Is your business implementing an effecting marketing strategy that gets results?
An increasing number of small businesses use digital marketing to increase their customer bases and boost earnings. From social media to email marketing, you have endless tools at your disposal for reaching more customers.
So, which form of marketing is right for your business? Here’s what you should know to start developing your marketing strategies.
What Is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is a broad term that refers to any form of marketing delivered across digital channels. It is mostly used to separate online marketing tactics from traditional print, TV, and radio advertising.
The main forms of digital marketing include:
- Social media marketing
- Email marketing
- Search engine optimization
- Pay-per-click advertising
- Content marketing
Along with the various types of marketing strategies, you need to consider your approach to marketing. Some business owners prefer to handle everything themselves while others rely on marketing consultants.
A marketing consultant can analyze your objectives and current market position to determine the best strategies for your business. Whether you prefer the DIY approach or plan on hiring a consultant like myself, you should take the time to review each type of marketing strategy.
How to Implement Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing leverages the popularity of the top platforms to reach a larger audience. The statistics website Statista states that about 82% of the US population have active social media accounts. The Pew Research Center found that close to 70% of US adults use Facebook.
Marketing on social platforms typically involves setting up a business profile and developing a schedule for publishing helpful, valuable content. The posts should include a combination of curated content from experts in your industry and original content designed to help educate your audience.
Social media marketing is beneficial for all types of businesses due to its potential reach. It is also one of the most cost-effective solutions, as you can create a profile and post content for free. However, you also have the option of using paid ads to increase brand awareness quickly. Before jumping on every social media platform out there, you should do your research and look into the best ways to gain the most exposure.
When Should You Use Email Marketing?
Email marketing is the process of sending emails to promote products or services and nurture sales leads to close more deals. Many businesses use emails to follow up with potential customers after filling out a form on a website or advertisement. The emails are often part of a sequence that gradually provides leads with more information about your products or services.
Email marketing is best suited for businesses that want to increase their conversion rates and overall sales. Sending emails helps you connect with your audience in a more personalized manner, which builds trust and keeps more leads from slipping away.
What Is Search Engine Optimization in Simple Words?
Search engine optimization (SEO) involves optimizing your web pages and online profiles to increase traffic from organic search results. While it may take months to start noticing a significant increase in traffic, the results are long-lasting. Feel free to reach out for a free audit.
Every business should make SEO a priority as the traffic that you gain is unpaid. If your web pages fail to rank on the first page of Google, you also miss out on a large portion of your customer base. According to statistics from Transaction, about 85% of purchases start with online research. People tend to only focus on the top results and rarely go further than the first search results page. Where is your website sitting?
How Do You Use Local Search Engine Optimization?
Local SEO is a form of website optimization intended to increase your online presence in your region. Local SEO involves optimizing your website and all online mentions of your business, including your Google My Business Profile. All business details, such as your business name, address, and phone number, should be consistent across all platforms.
Optimizing for local search results helps you gain more foot traffic and inquiries from local customers. It is used by businesses with brick-and-mortar locations that customers can visit and businesses that offer services to a local area. Optimize your profile with my free checklist.
Is Pay-Per-Click Advertising Worth it?
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising involves paying for ads that appear at the top of search results and on certain websites. You pay each time that a user clicks on your ad, which directs them to a landing page of your choosing. A survey conducted by Clutch found that only 45% of small businesses use PPC ads, which gives you the chance for a competitive advantage. PPC ads also help you build interest instantly.
As soon as your campaign is live, your ads start appearing. However, the cost of each click is relatively high in certain industries, which is why PPC ads are best used to complement other digital marketing strategies. For example, after launching a new marketing campaign, you may use PPC ads to start generating interest in your products or services.
What Is Meant by Content Marketing?
Content marketing is one of the oldest forms of marketing. It involves the creation and distribution of relevant, valuable information. Years ago, businesses would print pamphlets with informative content and distribute them to potential customers. Thanks to the Internet, you can now deliver content digitally.
The content may be released as blog posts on your website, social media posts, press releases, whitepapers, video tutorials, downloadable guides, and any other format that your target audience is likely to use. Content marketing is an important part of any marketing strategy. Generating content provides value to visitors and gives search engines something to rank.
Conclusion: Which Type of Digital Marketing Is Best?
There is no magic bullet when it comes to marketing. Each strategy has pros and cons. SEO is often cost-effective and offers long-term results. However, you may need to wait for the SEO techniques to begin improving your search rankings to notice a return.
PPC ads are useful for generating traffic quickly but may not offer the best overall return on your investment. Social media marketing is essential for increasing brand awareness and growing your customer base. Email marketing allows you to follow up with potential leads and increase your conversion rates.
In the end, the best digital marketing approach often involves using multiple forms of marketing. For example, you may use content marketing to give visitors valuable information while you use SEO and PPC ads to drive more visitors to your content.
Every business has different needs, requiring a personalized marketing strategy. Working with an experienced marketing consultant can help you develop the right strategy based on your business goals.
If you need help in deciding how to strategise your marketing efforts, don’t hesitate to get in touch.