We live in a digital world, even more so with the recent events of the COVID pandemic. The thing with being digital is that technology is ever changing and trends come and go quicker than you can say “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” But this society, this Internet culture we have come to learn, has opened up a world of great opportunities… literally! That is why it is so important for businesses, from local to global, to learn, understand and utilize digital marketing. Howard Stringer, a Welsh Businessman, said “In the digital world, he who hesitates is abandoned. So you have to generate 3-D excitement with as many devices as you can find.”
Let’s take a step back, find our inner child and recite our ABC’s; And as we go along we may learn a new thing or two about digital marketing:
A is for Audience
It is important to begin your marketing strategy, digital or traditional, with a thorough analysis of your target audience. For your campaigns to be successful they must impress individuals that would potentially show an interest in what is being advertised. Who is your core customer base? What demographic do they fall under? What do they value? What is their lifestyle like? These are the questions that you must ask yourself to define your audience, who you want to advertise to.
B is for Brand Awareness
One of the first goals in developing your marketing plan is to establish brand awareness. How do you do this? Keep reading your A – Z Guide on Digital Marketing and you will find out!
C is for Content
Content, Content, Content! Having content is an integral part of digital marketing. Without content, you can’t connect with your audience. Show them you are there, and build your Brand Awareness (see what I did there), with blogs, infographics, memes and so much more!
D is for Dark Post
You know the posts you see as you scroll through Facebook or Instagram and it says Sponsored right underneath the Page Name? That is called a Dark Post. These are essentially posts that are targeted to a certain audience and only appear in said targeted audiences’ timelines. They do not show up on the company’s Page. In other words, they are ads, not organic or boosted posts.
E is for Email
We know how annoying it is to get spammed with emails every hour of every day, relevant or not. DELETE. But we can’t stress enough the importance of email marketing to your business. Get this: “73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.” Over half of the population in the United States are millennials or younger. That gives you a very good chance that your email will get opened.
F is for FOMO
I think we all have experienced FOMO at one point in our lives. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is the Fear Of Missing Out. Digital marketing uses FOMO as a promotional strategy. A One-Day Deal!? For 65% Off!? I gotta have it! Hook, line & sinker.
G is for Google Ads
As one of the largest search platforms in the world, Google Ads are an effective way to reach your target audience. Watch out for some hidden Google catches, though. Before you dive into Google Advertising read our Do’s & Don’ts of Google Ads blog. You’re welcome.
H is for Hashtag
You thought this was just for the cool kids. Hashtags are actually a unique way of tagging photos, posts, comments, you name it, and linking them to a trending topic or event. Maybe you missed the final score of the hockey game and wanted a quick update. A quick search for #stlblues on Twitter and BAM you’ve got the final score from last night and the most up to date news on the St. Louis Blues.
I is for Instant Messaging
An upgrade from email marketing, and a more direct way of reaching your audience is with instant messaging. Instead of waiting for customers to check their email to see what awesome deal is going on at Bath & Body Works, a quick text to Bath & Body Works’ subscribed phone number list and their customers get an instant notification right away.
J is for Jargon
Like with any industry, digital marketing has jargon. Words that the average person wouldn’t necessarily know what it means. To market effectively, you want to minimize jargon and get your message across in a way that anybody and everybody can understand.
K is for Keyword
Google Ads needs keywords, content needs keywords, we all need keywords. These are what help your company get found online whether it is a super interesting blog article or a service you are providing that can be searched for on Google. Keywords are key.
L is for Listicle (this is such a fun word!)
I really wanted to use the word “listicle” because it is such a fun word! Basically this is an article that consists of a list. Maybe a Cleaning Checklist article that your followers have been begging you to make for the upcoming Spring Cleaning season. Listicles are great content. See there it is again, content! It never goes away.
But a better “L” term may be Landing Page. Landing pages are so important for your Google Ads, or any type of advertising that you do. These pages are your chance to capture the audience you targeted in your Facebook or Google Campaign and convert them into a customer.
