In the digital era, the tools used for success are as critical as the strategies employed. Finding the right combination of infrastructure and implementation is the key to more effective marketing strategies. Here are seven tools and tactics that you can bring to your business.
- Automate Business Processes
One immediate (and crucial) way to boost your digital marketing is through automation. Business process automation (BPA) can take many forms. Two of the more common of these are project management and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. The former consists of file-sharing and communications systems along with cloud-based applications. The latter typically takes the form of software suites that track a customer’s buying journey. Both can magnify and streamline the effects of a well-planned campaign. Remember that this infrastructure requires support. If you don’t possess an in-house IT department, research how to outsource software development tasks.
- Update Websites for Mobile Devices
According to research group Statista, mobile e-commerce retail is soon expected to pass $430 billion per year in revenue. Many people shop directly from mobile devices. For this reason, your web presence has to look just as polished on a small screen as on a PC. Responsive design is key to achieving this. A website should seamlessly adapt to the size of a screen. Redesigning themes, plugins, and pop-ups is often necessary. Pay attention to text layout and loading speeds as well. Always do run-throughs before settling on a design.
- Have Accurate Analytics
Organizing a digital marketing campaign is all but impossible without accurate analytics. Marketing analytics tools use predictive modeling, artificial intelligence, and advanced mathematics to gain an objective picture of where your campaign is in comparison to your goals. Setting definable goals is the first stage in analytics. After that, analyzing data such as web traffic and clicks can give insight into what outreach methods resonate with customers. In sales, knowledge is power.
- Learn About Shifting Customer Expectations
Market research is an often-neglected facet of analytics. However, research should always be step one in formulating a marketing strategy. Technology offers several solutions here. It can aid qualitative research methods like focus groups by bringing customers together online through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps like Skype. Technologies like analytical algorithms can see patterns in big data that the human eye might miss. Surveys can also be sent by mass email to customers. It’s all about interfacing with customers in their preferred digital environment.
- Focus Marketing Efforts on Social Media
Speaking of meeting customers on their own turf, social media is increasingly where customers discover and interact with their favorite brands. Research shows that social media’s global penetration rate has recently hit 54%. The trick to making the most of social media is to take an omnichannel approach. Omnichannel marketing means tailoring the message to the medium. Giving your YouTube subscribers informative videos while showing products in action on TikTok and performing customer service over Facebook messenger matches function with customer expectations.
- Create Engaging, Long-Form Content
As critical as technology is for creating digital marketing channels, authenticity is even more vital. In a media-saturated world, written content is making a comeback. With blogging, it’s possible to go in-depth on a topic related to your company. Most importantly, written material can be overtly educational rather than just another flashy ad. In other words, written content can give your company a reputation for bringing more to the conversation than just another offering.
- Utilize Search Engine Optimization
Possibly the most effective way to blend technology and technique in content creation is through leveraging search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. SEO writing uses specific keywords and phrases to get content noticed in searches. Effectively answering the user’s intent is also critical to good SEO. Using language that’s too simple and lacking in unique words will also cause an algorithm to view the content as low-value. High-quality content is the most important ingredient of a productive SEO strategy.
Having the tech and the tactics in place from the beginning is essential, but there’s always room for improvement. Optimizing everything to take advantage of the digital frontier is the best path to success. Take stock of your company’s unique needs and goals, then find the equipment and methods that fit.
