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    How to create an effective digital marketing plan

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    A digital marketing plan equips online business owners with an essential roadmap to achieving their most crucial brand objectives. Since it’s a tool that helps to guide marketing activities to generate the best results, it must be organized step-by-step and reviewed at multiple points in the lifespan of your business venture, which is why most entrepreneurs opt to have a professional digital marketing company handle their plan for them. 

    Why do you need a professional digital marketing plan?

    Are you looking for a way to reveal new opportunities, grow, and expand your reach? While every business owner has the potential to dabble with digital marketing, those hoping to connect with their audiences and establish a unique brand identity need an in-depth and detailed approach that is usually only achievable through a strategy formulated by a professional digital marketing agency. 

    So, for those asking themselves, “Do I need a professional digital marketing plan,” the answer is always yes, and here’s why:

    • While a business owner can formulate goals and work towards those objectives, a professional digital marketing agency will draw up a consumer-competitor analysis and create a plan that focuses on the entire environment surrounding the brand including context and current market situation. 
    • Intended objectives are achieved quicker with the help of a professional digital marketing agency, especially since they have separate departments that coordinate together. 
    • A coordinated digital marketing plan contains strategies and actions that are put in place to carry out campaigns. 
    • Measuring the results of actions is one of the most overlooked tasks of business ownership which is why it’s important to include it in a professional digital marketing plan. 

    Now that you know what to expect from a professional digital marketing plan, below are some advantages that it can bring to you and your company:

    • You will gain in-depth knowledge of the market and your target audience. A good marketing plan allows time for a research phase which creates a scope of your business challenges and how to respond to them. 
    • Digital marketing actions can align with departments working towards the same brand objectives. 
    • Allows you to budget for the resources that are most effective for your business strategy. 
    • Improves internal communication so all those involved can easily coordinate future goals.
    • Improves client communication by outline the elements that will meet their needs and expectations. 

    How our professional digital marketing agency creates an effective digital marketing plan: Step by step

    1. Analysis and starting point: 

    Creating an effective digital marketing plan starts by analyzing the current situation of the company and coordinating time towards market research. During this phase, we aim to answer questions such as, “What could be a unique selling position for this company” and “What is the competition doing and how can we compare”. 

    2. Create objectives

    Success is achieved when objectives are met. When the phase commences, the objectives of the company need to be concrete, detailed, measurable, realistic, and time-bound. Based on these parameters, we will create a professional digital marketing plan that will reach new markets, increase brand awareness, and improve your company’s return-on-investment (ROI).

    3. Develop a buyer person

    It’s important to paint a picture of your ideal client, even if it involves defining a profile for more than one type of product or service user. This includes determining the age, gender, income level, occupation, and place of residence. This will allow us to develop a professional digital marketing plan that creates a better understanding of your brand-to-consumer relationship. 

    4. Content plan

    Every professional digital marketing plan requires an outline of the type of content that will be distributed. While it can follow a variety of formats, your content should align to the above buyer persona(s) and be incredibly focused to increase website conversions. This phase should also include the addition of search engine optimization (SEO), which is the backbone of content creation, dedicated to structuring the website to direct valuable traffic. 

    5. Determine platforms for business growth

    While the world of social media marketing offers an assortment of platforms for any brand, it’s always best to focus on those that are more adapted to your companies’ objectives. Effective digital marketing planning includes intentions for these social networks and the application of available resources to boost your growing strategy. 

    Are you ready to speak with our team about your digital marketing plan? 

    What stage of the above digital marketing planning process is your business at? Drop a comment below to compare with other readers. 

    Your guide to the dos and don’ts of social posting for Memorial Day

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    While we’re a Canadian-owned and operated company that’s based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, many of our clients that are situated in the U.S. rely on us to formulate a social media marketing strategy that caters to their American customers. While Memorial Day is celebrated differently across the country—a day to gather and enjoy the warmer weather, a day to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, and most importantly, a day to commemorate those whose lives were lost during their military service—many businesses use this holiday as a way to show their support and connect with their target audience. So, at the price of potentially posting something that can be misinterpreted as insensitive, here are the dos and don’ts of social posting for Memorial Day.

