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Cloud hosting is the perfect solution for websites that want to scale. If you’re a small business and want to know what provider to choose, you’ve come to the right place.

Cloud computing, in general, is a huge market. It generates more than $30 billion in 2020, and it’s projected to reach $552 billion by 2027, according to Statista.

With cloud hosting, you’ll enjoy a ton of resources from a variety of sources to create a robust and efficient virtual server.

Contrast this with shared hosting — where your site goes down as soon as the server is down. But if a cloud server is experiencing downtime, other servers in the same network up the slack. 

Small businesses and growing websites that need an excellent balance between an affordable and high-performance server can benefit a lot from cloud-based hosts. 

What is Cloud Hosting?

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting solution whereby a website is stored on multiple servers, which allows you to utilize resources from a wide range of servers to deliver optimal performance.

Cloud services have grown in adoption in recent years. According to the Hosting Tribunal, “Companies invest about a third of their IT budget to cloud services.”

The availability of server resources makes cloud hosting solutions a very reliable, flexible, and scalable web hosting service. Sites that experience spikes and dips in traffic, for example, will benefit so much from this type of hosting. 

All things being equal, good hosting can help you make more money in your business. 

If you need more flexibility in your hosting package, cloud hosting is the ideal choice. You can consider this as a pay-as-you-go mobile: which lets you decide your resource limits every month and pay accordingly. 

Are you getting ready for a busy month? Do you expect hundreds of thousands and even millions of visitors to your website? Cloud hosting can help you weather the storm — regardless of the amount of traffic coming to your website. 

You’ll find hundreds of cloud-based hosting providers online. However, choosing the right one that will meet your website’s needs can be daunting.  

To help you make a well-informed decision, here are the 5+ cloud hosting services for small business owners:

Best Cloud Hosting Providers and Services

1. A2 Hosting: Best cloud hosting provider.
2. Cloudways: Managed cloud hosting service
3. SiteGround: Easy to use features.
4. xCloud: Fast cloud hosting platform
5. Hostwinds: Affordable cloud hosting solution.
6. InMotion Hosting: Excellent customer support.
7. HostGator: Unmetered Storage.

1. Cloudways

As the name implies, Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform that helps you stay focused on your business, and not worry about downtime. 

If you’re a growing agency or you run an eCommerce business, Cloudways could be a perfect choice. That’s why eCommerce brands like Boohoo, Revolve, and several others choose cloud-based hosting solutions.

What I like about Cloudways:

Cloudways is a strong rival to A2 Hosting. Depending on what your hosting needs are, its robust cloud-based server will serve your website to the target audience.

This provider is very versatile and allows you to deploy your cloud servers from any of the 25 global locations, you can also choose your region and city. 

Your website will always be closer to the servers. This can improve page speed and overall performance. This also makes Cloudways’ plans to be more affordable than the competitors’. 

Your chosen data center will determine the price you eventually pay. You could use this map generator to build a network of the data points you’re using. Feel free to choose between monthly or hourly pricing plans, depending on what goals you wish to achieve with your website. 

For instance, the basic plan for a Digital Ocean data center in New York costs $10/month. 

This pricing is similar to those of other locations, including San Francisco, London, and a few other cities. However, if you want more flexibility, you could access the same plan and data center for a pay-as-you-go rate of $0.0139/hour.

What could be improved?

Cloudways offers excellent and reliable customer support across its plans, as well as a 24/7 live chat and easy ticketing system.

However, you’re required to sign up for one or two paid support plans if you want access to more advanced features. When you pay $100/month, for example, you’ll get an Advanced support plan, which includes site monitoring and investigations, in addition to customization help.

To gain access to 24/7 phone support, though, you’re required to scale up to the Premium support plan, with pricing starting at $500/month.

2. A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is a popular web hosting company, offering cloud-based hosting packages to help you grow and scale your small business website.

What I like about A2 Hosting:

A2 Hosting offers reliable and cheap cloud hosting solutions. It’s our #1 preferred provider for easy-to-use features. It also offers a money-back guarantee — which is missing in most providers.

This hosting provider is affordable, with cloud plans starting at $4.99/month. The uptime performance is 99.95%, however, you get a wealth of handy features. It offers plans that ensure peace of mind, even while you’re sleeping or out on a vacation.

Some of the features include 250 GB of storage, 32 GB of RAM, 12 CPU cores, and you’re allowed to host multiple (unlimited) websites — a feature that’s not common in some cloud hosting providers.

What could be improved?

It doesn’t offer SSL certificates. You’ll have to pay for this as an add-on. Also, there’s no free domain name. However, the pricing starts at $4.99/month, which is quite cheap.

Improving its customer support is also important. They can offer live chat sessions, phone calls (integrated with a predictive dialer) so that users can get their questions answered as quickly as possible.

3. Siteground

Siteground is arguably one of the widely used cloud hosting providers. It currently has 2 million+ domains hosted. Its cloud hosting service is most ideal for high-performing websites.

What I like about SiteGround:

Siteground offers amazing support via phone, email, and live chat. It boasts a 99.98% uptime and easy-to-use features. You can’t go entirely wrong when you choose Siteground. It’s a hugely reliable provider, with an overall score of 4.6/5. 

