Allocating a budget for marketing is always a concern for startups which are either bootstrapped or work on limited funds. However, without marketing, there is no visibility either. Digital marketing is a win-win situation for startups. It is affordable as well as effective.
Digital marketing can give startups the much-needed growth in less time if the strategy is in the right place. Here are useful ways for startups to develop an effective digital marketing strategy:
Start Slow
Digital marketing can be overwhelming. There are so many permutations and combinations to follow. Each digital marketing channel has its own unique characteristics, pros and cons. Instead of jumping on all channels in one go, it would be a good idea to market your startup on one channel at a time. Choose a channel which relates the most to your business. For instance, if you sell fashion apparel, Facebook and Pinterest are the ideal choices. If you are an event management company and want to send regular updates, Twitter is more useful. As you get hang of which platform yields revenues for your business, you can tweak the digital marketing strategy accordingly.
Focus on Content
In the herd of startups, content can help you to stand out. Every startup wants to tell their story, but the way they present it makes all the difference. Good content can get people to sign up for emails, drive traffic to your website, enhance your brand image and connect you with customers on a one-to-one basis. Content is your voice to the audience. However, the content will work in your favour only when your messages are clear, consistent and engaging. It should be a varied mix of blogs, case studies, videos, images, infographics, podcasts, live streaming, etc., to spark the interest of customers.
Refrain from Excess Use of Social Media
Stop boring your customers with an overload of posts, pins or tweets! If you publish at every few hours and self-promote heavily, customers will get irritated and may unfollow your brand. You don’t want that, right? As a startup, you need more customers to know about you. Digital marketing experts recommend that one to two posts, tweets or pins are the right numbers to draw customers’ attention. Moreover, make sure that you follow 80:20 rule – 80% informative/entertaining content and 20% promotional content. You can share content from other sources that your followers may find useful or find interesting to know about.
As a startup, you have too many things to take care of. If you feel that you are not able to plan an effective strategy and need help, do not hesitate to join an advanced digital marketing course.
