Digital Marketing Tools
Historically businesses used traditional marketing tools, such as telephone promotions, billboards, events and business flyers. Today, people are using the internet and missing out on digital tools is a lost opportunity. In some cases, like social media, the digital marketing tools are relatively inexpensive and are easy to scale up as your business grows. They can also allow your marketing to target new types of customers.
Digital marketing can be broadly broken into 3 main categories:
Long Form tools
A. Website
There are two kinds of websites:
- Business-to-consumer (B2C) promote and/or sell products and services to retail consumers., and
- Business-to-business (B2B) promote and/or sell products and services to businesses.
Irrespective if you are marketing directly to consumers or marketing to businesses, you will want to employ similar techniques in order to generate interest.
Customers find you via word of mouth (such as networking), or advertising.
How it works:
Customers may find your site through web searches, or be directed to it by word of mouth or advertising.
Tips:
- Make sure that your website is well branded and kept up to date.
- Focus on the benefit that the product or service will bring the client.
- Respond quickly to customer enquiries.
B. Search engine optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a technical process where you optimize your website content to compete better in organic search engine results improving the visibility for products or services. This translates into more people visiting your site.
How it works:
Search Engines use mathematical formulas to attempt to serve the site visitors better and give them what they are searching for. Robots on the search engines visit all of the websites and store the information in a database. When the person performs a search they use keywords, questions or phrases, and the robot tries to match the search term to the terms in the database. Adjusting your content to better match the way that people search and provide them with the answers they are looking for will improve your chances of visibility. Find the terms relevant to your website and adjust your content and structure to improve your search engine ranking.
Tips
- Use keywords, phrases and questions in your headings, content and metadata.
- Use heading hierarchy to map out the structure of your page or blog post.
- Provide fresh content regularly.
- Provide cross-links to other relevant pages to improve link popularity.
C. Content Marketing
Content marketing uses storytelling and information sharing to engage the audience and improve brand awareness. The aim is to have the reader perform an action like signing up for the newsletter or purchasing an item with a low value. This creates trust. The Content can be blog posts, podcasts, videos, ebooks or white papers. It should provide value and promote trust with your brand in order to create a long-term relationship with the client.
Blogs are the most common form of content marketing and can be used to share informal updates, stories, information about products, services, and events.
How it works:
Create blog posts on your platform and you may want to invite other content creators to write guest posts for you that will also promote your brand.
Tips:
- Post regularly and include images, and audio. Video is key.
- Write in a conversational tone.
- Promote your content over social media channels.
- Respond to comments in a timely manner by writing something, not just “liking”.
D. Webinars
Online video presentations can share information and address questions the audience has about your product or services.
How it works:
The participants register and are provided with log in instructions and a link to the webinar via email.
Tips:
- Keep content short and visual. Focus on the advantage to the audience.
- Engage the audience.
- Don’t be salesy. You can provide a discount for one of your packages at the end.
- Interact with the participants during the session.
- Provide clear information on how to contact you. Email the participants with recordings or other materials after the session.
Short-form tools
A. Email or Opt-in Marketing
One of the most valuable forms of marketing is email marketing. These are current or potential customers who are receiving messages from you because they elected to do so. It is your job to keep on providing value to them so that they do not opt out. This is the easiest audience to provide a relationship with and convert. Personalize the messages by including the recipient’s first name in the subject line. Keep an eye on the metrics to make sure that people are actually opening your messages.
How it works:
On your website you can invite people to join your mailing lists or offer a freebie in exchange for an email. Purchasing and enquiry forms can include permission disclaimers.
Tips:
- Make sure that the recipients have given permission to email them. Respect requests to leave the list.
- Do not sell the information to other businesses.
- Maintain your database and use it to share meaningful communications.
- Occasionally, ask for feedback.
B. Online and display advertising
Advertising displayed on third party websites such as social media sites, apps or search engines may take the form of banners, text, images, video and audio. These may offer information or link directly to your website.
Pay Per Click
The most common form is known as Pay Per Click (PPC) and is used to display ads on search engines and their affiliate sites. For example, if you do ads on Facebook, you will be offered ads on Instagram via the same platform. The ads are displayed at the top and sides of a page of search results. You see them while browsing the web or the specific app. The ads run as long as you continue to pay.
How it works:
Advertisements can be placed on high-traffic websites that offer content relevant to your business or industry. PPC is used in search engines to link content to specific keywords and directs the user to your landing page or provides an immediate Call Button on-site.
Tips:
- Research the text to use keywords in your content.
- Keep the text lean. Stay focused.
- Anything that is not directly connected to the message should be excluded.
- Keep video or animations very short. People have a small attention span. Include subtitles on videos.
- Include a call to action. Ask them to message you or to call.
B. Social Media Channels
Social media marketing may be deceiving because posting on social media is free. To be effective you need to post consistently. The time that you spend is worth money. To maintain a consistent presence may require an investment. Social media channels can spread brand awareness of your business, offering, and industry. In some cases you may be able to earn customers from these channels.
How it works:
By interacting with others on social media, you can build your network or community, and spread awareness of your business. What channel are your audience hanging out on? That is the one you should pick.
Tips:
- Post consistently.
- Content should be short and entertaining. Use images and video. Video content should include sub-titles.
- Writing about controversial topics can win a lot of followers and lose a few friends.
- Respond to reader comments with more than a “like”. Try to promote discussion.
- Use hashtags. Often people search the channel using the hashtags. Tag individuals or businesses where appropriate.
- Remember to look at your analytics to gauge the level of engagement.
C. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a form of influencer marketing. Influencers on social media have content that goes viral – that means that their views spread exponentially. They engage their audience with content such as posts, videos, podcasts or blogs.
How it works:
Influencers on social media have channels that span thousands of followers.
Brands reach out to them in order to offer compensation for promoting their company to their audience and gain more leads.
Tips:
- Use provocative messaging that inspires your audience.
- Use a lot of video.
- Keep the message very simple.
- Do not try to primarily sell to people. If they only see sales content they will leave.
- Ask the audience to share and subscribe.
Conversational tools
Conversational tools are often overlooked as a way of engaging with your audience.
A. Social Media Comments
Social media comments enable you to connect with potential customers. Engaging with others in the community can promote your brand, help build relationships and generate interest about your offer.
How it works:
Whilst you can comment on replies to your business posts, it is as effective to reply to other people’s posts in a manner that brings value. The more you engage, the more the social media platforms will promote your content.
Tips:
- Make sure your comments are relevant to the post. Do not attempt to sell to everyone.
- Comments should be short and focused. Attempt to connect with people’s emotions.
- Tag people who you reply to. Make sure your content is your own or attribute it correctly.
B. User-generated Content
Your customers, users and network partners may generate content about your offering on their channels. Promoting your content on another business channel improves your SEO and also your chances to convert.
How it works:
Publishing on other people’s networks or co-writing a post is a good way to increase the visibility of your blog or content.
You can invite networking partners to create posts relevant to your channel, or ask them to link to or promote posts created elsewhere.
Tips:
- Encourage contributions from readers and people connected to your industry.
- Reach out to others and ask if they are interested in a guest post related to their content.
- Acknowledge contributions in a timely manner.
There are a variety of tools available to support you in achieving your marketing and sales objectives. It can be challenging to know which are the best fit for your business. Consider the demographics of your audience and where they are likely to hang out during their work or leisure time. The channels that you choose should fit the client and her habits.
The content that you create should be relevant, entertaining and informative.
