The world of digital marketing is full of unique opportunities and platforms for your business to benefit from. But knowing where to start can be daunting. These five key ingredients function separately to create a killer digital marketing strategy.
1. SEO
Developing a robust SEO strategy is all about boosting your visibility and making yourself the loudest in the crowd. Like a reflex, we turn to search engines to answer any of our queries. If we’re looking for directions? Google it! Or for a place to eat dinner? Check online. Need someone to fix your toilet? Just type “plumber near me.” The answers that influence our decisions are right at our fingertips.
And as a company offering those solutions, you’re biggest goal is to be found. As you build your strategy and utilize keywords and phrases, you begin to understand how the customer might find you or your competitors. From there it’s about capitalizing on opportunity and making it to the first page of that Google search. You may have all the answers they’re looking for, but you’re both missing out if they can’t find you.
2. social media
Social media is no longer just about keeping up with relatives who live far away. It has become a place to build a relationship with your clients. Engaging with people who use your product or services instills goodwill and showcases a trustworthiness to potential clients. Social media is the ultimate soft sell.
It gives you the opportunity to make an impression without being pushy. Social media can be your biggest asset or your worst enemy, but what’s important is having the control to respond in your own voice. Creating a consistent presence allows you to manage your reputation for little to no cost.
3. email
Emails can be a great conversion tool. Extending solutions preemptively can move people further down the funnel. Emails can be more fleshed out than any social media posts or ads but can provide the same intimacy by personalizing the messaging. An email can keep you fresh in a customer’s mind, so even if they don’t need your help now, they will think of you when they do down the road. Again, like most ingredients, email is about establishing a relationship of trust and knowledge.
4. ppc/paid ads
Pay-per-click strategies and paid ads function to expand your reach. With advanced analytics, you can pinpoint people who fit the characteristics of your typical client and market directly to them. PPC offers real-time feedback the way most ads never will. It allows you to market in a more exact and personalized matter, proven more effective. Paid ads leverage your material in the places people are looking for results. It puts you in the driver’s seat, giving you the power to advertise to people rather than waiting for people to respond to your advertising.
5. content creation
Creating engaging and helpful content is the pinnacle of any successful company. From blogs and infographics to case studies and customer reviews, this content is the evidence to back up your claims. These pieces allow you to build thought leadership in your industry, establishing your company as an expert on the topic.
People trust experts. People pay experts. Use this content to showcase your knowledge and establish a relationship by extending free advice.
Overall, content creation is the preliminary step to all of the above ingredients. It is the base for a digital marketing strategy you can be proud of.
conclusion
It’s important that while each of these has its own functions and strategies, you never lose sight of the bigger picture they create when they work together. Find a strategy that builds on itself with each ingredient you add, and you’ll be pleased with the results.