Stadtwerke Schorndorf

We develop Jamstack websites and performance marketing for municipal utilities and municipalities as well as small and medium-sized companies and combine them to create a lasting sense of achievement.

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Jamstack Websites + Performance Marketing

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The fastest websites in the industry: We develop extremely fast jamstack websites ✅ + performance marketing ✅ for lasting success.

Flanke 7 GmbH: Jamstack Websites + Performance Marketing

Not too colorful, easy to read, big enough, mobile optimized - the demands on how a website should be and the user's expectations about the experience are even as extensive. 
⁠A website has to impress, whether the first-time visitor or even a returning one. And that's not as easy as it may sound, because there are about 

 on the Internet - and everyone aims to stand out. 
⁠For the design of a website there is a lot to consider - and there are some useful elements, that every website should have. Let’s take a look at one of these. 


"CTA" is not the abbreviation for a particularly cool robot or a new youth word. The acronym CTA stands for "

ction" and is used in marketing as an abbreviation for an action someone should do.
⁠There are as many channels in marketing as there are ways to place a CTA: While in a TV commercial the call to action can consist of an acoustic (or also visual) statement to arrange a test drive, in online marketing the CTA (on websites, for example) is usually a button or link such as "Test now" or "Find what you are looking". 
⁠A CTA is also an important component of marketing within a text or text ad. In a social media post it can be a request to follow a page or to like a post. But "sign up for the newsletter now" is also a direct CTA. 
⁠Of course, you can also formulate a call to action indirectly and place it through a redirect to a page, such as the use of an arrow in combination with "All News" or through the simple little word "more".  



Now that we know what a CTA is, let's take a look at how to design one on a website. Here's what you should pay attention to: 

1. Naming or wording
⁠When CTAs are placed on a website, it is important that the text on the button clearly states what it is about and what the goal is. This may sound simple, but it is important because if the primary goal is to get contact requests, the wording should be, for example, "Contact us now." If, on the other hand, it is more important that a whitepaper is downloaded, the CTA button should refer to this accordingly. 

2. Placement
⁠Choosing the right place on the website is crucial. Of course, the CTA should catch the visitor's eye quickly, but it should not be the first thing seen directly. In addition to the CTAs, the headline should also be concise and catchy and ideally make the visitor want to read more. If the benefits are still placed in such a way that they can be seen within the first few moments, a good start has already been made. These 3 elements should be coordinated with each other, the CTA should be placed in any case well visible, but not engaging. 
⁠

3. Whitespace
⁠Tip No. 3: Make sure that there is enough whitespace (free space) around your CTA. This tip follows on directly from tip 2, because the CTA should not be lost between other texts. Therefore - space around does not hurt here. 


4. Use contrasts 
⁠Following on from the first 3 tips, color elements can also be extremely helpful. Whitespace is used to ensure that a CTA doesn't disappear or get overlooked, and the use of color contrasts can further emphasize the whole thing. Most companies have a corporate design that consists of more than one color, so you can specifically use a color here that is otherwise used rather less, but fits the existing scheme. 
⁠

5. Number of CTAs
⁠The number of CTAs is also important - because the rule here is: less is more. The website visitor should not be overwhelmed, so it is better to have only one clear CTA per page. Of course, you can have a different one per landing page. For example, if you have a job page integrated into your website, the CTA here should be "apply now" rather than "test product for free now". Ideally, there should only be one CTA per landing page and as long as the CTAs revolve around the same topic, there should be no variation here. So it's important to be clear which is the main CTA. 


6. Call to action + value proposition 
⁠Let's get down to the nitty gritty: The value proposition. The point here is that the button should directly communicate what benefit the user will get from clicking the button. Statements such as "Try for free now" directly explain that the user will receive something for free. The wording should be short, but directly name what added value a click can generate. 
⁠

7. Limitation
⁠The use of limitationis a hard-sell method from marketing. It also works for CTAs. For example, you can point out a time-limited 20% discount promotion on a website and add "Save now" to the CTA button underneath. 
⁠

8. Test 
⁠This eighth tip doesn't primarily have anything to do with CTAs, it applies pretty much everywhere in marketing: it's important to test. Different formulations, color variations or even other placements of CTAs can be tested and if formulation (A) does not lead to the desired action often enough, formulation (B) can be used as an alternative to see after a certain time whether this formulation has led to more actions.  
⁠



⁠The CTA placed here clearly shows what happens when you click on the button: you have the possibility to find the right contact person if you are interested in green electricity, for example. In addition, the value proposition is placed around the CTA (100% eco, cheap and easy) and the free space to highlight the CTA is also given. 

