“SEO... [digital marketing] ...is an investment just like a tree that needs effort, patience, and time to grow before you can see the result.” - Dr. Chris Dayagdag
Are you an entrepreneur, a freelancer, the owner of an SME (Small Medium Enterprise)? Or, are you perhaps a senior or C-Suite (executive level) manager? If so, do you, or does your company have a clearly defined, well-thought-out growth marketing strategy?
Before we answer this question, let’s consider the definitions of both “digital marketing” and a “digital marketing strategy.” For, it is by knowledge and understanding that we are able to design and execute a successful Internet marketing campaign.
Wikipedia.com defines digital marketing as the "component of marketing that utilizes the internet and online-based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services."
Simply stated, digital marketing is fundamentally the same as traditional marketing. All the well-defined methodologies and best practices of the overall marketing model also apply to digital marketing. However, the defining element between the two is that digital marketing’s core focus is Internet- or online-based.
And, suffice to say, it is reasonable to assume that a digital marketing strategy is the result of the development of a strategic marketing plan. This concept is elucidated by Cleverism in their definition of strategic marketing as the “process of planning, developing, and implementing maneuvers to obtain a competitive edge in your chosen niche.”
The Cleverism site goes onto state that to construct a digital marketing strategy that fulfils its core function, it is vital to “outline and simplify a direct map of the company’s objectives and how to achieve them.”
Therefore, when planning an online marketing strategy, it's a good idea to consider talking to a digital PR agency consulting professional who understands the quintessential nature of the digital revolution.
As we shall see below, not only does a successful Internet marketing strategy contain all the aspects of a standard marketing strategy, it has to take the specifics of the digital world into account to be equally, if not more successful.
Thus, to develop and execute a successful online marketing plan, let's consider the fundamental components that make up the strategy that highlights the brand to its target audience, drives traffic to the brand's online presence, and converts visitors into returning customers.
One of the imperatives of the successful marking strategy is a website that is designed by a professional website design company that understands the significance of emphasizing UX (Usability) and UI (User Interface) best-practice methodologies during the website design phase.
Why?
Primarily, the majority of digital marketing tactics are designed to drive traffic to the brand’s website with the sole aim of answering the site’s Call-To-Action (CTA). And, if the website is not intuitive and easy to use, the marketing efforts are wasted. Therefore, it is safe to say that the company or brand website is a cornerstone of the digital marketing strategy.
Searchengineland.com defines SEO as the “process of getting traffic from the free, organic, editorial, or natural search results on search engines.”
The fundamental difference between SEO and paid search adverts is that SEO does not involve any money changing hands while the concept of paid adverts does.
At the outset of this section, it's vital to note that, according to the SearchEngineLand article quoted above, each digital marketing or SEO element will not guarantee search engine rankings. It is the combination of all these factors that will rank the brand's website in the top three-pack on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Furthermore, SEO forms another one of the digital marketing cornerstones. And, it consists of two primary aspects: On-page SEO and off-page SEO.
Succinctly stated, on-page SEO covers the practice of optimizing the brand’s website help the search engines like Google or Bing find and index the site. It includes adding a site map to the website design, adding relevant keywords and key phrases to the web copy, and implementing UX and UI best practices. It is also important to note that Google take the website load time into account when deciding where to rank it.
The contentmarketinginstitute.com defines content marketing as a “strategic… approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience - and… to drive profitable customer action.”
Content marketing is the third and equally important cornerstone of a successful digital marketing strategy. And, it forms the essence of all off-page SEO. Succinctly stated, off-page SEO includes all marketing plans that are not directly involved with website design and development.
The age-old adage, “content is king,” rings true in this regard. For without content, search engines like Google will not index and rank your website. However, it is vital to reiterate that it is not just any content that will drive traffic to your brand. Instead, specific content with the following characteristics that will form the foundation on which all other SEO and marketing efforts will thrive.
Quality is a significant aspect of content that drives brand growth and increases SERP ranking metrics. In other words, is the content well-written, based on solid grammar? Is the content relevant to the brand? Is it informative? And, is it able to hold readers’ attention for more than a few seconds?
If your content answers yes to all of these questions, then it will play the required role to drive traffic to the brand’s website and help rank the site in the top three-pack on the SERP.
Content that plays a valuable role in the overall digital marketing strategy must be based on the focus keywords that describe the brand and are linked to the brand. In other words, when a potential customer types in a search phrase that is based on the brand’s keyword strategy, the brand’s website will rank in the top results returned by the search engine on the SERP.
In conclusion, it is worth highlighting the quotation mentioned above by Dr. Chris Dayagdag. You can have the perfect digital marketing strategy with impeccable design and execution. However, without the addition of time into the overall strategy, it will appear as though the plan has failed.
If you would like to connect with an SEO strategist to speak more about implementing innovative strategies, contact one here!
