In an attempt to maximize their reach and reap maximum benefits from online marketing, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make a common mistake of solely focusing on one sort of marketing while overlooking the other marketing channels. This approach may seem budget friendly or streamlined in the beginning, but can prove to be counterproductive in the long run. The key lies in striking the right balance between various marketing channels and keeping a tab on all of them. The times are calling for smart work, and digital marketing is no different.

So, without wasting an iota of time, let’s get started with the important internet marketing methods you should focus on:

Content Marketing

Content marketing is one of the best ways to provide value to customer. Nothing can be as expedient as content to attract and retain customers, and letting potential users know what your brand is all about.

Focus most on content while devising the digital marketing plan of your product/brand. Fitting content marketing strategies within digital marketing framework is tricky but ensures create relevant content and streamlined distribution via various channels. Make content the decisive factor in your marketing; from planning budget to strategizing a campaign, it has to be your topmost concern.

Use blog posts, videos, whitepaper, presentations, podcasts, infographics and emails to communicate with your potential customers. You can choose to distribute content through RSS subscribers, email campaigns, social networks, newsletters, forums, podcasts, print media or community groups.

This information provides users with the facts they are looking for and increases the credibility of your brand in the process. Create content to target your audience and create an enriching connection with your clients.

Social Media

Social media has taken the online community by storm and has the power to address an enormous audience size. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest are a few channels that are connecting millions of people across the globe via a common platform.

Make use of these channels to distribute content and to put forward your business proposition to a highly proactive and receptive audience. Follow some tested practices to maximize the use of social media channel.

Before starting your social media marketing campaigns, it is good to know what the preferred platform for your target audience is. Start by distributing relevant content to establish your presence and follow your ideal customers to see what they are up to. Tailor the content according to your audience and interact with them often.

Email Marketing

Email marketing can help boost your business sales at a low overhead cost. This channel has various advantages as it gives sellers the ability to send messages to customers frequently and track their response rate alongside. The success of such a marketing campaign depends on how frequently you send messages to your customers and what value does your letter have to offer.

It is very important to understand how email marketing works and one must always know when to stop with sending too many emails or newsletters. With a limited supply of time and money, investing in this method ensures a tangible return.

You can start by either building an organic list from scratch or opt for buying the same instead. Always focus on pruning your customer database and get in touch with them via blog posts, website, social media channels and in-store promotions. Segment these lists with the help of an email service provider and other engagement metrics. Develop content keeping in mind the needs of your targeted customer and identify how frequent sending emails will work best for your business.

Finding a Mix that Works for You

Marketing practices work best when they are deployed together. Consider developing a marketing strategy that makes use of email, content and social media marketing in a creative way as each individual effort would be useless without the other. There are many ways to do this. Here is one way to go about it. You can be more innovative and introduce new ideas to your marketing plan.

· Write a blog post on a topic that focuses on a problem your potential audience would need help with.

· Include appropriate CTAs inviting customers to sign up for a free newsletter subscription.

· Publish the post and share on all social media channels. Also, encourage viewers to interact via comments.

· Follow up with email newsletter with deals, links, videos, early bird offers and other incentives for followers.

Conclusion

These powerful marketing tools when used in harmony can do miracles for your startup. Investing too much money on one or opting for just two options cannot help you in either monitoring you clients properly or for generating more sales out of them.

What the real challenge here for marketers is to fabricate a plan with an ideal combination of social media, email and content marketing for SMEs. Use them with respect to each other and get the most out of your marketing investment.