SmartBug on Tap

How to Successfully Measure Sales and Marketing Attribution in HubSpot

December 01, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 8.62 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares how to successfully measure sales and marketing attribution in HubSpot. Jen discusses the following tips: 1. Ensure your data is clean. 2. Determine what the C-suite cares about. 3. Set a baseline of metrics. 4. Start with the sample reports. 5. Optimize and double down on the metrics that are working.

What’s New with HubSpot’s Service Hub

November 24, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 9.63 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares some of our recent encounters with HubSpot's Service Hub. Jen discusses the following updates: Custom Feedback Surveys Multi-Language Knowledge Base Identify Logged-In Visitors in Chat

Popular HubSpot Integrations for Advanced Users

November 17, 2020 08:00 - 9 minutes - 11.6 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares the most popular HubSpot integrations that advanced HubSpot users take advantage of on a daily basis, and how these integrations simplify their lives as a marketer and/or sales leader. Jen shares the following integrations: Salesforce Microsoft Dynamics Vidyard CallRail WordPress Links Mentioned The Most Popular HubSpot Integrations for Advanced Users

How Your Business Can Leverage CMS Hub

November 10, 2020 16:25 - 6 minutes - 8.47 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares how your business can leverage CMS Hub. Jen shares the following recent HubSpot CMS enhancements: Adaptive testing for Enterprise customers Built-in SEO tools Serverless functions And more! Links Mentioned Live Debate: Build Your Website on HubSpot CMS vs. WordPress

The Best Marketo Add-Ons for SMB

November 03, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 9.56 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares the best Marketo add-ons for mid-sized business. Jen shares add-ons that will help: Your sales team see Marketo data without leaving your CRM Your reps easily send and track template emails You with your Account-Based Marketing efforts And more! Links Mentioned Marketo Sales Connect Ad Network Integrations Retargeting Website Personalization Predictive Content

3 Tips for Properly Analyzing HubSpot’s Multi-Touch Attribution Reporting

October 27, 2020 07:00 - 8 minutes - 10.6 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares three tips for analyzing HubSpot’s multi-touch attribution reporting. Jen will discuss:  1. How to choose the data dimension that suits your reporting needs. 2. The four main conversion points used for attribution models. 3. How to understand the different attribution models available Links Mentioned How to Analyze HubSpot’s Multi-Touch Attribution Reporting

Understanding the New Contextual Marketing Features in HubSpot

October 20, 2020 15:17 - 7 minutes - 9.05 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares some of HubSpot's recent enhancements that impact contextual marketing. Jen will share a few recent updates including: Two-Way Contact Syncing with HubSpot and Shopify Adaptive Testing "Wait Until” Delays in Workflows

Your Complete Marketo Migration Checklist

October 13, 2020 07:00 - 9 minutes - 12 MB

On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares some recommendations on how to migrate a Marketo instance. Jen will share: A few questions to work through with your team to help determine your goals. A short list of people who should know their roles in advance. How to deep clean your CRM to prepare for your migration How to organize your current marketing platform And more! Links Mentioned Your Complete Marketo Migration List Marketo's Setup Checklist

Why SmartBug Media Decided to Become HubSpot Advanced CMS Certified

October 06, 2020 07:00 - 5 minutes - 7.02 MB

In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares why SmartBug Media® decided to become HubSpot Advanced CMS Certified.

4 Pros and Cons of Migrating from WordPress to the New HubSpot CMS

September 29, 2020 10:30 - 10 minutes - 13.2 MB

In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer talks about the pros and cons of migrating from WordPress to the new iteration of HubSpot’s content management system, named CMS Hub.

How to Build Your Sales Enablement Strategy in Three Easy Steps

September 22, 2020 21:22 - 7 minutes - 8.3 MB

Sales enablement, in its most simple application, is the holistic process of providing your sales team with the information, collateral, and processes they need to seal more deals. In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares how to build your sales enablement strategy in three easy steps.

