Maintaining a website is an essential part of having a successful business today; but simply having a website is no longer enough to compete in today’s digital world. Every business whether it is a brick and mortar shop, contractor, other professional or a web based service needs to incorporate a digital marketing strategy into their business plan. It is very important to develop a digital marketing strategy through which the business can connect and engage with its audience. There are a few key elements that are integral parts of a successful and effective digital marketing campaign.
Importance of the Web Site to a Digital Marketing Strategy
While the official web site of the business cannot be the totality of the marketing plan, it is an essential part of it. The web site is generally the main target that consumers need to be pointed at. A well designed web site which is search engine optimized is very necessary. For many businesses it will contain the products or services they are offering to their clientele as well as contact information. It is the center of the digital marketing campaign as the goal is to direct traffic from other web 2.0 locations back to the web site. The web site should contain all the business information including products and services, your value to the consumer; or what you can do for them or what kind of solution you can provide.
Social Media Marketing
Social media as a digital marketing tool that simply cannot be ignored. It provides many Web 2.0 platforms through which businesses can connect with clientele. Various social media platforms bring the perfect balance to engaging with consumers and distributing content. Social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Google+ allow for plenty of interaction with consumers who are interested in services, products or information that is provided by a business. A Social media marketing strategy will incorporate many of the elements that are included in the content strategies. No matter what types of social media sites are used the goal is interaction. These sites can be used to inform consumers about specials, offers, campaigns or contests. They can also be useful for directing traffic back to the main site. But they can also be beneficial ways to provide feedback to the business so that they get a real feel about what the customers really want or think.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is typically a long term plan. It is an essential part of the campaign as well as relevant to the SEO strategies being used. Content can take many forms it can be distributed in blogs, social media sites, YouTube videos, Podcasts, or informative articles on the web site itself. Even a text or a tweet is considered content although they have limited space. Content will share relevant information about the business. It is important to provide fresh, keyword rich content on a regular basis. Content has two primary goals. One is to be found by search engines and the other is to be relevant and important to the audience.
Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing incorporates the use of a mobile device of some sort, typically a cell phone but today there are many mobile devices such as tablets and ereaders. This is perhaps the fastest growing segment of digital marketing as nearly every individual has some type of mobile device. It is best described as distributing any sort of advertising or promotional message to consumers using a wireless network or a mobile device. The advantages of using mobile devices as part of a digital marketing campaign is that messages can be location and time sensitive and advertised services and goods can be individualized.