Promote & Cross Pollinate

Having a great website just isn’t enough if no one can find it. So, in addition to its structured data and superior SEO, the Sports Complex puts itself out there by linking to other relevant sites. By partnering with others, they can also leverage additional mailing lists and social audiences for a broader reach.

Think Outside the Bubble

When looking to attract new visitors, Rocky Mount Sports Complex provides them with all of the relevant information without having to leave their site. By carefully listing their supporting services (where to stay, food, parking, etc), they remove any anxiety for an inexperienced attendee. Last but not least, their map is up to date and is powered by Google, so that out-of-towners can get directions without leaving the site.

Consistency Is Key

In order to keep their audience in attendance, the planners at Rocky Mount diligently update their calendar as far in advance as possible and ensure that annual events stick like glue. Add to this a solid set of reminders and clear communication, you’ve got every seat filled!

Sweat The Details

It’s easy to get so caught up in the big events that you forget to update the regular weekly/monthly offerings. But for a visitor, the most important event is the one they plan to attend and they’re counting on your site to provide all of that information. So make sure that each and every event is listed and detailed as soon as possible, so your visitors can keep your calendar in synch with theirs.

Can a good website be good for business? Maybe. But a great website will undoubtedly help a district or association accomplish their goals. In the case of many, including the Rocky Mount Sports Complex, community engagement is one step closer thanks to a well-considered & captivating web presence.

The post Ensuring They Show Up: How To Activate A Community appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

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Known to be an invariably strong and vital city, Pittsburgh’s post-recession boom was an inspiration to the nation. But as its city center was praised for the country’s best restaurants, bars and urban living, Downtown’s digital presence had some catching up to do. That’s where Saltwater Software stepped in.

As an agency specializing in destination marketing, we understand what it takes to create online excitement that both mirrors and promotes the personal experience. We started with a custom website, designed to reflect the modern demographic of the city. Because Pittsburgh is a hub for higher education, a fresh-faced, mobile-friendly site that would resonate with a younger audience was key. At the same time, simple navigation and familiar imagery was needed to retain the core of this community. The result is an incredibly friendly, engaging site that is accessible to all.

While the bones for the content was created by Saltwater Software, it was key to the Downtown Pittsburgh management that they could handle the ongoing management from the ‘Burgh. So we included a customized, fully-featured CMS that is both robust and user friendly. Then we migrated thousands of data points from their pre-existing systems, ensuring that no valuable legacy content was lost.

Because the district is rich with music, live entertainment and events, we rolled out an event management system that could handle all levels of growth and expansion because we know Pittsburgh’s evolution is far from over. We also implemented a custom navigation plug in which enables a seamless user experience while also strengthening discovery. Of course, we tied all of this together with a social media feed to amplify the endless activity.

As the site rolled out, we made sure that the staff was empowered with comprehensive training so they could continue to feed content into this compelling platform. But because we continue to host, service and support the team, we remain connected and committed to the success of this partnership. Stay tuned to see what’s next for Downtown Pittsburgh.

The post Downtown Pittsburgh: A Digital Revitalization appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

E-Commerce Will Get a Tech Stimulus

These days, spending money online is no longer just an exercise for shopping sites like Amazon.com. You can call an Uber with your voice via Amazon Echo or book a flight within a Facebook bot. At the same time consumers, more than ever, are clicking through from social media to buy items they see on their feed. A recent survey from Aimia shows that 56% of consumers follow brands on social media to browse products. These shifts indicate that consumers are more comfortable with both mobile-friendly and non-traditional retail options. Think about integrating e-commerce both within your site & as a part of social to leverage this critical revenue tool.

Chatbots Are Here: Fools Rush In

AI, machine learning and natural language processing have made such advances in the last few years that the chatbot is no longer science fiction. Facebook added to this wave by opening their Messenger platform to bot developers and as a result, consumers can now choose from over 11,000 bots on the platform. Meanwhile, aggressive developers are trying to convince every marketer that if they don’t develop a chatbot immediately they’ll be left behind. Don’t be fooled. The development of a solid and robust chatbot is not something to be taken lightly. Carefully consider your customer experience before taking this leap. Your audience is your most important asset—don’t risk ruining that relationship with a robot. In many cases, the risk just isn’t worth the reward.

