Many of the organizations we speak to on a day-to-day basis struggle with developing and implementing an effective digital marketing program. With limited marketing funds and expertise, how do they make the biggest marketing impact?
Here is our list of the four digital marketing must-haves:
1. Create a powerful web experience
Many people feel that a good-looking website is all they need; however, a visually appealing site is only half the battle. Successful sites have strong visual design and equally strong information design. Can users find what they are looking for easily and with a minimal amount of clicks? Have you identified explicit “calls to action” informing the user what to do and where to navigate to next? Is there an opportunity to capture user information by inviting visitors to sign up to an email newsletter, or download a whitepaper? Is your site “responsive” so users can view it on their tablets and smart phones? Have you installed an analytics program, such as Google Analytics, to measure incoming traffic and track engagement?
2. Optimize your site for search
We come across a large number of sites that look enticing, but have not been optimized for search. Effective sites are built with search engines in mind. Critical to search success is proper keyword identification, meaning you have worked the keywords that best describe your company into the site code as well as the site content. Ensure you have a sitemap so your site is properly indexed. Pay attention to your URL structure and page names. Finally, ensure your site metadata includes the correct description and keywords for each page of your site. Users are so accustomed to searching on Google or Bing; it’s imperative that your site is not only findable, but displayed high up in the search results (preferably showing up before your competitors’).
3. Amplify and engage with social media
We’ve obviously written a lot on the benefits of social media, and we can’t emphasize enough how important social media is to your overall digital footprint. Social media not only amplifies your brand message, but also serves as the basis for engaging your customer base. Social media can account for up to 50 percent of referral web traffic, and well-written content in social media can help drive up your search rankings. Engaging content, at the right frequency, and in the right channel to reach your intended audience, is the key to making social media work for your business.
4. Enhance the experience with email
While many marketers think that email marketing has “seen its days”, we believe that it’s still a very important part of your overall program. Email is an effective way to “push” content out to a receptive audience. Of course, you have to be mindful of the basic rules of email marketing – i.e. get permission, optimize for deliverability, customize and personalize, etc. – but it can be incredibly effective to keep your brand, and your products and services, top of mind with your customers and clients. Email programs can also drive a significant amount of traffic to your website if you have strong calls to action and engaging content.
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Good digital marketing is foundational to any organization’s strategy. It’s where your customers and prospects are increasingly spending their time, so it makes imminent sense that’s where you need to invest your marketing dollars. If you have limited time and budget, and you want to make a big impact, we suggest you put these four undertakings at the top of your marketing priorities.
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in October 2013 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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