There are at least 27 million American entrepreneurs.
This is a record high compared to statistics from previous years. What’s more, this number is only likely to increase in 2019.
This is because, many argue, we are in the midst of a highly innovative, digital age. It’s becoming easier and more attractive to become an entrepreneur.
However, every entrepreneur must implement effective marketing tactics. This is vital to establishing a brand image and a starting customer base.
In this post, we look closely at the top ten digital marketing strategies for entrepreneurs.
Read on for insight!
Every entrepreneur’s first digital marketing step should be to craft an effective website.
Websites function a lot like digital business cards. They give visitors a valuable first impression of your brand.
They can also generate conversions themselves, guiding visitors through a well-honed conversion funnel.
It is possible to build a website yourself, especially with the availability of platforms like WordPress. You can easily find a lot of useful information about it in online guides, eg. Website advisor site. However, professional web design can make the difference between a poor first impression and a delighted lead.
Learn more about outsourcing web design services here.
It can be tough to develop a compelling marketing strategy without knowing your audience. If you haven’t done so already, take the time now to identify your market.
You can do this by analyzing insights from any existing digital marketing efforts you have launched. For example, if you already have a website, spend time with Google Analytics to assess the traffic navigating to your site.
If you have an Instagram business account, utilize its business insights to learn more about your followers.
Otherwise, consider making use of online surveys to acquire feedback from existing customers, friends, and family members.
Dropping by forums like Quora can also help you understand what your ideal customer’s needs and wants are. You may even want to respond to questions on Quora to develop your authority in your industry!
As you develop your marketing strategies, always cater to your market. Be as specific as possible, too, to ensure an effective, high-converting campaign.
Google receives 40,000 searches every single second. This is an astounding number, indicative of the power of search engine traffic.
Take advantage of this traffic by using Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is designed to help all business owners gain online visibility in search results.
Begin by incorporating on-page SEO into your existing website. This means optimizing your online content for keywords your customers are likely to type into a search engine.
You can also use SEO when writing blog posts and responding to questions on public forums.
Check out Google’s SEO starter guide to learn more.
Or consider our affordable SEO services designed for first-time business owners.
As an entrepreneur, you likely already have an existing network of professionals and colleagues. Don’t overlook the power of this network as you launch your digital advertising campaigns.
Make sure you have a profile on LinkedIn. This professional social media platform can connect you with potential customers and partners.
It also gives business owners a chance to publish educational content. The value of such content can’t be emphasized enough.
Customers can find you and your company through the pieces you promote online, making this a viable digital marketing channel.
Speaking of educating prospective customers, start a blog on your website. Blogs give you a fantastic opportunity to generate content your customers are likely to find useful.
You can also optimize blog posts for SEO keywords, expanding your search engine reach.
Lastly, blog posts can be shared across multiple channels, including social media. This means that followers can navigate to your website through yet more means.
What’s more, they may be more compelled to visit your website for the sake of information (rather than an explicit sale).
Having trouble coming up with compelling blog content? Think about what your market wants to learn about. What will be useful to them? What caters to their specific needs?
Video is one of the most popular forms of content marketing out there. As an entrepreneur, it’s vital to take hold of content forms designed to drive customer engagement.
Video is always engaging, especially if used in the right context.
Find ways to bring video into your current digital marketing efforts. Instagram stories, for example, can be powerful tools. The same goes for video blog posts or even a YouTube channel.
A lot of people assume that social media is taking a back-burner. After all, aren’t we all becoming more skeptical about the information shared online?
Nothing could be further from the truth. While different social media platforms enjoy varying popularity, social media remains a viable tool for entrepreneurs.
Become a social media presence to captivate and retain customers. Choose one prominent platform to build your following and cultivate genuine content.
We recommend Instagram as a means of doing just this.
Education is one of the most powerful tools you can use to engage customers. Offer your audience the gift of knowledge by hosting online webinars.
Webinars are easy to host with basic video conferencing capability. They are also generally free (or cost-effective).
They can also help you acquire email addresses from attendees, building a subscriber list for future marketing purposes.
Email marketing may feel old-school, but it’s still an effective digital marketing mechanism. Implement email marketing as part of your digital marketing strategy.
Send subscribers monthly newsletters filled with blog content, service information, and more. Set up automated email marketing to guide subscribers and visitors through a carefully developed conversion process.
Check out our post on crafting email subject titles that customers won’t be able to resist.
Whatever channels you use for digital marketing purposes, ensure that you are offering your users the best experience possible.
This means ensuring your website can accommodate mobile users, for one thing. It also means developing rich, useful content your visitors can easily digest.
In some cases, entrepreneurs may want to adopt a conversational tone in the content they produce. Doing so personalizes a customer’s journey with your brand and may even clinch conversions.
As an entrepreneur, you have access to countless digital marketing strategies. However, these methods align with existing trends and are most likely to generate success.
It’s possible to implement any of these strategies yourself or outsource to professionals.
Want to learn more about the digital marketing landscape of 2019? Visit our post on what trends to expect this new year.
