Digital marketing tips are a dime a dozen these days. With so many platforms available to users and companies, it can be tough to filter through all the advice. Luckily, there are a few tried-and-true strategies that any business can use to stay competitive. Things like email, social media, websites, and search engine optimization are incredibly efficient ways of promoting any message to wide audiences.

Digital Marketing Tips

Digital marketing is all about building and nurturing relationships. It requires a deeper understanding of audiences than traditional advertising methods like TV, radio, and print, because it entails signaling authenticity directly to users. Targeted online marketing techniques take a personalized approach to connect with diverse audiences, which is often why they’re so effective. They involve getting to know consumers’ needs, patterns, and preferences on an individual level. By evoking genuine emotional responses, this approach can have a profound effect on the average person. In a world of countless options, standing out from the competition is priceless. Here are our top 5 digital marketing tips to help your company truly shine in 2022 and beyond.

1. Learn How to Build an Email List

You may have heard that email marketing is dead. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Email continues to be one of the most effective and affordable methods of reaching vast numbers of internet users.

Email marketing is alive and well, and it produces amazing results. Most adults have at least one email address because it’s often required to view digital content, create social media profiles, and access online accounts. This explains why there are over 4 billion email users in 2022, and why email marketing ROI can be as high as 4400%.

The truth is more people are online than ever before thanks to mobile devices. In 2021, there were over 6.2 billion smartphone users worldwide, and most online web traffic now comes from mobile devices. This means that the majority of consumers now carry internet-enabled devices with them wherever they go. Companies that take advantage of this fact can put themselves directly in the hands of thousands, if not millions, of users.

Learning how to build an email list is easy. Begin with a catalog of current and past clients, potential leads, and business connections. Consider launching an e-book, podcast, or newsletter, and adding new subscribers in-store and from your website or social media profiles. Email addresses are like digital gold, and since you alone control this list, you can decide how to use it most effectively. That said, it’s always a good idea to provide value to subscribers who share their emails. Offer exclusive invites, products, or promotions that encourage them to stay connected for months to come.

With the right software, marketers can gather vast amounts of user data from email campaigns. They can track open, clickthrough, and conversion rates, and when paired with an ecommerce or financial tool, they can also measure ROI.

2. Leverage Social Media

Let’s face it: social media platforms transformed the internet and our lives in many ways. They allow billions of users to connect, share updates, and expand their horizons with the press of a button. Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram provide countless opportunities for companies to promote themselves online.

Facebook is likely the most beneficial platform for most businesses. While pages are free to create and manage, affordable advertising options can also help businesses reach thousands of new users. Facebook also affords improvements to SEO and Google Business Profiles. If your company isn’t on social media, it’s never too late to get started. Choose one or two platforms to focus on first, depending on your goals and target market. Leverage social media channels to support your brand identity, attract a loyal following, and provide original content to diverse audiences.

Most business owners understand the value of social media. After all, over 80% of Americans have at least one social media profile and generally spend hours scrolling daily. However, the trick to social media success is consistency. Each platform has its own voice, purpose, and audience, so it’s important to understand the differences. Generally speaking, candid photos, current promotions, finished projects, and company updates are great things to post on social media.

3. Create a Content Marketing Plan

Content is king, as the saying goes. This is because audiences expect their favorite brands to provide them with value in one form or another. Original content also helps companies stand out from the growing crowd of competitors.

The value of content is simply undeniable. Whether it takes the form of video, audio, artwork, or the written word, there’s a near-infinite demand for high-quality media. This trend isn’t going anywhere, so if you want to generate leads and build a loyal following, you need a content marketing plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be intentional. That’s because content for content’s sake is often damaging to a brand’s reputation. Carelessness has no place in content marketing, so whatever you produce, ensure it aligns with your company’s long-term vision and goals.

A content marketing plan can be as simple as sending an email newsletter, maintaining a well-researched blog, or posting industry-specific tips to social media. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t immediately make an impact. Consistency is key, regardless of the content’s medium. Over time, you’ll learn what works, what doesn’t, and what your audience is seeking.

4. Develop an SEO Strategy

No list of digital marketing tips would be complete without mentioning websites and organic search. Every business needs a website for many reasons. Not only are they fantastic places to share content and add value, they can produce leads, display milestones, and generate revenue.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a long-term strategy for increasing organic traffic to a website from sources like Google. It involves various tweaks to a website’s content and structure that signal activity and authority. Over time, SEO strategies can significantly boost the amount of high-quality web traffic coming to your company website.

Something as simple as a load speed can affect a website’s search rankings. The faster a website loads on both desktop and mobile devices, the more visible it will be on search engines. Slow websites translate to poor user experiences, and they rarely rank highly in organic search results. Every successful SEO strategy also leverages popular and relevant keywords. Learning how to find keywords is essential for those who wish to be on the cutting-edge of digital marketing trends.

5. Prioritize User Experience

Technology makes it easier than ever to deliver a personalized customer experience. The digital landscape bridges gaps between companies and consumers by providing 24/7 access to online resources. Any business's success depends on its quality of service, so it’s important to give consumers what they need to make a purchase with confidence.

Most users access the internet via smartphones and search engines. In fact, Google recently shifted to mobile-first indexing, which takes these facts into account. Digital marketers must keep this in mind when designing websites, emails, content, and social media campaigns. Also accommodate mobile users with mobile optimization, mobile apps, and text messages. Create brand loyalty through self-sustaining mobile engagement loops to nurture and retain customers long-term.

Successful digital marketing involves prioritizing user experience (UX) to ensure the best customer service possible. Whether it’s a business website, a mobile app menu, or an online shopping cart, users want to be able to easily access, understand, and operate it. User interfaces (UI) and UX go hand-in-hand. A high-quality UI is clear, consistent, and accessible, all while offering opportunities for feedback. SEO also impacts user experience in various ways by helping users easily find and access what they seek.

This list of digital marketing tips only scratches the surface! If you have questions or concerns about websites, social media, or SEO strategy, feel free to contact us for more information. We’d be happy to sit down and discuss your unique needs together.

Originally published on December 15^th, 2020