It seems like every day, we’re being inundated with news about some new technological innovation that further convolutes our already busy schedules. So much so that we’ve almost become desensitized to hearing about these technologies, particularly when they’re thrown into the mix with futuristic sounding terms like AI and VR.
But what if I told you that there was a way to get the benefits of AI and VR without having to worry about overheating your smartphone or getting sick from using inadequate supply headsets?
What if I also told you that this method of connecting to the internet practically eliminates the need to create an account, gives you full control over your personal data, and allows you to engage with businesses of all sizes almost effortlessly?
Wouldn’t it be worth checking out?
Enter online marketing. It’s available for all platforms and completely free. All you need is a smartphone, a laptop or a desktop computer, and you can get started creating and maintaining a website in less than five minutes.
What Is Online Marketing?
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes for a moment. What would you consider to be the first step in researching a business offering, product, or service online?
You might check out their website, look at their social media pages, or read through their online reviews. Now stop and think for a moment. Did any of those things immediately come to mind?
I’d wager that you didn’t. That’s because none of those things are particularly useful or vital for an effective online marketing campaign. They don’t reveal much about a business’ strengths or weaknesses. They don’t allow for much analysis of performance or results. And they don’t provide you with any insight into how a business operates.
What you need for an effective online marketing campaign is a business website that provides you with all of that and more. In short, you need a web presence that allows you to engage with customers, potential customers, and other interested parties.
This is where we step in. We’re going to discuss the advantages and benefits of online marketing for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and how you can put this tool in your arsenal for the best possible effect.
Why Should You Try Online Marketing?
There are several excellent reasons why you should consider an online marketing campaign. First off, the cost is minimal. You don’t need to hire expensive marketing professionals to run a successful campaign. You can do it yourself for a minimal cost. And you know what? Those costs are virtually certain to be recouped through increased sales and profits. The benefits of an online marketing campaign are countless.
In order to better understand how online marketing can benefit your business, we need to take a moment and discuss three distinct advantages. First, the flexibility of online marketing. You can run an effective campaign no matter where you are in the world. You don’t need to be based in a major city in order to have access to the big audience you need to persuade to buy your product or service. All you need is a laptop or a smartphone and an internet connection.
An online marketing plan can also include social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. These platforms can be integrated into your website using tools like Hootsuite or WordPress. The flexibility of online marketing is important to understand because it allows you to take your message to the world no matter where you are.
The second advantage of online marketing is its target audience. Thanks to the wonders of digital nomads and online freelancers, everyone has access to a global audience. The internet means that your target audience is literally around the corner. You can put out content, conduct webinars, and even send out email blasts to your audience with the click of a button.
The third advantage of online marketing is its performance. If you’re looking for a way to grow your business quickly and gain credibility with customers, this is the best (and sometimes the only) marketing strategy available to you. According to HubSpot Blogs research, only 8% of small businesses are likely to see an increase in sales as a result of their offline marketing efforts. That’s compared to 45% of small businesses that tie their marketing strategies to the internet, and only 29% that use a combination of offline and online marketing strategies.
So, as you can see, the advantages of an online marketing campaign are many. What are the disadvantages?
The Risks Of Online Marketing
Just like any other form of marketing, there are risks associated with an online marketing campaign. First off, you need to make sure that you have a web presence that is both unique and of a high quality. This means that you should create a brand identity for your business that doesn’t resemble that of your competitors, and make sure that your site is clearly communicated to visitors through effective use of color, design, and copy. In addition, you need to ensure that any data you collect from visitors is secure, and will not be compromised by hackers or cybercriminals.
Even with all of these precautions in place, there is always the risk that your website could be hacked or compromised. The best way to guard against this is by maintaining a strong password, updating your security software, and being vigilant about who you share your login details with.
How To Set Up An Effective Online Marketing Strategy
In order to get the most out of your online marketing campaign, you need to lay the groundwork first. This means that you need to set up a business website, build a social media strategy, and develop a marketing plan. It’s an involved process, but it’s worth it. Just remember, not everything you need to build a successful business will revolve around marketing. You need talented staff, an authentic voice, and a viable product to succeed.
The Importance Of Having A Business Website
In today’s world, having a business website is essentially a requirement. It’s no secret that customers or potential customers are researching your company before they even consider purchasing your product or service. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 72% of consumers research products and companies online before buying them off of a store’s shelf. Even when people are browsing physical store shelves, they still use digital devices, like their phone or tablet, to perform research.
If you’re reading this, it’s probably safe to assume that you have a business already. You’re aware of the importance of having a website for commercial purposes, and you’re curious as to what all of the fuzz is about. Let’s take a look at the benefits of having a business website.
It Provides Visitors With Useful And Valuable Information
One of the primary purposes of a business website is to provide valuable information to visitors. When people land on your site, you want them to feel that they’re being served fresh content that’s useful to them. This is why you need to establish relevant and authoritative content as the foundation of your site. In the process of establishing content, you’ll be gathering a ton of information about your business, services, pricing, and more. All of this will eventually find its way onto your site. You want to make sure that all of this information is valuable and adds something unique to the lives of your readers.
In addition to establishing content, you need to organize this content into categories that make sense for your site’s layout and design. Just remember that you don’t need to be a professional web designer to do this; you can use free services like WordPress or SquareSpace to build a business website with minimal effort. Then, you can take advantage of the platform’s built-in functions to tweak it a bit to fit your needs.
It Builds SEO
If you want your business to be found online, you need to make sure that your website receives favorable rankings in search engine results for relevant keywords. This is where SEO (search engine optimization) comes in. SEO is a continuous process of tweaking your site’s content, formatting, and links to try and achieve better rankings. If you’re not sure how SEO works, ask one of your customers who might have used your service, or look it up online.
There are many different techniques that you can use to improve your site’s SEO. You can create content that’s rich in keywords, use keywords in the titles and headings of your content, and incorporate keywords into your links.
It Provides Credibility
A business website isn’t just about establishing a web presence and having some content. There’s a lot more that you can do with a business website to gain credibility. One of the primary purposes of a business website is to provide information about the business that’s authoritative and dependable. When people visit your site, you want them to feel confident that what they’re reading is an expression of your company’s expertise.