When you hear the word digital marketing, do you cringe? Do you always feel unsure about what tactics to try next, and like you are still struggling to keep up with your competition? If you answered yes, you need help with your digital marketing. If you are looking for some actionable steps to take towards your digital marketing goals, this is the article for you!
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the latest digital marketing strategies, especially when you are comparing your small business strategies to your larger competitors. To make the situation worse, when you do this, you are comparing your marketing efforts to a competitor’s who has an entire team of employees focusing solely on that company’s digital marketing efforts. Thankfully, regardless of your business size, you can still apply any of the marketing tips listed below.
Most of your competitors don’t know about these digital marketing tips, and even if they do, they won’t know how to implement them successfully. Here are the actionable tips that will make an enormous difference in your digital marketing strategy as a small business.
Having Too Many Baskets
Many new business owners are trying to apply marketing strategies on too many platforms. They have ten different social media accounts, PPC campaigns, intense content schedules, and, unfortunately, none of these strategies seem to be working.
If this sounds familiar, you need to realize that one of the worst mistakes a new business owner can make is attempting to manage too many platforms at once. Less is more when it comes to launching your business. Focus on consistency and quality content instead of saturating your medium with poorly made posts. Focus on a few campaigns that you are excited about. Well-made content that you are passionate about will not only portray your business in a better light but will also help attract your ideal consumer base. If you try to tackle too many campaigns at once, you will struggle to determine what strategies worked for your business and what did not. As a smaller business, it is also essential to make sure you are consistent with your blogging, posting on social media, and SEO efforts.
Another problem with trying to manage too many things at once is that you will lose consistency because you have spread yourself too thin and eventually will inadvertently burn yourself out. Not only does this hurt your mental health, but it will also cause you to lose out on a lot of traffic from search engines because they are programmed to provide consistent and current information to their users.
Know Your Place in Social Media
Here is the Golden Rule of digital marketing strategies: If you never used the social media platform before, you should not try to market your business there. While social media is an excellent digital marketing strategy, you need to know how to post and what is currently trending before you can attempt to market on these sites. This is especially important when you consider that almost 80% of U.S. residents have social media profiles, which are used frequently and will be able to quickly detect a newbie who doesn’t know what they are doing! That’s why it is essential to know your place on social media.
Focus on the social media platforms that you are already comfortable and competent using. Once you can see what works and what doesn’t, you can start checking out other platforms. But be sure to consider who your target audience is. Don’t waste your time on a social media platform if your users and audience aren’t using that platform. To best utilize your social media efforts, discover what sites most of your audience are on, and learn and create a business platform there.
Build an Email List
Building an email list is one of the most valuable assets a business can have; some argue even more so than having a social media presence. It is an incredibly effective way to generate more sales and leads. Research reveals that email subscribers are more likely to purchase products from a business as well as more willing to share the work on social media.
One of the simplest ways to create an email list is by creating a sign-up form and linking it to your social media description as well as on your website. It is also helpful if you draw attention to your email list through social media posts. If you are looking for a tactic with a little more punch, consider offering an exclusive deal to those who are signed up on your mailing list. Nothing is more effective than the promise of a discount!
Hopefully, these tips and tricks help demystify popular digital marketing strategies. While digital marketing is becoming increasingly popular, it is only useful if done correctly! Lucky for you, you can now consider yourself an expert on the above digital marketing strategies!