Digital marketing is essential in today’s business landscape, but as an entrepreneur, you may be more focused on growth and revenue than keeping up with the latest changes in SEO and online marketing. While you may not be expected to keep up to date on everything in the digital marketing field (that’s what professional marketers are for), you should at last be familiar with the basics.
Use these three tips to help jumpstart your online marketing efforts.
1. Personal Branding is Key
Entrepreneurs often focus all of their efforts on building their product’s brand (i.e. the company’s name), rather than building their own personal brand.
Personal branding will help you establish and nurture trust with potential customers.
“If people know and trust you and your personal brand, they’re more likely to trust your new business,” said said Sam Ovens, entrepreneur and online marketing consultant, in an interview for Entrepreneur.
Customers want to see and get to know the face behind the company.
Growing your social media following will help boost your personal brand, as will guest posting and booking speaking engagements.
2. Mobile Optimization is Not Optional
In 2015, the number of mobile searches surpassed the number of desktop searches for the first time. As more people use smartphones and tablets to research and buy, it becomes crucial to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly.
In the U.S. alone, 64% of adults owned a smartphone in 2015, according to research from Pew Internet. In 2011, only 35% of adults had smartphones. About 19% of Americans rely on their mobile devices to some degree for access to information, services, and for staying connected to the world.
If you have yet to optimize your site and content for mobile devices, start now. Otherwise, you may find yourself falling behind the competition.
3. Content is Still King, But Outreach is Equally Important
Content is the backbone of your digital marketing strategy. It conveys your brand’s message, and it does so in a way that your audience understands.
Prospective customers want to know why they should choose your products or services. Use your content to sell the benefits of your offerings.
A well-thought-out content strategy will help establish your brand as a leader in the industry, and ultimately, help you win the trust of potential customers.
While content creation is important, promotion is just as important. The “build it, and they will come” approach doesn’t work in the online marketing field. Outreach plays an important role in content promotion. Connect with influencers to let them know about content that may interest their readers. Reach out the industry forums and LinkedIn groups as well. Leverage your social media accounts to share and promote your valuable content.
The digital marketing world is constantly changing, but these three things will always be important: personal branding, mobile optimization, and content. Personal branding and content (both creation and promotion) help you gain trust with potential customers, which in turn will make them more likely to buy. Mobile optimization will ensure your content and marketing efforts reach a wider (and growing) audience.
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