What You Don’t Know About Advertising on LancasterOnline

What You Don’t Know About Advertising on LancasterOnline

by | Jan 13, 2020 | Insights

Lots of people are confused by the array of online advertising options. And it seems like a new one pops up every month. Even experienced digital marketing experts can get overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the changes in online platforms and advertising tools. In the past ten years, businesses have had to learn about Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), SnapChat, Waze, Google, and Pinterest, just to name a few.

With so many digital marketing opportunities available, the choices can be overwhelming. And with so much online activity, it’s easy to overlook local digital options. However, there is one online advertising option in Lancaster County that you won’t want to overlook.

Many businesses and organizations know that LancasterOnline is the digital companion to LNP, Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s daily newspaper. But fewer people realize that this digital arm of LNP can offer more news, information, and lifestyle reporting than any other website in the area.

Others are surprised to learn that, just like the LNP newspaper, LancasterOnline features reliable reporting on local and national news and issues. Like the print edition, it also includes home and lifestyle features.

Not only does LancasterOnline offer both subscribers and non-subscribers access to hundreds of informational videos and exclusive, online-only content, but it also provides an entire suite of innovative advertising tools.

Remember This One Thing

Even if you find that all of the tools and strategies we discuss in this article are hard to commit to memory, there is one thing that you make sure you remember:

We guarantee that your ads will be shown alongside compelling, credible content that you (and your potential customers) can trust. LancasterOnline maintains the same publishing standards as our print edition.

And unlike many of the other digital options bumping around, only LancasterOnline is backed with over 225 years of experience growing local businesses.

If you’re a business in Central PA, you should know that when you choose to advertise on LancasterOnline, our experienced media solutions strategists will help you create a digital marketing program designed to reach your best customers right here, right now.

Request a free consultation with our digital marketing experts.

Do You Know Who Reads LancasterOnline?

LancasterOnline is the most popular and well-read website and app in the area. In fact, LancasterOnline attracts over a million individual users every month, which includes more than 11,000 paid “all-access” premium subscriptions and over 50,000 downloads of our app.

Did You Know that Young Lancastrians Love LancasterOnline?

Yep, it’s true. One third of our readers are ages 25-44. While the average age of people who consume print and broadcast news is getting older and older, LancasterOnline continues to attract younger readers.

More than a 13% of our readers are 25-34. Another 21% is 35-44. That means that no matter which age is most important to your business, you can reach them on LancasterOnline.

Marketing Secret: Get More Lancaster County Customers To Your Door With Our Mobile Advertising

It’s no secret that mobile marketing is more important than ever. In fact, in 2019, Google reported that

“Mobile searches for ‘store open near me’ (such as ‘grocery store open near me’ and ‘auto parts store open near me’) have grown by over 250% in the last two years.”

Mobile devices in Lancaster, and all over the world, have become more than cameras and social media portals (and, oh yeah, phones.) Nowadays, these little pocket computers are referred to as smartphones. In fact, if you have an iPhone8 or better, you have more than 10x the computing power at your fingertips than the Cray-1 Supercomputer offered in 1976 (and the Cray-1 cost 8 million dollars.)

Our smartphones also feature location services that, when combined with the sophisticated algorithms of Google Business, make it simple for people to find businesses and restaurants in seconds. Smartphones are now the number one way shoppers find business locations near them.

With so many people spending time on their smartphones, it’s no surprise that more than 75 percent of LancasterOnline readers access our site via mobile. We make sure all of our ads and content are formatted to be mobile-friendly. That means it’s easy for people to read our information and click on our ads. All this comes together to make LancasterOnline an excellent advertising platform for retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, car washes, auto repair shops, auto dealers, health services, salons, health clubs, travel destinations, and much more.

Did You Know We Can Help You Build Your Databases?

If you’re a business that wants to build a qualified email or mailing list, LancasterOnline can help. Our media solutions specialists can help you develop online contests, digital sweepstakes, or interactive quizzes that will motivate potential customers to trade an email address for a chance to win a prize.

