Editor's Note: This post was originally published in February 2018 and was updated with additional content in May 2023.
In the ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, business owners are facing relentless competition and the constant challenge of capturing the attention of their target audience. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, it is essential to adopt effective digital marketing strategies that yield both quality leads and increased online sales.
Importance of Online Marketing Sales
Online digital marketing sales play a pivotal and crucial role in the success of any business operating in the digital realm. By effectively utilizing online marketing techniques such as search engine optimization, social media advertising, email campaigns, and content marketing, businesses can reach a wider audience, establish a strong online presence, and drive customer engagement. This extensive reach allows companies to tap into a global customer base, transcending geographical boundaries and creating constant sales opportunities. Furthermore, online marketing is cost-effective compared to traditional marketing methods, allowing businesses to optimize their strategies and maximize return on investment. The ability to target specific demographics and track customer behavior also empowers businesses to personalize their marketing efforts, enhancing the likelihood of conversion and increasing revenue growth. Embracing online marketing is paramount for businesses seeking sustainable expansion and long-term success in the digital age.
Digital Marketing Leads Generation
Digital marketing lead generation is a critical aspect of digital marketing as it allows businesses to identify and capture potential customers. Effective lead generation enables targeted marketing efforts, increases conversion rates, and enhances the overall return on investment (ROI). It helps businesses build a robust pipeline of qualified leads, which can significantly contribute to long-term business growth.
How to Get Leads for Digital Marketing
To generate leads for digital marketing, businesses can implement several effective strategies. Firstly, optimizing their website for search engines using search engine optimization (SEO) techniques can increase organic traffic and attract potential leads. Creating compelling and valuable content, such as blog posts, e-books, or whitepapers, can capture visitors' interest and encourage them to provide their contact information. Leveraging social media platforms by regularly posting engaging content, running targeted advertising campaigns, and actively engaging with followers can also generate leads. Additionally, businesses can utilize email marketing by offering valuable incentives or exclusive content in exchange for email addresses. Collaborating with influencers or partnering with complementary businesses can further expand the reach and attract leads. Finally, employing lead magnets such as free trials, demos, or consultations can entice potential customers to take the next step in the buying process. By implementing these strategies, businesses can effectively generate leads for their digital marketing efforts and increase their chances of converting those leads into loyal customers.
As a business owner or marketing professional, you have the opportunity to employ digital marketing strategies that resonate with your audience and deliver results. Let's explore the steps that will help you boost your digital marketing leads and drive more online sales for your business.
Step 1: Identify the Right Search Criteria
The one big advantage marketers have is access to an unprecedented amount of data on customers (or at least the groups they belong to). The key is using this data to identify the right search criteria for digital advertising campaigns.
Details like location, age, interests, and Internet activity provide valuable insight businesses can use to not only better target their ads but also make them less intrusive. Many consumers and Internet users are wary of ads, so increasing leads can be difficult, but maybe that's because most ads are poorly targeted and invasive. As marketers, we can do better!
Step 2: Advertise On the Appropriate Ad Networks for Digital Marketing Sales
It's impossible to make a catchall ad platform recommendation because the truth is the best platform is different for every business. If you have a great Facebook business page and receive lots of engagement on your posts, then Facebook Ads and Facebook digital marketing sales strategies are for you. But if you don't have an existing audience on Facebook, then you aren't likely to generate one with a few ads.
Like it is for many other digital marketing components, marketing for leads is knowing your audience is more than half the battle in achieving success.
Step 3: Digital Marketing and Sales Campaign Tracking
When you implement campaign tracking as part of your digital advertising strategy, you'll immediately know when certain keywords, times, or target groups aren't working and learn methods for increasing digital marketing leads. And to a strategy that revolves around paying money for clicks, it's crucially important to stop your campaigns the moment they aren't performing to the standards you expect – because then you're just wasting money. Put campaign tracking in place – it's worth the extra work!
Step 4: Carry Out Split Tests
In the same way, tracking campaigns is important, split testing similar keywords, images, and text is a great way to maximize the ROI of your digital advertising campaigns. If you've got two keywords you like, you don't have to guess which one is better – split-test them and use the one that performs better!
Step 5: Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology
Businesses constantly seek innovative strategies to gain a competitive edge and drive revenue growth. One of the most promising avenues for achieving this is by strategically integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. By harnessing the power of AI, businesses can unlock valuable insights from vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make data-driven decisions that propel their lead generation and sales efforts to new heights.
