In today’s digitally interconnected world, mastering the art of online business marketing is essential. With the ever-evolving landscape of technology and consumer behavior, businesses must adapt and innovate to stay ahead of the curve. Even if you have an excellent product or service, it’s pointless if you can’t make them believe what you are selling is good. And that is the reason why we write this blog post.
In this post, we will mention 15 promising ways that can elevate your brand’s online presence to new heights. Let’s see what it is and catch a chance to expand your business.
Contents
1. Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms have become the beating heart of online marketing, offering businesses an unprecedented opportunity to connect with their audience on a personal level. Mastering the art of social media marketing goes beyond simply posting about your products or services.
Social media users scroll through their feeds at lightning speed, so it’s crucial to make your message stand out. The content must be either fun, engaging, inspirational, or educational regarding Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. People don’t visit these platforms only to hear about your product. So don’t make it a pushy, annoying, and interrupted experience.
GoPro, a renowned camera company, has masterfully harnessed the potential of social media to build a massive and engaged following. With 16.2M Instagram followers, 2.23M on Twitter, 10.7M+ on Facebook, and a popular hashtag, GoPro has created an online community that revolves around adventure, creativity, and capturing life’s extraordinary moments.
What sets GoPro apart is its commitment to authenticity. The brand shares user-generated content showcasing stunning visuals captured with their cameras. This approach not only highlights the product’s capabilities but also encourages customers to share their own experiences. By using a consistent hashtag, #GoPro, the brand invites users to contribute their content to a larger narrative.
Tip #1: Keep it short and sweet. Social media are fast-consuming content, and the audience’s attention span is hastily short.
Tip #2: Notice how big brands deliver mostly through pictures. It’s easier to get the audience to consume their message that way, only insert one simple caption to call to action, introduce promotions or engage with benefits.
Tip #3: You can leverage SMS with direct selling and upselling by holding relevant events and webinars.
2. Embrace Video Marketing
In today’s digital landscape, the power of video marketing cannot be overstated. Social video platforms such as TikTok and YouTube have experienced explosive growth, reshaping the way businesses connect with their target audience.
Videos engage viewers by combining visual, auditory, and motion elements, making them an ideal medium for delivering information, capturing attention, and fostering deeper connections. Video allows humans to absorb info through visual, audition, and motion, so it would leave you with more traffic, hold the audience around, and connect with them better.
DollarShaveClub‘s video marketing campaign is a prime example of how a well-crafted video can make a lasting impact. Their advertisement, lasting just over a minute, features a relatable script that resonates with their target audience. This demonstrates that you don’t need a massive budget for elaborate productions to achieve viral success through online video marketing.
Tip #1: TikTok is quite irresistible. People love motion, and in a world of too much data, they’re eager to see things in brief.
Tip #2: Content creators are a much-needed job on the rise right now. These guys help you manage all your social media accounts strategically and creatively.
3. Engage with Online Communities
Identify online forums, group communities with large numbers of target customers on popular social platforms such as Facebook or specific Q&A platforms (like Quora), and industry-specific communities where people discuss topics relevant to your business.
Participate genuinely by providing insightful answers to questions that align with your expertise. When you consistently provide valuable and accurate answers, you showcase your expertise and establish yourself as a credible source in your field. This fosters trust among users who are seeking reliable information.
When you answer questions, you can include links to relevant blog posts or resources on your website that provide more in-depth information. This drives targeted traffic to your site and exposes a broader audience to your content. By observing the questions people ask, you gain valuable insights into their pain points, needs, and interests. This information can guide your content creation strategy, ensuring your blog posts and other content directly address what your audience is looking for.
Tip #1: While answering questions, avoid overly promotional language. Focus on providing value rather than directly selling. Authenticity is crucial for building relationships and trust.
Tip #2: Monitor the impact of your answers by tracking referral traffic from various sources. Adjust your strategy based on which platforms or types of questions yield the best results.
