A Guide to Digital Marketing
With consumers spending more time online than ever, digital marketing is an essential marketing tool for all businesses. In this guide, we’ll explore some effective strategies to help your business reap the rewards.
Digital marketing is an umbrella term, which covers an array of online marketing techniques that are designed to reach new customers, promote brands, increase web traffic, and drive sales. If you’re looking to capitalize on the popularity of the Internet, here are some tips to improve and enhance your digital marketing strategy.
Improving your search engine ranking and rating highly on the local pack
SEO (search engine optimization) is a highly effective method for commanding attention online and making your brand more visible. When a web user types a search term or keyword into Google, you want your links to appear at the top of page 1. Statistics show that Google alone now processes more than 60,000 searches per second, and 75% of people won’t move past page 1 of the results. The aim is to get as high up the page as possible.
Local SEO has become increasingly influential in recent years, and figures suggest that almost half of internet searches (46%) now have a local focus. Almost 90% of consumers who conduct a local search on their phone will contact or visit a business within 24 hours. This statistic highlights the value of local SEO and the importance of having an online presence, even if you don’t sell products through your website.
To improve your search engine ranking and rate highly on the local pack, there are several steps you can take. The first is to create a Google My Business account. This will help you attract attention using Google Maps, as well as in the search results pages. It’s also incredibly beneficial to ask customers to leave reviews and feedback, which you can post on your Google My Business profile and your website and social feeds. Optimize content for voice searches and mobile use. More and more people are using smartphones and devices that have voice-control features to carry out searches. Adding a local element to the content you produce and including About Us and local area pages on your website can also help, and your content should feature local keywords.
Increasing the number of online reviews
Did you know that 90% of consumers are influenced by online reviews? In an age where it takes a matter of seconds to find a glowing review or discover negative feedback, it’s crucial to strive for 5-star reviews and to utilize the gravitas of customer reviews to attract new clients and establish a good reputation. To increase the number of reviews you receive, start asking customers to leave feedback, provide space on your website for comments and ideas and direct customers towards popular review sites. Include links on order confirmation emails and follow up purchases with a polite request or a gentle reminder for the client to leave a review. Avoid bombarding people with emails or social media messages and don’t offer incentives. It’s crucial that customers are able to trust reviews and that they have access to fellow buyers who have shared real-life experiences.
The importance of a professional website and engaging, original content
Are you getting a lot of traffic, but failing to convert leads, or are you struggling to get your content noticed? Increasing traffic is only part of the equation. To succeed in boosting sales and promoting your brand, you need to be able to generate and convert leads. If people are landing on your site and clicking your links, but they’re not getting in touch with you, signing up for emails, or buying products or services, your website could be holding you back.
Think of your website as a shop window. Aesthetics are key, as it takes a matter of seconds to form a first impression. If your homepage is drab or dull, or your landing pages are packed with text, this could put web users off. Improving the look of your site is an excellent way to boost performance. If you don’t have expertise in web design, it’s worth working with experts to create a site that showcases your business in the best possible light. In addition to looking the part, the site should be easy to navigate, pages should be optimized for mobile use, and it should take a matter of seconds to achieve your objective as a consumer. If you want to buy a product, for example, the process of finding an item, adding it to the cart, and completing the purchase should be seamless, stress-free, and swift. Customer experience is key. Over 85% of customers will swap to a competitor as a result of poor user experience.
Content is crucial when it comes to improving lead conversion rates. Focus on creating high-quality, informative, engaging, useful, interesting, original content. Vary the types of content you share, include images and video clips, and add backlinks to garner more attention. Video content is much more likely to be shared than text or images, and 80% of consumers have purchased products after watching a video clip. Analyze feedback from different types of social media posts and blog articles and test your landing pages. Use analytics to identify potential weak points where buyers may be slipping through the net.
Summary
Digital marketing can be an extremely effective method for businesses looking to capitalize on the popularity of the web. If you’re on a mission to attract attention online, it pays to work with SEO, web design, and content marketing experts to design and implement targeted strategies and ensure you have access to cutting-edge techniques that are relevant to your brand and your ideal customer.
