Connect with your audience

Using digital marketing to connect better with your audience

When it comes to thought leadership it’s all about finding innovative ways to connect with your audience. As a result, thought leaders need to have a 360-degree view of their audience in order to deliver their message on the correct content management & social media platforms.

As a thought leader, you have to know which digital channels your audience is using and where your audience is spending most of their time. Below we will be breaking down the elements of a digital content strategy.

Websites & Mobile Applications

Websites & Mobile Applications are the final destination for one’s audience, whether they end up on your functional landing page or a services page, you need to create an exceptional user experience for your audience. Ensure that you have call to actions across highly trafficked pages on your website.

It’s also imperative that your website content is SEO optimized from the start so that your brand is found organically when your audience is searching Google for related topics.

Don’t forget that your website must be mobile responsive in order to scale well, and It should be easy for the reader to navigate. Mobile traffic as a percentage of web & app traffic is increasing year by year

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

93% of online experiences start with organic searches via search engines and 70% of links users click on are organic search engine results. Not having an organic search engine result or not ranking on the first page of Google for a keyword phrase, makes finding your organization very difficult for your audience or potential customers.

SEO helps you gain brand awareness and increases organic traffic to your website. By doing audience research and knowing what keywords and phrases your target audience uses, you can align this with the content you’re producing.

PPC (Pay Per Click advertising)

Did you know that the top 3 paid advertising spots receive 41% of clicks in search engine results? With PPC, you pay for every click your display banner, search ad, website, social platforms and search engine result receives.

The beauty of PPC is the fact that you could easily and accurately target your audience to get them to engage with the content you’ve created.

Outbound email campaigns

A recent study indicates that 91% of people check their emails on a daily basis, which means that you should be including outbound email campaigns in your digital marketing strategy.

Email campaigns are excellent ways to interact and communicate with your existing audience and to develop long term relationships. It’s also a good way to speak directly about their pain points.

Social Media

Social media provides thought leaders with easy ways to connect with their audience and take full advantage of the relevant social media platforms.

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook are powerful platforms to generate interest within your audience and to get your message across. Don’t forget to invest in other platforms such as Twitter and Instagram which all appeal to different audiences.

Content marketing

By now you should know and understand that content is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Brilliant thought leaders utilize different types of content to spread their message and to test and see what works for them.

Infographics, Videos, social posts, and how-to guides are all ways to test the response of your audience and leads to more lead generation. Thought leaders should ensure that their content is freely available in the form of blogs and social posts that entices the audience to engage with the content.

In Short

When approached correctly, thought leadership marketing establishes credibility and value to your audience without coming off as self-promotional or unrealistic. It enables you to present yourself as a credible source of information that people can trust. In the end, you’re not only earning trust amongst your audience, but you’re also earning business too.

In the modern digital age, consumers want proof and thought leadership is an excellent way to provide it. Remember the sole purpose is to educate, improve and add value to the industry as a whole.

Take a look at Apple, Steve Jobs was more than just a mascot. He propelled Apple to its leading position in the tech space industry and directly impacted how we view and consume information.

Steve Jobs didn’t just brand his organization, he branded himself to align with the core values of Apple, and generated excitement around upcoming products and personalized the digital world. He’s a prime example of an excellent thought leader.

To give you another example, ZwavelStream clinic’s CEO Denza Steenkamp is a great example of a thought leader, ZwavelStream clinic utilized digital transformation in order to create mental health awareness amongst their audience, encouraging those who face a mental disorder to seek help from a professional health care provider.

Building beneficial relationships with other thought leaders in your industry helps you enhance your reputation by association. Don’t shy away from responding to other thought leaders posts with some of your own relevant insights, and join industry-relevant groups or forums to engage with other thought leaders within your industry.

At Best Web Design we strive to help our clients succeed, we can certainly help you become a thought leader and create a winning content marketing strategy to help your brand flourish. We have walked this road with numerous clients and ensured that they reach their goals. We can help YOU too! Contact the Best Ad Design team to discuss your business’s needs.