It's imperative of every company to have a digital marketing strategy. It will lead to a huge loss if the business doesn't have one. Given the number of people with internet access, it’s a smart move to focus on online marketing. It also creates an even playing field. Everyone has an opportunity to advertise, including small business owners with limited resources. In 2021, online marketing will become even more important. The good thing is that a digital marketing agency will be there to extend help.
In 2020, most businesses got adversely affected by the pandemic. Some of them stopped operations permanently. Others moved the business online to continue moving forward. Since the pandemic is still going on, more businesses will continue operating online. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a stronger digital marketing plan to succeed.
1. Improve email marketing practices
Email marketing is one of the oldest digital marketing strategies. Some businesses even believe that it’s no longer an excellent strategy. No one reads emails anymore, and it’s a waste of time. The truth is that email marketing is still an excellent strategy. However, there should be changes in how businesses do it. For instance, the message needs to be customized to the target audiences. Avoid sending generic messages that won't appeal to anyone. For businesses looking to upgrade their email delivery, incorporating Maileroo's SMTP Relay could provide a substantial boost in ensuring emails land in your target audience's inbox with reliability and speed. The goal is to increase the potential response, instead of having the email deleted immediately. If effective, email marketing could lead to an increase in the conversion rate.
2. Embrace the use of videos
Content will be important in 2021. There’s no doubt that quality content will still rank higher in search engines. However, the focus should shift towards the use of videos. More people prefer watching videos to consume information than reading long articles. A quality and entertaining video that lasts for at least two minutes become more enticing than an article that takes more than five minutes to finish. There are different types of videos to focus on. Explainer videos are one of them. They are useful since the potential customers will know how to use the products and services. Some of them might already want to purchase the item but are hesitant. After knowing how to use the items well, they might decide to buy right away. Avoid videos that focus entirely on advertising the product. Most people hate watching video advertisements these days. Be creative in presenting information relevant to the industry without necessarily forcing people to buy the products.
3. Work with influencers
Social media influencers had a huge impact on different businesses in the last few years. In 2021, their influence will grow even bigger. Social media influencers have a massive following, and people like them for different reasons. Regardless, they can have an outsized impact on any business. When they tell their followers to buy the products and services, there's a good chance that they will. The best part is that these influencers already have a niche market. For instance, beauty vloggers most likely have followers who like make-up tutorials and other beauty tips. If the company sells cosmetics, working with these influencers can be an excellent strategy. As long as the company chooses the right people to work with, it can be an effective marketing strategy.
4. Be smarter in optimizing keywords
Optimizing random keywords is no longer going to work. It’s a waste of time and effort. Businesses should be smart in optimizing keywords in 2021, especially since the competition gets a lot tougher. Generic keyword generating tools won’t suffice. If possible, use premium tools that can help analyze different keywords. There should also be a focus on local SEO. Apart from the primary keywords, the business should also optimize one that includes the name of the company's location. Most people will include a location when looking for information online. Some of them will immediately buy the products and prefer buying one from the nearest store. For local SEO, there are different strategies available. It starts with the completion of Google My Business profile. When people look for information online, they will search through this platform. The company should have a complete and verified profile. Another strategy is to create content targeted toward local audiences. It includes local news and other events.
5. Focus on reputation management
Businesses should continue having an excellent reputation. People will patronize brands that have a positive image. It means that the company should encourage existing customers to leave positive reviews. However, it might not be easy since not everyone feels comfortable writing a review. The key is to maintain quality products and services. When people received what they expected from the business, they will most likely leave an excellent review. It encourages others to purchase the brand.
Another aspect of online reputation is responding to these reviews. It's not enough to encourage customers to leave one. A response is a sign that the business cares about what the customers think. If there are negative reviews, there should be an immediate response. It's crucial to show that the company is empathetic of the concerns. Responding to negative reviews will also set the record straight and prevent the spread of false narrative.
Getting help from a digital marketing agency
Some companies have been doing online marketing for a while, but are you able to figure out how to do it successfully. The good thing is that it’s easy to find a quality digital marketing agency. Relying on these experts to help is the right thing to do. The agency understands the changes in the world of digital marketing. They also have employees who helped different companies in the past. It’s better to ask for help in figuring out how to stand out online. Again, the competition will only get more difficult in 2021. Without help from experts, the business will be behind the competition. It’s also difficult to come back in the game if the other companies already took a huge share of the pie.