Promoting your business online is much more difficult today than it was a decade ago, thanks to the complexities of online searches and social media digital marketing. The digital marketing sphere has also changed dramatically over the last decade, and search engines are now penalising questionable marketing techniques such as deceptive advertising, content scraping, mass emails, etc.
As 2020 demands a more authentic, relevant, and original approach to marketing;
10 tips to improve your digital marketing strategies this year.
1. Optimized For Voice Search
50% of all online searches will be voice-based by 2020. (Source: 99 Firms)
The growth of voice search in 2020 suggests that every business should focus on being featured in voice search results. To rank for voice search, you should optimize for local search, add long-tail keywords and create a Google My Business account to get more exposure.
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2. Create Strong Backlinks
Backlinks are crucial for optimizing websites for search engines because they add credibility and authority to a site by adding a vote of confidence from another website.
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One thing marketers need to understand is that when it comes to backlink, quality exceeds quantity. Even though the number of backlinks was enough to determine the quality of a website in the past, however, quality matters more these days.
This is because the quantity factor can be easily manipulated. Many websites use tactics like paid results, buying links, link wheels, and automating comment spam to increase the number of websites linked artificially. Hence, to prevent these types of manipulation, search engines now focus on the quality of links.
So, digital marketers in 2020 should be acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable and authoritative websites.
3. Take On Influencer Marketing
Influencer endorsement, coupled with a modern-day content-driven marketing campaign, creates an effective strategy for digital advertising. Brands and influencers are now collaborating to engage followers and affect their purchasing decisions.
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The influencer marketing industry is expected to hit $10bn by 2020. (Source: Digital Marketing Institute)
What makes influencer marketing so popular and effective is the fact that influencers, unlike celebrities, are relatable and approachable. An influencer can be anyone who owns a large following on social media and the Internet. Depending on their field of expertise, these influencers create engaging social posts with great pictures and videos to create an effective communication channel with their audiences. This is what gives them the power to “influence” their followers.
Thus, with a strong following and a positive reputation, influencers should be included in your next digital strategy.
4. Create Rich and Organic Content
One of the key ingredients to a successful digital marketing strategy is quality content. Keyword stuffing and listicles are no longer considered effective marketing tools. As search engines evolve and update their algorithms to generate more relevant and intent-based organic results, the focus is now on relevant, informative, engaging, and original content.
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In 2020, your content should consist of long-tail keywords, references, correct and relevant information, and strong ranking factors (like EAT and backlinks).
5. User Experience (UX)
User experience determines how the users interact with your website or platform. In digital marketing terms, user experience is typically referred to as website’s performance and how it impacts your online presence.
70% of customers abandon purchases because of bad user experiences. (Source: Intechnic) Hence, it is important to enhance the user experience of your website for customer retention.
To enhance the customer experience strategy, make sure your website works smoothly, is mobile-friendly, and has sensible navigation. Optimize your website for any negligence or shortcomings to mitigate the chances of poor UX.
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6. Video Content
52% of consumers feel more confident with their online purchase decisions after watching product videos. (Source: Single Grain).
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Considering user’s video consumption habits, marketers should prioritize video advertising because it will not fade into obscurity any time soon. By posting video content on social media and websites, your business will be on track to reach and attract new users and gain their trust.
Also, factor in the video’s quality and length, depending on different social media platforms, to create effective video content for marketing purposes.
7. Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Chatbots and digital assistants are not new in 2020 but many online brands are still missing out on this opportunity.
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By 2021, 80% of emerging technologies will have AI foundations. (Source: Gartner). This is the perfect time to harness artificial intelligence to create a smooth customer experience and improve your marketing results.
Since voice search is becoming popular, it is imperative for digital marketers to also introduce conversational AI tactics in marketing strategies.
8. Co-Branded Content
Co-branded content refers to brand collaborations to publish a piece of content online. It allows the participants to show relevant expertise and create brand awareness for a greater audience. A few easy and effective online co-branding content strategies include podcasts, webinars, research reports, video series, etc.
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9. Focus on Ads
Appearing in mobile search ad results can increase brand awareness by 46%. (Source: WordStream)
Even in 2020, ads are a great way to get your name out there and attract more viewers. Both Facebook and Google Ads are two of the heavy hitters when it comes to ad promotion.
One thing that marketers should remember is to create dynamic and interesting content that links to your ad. The right content will drive the right traffic to your ad and increase leads.
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10. Track Metrics
An effective online marketing strategy should be able to deliver real-time results by tracking the right metrics. Gather and analyze tangible metrics on your visitors, your sources, your website performance and SEO tactics.
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By studying your marketing strategies’ hotspots, you can determine what’s working best for you and what’s not.This concludes our list of the top 10 digital marketing tips in 2020.