If you’re reading this, I assume you’re already aware that the world of online marketing is always changing. Just when you think you’ve got a firm grasp on what’s hot and what’s not, BAM! New trends emerge and old ones fall by the wayside.

The good news is you can keep up with this rapid pace of change by constantly upgrading your knowledge. The bad news is it can be tough to find the time to do so. That’s where this blog comes in. In it, you’re going to learn about the essentials of online marketing. Let’s get to it.

Marketing Channels

You’ve probably heard the expression ‘multichannel marketing’ – that is, using different channels to communicate with your customers. In a world full of channels, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to focus your efforts. You may have considered doing everything you can to be found online, but without a clear idea of what works and what doesn’t, it’s hard to be sure.

One of the best things you can do for yourself and your business is to set up a benchmarking tool to easily measure the effectiveness of your various content-sharing platforms – i.e. blogging, social media, etc. With the rise of the ‘content farm’, it is more important than ever to know which platforms are working and which ones aren’t. 

When deciding which channels to focus your energy on, you’ll want to ask yourself three important questions.

Firstly, which channel works best for attracting my target audience?

For this question, you’ll want to consider the type of person you’re hoping to attract – your target audience – and the platforms they prefer to use. Nowadays, people are getting bombarded with advertising and affiliate marketing on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. With this in mind, you may want to avoid these channels if you’re looking to reach a more traditional audience.

On the other hand, if your target audience is already on TikTok or another less conventional platform, you may want to consider investing your energy there rather than trying to find other ways to reach them.

Answering this question isn’t easy. You’ll want to consider your own experience, as well as what your customers have to say about the various platforms. Once you’ve identified the best channel, you can then decide what type of content to post on it to achieve the best results.

One of the most important things you can do to grow your business is to invest in quality content that will engage and retain your audience. To do this, you must consider what your customers want and need – not what you think they should want based on your experience.

Secondly, which channel allows for the greatest engagement with my audience?

In addition to knowing which channel your target audience uses, you’ll also want to consider the strength and the type of engagement of each channel. Strong, engaged audiences are the best advertisement you can have – they’ll keep coming back for more content, while also sharing it with their friends.

When thinking about the strength of a channel, you’ll want to consider three things.

Firstly, the engagement rate – or the number of users actively engaging with content published on the channel. The higher the number, the stronger the channel. For example, TikTok’s daily average engagement rate (as of September 2019) is 29%.

Secondly, the reach – i.e. the number of people who can potentially see or be reached by your content.

Thirdly, the like-minded audience – those who share similar interests and values to your business or brand. For example, if your company is focused on fitness, you’ll want to engage with others who are also pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

Finally, which channel provides the greatest potential for growth?

When deciding where to focus your energy, you’ll want to consider the long-term success of your channel – not just whether or not it works now.

Depending on your line of work, you may want to consider focusing your efforts on platforms that provide the greatest opportunity for revenue growth. If you’re a business owner, you may want to identify channels that allow for the greatest number of customers – those that will keep coming back for more.

It’s important to note here that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which channel to choose. Every business and every brand is different, and therefore, so is their strategy. However, by identifying these essential questions, you’ll be well on your way to formulating the perfect strategy for your brand.

You may want to consider using online marketing channels – particularly social media – to build a following. Depending on your line of work, you may want to consider using infographics, video, or a mixture of both to engage with and inform your target audience.