Digital Marketing. Getting Started.
If you’re a brand new business, there are a few important things to consider before embarking on your online presence and digital marketing campaigns.
Do you have your logo and branding guide? Have you set up your email account(s), Google My Business Profile, and social media channels? Have you set up the business directories you want to be found in? And so much more.
Our goal is to make sure you have the proper foundation and tools you need to succeed.
Digital Marketing Start-up Checklist
So, you’ve got a great business idea and plan, and you’re ready to take on the digital world but not sure where to begin. Here is a pretty good starting place to get you going in the right direction. And, if you need any help, we’re here every step of the way.
1. Digital Marketing Branding Guide
A digital marketing branding guide is a comprehensive document or set of guidelines that outlines how a brand should be represented and communicated in the digital space. It serves as a reference for marketers, designers, and other stakeholders to ensure consistency in the brand’s online presence. At the very top level it includes your company name, address, phone, email, logos (yes, more than one), branding colors, branding fonts, and much more.
2. Setting up your Business Email
Business emails should not be businessname@gmail.com or yourname@hotmail.com. A proper business email address should end with @yourdomain.com. For instance, if your business name is MediaLyon and you buy the domain medialyon.com from GoDaddy or other reputable provider, then all of your business emails should end with @medialyon.com. Examples: sales@medialyon.com, service@medialyon.com, help@medialyon.com, and so on.
3. Setting up your Google My Business Profile (and Bing too)
Here are the facts: Over 90% of all search volume happens on Google and over 60% of that is done through Google Chrome. Now, open Google Chrome and in the search bar type ‘MediaLyon’ and press enter. Do you see that card on the right hand side with the company name, description, phone number, reviews, website link, etc? That is a Google Business Profile. It also allows your business to be found on Google and Google Maps. If you want to be found on Google, you need a Google Business Profile. Oh, and don’t forget Bing too.
4. Hosting, Building, Maintaining, and Growing your Website(s)
It’s said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. In digital marketing, this often happens when a potential customer visits your website for the first time. Did it load quickly? Does it look amazing? Was it easy to read and mobile-friendly? Were they able to find the information they were looking for? Did the Calls-to-Action inspire them to take the next steps? Websites are one of the best investments a business can make but only if properly designed, maintained, and marketed.
5. Getting your business listed in Local and National Directories
Getting listed in Local and National Directories is a great way to get your online presence started the right way. Consider Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellow Pages, MapQuest, CitySearch, and so many more. Not only will people find your company in these directories, the simple act of listing your businss there creates a trustworthy backlink to your website, increasing the likelihood that you will be found in search. Have you ever spoken with an SEO specialist who didn’t mention the importance of backlinks? We didn’t think so.
6. Setting up your Social Media platforms
Like it or hate it, Social Media plays an important role in your overall digital marketing strategy due to its widespread reach, engagement potential, targeting potential, and targeting capabilities. Businesses that effectively leverage social media can gain a competitive advantage by staying top-of-mind with their audience and keeping up with industry trends. But which Social Media platforms are right for your business? LinkedIn? Meta / Facebook? Instagram? TikTok, Pinterest? YouTube? X? And many more. That’s where we come in.
7. Setting up your Email Marketing platform
Email marketing is essential in digital marketing due to its direct, personalized communication with customers, cost-effectiveness, and ability to nurture leads and drive conversions through tailored content. With segmentation and automation, marketers target audiences effectively, improving engagement and conversion rates, while also providing valuable data insights for refining future campaigns, making it indispensable for businesses aiming to optimize their online presence and drive growth.
8. Setting up your Analytics and Tracking
Setting up analytics and tracking in digital marketing is essential for informed decision-making and optimizing your time and marketing efforts. It provides insights into campaign performance, identifies key metrics like conversion rates and ROI, and helps understand target audience behavior. This data-driven approach maximizes marketing effectiveness by allocating resources efficiently and tailoring strategies to audience preferences. In today’s competitive landscape, robust analytics are vital for driving engagement and conversions.
