Brand Update : Maruti Attempts Channel Differentiation using Nexa and Arena

In 2015, Maruti launched a new channel to cater to the company’s foray into the premium four-wheeler segment. The new channel was branded as Nexa. Nexa catered to the premium range of cars from Maruti like Baleno, Brezza, Ciaz etc. The Nexa showrooms were designed to project a premium feel for the segment of customers that prefer premium cars.
It was a challenging move for the company because the multi-channel strategy has its share of problems like organizational challenges, differentiation challenges, channel conflict, redundancy etc. The need for a premium channel arose because Maruti started off as a maker of affordable cars. Its range of cars was never targeting the premium segment. Some of the earlier forays of Maruti into the premium segment also failed to achieve traction. 
Recently the company tasted its success with the mid-range and premium segment with some smart brand launches. Having a premium channel like Nexa enabled to company to give a different kind of experience to this segment.
In 2017, the company rebranded its traditional channel to Maruti Arena which sells the mass market brands like Alto, Wagon-R etc. The company also have a commercial channel and True Value channel for used cars. 
In theory, the company has followed a Marketing Channel Segment Differentiation strategy where the channels differ in terms of the customer segment which they cater. Another type of channel differentiation is Task Differentiation where the channel members differ in terms of the tasks they perform. 
Although the company has tried to create channel differentiation, there is still overlaps in terms of products. While some brands are exclusive to Nexa, some are available in both the outlets which can create potential channel conflict. Marketing Channel differentiation based on segments works well when there is a minimum overlap of characteristics across segments. Here in the case of automobiles, there is bound to be segment overlaps because of pricing overlaps as well as aspirational factors. We can see that the price of high-end variants of hatchbacks is equal to the price of certain mid-size entry-level variants. So the firms who have a channel differentiation strategy should ensure that these overlaps be kept a minimum.
 But with the huge market share and product sales, the channel members at this point of time may not be complaining too much about the cannibalization of sales. 

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The Intersection of SEO & Influencer Marketing: What B2B Marketers Need to Know

The Intersection of SEO & Influence

The Intersection of SEO & Influence

Peanut butter and jelly.

Milk and cookies.

Steak and potatoes.

Wine and cheese.

Bread and butter.

SEO and influencer marketing.

via GIPHY

All of these exceptional pairings have something special in common: They work together.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. And I get it. From red or white to pungent or salty, there are several incredibly important variables to consider when crafting the perfect wine and cheese combo.

via GIPHY

For real, though. Integration is key for B2B content marketing success. But some tactics and strategies seem like natural fits, while others seem a bit mismatched. If you feel like SEO and influencer marketing fall into the latter category, it might be time to flip your thinking.

SEO is one of the oldest digital marketing tactics, defined by consistency, commitment, and agility over the long-term to see results. And despite the fact that most peg influencer marketing as a campaign-based, social media amplification tactic, influencer success is also tied to that always-on approach.

But how exactly can SEO and influence intersect and support each other? Let’s dive in.

What B2B Marketers Need to Know About Pairing SEO & Influencer Marketing

#1 – Influencers can be an incredible keyword and topical research tool.

Your influencers are experts who are embedded in your niche or industry. They have relevant expertise that can help educate and inspire your audience. They have perspectives and experiences your audience can relate to. They are engaged with their followings and industry happenings. And … they are your audience in many cases.

This means, when you work with the right influencers, there’s an incredible opportunity to gain deeper insights about who your audience is, what they care about, and what they’re struggling with so you can create content they’re searching for and need.

Dr. Konstanze Alex, Head of Corporate Influencer Relations for Dell, said it best when she declared:

« Working with B2B influencers allows our brand to have a constant pulse check with purchase decision makers. Informed influencers who share our vision of the future based on their own experience and expertise provide for independent, third party validation.

« Strategic partnerships with influencers provide for an outside in view when creating content for our customers. We need to constantly ensure that, as a brand, we don’t start talking to ourselves, but keep a keen focus on the evolving challenges our customers have and on language they use to express these challenges. »

With insights gained straight from a reputable source, you can then turn to your traditional SEO tools to validate topics, uncover related queries and opportunities, and refine your integrated content marketing strategy for maximum impact.

[bctt tweet= »Working with B2B influencers allows our brand to have a constant pulse check with purchase decision makers. – @konstanze #B2BInfluencerMarketing #SEO #B2BContentMarketing » username= »toprank »]

#2 – Influencers can help you create the best answer content that your audience and search engines crave.

Search engines are answer engines. They’re built to satisfy searchers’ needs by delivering the most relevant, helpful, and accurate information possible. They’re built to deliver the best content. This is why we believe B2B brands need to strive to be the best answer whenever and wherever their audience is searching.