You also get a ton of Google tools to help you integrate and optimize your website.

What could be improved?

While Siteground is an amazing web hosting company, it falls short on some angles. First, it doesn’t give users free domain names when they sign up for any of its plans. 

Getting a free domain name could be the motivation that a person or business needs to start their website. Many hosting providers such as Bluehost and Hostgator provide free domain names.

Second, Siteground is a bit costly. The starting price of $80 could discourage beginners from signing up. If you’re using a shared plan, this price will feel like a big leap. 

That said, Siteground offers reliable cloud hosting plans — a great uptime, responsive support, and 5TB bandwidth make it a go-to resource for site owners. 

4. xCloud

xCloud is a full-featured server management and control panel that has been designed to make the processes involved in setting up, deploying, and managing WordPress websites simple.

What I like about xCloud:

Redis caching’s features are employed by xCloud to deliver quick site performance. Whether you’re using the core WordPress plugins or popular ones like WooCommerce, our precisely calibrated caching settings make sure that your visitors get the performance they want. Users are happier when webpages load faster, and xCloud does just that.

Each team may send up to 100 emails for free with xCloud Managed Email services, offering an affordable option for efficient communication. Because of this functionality, your team may stay connected without paying extra, which makes xCloud a cost-effective and convenient option for email communication management.

You can automatically update WordPress core, plugins, and themes with xCloud, ensuring that your website always has the newest features and security patches. By making maintenance easier, our user-friendly platform frees up your time so you can concentrate more on creating content and less on technical details.

What could be improved?

xCloud is a top web hosting provider with outstanding offerings. Comparing it to competitors, nevertheless, shows that there is still scope for improvement in terms of advanced features. The pricing model is one area that may be improved because it could be difficult for new users to understand the various price options and durations. Making the price structure simpler can make the experience easier for users to navigate.

5. Hostwinds

Hostwinds offers shared, dedicated, VPS, and cloud hosting solutions to small businesses. If you’re looking for a low-priced hosting plan with fast servers, you might want to consider Hostwinds.

What I like about Hostwinds:

Hostwinds offers some amazing features on its cloud plans, including RAM, bandwidth, and storage. It also comes with a one-click install option for WordPress, or you can choose to design your site using Wix or Shopify. 

So there’s no need to hire a freelancer or start to write codes if you don’t want to.

The amazing aspect of this hosting provider is the hourly pricing structure. As an example, the basic cloud hosting plan starts at $0.006931/hour, while the most advanced cloud plan begins at $0.456931/hour. 

The total amounts are $4.99 and $328.99/month respectively. Hostwinds also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee — which is longer than what most hosts provide. 

What could be improved?

While Hostwinds offer a decent value for your money, it lacks some of the advanced features that you’d get with a more expensive provider like Cloudways. Again, it doesn’t offer free domains, free backups, and server customization.

6. InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting is a powerful and reliable cloud hosting provider that helps you grow your small business website. You get premium hosting features with responsive 24/7 customer support and a 99.99% uptime rate.

What I like about InMotion:

InMotion is well-respected for its shared and VPS hosting solutions, but that doesn’t mean its cloud-based hosting isn’t right for your business?

Small businesses involved in manufacturing use this hosting provider. Ecommerce businesses, local businesses have made InMotion their preferred cloud host.

The most striking feature is customer support. 

You get access to a 24/7 live chat and phone support, a comprehensive knowledge center that answers the most common questions, and help tickets — when you need to contact the support team. 

The features are welcoming — as it offers free domains and backups, unmetered CPU cores, root access, unlimited email accounts, and websites, and some other advanced features to make your website hosting truly remarkable.  

What could be improved?

InMotion has its fair share of negatives as well. For one, the RAM is fairly low and capped at 8GB. It also has a limited bandwidth, which could negatively affect your website if there’s a sudden traffic surge. 

7. Hostgator

Hostgator has been providing cheap and trusted web hosting solutions for more than 2 decades. It offers great features and cost-effective cloud hosting to small businesses.

Hostgator is one of the most affordable hosting options on this list. You can even use the handy tools to optimize your photos before using them in your page — to increase page speed.

What I like about Hostgator:

First, it offers flexible cloud hosting plans that small business owners can choose from. Here’s a breakdown:

Hatchling Plan:

• Starting at $4.95
• 2 CPUs
• Baby Plan
• 2 GB of memory
• Single domain

• Starting at $6.57
• 4 CPUs
• Unlimited domains
• Business Plan
• 4 GB of memory

• Starting at $9.95
• 6 GB of memory
• 6 CPUs
• Unlimited domains

Remember that these rates cover a 36-month contract. As you can see, the rates are cheaper than the actual price, which you’re expected to pay when you renew your plan. 

You’ll get a free SSL certificate regardless of your chosen plan. For the Business plan, you’ll get a dedicated IP, free domain, and free SEO tools as well.

Hostgator has a clean and easy-to-use dashboard. Here, you can monitor how your website is performing. It’s a lot easier to view data related to page speed, reach, uptime, etc. 

