ioSafe + CRU Data Security Group (CDSG)
Website and Online Store
In October 2019, I began working with CRU Data Security Group (CDSG) as a contractor (hired full-time by the end of the year) and aided them in re-launching their online store of ioSafe branded fireproof and waterproof data protection devices.
Until then, ioSafe.com hadn't seen much movement in the digital space. A few Google Ads here and there, some SEO, but nothing truly strategized or optimized for gaining traffic. And that's where I came in.
BACKGROUND
Goals: First 6 Months
Web traffic
+30%
Increase in ioSafe.com traffic
Leads
+20%
Increase in leads, MQLs, and SQLs
Content development
+40%
Increase in content published
Software and Tools
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WordPress
HubSpot CRM & Marketing
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Google Keyword Planner
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Google Ads
Facebook Ads
Amazon Ads
Microsoft Excel, Word & PowerPoint
BigCommerce
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Adobe InDesign, Express, Illustrator, Acrobat DC & Photoshop
Asana
Moz
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Canva
MS Teams & Slack
Hotjar
Google Drive, Docs & Sheets
SharePoint
SEO: New Beginnings
Starting with a full SEO audit of ioSafe.com, I launched a full upheaval to optimize ioSafe.com's SEO.
To get the ball rolling, I started with:
Identifying on-page SEO improvements.
Implementing brand-new keyword optimizations.
Analyzing our current YoY performance.
Setting realistic SEO benchmarks.
A New Lead Scoring Model
Next was a crucial missing piece: lead scoring.
By analyzing customer data, I developed a new lead scoring model in HubSpot to automatically assign points for signing up and engaging with our content. Then I assigned negative points for 30-90 days of inactivity.
From there, our segmented lists of leads, MQLs, and SQLs were born.
Making a Rainbow of Content
Then came my favorite part: content development.
Through industry/keyword trends, competitive analysis, audience refinement, and customer data, I developed a roadmap for our first digital campaign.
Our goals were to drive web traffic (organic and paid), stimulate brand awareness, and capture leads.
The Content Strategy
After conducting keyword research, content gap analysis, and keyword mapping, I laid out our content strategy, including:
Identifying valuable, relevant topics
Setting goals
Defining audiences
Assessing internal and external resources
Assigning and managing content writers/designers
Estimating budgets
Building and owning our content calendar
Then I worked with each SME to write, edit, optimize, and publish blogs, eBooks, whitepapers, and infographics.
The Implementation
With a bold content roadmap emphasizing both organic traffic and paid ads, we were ready to launch our campaign.
Collaborating with engineering, support, and fellow marketing team members, we forged content — blogs, landing pages, sign-up forms, workflows, emails, and everything in between — to realize our campaign vision and goals.
After researching highly relevant keywords connected to hard drives, data protection, and the cloud, we decided to tackle several topics:
How long does an external hard drive really last?
How big should my hard drive be?
SSD vs. HDD: Which is better for backup?
How to back up your computer
What is a NAS device and how does it work?
What are the 3 types of backup?
Blogs
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How Long Does an External Hard Drive Really Last?
How I contributed:
Strategized topic, outline, and keywords for SEO
Edited, proofread, and published
Created in-line infographic
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How Big Should My Hard Drive Be?
How I contributed:
Strategized topic, outline, and keywords for SEO
Edited, proofread, and published
Researched and incorporated relevant inbound and outbound links
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Active Full Backup vs. Synthetic Full Backup for Virtual Machines
How I contributed:
Strategized topic and keywords for SEO
Edited, proofread, and published
Created in-line infographic
WEBPAGE + EBOOK
How to Back Up Your Computer
After researching potential traffic-driving keywords, I decided we’d develop two pieces of content related to the highly searched queries “How to back up my computer” and “How to back up Windows 10”.
Collaborating with our marketing team, we crafted a how-to eBook and webpage, both supporting our goal of gaining web traffic and leads.
Using a webpage I designed in WordPress, we utilized a HubSpot lead capture form to enroll them in our lead scoring model and workflows.
