Everyone is looking for ways to up their game with online marketing, build brand awareness and get their message to their target audience.
Here are five ways you may or may not be aware of to accomplish just that.
Use Pop-up Ads
Used effectively, pop-ups are a valuable marketing tool. When visitors enter your website, there is a plethora of visual information to view. A pop-up directs their eye to the information you want them to see first. If it happens to not be the relevant information they seek, one simple click and they can continue their search. A simple study of your page analytics will give you an idea of when and where to implement pop-up windows.
Benefits of using a pop-up ad include:
- Spontaneous Attention Seeker – Pop-up is a tool that creates curiosity with each visitor through eye catching graphics and information. Consider placing exciting content or an appealing offer or a freebie that invites the user to engage with you.
- Increased User Engagement – Because a pop-up is a user engagement tool, when you design your pop-up to have a pleasant theme and presents an eye-catchy content, it will attract the attention you desire and keep visitors on your site longer leading to greater visibility of your content or purchase possibilities.
- More Subscriptions – A popup is a convenient way to subscribe users by collecting user subscription information and is an essential tool for every website to grow a consistent audience.
- Generate Buzz – Popups have a great potential to generate buzz. A good website with relevant content and a pop-up is the perfect formula for success. Enticing content that targets a visitor will naturally draw them to the website.
- Influential Branding – Branding is all about building the value of your site or products and services. Use a pop-up to highlight your unique selling points and keep your name top of mind.
- Affordable and Cost-Effective – Pop-ups are one of the most affordable, easy to implement, and influential tools you can have in your cadre. Your ROI has a greater margin of profitability which means more revenue you can focus on your product or promotion of it.
Conduct Contests and Giveaways
This is a great way create buzz and interest in your website. By promoting a product or service using contests and giveaways, you create awareness and give your potential customer something of value. When they see the obvious value, they return to your site and ask for more. This is a great opportunity to gather their contact information and add them to your email list and upsell them. They are asking for you to do so.
There are several ways to go about conducting a giveaway or contest, but the most common is to use related affiliate merchandise or services. Simply contact other companies and ask if you can promote their product with a contest or giveaway. It assists the affiliate with gaining visibility as well as yourself, while building your customer base and brand. And people love a contest and enjoy being given things of value. Everyone wins.
Give Gated Content
Another way to market online is to share gated content – give the seeker something after they give you their email address or other information they give you. It’s an incentive for them to share with you.
The gated content can be what you choose. Many people or businesses use a series of instructional videos or product giveaways. For example, let’s say you are launching a new book with a companion workbook. Let visitors know that if they order the book (thereby giving you their contact info), you will include the workbook for free or at a discount.
Here’s the key: this is the perfect time to over deliver. Meaning, when their book and workbook arrive in their mailbox, there is also a bonus gift that they were not expecting. Perhaps it’s a rubber bracelet, a pen, or a tumbler. Whatever bonus gift you send needs to be relevant and desirable. This ensures that they return for your next book – before that book is even written.
Use A Podcast
Let’s just assume for the time being that you have done your research and know who your target audience is. Now you can begin to network with others who are reaching the same demographic. When you make connections with those in your industry or in an industry that complements yours, collaborate together to reach twice the target range.
An advantageous way to accomplish cross promotion is via podcasts. Whether you create a podcast or not, reach out to those who do and ask to share about your product or service. In return, perhaps you can offer to write a blog to your audience that includes mention of the podcast. You both benefit from exposure and potential customers hear about something that they may not have known about in another way.
Create Video or Facebook/Instagram Lives
By creating video content via a pre-recorded message or via a ‘live’ broadcast, you create a way for customers to see the face behind the product or service. People are in search of behind-the-scenes information and regard transparency as something to be valued. Video is the perfect way to give them both.
There are ways to do this beyond just talking about or showing your product. You can discuss the benefits of, value of, and creation of those services and products. It’s as if you are pulling back the curtain and letting them ‘in’ on a little secret.
Take visual art as an example. Record your work in progress and chat about why you are choosing the subject, colors, and tools you are using. Tell them a story about the image. It’s fascinating and meaning behind the art is apparent, it will appeal to them and they will be more inclined to buy it.
The bottom line is this: give the customer value and they will engage.
