Cost-effective marketing enables you to maximise your return on investment (ROI) and drive organic traffic to web pages from search, social media and other organic channels, using affordable and targeted strategies.
The internet age has democratised marketing, as even the smallest startups are now able to create campaigns that help them to achieve core business goals, such as increasing visibility in search via SEO or boosting brand authority through high-quality blogs.
There was a time when only the biggest brands had budgets capable of supporting traditional marketing on TV, radio and print, which made it difficult for SMEs to compete. That’s not the case any longer, as you can get a campaign up and running even if you have a tight budget and a small marketing team.
And if you have committed to a large investment, you still want to select some forms of marketing that will deliver ample returns for your money. So what exactly are the best methods for achieving that aim?
Blogging and SEO
Seven in 10 B2B marketers say they are planning to invest in content creation in 2021, according to a study by the Content Marketing Institute. This is because crafting articles and blogs is an affordable and incredibly effective way to get people clicking through to web pages and spending more time on your site.
Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand, as you can create a blog and tailor it for search by including keywords and terms that customers use to find your products and services. When ranking for these keywords, your content will feature on the first page of Google search results, which can really increase your visibility and organically drive click-through rates and traffic.
If you don’t have access to in-house writers, you can outsource your content requirements at minimal expense to an agency that provides a blog management service. Tapping into the knowledge and expertise offered by third parties is also among the best ways to keep marketing campaigns on track and within budget.
Display advertising
Advertising is different to marketing in that it is focused on promoting a brand and its products through paid channels. Fortunately, you can mix and match marketing and ads to boost the reach of your campaigns. Display advertising is particularly useful if ROI is a primary concern, as you will only pay for an ad when a user clicks on it. This is known as cost-per-click (CPC).
Display advertising usually takes the form of banner ads, interstitial ads, rich media and video ads, with each of these designed to attract the attention of users and get them to click through to a landing page, which you can design yourself for the best results.
Display ads should feature high-quality images and text, have copy that is clear and readable, include a brand logo and colours, and preferably conclude with a call-to-action (CTA) that prompts a user to take action. It’s also possible to use targeted audiences on the Google Display Network to place your ads in front of select customers to increase cost-effectiveness.
Guerrilla marketing
More unconventional marketing approaches can also work if you want to be a bit more creative on a smaller budget. Guerrilla marketing focuses on the dissemination of memorable and emotive imagery and messaging that can go viral and increase the visibility of a brand or product. This form of marketing taps into smartphones, social media and other forms of online communication to amplify its power.
Some of the world’s leading brands have used guerrilla marketing to great effect in recent years. The use of public spaces and architecture to create branded ‘art’ and showpieces can be incredibly effective when launching a new product, as it creates hype that is separate to traditional marketing and advertising.
Social media marketing
Over half of the world’s population now uses social media, with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter among the most widely-used sites on the internet. For a new business with a smaller budget, there is no better, affordable outlet for content and digital experiences than social platforms. All you have to do is create an account and start crafting posts that can resonate with an engaged audience that wants to hear about your brand.
To get started with social media, first detail what you want to achieve from using it. This will help you to focus on a few platforms that dovetail with your objectives. For example, if you are a website design company, Instagram may be the best for showcasing your services, as it is centred around images and video.
Next, you should define your target audience and decide on what messages and content that audience wants and needs on social media. Are there any pain points or problems you can address with content? And how will this complement the marketing campaigns you are already managing?
If you are creating blogs with an agency, cross-posting them on social media is a great idea. This cuts to the very essence of cost-effective internet marketing services, as you can invest in one piece of content, such as a blog, and then repurpose and republish it across a variety of channels.
Best of the rest
Many other forms of affordable marketing can work for your business. You could consider a new email marketing initiative combined with vouchers and offers that will re-engage one-time customers, or focus on press releases if you want to communicate a series of important updates to industry figures and increase your exposure.
Almost any form of marketing can be cost-effective – the key is in the planning and management. You also need to improve your data and analytics so you can track metrics and use key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure you are delivering ROI. Executives and other higher-ups in a business will be more open to greenlighting campaigns if they know that they will deliver results.
If you want to know more about content marketing and SEO, and how you could use it cost-effectively to achieve your goals, contact us today and we will offer you bespoke advice and services.
