What digital marketing services do you provide?

As a digital marketing agency our services cover SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay-per-click), social media, content marketing, email marketing, website design and development. Not sure what any of this means? Give us a call at  618.741.5575we can talk you through the digital jargon in simple terms to help understand how choosing the right digital marketing services can benefit your business.

How do your digital marketing packages work?

All of our digital marketing services are based on a minimum 6 or 12-month contract based on a tailored package with clear goals and measuring sticks.

How much will a digital marketing package cost?

Our digital marketing packages start from $500 per month. Depending on what your digital marketing objectives are we will build you a package to help you achieve this. Looking for a new website design or website development services too? We know that when you’re starting a new business or in the early stages of growth budget is really important so if you’re at the stage of looking for the right digital marketing service for you give us a call at 618.741.5575. We may be able to offer you a special package based on what you are looking to purchase.

How do your digital marketing account services work?

All of our digital marketing clients have a dedicated Client Services Manager and Delivery team working on your account. You can contact us Monday – Friday 9 am – 6:00 pm and chat to any member of your team who will be more than happy to help. We track the progress of our work on a daily basis and you’ll receive a report and recommendations by the 5th working day of the month. We love a cold beer and slice of pizza too, with the majority of our clients having a face-to-face meeting once a month. We’re happy to call, Skype or text, whatever works for you best – or if you’re near St. Louis, I’m sure the team would be more than happy to pop over.

Do you offer digital marketing consultancy services?

Yes, we do offer digital marketing consultancy services. So whether you’re looking to create a fully-rounded digital marketing strategy or are just looking for help with SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay-per-click), display, content marketing, email campaigns or social media our team of digital marketing experts are also available on half-day or daily packages.

What happens if we part ways?

We hope that you are happy enough to stay with us. However if for any reason you do need to leave, once your initial agreed digital marketing contract period has ended all we ask for is one months’ notice.

Will I be able to edit the content of my website?

We limit the number of users to your website to prevent duplicate content and having too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. As part of our website design and development service, we will be happy to make the changes like special offers, photos, prices, etc. as needed for the first year at no cost to you. This prevents

Where do you host the websites?

We use a top-tier hosting supplier with an excellent reputation. A powerful website hosting service will not only help you achieve your overall website goals, but will also provide our clients the confidence needed in knowing that you are partnered with a reliable and secure website hosting platform.

How do you charge for your website packages?

Our website prices are based on the number of pages you require for your website along with the type of functionality you need. We also offer hosting, support and maintenance packages for once your website is live, to ensure you have access to our Helpdesk for any website requests, updates and fixes.

Can you build eCommerce websites?

Yes, Illini Marketing Consultants does build eCommerce websites.

How quickly will my website be up and running?

Generally speaking, your website will be launched within 30 days from receipt of a signed purchase order and payment, provided all necessary content and information has been supplied. If you need your new website quicker, we do offer an Express Service – details on request.

Will I be able to change the colors or company logo on my website myself?

Changes to the colors and logo will need to be made by the Illini Marketing Consultants team. Alternatively, if you need help designing a logo or any creative for your website let us know. Our in-house creative team offers a range of design services.

Can I have flash graphics?

Yes, we can produce Flash graphics for you, however, we don’t always advise this as the use of Flash does inhibit certain aspects of SEO and does not render on many Apple devices. We have a range of great alternatives which look the same, yet do not create these challenges. Please contact us for a quote at 618.741.5575.

Will my website be search engine optimized to get good results on Google?

Yes. Your website will be submitted to all the major search engines and when we build the site we pay particular attention to ensuring that all aspects of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are considered. We also review the website copy before it goes live to ensure that the copy will help drive traffic to your website and we make any minor copy amendments that will help SEO. It’s worth noting that launching a website is just the first step to driving traffic to your business online. If you’d like more information on our monthly SEO packages please give the team a call 618.741.5575.

What happens after the initial 12 month contract period?

