--- title: Digital Marketing Solved Blog | Local Solutions by Cox Media Group | Allie Farnen description: Be in the know with the Local Solutions by Cox Media Group blog. Learn about digital marketing and technology best practices and trends. --- [855-594-0010](tel:855-594-0010) # [![CMG Local Solutions](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/wp-content/themes/cmg-local-solutions/assets/image/logo.svg)](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/) - Solutions - [Cox Targeted Display](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/solutions/cox-targeted-display/) - [Cox Connected Video](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/solutions/cox-connected-video/) - [Cox OneSearch](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/solutions/cox-onesearch/) - [Cox Analytics](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/solutions/cox-analytics/) - Industries - [Automotive](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/automotive/) - [Financial Services](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/financial-services/) - [Healthcare](https://www.coxhealthmarketing.com/) - [Higher Education](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/higher-education/) - [Home Services](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/home-services/) - [Legal Services](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/legal-services/) - [Restaurant/QSR](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/industries/restaurants/) - Approach - [Our Strategy](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/approach/strategy/) - [How We Do It](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/approach/how-we-do-it/) - Clients - [Success Stories](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/clients/success-stories/) - [Creative Showcase](http://www.cmgadvertising.com/) - About - [Who We Are](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/about/who-we-are/) - [Careers](http://cmglocalsolutions.com/about/careers/) - Markets - [Athens](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/athens/) - [Atlanta](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/atlanta/) - [Boston](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/boston/) - [Charlotte](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/charlotte/) - [Dayton](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/dayton/) - [Houston](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/houston/) - [Jacksonville](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/jacksonville/) - [Long Island](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/long-island/) - [Memphis](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/memphis/) - [Miami](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/miami/) - [Orlando](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/orlando/) - [Pittsburgh](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/pittsburgh/) - [San Antonio](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/san-antonio/) - [Seattle](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/seattle/) - [Tampa](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/tampa/) - [Tulsa](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/tulsa/) - Resources - [Blog](https://blog.cmglocalsolutions.com/) - [Resources](https://blog.cmglocalsolutions.com/online-marketing-resources) - [Contact Us](https://cmglocalsolutions.com/contact-us/) # Digital Marketing Solved Blog ## Allie Farnen ### Recent Posts ## [How to Find the Right Brand Tone in Three Steps](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/how-to-find-the-right-brand-tone-in-three-steps) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on January 23, 2019 at 9:36 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hubfs/brand%20tone.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/how-to-find-the-right-brand-tone-in-three-steps) Today, your brand tone doesn't need to follow a strict set of rules. Companies are allowed to have fun with their messaging; precise targeting on social and paid channels means you don't need to appeal to everyone. Plus, people expect more of a human feel from brands in the digital age. As [HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/emotions-in-advertising-examples) noted, the emotions an ad evokes in viewers can be more influential on purchase intent than the ad content. Some of the most successful advertisers excel at appealing to emotion, whether through humor, utility, beauty or inspirational messages. Determining the right voice for your brand can be tricky, though, especially if you want to be funny or irreverent. There's a fine line between striking a relatable chord with your audience and alienating them with tone deafness. Here are some steps that can help you hit the right note with your branding. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/how-to-find-the-right-brand-tone-in-three-steps) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/how-to-find-the-right-brand-tone-in-three-steps#comments-listing) Topics: [Social Media Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media-marketing), [Content Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/content-marketing), [social media](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media), [branding](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/branding) ## [Social Media Travel Marketing: 3 Ways to Stand Out](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/social-media-travel-marketing-3-ways-to-stand-out) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on January 16, 2019 at 8:55 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hubfs/social%20travel.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/social-media-travel-marketing-3-ways-to-stand-out) Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, you don't have to ask your friends about their vacations anymore. You probably know where they went and stayed, and maybe even what they ate for dinner. The tie between vacations and the urge to post on social is so strong that, according to a [WeSwap](https://www.weswap.com/blog/travel/social-media-influencing-holiday/) study, 29 percent of travelers wouldn't choose a destination if they weren't able to post on social during the trip. The tendency toward posting travel details online presents some interesting opportunities to travel marketers, as long as they can avoid a few pitfalls unique to social media travel marketing. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/social-media-travel-marketing-3-ways-to-stand-out) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/social-media-travel-marketing-3-ways-to-stand-out#comments-listing) Topics: [Social Media Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media-marketing), [social media](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media) ## [Holiday Shopping: 3 Fast Tips for Businesses Marketing Online](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/2018-holiday-shopping-3-fast-tips-for-businesses-marketing-online) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on December 3, 2018 at 12:38 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hubfs/holiday%20shopping.