You can easily scale your server resources with Hostgator. All you need is one click, and you’ll not have to worry about reboots, downtime, or data migrations.  

Hostgator can improve its services even more by offering a customer experience course and treating international customers a lot better. This is to cater for users who don’t understand the English language, a quick tutoring support could help them communicate with this set of users better.

Benefits Of Cloud Hosting

So why should you choose cloud hosting? Is it the right hosting solution for your website? 

Let’s consider some of the benefits of cloud hosting to help you make well-informed decisions: 

1. Server Performance

Cloud hosting and its technology is a great option for load balancing. Your website will perform at its best since you’re using several data centers scattered across virtual machines. 

This is different from shared hosting that uses a single physical server, and thus, could slow down your performance.  

With cloud-based hosting, you can utilize a ton of resources to efficiently handle traffic spikes without losing speed. 

2. Server Availability

Server downtimes are never a good thing, especially if you’re making money off of your website. 

The beauty of cloud hosting is that it doesn’t tie you to a single server. 

Even if a machine goes down – your uptime will remain unaffected. You can see how that configuration is the perfect approach to frustrating a hacker. 

3. Security

Website security is a good reason to choose a cloud hosting provider. Safety is critical, not just for you, but for your site visitors as well. 

Most cloud hosting providers have come to terms with the fact that security is important — hence, they ensure their setup and features are in line with the latest security standards. 

Server security is important for every type of business: a local restaurant website, a nonprofit site, a medical practice portal, a fitness site, a meal planning app, or even a serviceman’s website need to be secure at all times for the user.

Some of the measures put in place include DDoS protection, remote server backups, SSL certificate, anti-spam filters, malware protection, and other ways of protecting the cloud server, making it impenetrable, and protecting your online privacy.

In the future, though, cloud hosting companies may add an extra layer of security to their server, which may require a barcode software feature or other essential tools to unlock.

4. Scalability

Cloud hosting is suitable for small businesses and websites that want to scale. It gives you access to useful and on-demand resources — which helps you reposition your business with growth in mind.  

If you’re looking for more gigabytes of space or you’d prefer another CPU core to accomplish more processing power, then you should consider using cloud hosting solutions.

Even the cheap solutions tend to support steady website growth than any shared hosting package can do.

Web hosting companies also have a responsibility to educate their customers via online webinars and tutorial videos. They can show them ways to scale their business, and the features/tools that are accessible to them.

Marketing is equally important. Small businesses can get more traffic and links by pitching the top quality blogs that accept guest posts or target media sites like Entrepreneur, Inc., Fast Company, etc. 

Essentially, using exit popups to re-engage visitors before they close their browser is also a great email marketing tactic to adopt if you want to scale your small business.

5. Customization

If you’re looking for more flexibility when it comes to customizing your website and its system, the cloud hardware environment allows you to optimize your business. 

If you have gained some administrative skills, you can do a lot of magic with the customization feature in most cloud hosting services. 

But if you’re a complete newbie, you can take advantage of the fully managed services offered by these cloud hosts.

6. Flexible Pricing

A cloud hosting platform allows you to scale your business. You can tap into the robust server resources to improve your site performance. 

There’s no need to pay for services you’re not using to their fullest when you can easily control how much you’re spending each month. 

While shared hosting and VPS servers offer fixed pricing, it’s a fact that most customers don’t even utilize more than 10% of their account resources. 

Do the maths and you’ll agree with me that cloud hosting services save you a ton of money and resources. This is yet another reason why you should consider using this type of hosting.

Conclusion 

You’ve read through to the end, I appreciate your discipline and patience. 

I’m sure this review of the best cloud hosting services for small businesses has given you some insights on how cloud computing can help you start and grow your online business, and ensure that your website is always active and fast. 

At the very least, you now know the benefits of cloud hosting and the best providers offering the most reliable cloud technology.

If you’re new to cloud hosting service, I’d recommend you start with A2 Hosting since it offers affordable plans, great features, and excellent customer support. 

When you’re ready to dive deeper into the world of cloud technology, then you should consider Cloudways.

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Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

The post 5+ Best Cloud Hosting Services for Small Business appeared first on noupe.

Everything, and everyone, is fast-paced, making it a struggle for many marketing departments to keep up with rapidly changing market trends and audience demands. However, agile marketing is ready to make sure you are not running behind competitors.

The approach’s flexibility will empower you to quickly adapt and respond to boost your marketing strategies. How does it do that?

In this article, you will get the answer to that question and dig deeper into its core values. We will also explore agile marketing methodologies to look out for. Plus, we will dive into how you can deal with the challenges of this iterative approach. 

By the end of this read, you will have a full grasp of its fundamentals to help you develop a mindset shift that can transform the way your team operates. With actionable insights, you can guarantee that your marketing strategies stay practical and relevant in 2024.

What Is Agile Marketing & What Are Its Core Values?

As its name suggests, agile marketing is a dynamic approach that transforms traditional methods into an adaptable and fast-paced process. It lets you adjust your strategies actively and respond quickly to market changes.

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With the agile framework, your marketing teams can say goodbye to the “set and forget” mindset that can slow your growth goals. This approach also prevents you from setting a course and sticking to it, come what may.

