As the world has moved towards an increasingly online economy, a variety of business disciplines have evolved beyond all recognition. This is particularly true when it comes to a company’s marketing activities. The phenomenon that is digital marketing grows in scope every day and to some extent has turned traditional marketing strategies on their heads.
Offline marketing was all about market segmentation, advertising and lead strategies. Digital marketing, however, focuses on SEO strategies for increasing traffic and conversion rates such as content marketing, link building and social media marketing. The domain of the digital marketer is a brave new world.
With more than 50% of all shopping now done online, the implications are obvious – in almost every industry you can think of, your small business sales and marketing strategy need to have an online focus. Let’s take a look at some key areas of focus in order to develop a successful digital marketing strategy.
Visit your own website
Your website is usually the first and primary point of contact between you and your customers, and is just as critical as a physical shopfront in the way people see your business, your brand and your service offering.
Think about the type of keyword search that will bring a visitor to your site. What question will they be asking, or need will they be seeking to satisfy? Your website needs to make it immediately clear that they have come to the right place and that your business can answer their question or satisfy their need better than anyone else.
Focus on the content
By regularly adding unique, relevant and good quality content, you will gain a base of regular site visitors, who will see you as a trusted resource in your area of expertise. Not only is this good news from a traffic and conversions perspective, but it will also show your site up well in the eyes of those all important Google algorithms, meaning better rankings on the search pages.
All of this creates a virtuous circle of more visits, better conversions, and better SEO.
Use social media
A staggering 30 percent of the global population uses social media, so ignore it at your peril! This is a critical tool in the digital marketing toolbox for every small business.
Social media engagement is great for increasing brand awareness, driving more traffic to your site and engaging with the general public. All of which serve to both increase SEO and overall conversion rates, leading to a win/win for your growing business.
