Having found my passion in the digital marketing world, one of the vital things I tell my family, friends and customers is how developing an online strategy can help grow your business, or yourself, in many ways. What is a digital marketing strategy? How do you make it work for yourself or industry? Let's first dive into the basics of what a digital marketing is, then I can offer some tips on how you can create one to work for you.
In simple terms, digital marketing is when you promote anything that uses the internet or an electronic device to connect with others, including potential customers. Some methods that you may already be using, or are considering using, are social media, search engine optimization, apps, and email (just to name a few). So basically, if you're using the internet to promote your business, you're already engaging in digital marketing.
Now that we know what digital marketing is, a digital marketing strategy is simply a plan for how to achieve your personal or business goals using the internet. Some of your goals may be increasing website traffic, growing your email distribution list, or generating leads. The key to a successful digital marketing strategy is to be clear and realistic about your goals, and then create a strategic plan for how you will achieve them.
Where do we go from here? Let's start with your target market, or who you are trying to reach online. Conducting an analysis of your target market can include looking into demographics, behavior, and buying habits of your ideal customers. Identifying and understanding what their needs and pain points are, and what types of content will resonate with them is essential in how to develop your strategy.
Once you have a clear understanding of your target market, the next step is to determine which channels or platforms will be most effective for reaching them. Some of the most popular channels include:
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Social media: platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can be great for building relationships with your target audience, and for promoting your products and services.
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Search engine optimization (SEO): optimizing your website and content for search engines like Google or Bing can help you increase visibility and drive more traffic to your site.
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Email: using email to connect with your customers can be a powerful way to nurture relationships and promote your business.
How do we decide which channels to use? It's important to consider the unique strengths and weaknesses of each channel or platform, as well as the goals you're trying to achieve. For instance, if you are trying to generate leads, you might want to focus on SEO, but if you are trying to build relationships with your target audience, you might want to focus your efforts on social media.
Once you have a clear understanding of who your target market is and the channels you think are best to reach them with, the next step is to develop a content marketing plan. Developing a content marketing plan just means you are identifying the types of content you will create and share, as well as how you will use that content to promote your business. Some types of content to consider include:
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Blog posts: writing regular blog posts can help you establish yourself as an authority in your industry, and can also help you generate leads and drive traffic to your site.
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E-books and whitepapers: creating longer-form content like e-books and whitepapers can be a great way to generate leads and build relationships with your target audience.
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Infographics and videos: visual content like infographics and videos can be a great way to make your content more engaging and shareable.
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Social media posts: creating and sharing regular social media posts can help you build relationships with your target audience, and also help you promote