Here are the 5 core values from the Agile Marketing Manifesto to understand it further.

I. Focus On Customer Value & Business Outcomes Over Activity & Outputs

Shift your effort, time, and resources to what matters: your customers and your business’s growth goals.

To have effective marketing programs, your team’s mindset should move away from mindlessly checking off tasks or doing more just to look productive. Instead, make sure that every marketing strategy output (i.e., individual and team tasks) directly contributes to your intended business outcomes or results.

Additionally, set clear goals based on customer needs and business objectives. Then, develop your campaign in stages. Adopt an iterative process and break down your big campaign ideas into smaller, manageable chunks.

Consider that you have to run an email marketing campaign to increase a client’s online course enrollments. Set a specific goal like this:

• Increase sign-ups by 20% in three months.

Then, break down the campaign into stages. Start with an introduction email showcasing the course value, followed by success stories and testimonials, and conclude with a limited-time discount offer to encourage sign-ups.

After each stage, evaluate how it aligns with customer needs and your growth objectives. With this, you can respond and adjust your tactics as needed to provide the most value to your audience and company. 

II. Deliver Value Early & Often Over Waiting For Perfection

As a marketing leader, applying the agile approach means keeping your marketing process at a constant pace without being bogged down in pursuit of perfection. Strive to do your best, but do not let that chase be counterproductive. Instead, focus on progress and deliver value when you can. 

For instance, as an agile marketing team, aim to streamline the process to get your marketing campaigns live. You can reduce delays without needing dozens of approvals and keep the momentum going. Then, if there is feedback, refine it on the go.

Doing this helps you avoid analysis paralysis — that trap of overthinking every detail. Make iterative improvements to make your team more dynamic and result-oriented.

III. Learn Through Experiments & Data Over Opinions & Conventions

If you are a marketer, the Agile Marketing Manifesto encourages you to try new things based on experiments and data. 

Take, for instance, making your website more interactive as part of your digital marketing campaign. Instead of sticking to the traditional playbook, why not experiment with interactive elements like quizzes or games? 

To do this, launch an A/B test to monitor user engagement and collect data on how these features perform. With the results, you get data and real-world insights on which version or elements perform the best and boost your conversions. 

Then, let your creative teams further innovate and tweak those elements to fine-tune your website before the grand launch.

IV. Cross-Functional Collaboration Over Silos & Hierarchies

This agile marketing value is about project managers and teams from various departments joining forces to share valuable insights and drive process improvements. 

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For example, if you want to develop a high-performance culture, partner with the HR team. Together, you can improve talent engagement and build a working environment where frequent feedback and open communication are the norms. 

Thus, you can have responsive and engaged team members who thrive creatively and are productive.

V. Respond To Change Over Following A Static Plan

While rigid, long-term plans are the bread and butter of traditional marketing, responding to change swiftly is the dynamic shift that comes with the agile process. 

To succeed with this agile value, start with backlog refinement. Continuously update your marketing backlog as you glean new insights from previous marketing campaigns or market trends. 

Moreover, feel free to remove something from your plan if you know it is not working or is not delivering the expected results anymore. You can better spend your time and resources on other areas of your strategy that will put you ahead of the curve. 

Following this discussion, let’s move on to the 3 agile marketing methodologies. Each agile methodology will provide a roadmap to help you navigate marketing with precision and flexibility.

Mastering Agile Marketing: 2 Key Methodologies Transforming The Industry

Agile methodologies are not just frameworks; they provide a structure that lets you be more flexible, responsive, efficient, and creative. Knowing the ideal methodology for you will empower you to drive continuous improvement in your campaigns.

Identify which will work best for you and look out for the different ways you can apply these agile methods.

1. Scrum

This framework encourages you to break big projects into sprints lasting 1 to 4 weeks to maximize your marketing agility. With this, you can adapt at a constant pace seamlessly.

3 Roles Within The Scrum Framework

1.1. Product Owner

This role is typically assigned to senior marketing leaders since they act as the clients’ or stakeholders’ voice within the team. The product owner translates the stakeholders’ needs and expectations into clear objectives.

They guarantee that the team’s efforts are perfectly in sync with what the customer envisions and what will bring the most value to the business. Plus, product owners help make sure the team is doing the right task at the right time.

For instance, let’s say you are a Product Owner for a brand’s Christmas campaign. Your task is to turn the client’s vision of a ‘magical winter wonderland’ theme into reality.

Sit down with stakeholders to absorb their ideas of twinkling lights and cozy, heartwarming gifts. With a clear vision, you can set clear objectives for your team like:

• Design an interactive website feature, like a chatbot.
• Create a captivating social media ad series that encapsulates the holidays’ warmth.

You prioritize tasks to make sure the team develops the ad concepts and then the website feature to align every step with the festive theme.

1.2. Scrum Master

Scrum masters coach the team in adhering to Scrum’s core principles. They help make sure that every aspect of the project aligns with agile practices. Here are the skills to be a productive scrum master:

In addition, they are the group’s problem-solvers. When obstacles pop up, their job involves smoothing out the bumps in the road. For example, the marketing team is working on a project with a shorter timescale, and they hit a snag with a digital tool.

