So you’ve decided to try online international marketing, and you’ve started a blog with the hopes of achieving success. Congrats!

You’ve come to the right place. We’re going to help you make sense of the vast world of internet marketing, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just beginning your entrepreneurial journey.

I should note that this guide is going to focus mainly on the theory and practice of online marketing. If you’re looking for specific, actionable tips on how to grow your blog successfully, you’re in the right place. On the other hand, if you’re looking to take your marketing skills and expertise and implement them on a larger scale, you’re in the wrong place. In those areas, you should try searching for accredited marketing courses or joining a local society of marketing professionals.

What Is Online Marketing?

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for a moment. What is your daily internet marketing routine like?

You wake up, check your email, and bam—you’ve got a wave of notifications from various platforms demanding attention. Your phone rings, your friends are texting you, and your family wants to connect on WhatsApp. You’d open up your laptop and log on to social media, where you’ll find a steady stream of engaging content from all kinds of brands. You scroll, click, and watch videos until your eyes glaze over. Then you log off, and you’ve got another day full of electronic distractions, none of which add value to your life.

That’s a quick overview of an average day in the life of a contemporary marketing manager. Online marketing is the practice of generating brand awareness, purchasing signals, and moving people through the funnel of buying, using, and becoming loyal to your product or service. You can do this through various digital platforms like web sites, social media, and mobile apps.

Why Should You Blog?

It’s 2019, which means that most people are accessing the internet on mobile devices. Thanks to the rise of TikTok, everyone and their mother now has a blog. But that doesn’t mean that every blog is created equal. In order to succeed in digital marketing, you must understand the importance of building a brand and the value that a blog can bring.

If you Google the phrase “top 10 blogs for marketing advice,” you’ll see dozens, if not hundreds, of blogs offering up SEO and digital marketing tips. While there’s a lot of value in these types of blogs, they don’t carry much weight if you aren’t able to convince people to actually visit your blog. Why should they go there? What makes your blog special? Why should they trust you?

To put it simply, a blog is a content-rich digital outlet that builds credibility through strategic use of words, visuals, and engaging stories.

If you’re looking to become a thought leader in your industry, a blog is an ideal place to do that. By regularly contributing articles to a blog, you’re able to establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry. Additionally, as an established thought leader, you’re better positioned to advise and collaborate with industry peers.

If you want to become a successful marketer, you must understand the importance of building a brand. In order to do that, you must first create an identity for your business—something that will make potential customers distinguish you from competitors.

That’s easier said than done, especially if you’re operating under a limited budget. Fortunately, there are ways for you to stand out among the hordes of blogs, all vying for your attention.

How Can A Blog Help Establish Your Brand?

A blog can be a goldmine for establishing your brand. Not only does it provide you with an opportunity to establish your thought leadership, but it also gives you a chance to communicate with your audience and prove to them that you’re a trusted source of information. Furthermore, the open content nature of a blog means that anyone can contribute, which in turn, increases the likelihood that you’ll gain credibility with your readers.

To that end, establishing a blog is a great way to build credibility and trust. When people hear the word “blogger,” they often think “content creator” or “writer.” If you combine that image with an established business, you’re able to create a more specific identity that will resonate with your audience.

What Should You Include In Your Blog?

Like most things in life, the answer to this question is “it depends.” You’ll need to consider your target audience’s interests and needs. For example, if your target audience is digital marketers, you might want to include a section on SEO. If they’re social media marketers, you might want to look into how to grow a Twitter following. Ultimately, you want to create a blog that will be valuable to your target audience.

When establishing a blog, you have a ready-made audience already waiting to hear from you. However, that doesn’t mean that you should only contribute content about your industry. A well-written, engaging blog post can easily become a viral sensation.

How Do You Engage With Your Audience On Social Media?

This question isn’t as easy to answer as you think. Many marketers are under the misconception that engaging with customers on social media is easy—they simply need to post frequently and the people will come.

Although that may be the case with brand-new accounts, establishing yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry doesn’t mean that you should only post about your industry. On the contrary, you should consider what’s important to your target audience and build a social media strategy around that. That way, you’ll be able to engage with your audience across multiple platforms and maintain their interest.

How Can A Blog Increase Your Sales?

This one is pretty obvious. If you have a blog that provides value to your target audience, they’re going to be much more likely to purchase your product or service. The key is to establish credibility first, which we just covered. If you build up enough credibility with your target audience, you’ll be able to get them to trust you and purchase your product or service without feeling like you’re marketing through biased content.

When Should You Post On Social Media?

This is a tough one, but if you want to have maximum impact, you should post at least once a week. If you have valuable information to share with your audience, there’s no reason to wait until the end of the week to do so. In this case, it’s better to post early in the week, as it gives you more time to monitor the comments and respond to inquiries before the end of the day. Of course, this depends on how important you feel that your posts are going to be to your target audience. If you’re just starting out and don’t have a large following yet, focusing on quality over quantity is the key to being successful on social media.

Is Blogging A Good Fit For Your Marketing Campaign?

The short answer is yes, but it depends on your goals. If you want to establish an authoritative voice in your industry and want to build a brand, a blog is a great way to do that. If you want to increase your sales, the same principle applies. Create a blog that is valuable to your audience, and you’ll be able to start converting traffic into leads and eventually into customers.

If you’re interested in trying out online marketing, but don’t have a lot of experience, taking a serious look at the various platforms available is the way to go. There are a lot of free options out there, such as WordPress.com, and even some versions of Microsoft Office, that you can use to get started with no budget or time restraints. Do your research and make the right choice for your needs.