What is Website Marketing?
One of the channels you can utilize for your digital marketing strategy is website marketing, which entails promoting your website on the Internet. The primary objective of a website marketing drive is to generate more traffic to your site.
Why Do You Need a Website Marketing Strategy?
As a Digital marketing manager, I am responsible for educating my clients on the importance of having a comprehensive website marketing plan and guiding them on effective implementation to enhance their business.
#1 – It’s not about SEO and Social Media anymore
A few years back, marketers thought about SEO when someone was talking about web marketing.
The perception regarding digital marketing shifted with the advent of social media which is now commonly associated with it alongside SEO. Nevertheless, a wider selection of tools fall under the umbrella of digital marketing as depicted in the diagram below such as content marketing, email marketing, PPC marketing, and others. Social media and SEO form just a fraction of the bigger picture. An aptly designed digital marketing tactic will enable you to leverage all feasible channels for marketing your business online.
In today’s digital age, a robust SEO presence is no longer a choice but a necessity. If you fail to battle for a spot on Google’s first page, you risk being relegated to oblivion, commonly known as the second page.
The mention of SEO often makes people believe that it is an intricate and specialized task that can only be performed by professionals.
Their assertion is incorrect. The essence of SEO is not intricate, it only requires steady effort, a solid plan, and patience. Improving your website’s SEO cannot be accomplished in a single day, and immediate results should not be anticipated.
If you are a novice or an experienced professional in the field, these informative details will aid you in becoming familiar with SEO.
You can either choose to learn from renowned SEO experts such as Neil Patel, Backlinko’s Brian Dean, and Rand Fishkin, or save yourself the time and trouble by hiring an SEO specialist to optimize your website.
But here are some simple tips you can use on your own to improve your website’s SEO:
Five Website SEO Tips Every Beginner Should Know
- Optimize Your Images for SEO: Use High-Quality Images with specific or relevant keywords words in the file name or ALT Text.
- Keywords Everywhere: Add specific keywords on each website page or URL
- Check Your Website URL: Ensure that your website URL is your (brand) name, so it’s easier for people to find you
- Optimize Your Website Pages: Write detailed and keyword-heavy meta titles and descriptions for your website or blog articles.
- Add Keywords To Your Content: Whether it’s a video, blog, or your about page ensure that you add industry-specific keywords, so Google knows what your content is about helping your ranking online and make it easy for people to find.
Perform a website design review
The initial stage involves crafting a website that precisely reflects your enterprise, which isn’t necessarily tied to its visual appeal but rather to the excellence of the content offered.
Your website is akin to a physical shop’s display. It should have an appealing exterior, and upon customers’ arrival, the interior ought to be tidy and well-arranged.
Ensure that your website is thoroughly reviewed before commencing any campaigns to verify that:
A simplified hierarchy of pages is in place – The structure of a website is vital for users and search engines to efficiently locate relevant information. Ideally, all pages on the website should be easily accessible from the homepage within three clicks or less.
Assess the usability of your website by applying the principles of SEO-oriented web design and eliminate design elements that increase complexity or lack utility. The website should be both functional and user-friendly.
Ensure that your website is equipped with precise details regarding your company and products. Utilize visual aids to capture your users’ interest.
With most of your website visitors expected to come from mobile devices, ensure that your site is optimized for mobile and offers a fast and mobile-friendly experience.
What Is Guerrilla Marketing?
Well, to quote Wikipedia’s Guerrilla marketing page ;
Guerrilla marketing was developed as an alternative method of promotion that doesn’t rely on a significant marketing budget but rather on innovative ideas, effort, and creativity. These types of campaigns are traditionally non-traditional, often involve consumer interaction, and deliberately target consumers in unexpected locations.
In essence, guerrilla marketing refers to utilizing creative and effective methods to market your business or product to individuals at minimal or no cost.
It is a common belief that the sole approach to promoting a business through the internet is utilizing established and proven techniques like;
- Paid advertising (i.e. website banner ads, AdSense ads, etc.)
- Social media (i.e. promoting your business/services on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.)
- Guest blogging (i.e. getting your site mentioned on other sites in your niche)
Although these methods are effective when executed correctly, there’s nothing inherently flawed about them. As the adage goes, “there are many ways to achieve the same goal.” Guerrilla marketing provides unconventional approaches to connecting with new audiences by thinking creatively. Let’s explore some of these methods.
8 Online Guerrilla Marketing Ideas
1. T-Shirts
To be technical, this initial option isn’t strictly “online”, but it can effectively boost your online business promotion.
Although many businesses have an online and offline presence, these two aspects are often separate. One straightforward yet efficient method of promoting your website is by printing your domain name on t-shirts. These shirts can be worn by you and your staff throughout the day, catching people’s attention. It’s essential to remember that you’ll be promoting your website not only while you’re working but also while you’re commuting, on your lunch break, or running errands. Essentially, you become a mobile advertisement.
