It’s no secret that the world has shifted to an online age, and businesses must follow suit in order to remain relevant. The ability to gain and retain customers through digital marketing channels has been proven time and time again, with many businesses thriving solely through online marketing. As the saying goes, “You can’t put the genie back in the bottle,” and no business can thrive in today’s world simply by relying on physical venues and traditional marketing methods.

There are countless examples of successful businesses that rose to prominence through digital marketing efforts alone, with over 80% of marketers planning on ramping up their efforts in digital channels next year.

It’s important to note that not all businesses will be able to thrive in this new world, especially those that underestimate its power or fail to grasp the fundamentals of effective marketing. Firms that rely too heavily on physical marketing methods, without a digital strategy in place, will find it near-impossible to retain customers and grow their business in today’s world.

Conversely, businesses that understand the digital workings of the mind and focus on providing real value to their audience will be able to dominate their niche.

If you’re wondering how to think about firms considering their own online marketing presence, here are some good questions to ask yourself:

Where Do I Fit In?

The first thing you need to do is figure out what your target audience is like. What do they want? What are their needs?

Unless you know your target audience’s ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ you’re going to struggle to effectively satisfy them through your content. Furthermore, you’re not going to understand what motivates them to act and what encourages them to continue using your services. In the end, you’ll produce content that is more of a guess than anything else.

Ask yourself:

• What do my audience want?
• What are their needs?
• What are their triggers?
• What keeps them engaged?
• What is the purpose of my content?
• Am I providing real value?

When you know the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’, you can start to form a much more well-rounded opinion about your business. This, in turn, will help you determine the type of content you need to produce and the strategies you can use to get the most from your efforts.

What Platform Do I Need?

If you’re new to the world of digital marketing, deciding on the right platform is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Without a platform, even if you have an awesome product, you won’t be able to effectively promote it. Furthermore, not all platforms are created equal, and it’s important to understand the differences in order to choose the right one for your needs.

The good news is that there are numerous options to choose from when it comes to platforms designed for digital marketing. Depending on your budget and the type of content you need to produce, there is an ideal solution out there that can help your business grow.

Ask yourself:

• Do I need a free or paid platform?
• What are my budget restraints?
• Am I looking for a robust solution or simply one that I can use to get my job done?
• Do I need something that is mobile-friendly?
• What are my needs?

When you have a clear idea of what you need, it’s much easier to choose a suitable solution. This way, you can spend your time and money on more productive activities rather than trial-and-error experiments that don’t pay off in the long run.

Do I Need to Hire More People?

If your answer to the question above is ‘yes’, it might be time to consider growing your business. After all, having more people works in your favor when it comes to getting the most out of your content. More eyes can mean more traffic, and more traffic means more sales.

Even if you don’t have the resources available to hire additional team members, there are plenty of ways you can outsource some of the work. Hiring freelancers or hiring a virtual assistant can help you get things done without having to shoulder the entirety of the workload. For example, you might want to hire a VA to do the research for you or to transcribe recordings from interviews. The choice is completely up to you.

As you can see, there is a lot of room for growth in this fast-paced and constantly evolving industry. With the right mindset and the proper strategy, you can become one of the successful entrepreneurs that started from nothing and worked their way to the top.