What do I mean? I mean the miracle systems promoted, usually by cold email, that offer limitless quality leads or instant high-performing traffic etc. You know what I mean. You’ve had these stupid-ignorant-con emails, haven’t you, eh?
Snake Oil originated in America during the eighteenth century. I supposed a universal elixir that would cure all your ills, like a politician, only in liquid form.
We are Programmed
We are programmed to look for easy answers and cure-all. That’s natural, we want to save time and money and get a result. But deep down you and I know there are no ‘magic bullets’ when it comes to digital marketing. I still find my anger rising when I receive one of these stupid emails. Then I think. Why are they sending this email? The fact of the matter is they’ve fallen for the snake oil. If I send these emails with my system to someone they will buy and I will make money. You see, snake oil is self-perpetuating therefore we should feel sorry for these snake oil-peddling charlatans, shouldn’t we?
No. They’re idiots, greedy fools polluting the online world with their stupidity.
What Should you do for success in Digital Marketing?
It’s a broad church with many options but the following is an idea of what to look at and what to do. You need to:
Work and Learn
Benchmark
Where your website is now and record the useful stats that you can take action from.
Do this weekly.
Understand Traffic Sources
Google Analytics is free (I wonder why) and will give you an insight into where traffic is coming from, Search, Paid, Email, Social, referral etc.
Do this weekly.
Understand Conversion Optimisation
What is your current conversion rate? Establish and learn what helps convert a visitor to a lead, a sale or a subscriber. This requires hard work and involves understanding what your market wants and giving it to them without any friction (for example, don’t ask for endless information on a form).
Do this as often as possible.
Advertising Online
Advertising takes many forms, with Google, Amazon and Facebook being the most relevant for eCommerce. Understand that Google and Facebook will claim all the credit. Really? Well, see for yourself, how many of your brand terms lead to a sale? Did Google or Facebook do that?
Email is All
Build your double opt-in email list. You have direct contact then, don’t you? Less ad spend, less time wondering about some mega tech company’s algorithm.
Online Value Proposition
Why are you different? What’s in it for the prospect?
Content is King
Content is also Queen and Jack when it comes to marketing. How are you different, what form, post consistently, grow organic traffic and encourage other websites to link to yours? Trade content for partnerships and collaboration, a low-budget way to gain traffic.
Think video, infographics, ebooks (yes they are still a thing), white papers, case studies, podcasts, GIFs, user-generated content and captivating images etc.
The Marketing Model
There’s so much drivel about marketing models. This is a simple one:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Purchase
Create awareness, create content for consideration and watch your traffic purchase from your website. Not that simple but you get the idea, don’t you? Marketing is not complicated, it’s graft.
When you combine this model with the ‘ladder of loyalty’ ie repeat purchases, the right pricing, exceptional customer care and dare I say it, entertainment you have loyalty, your tribe as it were, ready to defend your brand (and their brand) which leads to the most value of all.
Word-of-Mouth
When all the stars align (that’s your tactical traffic channels) under your strategy then customers talk to other people and post on social media how wonderful you are.
So, put the snake oil down, pull up your big boy and big girl pants, think and graft.
There’s a fair amount I’ve left out but knowing the above will put you on the road to where you want to be.
Take care and Hurrah!
About Conversion Detectives
Conversion Detectives is a full-service digital marketing agency in Hertfordshire.
We find the best quality traffic for your website and convert more of that traffic into sales or sales leads.
Services
Digital Marketing Strategy | Creative Content Marketing | Email Marketing |
Lead Generation | Content Strategy | Social Media Marketing |
Video Marketing | SEO (Basics) | SEM | Shopify Marketing |
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