How Senior Living Teams Can Use Video to Reach Consumers

September 15, 2020 21:27 - 5 minutes - 6.57 MB

The senior living is an industry where building authentic and relational trust with the customer is paramount. You just can’t get that kind of authenticity from a blog. Video finds a way to make the experience feel more real and personal. In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer shares four types of videos senior living teams can start using now.

Why We Gate Content (And When We Shouldn't)

September 08, 2020 18:07 - 5 minutes - 6.46 MB

Most inbound marketing professionals want to make the world a better place. But, no matter how idealistic and well-meaning we are, most of us have lead numbers and sales quotas to hit. One way inbound marketers generate leads is to gate content. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, Jen Spencer discusses why we gate content (and when we shouldn't).

Mergers, Acquisitons, and SEO—Oh My!

September 01, 2020 17:36 - 4 minutes - 5.57 MB

Welcome to Season Two of SmartBug on Tap. We’re back after a summer hiatus, and on today’s episode Jen Spencer is chatting about mergers and acquisitions—and their impact on Search Engine Optimization.

SmartBug on Tap Season Finale

June 04, 2020 21:29 - 3 minutes - 4.05 MB

On the season finale of SmartBug on Tap, I announced our summer hiatus and share how you can quench your Intelligent Inbound® thirst until we return with Season 2 in September of 2020. I also encourage listeners to expand their podcast library to include voices that are sharing important information about diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Links Mentioned SmartBug Website Code Switch She+ Geeks Out Pod Save the People

5 SaaS Marketing Strategies to Implement in the Face of COVID-19

May 26, 2020 07:00 - 7 minutes - 8.49 MB

COVID-19 has been devastating, and it has already landed some heavy blows that will leave marks for a long time. By adjusting to these strange times, you can come out ahead on the other side. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share five coronavirus-focused SaaS marketing strategies.

4 Tips for Staying Productive While Working Remotely

May 19, 2020 07:00 - 7 minutes - 8.74 MB

At SmartBug, we know a thing or two about working remotely. In fact, it’s one of the foundational cornerstones of our company. Over the years, we’ve found the secret recipe that enables us to spend ample time with those we love, while still having fulfilling careers. When working from home is done right, we know that remote workers can be more productive than those in an office. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share four tips for staying productive while working from home.

The Key to Being Recession-Proof: Never Stop Marketing or Advertising

May 12, 2020 07:00 - 7 minutes - 8.62 MB

It’s official: We’re in a recession. Although it’s not clear how long this pandemic-induced recession will last—or what the economy will look like when it’s over—to be recession-proof and retain your customers, you shouldn’t go dark. You must keep marketing and advertising in order to beat the odds. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share how to recession-proof your business.

Free and Discounted Tools to Support Intelligent Inbound During COVID-19

May 05, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.92 MB

During these uncertain times, it’s inspiring to see so many businesses opening their virtual doors a bit wider to support healthcare professionals, educators, and families whose lives have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. Generosity has not been limited to those on the front lines. We’re also seeing free and discounted tools and trainings to support marketing, sales, and service professionals. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share five free and discounted t...

6 Ways Marketing Can Help Sales Succeed with Sales Enablement

April 28, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.63 MB

Sales and marketing are two different departments with the exact same goal, but they’re incredibly different animals with different perspectives and approaches. The solution for better alignment? Sales enablement. Sales enablement is about closing the loop between marketing and sales to ensure that everyone has the intel and content they need to meet customers wherever they are on the buying journey. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share 6 ways marketing can help sales succeed with...

Five Benefits of Google Tag Manager

April 21, 2020 07:00 - 5 minutes - 6.63 MB

If your business has a website, you’ve probably heard of Google Tag Manager, which is the free software tool that gives you the ability to install different types of tags on your website. In the past, companies needed a web developer on their team in order to track codes. With hundreds of codes to track, this got a bit complicated to update and maintain. Google Tag Manager came in and solved the problem by storing all tags in one place—the Google Tag Manager account. On this episode of ...

Video Marketing Best Practices

April 14, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.47 MB

Video marketing is one of the strongest ways to give a visual introduction or demonstration of your products or services—and it allows you to capture the attention of your buyer personas at the right stage of the Buyer’s Journey. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share five best practices to ensure that your company benefits from video marketing.a

What Is Negative SEO?

