If you’re not looking at effective digital marketing tactics in 2018, you’re making it easy for your competitors to crush you. You have probably tried too much but nothing worked really well. It’s true that digital marketing seems complicated and there’s so much to do.
The goal of this post is to help you find effective digital marketing tactics and strategies that can simplify online marketing for you. Even if you’re new to online marketing, here are 20 effective digital marketing strategies you can use in 2018.
Update your SEO
Search engine optimization can help your brand reach the people you could not reach in the last couple of years. If you want to be in the business for a long time, 2018 is the right time to invest in SEO. Update your SEO strategy at least every quarter because Google now updates its algorithms more than a hundred times a year. Here are some strategies to improve your SEO.
Prioritize blogging
Your blog posts, when indexed by Google and other search engines, work as an additional web page for your website. Everything from keyword to meta titles and meta descriptions gives more power to your website. If you will prioritize blogging in 2018, customers will be able to find you as your content will start appearing in top places. Start blogging and maintain consistency.
Attract links
Publish content people would love to share and link to. Copying content from other sources or simply rewriting the same news story won’t help. Find something unique, publish informative posts, and provide insights and helpful data backed by facts and statistics. Quality links still matter and play a major role in determining your website’s rank. Attract them with high-quality content.
Pick social media networks carefully
This is not 2010 or 2014 when everybody was just filling Facebook pages and YouTube video channels. Things have changed a lot in 2018, and your audience is probably spending time on some other networks. Read what current social media trends suggest and utilize your resources accordingly.
Local search is no longer a distant dream
If you had asked for local search marketing 7 or 8 years ago, people would have told you to invest less in local searches. In 2018, it is a “do or die” situation for marketers. With many people gaining easy access to the internet and smartphones, local search marketing has become more important than ever. Use Google My Business, use reviews, and plan some brand awareness campaigns to stay ahead.
Use remarketing for high ROI
No doubt you have tried online advertising already, but why are you ignoring the missed opportunities while you can get back to the people who are interested in your offerings but couldn’t make a purchase. From e-commerce companies to businesses working in the service industry, remarketing is a great source of revenue for all.
Use AI technology
You don’t need to build robots for everything, but using an AI-based instant messaging solution won’t hurt. Gone are the days when people used to care about writing emails or filling contact forms on websites (many people still do, so don’t remove these communication channels). If you can, use instant messaging solutions to help your potential customers find everything here, they need to know without asking them to wait for days. Use artificial intelligence technology in your digital marketing strategy.
Stop hating mobile platform
If you are someone who uses a laptop a lot, you are probably among those who hate the fact that people are using mobile to search for everything online. It’s true that sometimes mobile experiences are not perfect, but you can’t decide what your customers should use. So, use mobile-friendly marketing campaigns and also use responsive website design if you want to be found in 2018. Period.
Update your email marketing strategy
Designing beautiful HTML email templates may not help you if your message is not reaching the right people at the right time. Again, mobile is dominating the email world as more people are checking emails on their mobile phones. Email keeps your audience engaged and keeps reminding them that you exist. It is free, and most importantly, it encourages people to respond immediately.
Take risks
Taking risks may seem a waste of time, but if you are doing it right, it can pay off really well. Find a less saturated, growing platform for your brand and start publishing content there. People who were early adopters of LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat know how hard it was for them to stay focused on their goals when these platforms were growing. Find some networks where you can establish yourself without having to deal with crowd.
Host live events
If you’re not good at making Facebook live videos for your business or personal brand, try getting some external help. Focus on what you would be doing in the long run and it will help you decide how you want your customers to remember you once after your webinar, or Facebook live session is over.
Refine your communication process
With the rise of social media, the attention span of people is shrinking. To make a lasting impact on your potential customer, avoid unnecessary elements from the communication process. No matter if it is a live chat feature, email, or marketing material you publish or distribute. Speak directly and in a very straightforward manner because people don’t have times for bells and whistles.
Use influencer marketing
You can do it without hurting your marketing budget. Influencer marketing is not about hiring celebrities, any influential person on social media can turn into a marketer. Someone with a lot of followers or someone your audience loves hanging out with can be a good fit. Just make sure that they know how to sell products.
Make your landing pages look smart
Revisit your landing pages to see if they are still relevant or you’re simply showing outdated content. Make sure that your landing pages play a key role in determining a customer’s interest in your products. So you have to focus on your user interface and it needs some test before applying. Keep the content short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary stuff that doesn’t help customers in making an informed decision.
Focus on demonstration
In many businesses, there’s nothing to demonstrate, especially in the service sector. But if possible, let your customers test and try your products. It is one of the key factors that work in the software industry. Think of ways you can attract your customers by offering them something to try for free.
Audit your conversion rate optimization strategy
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is all about converting those visitors, readers, and leads into customers. Your CRO strategy should not be just limited to design, content or code. In 2018, you need to optimize everything that didn’t pay off well. From your campaigns to article headlines, call-to-action buttons, and social media habits. Whether you’re optimizing for search, advertising or something else, it’s time to check everything and make sure it’s maximized for growth.
Consider programmatic media buying
Programmatic advertising helps you develop better campaigns on the right channels. Companies are using it and the ad spending is increasing rapidly every year which is a clear sign of how beneficial it is for businesses. As long as the right data strategies are used, programmatic buying can help you achieve higher ROI because it’s more transparent and efficient.
Build a marketing funnel
You may be having separate teams or departments that manage different digital marketing tactics and strategies for you. Try to bring all of them in one place and see the bigger picture. Build a complete marketing funnel where your teams can work as one and set clear goals.
Innovate with your digital marketing tactics
Sometimes you have to take off beaten paths to see what people need from your business and what difference you can bring in their lives. There’s something about putting yourself in their shoes and seeing what is that thing they are waiting for.
Educate yourself, your team and your customers
This list of digital marketing tactics and strategies should have helped you. As a marketer, one of the best digital marketing tactics you can use is educating yourself and your people. The world of marketing is constantly evolving and your customers also don’t know for sure what’s going to work for them 5 years from now.
So, develop an environment where you can constantly learn, educate, and be aware of what’s coming.