Jeweller - September 2021

BUSINESS
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The simplified guide to digital marketing
BETH WALKER presents a concise guide to the world of digital marketing for business
owners, from content marketing to SEO and social media.
When I tell people I work in digital
marketing, they often respond by saying
they don't want to sell their products or
services on social media.
This reaction is understandable.
These days, social media isn't always kind,
and the algorithms used to determine which
accounts and posts reach the most eyes
are unpredictable.
For this reason, I advise businesses to
think of social media as the icing on
the multi-layered cake of their digital
marketing strategy.
One definition of digital marketing is that
it is the strategy of using the internet to
market a business.
The goal of digital marketing should be to
create and optimise information that helps
a business’ ideal customers understand
everything about the business, which then
makes them more likely to trust – and
therefore purchase – from that business.
It is a broad concept, and includes content
marketing, search engine optimisation
(SEO), social media marketing, website
development and design, pay-per-click
(PPC) advertising, lead generation, lead
nurturing, and email marketing.
These elements can be grouped roughly
into two sections – content marketing and
website development.
Content marketing
Content is the most time-consuming and
often the most expensive part of a digital
marketing strategy but it is key to engaging
and exciting potential customers.
When a business provides valuable
information and keeps its online audience
informed about its activities, it adds value.
There is a lot of ‘noise’ on the internet and
content marketing helps you to distinguish
your business as a space where customers
won't have their time wasted.
As the business owner, you will know the
types of content your customers need.
Using keywords, you can create content
Digital marketing is a broad concept with many different elements.
about the most important topics for
your business.
When you develop a library of assets
that are well-written or produced,
authoritative, relevant, and attract your
audience's attention, you will quickly
become an authority in your field.
Content marketing assets include:
• Web page content
• Blog posts
• Emails
• Infographics
• Whitepapers
• E-books
• Videos
• Podcasts
• How-to guides
• Webinars
Content marketing also includes social
media, lead generation, lead nurturing,
and email marketing.
Website development
Your most important digital asset is
your website. It is vital to have a website
that presents a clear message and has
easy navigation.
User experience is something that can't
The goal
of digital
marketing
should be to
create and
optimise
information
that helps a
business’ ideal
customers
understand
everything
about the
business
be overlooked, so it is critical to seek a
visually appealing design.
It's also necessary that your site is fully
optimised for SEO, providing you with the
best opportunities to rank highly in relevant
Google searches.
Incorporate SEO best practices into your
website’s content, meta descriptions,
and titles, incorporating key terms your
customers – and potential customers – are
using to search for businesses like yours.
Finally, you'll need to connect your website
to Google Analytics and Search Console
– formerly known as Google Webmaster
Tools – so you can ensure your site is being
found on Google.
Measurable results
To ensure your digital marketing strategy is
successful, it's important to analyse each
element. This ensures your effort, time and
resouces are actually working to connect
you with your desired audience.
However, the prospect of managing a digital
marketing strategy may seem daunting, and
you may want to seek further assistance.
If you start searching for the terms and
strategies highlighted in this article, you
will find thousands of get-rich-quick
pitches, hundreds of websites with people
stating they are digital marketing experts,
and just as many videos and webinars.
Each will have a different way of doing
things. So, who do you trust?
If marketers are willing to teach you what
they know to help you get started, that is a
good sign. It is also a good idea to listen to
a company that can prove its methodology
with case studies.
If a business cannot transparently show
that its strategies work, why should you
waste your time?
BETH WALKER writes for US-based
SMA Marketing, which specialises
in digital marketing strategies for
businesses. Visit: smamarketing.net
September 2021 | 79