Beyond Basic Lead Generation III Digital Marketing
Let’s talk about digital advertising. We all have been subjected to it at some point; you know when you go online to shop for that Christmas present for Sean ( *Cough*… A Millennium Falcon Lego Set) and later, when you go back online, you see ads everywhere for Star Wars and Lego’s merchandise? Those advertisements are a form of remarketing, which can occur when you are online and enter a specific keyword or query into a website willing to collect and sell that information; a website like Google.
Now the details of how Google, and similar
remarketing sources, algorithmically auction advertisements to prime leads are many but suffice it to say you can benefit from their service.
For example, many Medicare beneficiaries will go online and type in the word “Medicare” when searching for information on Medicare. By typing in the keyword “Medicare”, they’ve signaled to advertisers that they’re an individual interested in Medicare. The more descriptive a search, the more targeted an advertisement can be. The result is, for a brief window in time, you can get your advertisement in front of a person that’s actively looking for your services, even if they don’t realize it. That’s the power of web-based advertising!
So, you need to ask, if this works, what will it cost and is it the right way for me to advertise my business? The answers to these questions depend on a number of factors, such as your target demographic, your timing, and what you consider a success. Some of the best results from this kind of advertising hinge on the timing. As the saying goes, “strike while the iron is hot.” Again, let’s consider a consumer who wants information on Medicare.
Want to take a guess on when most consumers want information on Medicare plans? Would it surprise anyone to find out that it’s from the beginning of September through the end of the year? This time coincides with Medicare’s Annual Election Period. So, if I am an agent or agency and I want to advertise my Medicare services, I would employ a remarketing campaign
during this time. But what’s more, since most online remarketing services are constantly auctioning off their hottest leads, in real-time, when you purchase a campaign, you’re getting your ads to people as they’re looking for similar content. You’re engaging with them at a critical point.
It’s when you get the most bang for your buck, which begs the question, what does something like this cost? Not as much as you might think. We recommend a vendor called Assurwerx for this type of advertising and for a single zip code it cost $59 a month. This service eliminates the hassle that comes with working out the analytics necessary for a successful campaign; it does them for you.
How effective can this type of advertising be? It’s effective enough that you could throw a dart at the Fortune 500 list and hit the CEO of a company that uses a similar digital strategy. I know of a bank in North East Kansas who employed a digital advertising campaign this summer and in the first 2 weeks, their ad had 12,000 views. Out of those 12,000 views they had 39 people click on their website for more information. I certainly believe web-based advertising to be effective.
Whether you’re a life agent or a property and casualty agent or whatever, this is an opportunity for you to reach a lot of people quickly and efficiently at little cost. If you would like more details on how to use web-based advertising I encourage you to contact me directly.
Our year is nearly over, and I want to say how much I appreciate all of you. I’ve truly enjoyed working with you. Next year will be better yet! We will unveil new carriers, resources and services to help you grow your business.
Be Kind, Make a Difference!
Sean from the Field
P.S. – It looks like my begging and groveling for the past 13 years might pay off. I might just get that Millennium Falcon Lego set, finally. So, if you were planning on getting one for me, no need. Santa is hopefully coming through on this… Fingers Crossed
It should also be noted a campaign like this requires a digital platform. We recommend owning a website to use a program like this. Be warned, certain services require that you have a domain to redirect to.
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