Over the last few years companies have started to realize the benefits of online marketing. Whether that's content marketing, social media, search engine optimization, or email marketing the benefits for companies utilizing online marketing are getting better and better. With these increased benefits coming from online marketing, it's not hard to imagine that businesses plan to increase their online marketing budgets in 2013. The budgets were already up in 2012 and all surveys are pointing that it will increase even more this year. What do these businesses get from their online marketing and why are they spending more money on this type of marketing?
Local Internet Marketing - Online Marketing
There was a recent survey conducted by Balihoo and 90% of the businesses in this survey reported that their budget in local online marketing is expected to grow. Most of this money is being spent on local and mobile marketing, which helps people searching on their smart phone for local businesses. It's very important to show up on Google maps or high in the search results for nearby businesses when doing a search on a mobile phone. These people are highly motivated to buy a product or service and often will go to either the first business they see or the business that pops up with the best reviews. For example if you do local online marketing in St. Louis and show up in the first spot for a restaurant in Clayton on a smartphone, then you would be in a good position.
Content Marketing
Content Marketing is the most popular digital area slated for a budget hike this year. So what exactly is content marketing and why are businesses throwing money at it? Content Marketing is a form of online marketing that involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire customers. The idea is to not offer a direct sale or call to action, however provide enough value to positively influence the customer in some way. This could be a video, an e-book, or an info-graphic that provides some sort of value to the customer. It might even be enough value for them to share it with their friends. Content marketing allows customers to become highly engaged, however it is not intrusive, which makes it very popular.
Social Media
Using social media is a great way to spread your content marketing, integrate with local marketing, and optimize using SEO techniques. Social media is a perfect way to gain customers and tell your brands story. Social media marketing is great for gaining website traffic. It is also great to gain attention from your customers and hopefully they will spread your content with their friends. Social Media engagement means that your customers are participants rather than viewers. The better you use Social Media to gain customers, tell your brand story, and engage your customers the better your ROI will be.
Revenues are on the Rise
There is an obvious reason that companies have decided to increase their online marketing budgets in 2013. According to several reports companies obtain more than 50% of their overall revenues from online digital marketing efforts. Not to mention that in the same report, respondents stated that more than 70% of their total revenues came from online marketing spend. In other words there is no excuse for companies to stay away from online marketing. If you are ready to increase sales you will have to pay attention to online marketing and you can start by contacting us at Leap Clixx.
