Imagine having to cook a four-course meal for 100 people, all by yourself! You would likely plan the courses, then go shopping, complete any prep work that will help when cooking, and finally cook the massive meal. This undertaking would be hard, tiring, and stressful. Now imagine that the moment you complete this gargantuan task, you learn that all 100 guests are not coming because no one told them about the meal. That is often what it can feel like as a business owner! Why? Because marketing is often overlooked or pushed aside due to the “high price point.” However, no one will ever know about your business without marketing, and this is where the power of online marketing comes in.
Online marketing will deliver results on a small budget if there is a strategy, and that strategy is actually executed.
5 Online Marketing Tips
Track the ROI
Marketing is only effective if it produces results! How do you know if it is producing results? Well, you have to track it! So the first online marketing tip is to accurately track your ROI.
To do so, use a tool like Google Analytics! Then, set aside time every month to actually analyze the data.
Pay-Per-Click
A pay-per-click (PPC) campaign can quickly get out of control and pricey. Therefore, you should understand the point of a PPC campaign — Drive customers to your website that follow through with purchasing an item or service.
To do so:
- Give them an opportunity to purchase something small! Once they buy ONE thing, they will always be more apt to spend more money with you in the future.
- Target the customers that will actually buy this inexpensive item/service by using keywords.
- Choose the appropriate location the ad should appear. (If your customer is not on Facebook for hours on end, don’t advertise on Facebook!)
Use SEO to Your Advantage
Okay, SEO has been a hot word for the past 15-20 years and frankly, most people do not understand it. The goal of SEO is to help your ideal customer find your website. SO, your website needs to be filled with words/phrases that your ideal customers might actually search for.
Here is an example. Say you teach yoga specifically to babies. (Not sure how this would work out… but who knows! It might be possible!). Throughout the website, there would need to be phrases such as “yoga for babies”, “infants learn yoga”, “babies doing yoga”, and more. Why? Because the people that are looking for baby yoga will likely type in the word, “baby” and “yoga” into a Google search. If you want your website to show up in their search, Google’s “spiders” (that “crawl” your site for information) need to be able to find that phrase in order for Google to suggest it.
Now, to be completely transparent, showing up on the first page of Google is very tough and does not happen overnight. Additionally, there is a LOT more that goes into SEO. However, it will never happen if basic keywords and phrases are not sprinkled throughout your site.
I strongly suggest researching SEO! (This podcast is a great place to start). Additionally, remember, it is important to start somewhere and not ignore SEO! Eventually, it can pay off.
Not Everyone is Using a Computer!
It’s important to understand that most people are now using their phones to access the world wide web. So, when paying for ads, be sure to target all devices (and design the ads appropriately). Will this take more time? Yes! But, it will help you learn (during your monthly ROI recap) what devices are driving the most traffic and why. Then eventually, your ads will become more effective!
Look like a Big Fish in a BIG Pond
When online marketing, remember that you can reach literally anyone in the world with access to the internet. That said, it is important to make your company look like a global company. Or at least, look professional so people will feel confident when working with you!
Final Thoughts
Do yourself a favor and remember to invite people to the four-course meal that you are cooking! Or, in other words, market your company so people know you exist! Also, never underestimate the importance of marketing. We understand that it can be scary and pricey, but it is critical. So, start somewhere, and give these five tips a try!
Online marketing plays a major role in business today and it’s broken up into various categories, including the ones detailed here. SEO is especially important, in my view, as search engines see an incredible volume of use.
SEO IS KING 🙂