Avoid online marketing overload
If you’re just getting started marketing your organization online, all the options out there can get overwhelming. There are a lot of tools and options available. It can be challenging to even wrap your mind around it all!
I’ve organized a lot of the options out there into eight different tools and strategies. Although there’s a lot of overlap, this should help you understand what various online marketing options are out there.
Social Media
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to social media, especially if you consider general platforms, image based platforms, and video based platforms.
Our clients commonly use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
Marketing with email should include a consistently published email newsletter. However, it can also include blasts promoting individual events, services, or products, though I would advise caution when using purely promotional emails. You need to prove value over an extended period of time before you send out purely promotional emails.
You can also create e-courses designed to increase trust in your expertise. And, of course, direct email conversations are a great marketing and sales tool for building relationships.
Website
Naturally, you should invest resources in your website. It should be your “home base” when marketing online, since it is the platform you have the most control over.
You can have information about your organization, contact info, and helpful resources on your website.
Blog
Speaking of helpful resources on your website, a regularly updated blog can be huge in establishing trust and expertise with people that are not familiar with you or your organization. And it doesn’t hurt that search engines love websites with blogs.
Your blog can also be sent out in your email newsletter, and linked to in your social media.
Podcast
For those that learn by listening, a podcast can be another great tool in establishing trust and expertise, though there is a little bit of equipment involved. If you decide to go this route, expect to spend a couple hundred on a good microphone and headphone set.
Some of our clients have even had great responses just by being interviewed on someone else’s podcast as an expert in their field, then sharing that interview through their email newsletter.
Video
Video is another option that can be huge in establishing trust and expertise, this time in a more visual manner. The videos can be uploaded to sites like YouTube or Vimeo, each of which have their own advantages.
Once you’ve uploaded the videos there, you can share them on your website, in your email newsletter, and on your social media.
Search Engine Optimization
If you want to show up when people are looking for the services you provide, Search Engine Optimization is a must. That used to mean using tactics to help your website show up higher in search engine results. Now, however, it really means helping all your online marketing platforms show up higher.
A good strategy involves ongoing, consistent use of multiple platforms, including your blog, social media (especially Google+), and video (especially YouTube)
Paid Advertising
If you’re willing to pay search engines and social media websites directly, you can essentially pay to get people to look at your website. However, it’s easy to waste your money if you don’t go in with a plan. Getting website traffic just to get website traffic doesn’t make you any money.
Paid advertising on search engines is great for finding people who are looking for you. Paid advertising on social media is more for people that didn’t know they needed you.
Which ones should you try?
For most organizations, it’s not a good idea to try all of these at once. Pick a few, and see which ones you get the most benefit from.
You might pick four of them to start with, and do those for six months. Then see which of them have been most beneficial and easiest after six months is up. Once you know which one is the loser for you, swap it out with one of the other options.
Of course, it’s also helpful to seek the help of a professional. Feel free to contact us and see if we might be a good fit for your organization. Although we’re not a good fit for everyone, we’re happy at least explore the idea.