The FIFA Women’s World Cup has become an influential sporting event that goes beyond the boundaries of the soccer pitch. With its widespread popularity and exceptional talent on display, the tournament has left a lasting impact on the sport’s growth in the United States. Let’s look at how it has impacted internet searches.

1. Surge in Search Volume – According to Google Trends data, searches related to soccer in the United States experienced a substantial increase during the FIFA Women’s World Cup compared to previous years. The tournament’s occurrence led to a sharp rise in search volume, indicating a heightened interest in soccer-related topics across the nation.
2. Regional Interest – Analyzing search data by region reveals intriguing insights into the geographic impact of the Women’s World Cup. Soccer has traditionally been more popular in certain states, but the tournament managed to pique the interest of regions less associated with the sport. States like California, New York, and Texas, which typically exhibit a high interest in soccer, witnessed a surge in search activity during the Women’s World Cup. Moreover, states with lower soccer interest, such as Utah, Oregon, and Wisconsin, experienced significant increases in soccer-related searches during the tournament, showcasing the event’s nationwide appeal.
3. Rising Interest in Women’s Soccer – The FIFA Women’s World Cup has undoubtedly contributed to raising awareness and interest in women’s soccer. Google search trends indicate a notable spike in queries related to women’s soccer during the tournament. People searched for information about the players, schedules, match results, and even women’s soccer leagues and events beyond the World Cup. This surge highlights a shift in perception, with more people recognizing and appreciating the talent and achievements of female athletes in the sport.
4. Player Searches – Individual players became breakout stars during the Women’s World Cup, and their exceptional performances led to increased search interest. Players like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Rose Lavelle saw a significant uptick in online searches during the tournament. Not only did fans seek information about their playing careers, but they also explored their off-field activities and advocacy efforts, further engaging with the sport and its personalities.
5. Social Media Impact – Social media platforms played a vital role in driving internet searches related to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Memorable moments, spectacular goals, and emotional celebrations spread like wildfire on social media, leading to higher search volumes as people sought more information and videos of these events. Additionally, hashtags related to the Women’s World Cup trended on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, encouraging fans to engage with the content and search for further soccer-related topics.
6. Long-Term Impact on Youth Participation – One of the most significant impacts of the Women’s World Cup on internet searches is the potential long-term effect on youth soccer participation. As more children witnessed the excitement of the tournament and the achievements of their female role models, interest in playing soccer has likely grown. This interest might translate into more searches for local soccer clubs, training programs, and resources, as parents and children seek ways to get involved in the sport.

The statistics speak volumes about the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s impact on internet searches for soccer in the United States. The tournament has driven a surge in search volume, expanded interest in women’s soccer, and captivated the attention of regions less traditionally associated with the sport. Players have become household names, and social media has played a pivotal role in sparking curiosity and engagement. Moreover, the tournament’s influence may extend to long-term effects on youth participation, as a new generation of soccer enthusiasts emerges. With each Women’s World Cup, soccer’s presence and popularity in the United States continue to grow, solidifying the tournament’s status as a catalyst for change within the sporting landscape.

​​In today’s digital age, having a well-designed and functional website is crucial for any business or individual looking to establish a strong online presence. While there are various DIY website builders available, hiring a professional web developer or designer can make a world of difference. These are the top five reasons why you should consider hiring a professional (cough, cough, like IOI) to build your website.

1. Customized and Unique Design:
   One of the main advantages of hiring a professional to build your website is the ability to have a customized and unique design. Professional web designers possess the knowledge and expertise to create visually appealing layouts that align with your brand identity. They can tailor the design to match your specific requirements, ensuring that your website stands out from the competition. With a distinctive design, you can create a memorable user experience that leaves a lasting impression on your visitors.
2. User Experience Optimization:
   User experience (UX) plays a critical role in the success of any website. Professional web developers understand the principles of UX design and can create websites that are intuitive, easy to navigate, and user-friendly. They consider factors such as page load times, mobile responsiveness, and clear call-to-action buttons to enhance the overall experience for your site visitors. By providing a seamless and enjoyable browsing experience, you increase the chances of converting visitors into customers or clients.
3. Technical Expertise and Functionality:
   Building a website involves more than just aesthetics. It requires technical expertise and knowledge of various programming languages, frameworks, and content management systems (CMS). Professional web developers possess the necessary skills to ensure that your website functions smoothly and efficiently. They can integrate advanced features and functionalities, such as e-commerce capabilities, database management, secure payment gateways, and interactive elements. A professional’s technical expertise ensures that your website is not only visually appealing but also fully functional.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
   Having a beautiful website is pointless if it doesn’t rank well in search engine results. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial aspect of building a website that drives organic traffic. Professional web developers have a deep understanding of SEO best practices and can optimize your website’s structure, code, and content to improve its visibility in search engines. They can implement proper meta tags, headings, alt tags, and ensure that your website loads quickly. By hiring a professional, you increase the chances of your website being discovered by potential customers or clients.
5. Time and Cost Efficiency:
   While it may seem tempting to save money by building a website yourself or using a DIY website builder, it can quickly become time-consuming and costly. Professionals have the experience and efficiency to create a website more quickly and effectively. They are aware of potential roadblocks and can troubleshoot issues efficiently, saving you time and frustration. Moreover, investing in a professional website from the start can save you money in the long run by avoiding costly redesigns or fixes that may be required with a DIY approach.

Hiring a professional to build your website offers numerous benefits that extend beyond just appearance. From custom design to enhanced user experience, technical expertise, SEO optimization, and time efficiency, professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to ensure that your website is a powerful tool for your business or personal brand. While there are costs associated with professional web development, the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial investment. So, when it comes to your online presence, entrust the task to a professional to create a website that leaves a lasting impression and helps you achieve your goals.