We’ve helped dozens of local businesses create quizzes and contests that drive opt-ins. And when your company offers your product or service as the prize or giveaway, you know that people who enter want what you’re selling. Your award acts as a lead qualifier, so every person who registers is a good potential customer. And, we handle opt-ins in a fully transparent manner. We are compliant with all privacy rules and regulations.

Did You Know All of Our Innovative Ads are Designed for Maximum Impact?

Every ad space we offer on LancasterOnline is designed to be visible and attractive. We’ve developed ads and promotions that make people want to click on the ads and find out more about your business.

One of these unique ad offerings is the Homepage Takeover. If you’re looking to wow your customers and create a message that can’t be ignored, the Homepage Takeover ad package is for you. This exciting format places your ads in four different spots on the first page they see.

Ads are in four different sizes to add visual interest and excitement. Every ad is clickable so that it can link to your website or landing page. And you can use animation or insert video to add even more sizzle to your commanding ad presence.

Reveal ads are another interactive element that is highly visible and engaging. Reveals live at the top of the page, and you get full share of voice for that spot for 24 hours. Again, animation or video can be used. The reader sees your ad immediately on every page of the site.

However, some businesses have a story to tell and need more space to explain. If you want to go deep and give your customers a chance to learn all about your business, then Collaborative Content might be right for you. Our media specialist will recommend topics, or you can choose your subject. Our writing and design team then works to create professional articles that relate to your business or your newest offering. When you choose this type of advertising on LancasterOnline, you get a long-format, high-impact article that people all over Lancaster County will want to read.

Have you Tried Auto Marketing on LancasterOnline?

When you list in LancasterOnline’s Auto Section, your inventory will move quickly. We make it easy for users to find the car, truck, or SUV of their dreams. Motor Monday is a favorite of our print edition, and we also run it on LancasterOnline. When you combine print and digital publications, you get twice the exposure.

This is Not Your Father’s Recruitment Ad

Digital marketing has made it easier than ever to find the right people for employment needs. Our experienced recruitment media specialist marries our multimedia platforms with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find people locally or nationally. The LancasterOnline team can also use geofencing, search engine optimization, email campaigns, and more to get you hard-to-find applicants. Before you start your next hiring campaign, make sure to discover our full list of unique recruitment services.

Do You Know How to Tap Into the Power of Digital Sponsorships?

Work with one of our media solutions specialists to find out if an online sponsorship with a prominent digital presence is right for your business. LancasterOnline regularly offers opportunities for a company or organization to become the sponsor of a page, event, or contest. In many cases, you can request to be the only sponsor in your category. With other opportunities, you may be able to secure sole sponsorship. Sponsorship features may include prominent logo placement, co-branded sponsorship name, your brand in ads promoting the page, event, or contest, ads on LancasterOnline, and more.

Our media solutions strategists will help you create a customized approach that makes sense for your business. When you become a LancasterOnline sponsor, you’re able to link your brand with credible content that people trust. And that’s good for business.

Reach Targeted Audiences With Our E-Newsletters

When you choose to run a sponsorship ad in one of LancasterOnline‘s e-newsletter, you get to choose among a selection of highly-targeted interests. LancasterOnline sends out daily or weekly emails to audiences who have requested email updates on breaking news, business, sports, food, entertainment, politics, obituaries, restaurant inspections, and more.

An e-newsletter sponsorship offers clickable ads that can lead to an offer or to any page on your website. It’s an affordable and targeted way to reach people who have already told you what kind of information is most valuable to them. Our media solution strategists are ready to help you develop an advertising program that will ensure your brand and ads are seen in the places that matter most.

Are You Part of the LancasterOnline Business Directory Yet?

When you list your business on the LancasterOnline Business Directory, you can help your business’s digital presence grow in more ways than one. Not only will you become part of the Directory, but you’ll also create a complete business profile that could include business hours of operation, a list of payments your business accepts, social media links, events, images, Youtube video player, awards, and testimonials.

Links on LancasterOnline can also be a part of a good search engine marketing plan. Links from our website to your website are also a way to boost your SEO, which means your site may show up higher on Google searches.

If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Imagine What a Video is Worth

If you want to stand out online, nothing works better than video. Media studies report that 85% of the US online audience watches videos. And if you want to reach young audiences, you should know that millennials watch more videos than other demographic groups.

