Introduction into the importance of Internet Marketing
Ever since the internet was introduced to the general public it has changed how we operate our lives. During the earlier times of the internet, it was commonly used for communication purposes using emails and chat. However, things have changed dramatically for the better with the internet almost playing a role in everything that we have to do these days. Right from acquiring information to making purchases and selling thing we use the internet for everything. It has become very hard to imagine a world without the internet as it has become part of our daily lives.
E-commerce has evolved as well with the internet being introduced to the common man. Businesses have found ways to use the internet to make better profits. With internet marketing, they can reach more customers and thus can generate better income in the process. Any business that wishes to sell their products, market their services or provide information to customers finds the internet to be a boon.
However, reaching the end customer through the internet is not always as easy as one may think. Using the right methods is the only way that you can get the desired number of people to visit your website, purchase products, avail your services, and contact you for other purposes. Foolproof methods would need to be adopted by businesses if they want to stay alive on the internet.
Various methods used to market a business, their products, and the services they have. However, only a few of them have proven to be effective over time. In case your business does not use these methods then you are highly unlikely to attain the type of results that you expect from your website. So, we have a look at some of the best methods that are effective through the use of the internet for businesses.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Ever since the time businesses started using the internet SEO or Search Engine Optimization has been around. It has been one of the most effective methods that businesses have used to rank their website on top with search engines. By optimizing your website for search engines, you help them be listed on top of search results.
The foremost thing that you would have to understand as a business owner is a fact that not many people browse beyond the 1st and 2nd pages of the search results. Thus, if your website is not ranked among the first few listings there are few chances that you may have to get organic traffic towards your website. You would have to find out the optimal keywords and place them strategically on your website and create backlinks for SEO. This would help your business be ranked among the top search results.
Ideally, you can hire a company that can provide you with an SEO analyst who can tell you about the things that need changing on your website. To make things easier they would end up guiding you in optimizing your website in such a way that starts to yield results without you having to spend much. We list below a few things that have to be done to have the SEO marketing of your website going. They are as follows:
• Keyword researching and mastering it
• Appropriate planning of your website
• Understanding your competition
• Optimizing your site
• DIY public relations
• Production of regular content or updating it regularly
• Understanding Google algorithms and analytics
• Building a social media network for your business
If the SEO company that you hire for your business is capable of doing these things you can be assured that you are putting your business on the right path with digital marketing.
Social Media Marketing
Social media has been a revelation ever since it came into existence. Some of the most popular social media networks include the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, WeChat, Tumblr, Reddit, LinkedIn, Viber, Snapchat, and many others. In the earlier days, these were used for people to communicate and connect. However, these days we find a lot of businesses beginning to use these social media platforms to market their websites and businesses.
Effective social media marketing can do a lot of good things to a business than harm. So, engaging the option of using social media marketing as a viable option should not be ruled out by any business owner. This can bring in customers from far and wide towards your business and help you grow your customer base when you do it effectively.
Email Marketing
There were days when email marketing played a huge role in marketing a product or a business. However, with spam filters in place, the promotional emails that you send to customers end up being directly sent to the junk folder. However, there are still ways in which you can effectively use email marketing with your customers. By having space on your website for visitors to input their email addresses you can create a database. These emails would not be considered junk as the customers have opted to receive emails from you. So, you can alert them about promotions, offers, discounts and other important events about your business. This can help improve not just your business but your customer relationship with them too.
Bringing customers to your website is one thing and retaining them is another. By way of effective communication that is personalized with customers, you can build that trust and relationship with customers. Thus, you end up retaining them and avoid them going towards your competitors.
Content Marketing
This form of marketing is effectively used for a targeted audience. By creating, publishing and distributing content you can attract more customers towards your business. These are the simple terms in which you can explain content marketing. You would have to focus on creating valuable content, to begin with. People who have a look at the content should be intrigued to read more about it. The content should thus be relevant and valuable to the person reading it.
By doing this you are creating a general interest among them which would further make them visit your website and buy products or avail the services that you have. This is also a form of generating organic traffic towards your website. Effective content marketing regularly can keep the traffic towards your website flowing constantly. It has a proven track record to be successful to people which you as a business person can choose to use too.
