If having a successful business was as easy as putting a website online and watching the money roll in, we'd all be a lot richer, with a lot more free time!
The most successful companies in the world have entire teams devoted to Internet marketing. If you wish to bring in more business, it's a case of having to spend money to make money - you only reap what you sow.
If you want your business to grow, it's time to take Internet marketing seriously. If you're not sure where to start, take a look at our three keys for savvy Internet marketing:
This is about market research. Spend some time taking a look at your main competitors, and what marketing techniques they are using. What are their strengths and weaknesses?
Then take a look at your customers, and make sure you know exactly who you're targeting. What is their age, income, and interests? Do they use Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube? What would attract them to your product or service?
Now conduct a thorough analysis of your data and highlight the areas where you are potentially falling behind in your marketing.
Now that you know what your target market wants, and what your competitors are doing, you should have a fair idea of what you need to do.
Your strategy will need to involve the techniques that apply best to your business. Is it SEO, a blog, pod casts, vlogs, link building, or social media? Choose which ones are most applicable to your customers. Consider outsourcing for certain aspects - there may be experts out there who are better equipped to take care of these things, and you want it done right! Like we said, you've got to spend money to make money!
This is a case of figuring out what is working, what is not, and what needs tweaking. Have your SEO rankings increased? How much traffic is your website getting? What are people saying about your company or brand?
It's also important to keep updating your web content and marketing strategy. If change is like the tide, then the Internet is like a great big ocean. Keep your website, your business and your marketing strategy up to date, so you don't get left behind!
When it comes to Internet marketing, following these three key steps is a great place to start. Another great strategy is using social media; but we'll cover that in another post, so see you next time!