Digital marketing has become central to any sales strategy in 2021 as people use the internet and digital devices to find information about products and services that they want to buy. A digital marketing strategy defines how a business goes about achieving its marketing goals through various online methods such as search optimization or through social media.
The following are the 5 best digital marketing methods for your business.
1. Using SEO To Achieve Organic Google Rankings
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) refers to a set of techniques that improves aspects of a website so that it ranks more highly in search engine rankings when people search for specific keywords and phrases that are associated with the website and the business that it represents. SEO aims to structure your website, and certain of its technical aspects, so that Google directs more traffic to it from the site's target audience and improves its rankings. Traffic is referred to as organic when visitors are drawn to the site purely based on a search they have conducted rather than through advertising or paid campaigns.
In digital marketing, effective SEO is a must for any website. When consumers are actively searching for the products and services that a business offers it is essential that it appears high in the search results. For example, according to Evolve SEO Agency, it is estimated that 80% of today's consumers do product research online before making a purchasing decision and that over half of people discover a new product or company while conducting a search. More importantly, less than 10% of people searching advance beyond the first page of the search results and more than 30% click on the first result returned. This means that SEO strategies are singularly important for a company's search results rankings.
2. Paid Advertising
PPC (pay-per-click) advertising can be a powerful and cost-effective digital marketing strategy when done correctly. Advertisers pay when a user clicks on a link in their advertisement that takes them to their website. It functions on an auction-based system where advertisers bid on the keywords that will result in their advertisement being shown. These advertisements appear in the paid section of search results just above the organic listings and the advertiser only pays for each click a user makes on the advertisement that leads to an offer or landing page.
This means that advertisers only pay when a user takes action rather than the ad space itself. This approach aims to attract customers who are performing transactional searches which means they are ready to buy a product or service. For companies just starting out in digital marketing this can be an effective way to appear at the top of search results and through careful targeting (customer income, sex, location etc.) it can be a cost-effective way of targeting desired customers. Because PPC campaigns often target keywords that suggest buyer intent, this can be an effective digital marketing strategy.
3. Content Marketing
Content marketing refers to the process of reaching, engaging and delighting customers with various types of content which can include articles, videos, blog posts, and infographics among others. The aim of this content is to provide value to the customer rather than being an explicit sales pitch for a given product or service. It is aimed at brand development and to create a feeling of trust between the consumer and a business. The content should provide useful information to a potential customer or seek to solve a particular problem that they are having. While the content will target keywords associated with the marketing goal it should not come across as an advertisement.
The goal of content marketing is to establish a relationship with potential customers early in their customer journey, to generate traffic to a website and, ultimately, drive conversions. It also provides additional information to search engines for placement in search result rankings.
4. Email Marketing
This strategy focuses on retaining existing customers and making additional sales to them after their initial purpose. It is also a good way to build brand awareness and in keeping a business in a consumer's mind. By collecting email addresses from customers, a company has a valuable audience that can be used for directed campaigns and special offers as well as providing valuable information. It also enables a company to segment their audience and personalize email marketing campaigns.
5. Social Media Marketing
People spend an inordinate amount of time on social media, so it is the best place to engage potential customers. Social media marketing is best used for building brand awareness, interacting directly with customers and helping to increase conversions. A social media campaign can be featured on more than one social media platform or can be tailored to the platform a company's target audience use most often.
This SMM channel for digital marketing can be used to build awareness and information about products and services as well as providing an avenue to interact directly with customers and address any negative issues. Social selling, listening, and monitoring can also be an opportunity to conduct market research directly with an audience that is already interested in a company's products and get unfiltered information about what they like or dislike and what they would like to see in future products or services.
Digital Done Right
There are many channels and tools to utilize for digital marketing and online advertising or branding. Keep these 5 top digital marketing methods in mind to ensure business success.