April 07, 2020 07:21 - 7 minutes - 9.12 MB

Today, ranking on the first page of a Google search is a feat that requires thoughtful keyword research, content development, social strategy, campaign measurement, and on-site optimization. Not surprisingly, are those unwilling to make the effort or investment in the proper development of their websites. Instead, they prefer shortcuts aimed at knocking down the honest competition and taking those coveted top spots through deceit. In this episode, I share negative SEO tactics to look ou...

5 Video Marketing Best Practices

April 07, 2020 04:00 - 6 minutes - 7.47 MB

Video marketing is one of the strongest ways to give a visual introduction or demonstration of your products or services—and it allows you to capture the attention of your buyer personas at the right stage of the Buyer’s Journey. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share five best practices to ensure that your company benefits from video marketing.

How Chatbots Can Help Support Your Customer in a Time of Crisis

April 02, 2020 04:00 - 6 minutes - 5.82 MB

If you’re wondering how to reshape your marketing strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ve come to this right place. In this episode, our guest host Rebecca Clyde, co-founder of Botco.ai, a chat startup that’s disrupting and modernizing marketing automation for enterprise-sized businesses, will discuss how to avoid being tone-deaf when marketing, and how to make it easy for customers to engage with your brand anytime, anywhere, even while they’re at home. Rebecca chats about: The...

How to Write Content to Outrank Your Competition on Google

March 31, 2020 06:00 - 9 minutes - 11.1 MB

Long gone are the days of publishing high volumes of low-quality, wafer-thin content and expecting your search engine rankings to increase. Today, SEO is as much an art as it is a science. It requires content writers and digital marketers to understand search engine ranking factors, prioritize searcher intent, and publish valuable, high-quality content that appeals to users and Google’s algorithm. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share five SEO-friendly content writing tips to outran...

Content Ideas For Every Stage of the Marketing Funnel

March 24, 2020 14:30 - 5 minutes - 7.23 MB

No matter what industry you’re in, inbound marketing’s buyer-driven approach to content creation turns leads into customers by leveraging your company’s expertise and experience. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share content ideas and examples for every stage of the marketing funnel.

Do Pop-up Ads Actually Work?

March 17, 2020 16:30 - 8 minutes - 10.1 MB

Should you be using pop-up ads on your page? The answer is more complex than you may think. Despite self-reporting that ads provide a poor user experience, when pop-ups are implemented appropriately, they can be incredibly effective. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share the history of pop-up ads, if they work, and some do’s and don’ts to follow if you give them a try on your website.

What Is Geofencing? Everything You Need to Know About Location-Based Marketing

March 10, 2020 18:18 - 7 minutes - 8.89 MB

With the growth of mobile phone usage, mobile marketing has been growing by leaps and bounds. More recently, marketers have taken full advantage of its capabilities with geofencing, an incredibly powerful way to harness the power of location based marketing. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share how you can take your mobile marketing to the next level with geofencing.

3 Ways to Use Video in the Sales Process

March 03, 2020 18:34 - 5 minutes - 6.32 MB

Brands are only as successful as the stories they tell. In a world where everyone is inundated with content, video has become a top contender for being visually appealing and effective as a tactic for marketing. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share three ways that sales video can help your sales team convert prospects into customers.

Essential Elements of a Great Case Study

February 25, 2020 07:59 - 5 minutes - 7.21 MB

Case studies are great pieces of collateral that can have immediate impact on the audience you connect with and can be used in a number of ways throughout the course of your marketing and sales efforts. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share four essential elements of a great case study.

5 Reasons Why Remote Workers Are More Productive

February 18, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 8.22 MB

As remote work becomes increasingly popular and more statistics surface about its effectiveness, it’s clear that this style of working could be the wave of the future. However, it’s important for you and your individual company to decide if remote work is the right fit for your organization. In this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I talk through five ways we’ve seen remote work make employees more productive.

Facebook Ads vs. Boosting Posts: Which is Right for Your Business?

