Digital marketing encompasses a lot of areas that require extensive knowledge and research to fully understand. Marketers are always learning the newest tips, tricks and trends of the trade so we can provide the best services to you. As a business owner or someone of general curiosity, you might have some questions about how digital marketing works and if some services are genuinely necessary. That’s why we have provided our expertise to answer some commonly asked questions about digital marketing.
- What is SEO and how does it benefit businesses?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) allows websites (like your business!) to achieve higher rankings in search engine results. By using targeted keywords tailored to your specific industry and hosting unique, relevant content on your website, users will be driven to your website at much higher rates than before – which leads to established brand recognition and a higher amount of sales. - Do I need a blog on my website?
Short answer – yes! Blogging is a great way to drive traffic to your website, and it keeps your client base updated with all the latest happenings in your business. You can curate a subscriber list so that your subscribers will receive an automatic email whenever you publish a post. You can write about trends in the field, secrets of the trade and advise about common problems. Having a blog will also legitimize your business and help establish you as an expert in your field. Blogging also helps your SEO rank appear higher! - Which social media platforms should I be using?
We’ve written an entire blog tailored to this specific question, but it boils down to who your ideal client is. Social media marketing is specific, and each platform provides different results as different audiences use varying platforms. Do you want to market to customers rather than businesses? Stick with Facebook and Twitter. Try TikTok and Snapchat (yes, Snapchat is still relevant!) with the younger crowd. If you’re aiming to market to businesses, opt for LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the driving force behind business-to-business leads, so it’s the most recommended option for career-minded professionals. - What makes a successful email campaign?
Email campaigns are used to keep customers up-to-date about all the latest happenings within your company and to build relationships with your clientele. You can launch specific email campaigns that are tailored to an individual promotion – these typically involve sending four to six curated emails. To measure a campaign’s success, evaluate the delivery rate, which is the number of emails sent that get delivered to people’s inboxes. (Sometimes emails get bounced – it happens). Also look at the open rate, which is the number of unique people who opened your email, and the click-through rate, which entails the number of people who opened your email that clicked a link to bring them to your website. - How do I establish my brand?
Proper branding is vital to running a successful business and standing out from competitors. Branding isn’t just your logo – it’s every single message your company puts out. Your tone of voice in messaging, website design, logo and all send out a specific message about your brand. You don’t want to be sending mixed signals, so take some time and define what makes your brand unique. What are your values? Who is your ideal customer? What kinds of things attract them? A talented graphic designer can help establish your visual identity, and a copywriter can collaborate to provide a unique tone of voice that goes hand-in-hand with your brand’s visual elements.
Digital marketing goes well beyond the areas of SEO, blogging, email campaigns and branding; however, we hope our guide has provided you some clarity on the importance of these areas – and how to do them well! Are you interested in taking your digital marketing to the next level? Southern View Media offers high-quality digital marketing and design services that put your company online, so you don’t get left behind! Call us today at (251) 517-9425 to learn more.