to reviews online. 

However, it’s absolutely the mindset you need to have when you look at negative reviews. 

Don’t take it personally. 

Don’t be insulted. 

You can’t. It’s just the business, it’s not you. 

Now, that’s easy for me to say from the “other side of the keyboard,” so to speak. I’m not the one staring down the barrel of a negative review. 

But, if you take it personally, if you lash out, if you’re offended, insulted, or even defensive, that won’t help. 

Now, that doesn’t mean you should be precluded from feeling those things. Of course you can feel them. 

But, don’t let them influence how you respond. 

That won’t help your customers/clients, the company, or you. 

Explain, if at all possible, what you’re doing to solve their problem or fix their concern. 

Now, everything in this section is true so long as it’s an actual complaint. 

Actual derogatory or out-of-line comments do not have to be dealt with in this fashion. 

If it’s an actual complaint about something that you or your business has done, tell them what you’re doing to fix it, and see if you can find a way to resolve the issue offline or through private messages. 

Hopefully, the other party will appreciate the concern (and you won’t have to deal with a back and forth in front of the rest of the internet). 

A Little “Thank You” Can Go a Long Way 

The unfortunate truth is that folks are often more likely to post negative reviews than they are positive ones. 

I could show you studies that say that, but it’s easier just to think back to the times when you’re mad. When you’re upset about a service or product, aren’t you more likely to complain about it to someone than you are to tell folks about when something worked in an exemplary fashion? 

So, if you want to get positive reviews, there’s nothing wrong with a little positive reinforcement. 

Offering discounts for those who leave reviews, holding a lottery/raffle for those who do, is “all fair in the game,” so to speak. 

Additionally, it’s a good idea to always thank someone after leaving a review. 

In fact, it’s good to thank them after every step of the process. 

Someone leaves a review – thank them. A person leaves a negative review, you reach out to them to fix their issue, the two of you talk privately – thank them after that. 

Asking for feedback after every step of the process can help in multiple ways. 

It makes people feel more appreciated, for one. For another, it can genuinely help your business, too. 

Be dispassionate about the complaint, but passionate about how you fix it. 

That’s a good rule to follow. 

For more ways to help your company, you can reach us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post Best Practices for Positive and Negative Reviews  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

That’s a question so many marketers and business owners ask. 

The subtextual, often not-stated follow-up is: “… but not in a bad way.” 

“Standing out” is good. “Standing alone” can be rough. We want to be seen as “creative” and not “too weird/wrong,” etc. 

Often, a great way to tell the difference is in-house. Have someone else on your team look over something before you make it public. Strongly consider having someone else on your team look it over who is different from you, has different life experiences, opinions, and so forth. 

In my daily reading for our search engine optimization for attorneys, rehab facilities, and just about anyone else company, I came across some examples of how to stand out in a good way and a less-than-good way. 

“… Purposeful in Creating a Campaign That Stood Apart from the Rest of the Industry” 

So many different industries struggled during the pandemic. 

The struggles of those in the senior living industry, however, were on another level. 

Assisted care facilities were hit very hard by the pandemic. The elderly, some of the most vulnerable to the virus, living in communal spaces frequented by many. Those involved in marketing senior living had a tall task ahead of them indeed. 

This great article shows how one marketing team “set out to craft a marketing and communications campaign that would both show sensitivity around residents’ fears and concerns while also projecting strength, confidence, and leadership.” 

As the article explains, they “conveyed the concept that (a senior living facility) was both keeping its residents safe and helping them lead fun, fulfilling lives.” 

It goes on to say that they wanted “to give people something that was a little more hopeful and optimistic… We wanted to bring a little bit of lightness to what was a very heavy time.” 

That indeed “stood apart from the rest of the industry.” 

In fact, it certainly feels like it “stood apart” from most industries. 

Think back to a year ago at this time. There was not much “lightness” going around. 

But, they had to do this the right way. 

If it had just been a “funny” ad, doing nothing but showing seniors having an absolute blast, then that would’ve been a big turn-off. 

That would’ve seemed insensitive at best. That would’ve stood out the wrong way. 

So, you can stand out and be creative best when you take people’s concerns into account, too. 

What to Avoid When You Want to “Stand Out” 

A clear sign your new marketing campaign has not been received well: a description of it includes the word “bizarre.” 

While what’s “bizarre” to one person might not be so bizarre to someone else, I do feel that the word is appropriate in this case. 

Wix, in competition with WordPress, recently created a marketing campaign that “take(s) aim at common WordPress problems.” 

There’s certainly nothing wrong with pointing out what you do better than the competition. However, to do so in a direct, negative attack can be very off-putting. 

