Ten Things Every Digital Marketing Professional Should Know

It’s An Evolutionary Revolution
Digital marketing is evolving and the changes that happen seem to occur at light speed. The most modern techniques are often times a blend of social media, campaign management, and mobile merchandising. When it comes to marketing on today’s world-wide web it is helpful to consider using varying digital channels in your campaign management strategy. These simple tools can allow you to achieve success by finding the right audience, communicating your message properly, and leading consumers down the path to purchase or otherwise partake of your offerings. So, what digital channels are available in the “Googlesphere?”

ONE – Google Alerts
Google Alerts are a simple, yet underrated tool for marketing professionals. Google allows you to assemble as many alerts as you would like on as many different subjects as you wish! You distinguish what data or contents to track (Blogs, Videos, News, Groups, etc ), how frequently you desire to receive the information, and voilà! Google will create a customised daily list and send it to you via RSS feed or by email. This has always been an extremely easygoing method to track brand names and mentions by way of keyword management.

What should you consider when using Google Alerts?

• Stay on top of your industry’s news by tracking key website url’s and key phrases.
• Easily locate new customers and top clients by knowing their online activity.
• Track new links coming into your website and identify new partnerships.

Locate the leaders in your industry and begin reading and following their work to stay competitive. Become part of their community, interact in conversations. Comment on their blogs and tell them what you’re working on.

TWO – Google+
Google Plus is essentially a multilingual social networking layer and identity service. The service was launched in June of 2011, making this 2012 summer its one-year anniversary. Google has added new business-focused features making it a viable digital marketing resource.

What should you consider when using Google Plus?

• If you already use Gmail, Google Docs, and other Google services, this is an additional layer that will integrate all your activities seamlessly.
• Create Google Circles and organise your groups of friends by topic. From your Circles page it is simple to drag and drop your connections into specific groups for selective sharing. Hangouts allow you to video chat via online or mobile applications with the people in these circles as well!

• Sparks, similar to Google Reader, sends content to you automatically based on your interests.
• Google Plus has the most thorough search feature as it is integrated with it’s own Google Chrome browser.

THREE – Google Analytics
Google Analytics makes it much easier to evaluate content sharing from your site on social networks as well as the impact of daily traffic from social media efforts. This free service can track visitors from all sources, including search engines, banner advertising, pay-per-click advertising, and e-mail marketing.

What should you consider when using Google Analytics?

• Differentiate your target audience as people seeking information vs. those posting content. This distinction is essential to help you understand users’ motivations and needs.
• Review your audience behaviour patterns and video channel preferences.
• Customise your editorial calendar for all your content management and marketing goals.

Google has great methods to get any novice started on their digital marketing endeavours. This can give you valuable insight into what your community is up to and provide you with reasons to contact them. In other words, Google sees its network as a social layer that is integrated into all of its other services. Use this to your advantage!

FOUR – Social Media Networks
Teenagers are no longer the only demographic using social media. Adults are now using social media as a way to stay connected more than ever before.

What social networks should you consider to build your online presence?

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Google Plus
• Meetup

These are a few of the most popular sites but feel free to test others based on your proclivities. The primary goal of your business page should be to add as many ‘targeted’ friends as possible.

FIVE – Blogging
Blogging seems to be taking over the world-wide web! This medium allows you to express yourself and provide helpful information. Blogging, and guest blogging, is also a very effective marketing tool.

What should you consider while blogging?

• Update your content often as search engines place more value on fresh content.
• Create content that is helpful to your community of readers.
• Integrate your social media tools for more engagement amongst your friends.
• Believe that you have something worth sharing with others and stay dedicated.

SIX – Social Bookmarking
I am sure you are familiar with how to bookmark your favourite sites on your toolbar at your laptop or computer. Well now something called Social Bookmarking has taken the web by storm! This process is best explained where Internet users store their favourite pages on “bookmark” sites online. Users also have the option of sharing these pages with their network of friends.

What popular bookmarking networks should you consider staring out with?

• Digg
• StumpleUpon
• Reddit
• Pinterest
• Delicious

SEVEN – Email Marketing
One of the best ways to capture a list of interested potential clients is through email marketing. Studies have shown this method is the best way to retain customers who have previously purchased if they are consistently engaged in the future.

What methods should you consider in your email marketing campaigns?

• Provide giveaways and contests to entertain and engage your community.
• Consider providing coupons and special offers for repeat business or referrals.
• People love to give their opinions! Offer interactive polling and voting to receive feedback from readers and buyers.

Deliver good content within your emails, mesmerising graphics, along with a catchy headline, and you’ll see traffic flowing from email listings in no time.

EIGHT – Article Marketing
Article marketing is an outstanding way to get free publicity. Write a good article about your business, products, or anything that relates to your market. By placing a link within or at the end of your articles you can drive a fair amount of traffic your way.

What should you keep in mind when using article marketing?

• You need several articles to make an impact. One article is not enough.
• Do not write articles that will not be helpful to the reader. If the article does not draw them in they in turn will not click the link to your website.
• Be captivating, but leave your readers wanting more. This will increase the likeliness they will head over to your website.

NINE – Forums
You are sure to lure in traffic through forum writing. Do not underestimate the traffic you can receive from this marketing mother lode.

What should you keep in mind while participating in forums?

• Forums require time and your honest community involvement.
• Add signature links to your online site if forum rules allow.
• Make sure your taglines are enticing so forum users will click your link out of curiosity.

It is always a good idea to actually answer questions within posts vs. just making spammy comments to get clicks. Adding something worthwhile to the conversation will be much more appreciated by the user community.

TEN – RSS Feeds
RSS solves a problem for people who routinely use the web, but would prefer to stay informed by retrieving content from the sites instead of going to each site personally one by one. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. Feed Reader software allows you to grab the content from various sites and displays them for you in one convenient place.

What popular RSS Feed Readers should you consider using to save time?

• Google Reader
• FeedReader (Windows)
• NewsGator (Windows – integrates Outlook as well)
• My Yahoo

Once you have your Feed Reader, you only need to find the RSS feed to list within your software program of choice. Many sites display a small icon with the acronyms RSS, XML, or RDF to let you know a feed is available.

Once Again, Ten Is the Magic Number
Using these ten strategies, your website and your social presence is sure to stand out amongst that very large crowd – The World Wide Web.

About the Author:

Patrick Del Rosario is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s pioneer and leading providers of OC’s management degrees and Diploma in Business Management. When not working, Patrick enjoys blogging about career and business. Patrick is also a photography enthusiast and is currently running a photography studio in the Philippines. If you have a blog and would like free content. You can find him on Google+ or drop a line at patrick (at) oc.edu.au. Website – http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/.