4 digital marketing focuses to start with for your business
You have a business and want to try out a new form of digital marketing but are unsure how and where to start. If this problem has swirled around in your head from time to time, you’re not alone.
Since 2020 when the pandemic hit, digital marketing has taken a stronger role in the marketing strategies for many businesses. Instead of the traditional marketing techniques, plus a little social media, companies have now taken a further interest in this beautiful world of digital marketing.
While there is much speculation into what digital marketing methods businesses should start with first, the truth is, it will all depend on you and your business. When it comes to marketing, there’s not necessarily a right answer. For many instances, it’s all down to trial and error. If this works, that’s great, and if not, how can it be fixed?
While no one strategy would work for everyone when starting with digital marketing techniques, some methods and channels may help in the start-up and organic reach as it’s either free or at a lower cost for your business. If you’ve just started working on digital marketing methods but are unsure of what will be the best for you, here are four suggestions that you can start with to help your business grow.
Google My Business
Get your business up on the web with Google My Business. One of the quickest ways to promote your business online is to create an account and update your profile with all the required information. Whether you have an online or offline business, Google My Business works for it all. Once you complete your profile, your customers will be able to find you on Google and through its Search results and Maps.
Suppose your business is available for the local public, such as medical services, law offices, bars, restaurants and so on. In that case, optimising your listing with local SEO will help to boost your profile and, in the long run, gain potential leads.
Social Media
Since the pandemic, digital marketing has seemingly increased in popularity, and with that social media, has taken off even more than it did before. Instead of print advertising, businesses were swapping it over with setting up accounts on different social platforms. If you have set up a social account for your business, then yes, you are heading in the right direction. However, what needs to be understood is whether you have set up the best social accounts to reach your ideal market.
Of course, there is no right or wrong answer for social platforms; though, there are better social platforms that can work for the different segmentation groups, especially the demographic. For example, a business selling teen products could very well set up an account on Twitter; however, for the most part, a significant percentage of teens are currently on Instagram and YouTube, among other social platforms. Before setting up social accounts, you should conduct prior research to ensure you can reach the right customers for you.
Your Website
We call websites a shop window. Simply put, just as shop windows is the view through to the shop floor, your website is the view into your business. Fully functional and structured websites build credibility, creating trust between your business and your customers.
Understandably, website developments are not always a priority when it comes to businesses. However, to help with the growth of any business, your website should be something worth developing. Especially as we move further into the use of digital methods for marketing purposes and more and more business is happening online, your website will help drive online awareness, creating leads and hopefully sales.
Alongside the development of your website, just as you would optimise your Google My Business listing with local SEO, businesses should consider optimising their website with keywords relevant to their customer search terms.
Content Marketing
Although it’s a long-term strategy, content marketing has provided fantastic conversions when it comes to leads. According to Mailchimp, businesses with blogs get 67% more leads than other companies. Content marketing has helped develop stronger relationships between a business and its consumers. If they come to you for expert advice, you have already started the process of them purchasing from you right now or in the future.
The great thing about content marketing is it doesn’t stop with words on a sheet. Your business can incorporate various forms of content, whether videos, podcasts, articles, newsletters or e-books. It’s entirely up to you. Using content marketing will keep businesses in the forefront of consumer buying stages from awareness to consideration and finally closing.
Content marketing doesn’t stop with blogs and written content but carries over to SEO and social media. Crafting copy for your website, social accounts or external blog pieces will help your business reach the intended customers and build loyalty to your brand again.
As we move further and further into the digital world and more purchases transcend from offline sales to online, businesses should look to stay ahead of the current, especially for digital marketing. Whether you need to do that with in house marketing or outsourced digital marketing, for many businesses, advertising online is currently or will be an essential component in increasing and expanding their overall business sales.
