Best Digital Marketing Strategies for Proven Results

When the average American is exposed to electronic media for over 11 hours a day, it’s no wonder why visibility in the digital world is becoming an increasingly important factor for business success. Statista projects that online advertisement spending this year will amount to approximately $67 billion dollars, compared to $58 billion last year. With marketing efforts becoming more and more web-based, the search for the best digital strategy intensifies. Over the years these two proven tactics stand out above the rest, and this dynamic duo is SEO and content marketing.

SEO as the Superhero

In June 2015, a worldwide study by Ascend2 showed SEO was 89% successful at improving search engine rankings and generating leads. Search also beat out social media by a staggering 300% in regards to driving traffic to content sites. SEO is important because it helps your business gain the visibility it needs. Think about the childhood question you once heard: if a tree falls in the forest, but no one hears it, did it make any noise? If you have great services and products, but no customers, you need to adjust your marketing plan. SEO is the tactic that will help your target market find you.

Every second Google processes over 40,000 searches, and with each search there are only 10 organic results available on the first page. It may seem impossible to outrank big name brands, but it has been done. This case study by Aumcore is a great example of how businesses can achieve first page rankings with the help of a digital marketing agency. If you feel as though you’re not ready to commit to an agency, try a stepping-stone. One of the best places to start with SEO is keywords. Consider the termonology your businesses uses to describe itself, and how you fare with others on a search engine. Consider different factors like what consumers search when looking for your business or where you need to gain a larger reach. Maybe you’ve been targeting a specific demographic but you’re unsure of how to reach them – determine where you want to channel your focus and then shop around to see which SEO and digital marketing services best fit your business objectives.

Content is a Powerful Sidekick

If SEO is Batman, then content has to be Robin. Producing original, interesting content is colossally important. Infographics, blogs, social media posts, and visuals are all ways in which businesses separate themselves from each other through content. Companies are also beginning to spend more and more time developing a specific aesthetic in their content that appeals to their target markets. At the start of 2016, Content Marketing Institute reported 86% of B2B marketers and 77% of B2C marketers use content marketing. The two most popular branches of content marketing are blogging and social media.

Blogging for Business

Blogging is important because businesses can provide very specific answers to difficult industry questions. According to Forbes, 45% of marketers say blogging is their #1 most important content strategy. Consumers enjoy reading interesting takes on trending topics, so go ahead, publish an article on virtual reality or the Olympic games. Use your blog as a way to humanize your business and relate to your consumers. They will build a stronger connection to your brand because they gain valuable insight into how your company thinks. The same is true for agencies, a digital marketing agency who prioritizes blogging is 13X more likely to receive a positive ROI. On top of that, B2B marketers who have blogs receive 67% more leads than those who do not. Your blog is a change to elaborate on frequently asked questions or confusions within your niche. According to a study done by Moz, long form content of over 1,000 words consistently receives more shares and links than shorter forms. Go in depth! Give detailed explanations or explore new digital marketing ideas and your consumers will do the rest.

Social Media Mayhem

The role of digital marketing has evolved over the years and it’s no secret social media plays a huge role in its adaptation. Ask any digital marketing agency and they will no doubt have a service surrounding social.  66% of B2C marketers say Facebook is their most effective social platform, followed by YouTube with 53%, and Instagram with 42%. These channels are critical not only to connecting to consumers, but also engaging and interacting with them as well. The reach businesses gain by using social media is unparalleled to other platforms because content on these channels have the ability to go viral. Facebook has 1.71 billion monthly active users, Instagram with 400 million, Twitter with 313 million, and 900 million videos are watched on YouTube every day. Utilizing social media to gain a strong following helps you connect with your audience and increase brand awareness.

The Takeaway

There are many avenues to kick-start your marketing strategy, but leveraging these methods stand out amongst all in delivering proven results. Make the most of your next campaign with these 4 major takeaways:

• SEO and content marketing are the dynamic duo
• Determine the best keywords to define your business for success
• Start a blog to help your consumers understand your industry

Use social media to engage and interact with your community