We live in a highly technological world, so it’s almost impossible not to use digital platforms for marketing. However, knowing which channel to use and how to use it is extremely important. We look at the key ways to market your business digitally.
WEBSITE
Websites are almost imperative to any business nowadays. Your website is typically the first touch point with your customer – it represents your brand and explains what you’re all about. Websites are one of the cheapest and easiest ways to market your business – without one, you’ll have to do a lot more work to reach people.
While building a website can seem overwhelming and expensive, it actually doesn’t have to be. There are many user-friendly sites, such as Wix or Wordpress, that make it easy for businesses to build and manage their own webpages. Just be sure to research best practices to ensure you’re getting the most out of your site.
BLOGGING
Blogs are an online platform where people or companies share thoughts, advice or news. Blogs differ from websites in the sense that they typically have a more personal approach, offering things like thought-leadership pieces, and are updated with new content frequently. If you decide to launch a blog, keep in mind you will need to write new posts often (at least twice a month) and offer something valuable to readers.
Another way to leverage blogs is to read and comment on other blogs in your industry. Bloggers tend to support other bloggers, and “guest blogging” is a common practice. Offer to write a piece for someone else’s blog, or offer your own as a platform to them. Blogging is very much about relationship-building, so be active and consistent and watch your network grow.
ONLINE FORUMS
Online forums are extremely popular amongst groups of people who have a common interest and want a network of like-minded people to lean on for support and advice. Joining in on these conversations is a great way to reach your target audience. Just be mindful that you’re not bombarding them with promotional ads about your business, but instead are offering something helpful.
PAID SOCIAL MEDIA
Advertising can be pricey, but the great thing about advertising through social media is that you only pay for what’s clicked on, so it’s a good way to stay within budget whilst ensuring you’re reaching your target audience.
For example, let’s say you have only $50 to spend on advertising, and Facebook is charging you $1 per click. Once the ad has been clicked on 50 times, it will stop running – so you won’t have to worry about going over budget. Plus you also know you have hit 50 engaged people who had to proactively click on the advert to find out more information.
One of the other benefits is that you can reach quite a niche audience, especially on sites like Facebook, because it allows you to narrow down the audience by age, gender, region, interests, etc. This is helpful especially for local businesses because it’s easy to identify people in your region.
ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is a great way to reach a large audience for free. While many businesses jump at the chance to launch a Facebook or Twitter page, it’s important to know that using social media can cause more harm than good if proper etiquette is not followed. Read about our Do's and Don'ts for using social media for business.