People today are spending more time than ever on screens, so much so that stories and images of people on their phones while in each other’s company have become running jokes circulated and shared among communities and in popular culture. People increasingly get most of their information online as well and turn to the Internet for almost anything they need in life.
Companies are thus doing all they can to take advantage of this trend, primarily through increasing investment in digital marketing. Gaithersburg experts note that unlike traditional marketing efforts that rely on advertisements or features on billboards and magazines, digital marketing is concentrated almost exclusively on the online realm. This allows a company to craft their marketing strategies to specifically cater to their target audience and to achieve their sales and outreach goals.
Because access to the Internet has never been more widespread and democratized, digital marketing is seen as a way for small businesses to grow their market share without having to break the bank. Hence, even companies in smaller cities such as Gaithersburg, Maryland, are shifting their efforts to online marketing.
Here are some of the most important aspects of digital marketing:
Social Media Engagement
In lieu of using physical advertisements to get their name out there, companies are increasingly turning to put their advertisements online. Thanks to the introduction of paid promotions by social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, companies are able to use social media to reach their target audience, some of whom might not have otherwise known about the business. Advertising online entails making sure a company’s posts stand out from the rest, whether through witty and viral content or through slogans and visuals that capture people’s attention. Social media management also includes engaging with potential clients online, which may consist of responding to messages and comments left by users, and posting interactive content, such as online contests.
Search Engine Optimization
One of the most popular ways for people to get information is to look it up online, so much so that “Google it” is now a part of everyday language. Any time you enter words on a search engine, hundreds of pages of results come out. Nobody usually goes further than the first three pages of results, so businesses would want their content to be displayed up top. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in.
SEO consists of various aspects, such as researching keywords, content development, site design optimization, and more. The goal is to improve the search rankings of a website to get it to the first few results pages, which then gets the name of the business out there.
Website Design and Management
People naturally gravitate towards what catches their attention. Since a website is usually the first encounter people have with a company online, it is important that the website leaves a good impression. This means that it must be designed well and offer pertinent information regarding the company. If a website looks messy and someone has a hard time navigating it, chances are this person will not choose to do business with the company.
Websites must also be maintained regularly to show that the company is still in business. With the rise of online shopping, many businesses increasingly take orders on their website. Hence, website management also involves responding to these orders to illustrate the quality of a company’s service.
Digital marketing done right can prove to be one of the most valuable assets of a company. It can be the key difference for a small business to succeed in expanding and reaching new heights.
