This is part 8 of an 8 part series.
So far, we've discussed seven different ways you can get more results from your marketing strategy.
Now is the time to start making adjustments to find what is working and what is not.
Let's look at some metrics you should be monitoring and get some suggestions on how to refine your Internet marketing strategy.
Analytics tools help you gather key measurements that show how well your marketing efforts are really working. The software ties into your customer relationship management system. It will give you a great deal of information on traffic and leads. It will also track new customers coming in through various channels and campaigns. One example of this kind of software is Google Analytics. There are other packages available as well.
As you go through your marketing analytics and activities, look for areas to improve. Do you want to increase your blog traffic? Do you want more leads? When something hits you, make a note of it. You can put it on your next steps list. When you're plotting out your strategy for the next quarter, always think about your next steps and what you need to improve.
It's not enough to make a goal. You gotta make it realistic. When setting a goal, be sure its quantifiable and has a solid timeline. Let's say you want to increase traffic, your goal might be "Increase new visitor traffic by 20 percent by the end of the 2nd quarter." A good rule to follow is to set SMART goals. No, I'm not saying your goals have been dumb up to this point. I'm saying your goals should be:
Right now, growing your business might seem like an impossible goal. Our economy is in a constant state of change. Just when things seem to be going up, we're hit with another obstacle (COVID-19, anyone?). Here's the good news. It's very possible, and SMART goals are a great way to track your progress.
A recent study published by Robbins Research International showed that a vast majority of business owners believe they'll be able to grow their company through the next recession (even if they aren't sure how they'll do it).
You have programs in place. But if they aren't doing their job properly, what's the point? Check how they are performing and make changes. If your intention is to achieve your goals, you need to do more of what works and change what is not working. Are you not getting enough leads? Are your leads dropping like flies when they reach your sales team? Chances are, there are holes somewhere in your process. Once you fill those, everything will fall into place.
When you set your SMART goal, you made it measurable. Now, you should find out if you are going to meet that measurement. If you are, you have made a positive change. If you are off track, what can you do to change that? Making changes will help you meet goals and keep your business growing. Monitor your ongoing progress short-term and long-term.
Certain metrics will give you critical information on how well your changes are doing. Before looking at making improvements, you need to understand what these metrics are and what they stand for. For example, if you're looking at your sales team, check the number of sales calls you make a week, how many leads fall through the cracks, and the percentage of leads converted to customers.
Here are other metrics to consider:
Here are a few suggestions to improve the results you have seen so far:
Keywords - You can add new keywords or try new versions of your keywords. Each web page offers an opportunity to use a different keyword. Add a new web page with new content and a new keyword. See how much traffic hits it.
Landing Pages and Conversion Forms - Make a change to a landing page. Try a new image on a conversion form. A simple change may make a big difference in the amount of opt-ins you see. Just be sure to keep your channels consistent in message and look.
Use Different Types Of Content - If you have followed the strategies laid out, you have a variety of content for visitors. Look at what people are visiting the most. You might have a video or webinar getting traffic or your blog articles may be tops. This tells you that you need more of that content and you need to adjust the other types of content.
Email Marketing - Experiment with your email marketing strategy. Try sending emails more often or less often. Change your CTAs. Keep making changes and measuring the results.
Getting results from your marketing can feel like an impossible goal. But, when you break it down step by step, it's not as complicated as it seems. You will see results. The information provided here will give you a solid foundation on which to build your business.
Now you know the fundamentals of building a keyword strategy, optimizing for search engines, getting traffic to become leads, nurturing contacts into customers, and how to look at the entire structure for improvements. All you need now is to put it all together!
Master these concepts and apply them to your existing strategies or create new strategies based on these fundamentals. You will not only see immediate results but will conquer the mysteries or at least the perceived mysteries of successful internet marketing.
And if you still aren't sure how to get results from your marketing, pick up a copy of my book, The Golden Toilet. You'll learn which marketing tactics move the needle and which ones are nothing more than shiny golden toilets.