Ways to Improve Your Digital Marketing in 2015

A new study released by Webmarketing123 suggests there may be some large shifts in digital marketing practices in 2015. The study, which is a comprehensive survey of 600 marketing professionals from across the United States, reveals new trends in marketing goals and practices that are likely to shape this year’s digital market. So what did they find, and how can it help your brand this year?

Some Findings

• Improving sales is both a challenge and primary goal for many marketers, with lead generation and driving sales coming in as the top two priorities for 57 percent of B2C marketers and 68 percent of B2B marketers.
• Mobile has become a major concern for most marketers—and with good reason—with 64 percent of B2B and 75 percent of B2C brands reporting they’ve taken measures to make their websites mobile friendly.

9 Tips to Improve
With these trends in mind, here are a few tips to make sure your marketing initiatives stay on track in 2015:

• Know your goals and how to measure them. While marketers look to improve the sales impact of their efforts, 33 percent of marketers report they don’t know which of their channels produces the most revenue, while 38 percent have no models in place to measure conversions. Knowing what your goals are and how you’re hitting them is vital.
• Consider a blog. Most B2C brands (51 percent) don’t utilize blogs at all, while 60 percent of B2B brands use them as an easy way of establishing thought leadership on a regular basis. The key is consistency. Most companies post at least once a week (62 percent for B2Bs and 58 percent for B2Cs), so it’s important to keep pace.
• Video is king. The overwhelming majority of both B2B (76 percent) and B2C (74 percent) marketers report video is their most effective form of content; however, this doesn’t mean quantity should trump quality.
• Consider automation. Automation, although daunting in theory, provides a vital edge in reaching audiences, particularly for B2C brands that implement advanced techniques.
• Score your leads. While 68 percent of B2B and 74 percent of B2C marketers report lead scoring as useful and effective, only 67 percent of B2Bs and 54 percent of B2Cs actually do it.
• Create marketing personas. While 51 percent of companies report using marketing personas in some fashion, an overwhelming 90 percent of these companies report the practice as being effective.
• Consider account-based marketing. Only 29 percent of B2B companies currently use some form of accounts in their marketing process, but of those that do 95 percent report the method as being effective.
• Examine your SEO. In just the last year, SEO’s impact has grown 29 percent for B2C brands, bringing it to a tie with email for most positive ROI. There are new tools available every day to help even the least technical marketer take control of their SEO.
• Focus on social media that works for you. For B2B companies, LinkedIn is reported to bring in the best revenue (37 percent), while Facebook remains the most popular (56 percent) for B2C companies.

So, what’s the ultimate takeaway? One size does not fit all. This study gives marketers great insight into what digital marketing is working for other people, but at the end of the day, there is no list that can substitute for constant self-evaluation and adjustment of your brand. Were these tips helpful? Be sure to share some of your experiences with us in the comments below!

via @skyword

Free Career Predictions