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Blog vs. Article: What is the Difference?

Blog vs. Article: What is the Difference?

A curious phenomenon has emerged in recent years: people use social media, but don’t trust it.

For decades, parents have been teaching their children not to trust everything they see on the Internet. Just because a blog article says something–such as confirming one’s bias–doesn’t mean it’s true. A blog makes people imagine opinions, while blog articles create a sense that something is more informative and trustworthy.

Blog vs. article: what’s the difference? Understanding what these two types of posts are meant for is critical to providing content for the online world. Especially when establishing trust with your audience and customer base.

Read on as we discuss the difference between blogs and articles.

Blog vs. Article: What’s a Blog?

First, it’s important to understand where the word blog comes from. It’s actually a portmanteau; a combination of two existing words. In the early days of the Internet, a programmer combined the words log and web (web log) to form blog.

As the words web and log imply, the process of blogging is, essentially, “logging the web.” In other words, a blog is about experience and opinion. It’s for one’s personal expression, relevant anecdotes, and updates on what they are doing.

What It Means for a Business

For a business, think of it as a professional journal. Businesses document their thoughts on industry trends. They discuss their services and make educated suggestions.

What’s a Blog Article?

An article is formal, unlike a blog. The focus here is being informative and bipartisan. Most importantly, an article cites the sources of the claims it makes rather than assuming.

What It Means for a Business 

Blog articles try to avoid opinions and anecdotes. You can add blog articles to your website in addition to an existing series of blogs. It is important, though, to make it clear to your visitors which is which.

There are several noticeable differences between the two. Articles tend to be in third person or first person plural. They are longer, feature footnotes, and use a more neutral tone.

SEO Optimization 

Both blogs and articles make use of copywriting techniques. Specifically, optimizing articles for search engines. They create a landing page for new customers who were searching for information via Google.

Both blogs and articles can be excellent ways to inform your audience. That said, it’s extremely important that you delineate the two.

Making big, opinionated claims without sources makes you seem less trustworthy. Make it clear when you are giving your thoughts (a blog) and when you are informing (an article). This avoids any painful misunderstandings.

Build Your Site with Enfuse

Blog vs. article: one opines, the other informs. Blogs are more personalized, with a focus on thoughts and opinions. Articles, on the other hand, try to source their claims and provide evidence-based examinations.

Enfuse can help you build your website so the backdrop for your blogs and articles looks good. Visit us here and start a project with us.

Best Practices for Testing Your Click Funnels Landing Page

Did you know that the top landing pages ranked in maps and organic searches only come in at 48% of all pages? If you’re creating a click funnels landing page, you have to test it before you deploy it to begin being used.

We have a brief guide to help you determine what a sales funnel is and how application developers can support your click funnels landing page. If you get this right, you can rest assured that you’ll see the payoff you’ve been looking for and hoping for.

What is a Sales Funnel?

A sales funnel is the journey that all customers will take from the beginning to when they make the final purchase. It’s the amount of time they spend on each step before they close on the deal if they decide to purchase at the end.

Typically it’s monitored because if you’re losing a significant number of customers before completing the sales funnel, you will want to go back and assess why that is. In some cases, it could mean that your web design isn’t practical, and this is something you will need to change.

In other cases, it means that customers who visit your website aren’t finding the information they need in fewer clicks which is also a problem. It should be monitored because you will want to know why you’re missing sales if that is the case.

Now that we’ve clarified what a sales funnel is, here’s how you conduct landing page testing that will provide you with insight into what you’re doing well.

Collect & Review Customer Data

When people visit your landing page, it’s understood that data about each customer will be collected. The first way to test the page’s efficiency is to take and assess this data.

Use customer feedback to determine where your landing page is falling short and make the necessary updates to improve the overall customer journey. From the data, you can identify elements of the page that aren’t functioning as effectively as you assumed they would during the initial building phase of the landing page.

Elements within the landing page that don’t function properly can cause a pause in the overall sales funnel that can cause you to lose a qualified lead.

Create a Dummy Page

Another thing you can do when you’re testing your landing page is to create a dummy page. When you create a dummy page, you can use it to create a different variation of your current page.

