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The Fantastic Four of Digital Marketing

Announcement posted by ReachLocal Australia 15 Dec 2015

Just like the Fantastic Four, while one digital marketing product can have a big impact on your business, when combined with other products, the impact can be even more impressive: bringing more interested buyers to your website and helping convert them into customers!

Let’s start by looking at traditional marketing methods. A commuter sees your billboard, then hears your commercial on the radio. When they get home, they think of your business and use a directory to find your phone number and get in touch. If they don’t see your ad, and instead see the billboard of your competitor, they might choose them instead. This scenario can be extended to the online world. Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation can help capture their attention, retargeting can assist in re-engaging them, and live chat can open up the dialogue to convert them into a potential customer.

Here’s how four digital marketing technologies work behind the scenes to get small businesses more clients.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

SEM puts your text ads in the paid section on a Search Engine Results Page whenever a search query matches your chosen keywords. For many local businesses, running SEM campaigns on their own can be a complex and time-consuming task. From deciding on a budget, picking the right keywords to improving performance – SEM requires expertise and continuous adjustment. A search SEM expert can help evaluate lists of keywords and craft text ads for your campaign. Then using the right technology, they can optimise your ad to get you the best visibility on search engines based on selected keywords. This will drive enquiries to help your business get more customers.

Search Engine Optimisiation (SEO)

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a key part of any digital marketing strategy. In addition, to your SEM strategy this helps your business claim organic shelf-space. Major search engines display relevant and authoritative results to searchers. An SEO specialist can assist in guiding your business to build website foundations with onsite and offsite best practices, boosting your website, social media presence, and local listings to help drive more organic traffic.

Retargeting

Retargeting can be an efficient way to target consumers who have already shown some interest in your business.  A Retargeting solution will show your display ads to relevant consumers who have visited your business’ website and left without contacting you. This technology offers those consumers customised ads about your company or the product they searched for, reminding them of their intent to make a purchase. This is a powerful way to keep your business in front of relevant people who are looking to buy what you offer.

Live Chat

Sometimes having an email or phone number is not enough, particularly if the customer wants to reach you outside of operating hours. It is important that there are multiple ways your customers can contact you. Live chat is a tool that encourages your online customers to chat and ask questions about your products and services. When you have invested in advertising, made the effort to be found organically and encouraged consumers to re-engage with your business, live chat can assist in opening up a dialogue and capturing the lead. A solution like this on your website provides an easy way for customers to ask questions, which can be answered instantly in real-time.

SEM and SEO are effective advertising channels in their own right. But they become even more powerful when retargeting and chat are added into the mix. These four solutions when combined, will ensure your business is found in more places online, give consumers an extra push to pick your business over a competitor, and finally, ensure you don’t miss an opportunity to engage with a potential customer. For a higher conversion rate and greater return on investment, consider implementing all four in your online advertising strategy.