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/2018-holiday-shopping-3-fast-tips-for-businesses-marketing-online) Ready or not, the holiday shopping season is well underway. With online sales projected to reach $123.39 billion this year, according to [eMarketer](https://www.emarketer.com/content/holiday-shopping-2018-10), there are plenty of opportunities to grow your revenue and achieve your annual goals. However, as a marketer, keeping up with ever-evolving consumer trends can be dizzying — especially during holiday crunch time when you and your team are at your busiest. To help make sure you enjoy a sizable piece of this holiday season's consumer spending, here are three things you can do right now. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/2018-holiday-shopping-3-fast-tips-for-businesses-marketing-online) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/2018-holiday-shopping-3-fast-tips-for-businesses-marketing-online#comments-listing) Topics: [Seasonal Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/seasonal-marketing), [customer journey](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/customer-journey) ## [Are Food Trends (For the Sake of Instagram) the Future of Food and Beverage?](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/are-food-trends-for-the-sake-of-instagram-the-future-of-food-and-beverage) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on November 30, 2018 at 10:26 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hubfs/instagram%20food.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/are-food-trends-for-the-sake-of-instagram-the-future-of-food-and-beverage) Instagram has revolutionized the way the food and beverage industry does marketing and advertising — putting an emphasis not just on creating photo-worthy dishes and food trends, but also on building a following that translates to a loyal customer base. No one said 'gramming is easy, but the platform and the food trends it inspires are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Why not take advantage? An engaged social media following keeps you top of mind for your audience, but that's not all. Your restaurant becomes visible to second- and even third-degree connections whenever someone likes or comments on a post, helping you reach an exponential number of people with each new follower. The best benefit of all? Unless you want to run [Insta ads](https://business.instagram.com/advertising), using the platform is totally *free*. If you're not taking advantage of available networks, you're leaving money on the table. So, how do you achieve success on Instagram in the age of never-ending food trends? A few expert tips (and a little team effort) can go a long way. Read on, then prepare your camera for some activity. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/are-food-trends-for-the-sake-of-instagram-the-future-of-food-and-beverage) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/are-food-trends-for-the-sake-of-instagram-the-future-of-food-and-beverage#comments-listing) Topics: [Social Media Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media-marketing), [Food & Beverage](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/food-beverage) ## [Top Retail Marketing Trends for the Holiday Season](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/top-retail-marketing-trends-for-the-2018-holiday-season) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on November 8, 2018 at 10:52 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hubfs/Retail%20Marketing%20Holiday%20Season.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/top-retail-marketing-trends-for-the-2018-holiday-season) The holiday season is upon us. While many retailers are already prepared, other marketing professionals want to ensure that their holiday plans still align with anticipated trends for the year. After all, in an industry that is constantly changing and evolving, you never know when a new piece of technology or a marketing platform update might throw your plans for a loop. To put your mind at ease and prepare you for the coming weeks, here are the top three retail marketing trends that will help your brand stand out this holiday season. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/top-retail-marketing-trends-for-the-2018-holiday-season) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/top-retail-marketing-trends-for-the-2018-holiday-season#comments-listing) Topics: [Seasonal Marketing](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/seasonal-marketing) ## [Identifying Your Target Customers: Do's and Don'ts](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/identifying-your-target-customers-dos-and-donts) Posted by [Allie Farnen](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/author/allie-farnen) on June 13, 2014 at 10:00 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/hs-fs/file-1006774698-jpg/Blog_Post_Images/targetyourcustomershand._88209.jpg)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/identifying-your-target-customers-dos-and-donts) Identifying your target customers will do more than help you define your [digital marketing strategy](http://blog.cmglocalsolutions.com/four-reasons-your-digital-marketing-strategy-needs-a-human-touch). According to [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2013/09/12/five-reasons-8-out-of-10-businesses-fail/), failure to properly identify customers is the number one reason why 80 percent of small businesses don't survive the first 18 months. Here are some do's and don'ts for identifying your target customers. #### Don't Try to Be All Things to All People When you're passionate about your business, it's easy to assume that everyone will want your product. It's tempting to blast your marketing messages to as wide an audience as your budget allows, but the reality is that even the big guys can't afford to target everyone. Casting a wide net and using a generic, blanket approach to finding new customers rarely works and is a waste of time and money. A [hypertargeted](http://blog.cmglocalsolutions.com/use-hypertargeting-to-reach-your-ideal-customer) approach is a more efficient option. [Read More](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/identifying-your-target-customers-dos-and-donts) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/identifying-your-target-customers-dos-and-donts#comments-listing) Topics: [Digital Marketing Strategy](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/digital-marketing-strategy) [All posts](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/all) ### Stay Connected ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Topic - [Digital Marketing Strategy (145)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/digital-marketing-strategy) - [Social Media Marketing (74)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/social-media-marketing) - [Integrated Marketing (70)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/integrated-marketing) - [Video Advertising (66)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/video-advertising) - [Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (63)](https://resources.cmglocalsolutions.com/topic/search-engine-optimization-seo) - 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