Digital Marketing
Make digital marketing part of a multi-channel marketing plan.
FlexTeams have been integrating website design and development into marketing plans for businesses and nonprofits. We’ve also added social media, online advertising and e-newsletters to our marketing toolkit for clients.
Combined with traditional marketing tactics, these newer tools expand your marketing and customer targeting options in today’s dynamic marketplace.
Keep your digital DYNAMIC!
Once you’ve launched your new digital marketing campaign, don’t think of it as static or “done.” It should always be a work in progress, as technology and your business move into the future.
Your digital website, social media, blogging, PR and advertizing need to be dynamic in today’s ever evolving online and very competitive marketplace.
Tap our digital toolkit for your online marketing strategies
Our FlexTeams have expertise with websites, ‘satellite’ websites, online advertising and paid promotion, Google Alerts (for intelligence), Google Analytics (for data and ROI), targeted social media, e-newsletters, blogging and more—all to bring success to your business or nonprofit.
Check out our blog post on website design trends. Try the links there to Google’s Speed and Mobility tests for your website.
A PORTFOLIO of 7 digital marketing solutions
Including: RESTAURANT | CONTRACTOR | TAVERN | VACATION CONDOS | NEIGHBORHOOD | WATER TAXI | CITY-WIDE CAMPAIGN | MARKETING CONSULTANT
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1. Enhance a young company’s brand and Internet marketing
Bistro To Go restaurant & catering
We successfully launched Bistro To Go in 2007 using mainly traditional marketing tactics. Since then the company has continued to grow and add diverse new offerings. By 2011, the array of products and services had become somewhat confusing for customers.
The owner asked us to design a new marketing website, new Facebook page, a stronger Twitter presence, and a new e-newsletter. A challenge was to create an “umbrella” branding strategy to encompass the diverse offerings without undermining the existing, strong brand equity.
First, we evolved the existing Bistro To Go brand to Bistro To Go & Company—the new “umbrella.” Next, we applied the expanded brand and a fresh look to: 1) a new website, 2) a new Facebook page, and 3) a new more user-friendly e-newsletter.
Note: in November and December 2011 this Pittsburgh marketing client experienced record revenues, far above expectations and in spite of the economy!
2. Update & grow a 27-year old company’s Internet presence
Master Remodelers contractor
By 2008, this company’s 20-year old brand identity and 8-year old website had become dated, and didn’t clearly define The Master Remodelers Difference.
We rebranded this upscale, award-winning contractor to place him in an elite group of contractors.
In 2009, we replaced their old website with a new one featuring an easy to manage Joomla CMS platform. It included an interactive portfolio of project photos and an innovative interactive quiz for visitors.
In 2010, we integrated a WordPress blog into the site to regularly publish events, tips, updates and special topics.
Social media & ‘surrogate’ websites, too
We also added Facebook to their online toolkit and, more importantly, created what we’ll call ‘surrogate’ websites. These elaborate paid “Pro” pages on Houzz.com and Housetrends websites bring strong traffic to the main site. The blog, Facebook, Housetrends and Houzz keep this company dynamic on the Internet for potential customers and search engines.
From 2011 thru 2013, we experimented with Facebook and Google advertising. After evaluating traffic from these ads over time, we shut off more than a dozen that were running.
In 2014: new video and new website
We collaborated with Housetrends magazine to produce a new capabilities and branding video. And our collaboration with Imagebox resulted in a new, updated look WordPress website, that’s mobile-friendly.
3. Build a 1st ever Internet presence for a 50-year old company
“Pittsburgh’s Oldest and Friendliest Tavern”
Since 2009, we’ve implemented a variety of traditional and Web 2.0 marketing tactics for “Pittsburgh’s oldest and friendliest tavern,” starting with building a first ever website.
Because it’s on on an easy to use WordPress platform, the owner learned the system in two lessons and is now in full control and has written hundreds of blog posts since the launch.
We jokingly call it a ‘Triple Threat’ website. When the owner 1) creates weekly blog posts, it automatically… 2) posts on his Facebook page… and then… 3) emails to his list. A real time saver! And in 2011 we experimented with Facebook ads, with success in getting new customers in the door.
In addition, we produced a little in-house promotional video that plays on a big screen TV over the bar. (with no sound because of the bar environment) BONUS: we created an “analog” series of vibrant, even playful posters to promote the Park House’s unique personality and events!
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4. Rebuild & expand a vacation home developer’s Internet presence
A private residence club in an Eastern ski town
In Ellicottville, NY, a popular ski resort town, developers reactivated a multi-unit, upscale vacation home project after having been mothballed in 2008 at the start of the recession.
We built a new website in mid-2011 on a WordPress platform. This new website included a photo gallery, a news section and a secure for-owners-only section. We also built a Facebook page and posted for them for a few months. We turned that and the website over to the client in 2011.
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5. Build a marketing platform for an historic neighbhorhood
Deutschtown on Pittsburgh’s Northside
In Deutschtown redevelopment and re-branding are working hand in hand to create positive momentum in a neighborhood disrupted decades ago by construction of a freeway. While the real “heavy lifting” is about investment and renovation, branding and marketing have helped with that.
A new community website launched in 2009 helped to clearly define the unique offerings of this community on the rise. Part of a volunteer team, Randy created the user friendly architecture for the site and set a warm tone for the site with his writing and vibrant photos on the site. In addition, the website established a group of “ambassadors” — neighbors enthusiastic to talk with interested parties about the community.
In 2011, the team added a lively Facebook page and e-newsletter to the marketing toolkit for the community. Both were created in anticipation of the 2011 Historic Deutschtown House Tour, and helped to deliver a sell-out crowd.
6. Revitalize a website for a new river transportation service
Pittsburgh Water Limo
In a quick turn around, just before the Pittsburgh Pirate season opened, the owners wanted stronger branding and a revamped website to better market their unique river shuttle services. In a few hectic weeks we enhanced their logo and branding and revamped their website to more clearly spell out the offerings, although it still needed some additional work.
Newly added Google Analytics for the first time told the client what promotions were working best. Since we set the stage for a more sophisticated Internet strategy in 2009, the site has been modified and improved several times by the client.
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7. Build a city-wide ‘buy local’ campaign—pre-social media
Shop Mainstreets Pittsburgh
In 2005, this city-wide campaign partnered 15 city neighborhoods and 187 businesses in a cooperative “buy local” effort for a the Urban Redevelopment Authority. For the 3 month campaign our custom FlexTeam produced:
• National “best practices” research
• Sponsor support (by Duquesne Light)
• A markerting website
• Press releases
• Transit billboards
• Enter-to-win contest
• Flyers with discount cards
• In-store and window posters
• “Buy Local” education pieces
RESULT: On a very limited budget for a city-wide campaign, ads and media coverage produced 11,000,000 impressions, 5,000 consumers entered a contest—which produced rich marketing data about consumers—and the project budget was expanded 60% through sponsor support and participation fees.
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NOTE: Randy Strothman wrote 95% of the website copy for the sites listed here, plus he maintained pages for Master Remodelers Facebook and Deutschtown Facebook. And he writes all of the blog posts on this site.