The marketing landscape has changed dramatically in recent years and continues to evolve at a rapid pace. As a marketer, one has to keep up – and playing in the sandbox today requires as much of an engineering pursuit as well as a creative one.
A modern marketing plan today will build your business while being able to track what works best. Without one, you are losing market share. This is true in both business-to-consumer or business-to-business. In a competitive market, why would you not embrace digital technology to grow your customer base and earnings?
Often, it is because of the unknown.
There are many elements of digital marketing that need to intricately work together which may not be apparent on the surface. At Big Rig Media, clients have shown us how disconnected their marketing campaigns are.
Those ill-defined campaigns usually look like this: We outsourced to a graphic designer for ads, we contracted a web developer for an updated website, we had our marketing department buy digital ads, we hired a social media expert and paid for social campaigns … and even after six months, we didn’t see much change in our bottom line.
But without dedicated front- and back-end developers who understand marketing, and a marketing team that understands website design and automation, your business may travel down this very path.
Today, marketers need to stay abreast with the continually evolving digital evolution – from effective, conversion-ready website design to Google Ads, A/B testing (e.g. using two different versions of a sales page to see which performs better), etc.
Most businesses get website traffic, but the key is to engage visitors and maximize customer acquisition rates. Website traffic and engagement should be monitored, and website behavior should be analyzed utilizing several techniques. This, in turn, allows you to most effectively manage your ad budget and return on investment. By integrating the various marketing channels to deliver a comprehensive, cross-platform user experience, every touch point can be carefully planned for optimal conversion to customers.
While one article won’t cover all of these aspects, here are few tips that can easily get you started on the right track:
- Get Live Chat – Your website’s most important job is to convert a visitor to a prospect. One of the most successful ways to do this is through live chat. It’s a quick and efficient way for a visitor to ask a question, get some information, and possibly place an order or make an appointment. There are many, affordable live chat tools on the market worth exploring.
- Boost Social Media Post – An abundant number of followers is one thing, but engagement is another. People generally follow many social media accounts. So, mathematically, only a small percentage of your audience will see your posts. That’s where paid boosts come in. This does not require a huge investment of money and enables you to broaden and track your reach.
- Build a ‘Google My Business’ Listing – When was the last time you bought something or hired a service provider without first looking at reviews from previous customers? It’s the same for your business. Getting reviews is easy, but you first need to claim your review directories. The most important one is your Google My Business.
While marketing has never been more targeted and affordable, it does require some finesse when factoring in the many avenues available.
Don’t sit on the sidelines because you’re confused about modern and digital marketing. You will have to invest your time and money in modern marketing, whether you’re tackling it on your own or hiring an expert.
In the past, your business would do better with a Yellow Page ad than without. And today, a digital presence is a must.