Four tips for online marketing

When it comes to online marketing, there are so many things to consider (what to say, how to say it, and when to say it) and so many channels to send your message through, so where do you start?

Below is a list of the four ways to develop an online marketing strategy:

Your Audience

First, you must clearly define who your customers are by asking yourself, “Who will be most interested in my product?” You need to know what your customers look like: are they men or women, what age group do they fall under, what type of personality do they have, what are their interests, and what income bracket are they in? Understanding your customer will help you target your marketing strategy to the appropriate audience.

Your audience must be established before you begin developing your marketing message.

Goals

Identify what you hope to achieve through online marketing. Is it an increase in brand awareness, an increased in product/service awareness, or an increase in sales? It may be all of these reasons. Set your goals, monitor and track these goals to measure your success. Once you’ve achieved your objectives, set new goals to continue to improve your business.

Budget

Set a budget for your various online marketing activities. Many online platforms are free to use but may not be the best strategy for your business. Determine where your target market is in the online world and be willing to spend some money to get results.

Brand Identity

Your brand should be unique to your product offering. Your brand is what will set you apart from your competition. Ensure your brand is consistent across all platforms, online and print.

Once you’ve established your brand, your budget, your goals and who your customer is, you need to develop your message. Tell your audience who you are, what you’re offering and why it’s better than the competition.

Use social media and blogging to create engaging content to communicate with your customers. Continue to create fresh content to keep your brand relevant.

To learn more about online marketing, check out this article from Forbes.com.

Source: Ilya Pozin, Forbes Contributor, Forbes.com