Most companies are well aware of the importance of cross-channel marketing.
In the “old days” large enterprises had no trouble reaching mass audiences. They purchased ads in the large newspapers and spots on national TV shows. Spreading their message across those main channels was enough to blanket the country or the world.
Now, reaching your whole audience is not that simple. Going across channels in the digital age means marketing to customers wherever they exist. Further complicating matters, it’s also of crucial importance to meet technical requirements for all devices they use to access the internet.
No Matter Who You Are, You Need a Plan!
Marketers that want to reach these relatively high goals have to implement a plan. They have their work cut out for them every step of the way, and it’s not slowing down. Expect even more devices and social apps to become popular as time marches on. There’s no way to do digital marketing without a desire to keep on learning.
Most social networks tamp down on their organic reach as they mature. That has been happening with Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. All of these networks are acutely aware that their traffic is valuable, so don’t expect them to give you organic visitors readily. They will, but much more sparingly than in the past. What’s essential now is effective communications.
Understanding and being able to speak fluently with your customers sets you apart from the competition. Being “plugged in” at the very points where they access information keeps your brand relevant. That’s why maintaining a unified brand image, and integrated marketing communications mean so much. Customers get used to dealing with your company and expect your “voice” to remain consistent.
In the past few years, organizations have paid billions to push their message across the full spectrum of digital devices and properties. Smaller enterprises are now following suit, reluctantly making the switch to integrated marketing, even though it will supercharge their results! Companies should dive right in and expand their communications immediately. Do you doubt that fewer people will enjoy the internet five years hence? Do you think it’s likely businesses will see a decline of business they get through digital marketing?
Facebook to the Rescue
Facebook is now at the center of most small businesses digital marketing efforts. The company offers highly-targeted traffic with a flexible ad program, making Facebook a natural for small businesses who want to expand their reach.
Say what you want about this giant website, but you can’t complain too much about their Ad program. They allow people with minuscule budgets to advertise to their huge, engaged audience. That’s a perfect starting point for anyone who is expanding their online efforts. Just as important is the need to follow up with all prospects. Creating an email marketing program is a natural step for any organization that plans on being around for awhile. Most people don’t buy on the first engagement, so you have to have a way to stay in touch.
Once you put all the pieces in place for your digital marketing initiative, prepare to wait awhile for results. You won’t have to wait long, but there may be a slight delay period while you tweak your campaigns. Fortunately, you can easily track just about every possible campaign objective so that you won’t be in the dark. Once you, or your outsourced digital marketing agency, will make the kinds of decisions needed to steer your campaign in a favorable direction.
Facebook Ads (and social media management) are a strong foundation for you to build on. If you know the characteristics of your ideal prospects, it’s a trivial matter to find similar ones on Facebook. 
Explore the Internet and Spread Your Tentacles
There’s no point in relying on one social media network or one form of traffic. It’s more lucrative to develop multiple sources of traffic. It means more work and a larger investment, but the benefits outweigh the risks. Social networks and search engines change their rules and preferences all the time. If one of them shuts down your favorite way to get traffic, you won’t suffer utter devastation.
As long as your organization creates text, images, and video content there will be someplace to distribute it all. Pushing content is the first step towards online success, but pales in comparison to following up! It may take your best prospects some time to relate to you digitally. Once they do your results will skyrocket. In the meantime, keep building the pieces and executing on your plan.
- LinkedIn – always establish a presence here, especially if you sell a B2B product or service.
- Instagram – still an easy network to gain a foothold.
- Facebook – your customers are already here! Make sure to establish your outpost.
- Twitter – a fast-moving environment where it’s possible to introduce yourself to strangers.
- Pinterest – visually-oriented products do extremely well here. It’s an interest-based site that drives traffic.
- Youtube – the default video sites for billions of users.
Don’t forget SnapChat, WhatsApp, and countless other apps if they fit your demographics. The point is, you’ll want to show up anywhere people already exist! Creating and maintaining a profile is a savvy way to keep fresh prospects coming in at all times. Hey, nobody said it was going to be easy!
Running in the tall grass with the big dogs takes a lot of effort. You may not have all the resources multinational companies have at their disposal, but you can offer something unique. Carve out your unique niche and discover a voice that conveys your mission. Don’t be afraid to hire third parties when necessary! Digital marketing is essential, but you certainly don’t have to do it all by yourself. There are probably many other things you could do in a day that can earn you more money.
If you have any questions about how we can help, give us a call at 1-877-830-3318. There are now more social networks than hours in a day, so delegating the job to someone else makes a lot of sense.
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