What’s the secret sauce for startups to sustain? A unique idea and reasonable funding can help a startup establish itself in the market, but there’s a magic potion to compete with the other businesses and stand out. No points for guessing. Yes, a good digital marketing strategy helps them thrive in the markets, expand the customer base, and remain a long-term product/service in the industry. Wait, what? Can digital marketing strategy give that edge to startups? Why not?
Why Digital Marketing Is Significant for Startups?
Whether you want to launch a new product or promote your brand, digital marketing can make the reach seamless for you. How important is digital marketing for startups? Well, scroll down!
Establish an Online Presence
To gain market visibility, startups need every bit of assistance they can get. No matter how promising the startup is, it won’t succeed without people knowing it. A startup business can benefit from a variety of digital marketing strategies. Search engine optimization, email marketing, and social media marketing are a few common paths startups take.
Low Marketing Costs
Startups rarely have enough budgets to engage in traditional marketing and advertising, making it difficult to compete with more prominent companies. Conversely, digital marketing when done by the in-house marketing team or by the founders themselves, with some very inexpensive activities.
Just like how every business starts with an idea, every marketing strategy starts with content. So, the basics of digital marketing starts with understanding the customer and producing relevant content.
Keeping Up With Customers
Think twice before you believe digital marketing is only for advertising your products or services. Building and nurturing relationships with customers is one of the biggest benefits of digital marketing.
Global competition is fierce, and your product may not match others’. Yet, what makes your customers choose your business? It makes a world of difference in how you interact with your customers. At any given time or trend, an engaging company wins over the others in the race.
Boost Your Revenue
Digital marketing drives sales in many ways. For example, SEO can increase traffic to your website. Social media can be a great way for customers to discover you and share it further. Relevant and valuable content can attract customers to your blog. No matter which digital marketing strategy you choose, it will increase brand awareness, and that, in turn, will lead to your first sale. Oh, we know that feeling.
Build Your Brand Beyond Your Online Presence
Even when new competitors enter the market, loyal customers stay with their favorite brands. What does this say? Brand recognition will increase your chances of people shopping with you. Therefore, get the word out about your brand! A brand makes your products and services exclusive, valuable, and distinguishable. Again, digital marketing is instrumental in this process.
What Are Various Digital Marketing Strategies Available for a Startup?
There are a variety of digital marketing strategies that work in their unique style for every business. But what are the most common strategies adopted by startups? Find them.
It Starts With Establishing Personas & Finding Your Core.
Digital marketing has two sides to its core. Business & audience.
The process is all about connecting your business to its audience and prodding them into action. However, how do you reach an audience you do not know? Nearly impossible. The first step of digital marketing must be buyer personas.
In essence, it outlines all the specifications for your ideal customer. So, know everything about your audience and target customers to potentially impact their choices. But, when we say startup digital marketing, does it have to be tough? No! It can start as simple as LinkedIn – The renowned professional hub.
Have You Dwelled On LinkedIn Marketing Yet?
Do you know that LinkedIn tops the choices among social media marketing? Yes, 94% of people reach LinkedIn for all the professional-related content while businesses generate about 80% of leads. Considering those stats, if you’re a startup, the first thing that you need to focus on is being active on LinkedIn.
Linkedin can help you connect your brand with senior influencers and decision-makers. It’s now more than a job-seekers and employer’s paradise. Why wait? Start a powerful LinkedIn marketing campaign to make the most of it.
Email Marketing Is Never Out of Fashion.
The most effective way to reach your audience is via email. That’s right, do you know emails have a return on investment (ROI) of $44 per dollar spent? No wonder it’s a budget-friendly option for most startups. However, note that not every email gets opened. It takes a decent amount of time to decide what your customers like.
Considering it’s a low-cost marketing strategy, it needs the right skills to make it worth it. For instance, a tailored subject line can have 26% more chances of opening your email than a regular one. Another way of staying connected with your customers is through an automated email service. So, how are you utilizing this impactful yet straightforward strategy?
