Online marketing is a commonly used method of boosting a business’s online presence. And in today’s society, it’s crucial that a company has a strong online presence. In order to increase their digital marketing success, companies are experimenting with multiple types of online marketing strategies. In case you’re not familiar with many types of online marketing available to you, let’s take a look at some of the most successful online marketing strategies.
Search engine optimization:
SEO is used to enhance the rankings of a site in organic search results on sites like Google or Bing. This can be beneficial because the higher a page ranks, the easier it is for potential customers to find and visit. In fact, 75% of users never click past the first page of search results.1 This is one reason why Search Engine Optimization is one of the most sought after types of online marketing.
Search Engine Optimization consists of three main areas; onsite optimization, content marketing and link building. Onsite optimization gets into the inner workings of your website using code and content that search engines respond to. A few examples of content marketing are blogs, images and video content that provide valuable information to your site visitors. Link building refers to how often other sites link back to your site.
A Search Engine’s overall goal is to provide the best user experience for their users. This is why Google gives top ranking to the sites that they consider to provide the most valuable information and performance. In order to do this through the years, they regularly updated their algorithm for the latest trends and technology.
With every Google update, there are people who try to cheat the system. These “Black Hat” strategies attempt to ranking on search engines without providing quality. Which, in the end, are penalized by Google. This is why it is important to understand how search engines work. Because it is possible to do more harm than good with SEO tactics.
Pay per click:
PPC is one of the quickest ways to drive targeted traffic and leads to web pages. It stands for “Pay Per Click” Marketing, which is exactly as it sounds. There are many different options with PPC Marketing. All of which cover any device from desktop to mobile. And each option charges the advertiser you when a user clicks on an ad.
PPC remains one of the top tools to take leads through every step of the sales process. Let’s take a look at how each element of PPC marketing helps in your sales funnel.
Display Ads
Display ads are graphics ads and text-based ads that are placed on relative websites throughout the internet. For example; let’s say you have a running shoe company. With Display Ads on Google’s Display Network, it is possible to place ads on websites similar to ESPN. This would make sure your target market is seeing your ads.
Display ads tend to receive higher impressions, but are less likely to convert into a sale. They are very good for branding, building awareness and creating an interest in your company, product or service.
Video Ads
Video ads work in a very similar way to display ads. They build brand awareness, creating an interest, and have the added benefit of supplying more information. With this approach, your videos appear on YouTube and websites or apps that use the Google Display Network.
Remarketing
Have you ever left a website only to see that website mentioned everywhere? That is called “Remarketing.” Remarketing uses pixels to identify unique users in order to show them advertisements in the future. A study by Criteo states, website visitors who are retargeted with display ads are 70 percent more likely to convert on your website.2 Therefore, Remarketing should be worked into every PPC strategy.
Facebook Ads (or other Social Media Paid Advertising)
Facebook Ads have become, in recent years, a more aggressive PPC component. Through Social Media Paid campaigns, you can target your exact target audience with a message catering to their exact needs. Social Media Paid Ads can build your brand awareness, create interest, build relationships and lead them to a sale.
With Facebook, you can also use the power of remarketing in conjunction with your other online efforts.
Shopping Campaigns
Shopping campaigns go hand-in-hand with retail shopping and eCommerce stores. These sponsored ads appear during a product search on Google and include information, pictures, and availability on various websites. According to Digital Commerce 360, Google shopping ads account for 76% of retail search ad spending.3
Search Ads
Search Ads are the text-based ads that appear next to the “ad” box at the top of a search engine results page, aka SERP. They can play an integral role at every point in the buying process. Since the user is searching for your product or service on a search engine, they are most likely ready to buy. Google Search Ads attract a potential client’s eye, create interest, explain benefits, and present a call-to-action.
With all of the PPC types of online marketing, a paid ad campaign can cover a lot of ground with your advertising strategy. However, if not done carefully, PPC can cost an organization tons of wasted money. We recommend working with a Google Certified PPC analyst in order to manage your paid ad campaigns. Pay Per Click Analysts target the best keywords, set up audiences, provide appealing messaging and graphics, and manage a set budget.
Social media marketing:
Social media marketing is one of the newest methods of advancing brand image online. By using various social media marketing strategies, organizations are able to target specific audiences and interact with that desired audience. However, it’s important to think carefully about the dialect that’s being used, the inquiries that are being made, and content being shared.
Social media is a great way to create a conversation and define the personality of a brand. Through social posts, and good social media analytics software, you can define the kind of content your audience is interested in.
In addition to the sales process, social media is the one of the best types of online marketing to help with customer service for current customers. Social media fans are often already your customers. Social media profiles are an easy way to contact you when they are looking for information or help. This helps you to establish strong relationships and increase repeat sales.
Content marketing:
Content marketing can be considered one of the most powerful types of online marketing. It is often a part of social media marketing and SEO. When utilizing content marketing, it’s important to consider one or more of these objectives:
Get shared
Spread content throughout a mass audience and get as much exposure as possible. This content should be funny, inspiring, informative, enraging, or charming.
Get discussed
Begin a discussion within a desired group. To do this, people may consider utilizing popular events or common issues.
Generate leads
Encourage the desired audience to reach out to your company.
Make sales
Convert leads through content.
Improve rankings
Through the targeted use of keywords and SEO strategies, content marketing can help jump-start your company’s SEO campaign.
Email Marketing
Since the very first email, in 19714, email has been a part of our everyday lives. Email is also one of the most essential types of online marketing.
With that long history, it’s easy to question if it is still relevant as an advertising strategy. However, statistics show it’s still going strong even into younger generations. In fact, 73 percent of millenials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.5
Using email blasts and automated drip communication, you can build a unique experience with each customer. Whether you want to inform, celebrate, or encourage a sale, email marketing is a low-cost option with substantial results.
Online marketing can be an easy and efficient way for a company to increase their online presence. But not every type of marketing will work for every company. Each of these types of online marketing methods require specific skills and knowledge in order to be done correctly.
We encourage you to contact Marketing Magnitude and schedule an initial consultation. We will help you determine the best types of online marketing for your business.