    A basic approach to get you started

    While your audience won’t remember you being silent on your social channels for Memorial Day, they will remember if you post something insensitive. So, to be sure your branding isn’t affected, here are some things to consider:

    • Treat the holiday with care. Even though many celebrate the day differently, it’s meant to be a somber occasion for the remembrance of fallen military heroes. While the point of your social media marketing strategy is your brand’s messaging, make sure that there is a natural tie-in, such as showing your support for military veterans. 
    • If you’re going to post something fun about kicking off the summer, be very careful about how you craft this message. 
    • If your product availability is still affected due to COVID, be sure to only promote items that customers will have immediate access to. 

    We hope these tips will help your business to better navigate Memorial Day. Continue reading to learn more about the dos and don’ts of this national holiday. 

    Tips to ensure that you have excellent Memorial Day content

    Do: Post something general that recognizes the holiday. 

    Do: Recognize and thank members of the military. If you or one of the employees at your company have served or has a loved one currently serving, be sure to post a photo to add a human element to your content. 

    Do: Mention the start of summer, outdoor activities, or spending quality time with your loved ones. Summer-related content that mentions your brand and not the military is still okay to post. 

    Don’t: Post promotional content mixed with a message about the sacrifices of the military. It takes a poor approach to the holiday and may come across as insensitive. 

    If you’re in doubt about the best practices to manage your social media marketing strategy, Trek Marketing would love to help?

    What are your favorite types of social media posts? Drop a comment below to share with our readers. 

    The pros and cons of outsourcing your digital marketing project

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Targeting the growth of your e-commerce business should be an essential part of your online marketing strategy, especially in these unprecedented times. If you’ve resorted to Googling “outsourcing digital marketing in Vancouver”, know that you aren’t alone. Many business owners are on the hunt for ways to get ahead of their competition, and to help you make the best business decision, it’s important to know if the benefits outweigh the risks. 

    How to determine if outsourcing is for you

    Outsourcing your digital marketing is when you use a third party to create content or perform marketing services on behalf of your brand to promote the growth of your business. This could include writing copy, blog management, creating social media posts, producing custom video content, constructing lead magnets, designing ads, managing pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, setting up Facebook ads, and managing your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. While these are a few examples of what types of services you can outsource, there will always be options for more assistance elsewhere. 

    What are some pros of outsourcing digital marketing?

    Do you or your employees possess any hands-on digital marketing experience that could be advantageous in the implementation of future strategies? If not, here are some reasons to consider outsourcing digital marketing, especially in competitive marketplaces like the city of Vancouver.

    • Expertise: Whether you select an agency or a freelancer to be a part of your team, someone with expertise in the digital marketing field will know of ways to get things done more efficiently and effectively.
    • Money savings: While you may think paying someone to perform a service costs too much, it’s important to remember that if you lack the skills needed to get traffic to your website, you won’t be making any money to begin with. Consider the person you hire as an investment. The best part is that most agencies offer hours-based packages to allow you to start small and add more time as your business grows. 
    • Accessibility to multiple services: While this benefit may be achievable with the right freelancer, often the ability to subscribe to multiple digital marketing services can only be found within an agency. Outsourcing digital marketing in Vancouver gives business owners the power to access an entire team of staff that through collaborative efforts will provide your e-commerce brand with a menu of options to increase conversions. 
    • Frees up your time: By relying on experts to get your online marketing tasks done you have more time to dedicate to other aspects of running your business. 

    What are some cons of outsourcing digital marketing?

    Depending on how you measure your businesses’ success, it may be best to keep some of your digital marketing efforts in-house. For that reason, here are some examples of why you may want to not outsource all of your digital marketing services.

