Digital online marketing
If you want to grow your small business in 2023, you can’t neglect your digital marketing strategy.
Most well-known companies around the world use digital marketing to enhance brand awareness, improve sales, and build rapport with prospects. When you consider the sheer number and impact of marketing channels like email, social media, and standalone websites, it’s no wonder brand leaders have found success using the internet to promote their products or services.
Keep reading if your goal is to improve your digital marketing strategy this year. Today, I will show you 7 crucial tips you can use to connect with more customers and boost conversions.
Let’s get started!
Update Existing Blog Posts
Blogging is one of the best ways to improve your search presence and offer free value to your audience. People often visit brand websites to read their content, even if they are not ready to make a purchase.
Writing and publishing new content consistently every week takes a lot of time and effort. You can ease this burden and improve your content by updating existing blog posts on your website.
At the start of each year, review your articles and look for opportunities to remove outdated information, add more context, or share additional anecdotes that will make your post more enjoyable for readers.
This strategy is particularly effective if many of your articles use the previous year in the title. For instance, an article titled “10 Email Marketing Tips You Need to Know in 2022” can be changed to “12 Email Marketing Tips You Need to Know in 2023.”
Adding extra information and adjusting the title can polish existing content and keep readers engaged. This technique is also helpful for improving your SEO strategy. There’s a reason 72% of marketers say content creation is the best way to generate leads and reach new users.
Use Automation to Streamline Workflows
Did you know that 79% of top-performing businesses use marketing automation? When you think about it, this statistic makes perfect sense. It’s nearly impossible to micro-manage every aspect of your business.
Automation can save you time, money, and energy. Here are a few powerful ways to automate different aspects of your digital marketing strategy:
-Schedule emails – You can automate welcome messages, flash sale announcements, and much more. Since these emails are sent automatically, you’ll have time to work on other aspects of your business.
-Track user behavior – Many CRMs and analytics plugins include an option to automate data collection. Use these resources to learn about your target audience’s goals, needs, and pain points.
-Automatically send lead magnets – When users subscribe to your email list in exchange for a lead magnet, they expect to receive the content or offer immediately. Automate this part of the process to improve UX and boost customer satisfaction.
-Schedule social media posts – Most of us use social media to engage with our audience. I suggest automating at least half of your posts, so you have a little more time to engage with your followers in the comments section.
Experiment with Video Content
Video marketing is a terrific way to keep your customers engaged.
The amazing thing about this strategy is that you can add and share videos in many different places. Email and social media are the two most popular options. Many brand leaders start a YouTube channel featuring product demonstrations, Q&As, and industry-specific tips and tricks.
The possibilities are endless as long as you know what users want and need from your content.
Aside from sharing content directly on social media, you can include the same videos on your website. For instance, we’ve had success adding video versions of our blog posts at the top of each article. Users can choose to read our article or watch a video that covers the same information in a different format.
Feel free to experiment with different formats, like live events, sponsored affiliate videos, and even step-by-step tutorials. After some trial and error, you’re bound to find a strategy that works for your business.
If you’re wondering about the success rate of video marketing, consider this; 88% of marketers say creating video content delivers a positive return on investment.
Personalize Content and Offers
You may be shocked to learn that over 80% of people say they want to see more personalization from businesses. When you think about it, this is another statistic that makes sense. There are a sea of similar brands on the market. The one thing that can make them stand out is the ability to anticipate the needs of their customers and deliver personalized content.
The best way to get to know your audience is to practice social listening, read reviews, and keep an eye on your analytics. Use what you learn to build fictional customer profiles (buyer personas).
Once you understand your audience’s broad goals and pain points, send users emails that allow them to choose their preferences. You can use the responses to group users into segments. For example, an online pet store could segment its audience based on what type of animal each person owns.
Create a Multilayer Feedback Loop
If you want to master digital marketing, consider the benefits of creating a multilayer feedback loop. Feedback should define most of the decisions you make for your business.
Let’s say you just launched a new app to promote your brand. You add a feedback form to the program and encourage users to share their thoughts. After reading through several hundred responses, you start to notice a trend. Most users are confused about how to use a specific feature built into your app.
In response to this news, you could add an intuitive onboarding feature that guides new users in the right direction. Not only will this change reduce frustration, but it will also go a long way toward building a seamless user experience.
I recommend using feedback forms on every single one of your marketing channels. We send out email subscribers 2 surveys a year, post 1 new feedback form on our social media page each month, and usually have an ongoing feedback form on our website. The information we’ve gathered from these reports has shaped our digital marketing strategy for the better, and I think you will see similar results.
Encourage Customer Self-Service
Finally, let’s talk about the benefits of encouraging customer self-service. Before I get into the details, I want to say that this is in no way meant to fully replace your live service team. Your customers will have nuanced issues that require human intervention.
With that disclosure out of the way, let’s define customer self-service. Essentially, this means a system where customers can find resources and answers to their questions.
Your blog is an excellent example of a resource center. Users can find answers to their questions if your site contains detailed how-to guides and tutorials. Your support team is still an option if they still can’t find what they need.
Chatbots are another excellent self-service option. AI-powered bots can take common questions and provide crisp, actionable answers. For instance, if a user asks, “How do I create my first lead list?” the bot can provide content from your site that answers this question.
Bots are also great for providing shipping information, making minor account changes, and helping new visitors if they have a few general questions.
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing is the best way to connect with customers and grow your business. The tips presented today will help you get a head start on 2023 and provide the best experience possible for your audience.
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Syed Balkhi is an award-winning entrepreneur and online marketing expert. He is the co-founder of OptinMonster, WPBeginner, MonsterInsights, and WPForms.