But does video really persuade people to buy? Short answer: yes. About 64% of consumers say they have purchased after watching a branded social video.

Videos are great for entertainment, but they can also be an excellent way to show off properties, teach people how to use your products, position you as an expert, and even show people your retail space.

LNP Media Group, Inc. can help you write and produce high-quality videos designed to sell. And they are surprisingly affordable. Just talk with one of our media solutions strategists to get started.

Or try sponsoring one of LancasterOnline’s popular news videos. Not only are they placed on LancasterOnline, but they’re also shared on our Facebook and Twitter feeds, reaching 140K followers.

What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You.

What you don’t know about LancasterOnline can hurt you, and it can hurt your business. If you’re not investing in LancasterOnline’s unique set of digital marketing advertising and sponsorship options, you may be missing out on the local audiences you need most.

Now that you know a little more about LancasterOnline’s wide range of advertising options, it’s time to set up a free strategy consultation to talk about your business needs and to find a tool that will help you boost your business sales. While we already attract over a million unique users each month, as digital news becomes more and more popular, LancasterOnline continues to gain readers, visitors, subscribers, followers, and clout.

Let our team help you find ways to help you educate, persuade, or share. We can help you meet your marketing goals and reach your customers.

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How To Create A Small Business Marketing Budget

How To Create A Small Business Marketing Budget

by | Nov 12, 2019 | Insights

Creating a marketing budget can be tough. Small business owners know that marketing is a crucial aspect of success, but determining the right amount to spend and what services to spend on can be difficult. The goal is always for marketing to provide a net gain, establishing new leads and driving conversions while increasing brand awareness. The key to having a successful marketing budget is creating a sustainable marketing plan.

Define your goals

Marketing is an investment.  For it to be successful, a vision of what you want to achieve is necessary:

  • Align your marketing goals with your business’s strategic goals. This will help you determine the amount of investment needed.
  • Make sure the entire business’s vision is oriented towards the determined goal. Everyone needs to be aware of and on board with the direction the business would like to go.
  • Start to create a formal strategy. Determine how much you would like to grow; this will help you to decide what spend is right for your business.

Set a budget

Deciding on a budget that aligns with your defined goals is an important step—a budget that doesn’t match a vision can lead to an unsuccessful marketing campaign:

Create a plan

Once you have a set budget, deciding what works best for your specific business can be challenging. Marketing companies, such as LNP Media Group, offer affordable solutions and provide expertise to ensure that your marketing plan is a success:

  • Identifying your target market is key to deciding what channels you will use. Once you know who you want to reach you can decide on which digital, print, or other methods you will use. Make sure to balance short-term lead conversion with long-term investment.
  • Knowing your sales funnel is crucial to marketing success. Either extracting your own data or using data provided by a partner marketing company will make this process easier.
  • Remember to treat marketing as an investment, not a cost. Tracking your ROI will help you develop more effective marketing campaigns over time.

Implement your plan

Once you’ve developed a plan, it’s time to implement it. A successful plan will incorporate multiple channels meant to target specific audiences, while planning for both short-term lead conversion and long-term expansion. Tracking your results will create knowledge for increasing effectiveness of future marketing campaigns, ensuring that you will get the most for your marketing dollars. LNP Media Group creates customized marketing plans for all sizes and types of businesses, helping you reach the consumers you need to grow your business. Contact our expert marketing team for more information, assistance, or to chat about what we offer.

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LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendors and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.

LNP Media Group is a division of Steinman Communications, one of the largest and most experienced communications companies in the Mid-Atlantic. Steinman Communications is an innovative, multi-channel communications company that delivers high quality news, information and entertainment to diverse audiences.

Content Marketing: How To Utilize This Increasingly Effective Marketing Strategy

Content Marketing: How To Utilize This Increasingly Effective Marketing Strategy

by | Nov 12, 2019 | Insights

Content marketing is steadily becoming one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. With lower costs and higher rates of effectiveness, content marketing has become a staple of many advertising campaigns. Content marketing comes in many forms including video, blog-style posts, social media posts, how-to’s, tips, and more:

  • The purpose is to provide consumers with valuable information and engaging content with the objective of driving consumers towards a purchase and increasing brand awareness while building trust.
  • Consumers have become increasingly responsive to alternative forms of advertising.

