Mastering Digital Marketing Strategies: Your Definitive Guide for 2024
Digital marketing strategies are like roadmaps for your online success.
They outline how your business will connect with people on the internet.
Attract them or convert them into customers – these strategies cover everything. These strategies help make your website visible to search engines. You can run ads, send emails, and much more.
What is a digital marketing strategy?
A digital marketing strategy is a plan that describes how your company will achieve a certain marketing goal. It covers objectives like increasing website traffic or online presence. It’s the step-by-step plan that helps you score your marketing goals.
This guide will cover all you need to know about a digital marketing strategy. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ll cover:
Overview of the Digital Marketing Strategy Guide.
- What is a digital marketing strategy?
- 7 types of digital marketing strategies.
- How to create a digital marketing strategy?
- FAQs for digital marketing tactics.
Let’s get things started!
A digital marketing strategy works as a plan of action for your company. It helps your business build a strong online presence across various online platforms. Its basic goal is to increase your online visibility, attract a wider target audience, and entice them to interact with your business.
7 Types of Digital Marketing Strategies
Now that you know “what is a digital marketing strategy,” let’s dive into the various types:
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
- Content marketing
- Email marketing
- Social media marketing
- Voice search optimization
- Video marketing
1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
SEO involves improving your website to rank higher in search engine results for relevant keywords related to your business. The higher your ranking, the more visibility your website gains. SEO helps attract potential customers who actively search for your products or services.
Why consider SEO?
When it comes to digital marketing strategies, SEO should be considered a must-have. It monitors your target audience, regardless of where they are in your purchasing funnel. This is because practically all users start their search for a new product or service with a search engine.
For instance, 54% of consumers say they prefer to shop online. To shop online, customers must first search for the products or services they want, which they do using search engines such as Google. With SEO as one of your online marketing techniques, you can convert that search traffic into a great sales opportunity.
2. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
PPC means pay-per-click, a type of online advertising where you pay whenever someone clicks on your ad. You choose specific keywords you want your ads to appear for and bid on them. When someone searches using those keywords, your ad might appear at the top of the search results. It shows up before all the other regular search results.
So, here’s the deal: You’re not paying just to have an ad out there; you’re paying for actual clicks on your ad.
PPC targets people who are ready to buy stuff online. When they click on your ad, they’ll land on a page that tells them what to do next. Maybe it’s buying something or signing up for emails.
Why consider PPC?
PPC is super affordable compared to other paid ads.
If you’re new to digital marketing or need a quick lift, PPC is a smart move. It gets your website right up there in the search results, especially if your site isn’t showing up high enough organically. Plus, Wordstream says search ads boost brand awareness by a whopping 80%.
3. Content marketing
In content marketing, you aim to connect with customers by sharing helpful information. This could be through videos, blogs, infographics, and more, all designed to answer their questions and give them something valuable.
Imagine you have a bakery business. You could create content like a blog post about baking the perfect chocolate chip cookies or a video tutorial on decorating cupcakes. This content provides value to your audience by sharing recipes, tips, and ideas related to baking.
The goal of content marketing is to engage your target audience, drive traffic to your website, and ultimately increase sales. Additionally, optimizing your content for search engines helps improve your visibility online, making it easier for potential customers to find your bakery and products.
Why consider content marketing?
Content marketing is a clever digital marketing move because it helps you reach people at every stage of their buying journey.
And the best bit? You don’t have to pay for people to see your content, like you do with ads. You earn their attention by creating awesome content that they want to read or watch.
4. Email marketing
Email marketing is a powerful tool in your digital marketing strategy. It involves sending targeted emails to nurture leads, strengthen brand loyalty, and drive sales.
For instance, you might send out newsletters featuring informative articles, product updates, or exclusive discounts. This keeps your audience engaged and interested in your offerings.
The beauty of email marketing lies in its ability to maintain regular communication with both existing and potential customers. By staying top-of-mind through personalized content and relevant updates, you increase the likelihood of repeat purchases and foster long-term relationships with your audience.
Why consider email marketing?
61% of people prefer to hear from businesses via email. One of its most significant perks is its impressive return on investment (ROI), averaging $36 for every $1 spent. In simpler terms, investing in email marketing could bring in $36 in revenue for every dollar you put in.
5. Social media marketing
Social media marketing is all about boosting brand visibility and driving conversions. Whether you’re targeting Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or a combination of these platforms, social media campaigns are designed to make your brand shine.
Instead of just sharing regular posts for free, you can also use paid social media ads to reach more people and get them interested in what you’re sharing. It’s a dynamic approach to reaching your audience, where they spend much of their time online.
Why consider social media marketing?
With 94% of Internet users using social media, there’s a significant opportunity for businesses to capitalize. Better yet, almost 3.5 billion people are active on social platforms, making it an excellent way to reach your target audience.
6. Voice search optimization
Voice search optimization involves tweaking your website content to cater to voice searches. The goal is to get your site to appear as the top result, known as the featured snippet or position zero, in Google search results.
Why does it matter?
Popular voice assistants like Siri and Amazon Echo rely on the featured snippet to answer voice queries. So, if someone asks, “How do I fix a leaky faucet?” or “What’s the best pizza place nearby?”. These assistants will pull the answer from the featured snippet. So, optimizing for voice search can help your website be the one that gets chosen.
As people ask questions differently when using voice search compared to typing, optimizing for voice search becomes crucial. This is especially true for local businesses since many people use their phones, and voice search, to find nearby places like restaurants, salons, or hardware stores.
Why consider voice search optimization?
With the increasing popularity of smartphones and voice-activated speakers, more people are turning to voice search. It’s becoming one of the most favored ways for users to search, making it a highly effective digital marketing strategy for businesses to implement.