    • Fear of brand consistency issues: Every business creates values and a reputation over time, which can make it difficult to feel comfortable passing the reins to someone that doesn’t live and breathe every aspect of your brand. 
    • You won’t have 100% control of all timelines: While services like blogging, email marketing, and social media possess the ability to formulate strict posting schedules, other efforts like SEO and PPC advertising can take more time to show their value, and if you’re using a freelancer for any of the above tasks, you will need to remember that their ability to rearrange other commitments to prioritize you might not always be possible.
    • Not as much freedom to offer a personal touch: Small businesses build their brand on connecting with their customers, and while outsourcing gives you access to so many amazing resources, mastering the tone and voice you’ve envisioned may take time for other people to covet. 

    In our professional opinion, none of the above cons possess any inabilities inhibiting them from being overcome. Especially through the use of proper implementation and communication by outsourcing to the right digital marketing company in Vancouver.

    Do you possess any other questions or concerns about outsourcing? Please drop them below for a speedy reply.

    Do customers shop directly from social media platforms?

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, consumers flocked online to grab hold of the products they needed to avoid going into stores. This sparked a record influx of global retail activity. Now, over a year later, our spending behaviours haven’t changed much, with many consumers still preferring to purchase their favourite products and services online. While conversion rates for your business can increase with the right digital marketing tools working to bring traffic to your website, the same thing goes for social pages. But is it worth investing more time and money into your social strategy if you don’t know if customers are shopping directly from your social media platforms? 

    How do you do your online shopping?

    Since Amazon and eBay first launched sitewide online shopping in 1995, consumers have been hooked on the convenience of front door delivery. However, with the rise of social media over this last decade, there are now more ways than ever to find and buy innovative products through the use of your social channels. Aside from targeting your ideal audience on their preferred platform of choice, there’s also a generational breakdown of purchasing patterns that influence the likelihood of your ideal customer buying directly from your social platforms. 

    • Generation Z (Born 1997 to 2012): Being the most technologically influenced generation, Gen Z’ers are strongly influenced by social media and are very comfortable purchasing from channels like Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram shopping. 
    • Millennials (Born 1981 to 1996): While this generation has also grown up with the power of the internet at their fingertips, for them to feel confident in making a purchase, social selling needs to be more persuasive. This is where investment in your digital strategy is crucial! 
    • Generation X (Born 1965 to 1980): Although this generation isn’t as digitally savvy as their predecessors, they are common online spenders. While it may take them a little longer to complete a purchase due to the desire to test out the products in person, they are on social media and can be more easily eluded through the use of email marketing. 
    • Boomers (1946 to 1964): This price-conscious and fiscally conservative generation is starting to come around to the concept of online shopping. However, they still prefer to browse for new products and aren’t as comfortable achieving purchase confidence through online means like reviews and blogs. So, while social selling might be a tougher call on these consumers, many are coming around to Facebook and will click through and log your website for a later purchase. 

    Which social media platforms are consumers most likely to shop on?

    Consumers who are comfortable with social shopping have endless choices for purchasing platforms. Needless to say, some are more popular than others.

    • Facebook: As one of the leading social media channels bridging generational gaps, Facebook is also one of the most common social shopping platforms, with opportunities for businesses to grab the attention of an audience from Gen Z to Boomers. While Facebook Marketplace has quickly become the new craigslist in terms of commerce, there is a “shop” feature available on business pages where the owner can import products and make them available for purchase directly from Facebook’s checkout page. 
    • Instagram: Even though Instagram shopping is newer than the purchasing features on Facebook, it’s a booming online marketplace for business owners to find new customers. As a visual and auditory-based social platform, Instagram shopping is an exciting new experience and once the consumer commits and orders their products, they can choose to do a shoutout to your brand as well. With the ability to tag on posts and stories, the possibility for creative content is endless with Instagram shopping. 
    • Pinterest: While this platform doesn’t allow respondents to make purchases directly from the pinned products or elaborate vision boards, its browser allows users to seamlessly switch between the website/app to make a quick purchase from the business, which doesn’t disrupt the social media experience. So, while you aren’t buying this on Pinterest’s servers, consumers can still stock up on an assortment of ideas that inspire them. 