Whitepaper Landing Pages
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How Disaster Affects Your Business & Data • Whitepaper
How I contributed:
Reformatted whitepaper with updated branding
Designed landing page
Wrote page copy
Created HubSpot form + emails & workflows
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The Hidden Aspect of Disaster Planning: Data • Whitepaper
How I contributed:
• Reformatted whitepaper with updated branding
• Designed landing page
• Wrote page copy
• Created HubSpot form + emails & workflows -
Disaster-Proof Storage for Distributed IT Environments • Whitepaper
How I contributed:
• Reformatted whitepaper with updated branding
• Designed landing page
• Wrote page copy
• Created HubSpot form + emails & workflows
Webpages
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New Year, New Backup Plan • Seasonal Campaign
How I contributed:
Led campaign strategy & execution
Designed landing page
Managed eCommerce pricing & coupon codes
Developed early access program
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Data Backup 101: Backup, Recovery and the Cloud • eBook
What I contributed:
• Edited/proofread eBook
• Designed webpage
• Wrote page copy
• Created HubSpot form + emails & workflows -
ioSafe Recertified Devices • Ongoing campaigC
How I contributed:
Led recertified device campaign
Managed back-end workflow (how sales/manufacturing handled recertified devices)
Designed landing page
Wrote copy & FAQs
Campaign Creatives
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5 Simple Habits for Better Hard Drive Health
To supplement information from one of our most successful blogs, How Long Does an External Hard Drive Really Last?, I created this infographic as an in-line blog image. Then I re-formatted it to fit social post specs and shared it across our social media accounts.
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Black Friday Sale
Leading our Black Friday sale campaign strategy, I designed all of our collateral (email, social, eCommerce, landing page, etc.), including this graphic, which was shared across social media and reformatted as a hero image on our landing page.
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How Long Does an External Hard Drive Really Last?
Another asset I created for our popular blog, How Long Does an External Hard Drive Really Last? Along with acting as the graphic for social posts, it also served as the blog’s SEO featured image.
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52% of Data Loss Happens Because of Human Error
To continue promoting our brand’s messaging of protecting your personal data, I put together this social post, citing one of the findings in a Comptia study, Trends in Information Security.
SEARCH + SOCIAL PAID ADS
Digital Advertising
With the launch of a new eCommerce platform through BigCommerce and website refresh, we needed to boost our search engine and social presence. After putting together a digital ad strategy, I identified these as the best channels to start experimenting with paid ads:
Google Ads
Responsive search, display, and shopping
Facebook Ads
Image, carousel, and sponsored post
Amazon Ads
Sponsored products, brand & display
Twitter Ads
Image and text
Image & Display Ad Creatives
Data Recovery Service (DRS)
To refresh the way we promoted our Data Recovery Service (DRS) — an additional warranty for new devices — we decided to launch a campaign.
We targeted current ioSafe customers, encouraging them to register their product, and potential ioSafe customers, informing them about our DRS program.
Along with leading the campaign strategy, I also:
Managed our new process for device registration with manufacturing, sales, and engineering
Updated eCommerce functionality for adding DRS with sales and engineering.
Designed each landing page: DRS, Product Registration, and Warranty Lookup
Wrote all copy for each webpage.
Revamped confirmation emails and web forms.
Created new promotional emails & workflows
Promoted across social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
Data Recovery Service (DRS) Collateral
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Data Recovery Service (DRS) • Webpage
Our primary landing page explaining the benefits of DRS. Encourages current customers to register their device and add on this extra warranty or new customers to purchase a device with DRS.
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Product Registration • Webpage
Landing page where customers can register their product or check their warranty status. Explains why it’s important to register their product and links back to the DRS landing page.
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Recertified Device Launch • Email Campaign
DRS was promoted in a series of email campaigns, including cross-promotion within our other campaign showcasing recertified devices.
WEBINAR
Cloud Backups Have an Expiration Date
ioSafe Sales Director, Leif Watkins, and I co-presented this live webinar discussing the basics of cloud storage and cloud data recovery restrictions.
As the project owner, I developed our strategy and core content:
Landing pages
Email campaigns & workflows
Slide deck
Script
Social campaigns
Our objectives were to facilitate brand awareness, lead generation, and continue building our content library to generate more organic traffic, establishing a foundation for future webinar goals.
Results: First 6 Months
Web traffic
+80%
Increase in ioSafe.com traffic,
exceeding our goal by 50%
Leads
+50%
Increase in leads, MQLs, and SQLs,
exceeding our goal by 20%
Content development
60%
Increase in content developed,
exceeding our goal by 20%