Although e-marketing is defined as marketing using the internet, it is not as easy as the definition suggests. There are multiple ways to use this digital medium for your integrated marketing strategy. Key components that make up this marketing segment are:
- Analytics
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Content Marketing
- Banner Ads
- Google Adwords
Now, you might say social media should be added as well, and most companies do lump social media into their internet marketing. But Brandwidth Solutions believes that social media is so extensive that it deserves its own section in our MarCom Wheel. That’s the best part of an integrated marketing plan/strategy—you can cut it up any way you like as long as you cover each of the channels and integrate them together.
E-mail is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach your clients. By using e-mail to send out e-newsletters, you’re reaching your clients and keeping your company fresh in their minds. There are many things you can use e-newsletters for: company news, tips and tricks, promotions, etc.
Another option is an e-blast, which differs from an e-newsletter because it is not sent out on a regular basis. It’s used to engage with your clients about a variety of things. For example, if you have a booth at a trade show you can have a link in an e-blast that goes to a landing page where potential visitors can fill out an appointment form. You can also use e-blasts to provide new product information to clients and link back to your website/microsite where they can download brochures or white papers—and you can generate leads.
Analytics
One of the greatest benefits of digital marketing is the availability of tracking data. We can look at how many people click on a link, where and how far they follow it, what they are looking at on a website, and when and where they leave the site. It is imperative to know how to analyze the data that results from looking at your analytics report. You can maximize your ROI by understanding this data and tweaking and testing your campaign and website(s).
SEO
SEO is what drives your online marketing campaign because it directly affects how you are ranked by search engines like Google. When you are writing anything for the web – like a webpage or blog – it needs to be optimized with keywords and key terms. This helps search engines find you and places your company closer to the top on search engine result pages (SERP).
Content Marketing
Content Marketing includes information you want to share with your audience (e.g., white papers, application notes, e-books, videos, a blog). These items help you engage with new and existing clients. They can also be used and shared via social media channels. This helps maintain brand loyalty, and can result in you being viewed as a thought leader in your particular industry. The more you can share, the more visible you are—and the more visible you are, the more important you become. (It’s all perception. This is—after all—marketing we’re talking about!)
Banner Ads
Banner ads work like your traditional media buying, or ad buying, but instead of print or TV, they’re online. The same rules apply, as with traditional marketing—banner ads need to be placed where your target market will see them. There are different types of banner ads and placement. Just like in a publication, better placement is going to cost more money. There is a huge benefit to banner ads— and yep, you guessed it, they can be tracked!
Google Adwords
Google Adwords fall into your pay-per-click (PPC) category. PPC gives you more control over certain things in your campaign unlike SEO. You can target certain words and geographic regions. This helps bring more visibility and traffic to your site, especially if your SEO isn’t quite there yet. Adwords can seem confusing, but Google is very helpful when planning an Adword campaign.
Technology is constantly changing, with more and more channels opening, which create fun challenges for your marketing efforts. Sometimes it feels like these new ways of marketing are a marketing ploy to deceive marketers into thinking they have to have the latest and greatest thing. It is important to stay ever-present in your target audience’s mind so staying on top of your marketing and integrating each channel together is key.
Check out what is trending for 2014 (hint: mobile marketing is the next big thing) in 10 Online Marketing Predictions to Inform Your Strategy in 2014.
So, tell us, is e-marketing as easy as you thought it was?
Brandwidth Solutions serves the healthcare, life sciences, technology, and contract pharma industries. We work with companies that want to make the most of their marketing – who want their marketing empowered to help drive leads – and ultimately sales. If you want to move your product or service forward in a smart way, we want to work with you. Call us at 215.997.8575.