To do so with a series of videos portraying your competitor as a literal person in therapy can be more off-putting still. 

A good rule of thumb for “negative” marketing – if it would make someone not like you in conversation/real life, then the same is probably true in marketing, as well. 

You can see for yourself at the link these videos, as well as the bit with the headphones. 

Truthfully, I’ve read over it a few times and only somewhat understand it myself. 

Now, obviously, this Wix marketing campaign “stands out” from the rest. However, it does so for almost entirely bad reasons. 

It’s perfectly acceptable (even recommended) to look at what the others are doing and say: “Hey, what can we do that’s different?” 

But, you want to do “different” the right, more positive way. 

For help with this or anything else related to growing your business online, you can reach our search engine optimization for attorneys, rehab facilities, and everyone else company at (888) 477-9540. 

The post How to Make Your Marketing Stand Out in a Good Way appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

“There’s something our content doesn’t have, but we can’t quite put our finger on it.” 

To be sure, “content” here doesn’t just mean “blogs.” It also includes social media, videos, and the like. 

Obviously, every company’s content is different. 

Business lawyer SEO content doesn’t have the same target audience as a rehab facility, or a plastic surgeon, or a telehealth provider, and so forth. 

But, there are some common elements across just about every piece of content. 

That’s not to say that you have to include all of these in everything you do. Rather, you can go back to them and incorporate one or more of them if you feel that your content could use something more. 

Additionally: you almost assuredly want to have all three of these on your website. 

“Why You” and “Who Already Trusts You” 

There are many different ways to phrase this. 

But, you want to include your experience as well as folks who are satisfied with what you do. 

Of course, whenever possible, the “why you” should be a case of “showing” versus “telling.” 

Simply mentioning that you’re the very best won’t do much. 

Pictures of awards, certifications, and similar will do it. 

In a very real way, that’s what the “who already trusts you” part can do, too. 

After all, when you get down to it, what is a “testimonial” other than an award from a satisfied customer? 

Here at Website Depot, we’ve made a lot of websites for companies from all across the world in about any industry. 

I think just about all of them have included a “testimonial” section. 

There’s a reason for that. 

Now more than ever, people want to know that they can trust a company. Talking to your family and friends is one thing, but recommendations from online folks can be just as potent. 

If you’re stuck, you can always use a showing of “why you” and the people who already trust you. 

“Prove It” 

Show us that you’re good at what you do. 

You’re an expert. 

A genuine professional in your field. You make a living doing this. 

So, show us that. 

Let us see it for ourselves. 

Prove it. 

This can be a video, of course. 

Videos, showing you being great at what you do, are a wonderful tool. They can be fun, connecting to potential customers/clients while also establishing you as a real authority. 

That said, “prove it” doesn’t have to be in a video. 

It can be a blog. 

A great “how-to” blog, where you walk potential customers through something related to your business, can be so powerful. 

That’s because it isn’t “selling.” Rather, it’s a resource. Something that people can turn to when they need help. Then, of course, they’ll be liable to think of you when it’s time to buy. 

“Prove it” is different across industries. 

A personal injury attorney may display successful verdicts, big settlements, how-to videos, and similar. Plastic surgeons can show before and after pictures/videos, etc. 

If you’re ever stuck with your content, adding one (or more) of those three can help. 

For more assistance with growing your business, you can reach us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post Three Important “Beats” to Hit in Your Content  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

Sometimes, potential clients say something to that effect. 

If you’re doing well, if profits are going up, it somewhat makes sense. 

However, here at Website Depot, we take the “full service” line very seriously. 

That means that we can boost your SEO, web design, online reputation management, social media marketing, and so much more. 

But, it also means that we can help to keep your company safe and protected from online threats, too. As you may have seen in the news, that’s more important than ever. 

Hackers Are Only Getting Better 

“Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said on Monday.” 

That’s an informative, even spooky article that’s worth your time. 

Reuters does a very good job of summarizing news as it happens, but there was one sentence that I did bump against a bit. 

“One of those (web security) tools was subverted on Friday, allowing the hackers to paralyze hundreds of businesses on all five continents. Although most of those affected have been small concerns – like dentists’ offices or accountants – the disruption has been felt more keenly in Sweden…” 

All respect to Reuters, but if you were a dentist and they hacked your office, you wouldn’t see that as a “small concern.” The same goes for if you were an accountant and your files were hacked, or if the files of your accountant were hacked. 

Obviously, we can’t protect everyone from every threat all of the time. 

But, over the years, we have been able to upgrade our clients’ security. That way, they have less chance of being hacked, of having to deal with this. 

Hopefully, you weren’t affected by this hack. 