Content marketing indicates to consumers that your business is a credible and trusted source, while providing transparent information that consumers find useful.

More than just information

Google’s most recent algorithm update maintained the already established standard that content marketing is heavily favored in search engine optimization (SEO):

  • With SEO becoming increasingly important, being able to provide quality, useful content has become one of the most important factors in search results pages rankings.
  • Compelling and useful content marketing can create consumer enthusiasm for your brand or a product or service.

Content marketing is a great way to attract new customers to your site and build trusting relationships with them. Increasing your website’s search results pages rankings is an added bonus.

The power of blog posts

One of the easiest, most effective types of content marketing are blog posts. Nearly any business can utilize these, relating them to their respective industry:

  • Blog posts inform consumers of useful information, tackle a problem, or discuss an issue while providing a solution through your business.
  • According to the Content Marketing Institute, small businesses with blog-style content marketing receive 126% more lead growth than those without.
  • Content marketing also has low up-front costs and deep long-term benefits allowing businesses to get the most out of their advertising dollars.
  • LNP Media Group offers collaborative content articles personalized to any business and industry, creating brand advertising that is seamlessly integrated into informative articles, sponsored by your business.
  • LNP Media Group also has skilled marketing copywriters on staff who can create custom blogs for your website.

Blog posts convey credibility and build trust through providing interesting and beneficial information to consumers. The affordability of blog posts allows businesses to stretch their advertising budgets while maximizing their marketing benefits.

Don’t forget about video

Video provides a different medium for content marketing and is an excellent channel for diversifying a marketing strategy. Video marketing goes hand in hand with content marketing:

Stay ahead of the curve

Consumers are growing tired of repeatedly seeing the same ads. Diversify your marketing strategy with the addition of content marketing to build trusting relationships with customers and boost your overall marketing ROI. Contact LNP Media Group today to learn more about how our content marketing team can help your business grow!

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LNP Media Group is committed to delivering exceptional experiences to our audiences, our customers, our vendors and our employees throughout Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania. We provide value to our marketing and advertising partners by building effective and innovative solutions and by delivering exemplary customer experiences.

LNP Media Group is a division of Steinman Communications, one of the largest and most experienced communications companies in the Mid-Atlantic. Steinman Communications is an innovative, multi-channel communications company that delivers high quality news, information and entertainment to diverse audiences

Millennial Who? Marketers Move on to Generation Z

Millennial Who? Marketers Move on to Generation Z

by | Jun 19, 2019 | Insights

In the past few years, many businesses have focused their marketing efforts on reaching the millennial generation. Today, the youngest millennials are finally entering the workforce making way for the next generation of influencers, Generation Z (Gen Z). According to Forbes, Gen Z is typically defined as those born between the years of 1996 and 2010. Gen Zs and millennials might share commonalities, but don’t let that fool you into thinking Gen Zs will respond to the same type of marketing. If you want to capture the attention of this influential generation, it’s important to understand their lifestyle. Here’s a look at what makes Gen Zs different and what these differences mean for your marketing strategy.

The digital world is their world

Gen Z is the first generation to grow up completely immersed in a digital environment. Having never lived in a world without the internet, connecting and engaging through digital media is not necessarily a conscious decision, but more so a part of this generation’s culture. As a result, studies have found that Gen Z is spending more time on their phones using social media apps than any other generation. Additionally, Gen Z tends to gravitate more toward video content, with 81 percent watching more than one hour of online video per day.

Take advantage of Gen Z’s mobile and social attachment by increasing your social media marketing and telling your message through video. These digital-first thinkers are available to see your ads at any given moment on their mobile devices. With social media marketing, you can target mobile users by interests, habits, age, and location to help drive Gen Zs into your local business.