7. Video Marketing
Video marketing helps your company reach more people, boost revenue, and expand its reach. Like content marketing, the key is to create informative videos tailored to your target audience.
Video marketing offers endless possibilities for connecting with your audience. It can showcase product demonstrations, share customer testimonials, or provide valuable industry insights to drive business growth.
There are several types of marketing videos you can create:
- Instructional videos
- Announcement videos
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- Event videos
And more!
Whatever type you choose, the goal is to boost brand awareness among your audience, which can ultimately lead to valuable conversions down the line.
Why consider video marketing?
Video marketing isn’t just effective; it’s essential for boosting conversion rates and engaging your audience. It adds a dynamic element to your marketing efforts, making your brand more memorable and increasing the likelihood of viewers taking action.
Additionally, videos can be easily shared across various platforms, amplifying your reach and driving traffic to your website. 72% of buyers say they’d rather learn about a product or service in a video format.
Overall, integrating video marketing into your digital strategy is a smart move for achieving long-term success and staying ahead in today’s competitive landscape.
How to build a digital marketing strategy
Now that you’re familiar with the top digital marketing strategies, you might be wondering how to begin. Keep reading to learn more!
- Develop buyer personas
- Define goals and objectives
- Audit your current digital channels
- Set a marketing budget
- Choose which digital marketing strategies to pursue
- Strategy Planning
- Monitor and report on your progress
1. Develop buyer personas
A buyer persona represents your ideal customer, based on real data from market research, competitor analysis, and existing customer profiles. It helps various teams within the business, including marketing, sales, customer support, and product development, make informed decisions. By defining buyer personas:
- You can create more targeted messaging and customized offerings by identifying customer pain points.
- Knowing where potential customers spend their time (online and offline) helps distribute content effectively.
- Documenting key buyer persona profiles ensures that all marketing efforts align with and meet customer needs.
For example, a software company identifies through buyer personas that many potential customers are small business owners who struggle with technology integration. In response, the company tailors its approach by developing targeted content and support materials, including easy-to-follow guides, tutorials, and personalized assistance.
By addressing these challenges directly, the company improves customer satisfaction. This approach helps drive more sales in the long run.
2. Define goals and objectives
When creating your digital marketing plan, it’s crucial to establish clear goals. This ensures you know exactly what you want to achieve. Use S.M.A.R.T. goals—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely—to guide your strategy. Consider both short- and long-term objectives for your business’s growth.
For instance, suppose your goal is to generate 1,000 new leads within the next six months. To achieve this, you could set objectives like optimizing your website for lead generation, launching targeted email marketing campaigns, and improving your social media engagement to attract potential customers.
3. Audit your current digital channels
Before diving into new online marketing tactics, it’s essential to review your current digital channels, including your website, social media profiles, content, and email efforts. This audit helps you understand what’s working and where you can make improvements, shaping your overall strategy.
For instance, if you find that the majority of your website traffic comes from Google searches, it suggests a strong potential for SEO optimization. By recognizing this trend, you can prioritize SEO tactics to further boost your website’s visibility and attract more visitors.
4. Set a marketing budget
Your marketing strategy should align with your company’s financial goals without overspending. Set a practical budget that outlines your investment across various campaigns. Make sure to consider all expenses, including advertising costs, software subscriptions, and hiring any external resources.
Analyze your previous spending patterns and assess the expected return on investment for each aspect of your strategy. This way, you can allocate funds strategically to maximize the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts.
5. Choose which digital marketing strategies to pursue
With your budget set, it’s time to pick the digital marketing strategies that suit your business best.
While it’s tempting to invest in everything, consider your budget constraints. Focus on strategies that promise the most value and align with your goals. This targeted approach ensures you get the most out of your marketing investment.
When choosing your strategies, make sure they align with your overall business objectives. Keep your goals in mind as you decide. Also, consider where your target audience is most active online. Do they frequent specific social media platforms? Do they often use Google for searches? Focus on techniques that offer substantial value to your business and industry, rather than just following trends.
For example, if your business goal is to increase brand awareness, investing in social media marketing might be a suitable strategy. If your target audience is active on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, focusing your efforts there could yield better results than investing in less popular platforms. Similarly, if your goal is to drive website traffic, prioritizing search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your visibility on Google search results pages would be a strategic move.
6. Strategy Planning
Take the time to meticulously plan your marketing strategies for optimal success. If you’re utilizing paid advertising, carefully calculate your ad budget. For content creation, develop a comprehensive content calendar.
Moreover, outline the specific roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in executing these strategies. This allocation will vary depending on the size and composition of your marketing team. If your team is limited or non-existent, consider partnering with a trusted marketing agency to bolster your efforts.
7. Monitor and report on your progress
After you launch your campaigns, the real work begins. Continuously monitor and assess the performance of your strategies by tracking essential metrics.
Evaluating the effectiveness of your online initiatives provides valuable insights for future enhancements and maximizing your return on investment (ROI). For instance, you might observe that your social media ads outperform your PPC ads.
Armed with this data, consider reallocating resources to capitalize on successful channels and refine underperforming ones. Utilize Google’s suite of tools, including Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Ads, to stay informed and optimize your strategies effectively.
Are you ready to get the best digital marketing strategies for your business?
Digital marketing is an excellent way to connect with new customers and achieve your business objectives. With a range of strategies available, from video to email to social media, you can tailor your approach to meet your specific goals. Whether you aim to increase sales, revenue, brand awareness, or customer loyalty, digital marketing offers endless possibilities.
However, the success of your strategy relies on careful planning and execution. That’s where Tech Trappers comes in. As a full-service digital marketing agency, we specialize in crafting customized, results-oriented marketing solutions designed to propel your business forward.
Take the first step towards building and implementing your personalized strategy by reaching out to our digital marketing agency today.