Sharing marketing advice can sometimes make you feel like a snake oil salesman. (Or a lemonade salesman!) After all, we’re regularly inundated with emails and ads promising immediate results with minimal effort! But anyone who has run a digital marketing campaign knows that just isn’t true. Marketing requires strategic thinking, planning, and monitoring. To help you kickstart your next marketing campaign, we’ve put together some proven tips to get you started.
Content, Content, Content
There’s no way around it: over the past decade, traditional marketing has taken some big hits. The rise of DVR and streaming video has put a major dent in television ads, and we’ve all heard about the “death of print” – so magazine ads are suffering too. What do both of these forms have in common? They’re “interruptive communication” and more likely to be glossed over or ignored. Buyers are much more receptive to relevant content that answers their questions and fulfills their needs. When content is helpful, your customers pay attention.
Harness the power of online video
Yeah, we’re a visual communications company, we have to say that. But online video has proven value in marketing. Video on your homepage helps you communicate and engage more effectively; using video across multiple platforms helps businesses create an engaging, easy to consume, and consistent first contact with potential customers; conversions are higher on sites with video. What are you waiting for?
Personalize your marketing
Personalization is the next big thing in digital marketing. How often have you sent an email to a friend about a specific topic, only to see that topic show up in an advertisement immediately after? Take advantage of the ability to tailor online ads – social advertising on Facebook and Twitter allows you to target by location, age, sex, industry, and interests. You can also utilize “remarketing” – show relevant advertising to users who have visited your site before but didn’t convert, encouraging them to come back.
Have a conversation
A lot of brands treat their social media platforms like a bullhorn, shouting out to the Internet about their products and services over and over. Don’t do that. Social media is just that – social! Interact with your customers and clients, provide them with relevant content, and keep that content fresh. If someone comments on an item you shared, comment back! People like the feeling of having a personal relationship with a brand, and that feeling helps encourage brand loyalty.
Help first, sell second
This goes right back up to content – helpful content that solves problems allows you to pitch yourself in a subtle, non-aggressive manner. By providing useful information that helps people, you build your reputation and encourage those people to think of you as the solution to their problems. Which would you rather be seen as: a pushy salesman or a helpful expert?
I hope these help! For more tips about social media marketing and the use of online video, browse through our blog. Did I miss anything important? Let me know!