4. Utilize Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has gained significant traction in recent years. Collaborating with influencers who resonate with your target audience can amplify your brand’s reach and credibility. Research and identify influencers who align with your brand values and have an engaged follower base.
When partnering with influencers, encourage them to create authentic content that highlights your products or services in a natural and relatable way. This approach feels less like traditional advertising and more like a trusted recommendation from a friend. Remember that transparency is key; make sure that sponsored posts are clearly disclosed to maintain trust with your audience.
Tip #1: Transparency is essential in influencer collaborations. Ensure that sponsored posts are clearly labeled as such, respecting both your audience’s trust and legal guidelines.
Tip #2: Regularly track the performance of influencer campaigns using analytics tools. Monitor engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, shares, and click-through rates, to assess the effectiveness of each collaboration. Adjust your influencer marketing strategy
5. Run Targeted Ad Campaigns
Running targeted ad campaigns on social media platforms is a powerful way to reach specific segments of your audience and maximize your online business’s visibility. With the advanced targeting options provided by platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can tailor your advertisements to match the interests, behaviors, and demographics of your ideal customers.
Most social media platforms allow you to create custom audiences based on your existing customer data. You can upload email lists, website visitors, or social media engagers to create a specific audience segment that’s more likely to convert. Divide your broader target audience into smaller segments. This segmentation allows you to create highly tailored ads for each group, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your campaigns.
Tip #1: A/B testing to optimize ad content, visuals, and targeting parameters.
Tip #2: Experiment with different ad formats, such as carousel ads, video ads, and story ads, to find what resonates best with your audience.
Advertising on Google brings your business more chances to be seen, but that only happens when you know how to pull it and exceed your competitors.
6. Google My Business (GMB) Optimization
One of the first steps to establishing your online presence is by setting up and optimizing your Google My Business listing – a vital tool for local businesses to connect with their target audience. GMB listings appear prominently in local search results and Google Maps, making them a critical touchpoint for potential customers.
Ensure that your listing contains accurate and up-to-date information, including your business name, address, phone number, website, and operating hours. High-quality images that showcase your products, services, and premises can significantly enhance your listing’s appeal. Consider enabling messaging and booking features if applicable to your business. These features allow customers to directly connect with you, making it easier for them to inquire about your services or schedule appointments.
Tip #1: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GMB page, as positive reviews can boost your credibility and attract more potential customers.
Tip #2: GMB optimization significantly impacts local search visibility. When your listing is complete, accurate, and engaging, you increase the chances of appearing in the coveted “Local Pack” and improving your chances of attracting local customers.
7. Start A Blog
Another way to get your brand name inside customers’ minds is through blogging, and it helps you build a direct connection and pull traffic for conversions. Creating valuable and relevant content is an excellent way to establish your authority in your industry and attract organic traffic from Google.
Start a blog on your website and regularly publish articles, guides, and other informative content that resonates with your target audience. Share your content on social media platforms to expand your reach. Over time, this approach not only enhances your online visibility but also builds trust with potential customers who view you as a reliable source of information.
First, you create an ongoing group of readers who are interested in your valuable information and seek to build trust with your brand. Then, encourage a newsletter subscription for lead generation. By automated processes and recorded measurements, you can then target the right stimuli at the right time to convert a warm lead into a happy buyer. If your blog is built strategically, it’ll make converting effortless.
Tip #1: Create a more personal connection by ensuring every post aligns well with your brand voice. If possible, use media-rich content.
Tip #2: Providing solutions and insights demonstrates your understanding of their needs, making your blog a valuable resource.
8. Focus On SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO is a powerful tool to pull prospects to your site. SEO empowers you to attract and engage with potential customers actively seeking the products or services you offer. By optimizing your website to appear prominently in search engine results, you can drive organic traffic, increase brand visibility, and ultimately boost your conversion rates.
Through a comprehensive approach encompassing keyword research, on-page and technical optimization, off-page strategies, local SEO, and constant monitoring, businesses can strategically position themselves in the digital realm, leveraging SEO’s power to connect meaningfully with audiences and achieve enduring online success.
