If you’re looking for a way to grow your business, you’ve probably considered exploring online marketing. However, if you’re new to the field, it can be tricky to know where to start.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the basics of online marketing for small businesses, including SEO basics, content creation, and email marketing.

SEO Basics

If you’re new to the world of SEO, the first thing you might want to learn is SEO 101. This is the very basic stuff, such as what is SEO, what are the most vital factors that make up a good SEO strategy, and what are the differences between SEO and digital marketing.

To explain SEO in simple terms, when an individual stumbles upon your website via a search engine, such as Google, Bing, or Yandex, the internet searcher will almost certainly click on one of your displayed links. That’s called organic search traffic. Conversely, on a purchase page, a visitor normally won’t click on a displayed link, but rather select an item from a drop-down menu, or make a purchase via an “add to cart” button. This type of visitor is called an “inbound” customer. Inbound marketing emphasizes the creation of content that will attract, inform, and engage potential customers.

Content Creation

Your content is one of the most vital factors in your online marketing plan. After all, what good is a social media profile, if you don’t have any content to post? The content you create should fit within the context of your target audience and business goal. Remember that your existing customers, as well as potential new customers, will be the ones reading and consuming your content.

To that end, you’ll want to create content that is both informative and entertaining. When done right, content can not only attract potential customers, but also encourage them to embrace your brand, and become regular customers. Ideally, you want to develop content that is so good, that it becomes recognized and renowned throughout the industry. That content, in turn, will attract even more customers, and promote your business to new heights.

Email Marketing

While SEO and content are both vital elements of a successful marketing strategy, email marketing is just as important. In fact, email marketing is one of the most affordable and effective methods of digital marketing, and can play a crucial part in your marketing plan.

With that in mind, you might want to explore ways to integrate email marketing into your plan. Some of the most popular email marketing services include:

• MailChimp
• Aweber
• HubSpot
• Concentric Media

There are many reasons why email marketing is so effective. First, people are more likely to read an email than they are to visit a website. Second, customers who have been previously contacted by email are more likely to make a purchase, than customers who have not been exposed to that form of marketing.

Opt-in box models allow you to collect emails from interested parties, who have given you their consent to do so. You then use that email list for various marketing purposes, such as sending out special offers, new product announcements, or just keeping customers up-to-date with what’s going on in your company.

Why Is Social Media Important?

Although SEO, content, and email marketing are crucial to a successful online marketing strategy, social media also plays an important role. After all, who are your target customers, aside from human beings? Indeed, social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, can help you find, connect with, and engage with potential customers, as well as existing customers.

To put it concisely, when used effectively, social media can help you discover new things, meet new people, and gain exposure. All of which can lead to growth and development for your business.

Marketing Plan

To prepare for the role of an online marketer, it’s important to develop a marketing plan. A marketing plan will help you chart the direction of your marketing efforts, and ensure that your company’s resources, including finances, are being used optimally. A marketing plan should include the following elements:

• Organic Search Traffic
• Inbound Marketing
• Content Creation
• Email Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Brand Awareness
• Analytics
• Cost Analysis
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The brand awareness element is one of the most important parts of a marketing plan. When you have a clear picture in your head of how you want your customers to perceive your brand, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are working towards establishing that brand identity. For example, if you’re a fashion brand, you might want to ensure that your customers are aware of your company, and the styles of garments you offer, but you might not necessarily want them to know all the details about your company.

A brand awareness survey can help you discover how much your customers are actually aware of your brand, what parts of your identity they know about, and what they don’t know. Armed with that information, you can then create content to establish, or reinforce that brand awareness.

SEMrush

To help you get started, you can also use the popular SEMrush tool, which can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

This tool will provide you with a wealth of information about your various web properties, including social media accounts. With SEMrush, you can discover valuable information about your competitors and what works, and doesn’t work, on your own website and social media accounts. To learn more, visit this helpful guide from the Google Digital Marketing & Analytics team.