The Scrum Master should fix the issue and maintain continuous attention to the team’s workflow and morale. Doing this helps the team stay on track and focus on delivering their best work.

1.3. Developer/Team

Developers are the doers who turn the strategies and campaigns to life. They execute the tasks and collaborate to become agile marketers who know how to blend creativity with efficiency. 

For instance, let’s say you are a developer tasked to launch a social media campaign. You self-organize and collaborate with other developers to tackle the graphic design, write the copy, and analyze the insights post-launch.

4 Meeting Types Under Scrum Methodology

1.4. Sprint Planning

This is where the magic begins for your marketing projects in Scrum. Every project stakeholder dives into the product backlog to identify and decide what to tackle in the upcoming sprint. 

More than that, this is where the strategizing starts, namely, how to execute the tasks effectively and efficiently. This is also when you assign who is responsible for what task and outline what they have to do.

Sprint planning meetings can be extensive, so it is best to dedicate at least 1 hour per sprint week. So, for a 2-week sprint, that is at least 2 hours. What is important is that you have plenty of time to align your team’s focus, set clear objectives, and gear up for a productive sprint.

1.5. Daily Scrum Or Daily Standup Meeting

These daily standup meetings let each member share what tasks they completed the previous day and what is on their plate today. Moreover, this is when you can nip a problem in the bud. Let your team share issues slowing them down and swiftly address them. 

For example, let’s say the sprint week focuses on tasks to highlight your client’s pet insurance cost-effectiveness. During your daily standups, you mentioned hitting a roadblock yesterday when underscoring the brand’s affordability without compromising perceived value.

Hearing this, a teammate, fresh from reviewing customer feedback and marketing metrics, shares that customers prioritize transparency and value for money. Use these insights to refine your approach and emphasize the low costs and comprehensive coverage your client’s pet insurance provides. With this, you address the target audience’s concerns and needs.

1.6. Sprint Review

These are meetings where your agile team’s efforts come to light. Everyone in the meeting can share what they achieved throughout the sprint. For instance, let’s say you focused on launching a new social media marketing campaign.

Your accomplishment during the sprint? A series of engaging social media posts, increased follower engagement rates, and the analytics to back it up. With this, your team highlights the tasks completed and their impact. 

1.7. Sprint Retrospective

In this, your team dives into a retrospective meeting to turn continuous feedback into actionable plans. With this approach, your team goes beyond patting each other’s back for a job well done. It lets you tackle challenges proactively and set the stage for more efficient future sprints.

Take, for example, a recent sprint focused on amplifying SEO efforts for a brand. The innovative use of analytics and keyword strategies significantly increased web traffic. Yet, the conversion rate did not meet expectations. 

In your collaborative meeting, a solution emerges. The team will refine the call-to-action (CTA) messages and optimize landing pages for better user engagement. This tactical shift will make promoting the SEO agency more effective and result-oriented.

2. Kanban

For marketing teams that prefer visual cues, Kanban provides you with a board with sticky notes or cards that represent each task. You can move each task in your marketing project across this board to give you a real-time view of progress. 

To maximize Kanban agile marketing, here are the 3 main components you need to anchor this methodology.

2.1. Develop Your Visual Workflow

Before anything else, create your visual workflow first. Treat it like a mission control board that you can split into columns like ‘To Do,’ ‘Doing,’ and ‘Done’ to make your iterative campaigns come to life. 

You can create more columns to mirror your process if you have more complex marketing projects:

Thus, you can track what is in progress and what is next and identify any bottlenecks. Plus, the whole team will stay informed and aligned since other members can access the boards. You can also use Kanban to make sure everyone is working at a sustainable pace.

2.2. Set Work In Progress (WIP) Limits

In Kanban, these limit the number of tasks in various stages like ‘In Progress’ to make sure everyone concentrates on finishing current tasks before picking up new ones. This prevents overwhelming the team and reduces the risk of low-quality outputs.

For instance, let’s say your task is to write an article to educate readers about the best search fund investors. An article like this requires accuracy and depth, so put a limit in the “In Progress” column to 3 tasks, which are:

• Drafting investor profiles
• Researching investor backgrounds
• Analyzing their investment patterns

With WIP limits, you can only start writing after fully understanding each investor’s strength. Plus, this will stop you from jumping into other article-related tasks like digital asset creation. Without juggling tasks, you can guarantee that your article is informative, engaging, well-structured, and highlights the unique aspects of each search fund investor.

2.3. Kanban Meetings

Meetings breathe life into your agile marketing efforts, albeit in a more fluid format than Scrum. For example, the daily standups will focus on the workflow’s movement across the board instead of individual updates. 

The meeting leader can dive into the specifics of the boards if feedback is needed or to keep everyone aligned. Plus, this helps you identify bottlenecks and make quick adjustments. After the project wraps up, the team should gather to provide insights to refine the project process and improve future marketing tasks.

With that, you can choose the ideal methodology to boost your agile marketing approach. But not everything will be perfect, and challenges may come your way. However, there is no need to worry. The following section will help you deal with issues.

