The internet has changed the way we live and do business. Online marketing is now a necessary strategy if you want to succeed in today’s digital age.
With so many different ways to market your business, it can be difficult to decide which strategies will work best for your company and which ones should be avoided. Here are 10 simple ways you can improve your online marketing strategy without spending too much time or money on them.
1) Social Media
Create an account with Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or any other social media platform that suits you best. Once you’ve built up a following of people who like what you have to say, share links from your blog posts with them and ask for feedback on new ideas. Spark conversations with other people in your industry online to find out what marketing techniques are working for them so you can adapt some of their ideas to suit your own business.
Facebook and Twitter are both great platforms for your social media marketing strategy. They’re free to use and they both offer analytics tools that give you information on who’s viewing your ads and how many people like or retweet them.
Think of creative ways to get your business out there on social media. For example, if you own a restaurant, have one of your employees take pictures of the food and share them with people on Instagram or Pinterest for an extra marketing boost.
And remember, it’s okay to promote yourself on social media. Don’t be shy about advertising the new services or products your company offers through your social media accounts. People want to know when you have something interesting to say!
2) SEO
Make sure that all of your website content has a keyword in it that people are likely to search for when looking for a business like yours. For example, if you run a B&B and the keyword is “Bed and Breakfast,” make sure that phrase and any variation of it (BedandBreakfast; Bed breakfast; BnB) appear on your website content at least once or twice.
Keep your website up to date with fresh, relevant content that people will want to read. If you’re an accountant, write blog posts about the latest tax laws or other topics in your industry to give your website some staying power online. Not only that, but it also gives you something interesting to talk about at networking events!
You should also include links on your website’s About Us page and blog posts that link back to your other social media and website pages, like the contact page and sales page. This way, it’s easier for people to find all of your information without having to search around on multiple platforms.
3) Mobile
Did you know that more people use their phones to access the internet than desktops? Your online marketing strategy needs to have a responsive website that looks good on both laptop and mobile browsers. Google even has requirements in place that dictate how search results are displayed when you’re using your phone or tablet – if your website doesn’t meet their requirements, it’s not going to show up when someone searches for your business.
If you don’t have time to create a new website to accommodate mobile devices, you can always install Google Analytics on your current website so that you can see how much traffic is coming from mobile browsers in comparison to regular desktop browsers. If it turns out more people are using their phone or tablet to access your website, you may need to optimize or redesign some things.
4) Email
Use email marketing to keep in touch with customers and create an ongoing dialogue about your business. You can send emails to people who have subscribed to your blog posts, used coupons you’ve given them at a store or for services you offer online, and even ask for referrals from other companies that they like! If someone keeps coming back to your website or business, it’s a good sign they trust you and like what you do.
People who subscribe to your email marketing list should get something out of signing up-a a free eBook, access to exclusive blog posts written by you, etc. It’s also important that the emails they receive are relevant to what they’re interested in when they sign up, which you can do by asking for their interests and location when they subscribe.
5) Driving Traffic
It’s easier than ever to get your website in front of the right people online, but you may need to experiment with different traffic drivers (like search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising) before you find one that works for your business. Which ones work best depends on what your target audience is looking for and how much money you want to spend.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with where to start, try implementing at least one social media channel into your online marketing strategy. You must dedicate some time every day to maintaining your social media accounts-respond to any messages or mentions people make of you, share photos that are relevant to your business, etc. If someone likes what they see on your social media profile, they’ll be more likely to follow you and come back to see what you’re sharing next.
6) Video
Video is a great way to showcase your company culture and show off the people who work there-the most important part of any business! If possible, try shooting an interview or even a simple YouTube video about your business and what you do. It should include a few talking points about all of the following:
- Company history
- Where you began and how you got to where you are now
- Current products or services offered
- Any special promotions going on at the moment
One idea for a YouTube video is to “unbox” a new product and talk about its features and why people might need it. It’s also important that you include contact information in the video so people can look for more information or get in touch with you directly to learn more about your business.
7) Local
It’s easier than ever to market your business locally with free options like Google My Business, which helps you claim your business on Google Maps and also allows you to see how many times people have viewed your profile. All you need to do is take a few photos of your business that are representative of what it looks like when customers come in, upload the images, write about what kind of services are offered, and upload contact information so people can get in touch.
8) Pay-Per-Click Advertising
If you have some money to spend on growing your business, invest it in paid advertising so you can show up as a top suggestion when people look for things related to what your business offers. If someone is searching for “Best Restaurant in San Diego,” they may see a Google ad that’s got your name on it.
The money you spend here is an investment in growing your business, so you must monitor PPC ads closely to ensure they’re not just bringing traffic to your website, but turning those visitors into paying customers.
9) Content Marketing
If your company produces great content related to what you offer (like blog posts or eBooks), people interested in learning more will likely follow your company online and subscribe to your email list. From there, you can send them information about new products or updates on promotions that might interest them.
10) Conversion Tracking
You wouldn’t buy a television without knowing what channels it receives, so why would you advertise without tracking how successful your ads are? Use a Google Analytics URL to track which ads or marketing strategies are converting the most website visitors into leads and sales.
It’s easy to track conversions using Google Analytics: Simply create a link with special code that tells Google exactly what you want it to do. You can set up different links for different ad campaigns, then come back later and find out how each one is performing.
After you’ve spent some time polishing your online marketing strategy, sit back and enjoy the positive results! You’ll see more people interacting with your company on social media, more leads coming from PPC ads and email lists, and increased sales all around.
The internet is a big place, and it can be hard to know where to start when you’re marketing your business online. Fortunately, many different strategies don’t require a huge budget or lots of time-they’re just as effective and can be tweaked for your company’s size and goals.
From social media tactics to SEO, here are 10 simple ways you can improve your online marketing strategy.
If all of this sounds intimidating and you want help enacting these principles, let us know. Our team of experts is ready and waiting to partner with you to create a stellar SEO or marketing plan that drives sales by considering how your customers think.
