We live in a digital environment and what grew businesses in the past is no longer going to work moving forward.  Technology is a part of our everyday lives and social media is really just a slang term for how the majority of people communicate and consume information today.  There was a real shift in digital marketing in 2016, and as we’ve moved into 2017 there are some major realities that everyone needs to be mindful of, such as the importance of authenticity and transparency in creating organic content, as well as the critical nature of how and where you deliver that content.  Organic vs. paid reach is where the action is (which we’re super excited about) and the ability to remain open and agile will be the difference between success or failure when it comes to a company’s digital marketing strategy. 

Life, and business, shifts over time and change can be a good thing.  Stop and think about the changes that people, and businesses, experienced when the printing press was created.  How about radio and television?  Do you remember just a few decades ago when so many business owners thought websites, and the internet in general, was a fad?  Or, think about those business owners that understood the value of email marketing early on and had great success with that.  There were crazy open rates back then upwards of 90% compared to today’s average of 15-28% (depending on industry).  We’re just trying to illustrate that there are so many small to mid sized business owners out there that are still pushing against essential elements of marketing and growth strategies!

There’s more competition for attention now than there ever has been, and if a company out there wants to be heard by their identified target audience then they’ve got to figure out where that audience is putting their attention.  And, they need to also understand that when their audience is on these different platforms the messaging needs to be crafted specifically for them in that space.  It sounds like a lot and we’re not going to sugar coat it, it kind of is, but with the right strategy in place it can all be streamlined, efficient and even fun.  Understanding how to utilize technology to grow your business is paramount.  Creating great content then being able to distribute it in a way that your audience will want to consume it is the key that unlocks the door to engagement and reach. 

Ready to ditch the fear of the unknown and take the reins? Here are some things to keep in mind:

Self Awareness is key

Companies first need to really focus in on who they are, what they do and why they do it, then they need to create content that tells that story.  

Identify Your Audience

They need to clearly identify and understand who their target audience and where their attention is and/or how they’re consuming information.  

Remain Open and Agile

The work is not over yet, as this digital landscape is changing constantly and businesses must continue to experiment with where their audience’s interest and engagement is!  

Quality Content Matters

Today’s consumers are savvy digital hunters and they’re discovering businesses for the first time through Google searches or social media.  Smart marketers know that they have to focus on creating authentic quality content and customized messaging for the social platforms that have been identified as making the most sense for that specific business. Organic reach vs. paid reach is super important in this saturated marketplace and by understanding how to identify (and use properly) key words, key phrases and all the other important components of creating quality content is HUGE.  

Sell The Way Customers Want To Buy

That quality content then needs to be served up properly onto the different platforms, from a blog post on a website (a website that is set up properly as this is the foundation of a solid digital marketing strategy), to a carefully crafted video posted on YouTube, to the images posted on Instagram and so on let the amazing technology work efficiently and effectively to grow your business!  This is the tip of the iceberg and just a brief overview of how businesses need to embrace all the fantastic technology driven world that we are now living in and create digital marketing strategies that will help rank them higher and be seen by the people that want to buy whatever service or product they’re selling.