Five digital marketing resolutions you need to make for 2018.
The new year is almost upon us and with that, the time has come to make our resolutions for a better and more prosperous year ahead, in our personal lives and our businesses. When it comes to your business, one smart way to set resolutions is to look at trends and create resolutions that speak to and harness those trends for better business results.
When it comes to growing brand awareness and connecting with your ideal customers in 2018, the world of digital marketing (or online content marketing) is a space worth exploring. And it’s only set to expand as time goes on. So, we suggest dedicating some of your business resolutions to digital marketing to ensure you get the most out of your marketing strategy next year.
Digital marketing resolutions for your business:
1. Do digital right.
If your business is not already online, you need to get it there in 2018. And you need more than just a website that acts as an electronic brochure – you need to engage with the online space as it exists as a platform for getting your business out there, raising its profile, and connecting with new and loyal clients. Have the website but don’t have a comprehensive and relevant marketing strategy? That needs to change in 2018. Digital marketing is the future of marketing and your business needs to embrace it to succeed.
2. Take care to diversify your ad spend.
Find out where your target market exists online and advertise accordingly. While Google Ad Words and Facebook adverts dominate the social space, there are a number of advertising platforms out there. LinkedIn is one example – B2B organisations often find more success with targeted adverts in this space than on other platforms. Avoid focusing on just one platform or outlet – use different campaigns to increase your reach and raise your brand awareness, as well as learn more about your ideal clients and how best to communicate with them. The number of options might seem overwhelming so, rather than risking your budget and wasting your time, on what you think might work, get expert help – an experienced digital marketing team can help your business to connect with your target market with tailored campaigns.
3. Learn about ephemeral content.
Seen those 24 hour videos on Instagram or the Stories section on your Facebook page? This is ephemeral content – short-lived online content that disappears after 24 hours. This is an authentic, in the moment, way to connect with the members of your target market who spend lots of time in the social media universe and are always looking for new and interesting ways to engage with their favourite brands. Add this style of content marketing to your strategy mix and bring something fresh and exciting to your online strategy for the new year.
4. Blog, blog, blog some more.
Your blog is the centre of your digital marketing strategy – it links your website to your social media platform and drives content to your website, establishing your business as an expert in your industry. You can use it to deliver any type of content to (as well as build) your audience with unique content that you can redirect to any of your other digital marketing channels. In 2018, relevant content will still reign supreme but blogs are set to be longer and more detailed. Research shows that, contrary to popular belief, most online users will engage with longer pieces of content when they are not as frequently presented and are powerful and as interactive as possible.
5. Power your people.
When it comes to digital marketing in 2018, you are probably going to hear the term ‘employee advocacy’ quite a bit. Your employees are perfectly poised to be the perfect brand ambassadors for your business, either through sharing organisational content or their own content aimed back at the business. They can help to spread and validate your marketing messages in an authentic and relatable way. The benefits are wide-ranging (from increased brand awareness to an internal spike in employee confidence and loyalty) but it’s important to train your employees properly in what it means to be a brand ambassador representing your business to the outside world. This will ensure both you and your employees get the best out of the digital marketing experience.
Need help putting together a kick-ass digital marketing strategy for 2018, one that covers all the above and more? Talk to us! As expert digital marketers, this is what we do all day, every day, and we love it. We believe great marketing is about forming relationships with buyers, understanding the client journey, and forecasting your product lifecycle to fit the needs of clients. The result? Increased brand awareness and business sales!