Digital Marketing Chapter 2: Capturing Traffic

Capturing Traffic

• Earned media: free media coverage through content created by outsiders and featured across platforms, increases consumer interest and traffic.
• Search engine optimization (SEO): achieves high visibility without paying for ad placement, with a top spot on the first page being cost-effective.
• SEO techniques:
  • Organic results: determined by search query, providing extra authenticity.
  • Technical SEO: improves site accessibility, optimizing site structure and speed.
  • On-page SEO: content optimization on individual pages, including keyword usage and enhanced user experience.
  • Off-page SEO: increases site traffic and generates backlinks, serving as endorsements.

Content

• Content is a tool to drive conversation and guide customers through the value ladder.
• Types of content:
  • Written content
  • High-value content (lead magnets)
  • Images
  • Videos
• Digital content is cost-effective in production, maintenance, and delivery.
• Content should be created to align with strategic roles, addressing audience pain points and search.

Social Content

• Social media use allows for casual browsing and interaction, with effective communication aligning with user expectations on each platform.
• Types of social content:
  • Entertain: highly shareable, raising awareness and appealing to lower temperature audiences.
  • Educate: raising audience engagement, offering knowledge and familiarity with the brand.
  • Inspire: emotional investment.
  • Convince: concrete reasons to take action, should be 20% of content mix.
  • Converse: dialogue with audience, boosting awareness, maintaining visibility, and enhancing engagement.

Associated Metrics

• Content Return on Investment (ROI): measures the effectiveness of content delivery methods.
• Medium-Specific Engagement Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): social engagement, bounce rate, and watch time.
• AI Tools for SEO: Alli AI, Semrush, Surfer SEO, Frase, etc.

Directing Traffic

• Programmatic advertising: uses automated technology for media, with cost-per-impression (CPI) billing.
• Paid search complements SEO, providing real data on keyword effectiveness.
• Native advertising: matches the look, feel, and function of the media format, boosting click and conversion rates.

Displaying Advertising

• Banner ads: great for brand awareness and retargeting, but can be intrusive.
• Display and social media retargeting increases effectiveness.
• Types of targeting:
  • Contextual: matches page content.
  • Demographic: personalizes ads for specific audiences.
  • Behavioral targeting: ads based on browsing habits.

Video Advertising

• Powerful but expensive, great for boosting sales, getting leads, driving website visits, and building brand awareness.
• Types of video ads:
  • In-stream ads: within the video before, during, or after content.
  • Outstream: videos in another location, but may face ad blockers and limited analytical reporting.

Selecting Keywords

• Keyword selection process involves research, data collection, and experimentation.
• Key metrics:
  • Cost-per-click (CPC): measures the effectiveness of campaigns.
  • Click-through-rate (CTR): measures ad relevance and applicability.
  • Quality score: measures the relevance and value of keywords and PPC ads.
  • Cost per acquisition (CPA): measures the effectiveness of campaigns.

Social Media and Marketing

• Social media marketing is essential for digital marketing, involving content to engage followers, generate leads, interact with customers, and grow audience.
• Social media objectives:
  • Raise brand awareness.
  • Drive sales and leads.
  • Enhance community engagement.
  • Expand audience.
  • Improve brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Advertising on Social Media

• Platforms:
  • Facebook: comprehensive ad targeting, awareness, and lead generation.
  • Instagram: visually-driven platform, brand storytelling.
  • Twitter: real-time updates, concise messaging, and hashtags.
  • LinkedIn: professional networking, B2B marketing, industry-specific content.

Audience Targeting and Building

• Precise targeting is key for effective advertising, with audience justification costs by attracting potential customers.
• Testing and data collection are essential for assessing social advertising success.

Messaging and Creatives

• Types of ads:
  • Statistic image ads: cost-effective, straightforward, and showcasing products.
  • Video ads: pricey but effective.
  • Carousel ads: interactive experience.
  • Story ads: immersive, full-screen ads.

Chat and Messenger

• Enable immediate and personalized customer connections, engaging directly with followers, promoting products with enticing messages.

Measuring Outcomes

• Key metrics:
  • Engagement: follower interaction.
  • Follower count: alignment with target demographics and actual business needs.
  • Reach: audience size, growth, and interaction with content.
  • ROI: tangible indicator.
  • Conversions: reflect social engagement effectiveness.

Email

• Emails are more personal and less competitive, driving conversions, and preferred communication method.
• Key metrics:
  • Open rate: percentage of opened messages.
  • CTR: measures link clicks.
  • Conversion rate: measures desired actions.
  • Bounce rate: deliverability problems.
  • Unsubscribe rate: recipient unsubscriptions.
  • Growth rate: net increase of subscribers.

Email Sequence Crash Course

• Email sequences: automated emails based on subscribers' stage in the marketing funnel.
• Types of email sequences:
  • Welcome sequences: build trust.
  • Onboarding emails: share product info, engaging content, and customer testimonials.
  • Customer appreciation emails: feedback and offer promotions.
  • Reengagement sequences: reconnect with former customers.
  • Event-promotion reminders: upcoming events or sales.