Is SEO really dead? Social media is the new SEO...
Current blogging and business trends suggest that SEO is dead, and has been replaced by social media. Social media IS the newest and most effective online marketing technique that has been incredibly successful for many businesses. If you have a small business or are a fully functional entrepreneur and have a website, you should be utilizing social media and online marketing strategies as much as possible. Look into using Facebook ads. Not only is this incredibly cost effective (you are able to set ads to run and control your reach based on what you are willing to spend), but it also increases the amount of "likes" you receive, as well as increase traffic to your website, if you are sharing relevant content on your Facebook fan page. You can kill two birds with one stone here.
While Google page ranks are still vital to a small business's success, and should still be considered in any online marketing strategy, the focus has certainly shifted to social media and utilizing ads, promoting your small business Facebook fan page, and even responding to leads and customer queries. One of the best features to using social media marketing is the ability to interact with clients quickly and directly. Today clients are looking for personalization.
To Click or Not to Click...
Another effective blogging and marketing strategy from years passed is Pay-Per-Click ads, or PPC. This method basically involves using Google Adsense or even another affiliate marketing solution to post ads on your blog or website. So how does this work? Basically small business owners or website owners hosting the ads will get paid a small commission each time a visitor clicks on the ad, and some affiliates even offer a slightly higher commission for those clicks that turn into conversions. Sounds like a good deal, right? Maybe. Basically in order to generate a substantial commission from PPC ads, you would need to ensure that your website receives a LOT of traffic. This may not be the best idea for small businesses trying to establish an online presence or who are just starting out.
The downside? Different articles and studies from various online marketing experts have also claimed that small businesses trying to establish an effective online presence should keep their websites easy to navigate, organized, intuitive, user-friendly, and even interactive (with plenty of videos, infographics, etc.). Some believe that PPC ads create clutter to a web page, are annoying to look at (especially those that pop up in front of users), and are often times irrelevant.
The Future of Digital and Inbound Marketing
So what does the future hold for small businesses and inbound marketing? There are many predictions on what digital and inbound marketing has in store for us. Will Google Glass finally catch on? It's tough to say. Consumers are happy with the ability to swipe their phone in front of a coded box to find out information on a particular ad or billboard advertisement, or even on a box of cereal to obtain nutrition information. Some predictions include virtual ads that will pop up in bus or train windows in front of commuters' and passengers' faces. Some small businesses firmly believe that the future of digital marketing will be all about getting in a customer's face...literally.
On the flip side, what about print advertising mediums? Some of the more "old school" businesses and older generations believe that print will never die. Sure it has declining and will continue to do so each year for the foreseeable future, but will it die completely? It's tough to say...but the moral of the story here? As much as there is a huge push towards inbound marketing, and it is effective, don't abandon your print advertising. Printed brochures, business cards, and flyers still work...and are significantly cheaper than a decade ago.
Time is Money
So what is the best blogging strategy? You can include all the ads, all the posts on your Facebook page, and incorporate all the trending topics into your blog and on your website as possible. Maybe this will work, maybe it won't. But all in all, only blog when you have time. Don't throw any old article up on your website or blog and "share" it on your Facebook and Google+ fan pages just to post something. Your fans and users will see right through this. They aren't going to bother reading content that isn't relevant...or is full of errors. Of course it is important to post content on a regular basis, but keep it meaningful and keep it relevant. This will yield the most results.
Currently the market is flooded with content, webinars, and conferences on "what to dos" and "what NOT to dos" in relation to digital marketing, proven methods versus not-so-proven methods, what works and what doesn't. How do small businesses know what to believe and how do they get it right? At the end of the day, blogging and online marketing strategies really depend on your business, strategy, industry, and what you are looking to get out of it...
Many studies and articles claim that small businesses should be using Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and everything else out there. But how much time does that take? A ton. Not to mention, if your small business offers professional services, how is Pinterest going to be of use to you? Use the social media platforms that make sense for you and your small business. Choose several to commit to that are worth your time and effort and be consistent in your strategy.
Image credit: © Alexey Lisovoy | Dreamstime Stock Photos
Written content: © 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 J.H. Language Solutions
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