In the modern business age, the importance of a targeted and professional digital marketing campaign cannot be emphasised enough. The average SME spends an average of between 8-9% of its turnover on marketing, when considering sales staff, marketing teams and marketing activities. And, with different digital marketing platforms being more effective for certain types of business, using the right platform is essential to make the campaign worth the time and the money. So, read on and see what our digital marketing experts recommend for your business. Social Media It would be hard not to have noticed the boom in social media marketing over the last few years. Whether you spend time on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, the number of sponsored posts or influencers promoting products has skyrocketed. The three platforms mentioned do vary, so choosing the right one for you is important. TikTok is completely video focussed, meaning a videographer is often required. Phones are used for video, but this can be a time-consuming undertaking. Instagram is very visual, with its algorithm actively shunning images that contain too much text. It works well for some services, but more often is used for promoting products, with the capability to start the checkout process actually within the app. Facebook, whilst still visual to an extent, is better suited to businesses that might require more text, with text-only images often used. Facebook ‘groups’ can also be an excellent way of reaching potential clients, who might visit, say, a web designer group to fulfil required work. Sponsored content for Instagram can be run via Facebook, which allows more precise targeting. So, ads can target people who have an interest in a certain software or publication, which is great for targeted advertising. So, make sure you are using the right social media, with the right strategy, for your business. Google Ads Quite the opposite to social media, Google Ads is the digital marketing platform to invest in if your business provides a service. Particularly an on-demand service. For example, if somebody requires emergency work from a plumber, they aren’t going to look on Instagram, they are going to type into Google, ‘plumbers near me’ and click on one of the first search results that they see. Likewise, a business looking for marketing, design or PR services, again, are going to use Google as their starting point. It is important to remember however, that once somebody finds your business via Google, they may then look on your company’s social media platforms to check out previous work undertaken. So, even if not marketing via social media, it is still important to keep your social channels fresh and up to date. Email Marketing Email marketing can be effective across every sector. However, the success of any email marketing campaign lies within its mailing list. So, gathering user data, with consent, is essential. The benefit of e-marketing is that the acquisition cost of a client is normally lower because they have already made a purchase from your business. Unlike with Google Ads, where one conversion can cost hundreds of pounds. Because email marketing is generally to previous customers, the approach and the pitch can be a bit warmer and more familiar than other types of digital marketing. E-marketing is great for reminding existing clients that you are there for them, and might be offering new services. It’s also a good way to highlight any promotions. Another tip is working out how often to send your e-shots. According to a MarketingSherpa report, 59% of UK customers prefer to get promotional emails on a weekly basis. According to a Royal Mail poll, 47% of UK customers had made a purchase as a consequence of a marketing email they received. So, not a bad return. Online Advertising Advertising online gives businesses the opportunity to really zoom in and target people in their trade. So, it is particularly useful for a lot of business-to-business companies. Trade media offer online advertising and sponsored content, which is then seen by numerous decision makers within that sector. Perhaps a little more niche, and slightly old school, when compared to advertising on social media, it still plays a crucial role for some businesses. Think those in sectors such as manufacturing or agriculture. A Good Website Is Key Websites are essential as part of the sales funnel when driving potential clients from whichever digital marketing avenue you work with. A lot of the time, the website is the end destination. It could even be argued that a website is the core digital marketing platform that everything else operates around. WADEDIGITAL can offer help and assistance across everything that has been discussed in this blog. From full digital marketing campaigns, to brand new websites. Please feel free to get in touch and see how we can help grow your business.
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