    Where should you be selling? 

    We wish it were as easy as recommending a single tactic for all e-commerce businesses across the board. Nevertheless, there is no one-size-fits-all suggestion for a successful social shopping strategy. What we can suggest is that you start by prioritizing social media shopping tactics on the platforms you currently possess a following on and build your strategy from there. 

    To learn more about where your target social media audience might be, contact one of Trek Marketing’s Client Success Managers for a free consultation. 

    Do you have any questions about getting Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram shopping started? Drop a comment below to let us know. 

    Marketing tips for St. Patrick’s Day procrastinators

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Has so much gone on in the past year that St. Patrick’s Day opportunities have slipped your mind? Yup, the holiday season is tomorrow and this reminder could be your four-leaf clover, and an incentive to get your gears moving. Don’t drown this missed business moment in a pint of green beer, but instead, skim the marketing ideas below which are intended to inspire the ultimate procrastinator. That’s right! We’re more than a Vancouver digital marketing agency; Trek Marketing is downright festive every lucky chance we get!

    Offer your customers the green light with an intriguing discount 

    The beauty of being an e-commerce business owner is that you can change your website’s prices at the click of a button, while also promoting immediate attention via your engaging social media channels. So, just because tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, doesn’t mean you can’t catch the attention of your target audience by putting together a last-minute sale. Also, be sure to let your customers know that they’re lucky to be a part of your thriving brand with a personable email about this fun holiday, including some highlighted products or services that are a part of your festive sale. 

    Play up the greenness 

    Whether you work alongside a Vancouver digital marketing agency or all of your efforts are completed in-house, one of the best ways you can showcase your spirit for St. Patrick’s Day is by playing up the greenness. While it would be ideal to have a web developer add a graphic or two to your business page, if you let time slip away and are wanting to do something last-minute, the best thing you can get on board with are some custom designs. The best part is that the same image can be used across your social media channels and if you’re set up with an email marketing framework, a simple announcement about your sale with some call-to-action buttons is all you need to bring in some shoppers. 

    Note: Just because the colour green is symbolic of St. Patrick’s Day, doesn’t mean you need to have a leprechaun and a pot of gold on your image. Instead, you could use the colour green to cast attention on the holiday, while also promoting your businesses’ eco-conscious (green) efforts. 

    It’s always good to do things a little differently

    Although the season is known for shamrocks and leprechauns, you can be different by leaving these elements out of your marketing material. In fact, consider doing a little research on the history of St. Patrick’s Day and use your digital marketing services to pass on your knowledge to your customers. It’s way less salesy, and even though it might not bring in a whole of conversions right away, this type of promotion is aimed at creating a connection with your audience, which you may find to be more “pot o’ gold” effective in the long-run than a traditional sale. 

    What other ways do you or your Vancouver digital marketing agency implement last-minute, seasonal promotions? Drop a comment below to share your expertise with our readers.

    5 tips for how to proofread like a pro

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Proofreading is an essential skill that many talented writers working at digital marketing agencies in Vancouver have, ensuring their client’s messages are communicated clearly, effectively, and professionally. While spelling and grammar tools are valuable as backups for business owners, it’s important for the person writing to thoroughly review their written content before anything is published live for the consumer world to see. Since many business owners are passionate about their products and often busy handling other affairs, they rely on the professional services of Trek Marketing to plan and create their content for them. Needless to say, we do possess clients that are aspiring writers themselves, and since today is National Proofreading Day, we have some tips for those who want to challenge their skills. 

