Only a month after 2013, the New Year is already shaping out to be yet another interesting time for Internet marketing professionals.
Internet marketing, as most of us know, is evolving fast and SEO is certainly one component that is not to be left behind. Developments in technology and search engine optimisation trends are forcing new practices in the way we do marketing for businesses and brands online.
Here are some interesting activities in the Internet marketing world:
The Facebook Graph Search
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, recently announced the release of Graph Search.
A search engine within the popular social network, Graph Search lets users search for information on the popular site where results would be based on the activity or content of the user’s network.
The search engine works pretty interestingly as it provides very relevant data to the user. For example, a user looking for recommended budget hotels in Cebu, can do a search on Graph Search for “budget hotels in Cebu that my friends like.” The site should display a range of related local businesses with ratings from friends.
While there are no official business models made yet to make money off Graph Search, this latest development if accepted well by the people, could make the Facebook technology a very potent platform for “online peer recommendation.”
Businesses and brands will definitely be clamoring to be part of the list when people make a related search about their niche in Facebook.
Content Marketing is Relevance Marketing
Search engines are placing more weight in the way people consume content online and they are not just looking for any kind of content – they want real, meaty, relevant content.
Content marketing is an integral part of an Internet marketing campaign and should be created with three principles in mind: Quality, Engagement and Social Proof.
Every website has a niche and a specific target market. Producing high quality content that provides users with the right information makes the website relevant to that target consumer.
How then does a search engine identify the relevance of a website? Engagement and shares are great measuring tools. Basically, the higher the engagement there is in the website, the more interested people are with the content found in the website. And more people sharing the content from the website, means that website visitors actually find the content relevant enough to “share” to their own network. Simple enough right?
Basically, what we’re trying to say is, if you want your website to be relevant, create relevant content. The kind that people actually talk about and share to their friends.
The Role of Social Media
While great content is necessary for a successful Internet marketing campaign, it’s useless if no one knows about it – that’s why you have to be “social” about it.
Social media, if used strategically, is an online platform that directly impacts the visibility of your content. Social media gives your content a chance to be in the center of a busy pool of people online. But more than just a distribution channel, social media also has tracking features (+1s, shares, likes, comments, repins, retweet, etc). These tracking features are prompts that are read as “brand sentiment” and gives the readers as well as search engines indication that the content is relevant.
Internet marketing while proven to be a cost-efficient tool for effective marketing, requires strategic planning and implementation. The trick really is to get maximum visibility to your target customers using the most effective platforms and approach.
Maximize your brand’s online marketing efforts. Expose your brand to the right market. We can help you do that. Talk to us!
Get Hooked 360, Digital Marketing Agency Philippines