To stay competitive in your market, it’s important that you’re aware of the latest Internet marketing trends. Taking advantage of new trends expands your reach and grows your profits while also giving your business a stronger foundation from multiple revenue streams. Here are some of the strategies that many businesses are making a big part of their overall marketing strategy.
1. Content Marketing
Many businesses have shifted their SEO strategy from trying to acquire links to publishing great content. With the onslaught of search engine changes, focusing on quality content is the best way to attract high quality links that actually contribute to a site’s ranking. The shift has been so dramatic that many SEO firms have started rebranding themselves as content marketing firms.
2. Responsive Design
More visitors are using mobile devices to browse websites. While creating separate mobile websites can cater to these visitors, it splits focus, sucks up more resources, and disconnects marketing efforts. That’s why businesses are switching to responsive design, which adapts their site to the platform and device that the visitor is viewing their site with. Responsive design means that businesses get the most out their content production and SEO efforts, while also integrating their marketing into one site.
3. Retargeting
One of the most cost effective ways to buy display advertising is using remarketing. Remarketing is basically an advertising strategy that allows you to place your ad in front of visitors that have already visited on your website. This approach allows you to offer special offers, remind visitors to come back, and brand your business. With the amount of competition you face online, retargeting will be a key strategy in helping you get the attention of your target prospects.
4. Social Media Advertising
While pay per click advertising is one of the most reliable forms of online advertising, it’s also one of most expensive. Many businesses are finding that advertising on social media can be an affordable and effective way to reach their audience. Businesses are using a mix of branding and direct response style ads to market to their audience. Many are finding that advertising on a social media site to bring visitors to their social media page on the same site is a profitable long term strategy.
5. Focusing on Brand and Authority
For the longest time, branding was frowned upon by Internet marketing authorities because the ROI didn't make sense to small and medium sized businesses. This has all changed due to social media and blogging. More businesses are focusing on building their online brand and authority by producing quality content, creating their own community and building a strong presence on social media. This non-traditional approach to branding is working for businesses across all types of markets and industries.
6. Email Marketing Revisited
Many online businesses have shifted away from email marketing due to the lack of results. Spam filters have gotten better over the years and many businesses are finding that email marketing still can be effective if done correctly. And because remarketing can be used with email, there is a great opportunity to turn this marketing channel into a reliable revenue stream.
7. Holistic Approach to Marketing
In the past few years, marketers would isolate marketing channels in an effort to get accurate analytics data from their campaigns. Today, visitors are using search, mobile devices, social media, email, and other channels to find your business. That’s why more marketers are approaching online marketing holistically and integrating different channels together for improved results. It has also become easier to track where conversions are coming from with the advanced analytics tools that are available today.
These are just some of the many Internet marketing trends that are changing the industry. While older strategies still work, you’ll still need to explore new strategies to cement your position in the marketplace and grow your business. So if you’re looking to take your business to the next level, start exploring these trends and figure out how to integrate the latest strategies into your overall online marketing plan.
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