Influencer Marketing for Lawn & Landcape Companies
This form of marketing is not common but effective to a large extent. Basically you would hire a local celebrity or well known person to be your spokesperson. However, using this would mean that you have to spend a considerable amount of money on this marketing effort. This is also a type of social marketing but is not as renowned as its other types. By having influential people or organizations who are experts in their domain to endorse your product you get more popularity for the same.
By using influencer marketing, you can get a lot of customers to visit your websites when they see popular influencers endorse your company. This can be successful sports personalities, celebrities, actors, and people who are popular in their respective domains and have a huge fan following for them. Although you would have to spend money on this you would be amazed by the response if the influencer marketing is done in the right way.
Viral Marketing Methods to get more lawn or landscape customers
One of the many methods that are said to have an immediate impact on your business is viral marketing over the internet. However, this can take a lot of time and effort for a person to make viral marketing effective. You would have to create content that is either controversy, funny, trendy, or strange. Using your social media network and by posting it on popular forums you can make it viral within no time at all.
You can expect massive amounts of traffic that begin to flow to your website once your content is viral. Moreover, if the landing page for the customers is optimized to create an interest in a person visiting it then you can expect to have results as well. This is how many businesses that cater to customers (B2C) can generate traffic which ends up resulting in successful sales or business on their website.
Mobile Phone Marketing
In the earlier days, SMS marketing was used to attract customers towards the website of a business. Although it is an old method it is still being used by many businesses. This can be particularly effective to attract the local audience of your physical business location. Although it might not bring in customers to your website it can attract people who wish to buy products from you over the counter.
Apart from this, almost all the above-mentioned marketing methods can also use mobile phone marketing as an option. This would effectively have an impact on your business in one way or the other.
Pay Per Click Marketing
This form of marketing is done by placing advertisements on websites for a marginal cost. However, once a person clicks the advertisement that you have placed you would have to pay the website that you placed the advertisement at. In simple terms, this is known as PPC or pay per click marketing method. Many businesses use this method successfully to get more people to visit their website. You can choose to use this method too as long as you can place your advertisements strategically.
Local and Organic SEO Marketing
Probably the best type of marketing you can do for your business website. This is a type of marketing that is used for businesses that usually caters to a specific locality or city. By doing SEO marketing that is targeted towards the local audience you get to attract people either to your physical location or your website. If your business is looking to get your website in front of customers in your local area then this can be a useful option for you to consider as a business owner.
Instant Messenger Marketing
Although most people do not trust SMS marketing methods much these days there is always an alternative scope for business owners. Taping into the instant messaging platforms for your marketing efforts can be a good idea. Using WhatsApp, Messenger, and WeChat can be some of the best methods that you can use to promote your product or service.
It is highly likely that people would trust you when you use this method when compared to SMS or other types of marketing done on the phone.
Public Relations Content
It might sound crazy to many people but this form of advertisement is also something that has proven to be effective. Rather than blowing your own trumpet, you can ask others to do the job for you. Effectively you are asking the customers who are satisfied with your product to give you a review on public forums or platforms.
When people hear about your product from a third-party, they tend to believe in it better than you telling them about it. This can be done through reviews, testimonials and other third-party websites. Using this may not yield great results to begin with but can help your business in the long run for sure. Accumulating these positive reviews over a while can be good for any business for that matter.
Offline Advertising
While online advertising or digital advertising can always have a huge impact on your business there is something that you would not want to miss out on. This is commonly known as offline advertising that includes radio, television, and physical advertising.
Radio advertising is relatively cheaper than most other forms of advertising and it also does not require too much hard work from your end. You just have to use your creativity to ignite the imagination of your customers to have good results.
Television advertising is also a mode of advertising that can still be effective to attract customers. However, the downside to this form of advertising is the fact that it would cost you a lot of money to get it going.
Physical advertising is cheaper but effective in more ways than one. This is also something that you can try out for your business in a bid to attract more customers.
Conclusion
Although there are many forms of internet marketing methods, they can only be fruitful when they are used right. This is why you should ensure that you are getting to use the services of a company that can provide you with these services. By using their help, you can help your business establish itself on the internet. They can help you create brand awareness for your website and business. Making your business presence on the internet and creating awareness or an online presence for your business is also something that these companies can help with. They can help you grow with the help of the internet by using the various marketing methods available on the internet.
Would you like some help with your online marketing?
Landscape Marketing Boss is the leader in online marketing services for lawn and landscape companies across the US. Give us a call at 315-752-5883 or click below to contact us for a Free Marketing Evaluation.