This will allow you to see a potential page that you could use if the initial landing page isn’t rendering the results you were hoping for it to render.

Types of Testing

You could use several types of testing, with the first being A/B testing. Conducting this type of testing will allow you to test a single element on the page. One at a time because this enables you to test variations of the element without affecting others on the same page.

Redirection testing is another form of testing, and it’s when individual URLs host a different variation or control element. When you use this form of testing, you’re thinking about the entire page versus the impact caused by one element.

Click Funnels Landing Page: Testing Your Page & More

When it comes to testing your click funnels landing page, there are several things you need to know ahead of time. Things like creating dummy pages to see how the variations you’ve created will work.

Contact Envuse Creative Design for more help with things like web development and design.

5 Facebook Post Ideas for Your Company’s Facebook Page

There are over 60 million business pages on Facebook. If yours is one of them, you may be looking for Facebook post ideas to set your brand apart from the competition.

You’re in luck because we’re counting down five unique Facebook posts to help you connect with your audience. Keep reading this article for Facebook post inspiration.

1. Give a Shout-Out to Your Vendors

You can guarantee that your competitors include posts about their customers and clients in their social media marketing strategy. So stand out with a shout-out to a special vendor or two.

This type of post won’t just show your business partner how much you appreciate them. It will also give customers a behind-the-scenes look at how your business works. This very authentic post will build trust with customers.

2. Re-Share User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is your customer base’s favorite type of content. Studies show that UGC-based marketing can increase click-through rates by up to 400% and conversion rates by up to 100.6%.

But what is UGC? When you re-post content your customers or clients share about your brand, that’s UGC. We’ll talk about another way to use user-generated content on Facebook later in this article.

3. Design and Post Infographics

An infographic is the perfect way to share important data with your audience. Infographics also position you as an authority in your space. As a result, your business will look more credible, increasing trust.

You could share data with a lengthy post. But the majority of people are visual learners and prefer a graphical presentation. Plus, infographics offer the opportunity to include other elements, such as your logo.

4. Share Product or Service Reviews

You’re probably sharing customer reviews on your website already, and that’s a great first step to generating social proof. If you want to go one step further, consider sharing these reviews on your socials, too.

Like re-posting your customers’ content, sharing user reviews is a form of UGC. It’s a powerful way to engage with your current audience. Additionally, sharing positive reviews offers the chance to attract new customers. 

5. Conduct an AMA

AMA stands for ask me anything. This Q&A style became popular on platforms like Reddit. It’s another ideal strategy for encouraging both engagement and positioning your brand as trustworthy and authoritative.

Here’s how an AMA Facebook post would work. Your business creates a post announcing the AMA, and your customers and clients ask questions in the comments. Leave a reply and generate conversations around your business.

Amp Up Your Social Media Marketing Strategy With These Facebook Post Ideas

These five Facebook post ideas are unique enough to differentiate you from competitors. They can also help you better engage with your customers, build brand trust and authority, and turn cold leads into lifelong fans.

Are you looking for a way to improve your social media marketing efforts? Enfuse helps companies like yours engage with your audience members and reach new ones.

Start a project with Enfuse today to get your business the attention it deserves.

3 Popular Copywriting Techniques You Should Try

One of the top goals of content marketing is to build relationships with customers. About 83% of marketers say it’s better to focus on quality over quantity when creating content, though. If you lack the necessary copywriting skills, your content might not resonate with readers. 

Here are three advanced copywriting techniques you can use to improve your marketing materials. Use this copywriting help to connect and appeal to your target audience. 

Read on to apply the latest copywriting strategies today. 

1. Sneak into Minds

Strong, effective copywriting requires writers to sneak into the customer’s mind. Know what pain points they’re experiencing, how it makes them feel, and how your brand can help. Empathizing with your customers can help you forge lasting connections.

Forging long-term relationships with customers can boost brand loyalty, leading to repeat sales and a higher customer lifetime value. 

