With so much information out there around the do’s and don’ts of what you should do online with your business it is easy to see why a lot of business owners get confused. There is so much to it, so let’s keep it simple.  Let’s just look at 5 key elements that will show you how online marketing works and by doing these, you will start to see results.

Home Page on your website

When someone first comes to your site you have 3-5 seconds to tell them what your business is about so they can tell if they are in the right place to investigate further. Not a lot of time is it?

When you have a minute go to your homepage (ask for feedback from friends as well) and look at it through your clients’ eyes.  Just look at it as it loads naturally on the page, this is called “above the fold or line” which is the top part of the screen that shows before you start scrolling down. Does it show you the following:

• Does it have a keyword optimised heading that would appeal to potential Clients as well as search engines? Does that heading give potential clients a clear idea on what your business provides?
• Is there a captivating image on the page that shows that it is relevant to the results your business provides?
• Is there a call to action above the fold that people would want to opt in for?  Preferably top right.
• Are your social media share buttons featured prominently?

These are just a few of the obvious things that people unconsciously look for when they go to a home page on a website.

A word on branding.

You need to make sure that your brand is consistent and easy-to identify across all of the channels you use for marketing. Otherwise, customers will have questions about where they are being taken and whether or not it’s worth their time investing in a product or a service if they aren’t sure if it is the brand, they thought they were looking at.

It is important that your brand is not only reflected clearly on your website, but also across all online marketing channels that you use such as social media, blogging sites, etc.

Blogs

Firstly, do you have a blog? If not this is something you should seriously consider.  Blogs provide excellent ways to drive traffic to a website.

Here is what to look out for:

• Is the blog headline catchy and keyword optimised?
• Does it contain relevant keywords in the body of the blog?
• Are there links to previous blogs you have written or pages on your site that are relevant to the content?
• Does it include a featured image which has been alt texted with the respective keyword relevant to the blog?
• Is it shareable and can people comment?
• Does the blog contain a call to action in it that will enable you to further engage with potential clients?

Landing Pages

Landing pages are another great way to convert visitors into leads.  But you have to make it easy for potential clients.  What is it about your call to action or campaign that would compel someone to give you their contact details?

People want information-rich content.  After all we are living in the information age!  Many are tired of signing up for a newsletter or specials list.  So what is something you can offer your potential clients that would compel them to give you their information?

What is a niche service, product or information you provide that they would want? What problems do you solve for clients with your business?  The more specific you are, the more compelling your offer will be.

Here is a list of things to consider:

• Does it have a compelling headline, once again that is keyword optimised?
• Is your headline action oriented and does it or subsequent headlines speak to the value of your campaign?
• Does the landing page have an image of the product or service you provide?
• Is there an easy to fill out form?
• Is the body of the content concise and compelling, with lots of call to action phrases?

Email

A lot of people are tired of email newsletters and special offers that companies send out.  There are a lot of statistics out there that would support this.  However, consistent and value-added emails can have quite a different response.  You really have to know your audience and what they want.

Here is a few pointers on what to include in your emails:

• Clear, catchy subject line headers.
• Make sure your audience knows who the email is coming from.  If it is a name or part of the company they don’t recognise, it could end up in the bin or even worst, marked as spam.
• Is it consistent with your branding?
• Does it contain an eye-catching image?
• Does it include social sharing icons and call to actions?

Social Media

Social Media and all of its elements is huge and we could spend months talking about it and then it would all change and we would have to start again! So let’s work with a few key principles that are consistent:

• Post frequently according to the platform and your audience
• Keyword optimise where possible as the search engines are paying attention
• Make sure your content is easily sharable and interesting for people to do so.
• Use high quality images and videos
• Make your content relevant to your audience and their requirements
• Follow up on all comments and updates
• Make sure your branding is consistent and your about information is completely filled in.

I wonder as you have read through this if you have noticed any consistencies through the points on each element?  If you can read between the lines you may have noticed that there are a lot of references to keyword optimising, compelling headlines, relevant information, social sharing and call to actions.  A lot of the SEO basics are tied in with how online marketing works.

So if you know the basics and you can apply those to each of your marketing elements, I wonder how much more effective your online marketing might become moving forwards? If you would like a better understanding of the basics of SEO, please feel free to download The Ultimate Beginners Guide to SEO.