Nonlinear Marketing: The Rise of the Non-Campaign

Traditional, or linear marketing, consists of the creation of a captivating image or message of your brand and that is then inserted into where the agency believes a consumer will see it. Non-linear marketing is a more modern approach that works like attracting bees with honey. The brand creates engaging experiences and content to lure in consumers without having to sell to them. These experiences create connections that lead to both sales and loyalty in a new and exciting way. Examples include Red Bull, Coca Cola and Ford.

Video: Short, Sweet & Live

Cisco predicts that by 2020, video content will account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic. At the end of 2016, we saw Instagram & Twitter both roll out live streaming capabilities at the end of 2016. Meanwhile, Facebook Live is reporting a 4x growth since May of 2016, with brands such as PBS and Techcrunch using the tool extensively. In a recent Wyzowl report, 83% of business state that video gives them a good ROI. Because of new technologies and a shift in customer expectations, videos need not be polished and overproduced. Consider behind-the-scenes content, contests and event live streaming videos as a great way to leverage this movement.

Mobile First: Now More Than Ever

During 2016, Google made two important announcements that reminded us all that mobile can no longer be ignored. First, mobile Google searches usurped desktop usage for the very first time. Google also announced that, for the second time, they’ve updated their algorithm to favor mobile-friendly website. However, this doesn’t mean you can nor should you neglect the desktop. Sites such as Travelocity still report a desktop usage over 70%. The answer? Adaptive design is key and a consistent and thorough review of mobile visibility is the key to solid SEO.

Email Marketing: Targeted & Personal

As consumers connect with more and more brands online, their inbox is flooded with additional email marketing campaigns. Because of this, for emails to be not only effective but simply opened, they need to offer something of value to the consumer. Consider segmenting your email lists and curating the conversation to things that these readers will embrace. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in unsubscribe hell.

 
 
These are just some of the points to consider while creating your marketing calendar and budget for 2017. But keep in mind, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for marketing. By leveraging new technologies, data and insights, creating an approach that amplifies your strengths and connects authentically with your audience will drive traffic and enable your business to thrive.

The post 2017 Digital Marketing Predictions appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

Montclair Plaza (in Montclair, CA) found itself in such a dilemma a few years ago. The “mall” was in need of a modern transformation and in the process, its digital presence also required an overhaul. In the process of becoming Montclair Place, the destination wanted a fully integrated website that could help draw online customers to this exciting new shopping and dining experience. That’s where Saltwater Software came in to help.

To meet the needs of Montclair Place, we created 5 powerful, unique tools to elevate their customer’s digital experience:

1. Custom 3D Mapping

A map sounds so simple, until your customer tries to place themselves at “you are here” dot while their baby cries and Xmas is three short days away. At Saltwater, our years of experience have taught us that mapping is one of the most powerful yet often underutilized tools that, when leveraged correctly, can create immediate, tangible results. From Google integration to key word searches to floor plan accuracy, the basics of mapping are often overlooked. For Montclair Place, we went a few steps further, creating a custom 3D mapping experience for foolproof navigation. In addition, this system compliments a dynamic business directory that highlights each business, all within a system which is easily updated by the Montclair staff. This multi-level locator is also accessible via Google Maps, ensuring consistent data for the customer whether on desktop, tablet or mobile.

2.Event Support

Stores go to great effort to great unique, engaging events to drive traffic to their business. In addition, the destination itself provides many intensive, well planned events to benefit the entire collective. Yet when these events are indistinguishable online, all participants risk losing all of their time and effort to weak results. For Montclair Place, we created an online event submission and approval process so that all business can focus on selling instead of event planning. These events are then showcased in calendar pages that are both captivating and intuitive. Shoppers can even buy tickets, download a schedule reminder or amplify the event by sharing on social media.