Over 50% of consumers will switch from your brand to another if you don’t personalize communications. Another 50% will pay more for your offerings if you provide personally relevant content. 

To empathize with your customers, gather demographic, psychographic, and keyword research. Segment your customers into distinct buyer personas. Use this information to empathize with their experiences and offer helpful tips or solutions.

You can also try:

  • Telling stories
  • Appealing to emotions
  • Speaking their language
  • Appealing to their ego

As with the rest of these copywriting strategies, this technique can take time to master. Remain patient and develop your copywriting skills over time. Use A/B testing with your marketing campaigns to determine which techniques work best for your audience.

2. Sell the Scare

People want to feel free from pain, danger, and fear. Understanding the consumer’s fears can help you position yourself as a protector or solution. Use your audience research to determine what your customers fear most.

For example, perhaps your target audience is afraid of leaving their home unattended during vacations. You can encourage customers to protect their families day and night, even when they’re away, with your security system.  

3. Use Humor

Content marketing can help you remain at the forefront of the consumer’s mind. When they encounter a problem and need your product or service, they’ll remember your brand. Become more memorable by using humor in your copywriting. 

Lingering in the consumer’s mind can help you gain an advantage over competitors. 

When using humor, try to keep your copywriting clear and concise. Run-on sentences and lengthy jokes could cost you the reader’s attention. Instead, master writing fundamentals to better leverage humor as a copywriting technique. 

Start Applying These Copywriting Techniques

Strong copywriting can help you connect with customers and persuade them to choose your brand. Use these popular copywriting techniques to improve your marketing materials. With practice, you can sharpen your copywriting skills to become a better marketer. 

You’re busy enough trying to grow your business, though. You don’t have to add copywriting to your already busy to-do list. Instead, rely on a digital marketing company for help.

Contact us today to discuss your next project. 

4 Tips to Turn Your Website Into an Inbound Marketing Machine

Mature companies achieve 133% greater revenue compared to others. In fact, companies with mature lead-generation practices achieve better sales productivity and higher revenue growth. If your website isn’t optimized for inbound marketing opportunities, you could miss the chance to grow. 

Here are four tips you can use to turn your business into a lead-generating machine. With these tips, you can use inbound strategies to boost your ROI.

Start marketing with these tips today. 

1. Establish Goals

Before using the rest of these lead-generation strategies, outline your goals. For example, you might prioritize:

  • Generating website traffic
  • Generating leads and sales
  • Improving your ROI
  • Gaining brand awareness and recognition
  • Gaining credibility as a thought leader
  • Improving organic website rankings
  • Generating inbound links

Outlining your goals will help you determine the best strategies to accomplish each goal.

For example, perhaps you want to generate brand awareness, website traffic, and leads. Consider using search engine marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO) or paid advertising. Prioritize creating high-quality, personalized blog content to improve your organic rankings.

Once you establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) goals, determine the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll track. Establishing goals and tracking your progress will help you make changes to your marketing strategy over time. 

2. Audit Your Site

Audit and update your website to ensure you’re offering visitors a positive user experience (UX). If you’re not offering a positive UX, visitors will leave. Your bounce rate will increase.

As your bounce rate increases, your organic rankings will drop. You might struggle to reach potential customers if you’re not appearing for relevant searches. About 68% of activity online begins with a search engine.

Appearing for relevant searches will help you generate website traffic and potentially, leads.

When auditing and updating your website, consider:

  • Page load times
  • Security
  • Navigation
  • Brand consistency
  • Mobile optimization

Consider investing in website design and development services to update your website. Make sure there are lead generation opportunities (forms, pop-ups, etc.) on each page to generate conversions. 

3. Prioritize Inbound Strategies

Use inbound marketing to attract new visitors to your website.

First, create engaging, personalized, fresh content for your blog. Use SEO to appear for relevant searches. Guest blog on other websites to gain inbound links that direct readers to your content.

Use platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to create text and display ads that direct consumers to your site. Otherwise, use social media marketing and publishing to direct more people to your content. 

4. Analyze and Adjust

Once you begin using these lead generation strategies, analyze the results from your campaigns. Use data to make informed changes to your marketing strategy over time.

