Digital marketing and SEO could be considered to be the same thing; but they are two separate entities. Many people…
In the simplest of terms, digital marketing is promoting products, brands, reputation or services through one or more types of electronic media. One of the biggest advantages to using digital marketing over more traditional forms of marketing is that marketing campaigns can be analyzed in real time to see what is working and not working. A digital marketing company can monitor what is actually being viewed, how often it is viewed, as well as how long it is viewed. Through the use of digital marketing analysis, companies can even tell what types of content works or does not work and even the specifics of sales conversions. In most cases when the term digital marketing is used people think about the internet or websites, but there are also many other channels and that can be used such as wireless text messaging, mobile apps, Podcasts, electronic digital television, or mobile instant messaging.
The Difference Between Digital Marketing and Internet Marketing
Internet marketing is a form of digital marketing and they are not synonymous. Internet marketing does incorporate the use of many digital channels such as SEO, advertising or email marketing. But digital marketing goes past what just the Internet can provide and includes many other digital or electronic devices.
There is really no doubt that creative content is essential to a web marketing campaign. Many businesses already maintain regular blogs as part of their marketing strategies and most are starting to lean more toward social integration. These can be very useful components of a strategic campaign; but if you are using the same kind of content over and over it is most likely just as boring to your audience as it has become to you. It’s important to note that there are a variety of content options available and by using a good mix you can keep your audience engaged and stimulated. It is important then to know about the major types of online content in order to diversify marketing efforts and successfully reach a diverse audience.
The phrase, “Content is King” was applicable to printed materials even before the Internet. Today, as online content has begun to dominate print content, most web marketing specialists still hold that content is king. Basically, no matter what type of medium is being used solid content is still the heart of the matter. Content is the central part of marketing and SEO campaigns and without it, being found online just isn’t going to happen. There are many ways that content contributes to a successful marketing or SEO campaign and adds value to a site.
Content Builds Customer Loyalty
Too many times inexperienced SEO professionals build campaigns around first-time or unique visitors. While this is an important aspect of the campaign and essential to growth, businesses cannot be well established based on first-time visitors. Successful companies do not make their money from a single visit by a first-time customer. The real money is made by consumers who choose to return over and over again. A good example is the Wall Street Journal who has made their money from people who have read their content and decided that it was interesting and good enough to purchase the paper again, or subscribe. The Wall Street Journal would not be the giant it is today (both online and off) if they relied on getting a new customer to purchase the paper every time.
Just a few years ago SEO and social media simply coexisted. But over the last few years the line between the two began to blur. Now more than ever the major search engines use social signals as part of their ranking algorithms. In web marketing today an effective SEO strategy will be incomplete without incorporating into it the social aspect of the Web 2.0 which is built around the social element to begin with. And on the other hand, an effective social media strategy will be contributory to the SEO initiative. It is important for the two to work together in order to achieve higher rankings in the SERPs, increase site traffic and of course increase the ROI for a business. Over the last few years there have been several giants in the world of social media; but recently there have been some changing of the guard. Here three top social media platforms that should be part of any social media strategy used in an SEO campaign.
A company brand is a symbol which represents the business. In one respect it is meant to represent the characteristics, associations, and experiences of the business in one abstract form. It may be a logo, phrase, sound…; but a brand is designed so that it makes people who see or hear it think about the company and what it represents to them. When it is done well, a brand image can keep consumer’s mind on your particular products, services, quality, value, size, market position or whatever else might matter between the company and the individual. The way the company web site is designed will represent what consumers should be able to expect out of the company, their product or service. An online presence should be open, honest, up-front and transparent. Branding your website is about constructing a very concise, neat online personality and applying it consistently across the site as well as across the web.
Web Site Consistency
Your brand is more than just a logo with a tagline; it represents you and everything about your business to consumers. When branding a site, it is important to reinforce the image of the brand throughout the web site. Make sure to be consistent in style, or design. A logo should be positioned in the upper left hand corner of each page since this is where a visitor’s eyes tend to go first. Don’t oversize the logo; but don’t make it so small that it is difficult to identify. Use images that are reusable in order to optimize the site’s speed. In order to successfully brand your site, it will have to be memorable to site visitors.
Before children can read a single word, they know that there is food nearby when they see the golden arches. This is an excellent example of successful branding. It may be a jingle, a logo or a slogan that makes an individual think of a particular company; but branding is all about building that type of association between consumer and business.
What is Branding?
A brand offers consumers an image or idea about a certain product so that they can associate it with the company. Branding can take many different forms but in general it is marketing an idea or image that makes the consumer identify it with a product or service. What do you think about when you see the golden arches? It is likely a Big Mac. Branding is about building brand recognition, building a good business reputation. It is a very important aspect of web marketing as it helps to develop a company’s reputation such that there is more revenue. To the business person, successful marketing means when an individual sees their brand anywhere they immediately identify it with the company. It is not so much about just getting potential consumers to see the company, but more about getting them to see the company as a solution to their problem.
The various social media platforms can be exceptional tools for marketing, this includes the blog. Maintaining a business blog can yield many different benefits for the business if it is handled correctly. Blogging can keep the website from going stale as well as provide a platform to interact with consumers. Content creation is one of the main components of blogging and it must be done regularly in order to have an impact on a search engine optimization campaign. Blogging can be used in conjunction with a website, or it can be maintained off site. Either way, maintaining a blog can help establish the company name across the internet. A business blog can provide a small business a chance to share their expertise in their own niche or industry.
Producing High Quality Content
One of the most important aspects of blogging is that the company gets to produce their own voice. It can be an essential part of developing trust between the business and the client. However, it is very important to note that the content on a blog needs to be high quality and informative. One way to develop this is to make the blog into an education center in order to answer all the questions that your clients may have about your products or services. Although blogging is a marketing tactic, the language should be more informative rather than sales pitchy. Maintain an archive so that readers have plenty more articles to look at for examples and always give a call to action by inviting the readers to learn more. These strategies will help keep them engaged with the site, the blog and ultimately the business.
There are many different strategies that make up a successful SEO campaign, and blogging is just one of them. A blog offers a platform which can be used to write on virtually any topic. There are about as many different varieties as any one person can imagine. A blog can offer an effective way to increase site traffic as well as providing a better user experience for visitors. The benefits of maintaining a blog by far outweigh the work that goes into it; and there are many benefits.
Connecting with Consumers
Even though there are a lot of blogs that are written about life from a personal perspective, a blog can be a beneficial tool for the business person. It can offer a great way to connect with consumers who are interested in your product or services. Not only can you provide much in depth information about your products, you can receive valuable feedback from consumers which can help you rethink many of your business techniques. Another benefit is that of improved customer service. Many times consumers will look through your website looking for answers to their own questions. By blogging on the main issues and posting them on the main company website consumers will be able to quickly find the information they need which can help reduce the number of calls and emails made to the support center. When blogging is done correctly it can be a tool used for increasing the number of new clients as well.
Social media marketing is a very powerful tool for today’s business. While tweeting, blogging and posting updates on social sites can tend to be fun; these actions when used strategically can be part of an effective web marketing campaign. Many ask if there is anything to be gained by using social media and of course the biggest question is if there is a substantial enough ROI. When it is used properly, social media marketing can be effective and improve your bottom line. Social media is no different than any other marketing tactic; it’s all about strategically setting goals and using social media activities to reach them. Where most people get tripped up is in thinking that there will be an immediate return which is not likely. Social media marketing involves long term strategizing which will help keep a company’s name or brand on the mind of consumers. There are some strategies to help ensure a social media marketing campaign is productive.