    Tip #1: Be sure to read your writing out loud 

    Reading written content out loud is extra beneficial in the proofreading process because hearing the words can help you to find missing or misspelled words. Even the best writers will regularly read through their work as a benefit to the writing process. Not only will this technique help you in catching unnecessary phrases, but it will also allow you to create coherence in your writing, find your voice, and become a better reader and writer overall. 

    Tip #2: Change the way you look at your writing 

    Even the most proficient writers working at digital marketing agencies in Vancouver and beyond should take hold of an opportunity to revamp the way they analyze their writing. In fact, when re-reading the same types of content on the same types of platforms, it’s quite easy to glaze over simple mistakes, especially if proofreading is an essential role in your day-to-day job. As a way to combat this, try printing out the document, or conversely, open it on your desktop. Sometimes even changing the font or colour of your text is enough to visually alter the copy to make you more aware of mistakes that are slipping through. 

    Tips #3: Check for a variety of elements when proofreading

    Until your writing has been published it’s considered to be in its drafting stage, and there are an assortment of components that you could be looking for, aside from spelling mistakes and grammatical correctness. For example, you could fact-check your work to ensure that the proper names, dates, numbers, and resources were used to create the content. Once all of the above details are verified, you also want to read your work again to ensure that the overall flow of the writing is meaningful, systematic, and comprehensible. By splitting up what you’re looking for each time you proofread, it’s far easier to focus on an individual aspect and catch the little mistakes. 

    Tip #4: Ensure that any keywords and phrases you use are correct

    Novice writers heavily rely on their thesaurus to write a good piece of content, however, they should also remember to keep the dictionary closeby. Many words in the English language are interchangeable in their meanings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best words to use in a particular writing project. This is especially true for longer documents. While you may want to get creative to avoid using the same words over and over, you also want to ensure that these changes don’t affect the meaning of the copy. 

    Keep in mind that sometimes consistent use is beneficial, especially if you’re an e-commerce business trying to get noticed on the wide web. Digital marketing agencies in Vancouver focus on a list of key terms as part of their search engine optimization service and create custom content to help your business rank better on popular search engines.

    Tip #5: Edit and read your work with a fresh set of eyes

    If you’re reading through your content and can’t seem to find any mistakes, chances are that you’re too tired to catch them. We recommend that you take a break between long proofreading rounds and switch between tasks, giving yourself some time to focus on something different and taking advantage of looking at your work again at a later time. Be sure to utilize this time and plan in advance so that you can include these breaks, yet still have enough time to make any changes before your upcoming deadlines. Alternatively, pass your work off to a friend or colleague to allow them to review your content for errors or edits missed. 

    Do you have any proofreading tips that you’d like to share with our readers? Drop them in the comment section below. 

    6 digital ways to improve real estate in a booming market

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    In the last year, the global coronavirus pandemic has shattered world economies, yet the real estate market has prospered despite job loss due to stay-at-home orders. While low-interest rates seem to be one of the driving factors keeping the housing market afloat, the extremely tight supply of homes is also a reason for the high demand. Needless to say, in this seller’s market, there are a variety of ways that digital marketing is improving the real estate sector for buyers, sellers, and listing agents. 

    How can digital marketing for real estate benefit buyers, sellers, and realtors?

    While every industry should adopt technology to attract new customers, some can achieve considerable heights through the help of professional digital marketing, and real estate is one of them! With fresh and exciting innovations, realtors are finding new ways to market properties and both sellers and buyers are loving the engagement that comes with this type of branded content.

    Here are some added benefits:

    • Digital marketing saves time and resources: Sellers can display their properties online which allows them to gain a further reach, whereas, buyers can take part in interactive tours, have face-to-face meetings, and read details about prospective properties before even stepping foot in them. 
    • Digital marketing raises the online visibility of real estate companies and listings: Achieving more website visitors is crucial for real estate and often using digital marketing to build up online traffic and increase customer service through informative blogs and social media posts are the best ways to build confidence, trust, and brand identity. 
    • Digital marketing boosts professionalism: Visualization tools (i.e., 360° modeling) are growing in the real estate industry, and if you want customers to remember your company, we recommend investing in this form of material. 