M is for Meme
Meme’s are a great way to get your message across with humor. Yes, we millennials and gen Z’s are master memesters and find ourselves gravitating towards meme marketing.
N is for Newsjacking
Relating content or digital marketing strategies to current events/trends or a breaking news story – this means you have got to be fast! Don’t miss out on that opportunity to get creative with your digital marketing. Remember the blue/black or white/gold dress controversy #thedress? Do you remember how many company’s jumped on that train? A LOT! Use the trends to your advantage.
O is for Objectives
To realistically achieve your digital marketing goals, set objectives. A broader “goal” that can be broken down into more manageable tasks/goals.
P is for Promotion
Promoting your business builds that brand awareness (whoop there it is). Offer a sale, discount, special price or limited time offer and watch the business come in (of course when done correctly and effectively). Don’t forget your 4 P’s of marketing.
Q is for — Okay, I’ve got nothing….
R is for Retargeting
You’ve targeted the right audience. Your audience followed your Cookie trail. Now it’s time to do it again. By retargeting you are making sure your name shows up on the screen of someone who has previously visited your website. This form of digital marketing is very effective.
S is for Social Media & SEO
Because they are both important to digital marketing.
We all know social media. If you don’t then you are living under a rock. Just kidding! But seriously, if you don’t know what social media is then you may want to do a quick Google search… Social media is the digital marketing of all digital marketing. When you think digital marketing you think of social media (at least that’s one of the first things I think of). It is one of the first things on the list of types of digital marketing. This is because social media is how we communicate with the world. It is used by over 70% of the American population and 53% of the world population. I would say that is a pretty effective way to reach people.
SEO, search engine optimization. In a nutshell, this important element of digital marketing enhances your website so that it is more visible than an average, non-SEO website. Why is this important? Because being more visible means more traffic. Move on to “T” to learn about traffic in the digital marketing world.
T is for Traffic
No, this is not a bottleneck jam on the highway. This traffic is the good traffic. When visitors come to visit your website (because you used SEO, good job!) that is called traffic. Traffic in digital marketing is grouped into different types – Direct, Organic, Paid & Referral. But that is a whole other article that you will have to check out later.
U is for Unique Visitor
If you are visiting a website for the first time ever, you are a unique visitor. The goal is to get that unique visitor to come back. Use that retargeting trick, and you will be golden!
V is for Video Marketing
Video marketing is commonly used in social media marketing. It is a popular way to boost engagement with your audience. You can get so creative with video marketing. Just have fun with it, make it relevant to your brand and connect with your followers.
W is for Widget
Widgets are a fun and engaging application that can be added to your website via embedding a code. Many times these widgets are direct advertisements linking back to another company website.
X is for XML (eXtensible Markup Language) Sitemap
This was a hard letter! I love this explanation of what an XML Sitemap is from WebFX: “If you’re a pirate trying to find a treasure chest, wouldn’t a map telling you exactly where the treasure is make your life so much easier? Well, that’s basically what an XML sitemap does for search engine crawlers — and it makes it easier for them to find and index pages on your site.”
Y is for You
YOU are a very integral part of the digital marketing strategy. Why? Without you none of the above could happen. YOU put in place the digital marketing plan. YOU execute the plan that was put in place. YOU analyze what works and what doesn’t and YOU adapt your plan to the ever changing digital marketing landscape.
Z is for Zero Cost Strategy
This trending strategy allows for small businesses to grow their brand awareness (there it is again!) with little to no cost and make the most return on their efforts. Social media platforms are a great example of the zero cost strategy, along with other digital marketing platforms. And of course, like anything else, there are pros and cons to this strategy. But, it is a great way to get started with your small business.
Now you know your digital marketing ABC’s! There are plenty of other terms for each letter of the alphabet, but I wanted to hit a few terms that I thought were important (and fun – “listicle”) for your marketing strategy. Still don’t know where to get started? Schedule a free consultation with us at Local View TODAY!