Digital marketing is always changing. And, there’s no doubt that changing technology is transforming how businesses of all sizes in the water damage restoration industry market their services online.
For years now, people have been turning to the internet for information. Now, they are spending more time online, spending more time connecting with others online, and they are devoting more of their day to their smartphones.
The New Year is the perfect time to review your digital marketing strategies. And, understanding the shifts in digital marketing trends is crucial to using the internet to grow your water damage restoration business in the upcoming year. Here’s what you need to know about digital marketing in 2018.
Understanding Consumer Decision Making
The way consumers research and purchases and spend their money has changed because of smartphones. Consumers are spending more time on their mobile phones than ever before, a trend that has come to be known as “moblification.”
This means that digital marketing campaigns have to be targeted at mobile technology. The most basic first step in this direction is making sure your website is mobile friendly. Some business have begun to incorporate text messaging into their marketing campaign, sending promotions to repeat customers who have opted-in to text message alerts.
Information as Marketing
More than ever, consumers are turning to the internet to find the information they need. Whether they want to know what’s happening in politics or they simply want to know how to fix a leaky faucet, they’re going to turn to digital before they turn to print.
This has contributed to the rise of information used as a marketing strategy. Companies, no matter what industry they are in, can’t just put their ads out there. They’re attracting potential customers by putting useful and authoritative information out into the world. This is being done through mediums like blogging, podcasting, and even through social media and it is being done frequently. In fact, it is generally believed that companies need to be publishing 16 blog posts a month to see a marked increase in their website traffic.
Customers Reviews as an SEO Boost
We’ve known for sometime that what past customers say about a business online matters. This is because the majority of consumers are reading reviews online. Some are reading multiple reviews before they make any decisions about the purchases or services they are going to invest in. Additionally, we know that Google takes reviews into account when it comes to search engine optimization, making reviews even more essential to every business’s digital marketing campaign.
In our industry, we rely so heavily on referrals as a source of leads that we know our online reviews can’t be neglected. Many companies are finding creative ways to encourage and remind past customers to leave reviews, without crossing the line of incentivizing the review. This can be done by suggesting online reviews on phones calls and emails, or even adding a reminder on the bottom of invoice.
Market Across Multiple Platforms
Overwhelmed business owners might not be thrilled to hear it, but how consumers learn about a product or service will continue to diversify in 2018. We know that more consumers are watching videos to inform their purchase decisions, they’re listening to podcasts, and they’re checking in on multiple social media channels.
This means that the marketing campaigns of small business have to diversify, as well. This will likely require hire someone whose sole responsibility is digital marketing. This person will devote themselves to the creation and posting of quality content across multiple platforms.
Fast Decision Making
Lastly, we know that people are consuming information online faster than ever. On average, Americans are checking in on their phones 80 times a day. All of this time adds up to 5 hours a day, separated into short check-ins.
It makes sense, then, that digital marketing needs to accommodate the quick glances and quick decisions consumers have gotten in the habit of. This means, small businesses need to be getting their point across more quickly, taking advantage of the “buy-it-now” mentality of the American consumer.
If there is anything we know for sure about digital marketing, it’s that it is always changing. Being able to adapt and grow with the changing landscape of marketing is crucial to your success in water damage restoration.
At More Floods, we help business owners like you plan out their digital marketing campaigns. Our network members have access to strong marketing strategies and resources, developed through extensive research as well as trial and error. To learn more about the resources included in a More Floods member, click here or call 1-866-667-3356,