The past year has shown that traditional adverts on TV and in print aren’t going to cut it anymore. People want to discover new brands and products organically, via social media and online marketing. For those looking to get started with marketing on the web, here are some of the best ways to market your business in 2013.

Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly

With over 90% of all internet users now accessing the web on their mobile phones, having a mobile-friendly site is more important than ever. If someone is planning to visit your site on the go, then you’d better make sure it’s easy to access on a mobile phone. This means changing a few things around in the layout of your site, reducing the size of images and optimising the text to ensure it’s easy to read on a small screen.

Use Social Media To Its Full Potential

Last year was the peak of social media, with active users reaching a record high of over 500 million worldwide. Businesses of all sizes, from fashion to retail and travel, learnt the importance of social media and recognised the power it had to reach their target audience. While we’ve seen a lot of businesses put their best foot forward on social media in the past year, it’s still not enough. Once again, those hoping to make a success of their business will find social media to be an essential tool in the armoury.

Find Your Niche On Different Channels

If your business is geared towards a specific market, such as luxury goods or fashion, you’d better make sure you’re active on multiple channels. The chances are, your target audience is already on social media, and the more platforms you’re active on, the more opportunities you have to reach your audience and grow your business.

Make Use Of Video

In a world full of videos, why should business be left out? Videos can be used to explain products or promote services, and many businesses, big and small, have turned to video content to give their brand an extra push. From explaining new product features to showing how a business operates, video content is ideal for business brands that want to stand out.

Content Is King (or Queen)

Whether you’re a brand new business or have been around for awhile, content is still king (or queen). If you’re looking to grow your business in the coming year, be sure to invest in quality content for your website and social media platforms. From case studies to explain new products or services, to hosting giveaways and competitions which encourage engagement, content is a great way to keep people interested in your brand.

Take Advantage Of The Trend

If you follow the popular fashion blogs and check Instagram frequently, you’d know that trends come and go. When a hashtag is popular on social media platforms, it means that many people are posting content using that hashtag. When a trend goes viral on social media, it means thousands, if not millions, of people are doing, seeing or hearing about it. In order to take advantage of these huge audiences, businesses must be quick to adapt to what is popular at any given time.

Local Is King (or Queen)

When you are starting out, focusing on global markets can be a good idea as you have the opportunity to reach many people. However, local marketplaces are where the opportunities lie for businesses, especially for those looking to grow. If your business is based in the United Kingdom, for example, focusing on Europe is a good idea as it gives you the opportunity to reach millions. However, if your business is based in London, making use of the many niche markets inside the city limits is essential. Your customers/potential customers are likely to be found within a short distance of your business, so it’s vital that you establish yourself as a local business.

Be Creative With Your Marketing

Marketing is as much about psychology as it is about the way you present your business to the public. One of the best ways to attract potential customers to your site and grow your business is to be creative. Use your imagination and create unique marketing strategies that will draw attention to your brand.

Measure The Effect Of Your Marketing Campaigns

It’s important to remember that all marketing is not created equal. Some campaigns may gain you thousands of new customers, while others may not have the desired effect. With every marketing campaign you undertake, you should have a clear idea of how effective it was and be ready to adapt your strategy for the next campaign.

At this point, you may be thinking about the various digital marketing agencies that you could outsource your marketing to. However, you should always remain the master of your own destiny. Instead of hiring a team of experts to do all the marketing for you, you should be ready to take the helm and guide the strategy and execution of your own marketing plan. Hiring experts to take care of marketing for you only diminishes your own control of the process. You should be driving the bus, not riding it.

Once you’ve taken care of all these tips and tricks for marketing your business online, why not try out these social media management tools to help you stay on top of your game?