Discovering the Four Primary Components of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing can be defined as using every possible internet method to gain publicity and reach your consumers. How do you construct and execute a digital marketing plan? To do so efficiently, you must recognize the building blocks that it comprises. If you haphazardly advertise or only put one or two of these steps into action, you will not maximize revenue – or worse, you may fail to see results whatsoever.
The four primary components of Online Marketing are:
1. Online Presence
2. Search Engine Optimization
3. Branding
4. Online Marketing Strategy
1. Establishing a Solid Online Presence is Fundamental
Without a general online presence, you cannot survive in the internet marketplace. Bear in mind, however, that starting a website does not alone constitute a true web presence. Of course you must have a site, but you should also have an outstanding landing page, and ideally a captivating blog. Each of these three items must be written, designed, coded and optimized perfectly, to increase their effectiveness.
The website itself needs to be well-organized and simple, yet attractive and properly coded. That includes standardized navigation features as its structural basis. If you are an online merchant, the e-commerce mechanisms must be implemented methodically in a non-obtrusive, user-friendly and secure manner.
Many web hosting companies offer e-commerce solutions as part of their hosting plans, so take advantage of this. Such firms also may offer web design services, if you prefer not to hire a designer for budgetary reasons. Always remember that layout and simplicity of use are more important than sheer design. A normal, up-to-date or slightly modern and easy-to-use website is better than a complex, futuristic one that is chaotic and confusing.
Your landing pages are where your strongest benefit-driven and call-to-action statements must exist. These pages must be written in such a way that they serve as a natural segue from your ads to different pages in your website. Landing pages must also be a liaison directing hot leads from advertising clicks to website pages.
Your blog offers an impression of what you’re about and the tone of your business; your attitude and outlook toward your visitors and potential customers is also reflected in how you present yourself here. If your blog seems forced or filled with “fluff” it will fail to support the relevance of your primary website. It must be content-rich (for example, featuring free advice on the topic of your main site). Like the landing page, it must be ultimately positioned and purposed to link traffic back to your website.
2. Implementing Search Engine Optimization Generates Traffic
SEO specialists analyze the website, landing page and blog to measure performance. This will be gauged in comparison with similar, competing sites.
Search engine optimization on the site itself entails targeting specific carefully-selected keywords. To generate optimal web traffic, these terms must be unique enough to perform well in organic search results, as well as common enough to be frequently searched.
For the site to be regarded as important and relevant to the search engines, it must also have incoming links from many other reputable and high performance sites. The SEO consultant oversees the creation and placement of this off-site content along with the embedding of back links therein.
Additional services that a digital marketing firm may address aside from search engine optimization include items like content marketing, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) and PPM (Pay-Per-Mile) advertisements.
Content marketing refers to creating rich information that captivates website visitors. This can be done for the purpose of branding in general (to create an impression about your company name, mission, outlook, and reputation), but it also can be formatted to drive sales via subtle cues and embedded links.
Types of content vary and include all forms of multimedia (videos, audio, podcasts, text, e-books, and so on). These valued multimedia are almost always given away for free so as to garner interest and exhibit generosity to the potential customer – a tried and true marketing concept which precedes the advent of the internet.
PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaigns are used to generate targeted traffic, since you only pay when prospective customers click your ads due to immediate interest.
PPM (Pay-Per-Mile) advertisements are geared more toward instilling an image or brand, since you pay for every thousand impressions – an impression referring to each time your ad appears in a page view on the third-party site – regardless of whether they notice or click the ad. PPC has a more instantaneous effect, but PPM can have a longer-lasting impact since even immeasurable amounts of subconscious branding take place.
3. Creating a Strong Sense of Online Branding is a Vital Step
Having a sense of credibility in the eyes of online visitors is crucial. Creating a strong, positive reputation is a concept known as “Branding.” This is also a marketing concept which was used well before the internet age. Branding does not just refer to brand names (though they are included); it also covers building a good impression among the online public – an impression of your company name, products and services.
One of the important aspects of online branding is the use of different social media platforms to reach your potential clients and suppliers. Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms can be used to ascertain questions, concerns and needs consumers in your general target market may have about the type of products or services you provide.
Allowing reviews on your website and publishing testimonies give the impression that you care about your customers.
You should also become a member of professional associations such as your local Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau. This can generate respect from your colleagues/peers, but also demonstrates a sense of legitimacy to consumers at large.
4. Fine Tune your Digital Marketing Plan to Increase Conversion Rates
A well done digital marketing plan will give you greater sales conversions. When it comes to digital marketing, you must have a solid plan and you also need to follow through. It may prove particularly difficult to keep going in the early stages when it seems that your overall strategy has not developed enough to make the impact you seek. Keep in mind that this is normal.
Following the four steps that are outlined here is a good start. You should also establish specific goals and a proposed time line accordingly. These should include revenue, return on investment, traffic, conversion rates, and so on. Evaluate your results at regular intervals and adjust your plan accordingly.
Avoid a sense of discouragement when something fails to work. Digital Marketing is an ongoing process of testing, evaluation and modification.
