The efficacy of digital marketing is no longer up for a debate. There’s a consensus among marketers that the new-age marketing strategy generates tangible results.
One area where people are divided is allocating the digital marketing budget. While some brands spend thousands of dollars on digital promotions, others spend very little to nothing. The disparity in organizations’ capacities demands that they carry out different campaigns. All things being equal, bigger organizations spend more than smaller ones as a result of their wider consumer base.
Whatever the size of your digital marketing budget is, knowing what to spend on and how to spend it, are integral for success. If you had a thousand dollars to spare for digital marketing, you’d have nothing to show for it if you didn’t put it to good use.
Here are five areas you should spend your digital marketing budget in 2019 for maximum results:
1. SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one digital marketing technique that will be around for a very long time. As long as search engines continue to exist, SEO will remain one of the surest ways to reach your desired prospects.
So many businesses are contesting for the top spots on Google and the likes. There’s only so much you can do by putting out good content. While this may be useful to your existing audience who find their way to your site directly, new users are able to find you when you make use of SEO techniques.
As one in the business, it’s advisable that you understand SEO basics in creating your content. But that isn’t enough in a highly competitive environment. You may need to hire a digital marketing agency with good records of SEO to give your business an edge in visibility.
2. Content marketing
Content is king. This popular saying may be hackneyed, but it doesn’t make content less important. The growing population of the online community yearns for more relevant content. Having an active blog may be good for building a following and establishing your expertise. But there’s the need to expand your scope.
Content marketing increases your brand visibility by placing it in front of niche audiences. Having the opportunity to showcase your brand on a number of authority sites in your niche further validates your expertise and opens you up to more business opportunities.
Channeling a part of your digital marketing budget in this area by engaging a reputable digital PR agency will be profitable to your business this year.
3. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing has moved up the ranks in digital marketing. It’s no longer sufficient for brands to single handedly promote their products. With a growing product-conscious consumer base, you need more than a great ad copy to make consumers patronize you. They are demanding credibility and trust. A great way to appeal to them is by teaming up with people whom they are already comfortable with.
At the mention of influencer marketing, big celebrity names like Kylie Jenner come to mind. But how many brands can afford them?
You can enjoy the benefits of influencer marketing by joining forces with micro influencers. These are everyday people with a following of not more than fifteen thousand on social media. Due to their lesser following, they have a rapport with their followers, making it easier for them to build trust, loyalty and credibility.
4. YouTube
Video marketing is fast becoming a force to reckon with in digital marketing. With YouTube being a leading medium for sharing content online, it’d be unwise to neglect it.
It isn’t just enough to upload your video on YouTube. With over 5 billion videos watched daily, your content will get lost in the crowd if you aren’t strategic.
Identify channels that your prospects watch, and create specialized content for them.
Challenge your creativity. Ads in videos can be intrusive. Regardless, some ads convert. Why? They are attention-grabbing. Despite the intrusion, viewers hold themselves back from clicking on the “skip ad” button watching the entire ad.
Go for the kill in your hook. Let those first seconds be memorable. Infuse creative elements such a humor to buy more time before the viewer skips the ad.
Money spent on digital marketing is an investment. Like every good investment, it’s meant to yield high Return on Investment (ROI). Following the bandwagon in digital marketing is a waste of time if those strategies aren’t favorable to you. Find what works for you and stick to it.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash