These days, in order for brands to become and stay relevant, they need to be engaging with customers constantly on pretty much every media platform there is. A good digital marketing strategy can help your business grow while keeping your name and brand fresh in the minds of your existing customer base.
But given the mercurial nature of the digital world, keeping your digital marketing campaign up to date can sometimes feel like treading water with your hands tied behind your back. That’s why we’ve identified 5 trends and tips that will help you maintain a solid digital strategy even as the landscape continues to change.
1. Mobile, Mobile, Mobile
It’s no secret that mobile is king. With roughly sixty percent of Americans using only their phones, tablets and other mobile devices to engage with digital media, the importance of designing for and targeting mobile users cannot be overstated.
But even as mobile continues to make up an ever larger slice of the digital pie, a surprising amount of companies are still taking a desktop first approach to marketing. No matter how incredibly slick and robust your website is, if it isn’t optimized for mobile it’s bound to struggle. This is especially true given Google’s new algorithm, introduced earlier this year, which gives higher search rankings to mobile-optimized sites.
Mobile-first design will ensure that your site functions smoothly on all devices, which is a plus given that mobile loading times are also a factor in your Google SEO rank.
In short: it’s easier, more efficient, and more profitable to design mobile first and build up to desktop rather than the other way around, so go mobile or go home.
VIDEO: Digital Marketing Strategy for Small Business 2017 – Best Tips
2. Engage with your customers
A no-brainer, right? Well, unfortunately, a lot of companies who think they’re engaging with customers simply aren’t.
Today’s customers are looking for an experience rather than a sales pitch. It isn’t enough to have active Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts if all you’re going to use them for is to tell customers who you are and what you do. You need to let them connect with your brand as a unique personality. This is why companies that focus on fun, real-time engagement with customers in the digital space tend to have higher social media profiles than those who simply focus on messaging.
3. Tell them what you want from them
Clear, concise calls to action are absolutely essential when it comes to converting your digital marketing audience into paying customers. Visitors to your site, app, and social media profile should never be confused about what you want them to do and how you want them to do it.
Selling a product? Offering some information? Asking people to sign up for your service, newsletter, or email alerts? Within seconds of visiting your site, customers should know exactly how to do so with intuitive, flowing design guiding them toward a clear call-to-action. Anything you can do to eliminate steps between initial engagement and your CTA is a plus.
Which leads us to…
4. Social Commerce
Allowing you to leverage the marketing power of already popular social media platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram, social commerce is the next evolution in digital lead generation and conversion.
Do you need help with your website?
Services We Offer:- Medical Website Design
- Health WordPress Development
- Website Maintenance
- Medial SEO & Digital Marketing
With a select group of companies already on board, it’s already here in small doses and it is quickly on the rise. And according to a report from Business Insider, retail sales driven by social media and referral traffic are rising at a faster pace than all other online channels. So if you don’t get your social commerce infrastructure in place and ready to roll soon, you’re going to be late to the party.
5. Monitor and target your audience
When customers feel bombarded by your company’s posts, updates and emails, they tend to click the “unfollow” button. If you don’t want everything you say to end up in the digital purgatory that is the spam filter, try reserving your engagement to targeted interactions. Using tools and aggregators like Google Analytics, Social Mention, and MediaVantage will allow you monitor the conversations about your brand and competitors, track mentions, and provide advertising analytics and reports on conversion rates, all of which will allow you to be decisive and deliberate with your digital marketing strategy. Rather than taking a scattershot approach, you’ll be able to jump in and join a live, responsive conversation with your customers.
A strong digital marketing campaign requires constant attention and adaptation. But while the tools and technology for implementing these strategies will continue to become more and more sophisticated over the following months and years, the core tenants behind them are unlikely to change anytime soon. Keep these 5 tips in mind as you construct your marketing strategy, and you’ll be well on your way to better leads and higher conversion rates in the digital realm.
Looking to hire an experienced digital marketing agency to help your brand grow? Let’s work together.
About the author: Auctus Marketing is a digital marketing agency based out of Boston, MA. Our goal is to help grow businesses. Our specialty is SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which helps companies grow their online traffic, creates quality leads, and drives more sales. Our team comprises seasoned SEO experts & top-notch consultants. Our goal is to identify your business needs, develop a custom online marketing strategy and execute it.