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CTAs can also be helpful in explaining a process. The Stadtwerke Schorndorf page also shows how this is implemented on another landing page: Private individuals interested in a wallbox (charging station for e-cars for home use) are guided through the process step by step. Starting with the selection of the appropriate wallbox (with the possibility to get further information), the process ends with the request for an appointment for an on-site check for the upcoming installation. 

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⁠The CTA is also placed conspicuously and with whitespace on this landing page on the topic of "age-appropriate living". The wording "On-site consultation-secure" provides clear information about what a customer can expect and how things will proceed after clicking the button. 
⁠The CTA button was highlighted in green in the corporate design color to be visible through the purposefully placed contrast. 

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⁠The financial advisor's website starts right at the beginning with a clear call to action. This CTA is also placed in a highly visible position and generates the necessary attention through the color contrast. 

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⁠In this example, the CTAs are without a direct call to action, but with a note on how to get in touch (telephone or e-mail). If you find the wording on CTA buttons too bold, you can also choose this more subtle variant. 

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⁠The streaming service has a clear call to action with "Get started" and at the same time still makes the value proposition that Netflix can be canceled at any time on the one hand and offers unlimited movies, series and more on the other. 
⁠The color contrast design is just as pronounced here and the whitespace teases some of the platform's content in the background. For a user, this makes it obvious what needs to be done. 

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⁠The Hubspot company also places its CTAs directly on the home page and here the special feature is that there are several calls to action in a visitor's field of vision at once. The button to "Request a demo" as well as the button "Start now for free" is present in duplicate. This approach is chosen for the following reason: If a visitor scrolls further through the page or visits another landing page, then the two CTAs remain permanently visible in the top right corner. The calls to action thus accompany the user on his entire journey through Hubspot's site.

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⁠The American manufacturer of premium ceramic grills relies on striking corporate design red for the color contrast of its CTAs. The visibility is thus given. The value proposition places this company not with him CTA, but directly above recognizable.
⁠The hint to "learn more" on this CTA is a subtle variation to allow a visitor to enter the world of these high quality grills. But this hint is there for a reason: The use of such a grill wants to be learned and Kamado Joe shows that right at the start.

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We took a closer look at one element of website design: the CTA. The acronym for a call to action to a visitor of a website can be designed and placed in many variations. Often in conjunction with a value proposition. Many practical examples show how to do this correctly. However, it is always important that the choice of CTA and the respective wording clearly fits the company's objective. 



For all bookworms, there are more articles in our 

. If you want to learn more about our projects, you can take a look at some of our 

"Why don't you do that" - or how do you say that on a website?

The importance of videos for marketing and social media has increased significantly in recent years and, at the latest since the boom of TikTok, the other platforms are also following suit strongly. In our article on social media trends for 2023, we picked up on the trending topic of video content - feel free to check back 

 to learn more about other trends as well. 

Hootsuite took a closer look at the various platforms in 2022 and summarized the results 

. Here's what we can take away for video content in marketing: 

That the importance of video content has increased is also shown by the fact,

 hours/month, are the two platforms that are currently (as of October 2022) most used worldwide and whose content is consumed. 
⁠Approximately half of respondents (

) say they spend most of their time online watching videos or streaming series.
⁠The reach of TikTok Ads has increased by 

 in the past year. TikTok claimed to have 

 million users over the age of 18 last year and, accordingly, are part of the Ads' potential target audience.
⁠In October 2022, Instagram Reel Ads (paid ads in video form) reached 


Videos are important and their importance for marketing, among other things, is not flattening. On the contrary, content in video form should be on the agenda for marketers. But not all video is created equal, so let's take a look at the video marketing trends for 2023. 


