Have you ever wanted to start an online store, blog, or product page and didn’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re already running a blog/website and want to figure out how to market your blog? If so, you’re in the right place! In this guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about online marketing, including what tools to use and where to find them, and how to use them to grow your business.
What Is Online Marketing?
Simply put, online marketing is any type of marketing done online, whether you’re marketing a product, service, or a blog. In today’s world, marketing online is incredibly important because it involves so many platforms, technologies, and tools.
Traditional methods of marketing, such as TV advertisements and billboards, may no longer be effective because viewers can ignore them or simply avoid them. In contrast, online marketing is much more effective because it takes place across all digital platforms and can be tracked and measured easily. For example, you can see how many times a web page is viewed, whether click or scroll, and whether or not the viewer downloaded a particular app by clicking a link or going directly to the app store.
Why Should You Be Doing Online Marketing?
First off, you should be doing online marketing because it’s lucrative. According to Statista, there were about 355 million American consumer Internet users in 2019 (11% of the population). Between those users, there were about 100 million active monthly users (34% of the population).
With so many consumers online, the opportunity to connect with them and gain their business is ever present. In fact, according to HubSpot Blogs research, 72% of businesses had a marketing budget of $5,000 or less in 2020, which makes up 38% of the entire survey sample. Only 12% of businesses are investing heavily in online marketing, and these businesses are raking in the profits with $115,000+ marketing budgets. The numbers make it clear: doing online marketing is a great idea.
Where Do I Start?
With so much competition, it’s extremely important to have a strategic plan in place if you want to be successful in online marketing. To that end, the first step is to figure out what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it.
Are you going to use social media to grow your business? Will you rely on affiliate marketing or eCommerce to make money online? Or perhaps you have a website and are looking to add extra content, drive more traffic, and make more money?
No matter what stage you’re at with your online marketing strategy, QuickSprout’s guide will help you take your first step.
How Long Does It Take To See Results?
This is a tough question to answer because there are so many different factors that determine how long it takes for an online marketing campaign to pay off. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should not rush the process and should instead take your time to figure out what works best for you.
That being said, results typically do come quickly from a well-executed online marketing campaign. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 65% of businesses got at least some kind of return on investment within their first six months of an online marketing campaign.
So in other words, if you’re investing in online marketing, you’re almost certainly going to see some results very soon!
The Difference Between Marketing And Advertising
Many people confuse marketing with advertising, but they’re not the same thing. Advertising is paid for and aimed at attracting clients, while marketing is aimed at attracting audiences. To put it simply, marketing is about getting people to know and trust you, whereas advertising is about getting people to do business with you.
For example, you can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t market it appropriately, you’re not going to see very many people discover it. In 2020, Google AdWords spent $8.82 billion on online advertising and marketing—mostly on Google Shopping ads.
So if you’re marketing your product, you’re doing so on your own terms. You’re not paying for advertising, and you’re not relying on any kind of promotional budget. In other words, your marketing strategy is integrated with your advertising and eCommerce strategy.
The 3 Types Of Content You Need To Create To Successfully Market Your Blog
Now that you have a clear idea of what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it, you need to figure out what types of content you need to produce to succeed.
When it comes to marketing a blog, you need to produce three major types of content to be successful:
1. Blog posts
You need to create various blog posts to attract, engage, and inform different types of audiences. Blog posts can cover almost any topic under the sun, from product reviews and tips on using that product or service, to stories about the entrepreneur or founder of the company, to events and conferences that you’ve attended. The options are endless!
Keep in mind that not all blog posts will bring in the same results, so you need to find out what types of content perform the best for your specific industry and niche.
2. Product reviews
You need to create product reviews that are extremely detailed and honest. Consumers trust reviews that provide clear and objective information about a product, service, or a to-be-launched business, so you should undoubtedly aim to produce these types of reviews.
The easiest way to become an expert, trusted reviewer is by reviewing products yourself. If you’ve tried the product or service in question, then you know exactly what to write about. You should also review products that you’ve used or will use, as these are the most valuable types of reviews to consumers. If you’re new to a particular product or service, then do your best to seek out unbiased reviews from other users who are also still early in their discovery process. Building a reputation as a quality reviewer takes time, so be patient.
3. Videos
If you’ve been following the trends, you’ll know that consumers are increasingly relying on video content in their day-to-day lives. According to HubSpot Blogs research, videos account for 38% of all consumer online content, and 80% of the population now uses some form of video every day. As a result, being able to produce video content is now essential for any business, large or small.
There are many different platforms where you can publish video content, from YouTube to WeChat to TikTok, so it’s important to figure out which one you should be using. Depending on your niche and the topics you choose to cover, there is an app or a service for that!
The main thing to keep in mind when using any of these platforms is that you need to be consistent and build up your audience organically.
So if you want to succeed as an online marketer, develop and follow a clear strategy, and produce high-quality content regularly. You’ll be able to take advantage of the many platforms available to you, and with each piece of content you create, you’ll be able to increase your reach and influence with your audience. And in turn, this will lead to greater opportunities for your business.