FAQ

Websites that go for long periods with no updates and new content are unlikely to perform well or support any useful digital marketing objectives. Though a static website technically qualifies as a website it’s bound to be more than a digital brochure that produces little or no leads.

Definitely. Though companies in many business categories continue to approach digital marketing with skepticism, avoiding digital marketing denies your business access to the media the majority of consumers turn to first and at all hours of the day.

Digital marketing has evolved to the point where an immense array of specialists consult with brands to develop effective strategies or implement programs. If you’re new to digital marketing, or lack experience or resources, you should consider engaging an experienced and versatile digital marketing consultant.

Mobile phones are the most used technology in the world. Most of your prospects spend the majority of their media time—and hours—using a smartphone. Mobile marketing focuses on mobile strategies like messaging, mobile applications, and mobile websites. A brand that ignores mobile marketing is doomed. 

Content marketing is the creation and distribution of educational and/or entertaining information assets to generate brand awareness, traffic, leads, and sales. Marketing content is generally free and does not explicitly promote your brand as an ad would.

A content marketing strategy is a plan for building an audience. Elements of content marketing strategy include establishing objectives, audience personas, a value proposition, content marketing mission statement, a buyer journey map, and plans for creating, promoting, and analyzing how content marketing assets and programs perform.

Email, social media, search, and other elements of your digital marketing mix will depend on delivering useful content. Though video outlets, podcasts, and media galleries present other options, a blog is by far the most used tactic for distributing marketing content on a channel over which you have complete control.

There can be no all-encompassing answer to this question except to say you should create content buyers will find relevant and useful. Leading candidates include blog posts, articles, ebooks, infographics, microsites, videos, courses, case studies, newsletters, visuals, and various forms of interactive content.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of using onsite and offsite tactics to help get content presented by a search engine. Done well, the practice increases the quantity and quality of your traffic.

The majority of web traffic is generated by search and those that come by way of search have a greater degree of commercial intent than most other channels.

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online properties to generate traffic from location-based searches. It helps businesses promote products and services to local customers when they need them. 

Keywords are the words and phrases searchers use—usually with search engines—to find relevant pages, images, videos, or any kind of information when looking for answers, knowledge, products, or services. SEO professionals consider keywords and the topics they suggest when optimizing content for search.

This question is the source of endless speculation and debate because search engine companies such as Google will not answer it. Experts generally agree rankings are based on relevance and authority, but the factors that determine them are many—and inconsistent. The best way to achieve a high search engine ranking is to create one of the most thorough web pages possible for a specific keyword or topic.

Marketing automation is software that manages marketing processes and campaigns across multiple channels. It streamlines lead generation, segmentation, leads nurturing, leads scoring, measurement processes, and more.

An effective marketing automation tool helps identify your audience, create the right content, and automatically trigger actions based on customer behavior. 

Performance marketing focuses on programs in which you pay for performance, that is when specific actions such as clicks, leads, or sales occur. The goal is to achieve measurable conversions. Performance marketing campaigns take place in digital environments so it’s essential to have precise tracking tools.

A marketing funnel is a model that represents the stages of a buyer’s journey from the first interaction with your brand to purchase. The funnel metaphor is relevant because it narrows as it progresses, that is the probability of sales decreases at each phase of the funnel.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of increasing the percentage of conversions from your digital property, typically a web page. CRO involves executing tactics to improve the elements on your site (or app) through testing. Relative to your marketing funnel, CRO focuses on moving prospects to the next stage.

Interactive content calls for action (interaction) from the prospect beyond reading, listening, or watching. In return, participants receive real-time, personalize results they care about. Activities such as answering questions guide prospects to specific results that address their problems and challenges.

Chances are your audience is active on one or more of the major social networks where billions of people spend time daily. Brands that understand the power of social media marketing and commit resources to it can boost awareness, drive traffic, interact with customers, drive sales, build loyalty, and win advocates.

Consider first the top social channels in terms of active users: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Determine where your audience spends their time. Research the demographics and behavioral patterns of the users and consider the type of content you’ll share.

Your brand is now in the hands of your audience. You can’t “control” what’s said about it. But you can join the conversations, show you care about your customers, and add value.

Personal branding is the process of using online and offline tactics to market yourself individually and professionally. Digital media has helped to create an emphasis on personal branding for all types of hiring and purchase decisions.

A lead magnet is a free offer you make in exchange for an email address (and possibly additional information). The purpose is to inspire prospects to join your email list by offering something of value. Examples include an ebook, guide, report, assessment, cheat sheet, tool, template, webinar, course, or coupon.

Email is stronger than ever. It’s more popular than any social media. It’s more private. More personal. More reliable. Most people rely on email and check their inboxes multiple times each day. If you want to communicate directly with people who permit you to market to them, email is marketing is essential.

Only if you want to waste your money and get in the SPAM business. Most email service providers don’t allow you to use purchased lists. You need to grow your email organically (see the lead magnet question). A small list of real prospects has more value than a large list of strangers.

Lead nurturing is marketing to prospects—usually via email—to move them further “down the funnel” and keep them involved and engaged with your brand. Consistently interacting at key points during the sales process will inevitably improve conversion rates and drive sales.

The reason marketers love video so much is online consumers love it. More than a billion hours of video are consumed on YouTube each day. Video is a flexible and engaging content format. It’s easy to share across multiple platforms. Smartphones and digital editing have made it far easier to create a video, so the potential for a high ROI is great.

A call to action (CTA) is a prompt that instructs the viewer to take a specific action. A call to action is typically written as a command, such as “Buy Now.” In digital marketing, a CTA generally takes the form of a button or link.

If you want to do professional marketing you need a professional copywriter. The role of a copywriter is more important than ever in the content-driven digital media world. Well-written copy builds brands, connects with the reader, and inspires action.

Google Analytics is a free website analytics platform that gives you insights into how users find and use your website. With Google Analytics, you can track ROI for your online marketing and review important metrics to make informed decisions. The bulk of Google Analytics categorizes data into acquisition, behavior, and conversions.

A practical approach to marketing metrics should include establishing which key performance indicators (KPIs) are most important for the growth of your brand. As a starting point, consider metrics that reflect your progress regarding traffic generation, conversion, and marketing costs and create a dashboard to track them monthly.

Paid digital marketing programs should create results immediately. On the other hand, programs such as content marketing, email list building, and search engine optimization require persistence and patience. You might see some results in a matter of months; however, it’s likely to be six months to a year before you realize some of your traffic and conversion objectives.