After your website has been live for a year, you are provided with a range of service options from year two and beyond. These range from hosting only through to fully serviced, fully managed options.

Where do I get photos, images, and graphics for my website from?

You have two options. You can either provide us with images that you already own or alternatively, we can source and purchase images and graphics for you – the choice is yours. In addition we can provide high res images and graphics, however, the cost for this is dependent on image and therefore each quote is different – contact us for details.

Will I be able to see my website before it goes live?

Of course. You will be sent a test link to your website before it goes live so you can make any changes.

Can you work on SEO on any type of website?

If your website is built on a CMS (content management system) like WordPress then as long as we have administration access to the CMS then yes we can work on your SEO. If your website is not built on a CMS then please give us a call and we can see what we can do to help at 618.741.5575

My website is not responsive. Can you still help me with my SEO?

Because of ongoing changes in Google’s algorithm, we advise all clients to ensure their website is responsive before we start any work on SEO. Not responsive? Give us a quick call at 618.741.5575 and we can see what we can do for you.

How do I know if my website has good SEO?

First thing’s first we’ll run an SEO (search engine optimization) audit of your website. Essentially this is a health check to help us see where all the good and not so good areas of your SEO are both onsite and offsite. We’ll use this to help build a strategy for your SEO and our digital marketing team will send you an SEO report monthly so you can track the results of our work.

Do you adhere to search engines’ webmaster guidelines?

Illini Marketing Consultants always follows best practice when it comes to adhering to search engines’ webmaster guidelines including Google, Bing and Yahoo. We don’t buy links or purchase any ‘black hat’ SEO techniques either. Our hat is truly “white” when it comes to SEO.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online properties to generate traffic from location-based searches. It helps businesses promote products and services to local customers when they need them.

Can you guarantee my website will appear on page one of the search engines?

No one can guarantee the number one spot on the first page of Google, and always bear in mind what you want to be number one for. There are many different keywords to choose from and you need to think about which ones your target market are likely to use. Also, the search engine’s algorithms change regularly so you may find yourself on page one, one day but not the next. If you have a well -constructed search engine friendly website, keep it well maintained and updated, and create good quality backlinks from across the internet – then you will have the best possible chance of getting and keeping a good page ranking. Investing in SEO (search engine optimization) on an ongoing basis is really important to help you build your organic ranking on Google. Chat to us at 618.741.5575 if this is something you would like help with.

What’s involved in creating a content marketing strategy?

A content marketing strategy is a plan for building an audience. Elements of content marketing strategy include establishing objectives, audience personas, a value proposition, content marketing mission statement, a buyer journey map, and plans for creating, promoting and analyzing how content marketing assets and programs perform.

What content should we create?

There can be no all-encompassing answer to this question except to say you should create content buyers will find relevant and useful. Leading candidates include blog posts, articles, ebooks, infographics, microsites, videos, courses, case studies, newsletters, visuals and various forms of interactive content.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is the creation and distribution of educational and/or entertaining information assets for the purpose of generating brand awareness, traffic, leads and sales. Marketing content is generally free and does not explicitly promote your brand as an ad would.

Do I need a blog?

Email, social media, search and other elements of your digital marketing mix will depend on delivering useful content. Though video outlets, podcasts, and media galleries present other options, a blog is by far the most used tactic for distributing marketing content on a channel over which you have complete control.

How often do I need to publish blog posts or create new content?

First understand this: search engines will learn to index your site as often as you publish content. However, neither your audience or search engines value garbage content. The answer(s) to this question is you should (1) create content as often as you can create great content, and (2) you must consider your costs and ROI.

What’s better, short or long-form content?

Hmm… a hotly debated question. I submit short-form content takes its rightful place on social media channels where the audience is flying fast and taking in oodles of media. Long-form content tends to perform better on search and gives your blog more substance to help establish your expertise.

How do I get people to read our content?

