We’ve all had to adapt to a new way of working following the outbreak of Covid-19.
There’s no doubt that the digital age has been upon us for some time now. As social distancing has earned a prominent place in how businesses operate, this means more and more brands have had to effectively move their services online.
But, it can be challenging to digitalise your business, especially if you don’t consider yourself to be tech-savvy.
The way the world now works has forced many brands to learn new marketing techniques and equip themselves with the knowledge and tools needed to not only stay open for business but to remain ahead of their competitors as they take on a new era.
Brands are looking for ways to implement the latest digital marketing trends to create exposure for their services and to ultimately, increase their rankings in Google’s search results, as online customers have never been more important.
Now, it’s quite literally something that could make or break a brand.
Traditional marketing techniques such as picking up the phone, having your brand featured in a magazine, or putting up billboards are still very much in play. Still, it’s digital marketing techniques that offer some of the most effective ways to reach people nowadays, and the more people we reach, the bigger we grow.
We’ve put together five ways you can use digital marketing to grow your brand, taking you into 2021, and beyond.
1. Video
Let’s look at some revamped ways to advertise and create brand awareness. According to WordStream, brands who use video increase revenue 49% faster than those that don’t. Digital marketers around the world stand by video marketing as being one of the best types of promotional content when looking for the best ROI. Some ways you can look to incorporate video into your strategy:
Drone footage
Think outside the box with this one. For example, property companies are utilising this type of recording to capture views from above of properties and the surrounding area. Who doesn’t want a 360° tour of their future investment? With travel restrictions currently in place, this allows property companies to continue closing deals as buyers can view their investments from afar, every inch of it in fact. Companies like RWinvest are not only using drone footage to connect with clients but are also repurposing the content online via YouTube to promote their brand and target a wider audience.
Virtual reality (VR)
Another way to effectively connect with your audience and provide a unique shopping experience is through virtual reality software. VR is changing the world of digital marketing by offering new insight into how people can view your brand, products and services. Multiple sectors, including healthcare, finance and retail, to name but a few, use VR to interact with their customers. One of the first brands to test this new way of marketing was the renowned brand L’Oréal. Their customers can now virtually try on lipsticks and other products in different shades before committing to making a purchase. It not only represents the brands’ innovation but adds an element of fun to their customers’ shopping experience.
2. Email
We receive multiple emails on a daily basis from all different brands. This is because savvy businesses know that by acquiring an email list, they can directly target their main audience who are most likely to buy their products and services. Whilst a substantial following on social media plays an integral part in successful marketing campaigns, targeting a specific audience via email can guarantee that you’re entering their mailbox, increasing the chance of that person seeing your product or promotion. Email marketing works differently; instead of creating brand awareness via social channels, email can connect with customers on a deeper level. This is because it often feels more exclusive and personal to reach out via a personalised email with products and services tailored to their specific wants and needs. Delve deeper into your email marketing and conduct A/ B testing to target different segments that have different interests.
3. Social Media
Another key marketing tool is social media. Many businesses choose to overlook this form of marketing, but smart brands realise how crucial it is to include in their strategies. Anyone with a smartphone has access to social media, and millions of people turn to channels such as Twitter and Instagram to engage with their followers. Many people turn to social media to clarify their purchasing decisions before they’ve even made them. People look for reviews and brand validation before parting with their hard-earned cash. Nowadays, your audience can take care of additional marketing costs and do the hard work for you by sharing your valuable content – the new virtual word of mouth. By using social media, you can promote videos and eye-catching content to open up a direct line of communication with your customer base.
Tip – look for social media influencers that your target audience follow. Form partnerships with these people to help promote and validate your brand.
4. SEO
Part of a strong digital marketing strategy is to have some form of SEO in place. And it doesn’t necessarily matter if you don’t know anything about SEO (search engine optimisation) – let alone what it stands for, as we’ve put together this useful guide to help you get started. You can also employ an agency or freelancer to take care of your SEO campaigns too. In a nutshell, SEO will help promote your website so both your existing and new customers can see it and access what it is you’re selling. We can optimise our website pages through content such as blog posts to generate more traffic to the page you wish to target with the aim of ranking that page higher in the Google search results.
Writing a weekly or monthly blog post for your website is an ideal way to engage with your audience and provide valuable content to them to ensure they return week after week. Focus on sharing knowledge and tips about your products, services, brand and industry. Check out our previous guide on how to write a blog post for SEO here.
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