This concept is not limited to T-Shirts. You can print your URL on various items such as your vehicle, pens for freebies, hats, coats, etc. Essentially, anything that can be moved around can be branded. This is the reason why many businesses opt for branding their merchandise.
2. Email Signature
If you’re similar to me, going through numerous emails every day can take up a lot of your time. Although it can be a hassle, you can utilize it as a marketing approach. Although some emails are from acquaintances aware of you and your business, others may not be.
Have you considered configuring an automated email signature that appears at the conclusion of each email message you send? This feature enables you to affix important details like your website URL, physical address, phone number, and social media links. It’s essentially an electronic means of leaving behind a business card with every communication you make. Moreover, it generates a more polished appearance for your emails.
3. Giveaway A Free eBook
An eBook is a very unique product that you can create. Not only is it completely free to make, you don’t need to pay any publisher fees (as you can let people download it as a PDF from your site), but more importantly you can include as many links back to your site as you want within it.
Produce a brief eBook related to your business and make it accessible for download on your website. Additionally, ensure to distribute it via email to your clients and colleagues. This could encourage individuals to share it with others, leading to a viral effect.
4. Run A Competition
Hosting a competition on your website could be a great way to offer something for free to potential entrants who are interested in the idea of winning. Whether it involves giving away one of your current products, providing your services to the lucky winner, or offering something entirely unique, the concept of winning is always appealing.
Utilize the conventional channels such as social media and email list to inform individuals about your competition, which will naturally entice others. The primary objective of the competition is to enhance the business’s visibility, hence the target audience you are eagerly trying to attract are those who would not have discovered your website otherwise.
5. Online Forums & Groups
A plethora of forums and social media groups on various topics can be found on the internet. By actively participating in these communities, you can promote your brand and increase its visibility. Engaging with potential customers through these channels not only fosters interaction but also provides insights on their needs and preferences.
Your presence is the marketing factor. Being acknowledged is possible every time you provide comments or posts in certain groups, especially when you offer assistance. By actively participating in the group, you can establish yourself as a specialist and a go-to person for the topic. Moreover, most forums permit signature links, meaning that helping others can benefit you in terms of exposure.
6. Live Hangouts
Although YouTube and similar platforms have been in existence for a considerable amount of time, hangouts still appear relatively recent. Essentially, a “hangout” (also referred to as a webinar) refers to a video conference that enables you to present live online. People from all corners of the globe are able to participate and view your presentation.
Hangouts can be utilized to communicate with customers, advertise products, conduct presentations, host enjoyable events, and more. Musicians have demonstrated proficiency in employing this marketing technique. Numerous emerging bands will hold live online hangouts to expand their fan base, effectively performing a live concert over the internet.
An added advantage of hosting a live hangout on Google is that it can be automatically recorded and uploaded to your YouTube channel. This means that a standard conversation or presentation can be transformed into a promotional video that can be accessed by viewers at their convenience.
7. Pictures
As previously stated, social media has proven to be an effective means of promoting your business; nonetheless, it is not limited solely to that purpose. In fact, excessive advertising on these platforms can have an adverse effect and discourage potential customers from making purchases.
Images are THE most shared type of media on social media. If you can incorporate more images to your online marketing strategy, then they stand a better chance of being shared. This could be funny images with your branding included in the bottom corner, a behind the scenes look at where you work, perhaps pictures of your products in unusual locations, etc. Be creative, unusual and try to have fun with it. Remember, Guerrilla marketing isn’t supposed to be as obvious as traditional marketing.
8. Video
It is common knowledge that search engines are the most effective means of online discovery. However, what many fail to acknowledge is that YouTube is the second most efficient method. The platform receives billions of searches daily, providing ample opportunity for businesses to reach untapped audiences if they utilize it correctly.
Similar to images, producing self-promotional videos (for instance, promoting a product) isn’t the only option. The objective is to increase brand awareness. Certain businesses employ unconventional marketing tactics, such as creating viral videos, also known as Guerrilla marketing, to gain popularity. Usually, this is accomplished in a humorous manner; however, it can also be done in a profound way.
I discovered some excellent online examples that you would be hard-pressed to discern their promotion until the very end, provided you don’t cheat or have already watched them.
These are just a few examples that you can use to help promote yourself online. The great thing about this kind of marketing is that you can have fun with it and play around to see what works. Don’t be put off if something doesn’t work, just try something else and see what kind of reaction you get.
Do it before the competition
Eventually, every enterprise will engage in digital marketing, making the competition even more demanding. To gain an advantage, it is crucial to prioritize your online advertising efforts, and the initial step should be to develop a digital marketing plan.