    What can the real estate industry do to improve its digital experiences in a booming market?

    Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home or you’re the agent listing and showing properties, the scope of real estate is increasingly becoming more reliant on the internet as an external resource. 

    Those in the industry who want to reach and connect with potential buyers and sellers should consider the following digital marketing tips: 

    #1 – Share properties before they hit the market: In a thriving market, there will always be a lack of inventory, which is why it’s important to select an experienced agent that can find prospecting properties and potential buyers before hitting the open market. 

    #2 – Streamline communication with your clients: Communication is key in many buying-selling ventures, and in today’s fast-paced environment, timing is everything. Whether you choose to text, email, or call your client, understanding their preferred method of communication is what will lead to the most proactive relationships. 

    #3 – Allow clients to leave reviews: One way to improve current consumer engagement is by obtaining quality customer reviews. This can easily be done online by asking happy clients to leave a Google review or simply emailing a response that can be posted live to the website. 

    #4 – Educate your clients: While buyers can easily find properties at the click of a button, they still rely on you for advice and guidance. Use digital marketing to educate your current and prospective clients by creating FAQs sections on your website, as well as writing a fulfilling blog that can address common questions and concerns. 

    #5 – Always work on building your online presence: While you’re likely busy with the insane market, eventually housing will see a dip, and that’s when you can improve your authority through digital means. This means that you can continue to engage with clients via social media, organize ongoing marketing campaigns, and actively seek out new and improved ways to connect with your audience. 

    #6 – Invest in marketing automation: If you’re looking for an innovation that saves you time and improves your ability to add value to the consumer, you should consider marketing automation. Marketing automation allows you to create lead magnets that attract your client by setting up automated campaigns followed by initial interactions. This strategy allows you to program the type of property, area, and even price that your client is looking for and pool together properties as they become available. An email can then be sent out with some pre-scripted text to allow them to contact you if it’s a suitable fit. 

    Are there any ways that digital marketing and real estate tie together that we didn’t discuss? Please drop your opinions below.

    Valentine’s Day tips for last-minute implementers

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    Do you have a good relationship with your target audience? Would you say you go together like search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising? While most professional digital marketing services take time to generate ongoing growth and conversions there are some things that you can do last-minute to entice your customers to shop. Valentine’s Day is one of the most overlooked occasions when compared to other days like Black Friday or Christmas, and even if your product(s) and service(s) don’t scream romantic, you can ramp up some sales by following the tips we recommend below.

    Host a flash sale for your shoppers

    Since Valentines’ Day is the celebration of love, it’s a good idea to show your customers some love and appreciation during this time by offering them a great deal on your products and services. One of the best ways that you can do this as a business owner is by surprising them with a generous flash sale… because of course, everyone loves to save money! Since the following idea can be executed rather quickly by sending out a short, punchy email and otherwise promoting it through your existing social media channels, you can consider hosting a sale last-minute. The best part is that if you possess an overwhelming amount of inventory for a few particular items, a last-minute sale can also double down as an opportunity to unload products that aren’t selling as well on regular calendar days. Whether you just have a buy 2, get 1 free sale, a store-wide discount, or a featured sale on a product category, giving your customers a deal is a perfect incentive to inspire them to make a purchase and possibly even tune into other sales or promotions that are offered in the future. 

    Email your customers some personalized Valentine’s Day cards

    While we did mention above that emailing is a great way to connect with your audience last-minute, if you aren’t up to hosting a sale, but you still want to take advantage of this tactic, we recommend coordinating a cute email campaign allowing you to send out virtual Valentine’s Day cards. Your card should coordinate with your brand and include a punny poem or a letter of appreciation to your customers, and if you’re feeling edgy, you can include a shop now button in there as well. This takes a lot of hassle out of putting a lot of work into your website and it shows your customers that you’re fun and not just sales-focused. 