By collaborating with influencers to contribute original content or co-created content, they can help you put SEO insights into action by providing the answers your audience and search engines are looking for. As Lee Odden, TopRank Marketing’s CEO and resident industry influencer, said on why B2b marketers need optimized and influencer activated content:

« B2B brands that integrate both SEO and influence into their content marketing create a compelling opportunity to be found when it matters most and to be trusted when it matters more.

« With an understanding of keyword demand, B2B marketers can tap into the opportunity to be the best answer for buyers with content at the very moment of need. Even better is that influencer contributions to that optimized content will give it the credibility and engagement needed to inspire action. »

[bctt tweet= »#B2B brands that integrate both #SEO and influence into their #contentmarketing create a compelling opportunity to be found when it matters most and to be trusted when it matters more. – @leeodden » username= »toprank »]

#3 – Influencers can help you send the right signals to search engines.

Search engine algorithms are complex, elusive creatures. For the last decade or so, most marketers have been operating under the assumption that Google’s algorithm considers roughly 200 variables when ranking content.

But as Search Engine Journal points out, a lot has changed in the last 10 years—including RankBrain, mobile-first indexing, and the HTTPS boost—so, it’s pretty likely that number has ballooned. Of course, the rise of influencer marketing has undoubtedly made an impact, too. (More on that in a minute.)

Thanks to some confirmations straight from the source, as well as in-depth research and analysis, there are several known ranking factors—including a handful that can be reinforced with the help of an influencer marketing strategy. A couple of those opportunities include:

Content & Search Intent

A couple years ago, it was revealed that content is one of Google’s top 3 ranking factors. While “content” as a ranking factor is pretty damn broad, marketers know the nuance.

We know it’s all about creating quality, relevant content that resonates with our audience and signals search engines. In addition, thanks to RankBrain, Google is getting increasingly better at handling never-before-seen queries and making correlations with other queries to serve up content that best matches search intent. And influencers, with their unique expertise and knowledge, can help us hit the best-answer, intent-match quality mark.

This insight from my talented colleague Josh Nite captures the essence of all this:

« Quality content demonstrates to your audience that you’re listening to them and you care … When content is useful, valuable, and meaningful, it’s not part of the deluge of content that surrounds us. It’s signal, not noise. »

Plus, when you commit to building mutually beneficial, long-term relationships, you have the opportunity to consistently create fresh quality content, which is also critical for increasing search visibility and domain authority.

[bctt tweet= »When content is useful, valuable, and meaningful, it’s not part of the deluge of content that surrounds us. It’s signal, not noise. – @NiteWrites » username= »toprank »]

Inbound Links

Getting backlinks from reputable, relevant, authoritative websites is a ranking factor that has stood the test of time. It’s simple: When you create comprehensive, insightful, quality content you give others something to “link about”—and search engines see that as a sign of relevance and authority.

Unsurprisingly, influencers can play a massive role in the creation of that link-worthy content. From original research featuring reactions and commentary to a thoughtful listicle featuring top industry influencers to follow on social media, the possibilities are seemingly endless here.

In addition, influencers can be the source of those quality backlinks.

For example, if you partner with an influencer to co-create an article for their blog or another relevant industry publication, there’s likely a natural opportunity to include a link back to your site through optimized anchor text.

But an important thing to note here: If you’re exchanging any sort of payment (e.g. straight cash or free goods and services) that not only needs to be noted in the content, but it’s also recommended that a “nofollow” link be implemented. (You may forfeit the baseline SEO advantages here, but you don’t lose the ability to direct traffic to your site through the link.)

However, if you’ve partnered without payment beyond recognition, thought leadership, or forming an organic partnership, you’re probably safe.

SEO + Influence = The Perfect Pair

Integration is absolutely essential for driving digital and content marketing success in the crowded, competitive B2B landscape. By pairing an old favorite and a rising star, B2B marketers have the opportunity to design a long-term strategy for maximum impact.

For more insights on the intersection of SEO and influencer marketing, check out:

The post The Intersection of SEO & Influencer Marketing: What B2B Marketers Need to Know appeared first on Online Marketing Blog – TopRank®.