Adjusting your campaigns will improve your ROI!

Turn Your Website Into an Inbound Marketing Machine

Don’t waste time on outdated marketing strategies. Instead, turn your website into an inbound marketing machine. With these tips, you can generate more leads and sales to grow your business. 

Boost your ROI using these tips today.

Want to upgrade your marketing strategy? We can help.

Start a project with our team today to learn more!

2023 Web Design Trends: What You Need to Know

About two out of three people prefer reading beautifully designed content. In fact, your website’s appearance has a 75% influence on your brand’s credibility. Neglecting the latest web design trends could hurt your brand’s reputation.

Here are the top 2023 web design trends to consider applying to your company website. Applying these trends can help you stand out from competitors, leading to more sales.

Read on to discover the top website trends today!

AI-Generated Art

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing web design, website development, and content creation. AI-generated art can add a sense of mystique and utopianism to your site. There are tools available that allow you to create compelling graphics without extensive web design experience. 

If you’re not a fan of AI-generated art, consider adding more illustrations to your website. Branded illustrations can speak to your company’s core values while helping your brand stand out online. Illustrations are smaller in size and load faster than photographs, improving the user experience (UX) on your site. 

Otherwise, long load times can hurt your website’s UX, leading people to leave. As people leave without exploring additional pages, your website’s bounce rate will increase.

A high bounce rate, which indicates a negative UX, can hurt your organic search engine rankings. It could cause the cost-per-click for your digital ads to increase, too. 

Use eye-catching illustrations to keep visitors engaged. Consider animated icons for small-scale interactions. Transforming simple illustrations with quirky animations can help you capture the visitor’s gaze. 

Custom Fonts

With text-based web designs becoming more popular, many companies are turning to custom fonts and lettering. Use a custom font that suits your brand guidelines to engage your visitors. 

Look into custom or serif fonts to add playful elements to your site.

3D Designs

Abstract, 3D visual elements can help you impress your audience. You can add a flare of personality and charisma while creating strong first impressions with visitors. 

You only have seven seconds to make a strong first impression. Within those seven seconds, visitors will determine if they like your brand or not. Using these website design trends can help you make the best impression possible. 

Motion

In addition to animated icons, consider using GIFs and videos to add motion to your website. Small movements will help you catch the consumer’s eye. 

Add these elements strategically to your site to draw visitors toward call-to-action buttons. 

AR

Further improve the user experience on your site with augmented reality (AR) elements. AR connects images and digital content with the physical world. 

Many eCommerce websites are already using AR technology to help consumers make buying decisions. 

Apply These 2023 Web Design Trends Today

Don’t let your website become stale or outdated. Instead, use these 2023 web design trends to stand out from other businesses. From artificial intelligence to animated icons, these trends will help you make a strong first impression on visitors.

Applying these trends on your own could waste time and money you can dedicate to your business instead. For modern, clean designs, invest in professional, quality design. 

Start a project with our team today to learn more!

Why It’s Better To Hire a Website Design Agency

When you log into a new website, you’re typically signing in to find something particular. You want to get straight to the point, right? Well, your clients are the same way when it comes to your business. 

A sleek and clean website that appeals to a target audience is what your clients expect. Utilizing a website design agency can give you this and account for your target demographic while promoting brand visibility. Trusting your website to professionals is a sign that you are ready to provide your customers with what they look for. 

If you’ve been considering hiring a website design agency, let’s examine why your company’s growth depends on it. 

Search Engine Optimization Promotes Visibility

SEO is a term that is used quite often when it comes to websites and businesses. This is the process by which your website shows up when in things such as Google searches. For many businesses, this is the way new customers find their websites. 

By hiring a website design agency, you know that the professionals behind your website understand the importance of this. You can trust that your website will show up in those searches and bring in customers who may not have been able to find you otherwise. 

First Impressions Matter Most

What your clientele sees when your website first loads is very important. You only have one time to make that first impression and you want it to be positive. The future of your business depends on them sticking around and being able to find information at a single glance

When you hire a professional company that understands the logistics of website design, they know exactly what your audience is looking for. Your website will be catered towards making that first look count. There is no wondering if the website attracts your audience within the first few seconds. 

