By Dan Radak
It goes without saying that in 2017 every business needs a strong online presence. Still, if everyone has it, it’s like no one has it. In the sea of generic online ads, you need something that will make you stand out. This ‘something’ is a proper digital marketing strategy. Here are a few trends to give your business a boost and raise your online presence to a whole new level:
Live Video
You could say that the entire experience of an online user can come down to a simple Turing Test. Users are constantly trying to determine whether there is an authentic human behind content or whether it’s programmed. Even when it is evident that something is made by an actual person, most branded content still seems scripted and not real. One of the ways to show people that both you and your business are spontaneous is a live video stream. Brands use this technique for marketing all the time. Successful examples include Buzzfeed®, Tough Mudder®, and Tastemade®.
Going Mobile
It goes without saying that mobile marketing is a big deal. Like so many times in the past, the tables have turned. First, the newspaper moved aside for the radio, then the radio repeated this process for the television. Today, we are seeing desktop setups losing ground in favor of mobile devices. People are more likely to engage with apps than with websites, even mobile optimized websites, and they are more likely to read your email via a mobile device. You need to be sure your messages are all mobile enabled, at the very least.
Outsourcing Digital Marketing
Those who have tried their hand in digital marketing know just how complex it can be. If you have a talented in-house team who can keep up with engagement trends, that is great. However, for many retailers, outsourcing your marketing is the easier option. First of all, outsourcing is scalable, which means that as you grow you won’t have to worry about increasing the capacity of your digital marketing department. Secondly, experts in the field already have a developed net of contacts, technology and software, which could take a lot of time and money for an in-house team to develop.
All in all, the question of whether it is better to outsource your digital marketing or not, is situational. If you already have people on your team who have dealt with similar issues in the past, if your budget is flexible, and if you have a long-term strategy, keeping an in-house team might be a preferable solution. If not, you should probably outsource.
Content and Images
It is assumed that today 8 out of 10 people don’t read past headlines. Still, there are more than a few ways to intrigue people into actually reading what you have written. The simplest yet most effective way is to insert appropriate images in the right place. This way, you are graphically explaining what your content is about, which opens up a possibility that someone will find it enticing enough to read it. Just keep in mind that you should optimize your image quality and resolution so that it doesn’t slow down your website. Introducing a multitude of different media formats to your page will considerably slow it down, which can in turn, considerably damage your bottom line.
Conclusion
Following just these four trends will help you improve your online reputation and therefore your sales. Digital marketing is not an exact science. What works best for someone else might not be a great fit for your company, so keep trying and keep experimenting. One thing is certain, you will never know until you try, and there are so many possibilities in front of you.
Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is a coauthor on several websites and regular contributor to BizzMark Blog (bizzmarkblog.com). Currently, he is working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies.