Newsstand

August 1, 2011
Level Up Your Digital Marketing Game [DMA11]

There’s a lot of common sense that goes into digital marketing and the development of a strong online marketing strategy. But if you want to move beyond simply having an online presence and get to the point where you’re able to appeal to the greatest number of web surfers and potential customers, you also have to be able to craft a crystal clear message that reflects your brand.

Crafting Your Message
The message that you convey through your online marketing strategy is critical. It can make or break any digital marketing campaign. Here are two of the most important rules to live by when it comes to crafting your message.

• Do... be consistent and relevant with your message. A lot of companies feel that they have to stuff their web content with keywords. While the use of relevant keywords is important, it’s also just as important – even more so – to say something that’s got actual meaning and value. Otherwise, what will be the appeal of someone coming back to your website time and time again? Put serious thought into all of your web content. This goes for everything, not just your company blog but also your Facebook statuses, your Twitter posts, and even your landing page content. Each word’s got to drip with relevance. This doesn’t mean you have to break out the thesaurus, but it does mean that every message you send out should be crafted with the intent of appealing to your audience.

• Don’t… neglect to mind your manners. There’s a lot riding on how you come across to your customers and those that are watching your every move from afar, and it’s easy to blow it by making the occasional misstep that ends up alienating half of your audience. What this means is that with every aforementioned message that you send out, you have to keep things on a professional level and only discuss topics that have to do with your business. Save political discussions for Thanksgiving dinner if you really want a knock-down-drag-out brawl, but keep your digital marketing efforts free and clear of making any kind of political or social endorsements that could tick people off and send them packing, taking their business in tow.

Digital marketing is a learned craft, and not something that everyone can inherently do. If you’re looking to level up your game, the best way to go about that is to take workshops and talk directly to the experts and thought leaders who can load you up with pointers to help you on your way. At the DMA2011 Conference & Exhibition, you’ll have the opportunity to do both – and more – by taking advantage of one-on-one labs, group workshops, and lectures that are aimed at helping people hone their online marketing strategy. For more information on DMA2011, visit www.dma11.org.

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