Social Media Marketing Got You Covered.
Do you know that half of the world today uses social media? Social media acts as an influential platform across customers, businesses, and demographics, with millions of daily interactions. This is a perfect reason why startups can’t ignore this strategy.
In light of the fact that 73% of marketers find social media efficient, it is evident that you should pay attention to this medium. But not all social media platforms can suit your business. Know where your audience is and target them regularly with engaging, informative, and relevant content. Include visuals and videos for better engagement. Be quick to reply. Make use of paid advertising to make an extensive reach.
SEO & SEM Ace Digital Marketing Strategies.
Search Engine Marketing or SEM is the best digital marketing strategy that delivers instant results for your startups. Search engines can help your startup generate more traffic and sales. They help you reach the target audience seamlessly, with a budget for all pockets.
This is because SEM works mainly on pay-per-click. So, your startup needs to pay only for the clicks on your ads. For your startup to achieve maximum results from SEM, you need expertise and experience, as it can be tricky. Take your time in learning and start with small budgets.
No Search Engine Optimisation? No visibility online. SEO for startups is a strategy for obtaining organic traffic without paying for it. Search engines help send organic traffic to your homepage, services pages, and landing pages through blogs. Getting new customers is easy and economical. Not just that, it helps to keep the brand reputable.
Content Marketing – It’s Where Your Story Begins.
Content marketing is a powerful strategy for growing your startup. A majority of organizations use this strategy to make their mark in the industry. Content marketing has the power to pull more leads than any paid search. Nothing beats this approach when done with the right blend of content, great storytelling, and relevant insights.
Did you ever wonder how big brands like HubSpot, Mint, and Buffer skyrocketed their startup success? Yes, by brewing a winning content marketing strategy.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing aims to bring in leads. An affiliate is like a seller who works on compensation. It is up to you to decide how to pay them. The payment structure can be based on the number of sales they generate or a flat rate per product. With this type of digital marketing, you can relax and watch as your affiliates take the weight off your shoulder.
Authority Hacker conducted a survey of 2,270 affiliate marketers and found the average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month. Also, these earnings are heavily dependent on the marketer’s experience:
Now, in the pool of such exciting marketing strategies, which one suits your startup? Fret not! We have got you covered.
Startups and Digital Marketing Strategy – Where Do You Start?
In developing a digital marketing strategy, the above factors are significant. Combining them in the right balance makes a robust digital marketing strategy. But first, outline your goals and objectives. Know your audience and their pulse. Learn where exactly your efforts can bring in traction. How? For starters, here are a few simple steps.
- Start your brand awareness and presence on social media. Use social media networks for sponsored posts to promote your company and product.
- It’s time to get active in SEO, Content Creation, and Search Engine Marketing on your website.
- Google Analytics and Search Console can help you figure out how much and from where traffic is coming. Promotions should target individuals who clicked on your ads or blog posts.
- Check how many sales you got with each technique. Your landing/sales page can be customized with UTM parameters. Make a decision based on what worked for you.
- As a final suggestion, make use of automated emails to keep your customers engaged. You can talk about discounts, new products, how-to guides, e-books, loyalty program bonuses, etc.
Nevertheless, you must ensure that you do not attempt too many strategies at once. You know what they say about too many cooks spoiling the broth. Remember, Hike Messenger gives us all solicited advice to not incorporate too many features and miss out on the unique selling proposition. Furthermore, any startup digital marketing should focus on cost-effective approaches as a thumb rule.
Finally, a startup can be promoted in a variety of ways. You have to know who your audience is, how they behave, and how your business can make a difference. Startup marketing is no rocket science, but considering the limitations on resources, you need to take appropriate precautions before getting started. Make your unique mark and bring your ingenuity. What? All of this looks too much? We feel you. Wild Creek Studio is all about establishing a robust digital marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today and get the best solutions to get your startup off the ground.
