Handy checklist of the top digital marketing strategies you need in 2018
Is your company using the right digital marketing strategies for 2018? The digital marketing landscape is constantly changing, as business strategies evolve and new technologies emerge. If you start the new year without a solid online marketing plan in place, you could end up overlooking vital promotion channels or wasting time on strategies that are out of date. Whether you are creating your first digital marketing plan or updating your existing campaigns for the New Year, this handy 2018 digital marketing checklist will help you identify and implement the most important marketing strategies for your small business. Make sure your business is using the eight top digital marketing strategies for 2018:
Make sure you have a responsive website design
Your digital marketing strategy starts with a responsive website that performs well on every device. As we move into 2018, mobile performance has become essential for two reasons. 96 percent of customers reach for their smartphones when looking for information and mobile-first indexing will be complete by 2018 (according to Google). That means that any website that performs poorly on mobile will practically be invisible in search results.
A responsive website design will deliver all the features customers have come to expect, such as mobile-friendliness, fast loading pages, and easy navigation. Upgrading to a responsive website will ensure customers see your company in the best possible light.
Concentrate on voice-first SEO strategies
Voice-first SEO strategies will play a crucial role in online marketing strategies in 2018. 87 percent of customers turn to online searches as the first place to find information. Increasingly, these searches are verbal rather than typed as people turn to the virtual assistants in their phones, homes, tablets, and TVs for information.
Voice-first SEO strategies focus on including long-tail phrases that are used in verbal searches.
Developing a strong mobile-centric, voice-first SEO strategy will help Google, Bing, and other search engines assign a high search position to your website, so customers find your company when they go looking for information.
Engage customers with social marketing
Social marketing delivers several benefits that make it a valuable part of your 2018 digital marketing plan. Social strategies remain the best way to engage with customers so you can build the strong personal connections that drive referrals.
Establish a presence on two or three social networks that resonate with your customers, and reliably post on each several times a day. You’ll find social marketing strategies also increase traffic to your website and provide social proof of your business’ relevance.
Add influencer marketing
Influencer marketing hasn’t been around for long, but it definitely deserves a spot on your 2018 digital marketing checklist. Organic social reach is at an all-time low, making it more challenging to get your posts and Tweets seen by your target audience. Influencer marketing provides the answer.
With influencer marketing, individuals with a large social reach are enlisted to promote your products, services, or company. Even small businesses can take advantage of this 2018 digital marketing trend. If you choose influencers who align closely with your company mission, you’ll find that micro-influencers with a thousand or even just a few hundred viewers can drive enough traffic to improve your social reach significantly.
Invest in paid search marketing (PPC)
Paid search marketing, also known as PPC or pay per click, should have a prominent role in your online marketing plan for 2018. Organic search reach has almost disappeared, making it harder to create a visible online presence. PPC ads provide a fast, affordable way to improve your online visibility, generate leads, and increase traffic to your website.
Create a PPC ad strategy that includes Google, Bing and Yahoo, and invest in social PPC ads on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Making PPC ads part of your digital marketing strategy in 2018 will help you achieve the high online visibility your business needs to thrive.
Develop your content marketing strategy
In 2018, companies that provide the best answers to customer searches are going to be the big winners. Each search on the web presents you with a micro-moment when you can convert a searcher into a customer.
You can master these micro-moments by producing relevant, SEO optimized content that incorporates the verbal search phrases used with mobile devices. Create a variety of content types (blogs, infographics, videos, etc.), and use multiple distribution channels for the best results.
Use email marketing to stay in touch
Email deserves a place on every 2018 digital campaign checklist, as it remains one of the most cost-effective ways to stay in touch with customers. After all, email is the form of contact preferred by most individuals when asked how they wanted to communicate with companies.
Create fully fleshed email campaigns, using segmented lists, catchy headlines, and powerful CTAs to drive engagement. You’ll find that a strong email marketing strategy can help you retain customers and increase repeat sales.
Branch out into video marketing
Video marketing can improve the profitability of your business in several ways over the coming year. Businesses that use video marketing grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users, according to HubSpot.
Video can play a role in virtually all of your online marketing strategies, making them more effective at promoting your business. Create a YouTube channel, use short video clips to punch up interest in your social posts, embed videos in your emails, and incorporate videos into your website.
If you would like help putting the strategies on this 2018 digital marketing checklist to work for your business, call Blue Interactive Agency. We can provide you with everything you need to create winning digital marketing campaigns, including responsive website design, expert SEO content creation services, PPC marketing, social marketing packages, and more.
Contact us at Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-779-2801 for help putting the top digital marketing strategies of 2018 to work for you!