They do their research

Gen Zs digital penchant might lead you to believe that they also prefer a digital shopping experience, but research shows that’s not the case. According to a study by the National Retail Federation (NRF), 67 percent of Gen Zs shop in brick-and-mortar stores most of the time, with another 31 percent shopping in-store sometimes, which indicates 97 percent of this cohort shop in brick-and-mortar stores at least some of the time. Once a Gen Z decides to visit your store, what sets them apart from other generations is how well-informed they are about the items they plan to purchase. According to IBM, 98 percent of Gen Zs know exactly what they’re looking for when they walk into a store. For Gen Zs, the decision-making process begins with online research where they look at cost, quality and user reviews. When it’s time to buy, the Gen Z shopper already knows what item they want and where they can find it.

If your goal is to attract Gen Z shoppers to your business, you’ll need to capture their attention while they’re still in the online research phase of the purchase cycle and the best way to do that is by grabbing their attention with video. Because Gen Zs spend more time conducting online research, it’s important to provide them with as much information as possible about your business’s products and services online. In addition to written descriptions and images, including informative videos on your business’s website and social media pages will help Gen Zs discover the features and benefits of using your products.

They’re more fiscally conservative

This is where Gen Zs and millennials really differ. According to Goldman Sachs, Gen Zs are acutely focused on the financial consequences of their decisions, which is a far cry from the millennial mentality to “follow your dreams at all costs.” Evidence of these opposing ideologies is also seen in generational definitions of success. According to the Cassandra Report, 66 percent of Gen Zs believe that having “a lot of money” is evidence of success, while only 44 percent of millennials believe the same (Goldman Sachs). Lincoln Financial Group’s survey found that Gen Z is saving much earlier than previous generations, with 60% already having savings accounts. The same survey revealed this generation’s top three priorities: getting a job, finishing college, and safeguarding money for the future.

The fiscally conservative nature and age of Gen Zs make them far less likely to do things like watch cable TV and listen to satellite radio. Instead, you’ll find Gen Zs streaming their favorite music, movies, and TV shows through sites like Hulu and devices like Chromecast and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. To reach Gen Zs on these devices and sites, you can use OTT (over the top television) advertising. With OTT, your business’s video or commercial is sent through streamed media channels, rather than television cable network, enabling you to reach a massive new audience of people. Advertising your message through streaming devices comes with added targeting you won’t find with television. You can target OTT ads by user demographics, interest categories, and more, helping you reach Gen Z where they like to be.

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Integrated Marketing: 4 Steps to Improving Your Strategy

Integrated Marketing: 4 Steps to Improving Your Strategy

by | Aug 6, 2018 | Insights

As marketers, the team at LNP Media Group is always looking for ways to reach the right audience, one that will benefit from and welcome our advertisers’ messages. We think about who your customers are and what their habits might be. It’s likely that your audience is absorbing information through a variety of media channels. If you’re wondering what the best way to reach today’s interconnected audience is, the answer is integrated marketing.

To effectively reach your consumers, it’s important to integrate your ad messages through various media channels. The key to a successful campaign is choosing the right variety of channels, creating a strong core message, and tailoring that message appropriately to each platform. If you’re not sure where to start, here are four steps to help you launch a successful integrated marketing campaign for your business.

Step 1: Identify Who Your Customers Really Are

Examining your current customer base will provide you valuable insight on the best approach for your integrated marketing campaign. You’ll want to identify the demographics that you’re trying to reach, then develop a message that speaks to them on channels they’re likely to observe. Here are some questions that you can answer about your own business to develop a customer profile:

  • Do my customers tend to be within a particular age range?
  • Where do my customers live?
  • Do my customers share similar interests? If so, what are they?
  • Do my customers tend to have similar beliefs? If so, what are they?
  • How are my current customers learning about my business?
  • Do customers seem more interested in a particular product or service that I offer?

Step 2: Identify Your Marketing Goal

Your marketing goals play a large role in determining how, when and where you execute your marketing campaign. Use a clear, distinct goal to avoid diluting your message with multiple promotions or ideas. Here are a few examples to get you thinking about what’s most important:

  • Create brand awareness
    • Promote an event
    • Target new customers
    • Improve reputation
    • Launch new products or services
    • Increase sales

Step 3: Decide on a Budget

For most of us, the cost of marketing is top of mind as we consider the best strategy for our business. There are options for every business:

  • According to the Small Business Administration, business owners should allocate 7 to 8 percent of gross sales on marketing, however, this is not realistic for every business.
  • Find a comfortable amount you can spend annually, then break that amount down monthly to see where your budget will land.
  • The goal is for marketing to be profitable; you will want to track your ROI (return on investment) so you can adjust accordingly during your campaign.