AI-powered tools enable businesses to optimize their marketing campaigns, personalize customer experiences, and automate various repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time for their teams to focus on strategic initiatives. From chatbots providing instant customer support to predictive analytics anticipating customer needs, AI can revolutionize how businesses interact with their audience, nurture leads, and ultimately convert them into loyal customers. By leveraging AI's capabilities, companies can streamline their sales processes, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve sustainable growth in today's increasingly competitive marketplace.
Step 6: Generate More Video Content
Video content can help you boost online leads and sales as it engages and captivates audiences, effectively conveying information, building trust, and driving conversions in a visually compelling way. Videos can be done by you, your team, or (for more professional videos) a videographer or photographer. Ensure your content is relatable to your audience, or create videos related to the products and services your business sells.
Examples of video content you can include in your digital marketing campaigns and content:
- “How to” videos
- Virtual tours of your business or company
- Instructional videos
- Testimonial videos or business reviews
- Team-building events or "behind-the-scene" content
- FAQ videos that answer commonly asked questions
Make sure to leverage your videos throughout your website and in your digital marketing campaigns to help increase your chance of generating leads.
Step 7: Set Up a Blog
Creating a blog or guest blogging can help you to publish more in-depth and personal content for your audience. Blogs related to sales, digital marketing, or social media can provide useful information for people looking for your marketing services. Along with the information it provides, blogs can also help you to sell your service offering by showing readers why they need to contact you and how you can help them with their digital marketing. When creating blogs on your website, don’t forget to add relevant keywords to attract customers and link them back to your website or landing page
Write a guest post
Guest blogging is a popular marketing strategy that you can utilize to boost your business and increase your website visits. You need to ensure that the content you create offers value to the website you are writing for and is also relatable to your business. If you create a guest post, choose a reputable business or blog - this will help you to promote your brand as a credible and successful business, which in return will help you to generate leads.
Step 8: Offer Free Audits
Offering free audits to businesses or potential clients can show them just how exceptional your digital marketing services are. Whether you choose to do a manual audit or use tools is up to you. Audits are essential to any digital business, but the delivery of the audit information to your clients is most important. When you have finished gathering all the information you need, create a PDF document with a report of your findings. These findings should include recommendations and key changes that should be taken into account, as well as how you can help the business to tackle its digital marketing goals.
If required, you can arrange a live video call with potential clients to discuss key areas that need to be worked on. Meeting clients face-to-face or via a video call can help you to deliver audit information while promoting your business and your fees, as well as answer any questions the client may have. It will also help you to set up follow-ups and fees should the client be interested in more services that you have available.
Step 9: Create Informative Gated Content
Gated content is an effective marketing strategy to entice your website visitors to take action. To achieve leads through gated content, you need to create high-quality and engaging content that encourages your visitors to provide their names and email addresses in exchange for your services. You can also create gated content specifically asking users to follow your social media channels or to share your content.
Examples of gated content:
- Download links for a free checklist
- Download links to eBooks or White Papers
- Webinar links
- Links to courses and tutorials
- Personalize a demo of your services
- Discounts or vouchers for your services
- Links on your social media feed/stories
Step 10: Create Tools that your Potential Customers Need
Working in digital marketing can be tough without the right tools. Businesses are always looking for digital marketing tools to help them to optimize their client's marketing campaigns. To gain potential leads, you can offer your website visitors or potential clients tools to help their business to grow.
The tools you should create should be something that your potential clients and targeted audience need. An example of this includes a tool for search engines (SEO) for clients to use to track the progress of their social media campaigns. Blogs are also useful here as you can create content that is related to these marketing tools and link it back to your website page.
Step 11: Host Events
Events marketing can help you to increase lead prospects by drawing attraction to your business. Events don’t have to be big, and as the pandemic has taught us, event marketing can occur successfully on a virtual stage. The idea behind event marketing is to reach the right target audience and create awareness of your brand. An example of an event your business could use is an online free webinar featuring effective digital marketing tools. For this event, you not only provide useful information that a business can use, but you also showcase how your business can help them.
Step 12: Measure, Improve, and Repeat for Optimal Digital Marketing and Sales
There are many different forms of digital advertising. There's only one way to tell whether PPC, social, or display ads are best for you: try them all and measure your results. May the best format win in the world of digital marketing and sales.
If you would like more information on sales, digital marketing, digital advertising, or professional help implementing digital ad campaigns, get in touch with your local WSI Digital Marketing Consultant today.