Going live via Instagram was a phenomenon that emerged a lot during the 2020 pandemic, among others. However, the importance of live videos has not decreased since then, but has continued to grow. The ability to interact directly with a person, a content creator, or even a company is what makes this video format so beloved. Even though video content is generally rated more positively than other forms of content, the engagement rate with live videos is higher: On Facebook, for example, live videos are viewed 

 longer than videos that have been pre-shot and live content generates 

A vlog, or video blog, is nothing new in the world of social media. Many influencers and content creators film their daily lives and edit videos from them, which can then be consumed by the community via TikTok or YouTube. The advantage of vlogs is that they feature the creator as the main character, giving viewers the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective - just like a movie or a good story. Vlogs can also be used well for corporate brand storytelling, as the classic "behind-the-scenes" look can make an employer seem attractive, and tutorials help potential customers learn and understand more about a product. 


Social media stories haven't been around on various platforms since yesterday either, but their importance has increased: they're quick to consume, companies can make a personal connection through stories (unlike a blog, for example), and they show a company's brand personality. Social media Stories should show the unedited version of a company's daily life, while vlogs are also edited and cut. Stories make companies more approachable and can help build trust. With the option of integrating Q&As into stories, this video format is also more than useful for learning more about the target group and using the insights gained for marketing, product development and the like. 
⁠

Videos without sound? Really? Sounds more than strange, but in the ad sector in particular, it's not only welcomed by the target group for video content, it's demanded. 

 of respondents say that they have a negative reaction when an ad video suddenly plays a loud sound. The reason for this is obvious: people use their smartphones everywhere, no matter where they are. So if, for example, the smartphone suddenly emits something loudly on the bus or train, the attention gained is usually unpleasant for the smartphone owner. So if, for example, story ads are the means of choice for a company, then these should also have no sound for videos and rather rely on subtitles. This is because people watch subtitled ads 12% longer than videos without subtitles. 
 

UGC - this abbreviation stands for "User Generated Content" and refers to media content that was not created by the provider of a media channel, but by its users. In other words, the followers of a fashion company's Instagram account create content that is then shared via the fashion company's account. Consumers trust UGC content more -

 say this form of content is more authentic than other content. And that's true for text-to-image posts as well as videos. You should be targeting this trend rather than fighting it - so if you're a company that partners with regular customers, you can engage them as brand ambassadors.


Videos are important, super important even - but they're not enough. In 2023, companies and marketers will need accompanying marketing strategy and quality written content to back up what they see and thus convince them in the long run. So if you have videos on the agenda for marketing, you should also be working on the corresponding strategy for other forms of content. 


Vlogs, Lives, Videos, Featured Videos, Reels and more - the importance of videos has increased and will continue to be important in the coming year. The forms of moving images should also be adapted in marketing and considered for content marketing strategy. 
⁠

 of respondents like videos better than text and research has shown that 

 of consumers have been persuaded by a video to buy a product or use a service. And what's left for us to say in conclusion? Camera on and "action."

"Cut" - it's a wrap! Video Marketing Trends for 2023

Alongside Google, Facebook is also a major advertising platform that is constantly changing and evolving. Facebook's business model is also based on placing and playing paid advertisements. Each platform has its advantages - and disadvantages. Facebook and Google know this, and so both giants are working to get better and better and to optimize and optimize and optimize the placement of campaigns and ads. The newcomer? Advantage+ from Facebook. Automation yay - or rather not? Let's take a look at this new settings option. 
⁠

What is that actually - Ads? "Ads" is the abbreviation for "Advertising". Facebook Ads are advertising measures that are played out via the Facebook platform. Already in the 2nd year of Facebook's history there was the possibility to advertise via the platform, at that time via the "flyer" next to the newsfeed. Since 2012, when the first mobile ads were launched, the possibilities here have continuously evolved. 

What are the advantages? 
⁠Targeting is very precise and specific target groups can be addressed exactly. Search intentions and keywords are not so important with Facebook Ads, because the ads are displayed to users according to what interests the customer. Facebook Ads are visually appealing and offer many features that can motivate purchases. The possibilities of interactions are possible and can help with branding.

