Entrepreneurship is not a singular job. Being an entrepreneur means having the need to wear multiple types of hats in an organization. Whether it is your marketing hat, sales hat, or even your general people skills hat, you need to be able to manage the different roles of your business well. While starting a new business or before making any significant business decision, it is vital that you do not ignore the digital spectrum and online market.
More than 40% of the world’s population is on the Internet – that translates to more than 2.9 billion people on the Internet at the same time. This statistic shows how big the online market is, and this number will only grow in the years to come. If your business is still not into digital marketing, then be prepared to lose out to your competitors who have already embraced the power of digital marketing.
Therefore, entrepreneurs need to design a robust, comprehensive, and scalable online marketing strategy, to tackle the rapidly growing online market.
The Power of Paid Advertising
Online advertising and search marketing now plays an integral part in today’s business and digital marketing strategies. As there is an increasing number of people that are going online to find information and products, placing companies in the eyes of Internet users is imperative for establishing a robust online presence.
This phenomenon is called the Zero Moment of Truth, or in short ZMOT. ZMOT is a term introduced by Google in 2011, which describes a new consumer behavior. This theory states that customers are searching for information online and making decisions about buying prior to the actual moment of in-store or online purchase. This new consumer behavior makes paid digital advertising an even more crucial strategy in a business’s big marketing plan.
Paid digital advertising comes in many forms – these include Google AdWords. Google Display Network, Social Media advertising, etc. However, the fundamental principle of paid digital advertising remains the same. Advertisers have to bid against each other to have their ads placed on a search engine, social media platforms, different publishing sites or display networks.
Analytics in paid advertising also makes paid advertising more effective than traditional advertising. With analytics, advertisers can effectively target their audience by placing ads on relevant sites or sites that their target audience frequent on. This way, advertisers can monitor and optimize their online marketing campaign on-the-go, which can eventually result in improved conversions.
With the right strategy and execution, paid online advertising can be highly measurable and useful to entrepreneurs.
Content is King!
When it comes to digital marketing strategies, content marketing is something that you would not want to ignore. Because content marketing offers businesses the opportunity to create additional value and a unique experience for visitors across multiple channels and throughout the customers’ journey. It is considered one of the more preferred marketing tool for business today.
Furthermore, unlike any other marketing strategies, the returns of content marketing continues to pay as dividends forever. There is no expiration date to smart content creation. Content marketing generates traffic for your website or business and helps to remove purchase impediments for 24 hours a day, and every day of every month.
For traditional advertising, when you buy an advertisement in a magazine to promote your business, that ad might be able to generate a lot of new customers for you. However, when the next issue is printed, unless you advertise in it again, the flow of new customers stops. Content marketing is the exact opposite.
Most importantly, high-quality content is shareable. People do not share advertisements. They will only share things that have value to them. The advantage of content is, when it is done correctly, people share it across platforms with their colleagues and friends. This virality extends the outreach of your marketing campaign.
Go Mobile if You Have Not
Mobile optimization is de rigueur and “Mobilegeddon” is real. On April 21, 2015, Google released a new mobile-friendly ranking algorithm that is designed, in favor of mobile-friendly websites in Google’s mobile search results.
It is not surprising that Google would give businesses a strong push towards this direction, as it gives visitors a better consumer experience of reading information on a mobile-friendly website. Shockingly, 90% of companies still do not have a mobile-friendly website. This huge percentage is alarming as the majority of Internet users now use their mobile phones or mobile devices, rather than desktops, to do online research before making a purchase.
Therefore, entrepreneurs who are quick and responsive to change will have a competitive advantage over their rivals. Providing a pleasant consumer experience also allows your visitors to want to stay longer on your website, increasing their chance to convert.
Mobile-friendly websites are a must-have for any business that wishes to have a digital presence in today’s world.
Digital Marketing in 2016
Technology and the digital marketing landscape are ever-changing. It will continue to grow and evolve well into the future that will eventually eclipse traditional advertising. To survive and excel in this competitive world, entrepreneurs are now required to be knowledgeable, action-oriented, and proactive.
These three tips will be helpful for any entrepreneurs who want to start out their digital marketing adventure in 2016.