3 Agile Marketing Challenges You Need To Look Out For

The agile marketing framework keeps you on your toes. Thus, you will encounter a few hurdles that could sway your course. Be aware of these challenges to guide you in navigating them effectively.

A. Lack Of Clear Vision & Goals

Without well-defined goals and a clear vision, you lose sight of what you strive to achieve. It renders your agile marketing approach futile since no matter how fast you respond, you will only be effective if your efforts are cohesive. 

To avoid this, set concrete and measurable goals from the get-go. Consider that you are running an SEO campaign. 

Define a specific goal, like increasing organic traffic by 40% over the next quarter. Then, break this down into smaller, manageable tasks like keyword optimization, content creation, and backlink strategy.

Additionally, do regular check-ins and review the campaign’s progress to keep the team aligned and focused. This approach transforms your SEO campaign into a cohesive operation since each action purposefully steers your digital marketing strategies forward.

B. Resistance To Change

Agile marketing practices revolve around being flexible, quick, and responsive — a stark contrast to traditional, rigid marketing methods. For some, a mindset shift is challenging for various reasons, like losing a sense of stability or a daunting learning curve.

So, foster a culture that embraces change to tackle this resistance. Tell them about the benefits of agile practices and show case studies highlighting how they result in more successful and dynamic marketing strategies.

Additionally, provide continuous training and workshops to help them understand and get comfortable with these new agile approaches. When they see the agile marketing process’ positive outcomes, like increased adaptability to market trends and quicker project completion, they will embrace the new mindset.

C. Breakdown In Communication

When communication fails, misalignments and misunderstandings follow closely to prevent your marketing functions and deliverables from moving forward. So, treat communication as the glue that holds everything and everyone together through the success path.

How do you prevent communication breakdowns?

Conduct regular meetings to prevent issues from getting bigger and keep everyone on the same page. This helps foster an open communication culture that bridges any gaps. 

You should also establish clear communication channels. Leverage tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to keep your cross-functional team connected and on track.

To go further, hire a communications graduate or expert. They can act as a communication hub for your agile marketing department and make sure everyone understands their roles and tasks. Plus, they can relay updates and changes effectively and concisely. With this, the transition to agile marketing becomes smoother.

Conclusion

Today, consumer preferences and the market landscape shift overnight. You need to think on your feet, so agile marketing is the ideal approach to dealing with evolving demands and trends.  

To maximize its impact, understand what agile marketing entails to be effective. Through its values and methodologies, you can have a broader view of applying it within your team and staying competitive.

However, be wary of the challenges and continuously review your agile marketing approach. Doing this lets you determine what works and what does not in your process. For instance, is the Kanban methodology working out for you? Is it time to look at Scrum further?

With that, are you ready to transform your marketing team?
Make Noupe a part of your daily routine and stay updated with the latest in business, marketing, and more. With thousands of articles within your reach, you can keep up with competitors and enhance your strategies. Do not wait any longer, and start reading today.

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The post Everything You Need To Know About Agile Marketing In 2024 appeared first on noupe.

QR code marketing is leading the charge in 2023. These digital wonders, crafted using QR code generators, offer direct gateways from tangible products to the vast online world. 

Ever spotted a product and wanted to know more? Most likely, a QR code was there, waiting to dish out all the juicy details. This speed and simplicity make QR codes a marketer’s dream tool.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to use this tool effectively. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, let’s explore how these codes can elevate your marketing strategies this year.

What Are QR Codes?

QR codes, or “Quick Response” codes, are those small square graphics you’ve likely seen on ads, products, or event tickets. At their core, they’re two-dimensional barcodes. They can be scanned using a smartphone user’s camera, and they often link to a website, product page, video, or other digital content.

For businesses, it’s a smart way to contactless share, track, and engage. In fact, by 2025, it’s expected that QR code scanning will expand to 99.5 million in 2025. Their integration into print ads and other marketing collateral has changed the face of the marketing industry. 

But how exactly are these being leveraged in the intricate retail marketing world? It goes beyond just email marketing campaigns.

8 Ways You Can Use QR Codes In Marketing 

Let’s explore the most effective and creative ways you can leverage these in your marketing goals:

1. Direct To Your Online Presence

Today, consumers crave information at their fingertips. QR codes are your secret weapon to deliver just that. 

Imagine a shopper intrigued by a new skincare product in your store. While the label tells them the basics, they’re eager to know more: 

• How effective is it? 
• Are there any video tutorials? 
• What do other users have to say? 

In the same way, consider more complex home equipment like solar panel kits or inverters. Someone might be interested in a compact solar kit and want to delve deeper into its specifications, installation guide, or customer testimonials. 

Strategically place a QR code to lead them straight to these details, saving them the manual search hassle. When you add a QR code to your product or its shelf, it’s like opening a direct portal to your online universe. 

A study by MobileIron found that QR code usage surged by 58% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 67% agree that QR codes make life easier in a touchless world. This showcases how consumers are readily embracing this technology.

Consider the success of a brand like L’Oreal. They incorporated QR codes, leading shoppers to video tutorials on how to apply their makeup products. This provides value and enhances the shopping experience, which, in turn, boosts sales.

