Use digital marketing to make your business successful
This list includes the top seven digital marketing strategies from FedEx Small Business Grant recipients, including content marketing and social media marketing.
These digital marketing tips are easy to implement and affordable for businesses.
1. Use social media to get feedback
Susan Buchanan owns Humdinger Kettle Corn. She asks customers to share their feedback on social media to help her choose new flavors. Her business has many benefits beyond the fact that she can get free insight into her customers’ tastes. She is better equipped to launch new product lines.
2. Make a YouTube channel
YouTube allows anyone to create an account, brand it with their business name, post videos, and do it for free.
A YouTube channel is an excellent fit for a business such as Casullo Prime Meats. Danny Casullo is the owner and operator of this specialty butcher shop. He uses the channel for recipes, how-to guides, and other helpful information. He has also created family videos and had the great fortune of having a Turducken video become a viral marketing star. This resulted in a fivefold increase in sales in one year.
3. Treat content as a king
You want your website to look professional, work well, and be simple, especially if you set it up for the first time. Your content marketing is also essential.
Content marketing is basically about creating content to attract customers. Danny Casullo recommends that you build your website, so it is easy for you, or someone on your team, to add, remove, and update content. Modern websites are built using a content management platform (CMS), a publishing platform.
Suppose you are paying someone to set up your website. Ensure you can access the CMS from the beginning. Also, discuss with the vendor whether training is included in the quote. Consider open-source alternatives like WordPress if you are setting it up by yourself.
4. Use your content to make it useful
While we are on content marketing, here is one way to make your content more memorable for customers: Make it useful.
Consider who your customers might be and what problem they could solve with your business, and then create content to help them (while ensuring that you don’t give away your products or services for free).
Blog posts, videos, and Facebook and Zoom Memojilikeclark Theverge posts are all examples of this type of content. Casullo Prime Meats has a YouTube channel that features how-to videos, cooking tutorials, and other helpful information. Darn Good Yarn shares recipes on its Facebook page, offers remodeling advice through its Pinterest page and connects to younger customers via Instagram.
Content doesn’t have to be written-it can include almost any information your customers may find helpful.
5. Website analytics
Digital marketing has many incredible benefits. It’s easy to measure. You can not only measure traffic to your site, but also find out where they are coming from, what they do while there, how long they stay, and many other details.
Website analytics tracking tools can monitor ad campaigns and efficiently place ad placements. As a business owner, this allows you to measure your website’s return on investment (ROI), use what you learn for performance improvement, and make informed decisions about keeping it up or dropping it.
6. Use the internet to search for local businesses
Online local search can make a big difference if your business depends on local customers. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to targeted media such as IFVOD TV, radio, or billboards.
Online local search marketing ensures that your business appears in search engine results specific to your area. If you have a Phoenix carpet cleaning company, your business must appear in search results for “carpet cleaners Phoenix.” Having your firm represented in this type of search is a good idea.
There are two basic ways to do this:
- Local search engine optimization (SEO) refers to creating content on your website that targets these keywords.
- Local search engine marketing (SEM) purchases keywords from search engines such as Google and Bing.
The 2013 FedEx Small Business Grant recipients have successfully used both ideas. Danny Casullo credits about 60% of his local business’ success to SEO and SEM. Ari Hoffman uses SEM with great success.
7. Digital is more than your website
You might be just starting your digital marketing, or if you are looking to overhaul your efforts, it is natural to want to do everything possible with your website.
Danny Casullo says that you must be cautious about putting your digital eggs into one basket online. He used Shopify instead of spending a lot on flashy websites. He was able to launch his site quickly by paying monthly fees. Plus, he gets ongoing support.
Ari Hoffman says that small businesses must plan for the long term. Your business will benefit from the most professional website worldwide if it can adapt and grow. He recommends you set aside 15% of your initial investment to allow for future modifications.