Online Businesses Need a Marketing Strategy
There is a large amount of planning that needs to be done when you are trying to launch a startup. There are many things that need to be taken into consideration. The right decisions need to be made in the early days of your online business. Otherwise, you will find that your startup will quickly disappear into oblivion. One of the most crucial details that you will need to carefully plan out prior to launching your startup is the way you plan to market it. There is no question that this is one of the most important decisions that you will make. Here are some of the best and most effective ways of marketing a startup.
1. Facebook
Facebook is by far the most popular social network in the world. It currently has more than 1.6 million active users with more people creating accounts every day. Using Facebook as a platform to market your startup to the masses would be a very wise thing to do. You will be able to reach people in many countries all around the world. One of the best things about Facebook and other social media sites is the fact that they are completely free to use. This means you will basically be getting free advertising for your startup. You can interact with other users who might be interested in your particular products or services. You can find people who might want to buy what you are selling by joining Facebook groups that have members who fit into your target demographic. You might also want to hire a social media consultant to help you organize a marketing campaign if you are not very familiar with Facebook.
2. Twitter
The number two social network in terms of global popularity is Twitter. This platform is different than Facebook in many areas. However, it is still a free service that you can use as often as you want without having to pay a single penny. Twitter also gives you the ability to send short messages, photos and videos. Once again, a social media consultant would be a good person to contact if you are not experienced in some of the finer points of using Twitter for the purposes of marketing a startup and establishing your brand with consumers. It will cost you some money to hire a social media consultant. However, it will be a worthwhile investment because you will be able to learn how to use Facebook, Twitter and other social networking platforms to market your startup more effectively.
3. Search engine optimization (SEO)
You might not have heard of SEO before. However, you would be wise to learn as much about it as you possibly can. It is not an exaggeration to say that SEO could be the difference between your startup catching on with the public or quickly fading away. Every search engine uses algorithms to compile results when a person performs a search. These algorithms look for specific words and phrases on websites. Knowing which words and phrases the algorithms are looking for is the key to getting the website for your startup to show up near the top of the search rankings. This is crucial because most people only click on sites that are listed near the top. Having your startup site appear near the top of the rankings when people search for products you sell will bring many new visitors to your site. You should look for a professional SEO company in Toronto that has been in business for many years.
4. Email marketing
An email marketing campaign is another way to advertise your startup that you might want to consider. You need to get the email addresses of potential customers that fit into the target demo your startup is catering to. You can then send these people an email that explains what your startup sells. You will include a link to your site which these people will hopefully click on. Email marketing campaigns can be very effective if they are done correctly. Therefore, it would be a good idea to talk to people who have organized successful email marketing campaigns in the past. These people can give you advice.