What Every SME Should Know About Digital Marketing

Digital marketing can be a complex arena to navigate, whether you’re a seasoned marketer or an old school small business owner. The landscape is constantly changing. More and more suppliers everyday join an ever-growing list of online advertising providers, which can be a minefield when it comes to choosing the right service and provider for your business.

To help you increase sales by developing a more effective digital marketing strategy, here is an outline of the four main services available.

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

SEO is the process of improving your website’s search visibility and ranking within search engines such as Google or Bing. SEO is perhaps the most effective method of boosting your website’s traffic or visits if done properly. It involves improving the ‘authority’ that your website has within search engines by having other websites linking to it and containing unique, original, and relevant quality content. It is important to ask any company you work with for case studies and testimonials linking back to your website for this reason.

2. Google Ads

Google Ads is a product provided by Google where you pay-per-click to be ranked within the ads section of the search engine. The price you pay-per-click is based on the keywords you target (e.g. ‘housebuilders’) and it works on a bidding system. Therefore, the more competition there is for bids on a keyword, the higher the price. This can be an effective method depending on your business and industry. Generally, businesses with higher value products or services have better success. When looking into this service, it is important you pick a company that evaluates a range of digital marketing solutions to ensure it is the best fit for your business and needs.

3. Social Media Marketing

We all know the power of social media and for businesses, it can be a powerful tool to help you reach your target audience. Advertising on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social platforms can have a lower cost per click, but a more expensive cost per conversion, in comparison to other digital products. It combines a mix of direct and indirect marketing, however, which AdWords and SEO cannot do, assisting to build brand equity. Facebook ads are the most common form of social media marketing but, like other services, it’s best to speak with an online marketer who offers marketing on a range of social platforms to ensure the options presented are the best for your business objectives.

4. Retargeting

Retargeting—or remarketing—is the process of re-advertising to people who have already visited your website. It is highly likely you have been retargeted yourself at some stage, and have been served an ad for a website you have recently visited. This is a highly effective and generally inexpensive way of ensuring you get the most out of your website visitors, and can help you target existing customers as well. Retargeting is generally done through Google Ads, and it works best in combination with SEO and (or) Ads, so this is something to discuss when looking at other services.

Find networks in your Bartercard network!

These are some of the more popular and effective digital marketing services. It is recommended that they be managed by an agency for the best results. However, you should always do your own research first, on any service or company you may wish to work with.

The Bartercard community offers a wide range of professional services including digital marketing and PR agencies. So, if you are in the market and are looking to save that all-important cash, why not consider joining the Bartercard network and start paying for services such as these using trade dollars? Contact Bartercard today for more information.

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