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Lever Ayush : Sahi Ayurveda

Brand: Lever Ayush
Company: Hindustan Unilever

Brand Analysis Count: #579

It took Patanjali to wake the giant from slumber. The Rs 36,000 crore HUL has been disturbed pretty hard by the Rs 5000 crore Patanjali resulting in the relaunch of Ayush brand. It seems like a replay of the epic battle between Nirma and Surf, however, the outcome of the current fight remains unpredictable. 
Ayush was launched by Hindustan Unilever in 2001. The brand at that time was launched to tap into the premium space in the Ayurveda personal care market. However, the plan failed and Ayush was sidelined in the huge brand-lines of the company.
Patanjali which was established in 2006, began aggressively marketing from 2015 and virtually ignited the growth of Ayurveda based personal care market in India. But what is surprising is that the multi-national giants like HUL, Colgate etc were probably in a state of Marketing Myopia. They failed to see the rise of Patanjali and could not counter the challenger. The result is that within a short span, Patanjali rose to a higher level of brand awareness and reasonable equity in a certain category of products. 
The reaction of HUL was also on predictable lines, take an old brand, dust it off and relaunch. Thus launched the revised version of Lever Ayush. The next challenge is to counter the source of Brand Equity of Patanjali. Patanjali heavily draws its equity from Baba Ramdev. Lever Ayush chose the celebrity route. Along with the celebrity, the brand has chosen to partner with Arya Vaidya Pharmacy for the development of this product. However, the campaigns don’t really promote this association which is a big mistake. Arya Vaidya Pharmacy has excellent equity and could have given more firepower to the brand in countering Patanjali. 
In the relaunch, Lever Ayush has roped in Akshay Kumar as the lead brand ambassador. The brand is currently running the relaunch campaign across various media. 
For personal care products targeted at the female segment, the brand has chosen Tamanna as the brand ambassador. 
Lever Ayush is positioned as an authentic ayurvedic brand. The tagline of the brand is – Sahi Ayurveda – translated to ‘ True Ayurveda’. 
It has to be seen whether the customer would buy that positioning endorsed by the celebrity. 
In the pricing front, Ayush has shed the premium tag and is taking Patanjali head-on by launching the products in the price range of Rs 30 – 130. According to newspaper reports, HUL is promoting the Ayush brand in the Southern States. 
The fight between HUL and Patanjali in the personal care space would be a good fight to watch for. 

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Why Businesses Should Hire an SEO Company?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and includes the digital marketing tactics which can result in the higher ranking of the website on the search engine result page of a certain type of search engine. If we look at the digital marketing and SEO, both the concepts are inseparable. All the businesses in today’s time need both the digital marketing and SEO campaigning to increase their business growth and make their business profitable and successful.

Why Should Companies Hire SEO Firm? 
Makes the Business Stay Ahead in the Competitive World
  • No matter in which field the business is running in, SEO is needed to stay ahead of the competitors in this highly competitive business world. 
  • But the question arises how can a company attain noticeable improvements and become successful? One of the ways is to hire an efficient SEO company and it will surely improve the company’s website ranking on the search engine result page.
Boosts Website Ranking on Search Engine Result Page
  • But Search engine optimization is something which cannot be learned overnight. Today advertising and web promotions have become highly crucial aspects for all types of businesses. The overall success of a business relies on the effectiveness of the digital marketing campaign which includes the SEO campaigning as well. 
  • Since everyone is using the internet these days so businesses are looking for innovative and unique ways to promote their products and services in the digital world. 
Communicate Message Effectively to Target Audience 
  • By utilizing the services of an effective SEO agency, businesses can increase the number of clicks to their websites and can boost the website ranking on the search engine result page too. 
SEO Agency Increases the Effectiveness of an Overall Marketing Campaign
  • With the help of highly experienced SEO Company, firms will be able to reach millions of the customers worldwide which would not have been possible by other means. Needless to say that the domain of SEO is already evolving at a fast pace and it is essential for the companies to stay attuned to the latest development in the SEO technologies. So SEO agencies keep the businesses highly proactive.
Higher Profitability and Business Growth
Companies can keep their employees up-to-date and thorough about the latest SEO news and the developments that have taken place in the field. The highly effective SEO campaigns push the client’s products and services online and also makes their messages reach to the target audience in an interesting and engaging way which has a greater impact on the buying decision of the customer and increases firm’s profitability.
About the Author

James Wilson is a professional writer, who writes various articles on different niches and now working for industryarmymarketing.com that offer digital marketing, PPC SEO Vancouver, for the business growth.

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Marketing Funda : iPhone 8 and the Osborne Effect

« My iPhone 7 is broken but am going to wait for iPhone X. I will manage with my broken phone till then  » reads an instagram post of a celebrity. IPhone now has an Osborne effect moment. Osborne effect is when the announcement of a future product affects the sale of current product. Osborne effect happens when the future product is announced at the launch of current product itself. 

This September Apple announced the launch of iPhone 8 and 8 plus. Along with the iPhone 8, Apple also announced iPhone X which is a most awaited product launch. IPhone X will be available from November.  The announcement of thr next generation iPhone X will prevent many potential customers from going for iPhone 8 whose flagship status will have a short life of two months. 

The interesting question is how the 8 and X versions co-exist? 

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Building Blocks of a Customer Experience Transformation Strategy

Building Blocks of a Customer Experience Transformation Strategy

Do you know all of the building blocks of a customer experience transformation strategy?

I’ve mentioned the CX Perception Gap before, right? You might know it as Bain’s Delivery Gap, which states findings from their 2005 research: 80% of executives believe they deliver a superior experience, while only 8% of customers agree.

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