1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is all about getting your product or service (whether it be a blog or a store) to show up on the first page of search results on Google, Bing, and other popular search engines. The better your SEO, the more likely you are to gain profitable customers. A good SEO plan will begin long before you even begin to think about launching your product or service online. You must have a clear strategy in place before you even begin to try and implement any changes to your site or content.
2. PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising)
PPC, or Pay-Per-Click Advertising, is quite similar to SEO in that it also involves getting your product or service to show up on the first page of search results on Google and other popular search engines. The main difference is that with PPC you are paying per click. Therefore, many online businesses that use PPC don’t have long-term contracts with search engine companies, whereas those that use SEO have a more established relationship.
3. E-Commerce (Electronic Commerce)
An e-commerce store, also known as a digital shop or online store, is an online marketplace where customers can purchase products that are digitally delivered to their doorstep. Customers can either use a virtual shopping cart to record their orders or use PayPal to pay for their purchases. Many online stores offer free shipping because it costs them nothing to send the products to the customer. If you’re looking to start an online store, take a closer look at Shopify, which is probably the world’s #1 e-commerce platform. They have a free 14-day trial and offer very affordable pricing plans (starting at just $3 per month).
4. Blogging
Blogs are a great way to establish an online identity and attract potential customers to your product or service. When someone clicks on a product or service link contained within a blog post, the business or website associated with that blog usually earns a commission from the sale. While much of the work behind a blog is quite similar to that of a traditional news outlet, the opportunities for generating revenue through a blog are almost limitless.
5. Social Media Marketing
The term “social media” can refer to a variety of platforms that allow individuals, businesses, and other organizations to create and share content with other users. In 2017, the most used social media platforms were Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. With over 300 million monthly active users, TikTok is perhaps the most popular social media platform among Gen Z.
On this platform, users can create short videos that usually fall under the 15-second limit. These videos can be fun to watch but are mainly used to showcase short-form videos of items for sale. Perhaps the most recognizable faces on TikTok are the “influencers” who have built their followings creating and uploading comedic and topical videos focused on a range of topics from fashion to lifestyle and parenting. While you can use other social media platforms like LinkedIn to reach people within your network, the odds of someone outside your network connecting with you on TikTok are quite low. This is mainly because other users are unlikely to find your content relevant to them.
6. Email Marketing
If someone comes across your product or service while searching for something else on the internet, they may well click on a marketing-style email link that you’ve embedded in the text of a blog post or website article. Depending on the type of content you produce, you may choose to use email marketing to communicate with your audience. For instance, if you are marketing a digital graphic design service, you may want to consider sending marketing emails to clients informing them of new projects, discounts, and other relevant information.
7. Website Analytics
Website Analytics helps businesses understand customer behavior on their websites. There are two types of analytics: (1) Demographics: Collects information about your potential customers’ demographics (e.g., age, gender, location, and device), how they got to your site, and what they do once they’re there; and (2) Behavior: Tracks customers’ actions (e.g., what pages they visit, how they interact with your content, and what products they buy). A solid analytics strategy begins with a clear objective — whether it’s increasing website traffic, encouraging customers to make a purchase, or supporting growth within your social media audience.
8. Content Marketing
Content Marketing means creating and distributing high-quality content to attract, engage, and convert potential customers into paying customers.
The best way to create content is by gathering and sharing best practices and industry insights for your field. For example, if you’re a plumber, you may decide to create a blog post series about common plumbing problems and how to solve them. Or, if you’re a hairstylist, you could start a blog where you share tips and tricks on hair removal.
There are many other ways that content marketing can help your business. Whether you decide to create how-to guides on digital marketing, write a book about your field, or create videos or podcasts about industry trends and topics, the benefits of content marketing are numerous.
9. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of getting your product or service (be it a blog or a store) to show up on the first page of search results on Google, Bing, and other popular search engines. To optimize your site, you must begin with a SEO-friendly domain name and website address that is free of spelling errors and comprehensive of relevant information. From there, you can move onto building out a basic SEO strategy that includes content creation, link building, and performance monitoring.
Since SEO is about getting your product or service to show up on the first page of Google, Bing, and other popular search engines, it is quite similar to PPC in the sense that you are paying for each click. However, with SEO you are generally not paying per click, instead you are paying a flat rate for each task (e.g., a monthly fee) that you have assigned to a freelancer or agency.
How Do I Become Good At Digital Marketing?
If you’re looking to get started with digital marketing or SEO, below are some of the things you might consider doing. Start by analyzing your current marketing efforts and planning out a digital marketing strategy. Next, you may want to consider hiring a digital marketing agency or freelancer to help you build out your plan.
Before you begin paying for SEO services, take a look at how other businesses are doing in your niche and what you can learn from them. This will help you identify your specific goals and how you plan to achieve them. Finally, work on building out a team. Whether you choose to outsource the work or choose to do it in-house, having a team of people that can advise and support you is key to being able to reach your full potential.