Grow My Business's Reach

Whether yours is an established company or you are just starting out, you know that you have to market your business well in order to grow and thrive as a company. Some companies choose to market on television or billboards, or they may spend money on flyers they get delivered to people’s front doors. But internet marketing is becoming the marketing choice for most companies, big and small, so you don’t want to be left out of the digital marketplace.

There are a number of online marketing avenues to choose from, and they work differently. Some forms work great for certain types of companies but are not so successful for others. You probably know some of the different types of online advertising already, such as social media marketing or paid search advertising (pay-per-click).

Let’s go into more detail about the various forms of marketing online so you can figure out which ones would be best for your company.

Different Types of Digital Marketing

There are many ways to promote your business online, and it can be difficult to figure out which of these marketing techniques is best for your company, industry, or products. Below are some of the major forms of digital marketing channels you can choose from as well as some information about how they help market your business.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engines are how most people find websites, products, or services online. Before they head to a local business, people usually perform a Google search. This is especially true if the business is not a large franchise. For instance, if someone is looking for a business that offers wedding photography, they will turn to a search engine to find what they need.

Getting your business to rank in Google or Bing is not as simple as creating a website. You have to optimize your website for it to show up at the top of the search engine results pages (SERP). Search engine optimization or SEO is the process of optimizing your website and landing pages to increase the likelihood of your business appearing in the results when someone types related keywords into a search engine.

This process is well worth the effort, but it can be challenging and time-consuming and involves several important components such as keyword research and integration, link building, directory listings, reviews, and more.

Paid Search Advertising - Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

Advertising online comes in different forms. Much of the paid advertising online is known as PPC (pay-per-click) advertising. This is where an advertiser places an ad on a search engine, website, video, or other online location. The advertiser doesn’t pay until a potential customer clicks on the ad.

For example, you can place PPC ads on Amazon products. When a customer searches for a product using certain keywords, they will see your ad.

Paid search is extremely effective at marketing products and services online, but it can get expensive. Honing your target audience and message as well as careful budgeting is required for paid search to be successful. Paid search experts can help you make the most out of a PPC campaign.

Social Media Marketing and Paid Advertising

Social media marketing is any type of marketing you do on social media platforms. You can promote your business through posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media channels. You can post links to articles you’ve written, to your blog, or to your website.

You can also use the paid advertising services offered on social media platforms, which operate similarly to paid advertising on search engines. For instance, you can use PPC ads on many social media channels like Twitter or Facebook.

Content Marketing

Writing for the web is extremely important when it comes to marketing. Customers need information about products and services before they purchase them, and you have to be able to communicate why your goods are superior to your competition’s.

Content marketing comes in many shapes, and some content marketing can cross over into other types of digital marketing. Here are some of the main types of content marketing:

• Blogs
• Newsletters
• Email campaigns
• Website content
• Video content
• Podcasts
• Ad copy

Affiliate & Influencer Marketing

Another type of online marketing is known as affiliate marketing or influencer marketing. Influencers can be given a code from a company, and they receive reimbursement for promoting the company’s products or services. For instance, a YouTuber may advertise a sewing machine on their channel. An Instagram influencer may take photos of a product and share the photos with followers. The company gets exposure and the influencer receives a portion of the sales they make.

Influencer marketing can come in many forms as well. Another example is when a person or company adds affiliate links to a blog or website, and companies will pay for purchases made through the link.

Which Digital Marketing Channel Is Right for My Business?

You are probably wondering how you should market your business online. Not every business will thrive on social media. Not every business is easy to blog about.

For instance, a landscaping company may not be able to market themselves on Twitter, but they may do well with an email campaign. A company that provides carpentry services may do well on Instagram or YouTube because of the visual nature of carpentry work, but perhaps they won’t be able to create a successful podcast.

You have to figure out what works for your business, and then give it all you’ve got!

If You Need Some Digital Marketing Help…

Sometimes, companies need to partner with other businesses to be successful. For example, most companies hire out for business cards, flyers, or company swag gifts. If you feel like digital marketing is a pond you’re not ready to wade into, you can get professional help from internet marketing experts. Internet marketing companies can help with promoting your business online through paid search, social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, website development, and more.