February 11, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.81 MB

With almost 2.5 billion users on Facebook every month and advertising capabilities that are highly targetable, this is one advertising platform businesses should consider including in their marketing budget. But what’s right for you will depend on your marketing goals and budget. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I share a few key distinctions to help you decide what is right for your business.

5 B2B Lead Gen Tips to Meet Your Goals This Quarter

January 28, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 8.33 MB

It’s the start of a new year, a new decade, and a new quarter. Not only is it a better time than ever to start fresh, but you likely have a new set of goals that you need to work toward. On today’s episode I share my five favorite B2B lead generation tips that B2B marketers can use to help reach their goals. Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you don’t use Apple Podcasts, here’s an alternative link.

How to Optimize Blog Posts

January 21, 2020 07:00 - 5 minutes - 6.76 MB

Having a blog-posting strategy in place that resonates with your target audience will help with your goal of generating more leads for your business and helps establish your business as a thought leader in your industry—so you need to make sure your posts are optimized to maximize your reach. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I’ll share a few easy steps to consider before hitting publish on your next post.

How to Get the Most Out of ABM—Without Ditching Inbound

January 14, 2020 08:00 - 7 minutes - 11.9 MB

Is your organization debating whether or not to shutter its inbound marketing operations in favor of ABM? You don't have to pick one over the other. Actually, they’re made for each other. On today’s episode, I talk about how to get the most out of ABM — without ditching inbound. What we talked about: Setting the right goals Writing goals down Ungating your content (even though this seems illogical) Exploring different verticals Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you d...

4 Ways to Nurture MQLs into SQLs

December 31, 2019 07:39 - 10 minutes - 16.7 MB

If you focus only on top-of-the-funnel, you won’t close any deals. Lead nurturing further down the funnel is overwhelming, sure. On this episode, I tell you all about 4 specific ways to nurture MQLs into SQLs. What we talked about: Drip campaigns Email newsletters Event-based workflows Smart content Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you don’t use Apple Podcasts, here’s an alternative link.

How to Present Your Marketing Reports to Your CEO

December 24, 2019 07:00 - 6 minutes - 9.78 MB

If you’re no stranger to SmartBug, you’re not new to the conflict between sales and marketing. We talk about the misalignment between marketing and sales all the time, but the same conflict can exist between marketing and the C-suite as well. CEOs are focused on revenue generation and business growth, and they want their teams to be laser focused on an upward trajectory of revenue. A critical element of helping the C-suite find value is in how you present the data to them. On this episo...

How to Optimize a Website for Local SEO

December 17, 2019 09:23 - 5 minutes - 8.73 MB

Did you know that almost half of all Google searches are local? People are constantly searching for information that’s relevant to their needs, and most people are looking for something close to their home or work. Therefore, if you’re not optimizing your content for local search, you’re missing out. But not to worry. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I’ll share a few easy steps to help you get started in optimizing your website for local SEO. Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And...

How to Market Your Public-Facing Webinars in 12 Easy Steps

December 10, 2019 07:47 - 9 minutes - 9.14 MB

You’ve got a killer webinar topic, but you have no idea how to market it (much less how to leverage the event after it’s over). On today’s episode of SmartBug on Tap, I’ll tell you 12 easy steps to market your public-facing webinars to make yourself (and your topic) stand out. What are the six steps you should be taking before the webinar, and how do you continue to market the event once it’s over? The answers are more simple than you think, and they're all here. Check us out on Apple...

The Role Marketers Play in Sales Pipeline Ownership

December 03, 2019 10:26 - 9 minutes - 15.2 MB

Maybe this isn’t true at your company, but I’m seeing that marketing marketing is finding itself deeper inside the sales pipeline. Especially when revenue goals rely on feeding sales with qualified leads that become paying customers. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I talk to you about 2 ways that marketing should own its role in the pipeline and give 2 tips for making it happen. Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you don’t use Apple Podcasts, here’s an altern...

