As a small business owner, you likely do everything and then some. Figuring out how to run a successful digital marketing campaign may not be at the top of your list of things to learn, but can impact your bottom line. If you put time and effort into online promotions, you want them to gain as much traction as possible.
Authenticity in your marketing is of vital importance. In one study of more than 10,000 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia, researchers found that about 72% of consumers are fed up with fake reviews and demand a way to combat them. It’s fine to embrace new techniques and reach users on an emotional level, but be upfront in everything you do and don’t try to trick your audience.
If you’re ready to create a campaign that drives traffic to your site and gains you new leads, here are six traits all successful efforts share.
1. Focus on the Customer
Start by looking at your target audience and getting to know them on a personal level. Study the demographics of your typical customer so that you have a general idea of which generation they fall in, what they do for a living and their gender. Then, dig deeper and study their behaviors and the psychological things that impact their decisions. The best marketing campaigns consider the needs of the consumer first.
2. Map the Competition
Use software and map out your competitors, figuring out what areas they serve, who their typical user is and how you offer more value than they do. Understanding the advertising of other businesses like yours gives you a chance to see gaps in their efforts. You can then step in and fill those roles in your campaigns.
You can also use mapping software to see what locations your own business serves. Make decisions on where to expand and combine your data with social media campaigns and audiences targeted to a specific area.
3. Know Your Goal
Your marketing campaign should have a particular goal. Perhaps you want to raise awareness of your product or your brand. You might measure the success of an advertising campaign with the number of views of your ad. On the other hand, if you want to gain new leads with your efforts, then you might measure how well the ad performed by tracking the number of click-throughs or how many prospective customer names you gather from those clicks.
Make sure goals follow the SMART objective model with a very specific and measurable outcome.
4. Target the Right Audience
Most businesses have more than one buyer persona. A truly successful marketing campaign targets a segment of your audience, creating a personal experience. The more detailed your groupings, the more on-point your marketing efforts. If you collect contact info from a campaign targeting a specific group, you can also segment those new subscribers. Future promotional efforts become more and more relevant to your users.
Another thing you can do to boost efforts is teaming up with influencers in your industry. Seek out people who have an engaged following made up of your target audience. Ask them to come alongside you and share your posts and help you promote during the campaign. You’ll reach more people than you would otherwise and gain the endorsement of an expert in your field.
5. Monitor Results
You can plan out every little detail of a marketing campaign and discover it never gets off the ground. One of the advantages of online advertising is the ability to track stats in real-time. You can see how well an ad on Facebook performs and either adjust the advertisement itself or tweak the target audience. Instead of throwing away hundreds of dollars, you’ll make adjustments as you go along and see better results than you might otherwise.
6. Create Consistency
Every campaign you create should have a look and attitude that matches the rest of your branding. Some people may not be interested in the latest product offering. However, if you create name recognition, they might pay attention the next time they need something you offer. While your primary goal might be increased sales, there are secondary goals you achieve that were unplanned.
Study Other Campaigns
Pay attention to what others are doing for their promotions. Look at other marketing campaigns both in your niche and in other industries. Which ones are successful at creating a buzz? Pay attention when efforts go viral, and if you see information about the company in multiple places. What did they do to get interest drummed up, and how can you repeat their work with your campaigns?
Following solid marketing strategies and studying the favorable outcomes of other marketers helps you see the best methods for your work. With attention to detail and consistent effort, you’ll drive new customers your way.