THATBlog

What is the most effective digital marketing strategy? We’re going to give you an answer that frustrates you: it depends! The answer should be guided by your overall business strategy and the goals you want to achieve with marketing and advertising initiatives. There’s no one-size-fits-all, magic bullet strategy to produce results. That said, there are several strategies that can help you transform your campaigns. The key is adapting and leveraging them to meet your needs.

Types of Digital Marketing Strategies

The following are considered by most marketers to be the most effective digital marketing strategies:

SEO and SEM

Where do you turn when you need answers - whether you’re looking for a new hair stylist, a great sushi restaurant, or help with a legal issue? Google. We all do. And we all tend to choose the sites that are near or at the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs). This is why SEO, or search engine optimization, is so critical.

SEO is a complex, and evolving, set of strategies designed to help your site gain visibility and high ranking in the SERPs. From targeted keywords and metadata to quality content, there are a number of moving parts - all of which can make a real impact on the bottom line. SEO is geared towards organic (or non-paid) search results.

Search engine marketing, or SEM, is a variation of SEO and it deals with paid search. Paid ads (e.g., PPC) can help you gain prominence in the SERPs and increase click-through rates.

Local Search

With the prevalence of mobile devices, locally optimized search is more important than ever.

• 72% of people who search for a local business will visit a store within 5 miles.

• Over three quarters of those who conduct a local mobile search visit a business within 24 hours.

• “Near me” searches have seen 900% growth in the past two years.

• 46% of all Google searches are local.

• The top ranking site gets 24.46% of all clicks, the second gets 13.38%, and the third 10.12%. After sixth place, it is unlikely searchers will click on you.

Local SEO is a must for many businesses.

Content Marketing

Search engines place greater importance on relevance today; they rank sites that feature high-quality, original, helpful content high in the SERPs. Consumers, too, want information. They have questions, and when your brand is the one to answer them, you position yourself as a trusted, authoritative resource. You don’t have to do the hard sell: consumers will sell themselves on your products/services if you deliver value from the beginning of their buyer’s journey.

Blogs, articles, whitepapers, videos, infographics, webinars, podcasts… send your message in the most compelling format, and be sure to share it via your social platforms.

Social Media Marketing

Speaking of social… this is an effective digital marketing strategy that is also cost-effective. While you do need to invest your time to create posts and analyze performance, you can increase your reach, engage your audience, and convert skeptics into believers.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is still very much relevant in today’s world. In fact, many marketers rank it as their most effective digital marketing strategy. Everyone uses it; your target audience is there. To catch their attention, segment by interest and stage of the buyer’s journey/sales funnel, provide valuable content, and use this medium as a point of contact for prospects and existing customers alike.

Need help determining which types of digital marketing strategies will work best for your brand - and need help in implementing them? Contact THAT Agency; digital is what we do!