Tip #1: Integrate these keywords naturally into your website’s content, titles, and meta descriptions.
Tip #2: Create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that addresses your audience’s pain points and questions.
Tip #3: Regularly updating your content and optimizing your website’s technical aspects can improve your ranking on Google’s search results pages.
9. Google Ads Campaigns
While Search Engine Optimization brings sustainable progress over time, Google Ads delivers swift outcomes. However, it’s essential to recognize that this effectiveness comes at a price, requiring meticulous planning to maximize returns. Here’s a comprehensive look at how to harness the potential of Google Ads to propel your online marketing efforts: Therefore, you’ll need careful market research to understand your customers’ online behaviour and concerns to generate a strategic plan to approach them.
Start by creating targeted campaigns based on your business goals. Google Ads offers a versatile range of ad formats to cater to different business objectives. Whether your aim is to drive website traffic, boost sales, or enhance brand recognition, crafting targeted campaigns is pivotal. Segment your campaigns based on the specific goals you’re pursuing, enabling you to tailor your approach for maximum impact.
Tip #1: Instead of focusing on the most popular keywords, which is hard to bid on a limited budget, turn to relevant keywords based on users’ search intent with less competitiveness. In other words, look for long-tail keywords such as “how to market my business online with a limited budget”.
Tip #2: Keep a close eye on various metrics like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per conversion. Regularly analyze this data to identify what’s working and what needs refinement. Google Ads provides a plethora of insights to help you optimize your campaigns for better results.
10. Video Marketing on YouTube
YouTube is an invaluable platform for businesses looking to connect with a massive and engaged audience through video content. With over 2 billion logged-in monthly users, YouTube offers an incredible opportunity to showcase your products, services, and brand personality.
Create compelling and high-quality videos that resonate with your target audience. Showcase your products in action, share behind-the-scenes insights, or provide tutorials that address common pain points. Focus on delivering value, entertainment, or both, and ensure your videos are well-produced, visually appealing, and reflect your brand identity. By consistently producing high-quality videos and promoting them on your website and social media, you can tap into a visually-engaged audience and build a loyal following.
Tip #1: Keyword optimization is key. Just like with your website, incorporating relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags can significantly improve your videos’ discoverability on YouTube’s search results. Conduct keyword research to identify phrases that potential viewers might search for, and weave them naturally into your video content.
Tip #2: Capture your viewers’ attention within the first few seconds of your video. A well-crafted introduction should succinctly convey the value of your content and encourage viewers to continue watching.
11. Email Marketing
Email marketing remains a cornerstone of online business promotion, offering a direct and personalized way to engage with your audience. Leveraging its power effectively can yield impressive results for your business. 99% of email users check their inboxes every day. It’s cheap and effective in nurturing your leads. For every $1 spent, email generates $42 in return.
However, it’s best to combine other channels for better results. Asides from email, you may leverage push notifications, SEO, etc. Ensure the messages on these channels are unified to eliminate confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness. This is the omnichannel strategy. By connecting personally through email, your audience will be more familiar with you and notice what you say.
Tip #1: There are various email automation companies to help you consistently engage with your email list. Closely examine policy from a provider before subscribing or even starting the free trial.
Tip #2: Craft your emails in a conversational tone, as if you’re directly speaking to the recipient. This personal touch fosters a sense of connection and authenticity.
12. Retargeting Advertising
Retargeting, also known as remarketing, is a highly effective online advertising strategy that focuses on re-engaging users who have previously interacted with your brand but didn’t complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. This strategy aims to bring back these potential customers and guide them toward conversion. By strategically placing targeted ads in front of these users across various online platforms, you can reinforce your brand message and prompt them to take the next step.
Your ads will remind them of the unfinished order, related products they might be interested in, or your upcoming collection, from social media ads to display ads. Retargeting works by placing a tracking pixel (a small piece of code) on your website or specific landing pages. This pixel collects data on user behavior, such as which pages they visited, what products they viewed, and if they added items to their cart but abandoned the purchase. With this data, you can create segmented lists of users based on their interactions, allowing you to tailor your retargeting ads to their specific interests.
