By
Imran Hanif, CMgr, FCMI, FIML, MIPSA
Digital Marketing has changed at a very fast speed. Some specialists even believe that marketing has changed more in the past three years than in the previous 60 years. 21st century has seen rapid growth in digital technology and present pandemic has transformed it even at a faster pace. Businesses are moving online and digital domain is taking a lead. It has become very important for new businesses to market their product /services online and for that there is a requirement for a proper digital marketing strategy so that your business is found online among billions.
Most start-ups these days have adopted digital marketing. But not all the weapons that digital marketers have in their arsenals are equally effective. Some digital marketing strategies hit the sky, while others don’t even come close so what needs to be understood is very important especially for start-up businesses. Do you want to know which digital marketing strategy you should adopt to boost your business and grow faster?
These are few of the marketing techniques businesses are using to promote their business.
Affiliate Marketing
Email Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Pay Per Click Marketing (Google Ad words)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Influencer Marketing
Content Marketing
Retargeting Ads
Viral Marketing
Referral Marketing
How to develop a start-up strategy?
Develop a marketing plan to boost the visibility of your start-up business, establish a digital marketing presence through strategic positioning and promote your business. Peter Drucker, who is also known as management & business guru. He was an Austrian-American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation. He sums up strategy in nutshell “Objectives can be compared to a compass bearing by which a ship navigates. A compass bearing is firm, but in actual navigation, a ship may veer off its course for many miles. Without a compass bearing, a ship would neither find its port nor be able to estimate the time required to get there.”
Following are some of the key aspects one can get help from.
Step #1: Outline your strategy clearly
- Define your target audience
- Determine your budget
Step #2: Reach your audience on the right channels
These five paths are essential components of any start-up marketing strategy:
A website
As you create your website, here are a few other aspects to keep in mind:
- Get a domain name: A domain name is your online identity, so it’s important to choose a name that’s recognizable, fits your brand, and will be easy to remember. As you’re considering all the options, be sure to check the availability of each potential domain name on social media. Using the same name across each of your channels can help you establish a unified brand identity and improve your reach.
- SEO: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps increase the visibility of (and the traffic to) your website through search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Email marketing is an effective way to build a relationship with your audience and keep them engaged over time. Add a form to your website (or landing page) to collect email addresses from visitors, then start sharing updates about your services, content, products, and anything else that might be of interest to them.
Social media
As social media usage continues to grow, so does the importance of incorporating social channels into the marketing plan for your start-up with a social media marketing strategy. Whether you’re creating and scheduling, posting directly, or creating ads, social media can quickly communicate with your existing fans, friends, and customers. It can also help expand your reach and encourage more people to check out your website, store, or products.
Content marketing
Content marketing focuses on creating content like blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, and infographics for your target audience. Unlike your other advertising efforts or promotional messaging, this content isn’t just about selling; it should provide relevant, valuable information people care about—and actually want to engage with.
Offline promotion
Online marketing is the main focus for many start-ups, but there’s still plenty of value in offline promotion. Here are a few ideas:
- Create business cards or brochures
- Drive where your customers are: When you’re just starting out, networking plays a key role in developing relationships and getting your business off the ground. Be on the lookout for opportunities to have face-to-face interactions with people who might be interested in your goods or services.
- Send postcards: They can help you stand out from the competition and give your customers something to remember. They’re a fun way to introduce yourself to new contacts, announce a new release, invite folks to an upcoming event, or anything else you’d like.
- Get people talking: Word of mouth is one of the most real marketing tools for start-ups? When people hear that their co-workers, friends or family members had a great experience with your business, products, or services, there’s a good chance they’re going to give you a try, too. Strive to create a great customer experience and exceed expectations every step of the way.
Step #3: Measure the success of your start-up marketing campaigns
Start-ups often have a limited amount of funds and resources available, so it’s important that every dollar spent leads to tangible, measurable results. Here are 3 ways to use data to inform your start-up marketing campaigns.
Set your marketing KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the metrics used to track the progress you’ve made toward your marketing and business goals. If your goal is to raise awareness for your brand, choose KPIs like website traffic, social shares, and new contacts to measure growth in your audience size. If, instead, your goal is to acquire more customers and make more money, measure your KPIs against daily or monthly sales and conversation rates.
Test, iterate, and repeat
No matter what type of start-up you operate, you’ll always need to listen to your audience—even if they’re only communicating with you through click-through, page views, and conversions found in your reports. Be ready to make adjustments when something isn’t working well.
Learn what works for your audience
With each marketing campaign you create, you learn more about your customers. And when you manage your audience in Mail chimp, it’s easy to turn that information into action. With all of this data, you can improve your strategy based on who is in your audience and what’s working for them.
Note: H2O Blue Life is a professional Digital Marketing & Branding company based in Melbourne, Australia. Get in touch if you are interested in hiring our services. Our email address is: info@h2obluelife.com