3 Need-To-Knows on Implementing Email Marketing Automation

November 19, 2019 08:33 - 5 minutes - 9.01 MB

Marketing automation is all about efficiency — in general. But it’s so easy to misuse (by spamming inboxes and frustrating contacts). Before you think you’re ready to ready to implement, ask yourself these 3 questions first. On this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I talk to you about how to know whether you’re doing email marketing automation right. P.S. I’m proud (and excited) to announce the free resource we launched: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Automation Software. Check us out ...

4 Tips for Ensuring Your SDRs Have Everything They Need to Succeed

November 12, 2019 07:37 - 9 minutes - 15 MB

Thanks to an increasingly content-fatigued audience, and a rise in the popularity of automation and conversational AI, today's SDRs face an uphill battle. Because of this, SDRs need the right tools, skills, and collateral to really connect with the right leads and usher them through the buyer's journey. And as marketers, there are some things you can do to help your SDRs be more successful. So, on this episode of SmartBug on Tap I’m sharing my 4 tips for ensuring your SDR...

4 Tips for Implementing a Contextual Marketing Strategy on Your Website

November 05, 2019 08:42 - 6 minutes - 9.82 MB

Employing a great contextual marketing strategy on your website can help you build awareness, generate leads, nurture prospects, and delight your customers. But how do you put together a great strategy? On this episode of SmartBug on Tap I’m sharing my top 4 tips to employing a great contextual marketing strategy on your website. Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you don’t use Apple Podcasts, here’s an alternative link.

The 15 Questions You Should Be Asking When You Interview Customers for a Case Study

October 29, 2019 07:22 - 6 minutes - 9.95 MB

I get really excited when a customer agrees, or better yet, proactively volunteers, to participate in a case study. But let’s be honest. The case study process can be a bit nerve racking. Your customers are really busy people. So, you only have one opportunity to talk with them. Yet successful case studies are crucial to your business, so it’s important to be prepared to make the most of your client interviews. So, on this episode of SmartBug on Tap, I’m sharing som...

Designing Your Website with a Mobile Experience in Mind

October 22, 2019 07:08 - 4 minutes - 7.7 MB

This may go without saying. But website design today absolutely must account for the proliferation of users accessing pages on mobile devices. And there's a huge difference when designing for a desktop versus mobile. So, with that in mind, on this episode of SmartBug on Tap I’m sharing my top 10 tips for designing for mobile. Check us out on Apple Podcasts here. And if you don’t use Apple Podcasts, here’s an alternative link.

How to Analyze the Success of Your Website

October 15, 2019 16:09 - 6 minutes - 10.2 MB

Printed content is generally complete when it's published. But websites are different. Because they're not 100% final when they go live. Pages will be added or removed. And design and functionality will be changed, as needed. So, while you want it to be as perfect as possible at launch, your website is meant to be an evolving, improving creation. And to foster this kind of growth driven design, you need to know what's working and what's falling short of expectations. Th...

The Basics of a Paid Media Strategy

October 08, 2019 05:04 - 4 minutes - 7.29 MB

A paid media strategy has a ton of moving parts and decisions to make. For the best performing campaign possible, I put together 3 aspects for you to keep in mind as you formulate your plan. In this episode, I walk you through the 3 aspects and give you pointers on how to execute. What you’ll hear about: Budget & why it should be first Tailoring your channels to your goals Keeping creative assets simple & clean

Get S.M.A.R.T. with Your Web Design Project

October 01, 2019 07:25 - 5 minutes - 8.7 MB

The most important phase of any web design project is very simple: goals and strategy. What goals do you have for your site? Where would you like to improve? On today’s episode, Jen Spencer is talking to you about S.M.A.R.T. goals. Are your goals: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic and Time-Based? Let’s talk about developing a strategy that works.

Using Pop-Ups to Enhance Inbound Experience

September 17, 2019 06:46 - 5 minutes - 9.68 MB

Every month, tens of thousands of Google users search some version of "how to block pop-ups." Evidently, we're not all in love with this digital marketing tactic. But here’s the thing: some types of pop-ups can actually be a pretty useful addition to your inbound marketing strategy. So, on today’s episode of SmartBug on Tap we’re looking at pop-ups, how they’ve evolved, and how you can effectively incorporate them into your inbound strategy. Resources we talked a...

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