Digital Marketing 101: 5 Ways to Make Your Brand Stand Out

It’s not possible to run a successful business without having a strong online presence. However, you need to be careful and strategic when approaching customers online, and there several things to keep in mind when trying to gain your audience’s trust and keep them interested.

1 – Figure Out Where Your Customers Are Going for Information

Native advertising, or advertising that comes in the same format as the forum in which it appears, has been expanding rapidly. Adweek notes that native advertising sales were up to 4.3 billion this year. Creating content that mimics sites that consumers already enjoy is a great way to catch their eye, so do research on the sites that your customers enjoy or seem to use the most. Looking at the other brands that they like on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest can give you an idea of where they are going to get their information and the websites they like and find reliable.

2 – Don’t Be Too Intrusive
There are 198 million people using ad blocking software, according to PageFair’s 2015 report. When your audience feels overwhelmed, or that your ads could be a threat to their computers or phones, they begin to resent your content, and you’ll have a harder time getting through to them. Sites clogged with auto-play videos or multiple banner ads slow down computers, and sour the viewer’s perception of you from the get-go before they engage with your content.

3 – Make Sure Partners Keep On Top of Security

Another reason customers can turn to ad blocking is it can be a security risk – such as when Yahoo‘s ad network was bogged down with malware in July 2015. Developing a reputation for having ads that take up the entire website they’re featured on or being full of malware or Trojans will just make potential clients preemptively ignore you, and will also create bad associations in their mind with your brand. Work on having networks that are secure, and not easily exploitable by bugs.

4 – Be Engaging

Choosing an interesting format can make a big difference in whether customers find you. Making a quiz or poll can grab someone’s attention in a way a normal article may not by getting the viewer involved! A video that is well made or fun on it’s own is a better way to get attention than just expecting someone to click on a standard ad. The best marketing shouldn’t feel like marketing at all! 

5 – Advertise In Many Different Forums

People find their online content in a variety of places, so it’s important to have a presence in a lot of different places. Having a social media profile on a variety of sites with unique content generated for each makes it more appealing to keep up with your brand across platforms. It’s important to be consistent with the capabilities of each platform; for example, make Twitter content clever enough to pack an immediate punch, while Tumblr posts or articles on third-party sites can be a lot more in-depth.

Using digital marketing and engaging with your customers will let them know that you’re paying attention to them and what they want. If you want to secure a spot in their digital headspace, this is the way to go.

About 4 Step Studio

4 Step Studio is an online marketing agency that specializes in website design and redesign, SEO, social media and more. Our team of experts focuses on helping small business get found online, while educating them on what will make them successful in the digital world. To learn more about what we can do for you, visit our website at www.4StepStudio.com