5 Places to Start Online Marketing Efforts

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Recent advancements in technology are changing the way we define traditional marketing. While brick-and-mortar companies used to market their products and services through the mass media triad—print, radio, and television—many business owners have moved to take advantage of digital marketing options available online. These days, it is only natural for companies to be listed on the Internet.

Even so, the rapid pace of updates in mobile and cloud development has become a double-edged sword that may work for or against businesses. On one hand, there are now more options to reach out to specific markets through various channels, and across multiple devices. On the other hand, these options present a challenge for businesses to efficiently use these resources to their advantage, since it's just as convenient for competitors to use them.

It can get kind of tricky to delve into online marketing efforts at once, especially for those still stuck in the mindset of traditional marketing. Here are five places you can focus on to get the most out of your initial dive into the realm of online marketing:

Corporate Sites and Listings

Develop interesting content about your company and house them in a corporate website designed to display your brand’s vibe. Corporate sites establish a controlled online real estate that you can fill with content relevant to your audience. Its dynamic and always-on nature establishes a 24/7 online presence, serving as a virtual office and mouthpiece for important announcements, blog posts, products, and other features.

You can develop a sense of what different audiences expect from a corporate page by looking at samples online. Don't forget to hook them in with clearly defined Home and About pages. There's a reason outfits like the Webby Awards recognize corporate websites for visual design, content, and user experience.

Webby Awards Corporate Communications website winners for 2015

Webby Awards Corporate Communications website winners for 2015

(source: webbyawards.com)

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search engine marketing (SEM) refers to content and methods or tactics used to enhance a brand's or website's ranking on search engines. While SEM may sound too complicated for some traditional businesses, it doesn't mean that they can't take advantage of simple best practices that can help them eventually get there

Watch Google's video to know more about the Evolution of Search: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTBShTwCnD4

Ranking is determined by specific, constantly changing Web algorithms, mostly taking into consideration a page and website's page rank, keyword ranking, link context, responsive design (for mobile), and more. These factors can be optimized using either organic or paid search strategies. Familiarize yourself with this venture by first knowing how search engines determine ranking. You can do this by staying updated on algorithm changes, and researching more about the various ways to boost brand awareness with SEM.

Mobile Marketing

Gartner reports that worldwide sales of smartphones to end-users totaled 330 million units, as of August 2015. The majority of people on the planet may pretty soon be glued to their various mobile devices. It's not just tablets and smartphones, though. The steady growth of personal and wearable devices subscribed to the Internet of Things model pretty much shows that mobility and connectivity will soon be the default. As such, businesses need to establish a presence on mobile platforms the soonest they can.

To do this, businesses need to develop mobile-friendly websites or applications that users can easily browse for products and services. It is also possible to develop a mobile following by offering promotions for those who access mobile properties. Create bite-sized, useful mobile content as a first step towards creating viral content. Explore mobile advertising and payment options to provide hassle-free options to get your customers to purchase your product or service.

Social Media Marketing

Not everyone may be sold on the idea of using social media to market products. However, we can't discount its prevalence in a customer's decision-making process. Working almost like an evolved "word of mouth" platform, social media posts can be the push that your customers need to purchase your product or service. Depending on what you offer, be discerning as to which social site your brand uses as a platform. Check out the following social options for business:

E-commerce

Online shopping has long been a staple in various markets and industries, and businesses of all sizes should take advantage of these platforms. These days, various online platforms make it easy for businesses to set up e-commerce sites displaying their products and services. Sites like Shopify, Amazon Web Store, Magento, and Volusion make it easy for businesses to build e-commerce platforms with scalable pricing and design options.

Posted 28 August, 2015

Rowena Diocton

Technical Writer | Online Content Creator

Hello there! I am a technical writer and editor who writes for technology companies. I have written about technical marketing, news and journalism, digital marketing, travel, and lifestyle topics. I have edited newsletters, fiction and nonfiction manuscripts, white papers, and web articles. I work as a full-time technical writer, but I accept editing and writing assignments during my free time....

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