The year is halfway over, but that does not mean it is too late to get your brand’s digital marketing strategies up and running. From collaborating with insurance distribution centers in San Diego and beyond, I have witnessed which digital marketing strategies are worth the hype and which can be left behind. Here are some suggestions for you to optimize your digital marketing strategies to finish 2021 strong.
Tip #1: Search engine optimization (SEO) matters more than you think.
Does your brand rely on a website to make sales? If so, now is as optimal as ever to begin optimizing your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Google, for example, is responsible for 94% of total organic traffic and 96% of all smartphone search traffic. Given these data points, you should establish a measurable business goal of getting your business to the first page of Google.
No matter what your brand provides, SEO matters. I would go as far as to argue that ensuring that your brand is on Google’s first page when a consumer searches for specific keywords is the single most consequential factor in determining whether your brand’s digital marketing strategy will sink or swim. Start by brainstorming with your team about which keywords you would like consumers to associate with your business. For instance, let’s say that you recently opened a running shoe store in San Diego. One keyword phrase that would help consumers identify your business could be “running shoes in San Diego.” Note that these keywords do not need to only boil down to one word. Rather, you can choose a string of words, no more than three to four, that you would like consumers to type in and see your store.
Tip #2: Marketing and branding are two different things.
Marketing and branding are two components of business management that tend to be used as synonyms. That, however, is not correct. While branding refers to how the audience (specifically potential consumers) perceive your business, marketing entails how your brand’s message is enhanced.
It is essential to stop using marketing and branding interchangeably so that you can use them both correctly to improve your organization’s overall digital marketing. More specifically, digital marketing relies on tactics that reinforce how your organization brands itself. That reliance should encourage small businesses to establish digital marketing campaigns with intention. If your social media team, for example, blindly shares your organization’s product or service only for the sake of getting the word out there, there may be an adverse reaction. Instead, create campaigns aimed to build interest and create a community. Setting these intentions showcases your organization as a method of improving consumers’ lives, whereas promoting your organization for the sake of yielding a profit tends to come off as insincere.
Tip #3: Do not be afraid of video marketing.
Social media platforms that rely on video content, such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, can be intimidating. While they are a pivot from the previous norm, these platforms work. Research predicts that video content will account for approximately 82% of consumer internet traffic by 2021. So, if you’re serious about digital marketing, you need to get serious about video content, too.
How did video marketing become so prominent? For starters, live video content is interactive. Organizations can use video content to encourage potential consumers to contribute to the dialogue surrounding their brand. Some estimates anticipate that live video will account for 13% of all video traffic by the end of the year.
Tip #4: The AIDA formula works.
AIDA stands for awareness, interest, desire, and action. Now that you know each word, it is time to hone in on why they matter. Awareness matters because it is critical for the public, especially your targeted consumers, to know that you can solve a problem and make their lives simpler. Interest helps ensure that your ideal audience can access information about your organization. That’s where SEO comes in handy.
The elements of making a decision can help your digital marketing strategy refine its intentions. When selling a product or service, you want to make sure that the audience interprets your organization as the sole solution to their problem. The culmination of awareness, interest, and desire eventually leads to the action of your customer deciding to consume from your organization.
About San Diego’s Krishen Iyer
California-native Krishen Iyer is a graduate of San Diego State University (SDSU), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration and urban development. After graduating from SDSU, Iyer began collaborating with insurance distribution centers to build their website traffic and enhance their brand recognition.
Today, Iyer is the founder and leader of MAIS Consulting Services, a consulting firm located in Encinitas that focuses on health and dental clientele. His work with MAIS Consulting seeks to optimize the contracting and marketing strategies with their clientele. Its mission is to empower its clients to achieve measurable business development goals.
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