Are your customers and prospects finding you online? Nine out of 10 consumers will research products and services online before making a purchase, phone call or reservation. And three out of five will complete their shopping online.
Businesses are increasingly depending on their web presence for both marketing and sales. Those who are most successful have a strategic plan, identifying their target markets, specifying the online channels to reach them, setting goals, etc.
Consistent with the ever-changing landscape of the internet, new tools and tactics for marketing and sales can seem to pop up overnight. For those operating a small business, it can be overwhelming to stay informed of the latest best practices. So we’ve compiled this list of key components for consideration in your 2016 internet marketing plan.
- Blogging: A blog is a key component in content marketing – which looks like it is here to stay. A powerful tool for driving traffic to your website, a blog is a proven means of adding new, valuable content to your website on a regular basis (a ‘preference factor’ for searching engine ranking). Whether you write the blogs yourself or hire someone to do it for you, the content should address the topics readers what to know about your product or industry (relevant), be formatted for easy scanning, and be interesting and well-written to engage readers – lengthening their visit time on your site.
- Website updates: Making periodic updates to your site will keep your content fresh and interesting, inviting return visits. Ideally, your blog will not be the only current content. Consider adding a new videos, descriptions of new product and customer reviews to help keep your website in the search engines’ sights.
- Email marketing: Are you collecting email addresses from those who visit your website? Building an email list and using it strategically to connect with your patrons and friends can be highly effective. Consider the content and frequency of your emails carefully, as too many emails without valuable information can result in losing subscribers. Effective uses of email can be introducing new products, announcing sales and providing limited-time discounts.
- Search engine optimization: What are your prospects typing into Google to find businesses like yours? The answer to this question is a key to optimizing your ranking on search engine results pages. Other factors include content updates, targeted key words, and relevant SEO titles and tags. If any of this is news to you, contact Page Progressive to learn how some basic steps can benefit your search status.
- Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn (to name only a few) are changing the landscape of internet marketing. Each social platform offers access to customers and prospects through posts, advertising and interaction. Navigating this social media world has become a significant element of internet marketing for business — one that you may not be able to afford to overlook.
- Online networking: In our modern, connected world, it is easier to identify the ‘movers and shakers’ of your industry and stay apprised of they are doing by liking or following them on social media. Once connected, reach out to them to begin building a relationship. Connect with them at conferences or events you attend, and invite them to participate any events you are hosting. As relationships are built, these connections can result in ‘shout outs’ or endorsements that can benefit your reputation, credibility and possibly even sales.
- Online community: In the same way, online communities provide a means of connecting with your customers and prospects. Consider getting involved with a relevant forum for your industry that is already established or start one of your own.
Have you considered each of these items for your internet marketing plan? If you want to know more about any of these elements, please call Page Progressive. We would be glad to help you know more about how to incorporate any of them into your plans for a successful year.
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