How Do I Start Online Marketing For My Business?
You’ve probably heard about Digital Marketing but are stuck with where to start. Do I need to take a course? Do I need special software? Can I do it from my phone?
While Digital Marketing can encompass a wide array of techniques and processes, there are some immediate steps you can take to give your business an advantage starting today!
1 – Research Your Competitors
Examining successful (and unsuccessful) players in your field can inform your next business and marketing decision. Pay close attention to your competitors and try and answer the following questions.
- What engaging content do they have on their website?
- How do they use their social media?
- What call out text do they use in their Google Ads (Free Quote – Call Today! Etc.)
- What tone do they use?
- What do their customers say about them?
2 – Get the Basics of Your Website Right
Not everyone is a technical wizard but if your website is built on a widely used platform like WordPress or Squarespace there are plenty of beginner tutorials online that can help you with the basics of SEO, making sure that you have things like correct page titles and most importantly that your site speed is as high as possible.
There are probably already existing plug-ins available to fix common problems on your website – just make sure to back your website up first in case anything goes wrong!
3 – Improve Your Local SEO
If you primarily serve local customers, then Local SEO is your best tool for capturing new clientele. Google My Business can play a huge role in promoting local businesses to people searching for their services.
Getting and maintain backlinks from relevant local sources will help your search visibility. See if you can get a link to your site from
- Local news sources
- Local blogs
- Local awards or festivals
4 – Focus on Building a Social Media Following on Primary Social Media Channel
Maintaining a social media presence can be a full-time job for some companies, but it doesn’t have to be.
We often find that when we start working with companies, they are trying to post the same content to every platform (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.) often repeating the same posts every day. Instead of doing a scattershot approach like this, instead focus on creating great social media content for your customers on a single platform. You should first consider…
- Which platform are your potential customers already using?
- What type of content would they connect with? What tone?
- What is the next step you want the customer to take after they interact with your post?
- Are you engaging enough with your current customers?
5 – Partner with Local Influencers
Depending on your business, a partnership with someone local in your industry niche or someone who your target market is inspired by can have a huge impact on engagement and sales. To start, consider the following:
- Who would your potential customers connect with?
- Are there local figures who would be interested in your business or services?
- What could you offer in exchange for them introducing your business to their audiences?