BEST Digital Marketing Strategy?
Which is the BEST Digital Marketing Strategy?
Content | Email | PPC | SEO | Social | Strategy
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Whether you are just starting or revamping your digital marketing strategy, it can leave you with the difficult task of deciding where to focus your time, and more importantly, your budget. Is there a “perfect”, one-size-fits-all marketing strategy that will be ideal for everyone? The answer, as you could probably imagine, is no. Rather, an integrated approach that uses a variety of strategies at various points in the buying cycle is the best decision you can make.… But this doesn’t make the decision process much easier. When you are picking and choosing from the buffet of digital marketing strategies out there, it can be difficult to know where to start.
With 2022 around the corner come budget and marketing planning. Here’s an overview of the most effective digital marketing strategies and when they work best.
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
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While there is no end-all-be-all “best” digital marketing strategy – search engine optimization, better known as SEO, should be a requirement. SEO is the process of using keywords and phrases related to your business that your ideal audience is searching for. It plays an important role at every stage of the buying funnel, from initial research to decision making. To emphasize its importance, in 2021 roughly 89% of B2B users use search during their research, and very few of us make it to the second page of search results. Why? Searches usually can find an answer or solution to the problem they are trying to solve on the first page, which is why both ranking for key terms and standing out from the crowd is critical. No matter what cocktail of digital strategies you’re mixing, SEO is a key ingredient!
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Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
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Unfortunately, SEO may not solve all of your keyword ranking challenges. It’s an effective strategy, but earning high rankings for every term takes a lot of time and effort, including solid content writing, keyword research, link building, and a sound website. PPC, on the other hand, allows you to start ranking on the first page with almost no downtime and fewer Google requirements. As the name implies, your business pays for clicks generated to your website. While that may not sound ideal, consider the following: if I’m not showing up there, who will? Despite 2020’s challenges, total B2B advertising dollars for search actually increased, indicating ad space has only become more competitive.
PPC for Google search is typically most effective at the end of the funnel and ‘ready-to-buy’ or transactional keywords. In fact, user’s who click on an ad are 50% more likely to make a purchase, pick up the phone or submit an RFQ than a searcher selecting organic results. Even if you’re already seeing strong organic traffic, PPC can help close any keywords gaps you’re experiencing, and multiple appearances in search results will give you a competitive advantage.
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Content Marketing
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Content marketing ties in heavily with SEO practices, and should aim to provide your users with information that will eventually guide them through the buying process. In doing this, you can gain familiarity and trust with future customers. Different types of content you can create for your marketing efforts include blogs, eBooks, case studies, infographics, and more. The information is intended to be informational and relational rather than transactional.
In 2021, 96% of B2B buyers said they reviewed a website’s content and sought though leadership and authority to help make their purchasing decisions. Content marketing is most effective at the beginning of the funnel by drawing prospects in. It allows your brand and business to become relevant to the consumer as they are searching for answers to solve a problem and assists in creating credibility. You can continue to create content throughout the buyer’s journey by tailoring your content to users’ specific needs.
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Social Media Marketing
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Social media is a great way to broaden your audience at a lower cost than some of your other marketing efforts. Much like a search engine, you can create both organic posts for a business page, as well as sponsored ads and content to reach beyond your current followers. Social media is a great tool when it comes to remarketing by showing new content/services/products to past website visitors.
Social media is especially useful in delivering all the great content you’re creating on your website, and many B2B digital marketers are already well aware. Roughly 96% of B2B marketers say they use their LinkedIn company page to distribute content, and 83% say they’re using it to run ads, making it the top most-used platform for content distribution (Sprout Social). Just like the content itself, social media is a key tool in establishing trust and creating a relationship with both your current and future customers.
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Email Marketing
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Email has truly withstood the test of time, and will likely continue to as the preferred method of communication among B2B professionals. It is an effective tool throughout the buying funnel by both establishing brand awareness and staying top of mind with current customers and encourages repeat transactions. Email marketing allows you to stay top of mind and, while your audience might not be ready to make a decision just yet, they’ll remember you when you’re ready.
Like social, it’s another excellent method of content distribution to help supply customers with information, expertise, and repeatedly establish yourself as a subject matter expert. It is an especially useful tool for segmenting your audience based on behavior. For instance, you can create lists of leads based on those who sign-up for more information about your product or service. You can also retarget past buyers to remind them when new shipments of their favorite products come in, or recommendations for what they also might like.
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Creating Your Marketing Strategy
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If budget and time were no issue, we would all be killing the game of digital marketing! Unfortunately for most of us, that is nearly impossible and we’re left to decide where to invest both our time and money. Knowing what you know now about each channel, here are a few steps you can take in designing the right marketing strategy.
Evaluate what is (and isn’t) working. This can be done by looking at your Google Analytics data and reviewing where your current traffic is coming from. Review behavioral metrics like conversion rates and bounce rate to determine what channels are working best and where might need a little extra attention. Are you seeing a ton of blog traffic, but few conversions? Then perhaps your first step is you can better leverage that content. Are you seeing amazing results from specific tactics and techniques for your PPC campaigns? Maybe it’s time to expand your campaigns and test these techniques on new campaigns.
Spy on your competitors. This doesn’t mean replicate what they’re doing. Rather, pay attention to the tactics they’re using, their rankings, messaging, and ad placements. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and do the research they might be doing if they were looking for your service. Are you seeing other companies in places you aren’t? As you evaluate the options, which seem to present themselves as authorities? Those are key areas to evaluated and determine where might need to sharpen your competitive edge.
Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket because anything can happen. A competitor could open up a new location in your territory, or there could be a global pandemic. It’s important to remain flexible and not tied to any one tactic. Make sure you stay nimble enough that you can respond to market changes, even when they’re unexpected!
We hope this overview of the most effective digital marketing strategies gives you some ideas about your 2022 digital marketing strategy. Remember that each of these works best when integrated with another strategy, and diversifying your channels is the best digital marketing strategy!
If you’re struggling to get started or want to get a second set of eyes on your marketing, let’s talk! Top Floor can help you evaluate your existing efforts through comprehensive audits and guide you towards the best digital marketing strategy for your business. Get in touch with us today.
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