Tip #1: Customers often find retargeting ads annoying when you spam their devices. So pick enough range and frequency, with no manipulating copy, so that they won’t experience negative feelings towards your brand.
Tip #2: Implement exclusion lists to avoid showing retargeting ads to users who have already converted or taken the desired action. This prevents unnecessary ad spend and ensures you’re targeting the right audience.
13. Cross-Promotion with Complementary Businesses
Cross-promotion with complementary businesses is a strategic collaboration that can unlock new opportunities for both parties involved. By joining forces with businesses that share a similar target audience but offer different products or services, you can tap into each other’s customer base and extend your reach. This method not only enhances your brand visibility but also adds value to your customers through diversified offerings.
Choose businesses that align with your brand values, target audience, and industry. Look for partners whose products or services complement rather than compete with yours. For instance, if you run a fitness apparel brand, partnering with a health food store or a gym could be a natural fit. Brainstorm collaborative promotions that benefit both businesses and provide added value to customers. Some ideas include bundle deals (offering products from both businesses at a discounted price), co-branded products or services, joint events or workshops, and shared marketing campaigns.
Tip #1: Cross-promotion can pave the way for long-lasting partnerships. Nurture relationships with your cross-promotion partners even after the campaign ends. Continued collaboration and joint ventures can lead to further business growth.
Tip #2: Collaborate on industry research or insights reports. Sharing these findings can establish both businesses as thought leaders and generate media coverage.
14. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful asset that can significantly enhance your online business’s marketing efforts. It involves encouraging your customers to create and share content related to your products or services. UGC not only provides social proof and authenticity but also fosters a sense of community around your brand.
When potential customers see real people enjoying your products or services, it builds trust. UGC acts as social proof, assuring others that your offerings are genuinely valuable and satisfactory. When users create content and share it with their networks, your brand’s reach extends beyond your immediate followers. This exposes your business to new audiences. Besides that, creating your content can be time-consuming and expensive. UGC, on the other hand, requires minimal effort on your part – your customers essentially become your content creators.
Tip #1: Develop a unique hashtag that represents your brand or a specific campaign. Encourage users to include this hashtag when posting about their experiences with your products. This not only organizes UGC but also makes it easier to track.
Tip #2: Host contests that require participants to submit UGC for a chance to win prizes. This can motivate users to get creative and showcase your products in unique ways.
Tip #3: Narratives of how your products or services have positively impacted customers’ lives can be compelling. Sharing these stories as UGC can resonate deeply with your audience.
15. Create Interactive Webinars and Workshops
Hosting webinars and online workshops positions your business as an industry leader while offering valuable insights to your audience. Interactivity fosters engagement and builds relationships, allowing you to showcase your expertise and address specific pain points your customers may have.
Webinars and workshops allow you to showcase your expertise, positioning your business as a knowledgeable leader in your field. This elevates your brand’s credibility and encourages trust among participants. Hosting regular webinars or workshops creates a sense of community around your brand. Participants who attend multiple events can form connections with one another and with your business.
Tip #1: Select topics that align with your industry, expertise, and audience’s interests. Address pain points, emerging trends, or topics that offer unique insights to attract a diverse audience. Develop an outline or presentation that is engaging and informative. Incorporate visuals, case studies, anecdotes, and data to keep participants captivated.
Tip #2: Offer actionable takeaways that participants can implement immediately after the event. Share resources, templates, or guides that reinforce the knowledge shared during the webinar.
Wrap Up
Nowadays, promotion online is easier than ever, with many tools and high-accuracy tracking methods. Each of the fifteen strategies we’ve delved into presents a unique opportunity to sculpt your brand’s narrative, draw in your target audience, and ultimately foster lasting connections that transcend the screen. Take what you’ve learned about social media, videos, and even those friendly emails, and go show the online world what you’re all about. Keep trying new things, and don’t forget that your business story is one-of-a-kind.
