Get in the Online Marketing Game

online marketing

Redefining Market Success

Over the past decade, three significant things have redefined what CEOs need to achieve marketing success. Online and smartphone technology has evolved, and the millennial generation has moved into influential roles within business. This has caused a shift from traditional marketing (print, outdoor, broadcast, cable, direct mail) to online marketing (website, search engine optimization, paid search, online advertising, email campaigns, marketing automation, sales automation, mobile marketing, social media).

Here is what you need to do to be part of the online marketing game. Don’t, however, toss traditional media aside—marketing success will come to companies that balance both.

Website

You don’t need to start over, but your site needs to be up to date with Web standards from a usability, search optimization and mobile responsive perspective. Since the objective of online marketing is to drive all traffic to the website and engage users once they are there, investing in a top-notch website is foundational for businesses to compete.

Organic Search and Paid Search

A link to your company website needs to display on page one or two when someone searches for products and services you offer. Otherwise, your website is not being found. Organic search engine optimization is complex and driven by keywords and phrases placed within the code of your website and optimized content marketing.

Paid search is Google AdWords or Bing/Yahoo Ads  campaigns that can put your company website on page one of a search, based on keywords typed into the search bar and a bidding strategy that displays your ad based on criteria you determine when setting up a campaign.

A best practice is to do both organic and paid search.

Online Advertising

If you have not considered digital display or social media advertising, you need to. The fact that 57% of the time a buyer has already conducted online research and short-listed potential vendors, means your company needs to be visible online.

Email Campaigns

Email campaigns are used to nurture relationships your company already has with prospective buyers and current customers. Email marketing rules require opt-in email relationships with your company.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is a lead nurturing process that keeps an interested buyer engaged with your company. It is a strategic campaign that combines email, content and website marketing to provide the best opportunity to generate a marketing lead.

Sales Automation

Sales automation is an online version of telemarketing that is similar but not the same as marketing automation. It automates the prospect qualification process and necessary follow-up to engage a prospect.

Mobile Marketing

Website analytics are proving that there are more people getting to company websites via their mobile device. The use of smart phones and tablets has reached market saturation.

Social Media

It you have a social media strategy, it can make a huge difference to the success you can have driving traffic to your website from your social media posts. So do it with purpose.

From Smart Business