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When we talk about campaigns in this article, we are always talking about "Paid Ads", i.e. ads or campaigns that are advertised and distributed for a fee. So how do you create a campaign like this? Campaigns are created in the Meta Ads Manager. At the beginning, a completely new campaign and ad group must be created here, if no campaigns exist yet. 
⁠Before a campaign can be created, it must be decided which advertising goals on Facebook fit the target idea of the respective company for which the ad is to be placed. Facebook has a good 

 for this, just take a look. At this point, it is not yet time to get down to the nitty-gritty, because once the target has been selected, it must be decided which booking type is to be selected for the campaign. Deciding on the booking type determines how ads will be paid for, which audience will be targeted, and how measurement can be done. 

There are two options and we'll take a quick look at them here: "Auction" and "Reach and Frequency". 
⁠The booking type "Auction" has a wide range and flexibility. All advertising targets can be selected with this booking type, but the forecasts are only day-dependent and more limited than with "Reach and Frequency". As the name suggests, this is an auction with bids: Prices can change during an auction and you bid along with others. More info on that can be found 

"Reach and Frequency" is a rather new booking type that has been rolled out step by step to all advertisers on Facebook since September 2022. In this booking type, campaigns are planned and bought in advance. There are predictions about the performance target and so the frequency can also be better controlled. This booking type is limited to the advertising goals "traffic", "awareness" and "interactions". More information can be found 

If you want to know how to create a campaign by booking type step by step, you should take a look at this guide from Facebook - 

 you will be guided through all the steps. 



What is Advantage+ and why was it introduced? Or is it called Advantage Plus? Questions upon questions, let's take a closer look. Why Advantage+ exists is quite easy to answer: Facebook wants the setup of campaigns to be further automated and simplified. This should also make Facebook Ads more attractive overall, because you can't do much wrong with automatic settings. That's the thinking. 

Facebook promises that with this setting, you can get the most out of your budget and reach more people with these ads. Choosing Advantage+ means that you, as an advertiser, give Facebook a free hand. In one or the other marketing article, the connection to the Responsive Search Ad in Google Ads is made here and Advantage+ could thus be the FB equivalent.  

So let's summarize: Advantage+ is a campaign setting that is supposed to increase performance and was introduced because it is as good as automated. 

There are two ways to use this automation: Advantage+ placements and Advantage+ catalog ads.
⁠In the Placements variant, the budget is distributed to the better performing target group and allocated to the better performing placements. In the "catalog ad" variant, Advantage+ placements can also be selected. It is the same principle: the algorithm has a free hand and the promise includes that ads are played out in such a way that they are optimally tailored to the respective user. This should also lead to an increase in performance. 


Now the question also arises for whom this form of automation is suitable, because knowledge of campaigns on Facebook, ads in general, as well as the ad manager should already be present. Those who want to find out where the performance is the strongest can use Advantage+. The budget also no longer needs to be distributed, everything is automated. Those who have little time and are basically familiar with Facebook Advertising can make their own picture of Advantage+. 

What are the disadvantages? 
⁠If, for example, you cover a niche market with your company and address a small, but very precisely defined target group, Advantage+ is not an option for you. Even if this small target group performs worse, if you know exactly for whom the advertising is intended and don't want to reach a huge audience, you should rather keep your hands off it.  


Automated, simplified, more performance - that's a very rough summary of why Facebook introduced Advantage+. If the algorithm is given free rein, Facebook promises that more people can be reached. Whether performance can really be improved that much is still debatable among many advertisers - this also applies to the optimal use of the budget. It is difficult to generalize and say that every campaign setting can lead to more success for every advertiser in every company - so in conclusion there is only one thing to say: You should test, compare and find the right individual way.  

Flanke 7 GmbH

Jamstack Websites + Performance Marketing

A powerful combination

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Stadtwerke Schorndorf

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"Why don't you do that" - or how do you say that on a website?

"Cut" - it's a wrap! Video Marketing Trends for 2023

Facebook: News from the campaign world - Advantage+