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Are you fishing in the right ponds? Is your business on the right digital platforms?

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A fundamental element of every successful business is the ability to be present over a multitude of digital avenues to connect with their target audience.

If you’re thinking, ‘Well I’ve got a Facebook page for my business!’ you’re on the right track, but there are so many other channels you can integrate that go mostly unnoticed in the realm of digital marketing.

Digital mediums such as websites, blogs and social media are a staple to any successful business as they act as an extension of your unique brand. We all know this of course! However, you may not have explored video content.

Some ideas could be a ‘behind the scenes’ video, or a ‘brand story’ so your audience can familiarise themselves and connect on a deeper and personal level with your business. Videos, particularly if they are shared across your website, are highly valued by Google, which will also assist in your SEO ranking. So they certainly provide a multitude of benefits.

Utilise content sharing platforms

YouTube, with 1 billion users, is the world’s largest video sharing platform and as Fortune states “it’s only a matter of time before the Internet outpaces the tube”[1]. Posting videos relevant to your business on YouTube could potentially influence new prospective customers you may not have previously reached. What’s more is that YouTube is extremely cost effective – so not only can you promote your business on a greater scale, but for minimal cost.

Similarly, Slideshare on LinkedIn is a new, free, digital channel that allows people to share their ideas to the online corporate world. As of 2017, Slideshare had 70 million users and every month around 400,000 presentations are uploaded onto the platform[2]. As Forbes defines it, Slideshare is the “quiet giant of content marketing” [3]– it’s a great tool for hearing from the experts and integrating it into your product or campaign launches, can’t complain about that!

Why you still have to use paid media

For some, promoting a brand organically can be difficult and tedious.  However, through the use of paid media, you can ensure your content reaches the right audiences. At its core, paid media is often understood as advertising.

One simple way to leverage advertising within your digital marketing strategy is using social media advertising options. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all offer advertising options that are generally effective at optimising your brand in the online sphere.

Why influencer marketing is critical in the digital age

As an alternative, integrating the use of influencer marketing can fuel business growth and customer engagement. Influencer marketing can be attributed to the rise of social media platforms, as individuals have effectively built a large following of generally like-minded individuals.

Through their established and trusted community, they can promote brands in an authentic and unique way. HiSmile are an iconic example of successfully incorporating influencer marketing to turn over $10 million in their first 18 months. Ultimately paying influencers to share your posts, tweets or links is a small cost when you can boost traffic, strengthen your brand image and gain a large reach.

Monitor your growth

As I am all too familiar with, the use of digital platforms is an intrinsic part of business development. As you continue to take new avenues to drive your brand’s exposure, consider this simple online tool to monitor success.

Google Analytics is a service that allows you to track website traffic, even showing you which campaign received the best response rate on your website. Probably one of the most exciting tools, however, is that you are able to monitor where a large sum of your audience comes from on a map – this is particularly helpful in targeting your audience.

Connect to your consumer through third party platforms

If you are seeking more of an individual response from your audience, consider using third party platforms such as Yelp or Tripadvisor. These enable you to see what customers might have to say about your business, but it also allows you to respond to them, as acknowledging your audience is extremely important in the online environment.

Digital marketing may seem confusing as the number of digital platforms increase by the day, with all of them offering a point of difference. However, you should take the time to explore what these new digital platforms could actually do for your business. That said, if it is proving to be too much then there is no shame in consulting a professional about the digital options you should utilise.

Sharon Zeev Poole, the Director of highly regarded boutique agency AGENT99 PUBLIC RELATIONS, has grown the agency from a one-man show to a full service, award-winning PR agency located in the thriving creative hub of Surry Hills, Sydney. The agency specialises in launching or relaunching brands in the food, beverage and travel spaces, as well as working with corporates and individuals to raise their profile in the B2B space.

Sharon has worked all over the world on high profile brands such as Warner Bros. Pictures and Starbucks Coffee. Today, the agency has an enviable list of lifestyle, consumer and corporate clients including William Grant & Sons (Glenfiddich, Hendrick’s Gin, Monkey Shoulder), Buderim Ginger, Hunter Valley Gardens and many more. An agency built on strong strategic and creative credentials, Agent99 is in constant pursuit of the unconventional, routinely implementing bold brand campaigns that capture national attention in unexpected ways.

Agent99 has been recognised for its work, earning itself several award nominations including Finalist in the 2017 Mumbrella Commson Awards for Launch or Relaunch Campaign of the Year for their work on the Buderim Ginger ‘Ginger Pride Rally’, Finalist standings in the 2015 Mumbrella Commson Awards (Boutique PR Agency of the Year and Launch or Relaunch Campaign of the Year) and PRIA’s Medium PR Agency of the Year and Consumer Marketing Campaign of the Year, which was also Commended nationally.

With a strong philosophy on giving back, Sharon  often guest lectures to Marketing (Masters) and MBA students at the University of New South Wales, as a means of informing and encouraging students who are hoping to break into the industry.

Agent99 Public Relations. Photo by Sarah Keayes/The Photo Pitch
Agent99 Public Relations. Photo by Sarah Keayes/The Photo Pitch

[1] Soloman, F. 2017, ‘Youtube Could Be About To Overtake TV as America’s Most Watched Platform’, Fortune

[2] https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/slideshare-statistics/

[3] Olenski, S. 2013, ‘Slideshare: The Quiet Giant of Content Marketing’, Forbes