The internet is full of marketing strategies, but which strategies actually work? The purpose is to gain customers, but if you can’t get visitors to your website or blog, they will never know how great your product or service is, and how beneficial it can be to them. In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 marketing strategies compiled and tested by marketing experts.
Email Marketing
While RSS, social media and mobile marketing methods are certainly on the rise, email marketing still remains the most effective solution for reaching people. Keep an email signup form on your website, blog, social media pages and other online content pages. You can also get people to sign up for your list by offering them a free eBook or other promotion to entice them into signing up.
Promotions
People love free. Host giveaways on your website, blog and social media pages. Get people more involved by making them answer trivia questions in order to win. They may not purchase from you right then, but your brand name will stick with them, especially if they win something free.
Social Media
Social Media marketing is the fastest method for reaching large amounts of potential customers/clients. Social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus are comprised of millions of users that can potentially be reached through the network. By joining groups that are dedicated to specific genres and topics, you can even use targeted marketing, which allows you to reach people that are more likely to be interested in your products or services.
Follow up with clients
If your customers or clients send a message, you should reply to it. Whether the customer leaves a question, comment or criticism, if you reply to it in a professional, amiable manner, they are more apt to remember you and your brand. If a customer has a question or issue, and you do not respond within an appropriate time, they will most likely end up purchasing from one of your competitors.
Spread your brand name
Every chance you get, whether online or in person, you should spread awareness about your brand. Hand out business cards, personalized ink pens, stickers, brochures, etc. Have giveaways with personalized coffee mugs, T-shirts, and calendars. Use signatures with your brand name and URL in all online correspondence: email, social media posts and messages, blog and forum comments, etc.
Press releases
Distributing press releases is a great way to spread awareness about your products and services to various news outlets, and gain valuable online SEO presence at the same time. Press releases that are distributed on websites with a high pagerank will bring increased results for your company in search engine results.
SEO Everything!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) should be used in every piece of content that is published or distributed. The more sites that publish your content, the higher your SEO. Everything including blog posts, web pages, online brochures, white papers, emails, and salesletters should be optimized for search engines, as well as targeted at customers.
Visual Marketing
People would rather watch video than read online content, which is why video should be used to market products and services. Many companies create introductory videos, product videos, informational videos, and other marketing videos. These videos can be placed in blog posts, web pages, product or real estate listings, emails, and other content. Websites that use video stand a much higher chance of being displayed on the first page of search engine results.
Local Marketing
With so much focus on online marketing, mobile marketing, and social media marketing, don’t forget about your local market. Pass out business cards and brochures, mail newsletters, post signs and stickers in visible locations, and form business relationships with local vendors.
Create a blog
Just having a website is not enough, you need to supplement it with additional platforms such as blogs and social media accounts. When you create a blog, it should be updated with fresh content as often as possible, at least two times per month. Your blog should highlight products and services of your company, what makes your brand or company better than your competition, and other informative content.