Your website is filled with valuable insights: deep product details, candid customer online reviews, and engaging demo videos. When you leverage QR codes, you offer your in-store shoppers a more enriched, multi-dimensional experience. If you’re running any online-exclusive promotions, a simple scan makes sure your in-store customers remain in the loop. 

2. Collect Valuable Customer Insights

Code campaigns are not just about providing information but also about collecting first-party data. When customers scan a QR code, they don’t just get information. You do, too.

Each scan can reveal where they found the code when they scanned it, what device they used, and even how long they interacted with the content it linked to.

Consider a cafe that introduces a new seasonal drink. They quickly gather feedback by using a QR code linked to a short survey on their table tents. Questions like, “How did you like our new Pumpkin Spice Latte?” or “What other flavors would you recommend?” can offer direct insights. 

As more people scan and give feedback, the cafe can adjust its menu to what customers really want. Plus, using Jotform’s data collection methods with QR codes makes collecting this feedback easy and improves the whole experience for customers.

With QR codes, you can also track long-term trends. Notice a spike in scans during a particular month? Maybe it’s tied to a seasonal trend or a marketing campaign. Or perhaps a drop in scans? It might be time to rethink where and how you’re displaying those codes.

3. Promote Exclusive Savings

Everyone loves a good deal, and QR codes are a brilliant way to hand out exclusive savings directly to your customers. It’s like giving them a secret key to unlock special offers.

In fact, according to a study by Juniper Research, QR coupon redemptions are projected to hit $5.3 billion by 2024. This proves that people are not just scanning QR codes; they’re using them to save money.

For instance, imagine you’re walking into your favorite clothing store and spot a QR code next to the latest summer collection. You scan it, and you’ve got an exclusive 20% off just for you. This makes customers feel valued and also encourages immediate purchases.

QR codes also let you track which deals are most popular. For instance, by using a QR code linked to a sport nutritious site, customers can compare two different pre-workout supplements. If you see everyone scanning the QR code for a particular discount, you’ll know which supplement is a hit, and you can use that info for future promotions.

For businesses, this isn’t just about giving away discounts. It’s a strategic move to get insights into what your customers love while driving sales and fostering brand loyalty.

4. Engage Passerby With Dynamic-Window Interactions

Imagine walking by a store window, and instead of just a static display, there’s a QR code inviting you to interact. That’s the power of dynamic-window interactions. It turns regular windows into gateways of engagement, tempting passersby to dive deeper into what you offer, even when the store’s closed.

A study by Grand View Research revealed that the global market for interactive display screens is expected to reach $70.06 billion by 2030. This growth hints at the average user’s increasing desire for interactive experiences while shopping.

Take, for instance, a shoe store. It’s after hours, but a QR code on the window showcases a teaser like “Scan to see our latest collection in action.” A passerby scans it and gets redirected to a video showcasing the shoes on different terrains. This keeps the customer engaged while also creating a memorable brand experience.

Or think of a cafe that’s about to introduce a new menu item. Their window QR code links to a sneak peek with mouth-watering images or even a special discount for those who scan and come back during operating hours.

The beauty of dynamic-window interactions is that they make use of spaces often overlooked in traditional marketing. They create an interactive, 24/7 marketing opportunity, making sure that even after hours, you can connect, engage, and excite potential customers. 

5. Capture & Nurture Potential Buyers 

QR codes transform how you connect with potential customers. They aren’t just about giving quick information. Instead, they provide a strategic way to build and maintain a relationship with people who show interest in a product or service. 

For instance, at a tech exhibition, a gadget may come with a QR code for an in-depth video review. After the review, viewers could be prompted to sign up for a newsletter, giving the business a direct line to share more related content, updates, or exclusive offers.

This strategy is about understanding a potential buyer’s interest and catering to it so they receive relevant information that nudges them closer to a purchase.

Now, let’s think about products where customers often seek assurance. Say you offer medical safety equipment tailored for the elderly. A well-placed QR code next to these products can be a bridge to trusted review platforms. 

When customers scan, they get directed to credible sites with in-depth reviews and comparisons. This added layer of validation empowers them, bolstering their confidence in making a purchase decision. 

6. Boost Event Participation With Easy Registration

With a simple scan, they remove barriers, making it easier for attendees to get involved and for organizers to communicate effectively. According to Juniper Research, global spending through QR code payments is projected to reach $3.3 trillion by 2025, from $2.5 in 2022. That’s over half, signaling a clear shift towards digital integration in the event space.

For example, let’s say you’re hosting a music festival. Instead of just listing band schedules on large boards, you could place QR codes at entry points. Attendees can scan these to get real-time updates on performances and food stall locations or even access interactive festival maps. 

This not only keeps everyone informed but also adds a layer of interactivity to the experience. Similarly, for a business conference, QR codes on name badges can instantly link to a person’s LinkedIn profile or company website, simplifying networking.

7. Expand Your Email Community

QR codes simplify the process of joining an email community. With just a scan, customers can bypass tedious forms and instantly become part of your brand’s network.

