The buyer journey
Today, buyers are more informed than ever before due to the amount of instant information available at everyone's fingertips. To be successful, businesses need to become familiar with their current and potential buyers and assess the journey they would take that leads to a purchase - or the so-called, buyer journey. The buyer journey is broken down into awareness, consideration and decision stages and, nowadays, is most likely to start from one Google Search, to explore the possible solutions to the consumer’s issue. This means that a consumer will be actively searching for a product or service online (therefore displaying intent) and provides businesses with the opportunity to present themselves, increasing the chances of individuals choosing to engage with their brand.
According to Internet Live stats, there are over 8.5 billion searches done on Google per day.
Pay-per-click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing provides brands with the opportunity to appear first on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). By targeting specific keywords, based on customer insights, companies can rank at the top of the search results page (dependent on the budget allocated to the campaign) and ensure visibility, increasing their chances to get more visitors on their webpage. Using PPC to support an inbound marketing strategy is essential since it can provide deeper audience insights which can, in turn, be used to identify new potential clients that businesses can maximise to refine their overall marketing strategy.
The effectiveness of your website
While a long-term SEO plan is essential for maintaining a brand’s ranking on the SERP, businesses shouldn't ignore PPC. Your website is the foundation of your brand and increases visibility, awareness and brand recognition, as well as enables your marketing efforts. It needs to identify your brand and convey information which aligns with your mission. The secret to success here is utilising the power of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) which allows you to organically (free) rank higher in Google Search results, therefore boosting your brand’s visibility, driving more traffic to your website, and ultimately increasing chances for conversions (purchases).
To increase your ranking, keyword research should be at the centre of your SEO. During this process, businesses perform what is called on-page SEO, identifying keywords their target audiences use when searching for related products or services and ensuring that these are included on their website. In today’s world of digital marketing, SEO isn't just a strategy; it's a necessity.
Leveraging social media
Social media is an essential part of any inbound marketing strategy since it provides a powerful way to connect with your potential customers whilst promoting your brand and driving traffic to your website. Selecting the right social media platforms is the first step to leveraging your social media presence. Remember that different platforms host different demographics, so it's important to select the right platform and create engaging content that will resonate with your target audiences. This can vary in form, such as videos, blog posts, infographics, etc. and it is of the utmost importance that your content provides value to your audiences. Lastly, a business should also be focusing on building a community on social media by engaging with followers, responding to comments and messages, and participating in online conversations.