Great headlines are the key to getting people to read, watch or listen to your content. Over time, however, your reputation becomes a factor too, so you need to build and honor it. I like to say, “The goal of your content is not to get people to visit your website; it’s to get people to subscribe to it.”

Can you help my business with social media?

Of course – in several different ways. The majority of our clients ask us to create a social media strategy along with ongoing content generation and engagement. – we can’t tell you who though, as the key to social media is ensuring you are publishing content that appears to come from the voice of the brand. Are you a bit overwhelmed with where to start with social media? Give us a call at 618.741.5575, we’d love to see how we can help.

How do you know what to post on social media?

Illini Marketing Consultants will work with you to build a content calendar for your social media channels. We schedule all of our strategic posts in monthly and will share with you the content before we post anything. In addition, you’ll get a regular call from us too, just to catch up on what’s happening in your business and any messages you would like us to share. Social Media is 24/7 and our team will continue to follow hashtags and trends on an ongoing basis to ensure that we pick up on any social conversations that are relevant to your business.

How do you report on social media?

Our comprehensive social media reporting covers everything from your Klout score (how engaged your social community is), social impressions, social reach, and demographics. Our reporting is delivered to clients monthly so you can see the fruits of our labor and how it’s built brand awareness and engagement for your business.

Can you also do sponsored social media campaigns?

Sponsored advertising within social media channels is becoming increasingly popular with brands who want to target a specific message to a group of individuals. Illini Marketing Consultants have expertise in running sponsored social media campaigns across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Can you help me set up a PPC campaign?

You will need a Google AdWords account to be able to run a PPC (pay-per-click) campaign. Once you have signed up, our PPC experts can set up the campaign for you. This will be based on your key objectives, keywords, target audience, and geographical target market. Need some help to set up your AdWords account? Give the team a call at 618.741.5575 and we’ll be happy to guide you through the process. It’s fairly simple to do.

How do you set a budget for PPC?

Our PPC (pay-per-click) experts will work with you to determine a level of spend for your PPC campaign. We use Google AdWords to assess the competitiveness of the market and will suggest a minimum and maximum budget to invest in. On an ongoing basis, we will then optimize your campaign to ensure that we are making the most of your budget to generate a good return on investment.

How does payment for PPC campaigns work?

Illini Marketing Consultants charge a one-off fee for setting up a PPC (pay-per-click) campaign and then a monthly management fee. We don’t tend to run automated campaigns as it’s much more effective to optimize your budget on a daily basis. Any spend you do make on search terms will be paid directly to Google, straight from your Google AdWords account.

Is PPC expensive?

PPC (pay-per-click) doesn’t have to be expensive if you set up and optimize your campaigns correctly. It’s all about being intelligent with your targeting and keywords and ensuring you’re monitoring performance closely. You can pause campaigns at any point too so if we find a particular search term is becoming too competitive, there’s always the option to stop and review.

Is email marketing still effective?

Email is stronger than ever. It’s more popular than any social media. It’s more private. More personal. More reliable. Most people rely on email and check their inbox multiple times each day. If you want to communicate directly with people who actually grant you permission to market to them, email is marketing is essential. If you’d like more information on the effectiveness of email marketing please give the team a call 618.741.5575.

Should I buy an email list to get started?

Only if you want to waste your money and get in the SPAM business. Most email service providers don’t allow you to use purchased lists. You need to grow your email organically (see the lead magnet question). A small list of real prospects has more value than a large list of strangers.

What is lead nurturing?

Lead nurturing is marketing to prospects—usually via email—to move them further “down the funnel” and keep them involved and engaged with your brand. Consistently interacting at key points during the sales process will inevitably improve conversion rates and drive sales. If you’d like more information on our email marketing campaigns please give the team a call 618.741.5575.

Do I need an email newsletter?

It’s wise to send regular updates your subscribers with news of new content, new products (or improvements), events, and so forth. It’s not wise to expect your email list to expand fast simply by offering a newsletter.