Take a scenario at a digital trade show. A booth showcases tools for online trading.  Instead of distributing pamphlets, there’s a prominent QR code. 

With a quick scan, you’re taken to Whop where you can discover, buy, and sell a myriad of digital products and memberships. A moment later, you’ve joined their email list, getting direct access to specialized tools and exclusive offers. 

Placing QR codes at events, in stores, or on packaging can be a game-changer to enlarge your email outreach. It’s convenient for customers and a growth avenue for brands.

8. Educate Your Audience With Valuable Information

Customers want information, and QR codes are the instant solution. Instead of handing out pamphlets or only relying on staff, use QR codes to direct customers to the details they need.

Place QR codes next to products. One scan can connect them to how-to videos, comprehensive product specifications, or firsthand user experiences.

For example, a customer interested in digestive supplements can scan a QR code and immediately access articles on insights about digestive health. The same goes for other products: from electronics to skincare, a QR code can instantly provide customers with relevant and in-depth information. It’s like having an on-demand digital guide right at their fingertips.

5 Best Practices For QR Code Marketing

To get the most out of QR codes in your digital marketing strategy, follow these best practices: 

A. Clear Instructions

Not everyone is familiar with how QR codes work. Add QR codes to your business cards or promotional materials with straightforward instructions. If you’re thinking of including contact details in your QR codes, here’s a helpful guide on how to put contact details into a QR code

B. Visibility Is Key

Make sure your QR codes are placed where they’re easily noticeable. This could be product tags, promotional posters, or even storefronts. Remember, if a customer doesn’t see it, they won’t scan it.

C. Keep It Fresh 

Update the content behind your QR codes periodically. This keeps the user experience dynamic and encourages repeat scans. For instance, a QR code in a monthly magazine should lead to different content each month.

D. Optimize For Mobile

Once scanned, QR codes usually direct users to a website or a specific landing page. Make sure your third-party apps or landing pages are mobile-friendly. For a deeper understanding of improving customer experience, especially in eCommerce, check out this article on how to improve user experience. 

E. Monitor & Analyze

Like any other marketing tool, monitor your QR code’s performance. Analyze the scan numbers, the time spent on linked pages, and other relevant metrics to continually refine your strategy. You can leverage different resources for more comprehensive insights into digital marketing trends, including influencer dynamics. 

8 Interesting Ways Brands Are Using QR Codes In Retail

Brands worldwide are now using QR codes not just to store data but to interact creatively with their customers. Here are some standout examples:

I. Nike’s Augmented Reality Experiences

Nike used QR codes to enhance the shopping experience for their customers. In their stores, they placed specific codes on products. When shoppers scanned these codes, they were treated to an augmented reality experience. 

This allowed them to see a virtual sneaker design within their real surroundings, giving a fresh and unique view of the product.

II. Uniqlo’s Virtual Fitting Rooms

Uniqlo rolled out “Magic Mirror” technology in some of their stores. Shoppers could scan a QR code to use this feature. It allowed them to virtually see themselves in different colors of a specific clothing item. This meant they didn’t need to physically change outfits, making it easier to decide on a purchase.

III. Kate Spade’s Digital Pop-Up Shops

Kate Spade created digital pop-up shops in New York City. These shops displayed products with accompanying QR codes. Passersby could scan these codes, buy products on the spot, and have them delivered directly to their homes.

IV. Burberry’s Product Storytelling Journey

Burberry added QR codes to some of their products. When customers scanned these codes, they watched videos that shared the brand’s history and the craftsmanship behind the product they had in their hands. 

V. Starbucks & McDonald’s Digital Menus

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Starbucks and McDonald’s adopted QR-code menus. Customers could scan a code on their table, view the menu on their phone, and place an order without touching a physical menu.

VI. Spotify’s Interactive Billboards

Spotify used QR codes on billboards to highlight different artists. People walking by could scan the code and immediately access the artist’s playlist on the app, combining traditional advertising with a quick digital music journey. 

VII. Zara’s Feedback Mechanism

Zara added QR codes to their purchase receipts to improve the shopping experience. By scanning the code, customers could quickly give feedback, giving Zara instant feedback on their service quality.

VIII. Patagonia’s Sustainability Transparency

Patagonia, a strong advocate for sustainability, included QR codes on their product tags. By scanning the codes, customers could learn about where materials came from and Patagonia’s dedication to environmental responsibility.

Conclusion

In the fast-paced realm of 2023, QR code marketing has rapidly evolved as a cornerstone for modern businesses. It’s more than just a fad; it’s a compelling bridge between our tangible stores and the expansive digital universe we’re all a part of. 

When you introduce a QR code, accessing it should be straightforward and user-friendly. Remember to position the code where it’s easily noticeable and accessible to potential scanners. 

Beyond just setting them up, regularly monitor their performance. Track their usage and effectiveness to make sure that they continue to meet your business goals and remain a relevant tool for your audience. 

Now, if you’re looking to dive even deeper into the vibrant design world and web development or just seeking ways to make your digital voice heard, swing by Noupe. It’s the perfect pit stop for all things stylish, fresh, and engaging in the digital landscape.

Featured image by Pixabay

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