What is Online Marketing?
The Ins & Outs of Online Marketing | Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash
If you’re building a business or personal brand, you need to understand how to effectively promote your product, services or expertise to your intended audience. While it may seem as if there are several ways to approach your strategy, in 2020 - the best way to get attention in through the online space.
Since we know that the Internet has incredible potential for growth, it’s obvious that we should be using it to market ourselves. Yet, many people often ponder the question of: what is online marketing? And furthermore, how exactly do I utilize this to grow my audience?
Let’s dive in to what online marketing is, the key channels you should be using and how to effectively share your professional or personal story online.
What is Online Marketing?
Online marketing is another way to say digital marketing. And, by definition digital marketing is, “The component of marketing that utilizes internet and online based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.”
In short, your online marketing is any form of promotion and advertising that you do via digital spaces and the internet.
Online marketing encompasses the following services that include, but are not limited to:
Email funnels + drip sequences
Website functionality and design
Social media
Copywriting + product descriptions
Photography and video creation
Content through blog posts
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
In order to be successful in your online marketing efforts, you’ll want to utilize a combination of these efforts to grow your business online.
To take it a step further, let’s discuss the online marketing channels you should be using.
Online Marketing Channels To Use
Mailchimp For Email Marketing
If you’re building a email list, you’re going to need a place to store your contacts and craft your email campaigns. You can select any email service or even use your own provider such as GMAIL when you’re first starting out.
Email marketing should be to educate your consumer, give them updates on your business and send any kind of news or promotional offers.
With emails, it’s all about the copy. Make sure that you are engaging, but not spammy. Add personality to your emails and avoid any tactics that make your business look unprofessional.
Shopify for ECommerce or Squarespace For Portfolios
Depending on your type of business, you’re going to need a website to showcase your product or services.
For selling products, the industry standard and most effective online marketing shop is through Shopify. And, if you’re showcasing your services and building a portfolio, you should use Squarespace.
Having a website is incredibly important. It should be easy to use, designed to match your brand and seamlessly guide consumers through your digital experience.
Social Media Platforms
There are several social media platforms available, but these are the ones that you should focus on the most.
For sharing images, short form videos and even sharing “shoppable” links. Post once a day and utilize your industry specific hashtags to expand your reach.
Short form written content that can be anything you want. Share anecdotes, business updates, things you like, retweet influencers in your niche and engage with a community of people. Post as many times as you want per day.
Youtube
For longer videos that showcase brand or personal identity. The possibilities are endless. You could create behind the scenes vlogs, how to videos and more. Post once a week, two if possible when you’re starting out.
A professional platform that is effective in building communities around your niche. You can post on LinkedIn and gain new connections for your network, it has great organic reach and is an effective way to showcase your knowledge and expertise. Post once a day, but make it thoughtful and more long form.
Tik Tok
An app that continues to boom, Tik Tok is all about quick video format to grab a viewer’s attention. You can post videos up to a minute long and they can truly be about anything. Use hashtags that match your niche and aim for a minimum of 4 videos per day to attract various audiences.
Photography and Videography Creation
To help your create visual content for social media, you should consider hiring a photographer and/or videographer. These professionals can put together creative content that grabs your audience’s attention.
Consider checking out my company, the Hub - for all of your content needs.
Lastly, create a Facebook page for your business and update regularly to keep your audience in the loop. Facebook is a great social media platform for running ads, so that you can expand your reach.
SEO Tools
In addition to sharing content and launching new products / services. You’ll want to make sure everything you post is optimized for search engines. This will help new people find your brand / business.
For SEO tools, use the free program - Google Adwords for ideas on what to target when posting ads.
And, use a more in-depth tool such as SEM rush to do your keyword research and find what topics in your niche are worth targeting in your content.
How To Market Effectively Online
Now, that you know what online marketing is and some of the channels you should be using to promote your business - let’s finish this up with how to market effectively online.
Be Consistent
When you first start diving into the online marketing space, it can seem overwhelming to have so many places to post and engage with your audience. Yet, maintaining these relationships and being consistent with how often you post is your only way to continue to be discovered online.
Create a schedule and content calendar to keep you on track.
Be Authentic
In 2020, authenticity is key for every brand and business. Your audience wants to know who you are and what you stand for. They want to see realistic depictions of your process and many consumers are over the manicured or fabricated look that was highly popular several years ago.
Be raw and real with what you post and most importantly be genuine in how you express your message and develop conversations with your consumers.
Be Open to Change
The final tip is that in online marketing, you need to be open to change and be willing to pivot a moment’s notice. The digital space is changing every single day and new platforms are popping up with the potential to help your business grow. Don’t get stuck on one platform and neglect the rest.
Be willing to change, alter and readjust your online marketing strategy. And, you’ll find that this approach will yield true digital success.
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Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments below. And while you’re here, don’t forget to read The Important Role of Branding in Marketing.