8 Steps to Winning More Online Customers

Digital marketing is one of the best investments your business can make. Do it right and watch your business grow. Using search engine optimization (SEO-unpaid), search engine marketing (SEM-paid), and social media will help you reach more customers, make more sales, and elevate your brand. The following are eight tactics to help:

1. Content marketing (blogs, newsletters, web content, email nurture campaigns). Posting high-quality, relevant content (articles, photos, videos, etc.) will boost your social following, and keep traffic coming to your company website. Create a posting/media schedule and maintain it. A consistent online presence is key.
2. Business Directories. Make sure all online business directories have your correct and current information. These directories act like a personalized phone book, so listing your business on sites like Google My Business, Manta, YP.com, Yelp and others will help customers find your website and your physical location.
3. Online Reviews. Word of mouth marketing, positive online reviews, and satisfied customer responses will improve your company’s reputation. Inviting customers to leave their reviews on Google, Facebook, or other review sites is the best (and most profitable) marketing you can generate. Identify any questions your customers may have and answer them quickly.
4. Local Searches. Make sure you’re listed in local searches. This will recommend nearby businesses within your potential customers’ current geographic location. Online listings help your company website show up in local search results. This is geolocation-data-driven, so it will act like targeted advertising.
5. Organic Search Engine Optimization. Use proven SEO techniques to improve your website's rankings in search engine results. Successful SEO tactics are designed to organically earn (rather than purchase) a strong search ranking. The first page listings are the most likely to be clicked on. That’s where you want your website to rank—and SEO can help.
6. Search Engine Ads. Use SEM. This is the purchase of on line ads in order to improve your company’s visibility on search engine results pages. By identifying keywords, that your customers are most likely to use when searching for your services, and then paying for a certain number of customer views per ad (known as impressions), you will meet your sales goals faster and sustain your business growth.
7. Social media marketing. This is the purchase of on line, social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn) in order to build authentic interactions with followers and is often an affordable marketing tactic for small businesses with small marketing budgets.
8. Responsive website. A highly designed, intuitive, responsive website is the minimal effort you should implement to inform the public and communicate your online brand message. In an ever-changing world of mobile devices, this is a must.

For help with implementing your online marketing strategy, send us a note at info@hornsbybrandesign.com.