Robots are taking over the planet! Just kidding, that hasn’t happened…yet. It might seem like that’s the case with the amount of technology nowadays. It appears that everything is run by computers. For a lot of us, our job is done on computers, cars are computers on wheels, for some their house is controlled by computers, and we usually always have one in our hand, pocket, or purse. I’m not talking about stuffing a giant desktop in your back pocket, although that would be quite the sight to behold. Our cell phones are little computers we carry around everywhere. We would be fools not to take advantage of everyone’s nose stuck in a digital device. THIEL has numerous prospects and clients inquiring about our digital marketing services we provide to be successful. So, as a business owner how can you get started in the world of digital marketing to make sure you achieve maximum exposure for your business? We’re here to tell you! Unfortunately, digital marketing is such a large topic, we can’t possibly cover every aspect in this blog (unless you don’t mind sitting here reading this for days on end). We have provided for you a general overview of digital marketing and how incorporating it into your marketing strategy can lead to success.
Simply put, digital marketing is marketing and engaging with your audience through digital platforms. It comes in many different shapes and sizes, including but not limited to social media, blogs, email campaigns, website pages, etc. all done digitally through the wonderful world of the internet using computers and mobile devices. Digital marketing is an additional way to communicate with your audience whose popularity in 2020 is only increasing. You received an email from your favorite retailer about a spring sale that’s happening – digital marketing. You see the new sports equipment line you started following on Instagram has posted about their new tennis rackets – digital marketing. That blog you read from your auto service about how to change a tire – digital marketing. Digital marketing allows the opportunity to reach more people at a time, target specific areas with certain demographics, and is continually becoming a more popular method of finding information. You want to know the initial steps to engaging consumers and building up your fan base? I guess we’ll let you in on the secret, just this once.
Know Your Audience
Who are you promoting to? If you don’t know who you are trying to engage, you won’t know which platforms to focus your digital marketing on and cannot effectively connect with your audience. Identifying your target market makes it easier when it comes time to choose which digital platforms to engage on. Just because Instagram is a popular social media platform, does not mean it is the right route for your business. For example, if your target audience is not in the age range of 18 to 24, your efforts and time on Instagram would not be as effective as they would be on Facebook for an older crowd. Digital marketing doesn’t just mean promoting on social media platforms. While Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and YouTube are a large part of it, other forms include blogs, email campaigns, or website pages among others. The platforms that your target audience use are the ones your business should be focusing on and interacting with to create connections. Whichever platforms you are on, you aim to communicate with your audience, not talk at them. Creating connections will build a fan base of people that turn into repeat customers.
Work Toward a Goal
What is your goal when implementing your digital marketing tactics? Do you want to increase sales, generate more website traffic, gain followers on social media, build brand awareness, generate more leads? Without a goal to work toward, it will be very difficult to measure your success. How will you know if you succeed in bringing in more leads if you did not set a goal when starting a digital marketing campaign to compare results? How will you know if your SEO is effective and targeting the right keywords? Here at THIEL we utilize a tool called Ahrefs to analyze keyword rankings and calculate their traffic potential. This way we know our clients, and ourselves, are headed toward success no matter what the industry. Key Performance Indicators (KPI) measure the success of activities done in the company, whether that is views on videos or leads brought in. You must first know where you started, to see how far you have come in your progress.
Be User Friendly
How many times have you gone to a website, had no idea how to navigate it, couldn’t find anything you were looking for and then immediately clicked off? I’m sure you have a certain website in mind right now. This is exactly what you want to avoid with your own site and social platforms. Don’t be that website! Don’t be the website that makes everyone grumpy because they can’t stand to look at it. Don’t be the website that is hard to understand and difficult to locate crucial information. Additionally, don’t be the website that solely contains pages of endless writing. No one wants to be greeted with a book to read on the home page. Pictures and design elements are more likely to capture a reader’s attention first. Keep it visually appealing and in theme with your brand. Are you feeling uneasy about your current website now? Don’t worry, THIEL has an incredible team to help you out with that! Simplicity and easy navigation will enhance the user experience creating a pleasant interaction from beginning to end. Instead of being disgusted, users will want to continue to come back to your site, which is a great problem to have. After all, the longer they spend on your site the more likely they are to engage and become a customer, make a purchase, or reach out to your company.
The same goes for your social media platforms, blogs, and even your email campaigns. Social media channels should be easy to find and clear on the message you want to deliver. Don’t name your Instagram and Twitter pages two completely different things. This will confuse your viewers. They should all have that uniform look to it. If your business is a clean cut, professional place of work, your social media platforms, blogs, and emails should reflect that. Incorporating links in your posts and blogs? Double check that they are clickable and accessible. You wouldn’t want someone to give up reading your content because half of it wasn’t working properly. If your target audience is filled with frequent mobile users, ensure your content is optimized for mobile platforms to make for smooth searching on all sites. Humans expect to obtain information or make purchases right at their fingertips with the click of a button. Make sure that is an option on your website, social platforms, and other content.
Stay Active
Get some exercise and stay active folks! While that is important, it’s not what I’m referring to in this situation. Stay active in your digital marketing efforts. This includes keeping your website updated with accurate information, monitoring social media regularly, posting daily or weekly depending on content load and schedule, responding to comments and liking posts you are tagged in, or frequent email blasts containing important information. Staying active does not just increase the chances of your content being seen, but it makes your audience feel more connected to you. Responding to comments and liking posts creates a personalized feel to your brand. It shows that you are more than just a computer screen or phone staring them in the face asking to take their money, but rather a real person and business taking the time to interact with consumers, connecting with them, and caring about them. A touch of personalization can go a long way.
Digital Marketing encompasses many aspects. Quite frankly, too much to be covered in great detail all at one time. These tips can help you get started and maybe shine a light on a marketing aspect of your business you want to take to the next level. Good news! We want to work with you on that; THIEL is here to help. Contact us to learn more about what digital marketing services can do for you and your business.
