There is no denying that the Internet has penetrated almost every aspect of our lives. “Google” is now a verb and the first place that most people turn to for anything they need or want to know. What does this mean for you and your business? Simply put, creating and promoting content that appears in search results has never been more important. Digital marketing remains one of the most effective ways to reach customers and followers online. Following a thoughtful digital marketing strategy is key to helping companies, small and large, increase their results. Cultivating an online presence is more crucial than ever to engage with today’s consumers.
Below are the five most essential strategies for growing a loyal online audience.
1. Establish a strong presence on social networks.
Social networks become more powerful every day. It cannot be ignored as a key marketing tool. Many companies have been able to successfully grow their customer base only through Facebook and other social networks. Engaging with online customers may seem pointless, but building a committed following is a must in today’s world. With the click of a button, you can now reach millions of customers. Social media also gives you access to valuable customer feedback and opens a direct line of communication with your target audience. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more offer the opportunity to exchange messages directly with clients and other companies. One way to increase visibility and get more value from social media is to tap influencers. It takes time and effort to build a dedicated audience. If you’re just starting out, using influencers is a quick way to increase your number of followers. The trick is to find influencers followed by your target customers. If you do your research, there’s no need to focus on influencers with millions of followers. Leveraging micro-influencers effectively is a specific way to reach your ideal customers and deliver content worth following (and sharing).
2. Publish a weekly blog worth reading.
A blog is a perfect way to attract and nurture your online followers. Your blog is the best place to share content related to your products, business, and industry. Having a great blog will not only attract potential customers but will also build your brand and reputation. Provide readers with valuable content and they will come back again and again.
The beginning of any successful blog is high-quality content. As you build your blog, think of ways to add value to your audience. Don’t be afraid to share insider tips for readers to start seeing you as an empowered voice. It’s important to note that blogging is about much more than just posting content. Be sure to define a promotional strategy on your social media for each blog post. For more exposure, you can also use platforms like Medium, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Quora. Take advantage of the massive audiences on these sites and you’ll be sure to find instant visibility.
3. Harness the power of search engine optimization. It may take all the time and resources in the world to keep a website polished and functional, but without a solid SEO strategy, potential customers may never see it. Optimizing your content will ensure that your website becomes one of the top search results on Google and beyond. Some people mistakenly think SEO is too time-consuming, too technical, or not worth the effort. But SEO is one of the most effective long-term strategies for generating highly targeted traffic. SEO is most powerful when you know how to take advantage of it. Some companies take shortcuts like using shady link schemes. Even if they work in the short term, the results do not last and can cause problems for companies. While understanding how Google’s algorithms work is critical, pay more attention to creating unique, insightful, and human-friendly content that includes some of the basic SEO principles. Start by researching the most searched keywords in your industry and write several in-depth blog posts that add value to these topics.
4. Create a lead magnet. The main magnet is a free download, eBook, PDF, or another type of incentive that allows you to capture your reader’s email address and/or contact information. This incentive is free and you must provide value to your potential customers immediately. The more valuable it is to them, the more likely they are to provide you with their information. When you offer a lead magnet to your ideal customer or clientele, success is inevitable. The best strategy for building great lead magnets is to identify the weak points of your target customers and provide a simple and appropriate solution. Use your offer as a way to learn more about your target customers as you channel them into your marketing funnel. Your marketing funnel consists of all the steps potential customers take, from discovering your brand the first time to turning it into a paying customer. The basis of a lead magnet is the exchange of information. Before potential buyers download a white paper, e-book, video, checklist, or cheat sheet, be sure to get their contact information. This brings us to the final essential element of a solid digital marketing strategy.
5. Create and nurture an email list. Building an email list gives you direct access to your primary audience and potential buyers or clients. Even if you have 20,000 followers on Facebook or Twitter, there is no guarantee that they will see your posts. Worse yet, these platforms are changing their algorithms all the time. Creating an email list allows you to complete ownership over it. One of the most important elements of an effective sales funnel is email marketing. Use your list to deepen your relationship with clients. Send them content from the heart that will connect authentically. With as many tools available as MailChimp or Constant Contact, among others, you can send split tests and segment your list according to the level of interest of each subscriber. For example, if someone opens an email, he or she has shown an interest in what you offer. If he or she clicks on a link, this indicates increased interest.
Effective digital marketing is key to growing your business. Executing the above strategies will certainly help you achieve this goal.