But, there will always be another hack. There are those out there who do this professionally, who are looking for ways to take over sites (and worse). We can work to reduce (or even eliminate) the possibility of that happening. 

Keeping Track of Threats So that You Don’t Have to

No matter what industry they’re in, whether they’re personal injury attorneys, plastic surgeons, rehab/treatment center professionals, or doing literally anything else, all of our clients have one thing in common: they’re busy. They work. Each is a true professional at what they do. 

So, they don’t have all the time in the world (or even any time whatsoever) to deal with finding out about online threats. 

That’s something we can do. 

That’s our job. 

So, while we’re doing your online marketing, online reputation management, and all of that, we can keep you up to date on whatever digital storm clouds may be approaching on the horizon. 

An example of that is: about the (90’s horror movie-like named) “PrintNightmare.” 

While there’s no fool-proof way to avoid viruses, hackers, and the like forever, we can work to keep you protected. It’s one more part of what “full service web agency” means. 

For more help with this and so much else, you can reach us at (888) 477-9540. 

The post An Important Service of our Full Service Web Agency: Security  appeared first on Digital Marketing Firm - Website Depot SEO, Web Design, Marketing.

On some level, every marketer and small business owner fears it. 

You design a product, service, ad campaign, or even social media post, and it’s not received well by the public (to say the least). 

No one wants to go through that. 

Hopefully, you don’t have to. 

But, many companies have. 

In my daily reading for our full-service digital marketing, branding and SEO company, I found that there’s plenty to be learned from how others dealt with the backlash and moved forward. 

Truth in Advertising 

I don’t play video games (I used to quite a bit). 

But, I remember as a child being very excited when I would see pictures or a commercial for a new game. 

I also remember being real disappointed when the game didn’t live up to those expectations. 

Recently, “Cyberpunk 2077,” after several years of hype, came out. 

In many ways, the game did not live up to expectations. 

So much so, that the makers of the game, “CD Projekt,” have apparently promised to make “multiple changes to the way it markets futures games.” 

Specifically, they’re going to go for “shorter marketing campaigns and better manage expectations for what the game will look like at launch.” 

By “shorter marketing campaigns” they mean that “the actual marketing campaign won’t kick off until much closer to launch.” 

Additionally, “in the past, (CD Projekt) released five-year plans but going forward CD Projekt will shift to annual roadmaps to be more ‘agile.” 

That’s something that all companies can aspire to. 

They released something that didn’t live up to folks’ expectations and it caught them flatfooted. 

So, there are some clear lessons here for companies in any industry (even if you don’t make video games). 

If you’re going to advertise something, make sure you actually offer it. 

According to the article, Cyberpunk 2077 marketing included elements that “ultimately didn’t make the final release version.” That, as you might imagine, rubbed people the wrong way. 

Plus, don’t oversell. You don’t have to hype what you offer too too much. Show what it does, how it helps people, and so forth. That’s likely to give you greater success while cutting back on the possibility of any potential backlash too. 

“The Hard is What Makes It Great” 

For many of us, that quote is always associated with Tom Hanks’ baseball manager in “A League of Their Own.”

I thought of that quote when I read this article about another company that faced a backlash for a marketing campaign: Peloton. 

The ad which sparked the backlash, as you might remember, showed a “woman whose husband seemed to think the holiday gift his already-fit wife needed most was, yep, an exercise bike.” 

The linked article goes into how Peloton responded to the backlash. It’s worth reading in full. 

What stuck out to me was how Peloton “established four basic questions that define the company’s overall brand position and messaging.” 

These all make sense and can be applied to your company: “what does the product do for me? How would I describe the product? How does the product make me look? In what way does the product make me feel?” 

That’s all basic yet effective stuff. 

What’s most interesting to me is a bit lower in the article. 

Internal messaging shows that “Peloton is not a ‘party on a bike.’ The brand isn’t for everyone. The effort isn’t for everyone. It’s hard.” 

That’s what builds a community as well as making people feel good and even heroic for doing it. 

You can use some of that in your own marketing. 

That doesn’t mean you only have to focus on how difficult your service is, or how much of a struggle it can be. 

Really, this can work hand in hand with “truth in advertising.” You’re acknowledging that something may be hard while pointing out how worthwhile it can be. An example from our own clients: detox and rehab facilities. 

Detox is almost invariably going to be challenging. The withdrawal symptoms can be painful and even hurtful. But, it’s worth doing. 

Indeed, as the article says, “clearly describing the difficulties a person will face can actually increase their perseverance and resolve.” 

That’s how you can be honest while growing your business online. 

For more help with that, you can reach our full-service digital marketing, branding and SEO company at (888) 477-9540. 

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