I have been getting a lot of questions about online marketing from aspiring digital marketers recently, and after researching the topic, I have compiled a list of the best practices to follow if you want to be successful in this space.

I’ll cover foundational concepts like SEO, content strategy, and PPC in great detail, but I also wanted to include some insight on how to market online that isn’t always discussed in-depth, like brand awareness and gaining trust. So if you’re looking to get started, here’s what you need to know.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the ranking of a website in search results.

The higher a website ranks in search, the more traffic it will receive from people who are searching for content related to the website’s niche. Website SEO is incredibly important, and there are numerous tactics you can use to improve your ranking.

The first step in the SEO process is setting up your website with a good SEO structure. This involves looking at the way your website is built and designing your content accordingly.

Next, you’ll want to perform keyword research to find the keywords that your target audience is using to find content related to your niche.

After performing this keyword research, you can target these keywords in your content and website structure, including your URL, heading and body copy.

If you’re looking to get started with SEO, try these free SEO tools to get an idea of how your website’s SEO structure is performing and what you can do to improve it.

Content Strategy

A content strategist is responsible for the creation of content, including blog posts, emails, and social media platforms, to drive business goals and metrics.

A well-written, engaging content strategy will drive your content marketing efforts, and the sooner you start developing one, the sooner you can start publishing content and measuring the results of your efforts.

Pay Per Click

Pay-per-click (PPC) is when you pay Google (or other search engines) whenever someone clicks on your paid advertisement (e.g. Google AdWords).

The advantage of PPC is that you are only paying for actual clicks. This can easily be measured and reported on, as long as you are using a SEM (search engine marketing) tool like Google AdWords.

The disadvantage of PPC is that you are only paying for actual clicks. This can leave you open to fraudulent activity, like click farms. In addition, PPC doesn’t always result in genuine leads. It is a common practice for someone to click on ads simply to earn a few cents.

Brand Awareness

Brand awareness is the awareness that a customer has for a particular brand or product. This can be measured using survey methods like brand awareness scorecards, which allow you to gain insight into brand loyalty and awareness.

To get started with brand awareness, you can try these free tools to get an idea of how well-known your brand or product is in relation to your niche.

Once you have a good understanding of your brand’s reputation, you can use this insight to engage with customers on social media and grow your business.

Trust

In the digital world, the reputation of a brand or business is everything. You won’t get very far if people don’t trust you. To earn the trust of your customers, you need to establish a reputation for being professional, reliable, and consistent.

The best way to do this is by providing useful, high-quality content that adds value to your customer’s lives, and establishing honest and transparent relationships with your customers through social media.

If you want to get started building your personal brand, you can use these four tools to build a buzz around your name, build a Twitter audience, and discover your personal brand’s key metrics:

• The Hootsuite Social Media Platform
• Buffer
• Twice
• Wondermob.com

You can also find the answers to frequently asked questions about creating and running a successful digital marketing campaign on HubSpot.