Thanks to the significant impact of the internet, most consumers and businesses are online to find what they need on the go. Statistics show that in 2022, there were 269 million buyers in the US who bought things online, and that number will significantly increase in the coming years. If businesses are not incorporating digital marketing strategies into their marketing plans, they are ignoring a huge chunk of the population that shops online.
Whether you are operating a B2C or B2B company, being online and marketing to your target audience is a must. The digital landscape is never stagnant; it is dynamic and constantly changing. However, there is no need to get overwhelmed, as maintaining a robust and agile marketing strategy can definitely be done if you know how to go about it.
Understanding digital marketing
In a globalized world, the internet has become a valuable tool that businesses can use to get in front of their target audience and offer them products and services. When a business’ marketing plan incorporates content, online platforms and social media to support short-term and long-term business goals, it is known as digital marketing.
Digital marketing strategies must be well-planned so that businesses can utilize their marketing and advertising budgets more prudently. However, budgets are only one of the things that have an impact on digital marketing. Other factors like market conditions, your potential customer base and buying habits also affect your digital marketing efforts.
With the help of digital marketing, your business can generate leads, convert leads into paying customers and build brand awareness and recognition through engagement. The right digital marketing strategy helps businesses achieve these three goals seamlessly.
An online DBA can help business owners, marketing heads and decision-makers better understand digital marketing in a modern context. A DBA program, like the one offered by Aston University, is designed for those looking to pursue high-level careers in an industry environment. Where a PhD will focus on academic results, a DBA is customized to build the skills needed to be successful in an active career. As a result, graduates are better informed to create cohesive and result-oriented digital marketing plans.
Here are a few digital marketing strategies marketers and business owners can include in their digital marketing plans.
Publish a blog
When you identify your target audience, it is imperative to analyze their needs and requirements. Once you do that, you can write a well-researched blog post that addresses those needs. For instance, if your business sells marketing software, your blog posts should cover how to create a marketing plan, run and manage marketing campaigns, and automate email marketing using marketing software.
Blog posts should solve problems that potential customers face. Hence, you need to understand your target audience before you can pen a blog post. That way, you will always write highly targeted and outstanding content that your readers will find helpful and engaging. This will keep visitors returning to read new posts, generate traffic and boost your site’s ranking in search results.
Advertise on online platforms
Blogging is just a part of the entire picture. Online marketing may require non-organic methods, and one such approach is paid advertising. This method of advertising will enable you to reach audiences who cannot find your business organically. It will also help you create more brand awareness.
Pay-per-click, social media advertising and Google ads are some of the most popular online advertising methods. You should implement online advertising while growing your company blog, which may not receive much traffic when initially launched. Ensure you create a comprehensive advertising plan that identifies your target audience, the online channels you will be using and the amount you want to spend on each channel and campaign.
Provide free educational resources
When people begin clicking online ads and visiting a website, many business owners believe they no longer have to advertise and reach out to their target audience. However, that is not true. If people merely visit and do not buy or leave their email ID, how can you get in touch with them later on? That is where free resources come into play. You provide these resources for free in exchange for contact information. This is referred to as lead generation.
Free resources can be a guide, ebook or template. Think about what your target audience needs on a day-to-day basis to get work or tasks done. This will enable you to create a valuable educational resource. Once you have a resource, create a landing page to get visitor contact information and then allow them to download the resource material.
Optimize digital content for search engines
Search engine optimization is one of the most crucial parts of any digital marketing strategy. It enables you to use product or service-related keywords in your blog posts and website content. As a result, it will drive more traffic when potential visitors enter those same keywords into their search engines.
You can use Google Keyword Planner, a free keyword tool, to find long-tail keywords that are not extremely competitive but still get sufficient monthly traffic. Use those keywords meaningfully and in an engaging manner to attract visitors and convert them into leads and paying customers.
Transform yourself into an authority with webinars and podcasts
Webinars and podcasts can be beneficial if you are a B2B or B2C organization. You can use them to educate existing and prospective customers about your products and services. Webinars are great if you sell complicated products, as they allow interested people to learn more about them. A podcast, on the other hand, is an audio marketing strategy that helps you break complex things into smaller and more interesting chunks.
Webinars enable a Q&A session in real-time, while podcasts allow you to connect with prospective customers on platforms other than social media networking sites and search engines. Both webinars and podcasts can pitch you as an authority in your field, and people like buying from an organization they recognize and respect.
Set digital marketing goals
Once you have a digital marketing plan, ensure that each strategy has clear and precise objectives and goals. Use Google Analytics to help you make sense of the data. It is also advisable to conduct a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in current market conditions.
Setting digital marketing goals gives you a roadmap that you can follow. Goals can be generating new leads, getting new customers, activating existing leads and converting them into paying customers or providing solutions to potential customers. With the help of digital marketing, you will take a more targeted approach to reach the goals you have identified.
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