Loading Is Not Overwhelming

Load screens can kill a client’s patience when it comes to looking over websites. A website that takes forever to load due to not being well designed and including too many useless plugins and widgets isn’t going to function well. Many businesses make the mistake of thinking more is better when it comes to their sites. 

A website design company reduces those loading screens and enables your clients to search your site faster. They use the latest technology to bring forward faster browsing for a quicker and to-the-point experience. 

Hire a Website Design Agency

Promote your brand as a viable and put-together company. By hiring a website design agency, you work with a team of professionals who want to see your website bring in new clients. They will work with you to customize your site to be a great representation of your business. 

When you’re ready to bring quality to your brand and raise your website to the next level, we’re here to help you get started. Come and tell us a little more about your business and what you’re looking for with branding when it comes to your clients. 

5 Website Layout Tips for Visual Appeal and Functionality

Launching or maintaining a business these days demands balancing needs that range from the interpersonal to the legal and even the technical. For example, your business could get away with not having a website 15 years ago. Now, every business needs one.

Yet, creating a business website also means going head to head with the approximately 200 million active websites out there. You may not compete with them directly for customers, but you will compete for attention.

This competition makes website design and website layout crucial considerations for your site. If you want a website that helps you keep customer attention, keep reading for five website layout tips.

1. Navigation Bars

One of the reasons why website layout matters is because it directly influences user experience. In essence, user experience refers to the way that visitors to a website feel about their interactions with the website.

One common complaint about website layouts is poor navigation. People who can’t find what they need or want typically dislike the website. This makes clear and simple navigation bars essential.

2. White Space

Far too many website layouts try to cram as much as possible onto every single page. That kind of information density is counterproductive. It’s often hard on the eyes and makes processing what you see difficult.

Look for ways that you can build white space into your website pages. White space is the unoccupied space that you see between parts of the page.

For example, it’s why bloggers often use short paragraphs. That extra space makes reading and understanding easier.

3. Spread Out Calls to Action

Every business website needs some calls to action. Yet, many layouts cram those calls to action “above the fold.” That means that visitors see a call to action or more than one in the area of the page they can see immediately after the page loads.

While calls to action above the fold can prove useful, consider sprinkling them below the fold as well.

4. Frontload What Customers Want

For business websites, you must always consider what the customer actually wants.

Minimally, you should have obvious links to core information, such as services or products, on the home page.

5. Get Help

The reality is that good DIY website design, including layout, is increasingly difficult to pull off. If you aren’t seeing the kind of results you want, get outside help from a professional website design service.

A professional service can often solve problems you don’t even know about as part of their basic process.

Website Layout and You

While website layout isn’t necessarily the most exciting element of website design, it’s still crucial to creating an effective website design. Good website layout plays a crucial role in how and even if your potential customers find the information they want.

With such intense competition in the online space, though, seeking professional design assistance is often the road to the best results.

Enfuse offers website development and design services for SMBs in the LA, Orange, and Riverside areas. For more information about our design or website redesign services, contact Enfuse today.

How To Make Stylish and Eye-Catching Social Media Posts

Social media is a powerful tool for reaching your audience. But with so much competition online, how can you stand out and capture attention? How can you create social media posts that are stylish, eye-catching, and effective?

After all, there are over 4.4 billion people on social media. It’s up to you to engage with the right target audience most likely to buy your products or services. 

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right article to get started. Detailed below are some key ways you can ensure your social media posts generate real sales.

Choose the Right Platforms

Each social media platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. It’s your job to choose the right platform for your needs.

Think about who your audience is and what type of content you want to share. For example, if you want to share photos or videos, Instagram posts might be the best choice for you. If you want to connect with professionals or share business-related content, LinkedIn might be a better option.

It’s also important to consider the age range of your target audience. That’s because different platforms attract different age groups. By choosing the right platform, you can better reach your audience and achieve your sales goals.

