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Client :
Vape99
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Category :
Marketing
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date :
May 8, 2024
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location :
Islamabad, Pakistan
Overview
Vape 99 is a vape shop situated in the capital of Pakistan that has a vast collection of vaping products. The business had a unique product offering but faced significant marketing challenges. With such a low marketing budget, and strict advertising restrictions due to the products being classified as “yellow label, “ they were not able to run performance marketing campaigns or post product images on social media without facing reporting issues. To overcome these obstacles and increase sales I turned to optimizing their online presence through their Google Business Profile (GMB). A strategy I aimed to develop was one that not only improved visibility and customer engagement but also increased conversions organically.
Challenges
Research and Strategy Market Constraints and Insights: Due to regulatory and reporting challenges tied to the yellow-label product, traditional performance marketing was not an option for Vape 99. My initial market research confirmed that the shop could not upload promotional images on social media and had to operate within strict advertising guidelines. Recognizing these limitations, I identified local SEO and reputation management as key channels for customer acquisition.
Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses : Given the restrictions on other digital marketing methods, I turned our focus to the Google Business Profile. I also looked at their current online presence and found that their GMB profile was not optimized to its fullest potential. I believe that by optimizing the profile with appropriate keywords, good content, and a plan to ask for customers’ positive reviews.
Solutions Implemented
Limited Marketing Budget and Advertising Restrictions: I analyzed the impact of yellow-label restrictions on performance marketing and determined that conventional social media campaigns were not viable. I pivoted to optimizing the Google Business Profile—a cost-effective approach that bypassed the advertising restrictions while tapping into local search trends.
Low Online Visibility and Sparse Customer Reviews: I improved the GMB profile by adding SEO keywords that are highly relevant, to the area such as “Pakistan vape store ” “99 vapes,” and “free delivery, for vaping products.” Additionally, I updated the business description to better showcase the brand’s values and range of products. I created a plan, for gathering customer reviews by prompting customers to share their experiences through methods like follow-up emails and, in-store reminders aimed at sparking feedback seamlessly and interactively.
Results & Conclusion:
The store garnered more than 40 reviews in less than 30 days, from customers on its Google Business Profile which greatly improved its standing.
The rate of conversion saw a boost of, up to three times its figure when an influx of customers started contacting and making purchases via the improved profile directly.
In the community market scene today Vape 99 stands out as the rated vape store, in the vicinity, with a local presence and trusted customer base.
By utilizing SEO, with GMB optimization strategies Vape 99 effectively overcame the obstacles presented by advertising limitations and a limited marketing budget. This case study demonstrates that even when traditional performance marketing is off the table, a focused strategy on reputation management and online profile enhancement can drive substantial improvements in customer engagement and conversions. Vape 99’s success story serves as a testament to the power of my marketing strategies for small businesses, even in industries facing strict regulatory constraints.