    Create a quick landing page dedicated to themes of the holiday

    Landing pages, also known as lead capture pages or destination pages, are a great way to promote Valentine’s Day specials, and since the holiday is geared towards buying gifts for your loved ones, they can be extra beneficial when created specifically to target your audience and draw in shoppers. Now, if you don’t possess the knowledge of how to coordinate a strategy that targets a certain search engine optimization search result, don’t worry. As a professional digital marketing company, we have the skills and experience to market your promotion using industry-relevant key terms and phrases. 

    Last-minute doesn’t mean you have to tap out! How are you planning to orchestrate something for your company this Valentine’s Day?

    Make 2021 the year you crush your digital marketing goals

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    If 2020 has taught us anything as digital marketing professionals, it’s that consumers heavily relied on available online conveniences to keep themselves safe during these crazy times. Whether it was virtual doctor’s appointments, online grocery shopping, or simply transitioning to ordering more of their necessities through e-commerce sources, it’s clear that the digital age is evolving and growing to suit this new normal. So, if your business missed out on some of the digital opportunities that were available, why not start 2021 off right by crushing your digital marketing goals? 

    Invest in professional search engine optimization services

    For business owners who don’t already know, search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the quality and quantity of traffic to a website or web page via search engines. Since SEO targets unpaid traffic rather than direct or paid traffic, it can take a bit of time to improve your business ranking, especially if you aren’t using professional search engine optimization services. SEO is broken down into two categories, requiring work to be completed both on-site and off-site. 

    Some examples of on-site work that your SEO specialist would do as part of your search engine optimization service would include: 

    • Page layout optimizations
    • SEO audits
    • Page speed optimizations
    • Finding and fixing broken links
    • The creation of engaging content

    Some examples of off-site that your SEO specialist would do as part of your search engine optimization service would include:

    • Public relations
    • Guest posting
    • The creation of engaging content for back linking 

    Consider the benefits of pay-per-click advertising

    Pay-per-click advertising, better known in the digital marketing industry as PPC, is a method of online marketing where business owners can place ads in strategic places online and pay a fee only when that ad is clicked on by a visitor. It’s a quick way to buy quality visits to your site rather than attracting them organically, which can take time as we’ve discussed above. 

    How does it work, you ask? Well, when a user clicks the ad, your business will pay the host a specified fee, which can range between $1 to $2 and as high as $50 depending on where your impression is posted. 

    Here are some of the best benefits achieved through PPC:

    • Ads are extremely targeted to your audience
    • Ads retarget previous visitors
    • Ads are cost-effective
    • Ads are trackable
    • Ads are fast 

    Email marketing is good for sales and brand loyalty 

    Email marketing is the act of sending online messages and newsletters to a group of subscriber emails. In its simplest form, each email strives to target new and recurring customers to come back to the website and make a purchase. While email marketing relies heavily on sending advertisements to solicit sales and traffic, it also works as an opportunity to offer industry-news, business updates, or up-to-date inventory revisions. 

    Here are some of the best benefits of email marketing:

    • It’s good for customer acquisition
    • It’s an economic and cost-effect digital marketing strategy
    • Each email can be personalized through customization
    • Newsletters are designed to be action-oriented
    • It’s easy to measure profit using the appropriate tracking tools

    If you aren’t marketing on social networks, you should be

    Social media marketing is the use of an assortment of social media platforms and websites to promote your businesses’ products and/or services. Although it’s challenging to create a following with a strictly sales-oriented agenda, many business owners utilize the power of each platform to create a relationship with their customers by sharing images/videos and posting other engaging content. 

