Online marketing strategies are a dime a dozen. Some companies don’t even have a strategy. Or, it would be more accurate to say that their strategy is to throw paint on the virtual wall. In effect, the strategy is no strategy at all.
But to be truly effective at marketing your business online, you need a well-defined and executed online marketing strategy. So, what are the components of a well-defined online marketing strategy?
Elements of an Online Marketing Strategy
When you devise your online marketing strategy, start by thinking of these six important elements:
- Website Design – You want your website design to make an impact on your target audience. Plan your website’s navigation and content and hire a reputable designer.
- Website Development – Website development goes beyond the design elements. It also includes ease of navigation and e-commerce if you are setting up a web store.
- Search Engine Optimization – Your website needs to be optimized to receive the targeted traffic you want to reach out to. Make sure your website development team incorporates search engine optimization in order for you to achieve maximum search engine results. SEO is determined by development and content.
- Social Media Promotion – Where do you plan to publish and promote your content. Think beyond Facebook and Twitter. Social promotion includes other things like widgets, communities and forums, and any aspect of social media that involves hard and soft promotion.
- Goals -Before you get started, establish your goals. You cannot measure success if you do not have goals and key performance indicators. Start with the goals then monitor your progress. If necessary, tweak your plan so that you maximize every opportunity.
- Quality Content – Online marketing is all about content. If you don’t plan to publish content, then you can’t have a successful online marketing strategy. Plan your content, hire the best writers, publish your content, then promote your content through your planned promotional channels.
Online marketing is all about push and pull. Push your content out and pull your prospect in. Develop a plan for how you will accomplish those two tasks to reach your marketing goals. Once you have planned your strategy, implement it and measure your results. Make any necessary changes you need to make along to way to propel you closer to your goals.