3. Mailing List Integration

Like mapping, a mailing list sounds very simple, just get people’s emails and send them news. Easy. However, when a mailing list is utilized correctly, it can increase revenues up to 781% and increase conversions up to 355%. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to segment a list, yet only 11% of marketers take this vital step mainly because their systems are not configured correctly. To ensure that Montclair Place could easily harness this advantage, Saltwater created custom list segmentation that integrates seamlessly with Mail Chimp, enabling the destination to send their shoppers valuable updates without the risk of over saturating any inboxes.

4. Smart Social Media

Since 78% of Americans now have a social media profile, the role of social in a media strategy is no longer optional. To be truly great at driving a business, a strong social strategy & commitment is key. For Montclair Place, Saltwater helps to amplify their social engagement and return by monitoring the traffic from social to the website and ensuring their alignment. For example, if a store promotes an upcoming event on Twitter and it drives traffic to www.montclairplace.com, all players want to ensure that this event is accurately reflected on that website as well.

5. Strong Content

As the saying goes “Content Is King.” That is true now more than ever. No matter how strong the technology is to support your destination, the content that lives online must also compelling to truly convert eyeballs to paying customers. Our content on Montclair Place’s website grows even stronger as their team adds a targeted perspective. This recent post on www.montclairplace.com featuring a local lifestyle blogger/influencer is great example.
Posts like these are a great way to attract local shoppers and give the destination unique content to distribute across all of its channels.

 
Using these five tools: Mapping, Event Support, Mailing List Integration, Social Media & Content, destinations can create a digital presence that both supports and propels their physical business. With the correct strategy and implementation, this can all be done with minimal stress on a team and within a reasonable budget. Saltwater is proud of our partnership with Montclair Place and humbled by of our role in its successful transformation.

To learn more about Montclair Place: click here
To learn more about mapping: click here
To just reach out, click here.

The post Retail Has Changed, How To Make Sure Your Digital Presence Can Keep Up appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

At Saltwater Software, we’ve had a front row seat to this evolution. Being in the trenches of software design from the beginning has given us a thorough education in what works and what doesn’t. In this blog series, we’re sharing some of what we’ve learned over our years of building software, starting with an inside look at mapping for business.

#1 If They Can’t Find You, Your Map Is Useless

Some destinations assume that the best mapping solution is to simply plug in a commercial mapping module into their website. Unfortunately, commercial modules can have many issues. Sometimes plug ins will send users to erroneous locations. Other times modules will change a posted location without your knowledge. Some look to avoid these bugs by hiring a designer to produce a map that looks better than a commercial module, but under the surface it suffers from the same problems as the plug in. As a result, these options can lead to your site failing at the one thing you need a map to do—get your customers to your business.

#2 Maps Must Be Intuitive

Today’s user expects an interactive map to be closely integrated, allowing the user to see both the location on the map and information about that location in seconds. For locals & tourists alike, a map with no frame of reference is useless. But if there’s a city name next to that dot, with different colors to represent cities of different sizes, icons for airports and landmarks, your customers will grasp where everything is at a glance.

#3 Improve Your SEO & Google Data

When a map is created correctly, it interfaces seamlessly with Google and other search engines, providing them with extensive data and metadata. This information is sent out to the apps people are using to access stores in the area – which in turn drives search rankings for businesses. No off-the-shelf software can offer this. And because information is constantly released to aggregators and the rest of the digital world, you never have to think about doing this yourself either: Member data is made available to directories automatically, taking the burden of SEO tasks off your plate.

#4 Change Swiftly & Accurately

Because of changing landscapes, even the best systems require maintenance. What happens when your mapping software or related system acquires a glitch? Addressing problems and changes internally is a drag on your team. Will your agency address the problem? A strong map requires a team that will be available both during the build and after its implementation for both routine & unexpected maintenance.

