Lesa Seibert
Content marketing is all the rage right now, and there’s a good reason for it. The age of advertising is now shifting to digital; meaning that marketing efforts, transactions and even relationships are taking place strictly online.
When it comes to marketing your business online, you have to do it effectively to see results. This comes from integrating several online signals. Whether these signals are your social media outlets or your company web site all depends on your goal.
Start at the End: Your Goal
Define your goal, no matter how small or big. Many folk underestimate the power of defining goals. When you want to be sure your marketing efforts are well spent, you should define one. Is your company’s goal to increase online sales? To acquire more email subscriptions? It starts with creating content (articles, blogs, etc.) that highlights your business’ main selling points.
Start by identifying what your business is best known for. What products sell the most? What services are most utilized? Who is your target demographic? These are all very helpful to be aware of when crafting your online messages.
Get people engaged by hosting contests
Success stories
Ask followers to share your page
Post videos and photos (these are very engaging)
Post special of fers with a compelling call-to-action
Link to your company web site
Use bit.ly links instead of long, unappealing URL’s
Share news, events and special promotions
Invest in your page by boosting important updates
Web Site Tips
Take note of a competitors site and see where they shine (or don’t)
Make sure headlines are keyword-focused
Don’t have duplicate content on multiple pages
Perform a web site audit to see what parts of your site need improving
Include maps, directions, phone numbers, names and emails Include a FAQ section
Update Your Web and Social Media
Exist online, and do so frequently. We all know technology moves fast. For some of us, it moves faster. To feel less intimidated, just remember: There is no be-all and end-all method. What works for one business may not work for another, and vice-versa.
Start by getting your business on social media and updating that web site created in the 90’s. These may seem fruitless at the surface level, but at its core, they are vital to good business. Besides, 85 percent of consumers use the Internet to find local businesses.
Additionally, only seven percent of marketers say they don’t use social media for their business. Presentation is key in a virtual world, but the first step is putting yourself there. Get your business on the following social media services as a starting point: Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
Become a Resource, With Content
Be helpful, and by doing so – become the expert. Once you’ve defined your marketing goal and claimed social media pages on the services listed above, you’ll need to create some sort of content that draws people in.
So what is content? Essentially, it’s information – information that could be extremely helpful to someone. All human knowledge is now accessible via the Internet, and there are lots of people searching for it. By creating resourceful content, you are becoming an expert in your field. People are more likely to sign up for that newsletter, or purchase a product from a business that has helped them in some way. This is called brand loyalty, and it stems from a brand’s content.
Lesa Seibert is founder and CEO of Mightily in Louisville, Ky.