What do you get when you combine a passion for sports, an entrepreneurial spirit, and kids? Under Armour Flag Football Leagues. IOI Ventures has partnered with Under Armour’s Flag Football team to expand their footprint and grow the number of flag football leagues across the country.

The partnership encourages families to sign their children up to play, as well as generate leads for new league operators. Without league operators, Under Armour can not expand its program. Challenge accepted.

Goals:

IOI worked closely with the Under Armour Flag Football team to draw up a paid media campaign to drive leads for league operators. They expressed a goal to onboard 10 new league operators this year. With a rigorous vetting process and high turn-down rate, IOI was challenged with driving a significant number of qualified leads to try and yield just one league operator per month.

Strategy:

To achieve this goal, we knew that we needed to increase the volume and quality of the leads coming to their “Start A Flag Football League” landing page (a past IOI website project). 

IOI’s account management team worked with Under Armour to settle on a budget and regional targets for league operators. The IOI paid media team then worked with the Account Manager on a detailed paid media campaign brief outlining the goals of the client, their target audiences, geographics, keywords, custom URLs for tracking, headlines and descriptions for context in the ads. 

Additionally, IOI’s creative team worked with photo assets from the client to refresh the visual elements of the ads.

Results:

In just 31 days, IOI was able to generate 930 leads at a cost per lead of $7.04. Because of the close attention to detail around audience targeting and geo-fencing, the quality of the leads was confirmed when the client told us that they were onboarding 10 new league operators and had 5 more ready to onboard shortly thereafter. 

As a result, Under Armour Flag Football moved their proverbial goalposts back a bit. Their new goal for the year is now 30 league operators – and we are confident that we’ll get them there.

As the new year begins, businesses are setting marketing resolutions to help them achieve their goals for the year ahead. Here are some common resolutions businesses may make and tips on how to achieve them.

1. Increase brand awareness: Many businesses want to increase their visibility and reach in the market. This can be achieved through a variety of tactics, such as social media marketing, content marketing, and influencer marketing. To increase brand awareness, businesses should focus on creating engaging content that resonates with their target audience and finding ways to amplify that content through various channels.
2. Improve customer engagement: Another common resolution is to improve customer engagement. This can be done by creating personalized content and experiences, responding quickly to customer inquiries, and providing exceptional customer service. Businesses can also use customer data to create targeted marketing campaigns that speak directly to their audience.
3. Boost website traffic: Many businesses aim to increase the number of visitors to their website. This can be done by improving the site’s search engine optimization (SEO) and creating valuable content that attracts visitors. Additionally, businesses can use paid advertising to drive traffic to their site.
4. Increase conversions: Once a business has increased website traffic, the next step is to convert that traffic into paying customers. This can be achieved by optimizing the website for conversions and creating effective calls-to-action. Additionally, businesses can use A/B testing to determine which elements of their website are most effective in driving conversions.
5. Measure and optimize performance: Lastly, businesses should set a resolution to measure and optimize their marketing performance. This can be done by using analytics tools to track key metrics such as website traffic, conversions, and customer engagement. Businesses can then use this data to make informed decisions about which marketing tactics are working and which ones need improvement.

Tools that should be in every good digital marketer’s back pocket

Digital marketing is a BIG industry and our team here at IOI Ventures specializes in quite a few areas, so it’s important that we work smarter, not harder. None of us can manufacture more hours in the day, so there are a few tools that we use to make our jobs a little easier and allow us to over-deliver for our clients.

In this season of giving thanks, I am sharing THREE digital marketing hacks for which I am truly grateful.

• Canva

Best Practices Every Social Media Manager Should Follow

When it comes to managing social media accounts, you can either “check the box,” meaning you do the bare minimum, or you can follow some “best practices,” which should set you up for success.

IOI Ventures strives to reach optimal levels of engagement while also growing social media followings for our clients, and these are the best practices that help us reach those goals.

• Every graphic/video your account posts should be “on brand.”

While we love variations in content and appreciate creativity, it’s important to keep your brand guidelines in mind. That means that you should aim to have your logo present, stay relatively consistent in regard to colors and fonts and keep the proper tone for your audience.

• Never let your stories completely expire on Instagram.

Instagram stories help engage with customers on a more personal level and help you jump to the front of the top of their feeds. Feed posts may help educate customers and attract new business, but are more polished. Your stories should still ring true to your brand but are a more authentic and down-to-earth depiction of your organization.

• Respond to comments and direct messages quickly and personally.

As a matter of principle, you should have automated responses when possible along with an internal strategy for engaging with customers who are sharing their thoughts or asking questions. While it’s probably unrealistic to expect brands to have 24/7 coverage of their social media channels, there is an expectation from a customer or client that they will receive a response within a few hours of their submission. Remember, the key to capitalizing on social media is engagement, so you need to make sure to ENGAGE with your audience.

BONUS TIP – While it can sometimes be unnerving to receive a negative review, comment, or DM, you should still respond. Often times these are great ways to learn how to better serve your clients and can help alleviate some customer service issues. If they are just trolling you, feel free to mute or block them. 

• Give your audience a CTA (call-to-action) as much as possible.

Whether you want someone to comment, share, click on a link, or leave a review – whatever the call to action is, you need to ask for it (and provide links). Depending on the platforms and depending on the structure of the post, certain CTA may be more appropriate than others. But do not miss an opportunity to get engagement or drive traffic to your website.

PRO TIP – Instead of using a third-party “link in bio” service, create a mobile-friendly page on your website to use as your Instagram bio link tree. The page can simply contain buttons linking to internal pages, and articles or can serve as important referral sources for partners.

• Hashtags are always helpful.