Step 4: Outline Your Integrated Marketing Plan

Now it’s time to take all the information that you’ve gathered and use that information to design the perfect integrated marketing campaign for your business:

  • Outline each marketing channel that you’ll be using to promote your message, making sure to choose channels being utilized by your target demographic.
  • Decide exactly what you want to promote to your audience and create a strong message that speaks to them, adjusting that message based on the channel where it’s being presented.
  • Establish a timeline for your campaign—with all the moving parts, charts can be helpful for organizing each component of your plan.

Begin Your Next Integrated Marketing Campaign

If you’re ready to get started on your next marketing campaign, LNP Media Group can help. Our media experts are here to provide guidance from the ground up. If you’ve already created your idea campaign, we can help you get your message out through those various channels. As a full-service media company, we can design, place and report on your campaign to help you get the most out of your marketing. Contact  us today to speak with one of our experts about your business marketing ideas.

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Digital Ad Targeting: 3 Ways For Small Businesses To Break Through

Digital Ad Targeting: 3 Ways For Small Businesses To Break Through

by | Jun 18, 2018 | Insights

Today’s world is more digitally interconnected than ever before. With all of the different types of media available, the challenge for marketers has become how to best reach consumers and deliver a message that has impact. One of the most effective ways to do that is to incorporate a distinct message at the right time to target specific consumers; this can be achieved with precision through digital media. Here are a few types of digital ad targeting that can improve your marketing results.

Geo-Fencing: Target Users by Place and Time

Geofencing refers to the use of a targeted location, or fence, where prospective customers are found. Our geofencing software tags consumers who enter the geofence, so that they can be served ads on their location-enabled mobile devices. Ads can be served the same day the person enters the fenced area, or may be served later depending on your business’s needs. Fences can be as large or small as your business requires, down to a 400 meter radius.

  • First, you’ll need to identify a location you wish to target, whether it is a city or town, an event, a building, or even a parking lot.
  • When consumers enter the predetermined location, their mobile devices are tagged.
  • Your business’s specific ad or ads are then delivered to apps and websites being accessed on mobile devices.
  • This allows for ads to be targeted by time and place, giving businesses the ability to access very specific groups of consumers that might otherwise not be targetable.
  • Popular geo-fencing locations are sporting events, college campuses, shopping centers, conventions, concerts, and parts of cities.

Targeted Display Advertising: Target Users by Demographics and Interests

Have you ever noticed that some ads seem to relate to your interests?  This is the work of targeted display advertising:

  • Targeted display advertising includes the use of demographics, interests, and approximate location to display specific ads to consumers that match their interests and needs.
  • Digital agencies can target specific ads to consumers as they navigate the internet. Along with location, this allows companies to reach people in specific demographics, such as higher income adults who are interested in sports.
  • This strategy works well to create brand awareness or to advertise sales or events.

Paid Advertising on Search Engines: Target Users by Search Engine Queries

Paid search advertising, or pay-per-click (PPC), refers to an advertising pricing model in which advertisers pay based on how many users click on a digital ad that appears on a search results page:

  • This is the fastest and surest way to drive web traffic to your website and generate leads.
  • Ads are only showed to consumers who are using relevant search terms when using search engines, such as Google.
  • Terms are selected by the advertiser, in consultation with your digital agency, which means you have control over what products and services you promote.
  • Advertisers pay per click, rather than per impression, ensuring that ad costs are low and impact is high.
  • An effective PPC technique is to buy search terms such as “near me”, allowing advertisers to put their brands in front of consumers who are ready to buy.

Find the Right Technique for Your Business

These techniques are just the beginning of how you can use digital marketing to reach exactly the right customers at the right time and place. At LNP Media Group, we’re happy to help you plan the most effective ways to meet your digital marketing goals. We offer free consultations for you to discuss how to best advertise for your business. Contact us today and let us know how we can help with your next marketing campaign.

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