Although half of 2013 is over, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit the internet marketing strategies for this year.
Internet marketing is an important part of the overall marketing plan or strategy, even if your business is a brick and mortar company. Below are 7 strategies that you can start using right now to make 2013 one of your best years ever for internet marketing.
Strategy 1: Content Focused
I’m sure you have heard the phrase “Content is King†and this still holds true for marketing your small business in 2013. Search engines are getting more sophisticated and good content is being rewarded with higher ranking. Small business owners now have to take a deeper look into their niche and target audience. The content on your website has to have a more tailored approach. You have to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. What would you be looking for if you were searching for a product or service similar to yours? What key terms would trigger your senses and make you want to continue reading the content provided on a website? For direction, you can look at your competitors that have high ranking.
Strategy 2: Create a Niche
It’s great to offer a variety of services but online buyers are looking for more specialized companies. While the more seasoned companies may be able to offer a huge list of services, new business owners need to focus on one or two services. Customers are hesitant about doing businesses with companies that claim to be a jack of all trades, especially when you are a one-person run business. Focus your marketing efforts on a couple of key services, master your processes and systems for those services, and then market them through various online mediums. Once you grow your client base, you can then begin to add additional services to your client offering.
Strategy 3: Call to Actions
Once people begin visiting your website, you have to have a strong call to action. Now that people are looking at your site, what do you want them to do? Often times, the visitors to your website won’t be ready to make a purchase the first time around. An attractive call to action will lead them through your sales funnel.
Strategy 4: Tracking
It’s important to have a system in place that tracks all of your marketing efforts. Knowing what methods are working and not working will help streamline your process and save you lots of unproductive hours. If a strategy isn’t working, it’s best to toss it to the side and work on something new rather than keeping your fingers crossed in hopes that things change.
Strategy 5: Relationship Building
Online marketing is about 90% relationship building. People want to do business with companies that care about their needs and want to help them successfully reach a goal. The best way to prove yourself to these prospective buyers is with constant communication. This can be done through social media, newsletters and forums.
Strategy 6: Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to online marketing. You need to get into the minds of your prospects and figure out when is the best time to connect with them. Once you have this figured out, you need to create a schedule and stick to it. A great marketing strategy is about diligence and hard work.
Strategy 7: Email Marketing
Never underestimate the power of email marketing. In order for email marketing to work you need a few basic components:
• A good list
• An awesome subject line that speaks to your target audience’s problem area
• Great timing
• Quality content
Having these 4 components in place will help you convert subscribers into buyers in no time.
If you have a small business and you’re ready to grow your online presence, the tips mentioned in this post are a great starting point. Take some time out to get a full understanding of your target audience and figure out what motivates them to buy. Once you can answer this question, everything else will fall into place.
Have you implemented any of the above-mentioned strategies in your internet marketing? Join the conversation by commenting below. As always, thanks for reading!