#5 You’re In Control

Great custom software solutions enable bulletproof functionality, but also empower the business to easily maintain these systems themselves. We provide is an all-in-one website platform to help marketers manage and maintain essential visitor data. This is supported by an intuitive, extensive and robust CMS system that maintains all locations, business data and categories without external assistance. We are always at work behind the scenes — managing upgrades so you never have to worry about installing patches or other modernization tasks. And of course, always happy to provide any support as needed.

 
 
As business districts, retail centers, and destinations continue to grow and become more competitive, organizing and mapping them becomes an essential component in their marketing efforts. After years of experience working with destinations, districts and associations, our software solutions provide the productivity, visibility and sheer marketing power you need to exceed your business goals.

For a great example of powerful mapping at work, check these successful projects:

Los Angeles Fashion District
Montclair Place

The post 5 Reasons Why Your Map Is More Important Than You Think: appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

“We wanted to take a moment here at Commercial District Advisor to do a round up of various commercial district online business directories. Since many people take a look at what a district has to offer before or after they make a visit, or even during a visit via mobile device, it is important to explore the variety of directories districts are posting online. Here are a few:”

Spotlight: Online Business Directories for BIDs

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“There’s not a lot of opportunity for growth in the traditional sector,” says Neil Stern from retail consulting firm McMillanDoolittle. “Outlet malls clearly have consumer appeal, whether it’s recession-driven or recession-fueled, consumers continue to look for bargains and believe that they are getting them at outlet centers. That’s fueled a bunch of retailers and manufacturers who are creating concepts for these malls. With those things in place, developers build.”

Goodbye, Urban Indoor Mall. Hello, Downtown Outlet Center!

The post The End of the Mall As We Know It appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

The Atlantic’s Citylab introduces us to 3 cities and the innovative and unusual ways they used their city’s data and new technologies to tackle some of their unique problems.

3 Cities Using Open Data in Creative Ways to Solve Problems

The post Your Data; Your Future appeared first on Saltwater Software : under the surface.

“If you aren’t as visible on the internet as your competitors, it’s much more likely that consumers will choose to spend their time and money with them rather than you. “

Ecommerce is here to stay and growing at an amazing rate. From the first quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2014 ecommerce sales as a percentage of total US retail sales grew from 2.4% to 6.7% ¹. At that rate the percentage of all US retail sales that will happen online by 2020 will be nearly 11%. That may not sound like a lot at first glance, but it is nearly double the current percentage and remember; that includes ALL US retail sales. Automobiles, gasoline, food service, entertainment, and any number of things that would not be bought online is included in the retail sales number. But you can bet consumers are looking online to decide where they can buy those things.

Not only are we using the web to purchase, we’re using it even more often to inform ourselves and shop before we make a purchase. It is estimated that by 2017 60% of all US retail sales will involve the internet in some capacity ². That could be research and price comparisons online, locating the product or service, reading reviews, asking questions, searching for special offers, looking for a place to go on a Saturday night, or anything that directly or indirectly informs a retail purchase. There is a definite sea-change in the way we are interacting with the world and this includes how we choose where to spend our time and money. If you aren’t as visible on the internet as your competitors, it’s much more likely that consumers will choose to spend their time and money with them rather than you. It’s not necessarily because your competitors have a better quality product, or a more inviting atmosphere, or even a better price; it’s because you didn’t make it easy enough for them to see what you had to offer.

“Visibility and transparency is key to success in this new data-driven consumer environment.”

Visibility and transparency is key to success in this new data-driven consumer environment. You need to take your data; your event listings, your business listings, contact information, special offers, location information, and everything else that tells everyone who you are, what you offer and why they should interact with you and make sure it is distributed to all of those places online where people look for that information. Data aggregators and search engines like Google, Yelp, Eventful, Eventbrite, or any number of other and more local sources are the new consumer marketing platforms. What’s most exciting about this is, you can reach a massive number of potential customers for very little investment and you can reach them at that moment when they are already looking for you or what you provide!

Get your information organized and get it where people are looking for it.

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