In a world that relies on technology, traditional forms of marketing and advertising simply won’t be enough to get your business noticed. The digital age requires us to look for solutions online — which is exactly why your organization needs to be there to provide those solutions. But how exactly should you be implementing digital marketing in 2021? These six strategies can set your business up for success and help you outpace the competition.

Let Your Brand Lead the Way

Sometimes, business owners get carried away with the premise of new marketing opportunities that they forget what makes their brand unique. When you see so many companies doing the same thing, you might be inclined to change your brand voice or messaging to avoid making a mistake.

While it’s certainly important to adhere to digital marketing best practices, that doesn’t mean you should abandon what distinguishes your business from the competition. And if your brand feels stale, now may be a good time to consider a brand refresh to go along with your fresh new strategy. No matter what, you need to know who you are and who your customers are. Once you’ve defined your what and your why, you can develop strategies that align with your values and your brand identity.

Remember That Content is King

There’s no substitute for high-quality content. At a time when content creator has become an actual profession, it’s clear that businesses have a need for unique content in order to provide value to customers. It isn’t just about how great your products or services are; you need to offer information, entertainment, or some kind of solution to your audience. One of the best ways to do that is through consistent content marketing, which can include blog posts, social media content, guest blogs, and all kinds of video content. You’ll need to utilize your creativity and your understanding of your target customer in order to create compelling content on a regular basis that can keep your website fresh and your website traffic fresher.

Embrace Search Engine Optimization

Whether you plan to handle your marketing in-house or you’re ready to work with a white label SEO agency to meet your needs, you can’t afford to ignore search engine optimization in 2021. 

While SEO certainly isn’t new, it’s becoming increasingly affordable and continues to be incredibly effective. By optimizing the content on your website (as well as generating quality backlinks from other sites), you’ll be able to communicate to Google that your site provides relevancy and value. This long-term strategy can build your brand visibility and perception over time in an organic way — and it allows you to stretch your marketing budget further. The more effort you put into SEO, the more likely it is that your site will appear prominently in search engines. Without it, your site might as well not even exist. 

Don’t Neglect Social Media

If you’re a purist, you might be confused by social media (or you might even dismiss it entirely). But you need to know that these platforms aren’t just for teenagers who want to connect with one another. They’ve become a crucial method for businesses to grow their brand awareness and potential leads. Most customers really enjoy interacting with brands on social media, so don’t miss the opportunity to make real connections and sales! Establishing your social media presence isn’t enough, either. You need to post there consistently in a way that provides value and generates interest in your business.

Amp Up Your Email Marketing

Contrary to popular belief, email marketing isn’t dead. In fact, it’s actually thriving. While no one likes receiving spammy emails, businesses can reap the rewards as long as their email marketing strategy is well-conceived. Email blasts that contain videos, call-to-action buttons, and social media buttons often have impressive click-through rates. In fact, email marketing is often more effective than other marketing tactics. According to Backlinko, you’re six times more likely to get a click from a marketing email than from a tweet! As long as you personalize them and provide something customers actually want, your emails won’t end up in the trash.

Consider Paid Digital Ads

Print ads once reigned supreme, but digital ads have usurped the throne in 2021. PPC, display ads, and even social media ads are now employed by all kinds of businesses. Not only are they often more affordable, but they provide more control over how they’re shown — which generally makes them more effective. If you can target your audience correctly and find a formula that works, digital ads can fit in beautifully to any budget and can drive traffic to your website within a short amount of time. Whether you’re trying to get your venture off the ground or you need to reach a new audience, digital ads should be a part of your strategy moving forward.

Promoting your business isn’t easy, especially if you’re not innately familiar with online methods. But with these six tips in mind, business owners can revamp their approach to marketing and set themselves up for success in 2021.