The demand for digital services is increasing as new marketing trends emerge and innovative technologies enter the marketplace. For many companies, now may seem like the best time to launch a digital marketing campaign and take the industry by storm.
But just like starting any other new venture, launching your digital marketing campaign can be a challenging task. To help you achieve your goals and create high-quality digital content, we’ve compiled tips from industry experts to start you off on the right foot and maximize your agency profit.
Make Sure To Personalize Your Content
“High-quality unique content is the strongest trend in SEO, still,” said Richard Uzelac of GoMarketing. “Google pushes further and further towards the recognition of well-written, informative content that answers the questions or needs of their users seeking answers from their searches.”
To achieve this high-quality unique content, Anna Hawkins of Osky Blue recommends using the storytelling skills of your employees.
“Your employees are often your company’s best storytellers,” said Hawkins, “and your marketing strategy should include activating your employees’ channels of content distribution.”
But it isn’t just the content you want to personalize. It’s also your tone and how you communicate with your target audience.
Personalize With Voice Search
“Personalize with voice and voice search,” said TJ Kelly of 3 Media Web. “Let your audience hear you, not just read you. Tone of voice matters more than words, and audio content is on the rise: podcasts and smart home devices.”
Greg Wildman of OVC Online Marketing also points out that more people are using voice search using AI technology such as Amazon’s Echo Dot and Apple’s Siri. As a result, the keywords used in SEO are taking a turn for the long-form.
“More and more, people are using voice search or typing their questions directly into Google,” said Wildman. “Creating blogs and website content that asks and answers those questions is increasingly important, and it can allow a site to be highlighted in a featured snippets in Google search results.”
Remember Location Specific Data And Intent
You also want to personalize the location specific data to make sure you’re competing only against the agencies you need to. It’s one thing to compete for the key phrase “pet adoptions in Arizona” and another to compete for “pet adoptions.”
“Brands who continue to ignore managing the location specific data about their stores … on all sites … will [be] surpassed in search results by businesses who are,” said Rev Ciancio of Yeah! Management.
Jen Beall of glassCanopy also says it’s important to consider intent and where the search terms would place the consumer in their purchasing journey.
The keyword “buy [product]” would have a lower volume of searches than “[product]” but the consumers searching for “buy [product]” are farther down the purchasing funnel than others.
“Using volume and intent will help you gauge the likelihood that you will receive the MQI traffic you want,” said Beall.
User Satisfaction Is Key
“User satisfaction is becoming more important, and search engine algorithm changes are reflecting this,” said Sarah Halsey of Hilborn Digital. “Quality content, easy to use platforms, online reviews, and online business-to-consumer interactions is what matters and where the focus should be.”
Part of what drives user satisfaction and makes platforms easy to use is optimizing content for mobile devices. “More than half of all Internet users access Google through a mobile device,” said James Clark of ATC Domain Solutions.
“Bearing that in mind, mobile-first indexing accompanied by quality, informative content will be crucial for websites in 2019 and should be the basis of any online marketing campaign,” Clark said.
Unlike computer users who may be searching for information in undemanding circumstances, mobile users are on the go and most often need clear and concise answers to questions. Jeff Coyle of MarketMuse recommends that digital marketing teams use artificial intelligence to optimize their content for usability.
“In 2019, digital marketing teams must consider using artificial intelligence to analyze existing online content for gaps and opportunities and prioritize tactical content optimization,” said Coyle.
Use Multiple Strategies
It’s never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket, and that includes your digital marketing strategies. “Digital marketing continues to require a balanced approach in which each element of a digital marketing strategy becomes further and further intertwined,” said Robb Fahrion of Flying V Group.
Rolan G of Team Soda recommends using backlinks from real websites with good metrics for the safest and most rewarding strategy in the face of Google updates. “The downside,” he said, “it’s pricey and time-consuming.” But used in tandem with other digital strategies backlinks can be incredibly useful for building up your content’s credibility.
Liam Abbott of Top Shelf Media also recommends using video marketing or, more specifically, YouTube marketing. “The stats just don’t lie,” said Abbott. “Pairing a strong online strategy with video as a key element can increase your brand’s potential monumentally.”
Key Takeaways
Digital marketing strategies and trends change periodically, which is why it’s good to focus on the factors that have remained steadily important for years such as high-quality content, SEO, and user satisfaction.
Remember that the users you’re servicing in your digital marketing campaign want the answers you’re providing. You just need to find the best way to deliver that information to them.