    Here are some of the best benefits of social media marketing: 

    • Increases brand awareness
    • Improves search engine rankings
    • Increases conversion rates
    • Leads to better customer satisfaction
    • Offers more brand authority
    • Allows you to gain valuable insights

    Top it all off with some insightful blogging

    Business blogging, while not as easy to track conversions, is an essential element that should be part of every digital marketing strategy. Business blogs are a space where you can create custom content that may appease your customer’s interests or even answer questions they have pertaining to your products, services, or the general larger umbrella of your niche industry.

    Here are some of the best benefits of business blogging: 

    • Increase your business visibility online
    • Builds brand awareness
    • Builds up SEO authority 
    • Asserts your position as an expert within your industry
    • Offers free content to your subscribers
    • Supports the growth of your business
    • Engage with customers

    Do you have any further questions about any of the above digital marketing services? One of our Client Success Managers would be happy to answer your questions via email, by phone, or through a virtual chat.

    Which of the above digital marketing services would your business benefit most from? Drop a comment below to compare with other e-commerce business owners.

    How to evolve your digital marketing strategy during COVID-19

    Posted on by Alex Wilks

    The world is facing some very unprecedented challenges with COVID-19 spreading at an exponential rate. While regulations have made operations difficult for many businesses, others are thriving off of stay-at-home orders. So, if your business hasn’t managed to do better amid lockdown measures, perhaps you need to evolve how you’re conducting your digital marketing strategies and double down by making some adjustments? Below are some ways we suggest that you can strengthen your commitment to your brand and the needs of your customers moving forward.  

    Keep up with your online presence 

    Since we’re all back to spending more time at home amid the second wave, the number of hours the average person is allocating online has drastically increased once again, and so has your opportunity to connect with your target audience!

    While consumers are partially glued to their phones and computers out of routine, they are also spending more time with their devices out of boredom, which means that there’s a higher chance of them connecting to your business through your online efforts. As much as most people don’t want to be reminded about the pandemic, you can use COVID-19 to leverage your content; for example, you can highlight products that help to make their home-bound stay a little better or promote services that can be enjoyed from the safety of their home. Also, while the goal of most digital marketing strategies is to brand, sell, and market your products, community support is crucial during these times. Thus, remember to use your social media platforms as a means to connect and bond with your customers in a meaningful way. 

    Adjust your content and digital marketing strategies to reflect growing trends

    Many aspects of our lives have shifted throughout the pandemic and it remains challenging for businesses to make amendments to their digital marketing strategies when customer’s needs are constantly changing. However, keeping up with societal trends doesn’t need to negatively impact consumer engagement or loyalty. For example, many businesses have revamped their advertising campaigns to spread awareness and understanding about the rules and regulations of our new reality, including illustrations and skits that emphasize handwashing, physical distancing, and masks. Even companies that have been sidelined by the virus (hotels, travel agencies, and airlines) are continuing to build brand awareness through their content! 

    Consider paid advertising 

    As mentioned above, 2020 has seen quite an influx in e-commerce browsing and shopping, leading many businesses to shift their focus digitally with the opportunity to invest more in their pay-per-click advertising strategy.

    When consumers input a key term into their chosen search engine, paid ads appear at the top of the search list, attracting shoppers to click through based on their higher placement. While businesses have to pay for the ad spot, the efforts it takes to achieve an organic ranking will undoubtedly take more time. Also, the best part about PPC is that the business is only charged when and if a consumer clicks on the ad. However, the cost of which is entirely dependent on the search engine traffic that steams from that said word or phrase. On the other hand, PPC ads are also popular on social media channels and can often be seen in advertisement placement sections when you scroll through your accounts. These ad holes work as a remarketing tool, popping up based on what you’ve searched for in the past, such as things that interest you or some previous purchases you’ve made. 

    With more people working at home and staying digital, there will be many more opportunities to rework your future digital marketing strategies to better appeal to your growing online audience. 

    Are there other ways in which you’ve changed up your digital marketing strategy throughout the pandemic? Drop a comment below to compare with other readers.