Many people are unaware the idea of the internet started in the 1960s. Developed as a way for government researchers to share information on massive computers that stored data on magnetic tapes. Today 85% of Americans go through their days with a smartphone at their fingertips. Some may see this as a negative thing as we tend to see more focus on the virtual universe that is the internet, and all that comes associated with it, however, as marketers and business owners it presents us with unique opportunities (1).
282,115,000……. As of 2021, the staggering number to the left is 85% of the approximate population of the United States that has access to the internet at all times (2). It is safe to assume not everyone consumes media at the same rate, but knowing this many people have the opportunity to see the message you are trying to get to them gets the mental gears turning. National companies can use these numbers to plan massive campaigns at scale across the country to try to blanket the Populus with brand awareness. This may leave you thinking, but we aren’t a national brand. How do we use this data to see where we should be focusing our efforts in marketing? Your company website!!!
Let’s talk about the marketing trends and key reasons why you should be making sure you are getting the most you can out of your website. Your company’s website is the most effective way for you to collect data to use for marketing strategy. Whether it be social media, email, or traditional marketing in 2022 and beyond, it all starts on your website. With the introduction of Facebook Pixels and Google Analytics, you can collect information on user interaction within your website. Almost every marketing campaign has an objective and most of them should be ones that call for the consumer to perform an action that can be tracked on your website. Clicking a specific link, reading an article on a page(page time tracking), or adding a product to a shopping cart…. These are all trackable events which allow you to learn and understand what it is your customers are consuming and how well they are working on your website.
You might be sitting there thinking to yourself, that’s great, but my consumers aren’t always on my website. How does this help me? Well, that answer is simple… targeted marketing. Once you have collected data on someone from being on your website, you can then use that data to send them reminders to take a second look. We see this all the time with people saying it feels like these ads are following them…. because they are. You can create google and Facebook ads using these data points to target these people and people who are like them to increase the efficiency of your social media ads.
The data you receive from your website is great, but most of the time the key piece of information we are looking for as marketers are email addresses. Acquiring a consumer’s email allows you a direct gateway to interact with someone who has already shown interest in your business. You can combine what we talked about earlier by creating a targeted ad for the people who have shown interest in your business already by visiting your site. Providing some kind of value to the customer in the ad is a great way to get them to exchange their E-Mail for that value. An example would be a chef running an ad for their new cookbook and if you sign up for their email list(email collection method) they send you unreleased recipes that didn’t make it into the book. People are much more willing to exchange their personal information for something in return than just giving it up for free. This should prompt us to look for ways to provide value to our customers to make them want to give us a direct line to them for the future.
One of the major shifts a lot of businesses seem to have trouble grasping is that in 2022 people do not want to talk on the phone. The idea of having to make a phone call and talk to someone rather than just click a few buttons to get what they want, is a huge turn-off for a lot of potential consumers. In a time where instant gratification and impatience run rampant, it is important to make sure you are set up with a fast lane on your website for people to spend money with you or request a service. Direct-to-consumer business is at an all-time high after the huge boost it saw starting in 2020 with the pandemic. The industry saw a massive 45.5% increase in sales, with another 15.9% in growth in 2021(3). Enabling people to purchase directly from you or scheduling a service on your website is a great way to increase sales and leads for any business.
Let’s recap, Your company website is a huge asset and something that needs to be nurtured to make sure it is working for you. Do you have Google Analytics setup and a Facebook pixel installed? Are you providing value to your potential customers in exchange for a direct line of communication with them(email)? Have you simplified the online process in which they can purchase your product or service? If you answered yes to all of these, congratulations! Wondering if there is more you can do? 2023 is a great time to make sure you are doing everything you to make your business the ideal choice for consumers.