The Rio Grande Valley, as mentioned before in a previous blog post, is a unique place to be for a business. We adopt trends and innovation at our own rate, despite what is going on in the outside world. So, as someone in the marketing and advertising industry it does not surprise me that local businesses have been slow to adapt digital marketing into their marketing budget and practices.
The thing about digital marketing is that it can be a very cost effective way for local businesses to spread the word about their products and services, if done right. The downside to digital marketing is that everyone that owns a computer thinks they can do it the ‘right way’, when in reality there is a lot more science to it than meets the eye. The online world is rapidly changing and in order to stay ahead of the curve and in contact with your potential customers you need to be aware of the new marketing techniques. Because of this, we want to share some fundamental marketing techniques that local businesses should strive to do right in 2013.
Let’s get things right in 2013:
Email Lists
This can be a huge asset to your business, it’s essentially a direct line to your customers! These people have already frequented your business and have decided they like you enough to want to hear from you.
So how do you do it? Gather emails from people who actually want to be on your list, because in the long run these are the people that want to hear from you and will go back in store to buy from you.
Don’t expect fast results, but if you are consistently sending out useful messages, when the need arises they will think of you first.
Website
Did you know that most 40% of consumers will leave your website within 3 seconds if your content doesn’t load?
People don’t like to wait for information, they will simply click straight off and go to another company’s website (more than likely your competitors website). So what can you do? Simply remove anything that is extraneous to load and leave only the useful stuff.
Think about what you are looking for when looking for information. What kind of information do you like to see on a website? How long do you wait for a site to load? Make sure your website is not only consumer friendly, but mobile friendly. Does it load on a mobile device? Does it require the user to pinch and zoom? If so, you should look at converting your website.
Search Engine Optimization
97% customers will search online for a product they want to buy locally. What does that mean? You NEED to be easy to find! For SEO you need to focus on producing quality content that, others will want to link to and share. Social media plays a big part in SEO, are you taking advantage of both in the correct way?
Blogging
Remember that quality content we talked about earlier, blogging is a prefect way to share unique, high quality information. Not only that, but this is one of best ways to communicate with your customers on a regular basis. Blogging allows you to communicate with your customers and build a long-term relationship with your audience. In addition, your blog can help you draw people in and prompt them to sign up for your email list and increase your SEO!
Social Media
How can you be digital without social media? Social media is a very unique marketing tool, with many unique uses. But it’s important for local businesses to use this as a platform to form relationships with their followers. Here is where you can differentiate yourself from the competition.
See something you think your audience will like? Share it! Make your social media outlets an important part of your audiences life by providing expert advice.
Search Engine Marketing
Approximately 1 in every 5 online searches has a local intent. Will your future customer be able to find your businesses online? Search engine marketing can help increase your visibility when consumers search online, and help drive traffic to your business’ website.
Apps
Mobile apps are a great way to engage with users. They offer you the ability to push notifications, coupons, and constantly be on their screen and hopefully top of mind.
In this day and age, digital marketing is becoming a must do for local businesses. These techniques offer a great way to reach your customers in a way they won’t feel like they are being ‘marketed’ to.
So, here’s to a successful 2013!
Here at Amplify we pride ourselves in our ability to provide cutting edge digital marketing services to our local clients. If you ever feel like you would like to get your business ahead of the game, and into the digital sphere we are here to help!