Create Compelling Visuals

Your goal in social media marketing should be to catch people’s attention with compelling images and graphics. Use high-quality photos and videos that align with your brand and message. Read this article if you need some social media content ideas.

Remember, strategic social media marketing takes real work. That means taking basic employee selfies and posting just to post isn’t going to cut it. For more specifics, check out this article about why social media marketing is so essential. 

Consider using color schemes, typography, and filters, too. This is a great way to create an aesthetically pleasing post. Examples of compelling visuals include bright and bold graphics, stunning landscapes, and animated videos.

Write Strategic Copy

If you want to generate real sales, you need the right copy for your social media posts. This starts with clear and concise headlines that are attention-grabbing.

Keep your text brief and easy to read with simple language. Use hashtags and emojis to express emotion and increase visibility. The right social media tags can even help your content go viral. 

Write in a tone that resonates with your audience, too. Whether it’s serious, funny, or informative, keep your followers engaged.

Make sure to include a call to action to encourage engagement with your post. By crafting engaging copy, you can increase engagement with your social media posts.

Stay Consistent

When it comes to building a strong brand identity as a business, consistency is key. Keep all copy, visual themes, and tone of voice the same throughout all social media platforms. In doing so, your brand becomes more recognizable to your audience.

Develop a posting schedule and stick to it, as well. That way, your followers know when to expect new content. After that, track engagement and adapt your strategy as needed. 

Hire Experts for Your Social Media Posts

You’re now more familiar with the value of strategic social media posts. With the right design, they can inspire trust in your brand and even real sales. 

That’s why you should hire digital marketing experts like us. Learn more about how our creative design services can benefit your business and brand. 

Understanding the User Journey to Create Highly Effective Landing Pages

Do you want to make an excellent website for your business? If yes, you need to know how to create a good landing page.

Landing pages are what people see when they click on any link you’re promoting. It should catch their attention and make them want to do something on your website. This could encourage them to buy something, sign up for a newsletter, etc. 

Even leading business experts assert the value of proper landing pages. Keep reading to see how you can create web pages that generate real sales for your business. 

Know Your Target Audience

If you want to market your business online effectively, you need to know your target audience. Your target audience is the group of people who are most likely to buy your products or services. What are their buying habits and core values?

Knowing about them helps you create marketing campaigns that will resonate well. You can tailor your message, images, and calls to action to their specific needs and interests.

To identify your target audience, you should conduct market research. This can involve analyzing your website analytics if you have enough available. It might also mean conducting surveys and studying your competitors.

Once you know your audience, create content that speaks directly to them. The messaging should stay consistent in all marketing avenues. That includes blog posts, social media updates, and email marketing campaigns.

By knowing your target audience, you can increase your online engagement. This can in turn generate leads and ultimately drive more sales for your business.

Understanding the User Journey

Next, you need to know how customers interact with your business. A user journey is a step-by-step process that customers go through on your website. In the end, the purpose of the journey is to make a purchase or use a service.

Knowing the user journey can help businesses optimize their sales process. The journey includes awareness, consideration, and decision-making stages.

Customers become aware of a product or service through advertising. In the consideration stage, they research and compare options before buying. During the decision-making stage, customers make a purchase or sign up for a service.

Understanding this can help businesses identify pain points and optimize the customer experience. That’s why strategic website design is so high-value. 

Creating Effective Landing Pages

A successful landing page includes several key details. It should feature a clear headline, relevant and persuasive content, and a prominent call to action.

The design should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. The page should load quickly and be optimized for mobile devices, too.

Effective landing pages are often used for lead generation. Examples include offering a free trial or downloadable resources. In exchange, you’ll get the online user’s contact information. 

Website design experts can create the best web page to generate these leads. That’s likely why web design services are worth $11 billion already in 2023. It’s time your business invests in digital marketing strategies that work. 

Invest in Professional Design Services

Creating the perfect landing pages for your business requires a lot of fine-tuned expertise. That’s where our team can be of service. 

We specialize in helping businesses like yours expand their online reach to potential customers who will buy your products or services. Learn more about our web development services available to you now.